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Daniel Lanois' Black Dub @ the Commdore Feb 2/11
| Message Board > Show Reviews > Daniel Lanois' Black Dub @ the Commdore Feb 2/11 |
| Sati User Info... | So I got to go to the sold out Daniel Lanois' Black Dub show at the Commodore last week. It was a last minute thing, and I thought I had 2 passes & invited a really active musician friend who got all excited about the musicians playing as we reminisced about Lanois' career etc. Then I clued in that I only had one pass. What a crummy thing to do to someone - and he was so sweet about it! He came over, brought me music, hung out anyway and claimed he wasn't disappointed even though he'd spent all afternoon on youtube, etc. I got off easy because he's got a big life & makes plenty of his own music, but don't EVER do this to a music fan! Anyway he was right, Brian Blade on drums was exceptional and made for my highest points of the evening, when I'd assumed that it'd all be about Lanois' voice and guitar for me. (Did he really play on Dream of the Blue Turtles though? I thought that was Omar Hakim or Manu Kache?) I've been privileged enough to see a few drummers of this calibre and he certainly doesn't pale in comparison to any. The female voice was powerful and undeniably soulful, and I guess perfect for this project. She reminded me of Alison Moyet - impressive, especially for such a tiny thing. But for me, when there are renowned musicians on stage I like to hear them highlighted, and her voice was so BIG that she easily drew all the attention. The sound was great though, so hearing everyone else was still possible, and she took breaks now and again so that Lanois could sing solo. Its not so much that I think he's a great singer, but wow, what a full career - you could hear glimpses of many of the projects he's been a part of. I kept being reminded of more & more I'd forgotten about, including ones he'd produced but not performed on. Plus he played (his own) crowd pleasers like "Jolie Louise" (regional French influenced folk) from Acadie, and "The Maker". Not sure if I'll look back at this Black Dub being one of my favorites, but it made for an entertaining night. Again, its not his singing, but his soothing voice, and I really find his vocal harmonies unlike anyone else's. Another friend pointed out that he's such a skilled/educated master of music, that this isn't surprising, but to me I find that his stand apart... they're absolutely beautifully done. Not to mention his guitar work. It's just so inviting. The stage set up was my ideal... well lit with 3 huge screens up above, middle & on either side, and 1 camerman up on & in front of the stage giving steady, clear, intimate closeups of the players. Lanois seemed stoked and introduced both the camera operator & soundman more than once. So modern, so simple.. and so exactly what fans of live musicians want & need in order to fully appreciate a show. LOVED THIS, and can definitely do with more of this kind of setup in larger venues! It also occurred to me that its a good time for the Commodore - the room's looking good... does anyone remember the reno that included the clear/bubbly pillars years ago? Shudder. Finally, its interesting seeing the crowds at big shows like this these days - mostly grey hairs! Not that I'm any cherub but I seriously didn't recognize anyone. I think its a case of their being more familiar with the artists' work over the years, but since it seems to be the case at a LOT of big events, its probably also because they're the only ones who can afford the ticket prices. This one was a very reasonably priced $22 (before all the extra charges) but there sure are a lot of great shows coming to town, and music fans are having to pick and choose based on their income. Then again, Vancouver's had worse things to complain about. And at least its reassuring to see high standards of organization & presentation so professionally met and managed from all sides. A great night. - Mon, 7 Feb 2011 4:47pm | ||
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