28.2.08

Feist @ Prince Bandroom (26/2/08)


I still have a hard time believing it.After months of putting to her album on endless replay and still finding new ways to love it-I was shocked to hear that Feist was coming,first as a major headliner to the St. Jerome's Laneway Fest then for a one-night-only solo gig at the Prince Bandroom.I bought tickets immediately,two days later they were declared sold out.

Wanting to get the most from the experience,3 of us went to the St Kilda venue 2 hours before the scheduled door opening time-loafed around the entrance before being let in as the night's first,most overeager patrons,quickly securing a small space directly in front of the stage-and it was all worth it,when Feist finally came on after opened by local band The LuckSmiths (frontman pictured) played for 90 minutes-she was near enough for us to reach out and tear off her pretty blue sequin dress.Which we did not do,because,we are not animals.

I was kept fully captivated for an entire 2 hours-not a single moment did I slip out from that spellbound state,only growing mesmerized the whole time.She sang only a handful of songs-20 the most maybe,missing out Secret Heart,Leisure Suite and BSS
number Lover's Spit-but she more than made up for the small number,belting out all the songs from The Reminder (which,for the 5000th time-I must say,is just unbelievably good) except Past in Present.Not one song sounded the same live-Sea Lion Woman was amped up into a full-on rock song,old tunes like Gatekeeper & When I was a Young Girl were strictly vocal-driven,My Moon My Man a fast-paced pop rock song,and Inside & Out a wild,jazzier version that was vastly different from the original.Overall it was a tremendously enjoyable set,but for me,So Sorry & Sea Lion Woman stood out.


The audience-a crowd of nearly 400 crammed into that small rathouse-clung onto her every lyric,singing along quietly as to not ruin that magical effect Feist had over us.Only until the second-to-last tune 1234 (before Stay True),when Feist chose to go acoustic up to the second chorus-during which emerged Architecture in Helsinki with fancy trumpets and whatnot-did we finally feel safe to sing and clap along indiscreetly.Other surprise guest performers included BSS-member Andrew Whitemen,clad in tight white jeans and sporting an old-fashioned,orange half-beard (someone yelled out "El Rancho!"right before he sang a cute tune called Blackberry),New Buffalo and 1234 writer Sally Seltman.

It's rare to see a performer come alive with so much passion-she sang each new song with so much energy and enthusiasm,and I was close enough to see how,as she sung,her lips twitched lightly,the back of her heels were lifted,her fingers caressing an imaginary flow as she delicately touched high notes and freed her impeccable voice.Only few times was her back turned,and between songs she'd crack a couple silly jokes (how she remembered having been here many years ago,after revisiting the backstage toilet's "particularities") and waited for people to shout out songs they wanted played or whatever (one girl right smack in front of Feist actually screamed out "Lover's Spit!"-something I just wasn't brave enough to do-to which Feist smiled,pointed down to the girl and agree said "Ahh")-and as I said before sorta,we were all just connected with the music.


Lastly,a few random things.

1. After recording about 4 vids,some blonde bloke came up from the side of the stage and told me to stop it (making the "cut it out" neck-chop gesture)-after which I was forced to use extremely sneaky tactics to still record vids without letting off Generic Aussie Guy.
2.Interpol was playing on the night before,when CYHSY was on.Damn
3. I'm surprised how cheap the tickets were (a bit over $40) for a Feist gig-other nobody's and has-beens like Jason Mraz and James Blunt usually charge around 75 (an amount I'd be willing to pay for someone like Feist,but Jason Mraz?!Who the fuck do you think you are charging people prices like that?).But hey,cheap tickets never bugged anyone-even tickets for Cat Power's gig in March costs around a justifiable $60.Still contemplating on that one.
4. All y'all who missed her this time around-don't fret,she announced at the end of last night that she'll be returning with her band in October.I'm so there.
5. Psst.The new Goldfrapp album's pretty damn good.

Pictures.

Watching the fire as we grow old
(Mushaboom mushaboom).

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

AL ZAQUAN!!! I am officially green with envy. cant believe u managed to catch feist in action!!! and u went for "letupan di langit". SO UNFAIR!!

hopefully feist will find her way to KL shores soon. *fingers crossed*

Al said...

yes,if feist comes to KL i'll buy all the tickets so it'll just be you,me & feist.

fingers,toes,and unmentionables crossed forever and ever.

Anonymous said...

awww...that's so sweet. :)

crossed forever and ever?
hurm.