MOG

I was psyched that I got to see Tegan and Sara this week! This show was a departure for me because I had been going to hard rock shows like Billy Talent and Rise Against all summer. I didn’t know what to expect at an indie pop show…busted up laughing to see Sara in a Cancer Bats (hardcore band) Tshirt!

Sara and Tegan put together a solid set that included most of the songs from The Con, the best known tunes from So Jealous and If It Was You, and two songs from their first record. They covered Rihanna’s Under My Umbrella as an encore, and made it all moody indie girl – very credible!

First off, I should say that Tegan and Sara are not a band; they are a duo. Although they have played with some musicians like Ted Gowans both live and in the studio, the three male touring musicians played effectively, but stayed out of the way.

You’ve probably heard that Tegan and Sara are known for their onstage banter – all of which was edited out of their concert DVD, “If It’s Not Fun, Don’t Do It.” In this show, Sara seemed to be always chatting while Tegan laid low.

I saw the show in a big wooden church with box pews and stained glass windows. Sara launched into a story about going to a sleepover at age 6 and being told by their friend’s family that they would burn in hell because they didn’t know Jesus. During the show, she returned to tales of her mom, her sister and their childhood several times.

If you know their music, you know that until recently, each song was written and recorded by EITHER Tegan or Sara, and they would later work out how to perform them live together. Their song writing styles are distinct, with Tegan going for more straight-out hooky rock songs, and Sara going for more of a layered indie sound. (I think they should do a double album next time, like Andre and Big Boi did with Speakerboxx/The Love Below!)

The DVD of The Con shows how each song was arranged with producer Chris Walla. (You can hear “just this much” Death Cab influence on the record.) I have watched the DVD over and over – it has taught me a lot about how music is recorded, and the way the team works together is too cute for words! See a clip of it here: I bought The Con on its release date and have been playing it constantly since. If you look at the musical history of T & S, I’d say the first two albums have an acoustic folk-rock sound and traditional song structures with wordy lyrics. The next two albums have tighter songs with short, impressionistic lyrics and much more pop sensibility. The Con is a darker, more intricate album. Their concert showcased the album and was centred around performance of the songs, rather than shout-outs to the audience.

The most striking thing about the show was that the audience was almost 90% female. I have never been to a show with that kind of grrl energy! It was cute, polite and hipster at the same time.

Tegan and Sara are touring Canada and the US with Northern State, a Long Island hip-hop trio. These young women were pop-oriented and sing-songy, until they pumped it up with their single “Sucka Mofo.” After their set, they spent the rest of the evening at the merch table, winning over many hearts.

Tegan and Sara live exceeded all my expectations. I got into their musicianship and their ability to make the songs shine bright.

Posted on 10/21/2007

Tags: Northern State