F A I R Y T A L E OF T O R O N T O



In a recent interview with Under The Radar magazine, Torq Campbell said "I think that the role of musicians, like all artists in society, is to help people see the beauty of their own lives". This is exactly what he (and his band, Stars) did for me on Saturday afternoon. Johnny and I took in the Stars show/X-Mas party at Lee's Palace, opting to attend the all-ages show due to the chance of a freak storm (which came a few days earlier) that December notoriously brings to Toronto. Arriving at the venue at ten to four, I was somewhat dumbfounded to find a sign out front announcing that the band's start time had been pushed up an hour to 4pm. We high-tailed it into the venue, ran by the merch table, then found a close spot to the right of the stage. Only then did I realise that the band had transformed the usually dank/dirty venue into a cozy, warm Christmas-themed environment. The venue was decorated by local artist Chris Mills, who has directed videos for bands on the Arts & Crafts roster. There was a beautiful back drop behind the band depicting a winter scene, numerous small trees hanging from the ceiling, projections of traditional Canadianna winter scenes on three of the walls, and Christmas lights hanging across the front of the stage and on the band's equipment. It was nothing short of magical.
The band hit the stage at about 4:20pm and launched into What The Snowman Learned About Love. They setlist was a perfect mix of material from Set Yourself On Fire and Heart, with a couple obscure b-sides thrown in. The setlist was as follows:

The Snowman Learned About Love
Set Yourself On Fire
Elevator Love Letter
Reunion
The Woods
Sleep Tonite
Soft Revolution
What I'm Trying To Say
One More Night
Ageless Beauty
Umbrellas
Big Fight
Georgie
Your Ex-Lover Is Dead

Encore
Going Going Gone
First Five Times
Calendar Girl
A Fairytale In New York

The band has really benefited from the last year and a half of touring. They have come together live and with the addition of a girl on violin, and a guy on saxophone (this time wearing a Radiohead Amnesiac t-shirt), they sounded better than ever. Like "For The Records", the pinnacle of the show for me was during "Ex-Lover" when Amy sang "The scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin", everything for a split second felt perfect, everyone in the audience from the under-agers up front to the aging hipsters at the back had huge smiles across their faces. It was a moment that Torq speaks of where music helps us understand the beauty in life.

My pictures didn't turn out the greatest, I couldn't get close enough to the stage to reap the benefit of the stage lights, so they are kind of dark. Regardless, I've posted the best of the lot.




Thanks, Torq, Amy, Chris and Evan for the best musical Christmas gift I could have ever asked for.

Check these links for other reviews from Stars six night stand at Lee's:
A Soundtrack For Everyone
Just Keep Bloggin'
SuckingaLemon
For The Records

>>>Update: Check the link to read Chart Magazine's review of the show. It's not the most glowing review, but you must remember, this is a magazine that has actually put Nickelback on their cover (Yikes!!!)