Ex-Factor

In Toronto, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) fair signals the end of summer. I headed over on Wednesday to relive some childhood memories. But the food building wasn't it! The relatively innocent food such as corn dogs, cotton candy, roasted corn, et al have been replaced with crazy artery-clogging one-up-man-ships including deep fried Mars bars, eclair dogs, and bacon on everything. I was reasonably excited to go inside but quickly made my exit. Luckily, those food can still be found outside at various booths.

The carnie games were better though of course they were all fixed against you and the various rides of the Midway were still around: The Screamer, The Zipper, The Scrambler! The CNE has added Sky Ride, a sort of summer ski lift, that ran the length of the Midway area. From this vantage point, you can leisurely check out all the people below.

Over by the Band shell, two bands played tonight (free with admission). Taking advantage of the "$5 after 5" CNE discount, 1-2 thousand music lovers, mostly teenagers and 20-somethings, crowded the stage. First up was The Darcys. They played emotive songs that often descended into sonic feedback and effects. A hard sell for an opening band with an inexperienced and indifferent crowd new to your music.

Next up was The Arkells, the band most wanted to see based on all the screaming.They sounded like updated Hall and Oates with their first two numbers: Book Club and Where U Goin. But their penchant for referencing local landmarks and penning catchy chorus on songs like Abigail (with a mid-song callout to Call Me Maybe), Oh The Boss Is Coming!, and On Paper placed them on the fun side of mainstream pop/rock. With a powerhouse set closer like Whistleblower, the Arkells can be forgiven for sometimes crossing into formulaic jock rock (Ticats Are Humming). Speaking of Hall and Oates, the last song of their encore was, appropriately enough, a cover of You Make My Dreams Come True.

Guitar Hero

Tuesday night, a trio of guitar-heavy bands performed at the Horseshoe Tavern. First up at 9 was Secret Suburbia. They played heavy rock with lots of machine-gun chords, guitar runs, and double-time drums. As the singer pointed out on the last song, "Now here's a slow song ... screw it.", every tune was head-banging fast.

Little Barrie

Papermaps

The next band was a trio from the U.K. called Little Barrie. With shaggy hair and gleaming old-school instruments, they looked like a throwback to the British Invasion bands. They got the crowd into their music, although perhaps not as involved as they would have liked, with riff-filled songs that usually started out with odd chords or melodies but eventually settled into catchy choruses. While the lead singer played wildly on his guitars, the bass and drum kept a dynamic rhythm that transitioned from song to song.

It was an EP release for Papermaps. They played all 6 songs from their sophomore effort (highlights included Break, Nobody Gets It, Reaction Formation), as well some favourites from their debut such as You Are My Gallows. Their songs often build from a sparse beginning, layering on ringing guitar hooks, synth chords, and eventually multi-part vocal harmonies. Because of some sound issues and adjustments, the set felt deflated and disjointed until about the 4th song (Break) when they finally found their groove. With the larger stage at the Shoe, this performance was larger and more animated than their residency at the Drake.

Adobo's Big Adventure

Sunday afternoon, I headed uptown to Wychwood Barn for the Kapisanan Centre's Adobo Cook-off where several Filipino restaurants vied for the best adobo dish. There were also arts and crafts vendors and a small stage for performers. With the blazing sun, I felt too tired to eat very much so I can't comment on the best dishes (the judges' choice was Lamesa and the audience's choice was Adobo Cafe). However, I did sample 2 items.

Inihaw Adobo Liempo

Tinanok

From Casa Manila, I got the Inihaw Adobo Liempo ($7). It consisted of 2 small plates. One contained a nice pile of grilled pork belly with adobo sauce reduction and braised eggplant with papaya slaw. The other had a cone of garlic fried rice. The slaw, though augmented with onions and cilantro, didn't have enough bite. The rice was good, but brown rice may be healthy for you but doesn't soak up as much oily goodness as white rice. Need more greasy mouth-feel! However the pork belly was a stand-out. With an interesting sweet and slightly sour tartness, the fatty meat was firm but yielded nicely to the bite.

For dessert, I ordered 2 skewers of Tinanok ($3) from Adobo Cafe. These balls made from glutinous rice were rolled in coconut shavings and drizzled with caramel. They were surprisingly less sweet and sticky than anticipated. This was a fun snack.

Maylee, April, and Casey

Adobo Sisters

I had arrived just in time for the last entertainment slot for the day: a collaboration between Maylee Todd, Casey Mecija (Ohbijou) and April Aliermo (Hooded Fang, Phedre). The 3 ladies made their way to the stage covered in shawls and carrying over-sized cooking utentils. They sang songs from their own repertoire including Maylee's Downtown but this occasion was meant for a bit of fun and goofiness. To that end, they covered Manila (The Hotdogs) and Will You Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles). They finished their performance with an original, silly tagalog/tinglish rap with a shout-out to "fry it up".

In The Zone

Volcano Playground

Saturday night at the Silver Dollar, a couple of bands played to a small crowd. First up was Volcano Playground from Whitby. Though self-described as a shoe-gaze band, they didn't spend too much time fiddling with pedals and effects. In fact, with a dynamic drummer and catchy bass, they had some almost danceable tunes. But their vocals stayed in the droning, sparsely melodic range that brought some of the navel-gazing feel of shoe-gaze to the performance.

Next up was Sports The Band. I have heard of them because of their ex-member Robin Hatch (lately of Sheezer, Dwayne Gretzky, Our Lady Peace.) They were unexpectedly harmony-heavy. From the interaction between the two guitarists, and occasionally the bassist, to the vocals on the refrains, Sports had surprisingly pop-friendly hooks and melodies.

A Little Pick-Me-Up

Rock-em Sock-em robot enjoying Turbo Street Funk

Saturday was another bright day in a string of hot summer week-ends. I stopped off at Yonge and Dundas, the heart of the city, to check out the new pedestrian-friendly changes. For the last few weeks of summer, the local BIA has closed off one lane of traffic along Yonge from Gerrard to Dundas. They have put in some planter boxes, cottage lounge chairs, picnic benches, etc. in an effort to make it friendlier to foot traffic.

The effort looked underwhelming on TV, you could tell by all the close zooms, and it was especially so in real-life. They should have closed off the entire area, like similar initiatives in Times Square and elsewhere. Leaving space for 1-lane of traffic both ways and not blocking intersections to side streets meant narrow, disconnected islands of forlorn outdoor furniture. Furthermore, with some local businesses co-opting the space to create their own patios meant few public spaces to sit and lounge around.

3-on-3 tournament

Nevertheless, I did enjoy myself sitting back and listening to Turbo Street Funk, a group of young musicians on sax, trombone, sousaphone, drums, and guitar playing pop hits. I guess this town is big enough for 2 hip pop-friendly jazz outfits (see also Heavyweight Brass Band.) They got curious passerbys clapping to Ghostbusters, Inspector Gadget, and Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Their specialty was infectious pop mash-up such as Seven Nation Army/Sweet Dreams.

Meanwhile, over by Dundas Square, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament (NBA 3X) was taking place. Local teams were duking it out in the blazing heat (although there was a single team from Japan who got eliminated in the 1st round.) Even non-professional pick-up basketball players are freakishly tall. Having said that, on a court set aside for a skills competition, a pint-size (5'5") teenager scored a Canadian tour record with 15 baskets in the 3-point contest. So there's hope for me yet.

Hanoi Jane

At the intersection of Jane and Weston, there is a a round strip mall with several ethnic eateries. I stopped by Pho Asia 39 Thursday night for some noshing. The choices were your typical Vietnamese joint, nothing too adventurous. I ordered the fresh roll, goi cuon ($4 for 2); some spring roll, cha gio ($4.50 for 2); and a medium bowl of Pho ($6.25).

The spring roll was excellent and extremely crispy, and tasted great with the fish sauce. The fresh roll went well with the hoisin-based peanut sauce but it was a bit odd. Instead of the typical cooked pork slices, they used chinese-style BBQ pork. Not being a fan of this red, sweet meat, I would have preferred the standard ingredients. Not much to say about the pho, about average: better than some in the city, not as good as others.

You Do Know Jack

When NDP leader Jack Layton died last year, there was a national outpouring of appreciation for his life and political career. At Nathan Philips Square in Toronto, people covered all the concrete with messages of inspiration, condolences, and well wishes. On the 1-year anniversary of his death, a few hundred people gathered again here on Wednesday to celebrate his life with an outdoor concert.

Book-ending the event was Richard Underhill, a jazz saxophonist, and Lorraine Segato, the former singer of 80s band The Parachute Club. Both performers were also at Jack's state funeral last year. The proceedings were hosted by CBC personality Jian Ghomeshi, who related his own encounters with Jack Layton as a student activist during the Morgentaler's abortion controversy and later as a singer in Moxy Fruvous. Jack's last letter to Canadians were read by well-known Canadian actors.

Memorial concert for Jack Layton

Tribute from Chalkmaster Dave

In fact, his oft-repeated last words which begin "Hope is better than anger" was used by Raffi, the children's entertainer, in his tribute song. Jason Collett came on to do two songs including Love Is A Dirty Word. Ron Sexsmith contributed Former Glory. Dallas Green (City and Colour, Alexisonfire) had the biggest impact with two affecting ballads: We Found Each Other In The Dark and Against The Grain. After Olivia Chow thanked the crowd for their support, Segato ended the concert with Times Like This and her upbeat 80s hit Rise Up, the same song she sang at his funeral.

Dallas Green

Lorraine Segato

Meat Good

Rob Rossi was one of the finalist on the 1st season of Canada's Top Chef. After the show, he opened Bestellen near College and Dovercourt. I dropped by this new addition to Toronto on Sunday for some brunch.

The restaurant was a paean to all things rustic, but chic, and animal products. The front of the house was exposed bricks and chunky wooden tables. Over the bar was an exposed pig carcass (I hope it was a plastic model and not a taxidermist creation). Opposite was a clear view into the temperature-controlled meat cellar where various cuts of meat were being aged. The back of the house leading to the open kitchen were distressed wooden planks and communal benches.

I opted for the aged steak and eggs ($17). The first nice surprise, the steak was a substantial portion, unlike recent visits to other restaurants. The second nice surprise, the brunch items were seasoned instead of leaving the salt and pepper sprinkling to each customer.

The eggs and potatoes were crispy and lightly dusted with chopped chives. It was nicely seasoned but those watching their sodium levels may need to warn the kitchen to use a lighter hand. The steak was thick and juicy, with a slight tartness from the parsley and onions. Aging the steak gave it a stronger flavour similar to wild game. Furthermore, the thin coat of fat has become denser with a stiffer chewiness. It was a good and filling brunch.

Lazy Summer

My (first world) life is so hard

Saturday was a bright, brilliant day with just a hint of coolness in the shade, unlike the oppressive heatwave that has gripped the city most of this summer. It was a perfect day to enjoy urban activities, or just to lounge around.

At Dufferin Grove Park, many people were soaking up the sun or enjoying a BBQ picnic. A few people were taking in another sanctimonious play from the Clay and Paper Theatre: this time about the perils of modern and on-line technologies.

Meanwhile, the Bloorcourt Street Festival stretched from Dufferin to Montrose (on the edge of Christie Pits Park) along Bloor. One visitor exclaimed to his girlfriend that this was a lame festival. True, compared to patio-filled College St festival there wasn't much to this one. The local restaurants and bars only had small side-walk patios. On the other hand, even the mighty Yonge St. festival, once occupying the 5 major intersections for blocks along Yonge, is down to a single site at Eglinton. So why not just keep it small and local?

The best section was between Dovercourt and Ossington. A number of patios extended out onto the sidewalk: Comedy Bar, Nazareth, Disgraceland. Independent artisans hawked their wares: purses, t-shirts, necklaces, and other hand-crafted items. A local wrestling promoter had installed a wrestling ring for the 1st annual Bloorcourt Cup. Taking advantage of the road closure, a condo developer down Dovercourt was erecting a crane.

Sky crane

Loud and proud

The other hub was at Saving Gigi. Since acquiring a liquor license, this cafe has begun to host small concerts. Today, a small stage sat across their expanded patio, and 6-7 acts played throughout the day. The last band at 9 pm was Eamon McGrath, a young songwriter originally from Edmonton. Although he can be folky, tonight it was all about fast, punk songs. Sounding like a less ravaged Bruce Springsteen or Tom Waits, he led his band through loud, furious tunes that usually lasted no more than 3 minutes. This punk attitude seemed to have inspired a lot of on-stage expectoration, which disturbed the occasional blue-haired maven passing by.

High Ground

On Saturday, I attended the play Terre Haute by Ecce Homo Theatre at the Lower Ossington Theatre. Written by American playwright Edmund White, the play imagines that, instead of just corresponding with Timothy McVeigh as in real-life, Gore Vidal visited the Oklahoma City Bomber 5 days before his execution. Over the course of 75 minutes, the two men would reveal hidden truths about their lives.

 The setting was stark: a wheel-chair for the elderly Vidal (named James in Terre Haute), a metal chair for McVeigh (Harrison), and a barrier to demarcate the glass partition separating the two men. The time limit of 20-minute for a prisoner's visit also divided up the acts: first with Harrison facing the audience, then the set rotated 90 degrees so that both men faced each other, finally we were "inside" with Harrison looking on at James. In the final scene both men faced the audience as they had their last chat. In between, James would stand, crutching his cane, addressing the audience with his thoughts and insights about the last visit.

This set-up allowed for a natural focus on the character looking out, delving more deeply into his motivations and emotions while the face-to-face 2nd act was more confrontational, more about the intellectual duel as well as the budding camaraderie (whether genuine or calculated) between the two men. Terence Bryant was excellent as James, inhabiting the role of an avuncular, jaded intellectual who was still capable of both indignant bombast and feeling. Todd Michael Sandomirsky played Harrison well, although he was partly hampered by the cipher nature of the terrorist. Furthermore, the writing of Harrison was sometimes too "artsy"; hard to believe an ex-military survivalist would express himself in such a mannered way.

I didn't buy the psycho-sexual homoerotic bond that developed between them. But given the monologues that James gave between interviews, I chose to believe that we were not watching them "live" but rather reconstructed imaginings. As such, memory can be fickle, as well as wishful thinking.

Plainchant

I went on Friday night to another Summerworks Music Series, but instead of the move-your-feet dance of Ark Analog and The Magic, it was the folky plaintive music of Fiver and Evening Hymns. The light was dimmed quite low when I arrived and Fiver was already into their first song. With CBC Radio broadcasting live, the bands had to start early.

Fiver is a solo project of One Hundred Dollars' singer Simone Schmidt. Though the twangy lead guitar accompaniment of Paul Mortimer gave the songs a country feel, it was old country, of long stories and resigned inevitability. Whether singing about her deceased friend in Aaron's Song, the love song Oh Sienna, or a flirty come-on song, a feeling of bemused acceptance permeated her lyrics.

Tonight we find Evening Hymns lead singer, Jonas Bonnetta, shaggy-haired and bearded from 3 months living in a tent, drawing mostly on the elegiac songs off the new record Spectral Dusk (Arrows, Family Tree, You and Jake, Moon River). They dealt with his experience of losing his father 3 years ago. Appropriate to the night, visual artist Sean Frey projected behind the band live collages of branches, animal cut-outs, and human silhouettes. The lyrics were somber and reflective, but taking advantage of a full 7-member band set-up for the night including violin and trumpet, most of the songs slowly layered wave upon wave of instrumentation until there was a cathartic release of sound. There were upbeat tunes, including one that initiated the fall of confetti from the balcony and sparklers flaming on the projection screen. But the encore Spectral Dusk found Jonas alone on stage with his guitar, singing words that summed up the mood of the evening: "Oh, I'm not doing that well./That is just what I tell my friends."

Photos here.

Hog-Tied

Parting Gift

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that even the most anti-marriage person, must be in want of a good partner. So it was that I found myself on Sunday attending the wedding reception of a friend who for years has been against marriage. Although as a nod to her old convictions, the wedding had already occurred quietly at City Hall, and this was simply a get-together for friends and family.

Or as simple as can be expected, given that it was taking place at the home of a well-to-do relative in the exclusive enclave of Hoggs Hollow in north Toronto. As such, though it was an informal garden party with a serve yourself buffet of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, there was still a photographer taking photos and various waitstaff on hand to help the guests.

As the couple was of different racial background, the invited guests were socially and ethnically diverse. This may seem a given because of the diversity in Toronto, but  for most locals here, outside of fellow co-workers and casual acquaintances, there is less social mixing between groups than one might expect. In any case, this inclusive gathering led to some very interesting conversations.

The Indian dishes including butter chicken, chicken tikka, samosas, and naan were unfortunately not very good. The chicken dishes were dry and the naan was too thick and floury. The Middle Eastern lamb pilau, however, was excellent. The rice was fragrant with herbs including garlic and nutmeg, and the lamb was tender and not gamey. Also tasty was the dessert: a selection of sorbet served in hollowed fruit (for example, orange sorbet came inside an empty orange rind), and a rich chocolate cake.

Flex On The Beach

A-sand-na

Things didn't look good for Saturday's yoga picnic when I woke up at 6 am. The rain was pouring down and not letting up. Luckily, it stopped by the time we got on the Island ferry mid-morning. The sun even peeked through the clouds now and then as we left port. But arriving on Ward's Island, the clouds had rolled back in.

It wasn't ideal yoga conditions as there was a constant brisk wind. But with warm-up stretches, it was bearable. Practicing on the beach was interesting, as the sand changes your postures. Some asanas became easier while others got harder, especially those requiring balance. Despite the ominous overcast sky, we got lucky again. It wasn't until our practice ended that the rain came down in a fine drizzle.

We decided to have our picnic underneath the protective pavilion over some empty wooden picnic benches behind the resident cafe. Those feeling extra chilly were able to grab a coffee or tea inside. The communal potluck spread consisted of fresh vegetables from the garden; organic corn chips and cilantro pesto; various cheeses, olives, and other munchies; a tasty kale salad; a filling pot of vegan asian noodles; fresh fruit salad of watermelon, tomatoes, and basil; and some gluten-free cookies for those with a sweet tooth.

Things usually come in three and so did our luck today. As we left the island, the arrival of a slightly soaked wedding party on the inbound ferry explained the presence of the vacant out-door set-up. For such leisure activities, I was surprisingly tired. After a quick hot shower, I climbed into bed and slept away the rest of the afternoon.

Magic: The Gathering

Maylee In Ark Analog

The first show of the Music Series for Summerworks 2012 took place Friday night at The Theatre, an adjunct performance space at the Great Hall on Queen Street. Last time I was here, it was packed with industrious arts and crafts sellers. The space has been cleared away for a small stage, in front of an improvised shimmery curtain made of shiny streamers. Graduated risers have been installed but most people elected to dance near the stage.

The opening act was Ark Analog, an electronic music collaboration between Maylee Todd and Dan Werbs (Woodhands). Maylee's electronic forays that I have seen tended to be chill grooves with her tenori-on. These songs have stronger, more insistent beats meant for the dance floor. Dan did most of the instrumentation, moving between synthesizers, loop stations, and even a key-tar. Maylee mostly stuck to singing, though she did use effects pedals to play around with her vocals. Combining her characteristic short, puntuated phrasing with lush synth and heavy beats resulted in some great dance numbers. But there were a few songs that meandered a bit through strange off-kilter beats and chords that sapped a bit of energy from the crowd.

The main band for the night was The Magic, a neo disco band that was all about organ-y synth, funky basslines, and falsetto singing. The leader singer dressed in a gaudy leiderhosen-esque get-up with a giant sequined spider sewn onto his crotch. The Magic kept the party going for more than 1.5 hours. For me, though the music was infectious, there were times when it felt a bit antiseptic. As if all the elements of the genre were there, but some core element was missing. Most of time though, it was dance, dance, dance.

Because the night was billed as a "live show" of the 70s revue Midnight Special, there were dancers in silver suits and a drag queen to keep the crowd going. Confetti were thrown, and balloons were dropped from the balcony.

Power Mapping

For the last month, Papermaps has been the resident artist for Elvis Monday at the Drake hotel. I decided to wrap up this holiday week-end by going to their last show Monday night.

First up was a duo playing "World Music". A didgeridoo player, with bells around his feet, sitting on a box drum kept the beat and drone going by playing on his wooden tube, stamping out beats, and tapping on the drum. His didgeridoo was hooked up to an effects pedal, allowing his to add interesting reverb and manipulate the sound. His companion played poly-rhythmic patterns on a hand-held electronic drum pad, furiously switching between sound effects: tom-toms, snares, screeches, and cymbals. It was odd but an interesting melange of aboriginal and latin-inspired sounds.

Wendy Versus was up next. Composed of 2 members of Papermaps (Wendy and Dean) and a 3rd who did double duty on the electronic drum machines and bass guitar, they veered more to electro-pop. They had some catchy tunes but a few weaknesses live. First, they needed to speed up some of their dancey numbers because the songs have the same beat. Second, it would be better to have a strong finish to their songs. Trailing off and petering out on numerous tunes weakened their performance.

After Wendy and Dean re-configured their set-up, they were joined by 3 other members for Papermaps. This band played good songs, often with catchy choruses and guitar hooks. Dean started the show with a solo on Wishful Thinker, slowly being joined by his bandmates as the song progressed. They concentrated on newer numbers from their upcoming EP such as Nobody's Perfect, Break, and Interior Ghost. Their cover of Fleetwood Mac's The Chain got feet moving. The show ended with their anthemic signature song You Are My Gallows. Given the power-ballad nature of a lot of their songs (i.e., soft verse followed by rocking refrain), I would like to see more animated stage presence from Papermaps, even if "guitar face" and such antics may seem a bit cliche.

Waystation

Roasted tomato soup

For years, the village of Actinolite was for me a Greyhound bus stop between Toronto and Ottawa. Stopping at an official rest stop near Actinolite Junction, it was a chance to stretch your legs and maybe grab a sandwich. Now on a barren stretch of Toronto near Ossington and Dupont, an eponymously named restaurant has sprung up manned by one of Actinolite's native son.

On Saturday night, the restaurant was bright with floor-to-ceiling glass. Clean lines and table offered a quiet,  grown-up feel. Actinolite is definitely trying to buck the bohemian knick-knacks of most recent Toronto restaurants. The menu concentrated on simple dishes using local ingredients.

For the first course, I opted for a cold tomato soup ($10). A refreshing and cool appetizer, it was rich and creamy from the creme fraiche. The basil and tarragon added nice minty notes, and the grape tomatoes gave bursts of freshness. The feta didn't work quite as well, being a little too salty for the concoction. It was a wonderful soup for the Toronto heat.

Lamb soffrito

For the main, I ordered a grilled Ontario lamb rack ($28). The lamb soffrito was juicy and tender, with just a hint of redness. Two polenta gave a good toothsome chew to the dish. The fresh peas, carrots, and pine nuts were soft without being overdone. There was a hint of acidity thanks to tiny lemon zests. The dish was a nice combination of flavours and texture. If there was a downside it was the small portion size (6 bite-size slices) compared to the price.

This upscale restaurant is the first sign of gentrification on this strip. It will be interesting to see what else develops here in the next few years.

Fabulous Baker Boys

Banh Mi

With the recent trend of food breaking out of the ethnic ghetto, Banh Mi Boys at Queen and Spadina offers more upscale versions of Vietnamese subs as well as fusion fares such as Kimchi fries. On Saturday, I headed over for lunch.

Along with pricier food, the small diner (enough seats for about 16 people) aimed for a hipper look. One wall was made of long, untreated wooden planks. Along the other was painted classic Asian imagery done in bold graphics. Asian-American hip-hop pulsed over the speakers.

For my sub, I chose braised beef cheeks ($5.99) from choices that included pulled pork, fried chicken, and duck confit. The sub tasted great, having similar tastes to the original banh mi thanks to the crunchy bun and a generous topping of sweet-and-sour pickled carrots and radishes. The fresh cilantro completed the authentic touch. The meat was rich and flavourful, with the sauce soaking nicely into the soft bread. But for 3 times the price of a typical banh mi, I wished they went totally upscale and use actual french baguettes. This is the traditional bread that is used, though most Vietnamese places don't bother because of the cost.

Steamed Bao

The steamed bao ($3.49) was a deconstructed version of the breakfast dumpling. You get a taco-ish shell instead of a wrapped bun, though made with the same slightly sweet dough, and can pick the same toppings as the sandwich. I opted for the 5 spice pork belly. It was a good couple of bites but didn't work as a bao. The pickled toppings, as well as the sauce, overpowered the dough and the distinctive taste of the bao was missing: steamed pork, boiled egg, and lap xuong (cured sausage).

The service was quick, at least early on when the place isn't quite as busy. You do have to line-up after your order to pick up your food.

French Connection

The first time I saw The Do, they were playing for about 30 people at WrongBar. Since they are much more successful in France, their home country, and in other parts of Europe, I wasn't sure they'd ever be back. Turns out that for the release of their sophomore album "Both Ways, Open Jaws", they have returned for a mini-tour in North America. They played a show Friday night at Lee's Palace.

Whether it was because they are still relatively unknown here or that there were better known shows (Osheaga festival in Montreal, Jesus and Mary Chain), a crowd of less than 100 were at the venue. A fair number of them were francophones. Well, those of us attending appreciated the rare opportunity to be up-close right up against the stage.

One advantage of seeing a "known" band is that even with this small tour, they had a couple of roadies and a sound engineer. The roadies helped set up their large collection of instruments, from guitars, basses, to saxophones and pots-and-pan percussions in record time. The sound guy made this the clearest, most well-balanced show I've heard at this venue. Olivia's vocals always came through strong and every instrument, no matter how small, was heard.

Olivia came on stage wearing a semi-transparent violet dress with ruffled neckwear that later came off. She was elfin and a bit otherwordly with her model features, high cheek-bones, and slender frame. Her voice was similarly soft and light. The Do's songs play to that strength and are often wistful ballads such as opener A Mess Like This or Dust It Off. But they didn't confine themselves to twee Bjork-like numbers, certainly not Dan who jumped from synth to bass to saxophone. There were rock songs including Aha and The Wicked And The Blind. Often, they would take a quiet song like Too Insistent and gave it a harder edge.

The small, but enthusiastic crowd cheered on every number. They surprised the band by singing along to a canned intro of "Do Re Mi" (Sound of Music). At one point during Slippery Slope, the front of the stage almost became a mosh pit. It was a fun night of catchy hooks, sing-a-long choruses, and songs whose lyrics had unusual turns of phrase.

Set List: A Mess Like This, Aha, Gonna Be Sick, The Bridge Is Broken, Too Insistent, Dust It Off, The Wicked and The Blind, On My Shoulders, Smash Them All, Slippery Slope, Calendar (Encore).