Time Of The Season

Back in 1999, Julie Doiron did a one-off collaboration of The Wooden Stars which won a Juno and became a cult classic. On the 15th anniversary of the eponymous recording, they have re-united for a short tour. But during that period, I did not listen to new music. So in a sense, it will be 1999 this Friday for myself at The Horseshoe.

Jose Contreras (By Divine Right) opened the night with a solo set. It was a much quieter performance than with his band, though there was still reverb and other effects on his acoustic guitar. It was also uniformly depressing (At The Slaughterhouse, Happy New Year, Silver Thread) with a few love songs (It Was You). It was the opposite with Evening Hymns. The last time I saw them they played a series of elegiac songs. Some made a return (You and Jake) but material off their just recently completed album were much more upbeat (Evil Forces, House of Mirrors). There were even some jumping around on stage, and plenty of harmony between Jonas Bonnetta and bassist Sylvie Smith. It was a great set from this band.

As the headliner took to the stage, I glanced around at the packed crowd. Though many looked the right age, a good number were probably too young to have seen them the first time round. Doiron joked that tonight was the rehearsal after a 15 year hiatus. The cheers proclaimed that no one minded. Atmospherically, this was a winter album with many songs taking place around the cold season. The protagonists were also in various states of hibernation and frigidity, as Doiron chronicled in sparse phrases sometimes-her, sometimes-him, relationships on the verge of falling apart. Yet there was a good mix of rocking versus introspective numbers. The Wooden Stars provided a complex layer of multiple guitars, organ, bass, and drums. Their experimental roots were evident in the beautiful arrangements. I listened to astonishment a set (and encore) that barely had a single dud. Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars deserve its adored status and tonight, both old and new listeners experienced a wonderful and rare event (even the bar-talkers in the back).