A Night At The Opera

It was a dark and stormy Tuesday night as I made my way to The Opera House at Queen E and Broadview. It has probably been more than a decade since I was last here for an ABBA cover band. I don't know why I don't visit more often, though this venue does tend to book Metal bands, because the sound was impeccable.

The faux fresco and ornamentation were also appropriate for tonight's music. Both acts played quiet, introspective songs. New Zealand trio Tiny Ruins took the stage at 9 pm. Unlike their mismatched set at the grungy Garrison, the sound mix allowed the complex plucking of guitarist/singer Holly Fulbrook to shine and added depth to Cass Basil's bass and Alexandre Freer's drums. The crowd was sufficiently hushed, with only chatterboxes in the back, to hear her wistful lyrics on songs such as Priests With Balloons and Reasonable Man. They ended their low-key set with the driving She'll Be Coming Round.

Sharon Van Etten came on stage around 10:30. Despite her wise-guy New Jersey accent: "This is a great venue. I feel so fancy", her set comprising of songs from her 2014 album Are We There were marked by raw honesty. Whether on Break Me, I Love You But I'm Lost, or Nothing Will Change, the lyrics were soul-baring and authentic. But I didn't find the mid-tempo arrangements on most tunes very interesting. Van Etten did cover a few older songs including Save Yourself ("I'm playing this for my mother. She always tells me she thinks my old stuff was better.") She ended the night with her most radio-friendly tune, the head-bobbing Every Time The Sun Comes Up.