Double Your Fun

I usually attend the cheaper Live at Massey Hall shows where up-and-coming artists get profiled. But on Sunday night, I paid full-price for Feist because this singer can sell out this venue on her own reputation. But fans must surely have left fully satisfied with the evening.

Like all artist tours, Feist was promoting songs from her new album Pleasure. You want to hear some new stuff, sure, but you're also jonesing for all the classics. No such conundrums tonight. With no opener, she did essentially almost 2 sets worth of material. So the 1st half had her running through every track in order (which usually doesn't happen until a 10th anniversary album tour or some such), then plenty of oldies including I Feel It All, Let It Die, and Mushaboom.

The stage pyrotechniques were kept to a minimum: a giant glowing fan, a spinning planetary "mobile" in a corner, and Feist in a lush magenta red-carpet ready dress. All the whiz band came from the band. If there was any doubt that she started her career as a punk rocker, her guitar work was proof. That lady can shred! The attentive audience sat through most her set, as typical in this venerable but stuffy venue. But with Feist's encouragement, we finally got up, and some even rushed the stage, when she got into her back catalogue. A lucky few even got invited on stage for some couples slow-dancing. A piece of advice for the young man who was "set up" by Feist. Pay attention to your dance partner, if only for those 5 minutes, not mug for the crowd with a dramatic sing-along. You might stay single for longer than you like if you don't develop some social acumen. Or as Feist sang on the last number Intuition: "Did I miss out on you?"