That's What Friends Are For

This year's Valentine's Day started as a frigid Thursday evening and continued throughout all of Friday. But I braved the weather to go to Lee's Palace for Death To V.D. This was the first time the band-plays-as-other-band Death To T.O. event was taking place outside of Halloween.

The vibe was more friendship than romance tonight. Though there were plenty of couples, most people came with their friends. Some were even here as part of a birthday party. All the bands (and not just the "solo" artists) enlisted several musical buddies to help out. And with so many performers tonight, almost everyone in the crowd was a friend coming by for support.

Lea (Witchrot) and co (several musicians from local bands) formed a 9-member tribute to Patsy Cline. Like all bands tonight, they were not just playing the music but dressing the part. Clad in colourful Western wear, they gave us classic country (Walkin' After Midnight, Leavin' On Your Mind, I Fall To Pieces, Crazy). Robin Hatch and friends (including guitarist Tom Juhas) played a muscular Elton John. She was the only one that chose deeper cuts with Leon and a heavy All The Girls Love Alice (which given the subject matter made an odd toast to promoter Dan Burke). But Hatch also played Crocodile Rock and I'm Still Standing to get the crowd dancing.

For Jane went full 70s for The Bee Gees especially the 2 lead singers (along with a third) in head-to-toe white including flared pants. The audience loved Staying Alive seguing into Night Fever. For Jane showcased their harmonies on a romantic middle section: Love You Inside and Out, How Deep Is Your Love, and More Than A Woman. They closed their set with the high-energy Tragedy and If I Can't Have You.

Rapport was the most committed fashion-wise. Not only did the expanded band dressed in glitter and satin, but the addition of a blonde singer with red-headed Maddie Wilde (both in flowing, striped dresses) was going the extra distance. They set the mood by starting with the ballad Fernando before moving directly into Waterloo. The audience went even wilder with Mamma Mia and Take A Chance On Me. Dancing Queen was the obvious, and crowd approved, closer.

If Nyssa didn't get the same audience participation (by just a few percentage points) for George Michael, she gave a master class on stage presence. Leather-jacketed for Faith, she doffed it for the rest of evening. In jeans and a tight white undershirt, she wooed the crowd with Father Figure and I'm Your Man. Careless Whisper was peak 80s, complete with sax solo. And the final song Freedom! 90 delivered a full blast of awesome fun. The back-up singer added a lot to the set with her full-throated chorus.

It was getting on to 1 a.m., so I decided to leave on a high instead of sticking around for Mother Tongues take on My Bloody Valentine.