Old-Ages Show

Friday night, I headed over to Lee's Palace to see 80s band The Pursuit of Happiness. Given how early and full all-ages shows have been, I was disappointed that TPOH's older fans weren't there until later. So opener Command Sisters played to a sparse crowd, especially in the pit by the stage.

I stumbled upon them through an online stream during the pandemic. So I was curious to see how they were in person. These Albertan sisters were also excited to play live after 2 years. Their songs were mainstream pop with a touch of rock, courtesy of Sarah Command on guitar. Charlotte did mostly synth and lead vocals with a bit of acoustic guitar and bass (Britney Spears' Baby One More Time). I thought they sounded best when they leaned into the rock side (Rain On My Parade, Feel Good).

Their set felt a bit off for two reasons: the artificial banter and the use of backing tracks. We all could see that it was a small crowd: that happens with up-and-coming bands. So hyped-up language ("How's everybody doing tonight?! Yeah, we're so excited to play Lee's Palace!") just sounded forced. Have they been coached on "proper media-speak" by their label Universal Music?

Second, a full band trumps backing tracks. I know they are a duo but given the talented indie scene in Toronto, couldn't they find subs for a local gig? I've been to many shows where musicians like Felicity Williams (Bernice), Kieran Adams (Diana), or Ivy Mairi formed the backing band for a show. I know the Command Sisters were currently living in the East-End after a few years in Scarborough. I wondered if they have never connected with Toronto's musical community who are clustered in West-End neighbourhoods?

TPOH fans might come late, but they come from everywhere: Ottawa, Chicago, Rochester. Moe Berg's running gag for the night was to tell the audience multiple times that there was enough time for 1 or 2 more songs. Well just 1 more song became a 16-song set including Gretzky Rocks, Food, Heavy Metal Tears. But it was music from their debut album: She's So Young, Hard To Laugh, and Beautiful White that got the loudest cheers. They ended with their biggest hit "I'm An Adult Now" which, given the age of the audience, was more appropriate than ever ("I'm sitting in a room with a bunch/Of people whose necks and backs are aching").