TUESDAY, OCT. 30:
Broken Social Scene has been the modern melting pot for all that is mighty and Canadian. With only seven original members left, lead vocalist Kevin Drew went the way of many before him (Emily Haines in Metric, Feist as solo, Amy Millan in Stars) and released a “solo” debu, Spirit If… The seven-man band took the Orpheum stage and conforming to the theater setting, Drew announced, “This will be a five-act play.” “Cause=Time” launched “Act 1,” followed by “Fucked Up Kid” and a standing ovation that lasted all night. Sometimes around what was presumably “Act 3,” ex-Scene member Emily Haines joined the boys for “Anthem For a Seventeen Year Old Girl “ and an extended version of “Almost Crimes.” Haines’ cameo elicited ear-splitting screams in addition to the rattling feet-stomping and entirely standing audience. The band resumed “Lover’s Split,” which Drew dedicated to “the ones who are together, and the ones who are apart.” For “Act 5,” Drew cried, “Everyone on stage!” (An inside joke alluding to Devendra Banhart’s recent request at the same theater a few nights prior.) After nearly two hours of non-stop performing, all musicians involved in that evening were called on stage (rather than all of the fans) to finalize one last sing-along: “Well, it’s gonna be really hard to get to the end.” I suppose in Drew’s case, the hardest thing will be departing from friends to pursue his new endeavors. Good luck. (JG)