I Was His First....(11.13.08)

THE SETTING ~ on a chilly but clear, crisp autumn night with a full moon hanging in the sky, it was definitely the blueprint of an engagement that was going to be memorable.....

and this engagement i speak o, to me, is the truest of intimate relations human beings can exchange with another....a live show....

THE VENUE ~ The Danforth Music Hall is a small venue that has been around for nearly a century and a vibe and overall history of that place seems hard to over-power.....

for instance...The Stills (the opening band that night) did a fairly decent job but for some reason  wasn't filling the venue's acoustics with the "je ne c'est quois" (forgive me french spelling) that was required.....

....after a short 35minute set....Sam Roberts took the stage and lit that sumbitch up up!!!!!

as a matter of fact...the smoke alarm went off at least 3 times and it was perfect as the heat that generated from what me and my colleagues deem as this generation's (Canadian -tailored) answer to Bruce "The Boss" Springsteen (perhaps due to the demin attire they both sport so well)....started a fire and fanned the flames...burning up the stop like i had confidence he would.....

it was my 6th time checking out Sam Roberts because from the get-go with his debut single "Brother Down" (released WAY back in 2002)...i stamped him as one of my favorite singer/songwriters as of late and out of the 5 other shows i've seen in various places around the southern Ontario region.....he NEVER let me down....

his latest tour is in support of his latest piece entitled "Love At The End Of The World" released May of this year....and for the first time in a longtime....i was eager to purchase an artist's new album based on their live performance......

there was a smokey ambiance (although artificially induced) that intensified the subtle light show the subtle light show that was suited to his tripped-out jam session with other members of the band.....

the audience was completely enamoured by his presence and the crowd participation was that to behold....dancing, singing along to his tunes, working the soul clap and fist being thrown in the air was not only by my doing, but by the hundreds in attendance were feeling it as well.....even cool, collected and French Canadian Rocker Sam Roberts himself, busted a dancing move that displayed just how hyped HE was being there.....

tonight is his 2nd night out of the 4 sold out shows scheduled at the Danforth Music Hall and i must say that the groundwork was laid for a historic set of gigs that will DEFINITELY be mentioned when accepts his entry into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.....seriously, if you like straight up rock, mixed with a bit of soul, grassroots and heavy lyrical prowess...you should check him out......vas-y!!!!!!! (that means "come on" in French).....

(Ka)Nish