Ron Sexsmith/Sarah Slean
Date: November 27, 2004 Old Enough to Do It and Young Enough to Do It Again Although I was aware of Ron Sexsmith mostly by reputation and my knowledge of Sarah Slean was not much greater, I nonetheless enjoyed their visit to the Capital Music Hall. To be sure, Sexsmith's unassuming style contrasted sharply with Slean's theatrical stage presence; but each approach worked in its own way. Slean's theatricality was obvious from the opening seconds, when she allowed her three-piece band to start on "Eliot" before she sashayed onstage to add her vocals and keyboards. In fact, she seemed to be in character throughout the set, whether singing from behind exaggeratedly wide-eyed facial expressions or appearing ready to bounce out from her seat at the keyboards. In fact, the later portion of the performance saw her do just that, dancing through numbers such as the jaunty "When Another Midnight." Other twists in the concert saw the band sometimes being augmented by a cellist and once leaving the stage altogether for a solo segment. Although her backing squad sounded great, particularly with the very crisp drum work, the solo portion of the evening illustrated that it was Slean's amazing voice that was dominating. The majority of the concert was given to the new album, Day One, with songs such as "Pilgrim," "Lucky Me," "Mary," "California," and "Day One" illustrating its range; but the set-closing older tune, "Sweet Ones," stood out as a highlight. After a one-song encore gave the appreciative crowd a chance to sing along, it was time for Ron Sexsmith. In terms of presentation, the two performers stood apart like night and day. Sexsmith joked that he was unable to match Slean's theatricality, noting, "I only have one facial expression"; but his easy demeanour was well suited for his songs. Like Slean, Sexsmith was backed by a solid band but remained the focus. Despite his long career and strong reputation, I must confess to being largely unfamiliar with Ron Sexsmith's songs; however, they still came across very well live. Although the overall tone was quite mellow, the set varied from the jazzy quiet of "Blue" and "Whatever It Takes" to the more uptempo poppiness of "Imaginary Friends" and "Not About to Lose" to the big-chorus rock of "From Now On" and "Happiness." While many songs showed a straightforward pop approach, Sexsmith had moments that displayed his nimble guitar skills. He also mixed up the set by varying the band configuration. A brief solo keyboard showcase included the tender "Tomorrow in Her Eyes," before the stripped-down approach continued with drummer Don Kerr returning on cello for a song, and the full band then stepping forward for an unplugged offering. The lengthy concert ended on a high note, with Slean returning to lend backing vocals on the encore. Despite keyboard malfunctions that led Sexsmith to switch to guitar, the finish was a definite highlight. All in all, it was an impressive concert from two very different artists, each of whom played strongly enough to overcome my unfamiliarity. Ron Sexsmith setlist 
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