Feist/Jason Collett
Date: July 8, 2006 Well Behaved I used the opening Saturday of this year's Bluesfest to take in a second set from some familiar artists and to sample some unknowns. The peak was a pair of sets from Jason Collett and Feist that flowed together very well, thanks partially to a lot of shared players. Everything that I took in was enjoyable, though, and the bands that I only got a glimpse of left me wanting more. For me, the day began with one of the returning bands, Great Lake Swimmers. When I first saw Great Lake Swimmers, it was actually a solo show from band leader Tony Dekker. With a drummer and banjo player rounding out the sound this time, it was a new experience. Once again, though, the instrumentation was stark and restrained, leaving the emphasis on Dekker's clear vocals. Overall, the mellow set was perfect for a sunny afternoon, with the closing song, "Moving Pictures, Silent Films," serving as a great summary of the breezy mood. After a break for supper, I got my first look at the new location for the MBNA Stage, arriving in time to hear the end of Matt Costa's performance. From what I heard, Costa displayed a certain folk influence, particularly when on acoustic guitar, but his band also had some punch. The most rocking and most fun moment came when Costa invited tourmate Elvis Perkins and his band onstage, for a percussion-heavy romp that had some of the audience singing along. The crowd definitely came to life for the evening's two main sets, though, with people taking their feet for Jason Collett and eventually packing in tighter and tighter for Feist. Jason Collett's set repeated a couple of points touched earlier in the day. His drummer was the second in as many bands on the MBNA Stage to play a song with his bare hands, while Collett himself echoed Tony Dekker's story of writing songs while traveling Highway 401. Coincidences aside, though, the theme of the performance was not mere repetition, as I felt that this was a much better concert than the first that I saw from Collett. Collett was once again by backed up by Paso Mino, who I last saw opening for Feist earlier this year. This connection was only the first of many between Collett and Feist on the night, as the two would go on to borrow musicians from each other and guest in each other's performances. Collett and his band offered a confident, fast-paced set that came across heavier than I was expecting. Considering that the songs were channeled through three and sometimes four guitarists, perhaps the added energy was predictable; but it was very welcome, regardless of the cause. Highlights included "Hangover Days," performed as a duet with Feist, "Parry Sound" and Collett's introduction to it, and the rocking "I'll Bring the Sun." Feist's unexpected turn on drums was a pleasant surprise but the greatest musical delight was the perfection of "We All Lose One Another." Perhaps the most memorable moment, though, wasn't even a song. Throughout the set, Collett had made joking references to Ottawa's excessive politeness, calling the crowd "so well behaved" after someone raised their hand in an attempt to answer one of his questions between songs. The payoff came during the final song when an audience member jumped the barricade and, seemingly with the band's blessing, rocked out on the microphone, chanting, "Well be-haved! Well be-haved!" The grin on Jason Collett's face as he seemed ready to fall over laughing will surely stand as one of my favourite memories of the festival. The positive mood only amplified for Feist, whose scheduled appearance drew a scrum in the photographer's pit unlike anything that I have seen at Bluefest. In contrast to Jason Collett's boosted set, Feist delivered a concert similar to her headlining slot at the Capital Music Hall in January. The structure of the set, as well as the arrangements of particular songs, was familiar. However, given the star quality that Feist had demonstrated previously, simply living up to her standards made for a treat. The sharp attack of "When I Was a Young Girl" was a gripping opener; and Feist did not relinquish control of the adoring crowd until the end of the night. The smoothness of "Gatekeeper" succeeded as well as the intensity that she interjects into her live rendition of "Secret Heart," while a newer song like "Fighting Away the Tears" drew as strong of a response as the well-worn "Let It Die." Feist again transformed "Inside and Out" into a slow, stripped-down affair, utilizing her band as a backing choir. While the breezy "Mushaboom" officially ended the main set, Feist bypassed the technicality of leaving the stage for an encore call, instead playing her way through to the Broken Social Scene song, "Lover's Spit." Staggered start times meant that after snapping a picture of the setlist, with the assistance of a lucky fan, I had a chance to run to the Blacksheep Stage to hear the final moments from Bell Orchestre. After being against the railing for Jason Collett and Feist, it is difficult to make a fair comparison to the experience of jumping in at the back of Bell Orchestre's audience. Nonetheless, I was suitably impressed with the two and a half songs that I heard from the instrumental outfit; and I hope that I can see them again another day. The second day of Bluesfest was another success. It's a credit to the festival organizers that I can walk away from a day including great sets from Feist and Jason Collett thinking that it would have been great to have been able to see even more or what transpired. Feist setlist (courtesy the cooperation of a girl at the front): 
<--Prev (Calexico) | Next (Ani DiFranco)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |