The Lovely Feathers
Date: June 12, 2009 Very Long Walks After a three-year hiatus, The Lovely Feathers returned with a new album, showcased with a stop at Mavericks. Although the rust showed, the band still displayed the catchy musicianship and sense of fun that first made me a fan. Due to prior plans, I missed the entirety of Loon Choir and only caught the last two songs from Fire Heats Water, arriving in time to see the drummer break a stick from his last pair, which was perhaps indicative of some forceful playing from the group. I also got my first look at the new Mavericks stage and I have to say that the place is looking great. I did get to take in the full set from Dinosaur Bones, a Toronto five-piece who impressed me with a solid set of smooth but punchy songs that went over well with the crowd. The Lovely Feathers came to town with a new album in tow, Fantasy of the Lot, and a desire to showcase it, opening with four songs from that work. Although I had not heard the disc yet, songs like "Long Walks" and "Fad" fit the mold of past Feathers work, mixing jangly guitars, jittery rhythms, rising harmonies, and hooks to spare. Before long, though, the group turned to older songs, first earning a cheer of recognition for "In the Valley." The audience familiarity proved to be more than superficial, as many people went on to sing along with every word on several songs. The excitement in the crowd was a pleasant surprise to me. Even with the band's long absence, a lot of people obviously kept them in their hearts and didn't just stay in to watch game seven of the Stanley Cup finals on this night. The Feathers fielded requests in a set that was presumably destined to touch on old favourites like "Pope John Paul," "Frantic," "Wrong Choice," and "Photocorners." The last was a welcome inclusion for me, as it's a favourite of mine that was absent from previous concerts that I saw from the group. In terms of musicianship, the night had its ups and downs. Never the smoothest live unit, the band suffered through a couple of false starts and miscues, showing signs of their long break. On the other hand, they also succeeded at some improvisational moments, slowing down a song to introduce a breakdown section, holding on to an extended finish, and the like. The band took some chances, hitting more than they missed; and any sacrifices in pristine playing were more than compensated by raw energy. For an encore, the band capitulated to a request for "Rod Stewart," despite singer/guitarist Mark Kupfert's caveat that he wasn't prepared for it. Sure enough, he didn't find the song right away; but with the crowd yelling out the words and jumping around the floor, the performance was actually among the most fun of the night. Finally, the band closed with "Lowiza," their latest single, giving one more strong example of the merits of Fantasy of the Lot. Even with a few stutter-steps, it was a very welcome return from The Lovely Feathers; and I left Mavericks with the new CD in hand and hopes to see the band again without such a lengthy delay. <--Prev (Leonard Cohen) | Next (The Dears)-->Return to Concert ListReturn to Main Page |