Elliott Brood
Elliott Brood, the solo-named three-piece, were ecstatic to be home playing for an adoring hometown crowd. The Phoenix seemed a large venue when I first heard of the show but who knew all the misfits that their 'death country' could draw. The place was full and people were audibly excited. It was unfortunate that the beginning of the set after the initial excitement of their appearance was hampered slightly by less familiar new material and more so by technical difficulties. The latter visibly frustrated the seated (in a wonderfully EB branded wooden chair) guitarist who spent nearly an entire song sang by his partner and drummer swapping cables, guitars, pedals and amps before plugging in and ripping an electric guitar solo straight off to close out the tune. Nothing like making up for lost time!
It seemed that as the set passed the midway point of a damn good chunk of their catalogue, primarily Days Into Years new, but also touches of old, that the energy and intensity grew. Don't get me wrong - If I Get Old, Hold You and Northern Air are strong additions to their repertoire and nice to hear live, but what takes off with a crowd more than a round about their country's provinces? (Oh, Alberta) Follow that up with the double ukuleles of The Valley Town and you've got the crowd playing into your hands. By the end people were jumping up and down and hollering out the lyrics and it was as an Elliott Brood show we've come to know. Perhaps it was the larger space or the newer songs but given enough time they brought it around. Their final song, Chuckwagon, had them playing two acoustic guitars and drums so intently that is was awesome to watch. Even though it had been a plentiful set they crescendoed at the right time and had us begging for more.
First encore song must have been a cover that brought things back into this realm only to ratchet it right back up there for Miss You Now! How could I have forgotten about that classic? And it was phenomenal to see people handing the love over to their hometown heroes (sorry Windsor, they live here now). Elliott Brood were bringing it home for the hometown crowd. Nothing beats ending on a high note.
$100
There are a small handful of bands that win adoration from critics and adoring fans that I just can't seem to crack into. One Hundred Dollars would fall into this category. Due to love from fellow artists that I enjoy I have seen them a few times but the female-vocal, peppy (for country) country just can't worm its way into my heart. Simone's delivery is unique but seemingly without much effort. She performed one song with a simple drum pulse which was interesting. The electric guitar lead is pretty impressive on songs, and the drumming from the fill-in female on somewhat repetitive Waiting on Another was great too. Fifty minutes of this was too much for me and I was fine to see them go after Ties that Bind.
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