Broken Social Scene

Key Arena, Bumbershoot. I gave up my good position in front of the stage during Lonely Forest because the crowd was squeezed in too tight, and retreated to the closest arena seats open to the public (the very best seats were reserved for something called Gold and Platinum VIP members). Although the view wasn't as great as right in front of the stage, I stayed there during BSS' set as the comfort of sitting, even in a stadium seat, felt wonderful to my old legs after a day of standing.

Toronto's Broken Social Scene were granted a full 75 minutes for their set, which they filled with a number of their great songs."This is our first stadium gig in the United States," the band announced, but their sound, a full and complex product of 8 to 10 musicians, was not served well from where I was sitting by the acoustic dynamics of a big, echoey arena. I was also distracted by the constant steam of people climbing up and down the aisle throughout the set, and being so far from the band; although I was in what I would consider a "good seat" for any ticketed event, I had been spoiled by my good fortune at getting so close to the stage so many times yesterday. The seat still felt good, though.

Broken Social Scene played exactly how I wanted them to play, and what I wanted them to play. Although they didn't open with "World Sick" like I expected and never got around to "All in All," they did play "Texico Bitches," "The Sweetest Kill," and a long, crowd-pleasing rendition of their rousing instrumental, "Meet Me In The Basement." The best part, though, was I finally had avenged my flu and got to see Broken Social Scene.