05-12-2014, 04:46 PM
I have read interviews with Gord Downie where he mentions each night he performs in concert, the show itself is different and has a life of its own, even though many of the same songs are played again. I would say that statement applied last night in Detroit. The set list for the concert was exactly the same as the previous one I just witnessed in Chicago the night before and the same as the Peterborough show at the end of April. I was expecting a hard, loud and fast paced punk rock show delivered by a hard working band. I happily got a little more than I expected.
Gord and The Sadies performed at one of my favorite music venues in Detroit. The Majestic Theater is a city block long complex of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has one restaurant, two live music venues, four bars, ten billiard tables and sixteen bowling alleys. The venue is located on Woodward Ave., the main drag running through the heart of Detroit and out to the surrounding suburbs. The area around the venue is dotted with new and old businesses as well as vacant run down buildings.
Gord and The Sadies played in the Magic Stick, which is a large open room with a small 4 ft. tall stage. It has an outdoor patio bar attached to it. The fans and the band are literally almost face to face. As it turned out, the fans at the Detroit show were a little more intense then the fans in Chicago. In Chicago, the fans sang along and bobbed their heads, but I was the only one dancing about in my place. In Detroit, there were a number of others jumping around to the hard punk rock. This brought out more intensity from the band as Gord sang his concise lyrics harmoniously to the pounding beat. The Detroit show felt like it had an meaner, grittier edge to it.
At both the Detroit and Chicago shows, Gord had a large orange spotlight attached to a mechanical arm on stage behind him, right next to the drum kit. Three or four times during each show, Gord would pull down the spotlight and turn it on. He could point it in any direction. Sometimes he would shine it on himself or another band member. Other times he would point it at the audience. I guess it was to enhance the mood, but I was confused by his use of the spotlight. Then it dawned on me. Was the orange spotlight his representation of The Conquering Sun?
Gord and The Sadies performed at one of my favorite music venues in Detroit. The Majestic Theater is a city block long complex of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has one restaurant, two live music venues, four bars, ten billiard tables and sixteen bowling alleys. The venue is located on Woodward Ave., the main drag running through the heart of Detroit and out to the surrounding suburbs. The area around the venue is dotted with new and old businesses as well as vacant run down buildings.
Gord and The Sadies played in the Magic Stick, which is a large open room with a small 4 ft. tall stage. It has an outdoor patio bar attached to it. The fans and the band are literally almost face to face. As it turned out, the fans at the Detroit show were a little more intense then the fans in Chicago. In Chicago, the fans sang along and bobbed their heads, but I was the only one dancing about in my place. In Detroit, there were a number of others jumping around to the hard punk rock. This brought out more intensity from the band as Gord sang his concise lyrics harmoniously to the pounding beat. The Detroit show felt like it had an meaner, grittier edge to it.
At both the Detroit and Chicago shows, Gord had a large orange spotlight attached to a mechanical arm on stage behind him, right next to the drum kit. Three or four times during each show, Gord would pull down the spotlight and turn it on. He could point it in any direction. Sometimes he would shine it on himself or another band member. Other times he would point it at the audience. I guess it was to enhance the mood, but I was confused by his use of the spotlight. Then it dawned on me. Was the orange spotlight his representation of The Conquering Sun?
