{"id":4607,"date":"2011-04-24T20:53:48","date_gmt":"2011-04-24T20:53:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=4607"},"modified":"2017-06-28T09:38:52","modified_gmt":"2017-06-28T17:38:52","slug":"a-broken-world-and-a-social-scene-in-ventura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2011-04\/a-broken-world-and-a-social-scene-in-ventura\/","title":{"rendered":"A Broken World and a Social Scene in Ventura"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For you that didn’t have the time for the Broken Social Scene’s<\/strong> show at the “Majestic” (yeah, right) Ventura Theater on Tuesday, we’re not going to sugar-coat it (big surprise): you screwed up!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kevin Drew, Brendan Canning, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Justin Peroff, Lisa Lobsinger (and her Bird-Nest-Medusa hairdo<\/strong>), and crew graced the grizzled grounds of the Ventura Theater on Tuesday, and majestic music ensued.\u00a0 The audience left completely satiated after the band’s impressive two-hour-plus set of old and new favorites, including songs off their phenomenal “Forgiveness Rock Record”<\/strong> from last year.\u00a0 In short:\u00a0 despite the humble environs and turnout, Broken Social Scene proved why they are one of our best live acts.<\/p>\n

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We had waited ten long years to see Broken Social Scene (always being at the wrong place at the right time), but our patience was finally rewarded by a quick drive to the south.\u00a0 We have gushed previously<\/strong><\/a> about the band and key members Kevin Drew<\/strong> and Brendan Canning<\/strong>.\u00a0 Their songs are layered and labrynthine at times, and simple and mantra-monotonous at others.\u00a0 But the lyrics and melodies never fail to convey the good souls of each songwriter.\u00a0 This is a big-hearted band that delivers with passion and conviction.<\/p>\n

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Band leader Kevin Drew was engaging throughout the evening after getting off to a shaky start.\u00a0 The medium-sized crowd, dingy surroundings and a few too many shouted crowd questions inquiring of the whereabouts of Feist (who got her start in BSS) and J. Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr.) didn’t help.\u00a0 Drew was testy for a bit, but the crowd eventually won him over by about-shifting to attentive-and-involved mode.\u00a0 Drew frequently equated the Ventura Theater and the scene to a gymnasium and high school dance (later demanding that there be some slow-dancing pairs on Lover’s Spit)<\/em>.\u00a0 Drew’s surliness slowly succumbed as the devotees’ dedication crowded out the numbskull shouters.<\/p>\n

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The band came out and launched into its set with the rollicking Texaco Bitches. <\/em>With its playful lyrics and intermittent screams and effects, the song was a gas-fueled drag-race that got the crowd running.\u00a0 As the set evolved, more and more members drifted onstage until the stage was packed ten-strong.\u00a0 Throughout the show the musicians musical-chaired ever-changing instruments, impressing with their varied and variegated virtuosity. Next up in their set was the driving, thriving 7\/4 Shoreline<\/em>, a clear crowd favorite.\u00a0 Between the guitars and horns they filled up all of the air in the house.\u00a0 After Forced to Love <\/em>and Art House Director<\/em> (featuring choreographed, Motown-esque dancing by the horn section), they raved into one of their great signature songs, Cause=Time. <\/em><\/p>\n

The band’s 20-song set included great rockers such as\u00a0Stars and Sons<\/em> (with the crowd’s quick-clapping collusion), Fire-Eyed Boy <\/em>(with its infectious chorus) and Superconnected<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0 And there were plenty of sweet slow songs to counterbalance the uptempo such as All to All <\/em>(with Lobsinger’s seductive vocals) and This House is On Fire (<\/em>which smolders a la My Morning Jacket).\u00a0 And along the way we were treated to Brendan Canning’s song, Chameleon <\/em>(with its clarion horns), Drew’s phenomenal, Feist-like song, Safety Bricks, <\/em>and a rare cover of Apostles of Hustle’s Blackberry<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Eventually the band brought out the big song-guns and we were graced with World Sick <\/em>(which was a perfect pre-Easter paean for our sick and, at times, sickening world).\u00a0 And then as can be seen below, following Drew’s demand for couples to slow-dance, the band quieted the crowd (except those that were so moved as to primally scream out) and anointed us with Lover’s Spit, <\/em>which was embellished with harmonica, melodica, harrowing horns and piano.\u00a0 Canning and Drew were won-over completely during Lover’s Spit<\/em> by the crowd’s slow-clap collaboration and reverence.\u00a0 There were a few moist eyes in the audience until Drew leavened the heaviness by transitioning into U2’s With or Without You <\/em>and then inexplicably singing “Chaka Khan.”\u00a0 He then asked the crowd to “give it up for the boys” and thanked the slow-dancers.\u00a0 Beauty.<\/p>\n