Concert: Feist

Opening Act: Hayden

Venue: Massey Hall, Toronto

Time: November 1^st, 2008

Reviewed by: Brittney Teasdale (Downtown Toronto correspondent – Canada)

Feist, accompanied by her four-piece band, played a ninety minute concert at the infamous Massey Hall on Saturday, November 1^st, 2008. The venue was perfect for her mesmerizing, light voice and experimental, yet sensual art show. I felt very lucky to see her perform at an intimate venue rather than her next concert at the yawning Air Canada Centre, fitting 5,000 spectators. She started the show by tip-toeing onto the dark stage carrying a lantern, and intriguingly began to sing acapella. The concert was a kind of live art show which came together with all who was on stage. Feist, joined by Jurvenan and the three Baird brother, and the artistic performers all worked together in putting together one of the most enchanting and memorable concert I have never been too.

Born Leslie Feist in Amherst, Nova Scotia, singer/songwriter Feist goes by her surname when it come to music. At a young age she moved to Calgary where she got her music career started. She started playing in an all-girl punk band by the name of Placebo. Feist was lead vocals and after about five years of straining her vocal cords she was told she might never sing again. In 1998, in order to get treatment from a specialist, she moved to Toronto in hopes of regaining focus and strength. During the six month period where she was advised not to sue her vocals, she mastered the guitar and went on to become part of bands such as By Divine Right, Peaches, and Broken Social Scene, during which she released her debut album in 1999 called Monarch (Lay Down Your Jeweled Head).

In 2004, Feist released her second solo album, Let It Die, on the Arts & Crafts label. The single “Mushaboom” gained international stardom and by the end of 2005 Feist took home two Juno awards for her album. Following this success, in 2006 she released Open Season, which was a collection of collaborations and remixes of her previous albums. In the spring of 2007, her fourth solo album, The Reminder, was released and debuted at number two in the Canadian billboard charts and sixth in the U.S.

The night can be described best by the adjective mesmerizing. She played tunes from all three of her unique albums, and totally captivated the audience with her charisma. Looking around the hall I saw hundreds of faces completely stuck on Feist throughout the entire show. I must say it was hard for me to take a second to examine the audience since I did not want to miss anything! The striking visual show projected behind her and the band while she performs was amazing. The art-show was performed by Clea Minaker, a shadow puppeteer, video-camera operator, and finger-painter. The most profound sequence was when an almost animated picture was created from smudging paint on the projector creating a sailboat crashing through waves.

While playing an acoustic guitar, Feist performed “So Sorry” and “Mushaboom,” triggering the first audience clap-a-long of the evening. Once again, she excited the audience during “Mushaboom” with a mini-snowstorm of paper snowflakes. Feist then moved to her electric guitar for her energetic tune “I Feel It All,” which finally got the crowd off their feet. She continued with beautiful, yet haunting songs, “Gatekeeper” and “Brandy Alexander.” In the middle of her set she played the catchy “My Moon My Man,” which was accompanied with a real-time video recording of the keys of the piano played by the pianist on stage. It was marvelous. Later in the show, “The Water,” featured Feist, in silhouette, playing the piano behind a white scrim.

All and all, the concert was a night to remember. I would recommend a Feist concert to anyone who appreciates and enjoys good music and who is open to artistic experimentation. I had Goosebumps during “Sacred Heart” and shivers during “Brandy Alexander.” Her voice is an experience one should hear before they die.