Matthew Good’s Hometown Sendoff Show
The opening act was not Tegan and Sara but two girls in a band called Dala. The highlight of their set was them asking the crowd if BC has a provincial song and several audience members chanted back, “Go Canucks Go!”
Matt’s all acoustic performance was melodic, soulful, powerful and rocked all those in attendance. There was so much sound even when the audience was so quiet you could hear the zoom lens on the digital camera next to you.
Songs ranged from Last of the Ghetto Astronauts’ Symbolistic White Walls, to Hospital Music’s True Love Will Find You in the End. He played at least one song from each album (except Audio of Being… but comment if I’m wrong). The banter and audience interaction between each set of songs was clever and genuine. I can particularly appreciate the hyper-local references. At one point Matt said something about “The C.O.Q” in reference to Coquitlam, then someone mentioned Surrey, there were more comments involving a beaver, then a voice pipes up “PoCo is kinda nice”. I thought to myself “and Maple Ridge shaping up to be lovely bedroom community“.
Another conversation with the audience was about venue, someone shouted “play Whalley”. This lead Matt on a nice little narrative about performing at Whalley’s Little League Field, walking over to the Gold n’ Guns on King George, going to the Cold Beer n’ Wine then taking the Skytrain into Vancouver, hanging out downtown and ending the night at the Roxy. I think he almost described my 17th birthday party to a tee (just kidding, Mom!) Alas, Gold n’ Guns has been replaced by a noodle house.
Rod joins Matt on stage
The show was what we expected of Matt and more. He had been rehearsing a broader scope of his catalog and it was evident tonight with him pulling out acoustic versions of Load Me Up and Pledge of Allegiance. He even threw in a cover of a Simon and Garfunkle tune, just for his dad. Rod joined him on stage for I’m a Window as well, which was super fantastic.
The review I heard from the out of town crew (Dan from Toronto and Jennie from Pittsburgh) was that it was the best show they’ve ever seen - the next cities on the tour are in for a treat. Unfortunately Duane had the flu and was unable to make it to the show, sorry buddy, but we chatted with Keira for a bit. John and I had a great night though, we hung out with some cool people (like Dan and his wife with whom we had dinner, along with the rest of the ‘Vegas Show’ crew), met some new nice folks (like Joanne who reads this blog) and enjoyed the amazing performance.
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September 21st, 2007 at 12:45 am
Oh my gosh you were at the show? I was at the show too! So weird…small world. Funny we didn’t bump into each other.
September 21st, 2007 at 12:47 am
Oh I tried to bump you….
September 21st, 2007 at 8:59 am
dont forget the sound of charging camera flashes.
suuuuuch a good show!
September 21st, 2007 at 11:43 am
My only disappointment for the evening was not getting to bump into Miss 604 and Keira! Perhaps it was because I spent the whole intermission getting pushed around in the line for merchandise
Incredible show, indeed!
September 21st, 2007 at 12:07 pm
So envious! Glad y’all had a great time.
September 21st, 2007 at 9:03 pm
I worked and then rushed around afterward to get there…had some open water bottles and a wrapped up DQ cheeseburger in my purse (we’d just hit there and I didn’t eat it). The food police were all over me, let me tell you. B-U-S-T-E-D. And damn it, I wanted my water during the show when I couldn’t stop coughing!
But what a helluva show. And a great review.
September 22nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Miss604, did the security guard wear blue with ICM on the front in small letters, and Security on the back?
If so, then Chloe and Matt’s mom can complain to Brent about the food cop.
This policy supposedly is about ppl who pack $100 of food into their bags to sell at concerts.
In actual fact, it is a retconned policy based on lost sales at concession of overpriced food, some of which might be cooked by underpaid concession staff. It is the premium of junkfood, though.
The only time I would confiscate if told to be a bag checker at a concert are the following:
weapons - I’d probably want to see ID to pass this person’s info to the cops
opened bottles - we don’t know what else is in it, but you can go in if you empty the bottle.
drugs - never carry three prescription pills in an Altoid container. It will be mistaken for contraband. And make sure you bring all YOUR MEDS in their own containers, even if the concert is on for 3 hours and your next dose is in the middle of the concert. None of us are trained pharmaceutical professional who can guess whether a pink pill with Novartis is an illegal oxycodone pill - it isn’t - or a branded Pill.
I think of anything else that is actually contraband, but if a person who needs to eat a medically-prescribed meal at a concert, then it does help to bring the doctor’s note, mmkay?
Though, that person better do hir eating out of eye sight of concession.
I suggest if ICM’s food police did not do security that night, that you try to get a doctor’s note - or even a dietician’s note - if you are bringing in prescribed food and drink.
However, those poor concession staff will starve if you don’t pay for their premium junkfood.
September 22nd, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Food and drink at concerts cost so much because they need to make as much money to afford staff salaries. Some of them actually have a salary, and it is union wages.
People who don’t eat or drink at a concert basically are one of the reasons ticket prices will go up next year. Even the sound engineers are on union wages since the venue is “owned” by the city.
Though, the Orpheum staff obeyed the city workers’ demand for one concert.
My guess is, the city strike might have happened because Vancouver people haven’t been buying enough food and drink at concerts, sports events, and other events using city facilities. And possibly, people are not drinking enough at clubs.
This makes me wonder if Walmart and other places selling food and drink in large quantities (including restuarants, pubs, LCB stores, etc.) are actually paying enough licensing fees.
Ditto for other stores.
Hm, i need to show you the garbage bags I spotted at Joyce Station!