Tegan & Sara -- Tucson, AZ -- November 1st, 2007

[powerslave_85]

I was hesitant about posting this review, since it's about as non-metal as you can get, but I know Brady liked their new album, so

I'd been waiting very impatiently for this show since I bought my ticket back in August. I completely fell in love with this band over the summer, thanks to their new album, The Con. They're identical twin sisters from Canada who play sort of indie-pop/folkish kind of stuff. They're also both lesbians, which may seem irrelevant, but that fact adds a certain power to some of their songs. Some of their stuff is very upbeat and fun, but other songs are completely heartbreaking. They mix the two moods well, I think.

Anyways, I went to the show alone since the only one of my friends who likes them is in Spain for the semester. I got there nice and early to ensure a front row spot, and the doors opened about 15 minutes early. Whoever planned all of this out sucks, because the doors opened at 7:15 and the show didn't start till 8:30. That's a hell of a lot of standing around, not to mention the fact that it pretty much guaranteed the show would run late and I would miss the bus.

I was starting to cramp up from standing on the barricade (Front row! Yes!) when the only support act, Northern State, finally came on stage. I'd never even heard of them before, so I didn't have any preconceived notions about them, but I was expecting some sort of generic indie rock band. Instead, I got three white female MCs, who totally fucking rocked. If the Beastie Boys had little sisters, this is what they would sound like. Their rhymes were a little more simplistic, but they had tons of energy and were just having a blast. Plus, one of them had the stage name Hesta Prynn, which is pretty much the best name for a female MC ever. I really enjoyed them a lot, and I downloaded their CD (I felt bad not buying it from them at the merch table, but I was flat broke), which I enjoy a lot. Here's a partial setlist:

Mic Tester
Better Already
Dooh Girl
Mother May I?
Away Away
Iluvitwhenya
Sucka Mofo
Time to Rhyme

After a pretty quick setup (there wasn't a whole lot of gear), Tegan & Sara hit the stage. I'd heard a lot about how hilarious their between-song banter was, and I wasn't disappointed. They have a really fantastic sense of humor. Sara did a pretty funny impression of an overly dramatic, fear-mongering CNN newscaster. Oh yeah, they played some music too. They played almost all of The Con, plus some old favorites. They even threw in a cover of "Umbrella" by Rihanna. You know, that really annoying R&B song from this summer? Well, it was a lot better the way they played it. The highlight of the show, though, was "Walking With a Ghost." Usually, a band's biggest hit is kind of boring live, but not this time. They left the stage after their main set, and then Sara came back out by herself with her guitar and stood up on the speakers in front of the stage. After getting the crowd quiet so she could be heard without a mic, she said she was sick and that she wanted the crowd to sing the song for her. They did, very loudly and enthusiastically, even though they fucked up the last chorus. It was a really amazing and spontaneous moment, one of the coolest things I've seen at a show. This was also one of the only shows I've been to here in Tucson where the audience was totally cool. It was a really eclectic and mixed crowd, too. Here's Tegan & Sara's setlist (not in order):

Relief Next To Me
The Con
Are You Ten Years Ago
Hop a Plane
Back In Your Head
Nineteen
Floorplan
Like O, Like H
Dark Come Soon
Call It Off
Monday Monday Monday
Living Room
Where Does the Good Go?
So Jealous
Walking With a Ghost
Speak Slow
My Number
Divided
Umbrella (Rihanna cover)

Definitely one of the best and most fun shows I've ever been to. Definitely worth the wait

[overkiller]

They covered Umbrella!?

[powerslave_85]

Originally Posted by overkiller

They covered Umbrella!?

Yep! And not in a "LOL, we're so ironic and funny" kind of way either. It actually sounds really amazing they way they do it. I found a pretty good YouTube bootleg of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6det5KVQclM

[mankvill]

Ewww Tegan and Sara. They're going to be here on Monday, and I want to picket them.

[powerslave_85]

Originally Posted by mankvill

Ewww Tegan and Sara. They're going to be here on Monday, and I want to picket them.

[zgodt]

I've downloaded The Con and like it a lot. Never would have heard of them if not for your advocacy here. So thanks. Glad you had fun at the show.

[JRA]

Originally Posted by mankvill

Ewww Tegan and Sara. They're going to be here on Monday, and I want to picket them.

Why?

[zgodt]

Originally Posted by neilpeartjr.

Why?

Presumably for not being metal.

[Wizzbang11]

I saw em at bridge and they were good, certainly better than the shitty metallica set!

[mankvill]

Originally Posted by neilpeartjr.

Why?

Just to be silly.