  Bjork closes out Day 1 at Toronto's Virgin Music Festival. (PHOTO: John Williams, Canoe.ca)
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So far, so very good.
After working out some kinks and religiously sticking to the schedule, the first day of the second annual Virgin Festival at Toronto's Island Park closed with Icelandic icon Bjork delivering a set which was often more theatrical and melancholic than it was of typical rock headliners.
Dressed in an extremely unique ivory and gold-tinged frock, Bjork and her large, colorful supporting cast opened with the hypnotic, electro-pop Innocence as green laser light illuminated confetti which got the spectacle off and running. From there the dynamic and unique musician went into the dramatic, militaristic Hunter that had her marching around the stage when not prancing about.
Setting a mood that was downbeat and at times sullen, Bjork seemed to have two gears all night. Songs such as Pagan Poetry, Aurora and the haunting, somber All Is Full Of Love from 1997's Homogenic album showcased her dynamic, far-reaching vocals against dreamy, tranquil arrangements.
And while this cinematic, jazz-tinted gear seemed to hit a wall somewhat with Pleasure Is All Mine, Bjork kicked things up several notches with the beat-friendly Earth Intruders and the equally impressive Army Of Me as the groove-heavy track melded with the horns for one of the show's highlights. But the homestretch was also solid with Hyperballad and Cover Me with its eerie organ accompaniment.
As large an entrance Bjork made, rock outfit Interpol did anything but. The critic darlings (and for good reason) simply walked out dressed to the nines and let the music do the work beginning with Pioneer To The Falls from their latest album Our Love To Admire. Many loved the band's roughly hour-long set with the up-tempo, guitar-fuelled Slow Hands and the punchy, disco-flavored Narc as bassist Carlos D. and guitarist Daniel Kessler shined.
Interpol also aren't afraid to let the tension build without bursting its bubble as was the case with the winding Mammoth and No I In Threesome prior to rounding their slot out with the urgent The Heinrich Maneuver and the crowd favorite PDA that had many clapping along.
With the sun not quite about to set, British band Arctic Monkeys had the crowd surfing, shaking and boogieing for its near-hour gig. Although splitting the set up nicely between their two albums, lead singer Alex Turner and crew wowed most with the frantic Brianstorm, Dancing Shoes and Fake Tales Of San Francisco that seems to combine the primitive feel of The Strokes with the angular arty vibes of Franz Ferdinand.
Perhaps the artist which the crowd might have felt shortchanged by was M.I.A. for the fact she was so just damn entertaining. With just a backup singer and DJ behind her, the artist made it feel like the opening of Caribana with huge happy beats during Bamboo Banga, the dance-oriented Boyz and Paper Planes from her latest record Kala.
M.I.A. also coaxed the "crazy motherf--kers" onto the stage during one song resulting in roughly more than 100 fans jumping barricades, bypassing bewildered looking security and strutting their stuff.
Earlier in the day, British singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini charmed the slowly growing crowd with his warm, folksy style with tracks like New Shoes and Jenny Don't Be Hasty. Canadian hip-hop artist k-os included a part of AC/DC's Hells Bells into a set highlighted by Sunday Morning and Crabbuckit. And Vancouver newcomers The Vincent Black Shadow fared well with original material before concluding with Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit.
