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 Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan closes out Toronto's Virgin Music Festival. (PHOTO: John Williams. Canoe.ca) |
10:57 p.m...
The Pumpkins just turned out the lights on the second annual Toronto Virgin Festival, with their first performance north of the 44th parallel in seven long years.
Fittingly they chose "Today" for their finale, the same tune that launched them into superstardom back in 1993.
Not that fans need a refresher on the lyrics, but:
Today is the greatest
Day I've never known
Can't wait for tomorrow
I might not have that long
I'll tear my heart out
Before I get out
When you think of the group's rise and fall and rebirth, the lyrics are more than a little prophetic. After a warm T.O. reception, Corgan pointed at the crowd as if to say: 'Thanks for keeping the faith, we'll be back.' Let's hope he remains true to his silent promise.
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That's a wrap for our Jam! coverage, on behalf of John and myself, see ya next year.
--Jon Cook
10:38 p.m...
If a picture really is worth a thousand words, then the contented glance Corgan shot Chamberlin, right before their back-to-their-roots-rocking "Tarantula," seemed to say 'I love making music together.' Now I'm paraphrasing, but Corgan and Chamberlin is a fusion that doesn't get its just desserts. They are quite simply one of the greatest musical pairings in rock history. -- Jon Cook
10:28 p.m...
After a lull in their set, the Pumpkins unveil an acoustic version of "1979," which goes over well with the packed house. They have just started the first notes of their latest single "Tarantula." -- John Williams
9:45 p.m...
Bit of a security issue with fans pressing against the metal barricade adjacent to the media tent, just off to the right of the stage. T.O.'s finest were called in to disperse the crowd and some chose to hop the fence into the media area to avoid having to go all the way around to the back of the crowd.
I'm sure Corgan's tongue was planted firmly in his cheek when he said, "Thank you very much for coming to see us play." Uh, yeah. -- Jon Cook
9:41 p.m...
Pumpkins are ripping it up. Great hit-heavy set, with enough balance between old and new.
One additional note from the opening -- Billy seemed to be having fun with the Virgin Fest cameras that were in his face, laughing it up with drummer Jimmy Chamberlin before the first note was played.
Right now, they are scorching through "Tonight, Tonight." Back with more. -- John Williams
9:07 p.m...
The Smashing Pumpkins reunion trained rolled into Canada, opened their set in customary fashion with the anthemic "United States." Midway through Billy Corgan does his Jimy Hendrix impersonation by playing the "Star Spangled Banner" on guitar, quickly followed by "Oh Canada." From there they played "Bullet With Butterfly Wings." The 35,000 in attendance is eating it up. -- Jon Cook
8:01 p.m...
Whatever you think about the Killers and lead singer Brandon Flowers, they certainly try to appear like they're the biggest band in the world.
Their decision not to allow any photographers or videographers in the pit during their set, didn't make them any friends among the news hordes here to cover the festival. In addition to that they were too 'cool' to allow the streaming of Motorola text messages along the bottom of the video screens. Bjork demanded the same thing last night, but she's Bjork.
Flowers also doesn't give fans much live, varrying little from any of his appearances on Letterman or SNL. He appears a little robotic in his movements at times.
Nevertheless when Flowers and the boys got down to business, they put on one of the best sets of the weekend. Against a "Sam's Tour" backdrop bedecked with Christmas lights, Flowers led off with "Sam's Town." Flower's introduced the band as "Hello brothers and sisters, we are The Killers." The only other words he spoke was to introduce the song "Bones," with a "We've all got hearts, we've all got problems and we've all got bones."
Killers' set list:
Sam's Town
Enterlude
When You Were Young
Bones
Somebody Told Me
Smile Like You Mean It
Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
Uncle Jonny
Read My Mind
Mr. Brightside
For Reason's Unknown
All The Things I've Done
-- Jon Cook
7:38 p.m...
A "no photos" order from the Killers didn't stop this guy from trying. Not very good pics, but it was the best I could do given the circumstances.
Cook will be back with a synopsis of their set.
By the way, Brandon Flowers looks pretty fit to me. -- John Williams
6:23 p.m...
Metric was definitely one of my favourite shoots of the day. Photogenic lead singer Emily Haines, dressed in tight grey pants and a T-shirt with Jerry Garcia'a face plastered on it, jumped and kicked her way around the main stage, and grabbed the focus of the now-packed main stage.
The high-paced set included stellar versions of "Poster of a Girl" and "Dead Disco."
Sorry, my update is short and sweet -- I'm in dire need of some nourishment.
Update: Sorry folks, the Killers have just announced that they want no photos taken during their upcoming set. Mr. Flowers, I hear, has put on a few pounds. -- John Williams
5:25 p.m...
If the TPC wanted to take some pointers on how to do a successful set, they only had to watch the act that proceeded them. Montreal's Stars demonstrated how less is more.
With no on-stage antics to distract, the beautiful strains of co-lead singers Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell and the subtle keyboards of Chris Seligman and horns of Evan Cranley created an immediate connection and positive vibe. On the same record label as media darlings Broken Social Scene, Stars' fourth studio album is due out this Fall and should be something to watch for. -- Jon Cook
4:30 p.m...
Armed with glowing reviews from Rolling Stone and NME for their EP "A Lesson In Crime," alternative local rockers Tokyo Police Club were hailed as returning heroes as they took the T.O. Centre Island main stage.
Yet with the ball essentially teed up for them, the Ontario quartet could have used a mulligan, as their brief 25-minute set missed sending the crowd into a lather. It wasn't for lack of trying, as keyboardist Graham Wright's on-stage gyrations threatened to hurl him into the security pit. Yet other actions, like both Wright and guitarist Josh Hook banging on a drum to introduce a song, came across as a bit gimmicky. You'd think by now, after having played Coachella and Glastonbury, this group would have their stage act more together.
No doubt this group has promise, judging from the reception of their July release of the single "Your English Is Good," but they still have a ways to go to warrant such hype. - Jon Cook
3:35 p.m...
Cook has arrived, let's get a round of applause for Johnny holding down the V-Fest fort solo for the first few hours.
I'd like to make a couple corrections from what I wrote yesterday. First, Bjork was not wearing a green bandana, but rather green face paint that due to my poor eyesight was mistaken for a bandana (I can hear my journalism profs smacking their heads).
Secondly, when k-os separated the cheering sections into the Kanye West side vs. the 50 Cent side, he proclaimed the KW side the winner and not the Fitty side, as I had reported. Not a huge error, but in lieu of k-os's whole mojo, it's clear he would never support a gangsta rapper over a socially-conscious one like Kanye, who has the cojones to call out Dubya. An interesting side note is that k-os's potential dig at 50 comes the week leading up to both rappers releasing new albums, where they will be competing for top spot on Billboard. - Jon Cook
3: 28 p.m...
Okay, Cook is still not here, so I'm pinch-hitting again. I must admit I didn't know much about Jamie T, but the 21-year-old South Londoner has impressed me so far.
Cool mix of upbeat ska and rockabilly-influenced tunes. Crowd loves it so far. -- John Williams
2:30 p.m....
Now that's more like it. despite announcing that his band "had a late night in Ohio," Louis XIV's Jason Hill got the crowd rolling with their brand of sexed up tunes. Think T Rex meets the Kinks.
Jamie T is next, and Cook is finally here. Over to you, JC.
-- John Williams
1: 50 p.m....
Maybe I'm a tad bit crusty after a long day yesterday, but openers Earl Greyhound did nothing for me. The hippie threesome attempted to win over the sparse crowd with their loud psychedelic blues rock, but instead, got mostly blank stares.
Oh, my aching head.
12:58 P.M....
All settled in at the media tent. I must say, the Virgin coordinators have got everything running smoothly here.
Anyways, getting ready for the first act of the day, New York band Earl Greyhound. Write-up and photos to come.
My partner in crime is MIA. Hello, Cook? -- John Williams
11:24 a.m...
Well, Day 2 is upon us, and we're getting the complete opposite weather picture to what we had yesterday. It's grey, it's raining, and it's slightly chilly -- let's just say it's downright miserable at this point.
I'm heading out on the ferry in the next hour or so, so I'm hoping to bring the sun with me.
Looking forward to sets by the Tokyo Police Club, Metric, and of course, the reunited Smashing Pumpkins. Talk to you on the other side. -- John Williams
Day 1 -- Saturday, September 8, 2007:
9:11 p.m...
Leave it to Bjork to give the TV-Fest it's soul and a healthy dose of green. The Icelandic icon stormed the Virgin Fest main stage clad in a green bandana and riding a virtual green laser wave, which was projected onto some trees.
The festival boasted being far more than just a music event, lauding the goal of environmental responsibility, with a 'Near Zero Waste' campaign. Some of those initiatives include complete on-site recycling, biodegradable cups, non-toxic printed materials and the donation of trees to the Toronto island park after the festival. One keener was even seen carting a tree backstage prior to the Bjork set.
With her back-to-nature-themed songs, Bjork was the ideal choice to close the first day and the 35,000 that remained echoed that sentiment. From the get-go the theatrical singer, clad in a silver-and-gold lame dress and accompanied by a trumpet section thrilled with a vibrant set. While she opened with "Innocence" off her latest studio album Volta, Bjork quickly reverted to fan favourites "Hunter," "All Is Full Of Love" (where her Scandinavian prounounciation of love sounds more like "luff") and "Pagan Poetry."
While her music can sometimes sound like a metronome, there is no denying her considerable talent and ability to thoroughly engage her fan base. Highlights included the singer shooting white strands from her fingers and the multi-coloured neon confetti that announced her entrance. -- Jon Cook
8:00 p.m....
I may be biased, but Interpol's latest is one of my top records of the year so far. Sliding on just before sunset, the NYC rockers showed off their dark chops before a now-packed Virgin Fest crowd. Yeesh, it's finally cooling off now.
Singer Paul Banks, who looks like Kurt Cobain's twin (minus the angst), managed a few words, but kept the crowd engaged throughout the set.
I'm sleeping through Bjork. Over to you, JC. -- John Williams
Update: They just messed up the start of one of their new tracks badly -- I'm re-thinking my kudos.
6:57 P.M...
The Arctic Monkeys just finished their set with "A Certain Romance," leaving the crowd wanting much, much more from Britain's band de jour.
You know you're big when all the other acts on the bill stand around watching, like Interpol, which is to follow. Despite playing nearly five hours earlier, Shaun Frank, frontman for Canadian up-and-comers Crowned King, stuck around to get a better look.
From the first strums of "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" fans were hurtling themselves toward the stage. One teenage girl came down with a bloody lip after crowd surfing. Another of the dozen surfers came away exclaiming, "this is pretty good... there's only a couple assholes," referring to the folks charged with holding him aloft.
As female fans held placards reading, "I Love Alex Turner," the Monkeys' frontman performed with an economy of movement, barely looking up from his guitar, as he strummed the chords so familiar to his legions of fans. One couple took in the scene from one of the trees adjacent to the side of the stage.
This was musically the best set of the night, but Bjork is still to come. -- Jon Cook
5:06 p.m....
Kid Koala had the unenviable task of subbing for train wreck Amy Winehouse. Not the best spot, but KK did what he could to win the crowd over.
The Montreal DJ managed to do it with a clever concoction of music mashes from Radiohead, Culture Club (seriously) and the Beastie Boys.
Next, the Arctic Monkeys. Stay tuned for Cook's synopsis.
-- John Williams
4:35 p.m...
OK, things are getting downright dirty now -- and I'm not talking about the crap thrown up on stage.
Rapper M.I.A. makes Salt n' Pepa's old stage antics seem tame. But it's not all jumping and gyrating -- the UK singer has got the attitude and voice to back up her humpfest. My fav so far.
Update: M.I.A. just brought up about 100 people on stage to hump along with her.
-- John Williams
3:15 p.m...
The magical time of day for potheads was an hour earlier than their traditional 4:20 toking up "tea" time, as k-os hit the stage and was greated by the familiar aroma of canabis. One fan, of both, even wore a tee that read: "I (heart) weed."
The be-dreaded local rapper quickly got the sizeable crowd in the groove with his hit "Crabbuckit" from his breakthrough 2004 CD Joyful Rebellion.
Before launching into "The Man I used To Be," k-os urged the crowd to make some noise by separating them into two camps: the Kanye West side and the 50 Cent side. According to k-os, Fitty won (not sure if that was a slag on Kanye). He also urged audience participation by saying: "When I say ''Yeah,' you say 'Yo.' But quickly added afterwards: "All the ugly people be quiet." -- Jon Cook
2:27 p.m...
19-year-old Scottish heartthrob Paulo Nutini had the girls swooning as soon as he took the stage. Think David Gray meets James Blunt.
Not my cup of tea, but at least there's more than just a field of grass here now. I'm a little parched, so if off to the beer tent for me. -- John Williams
1:25 p.m...
The VBS kicks off the second annual T.O. V-Fest with a tongue-in-cheek jab at the smattering of people gathered in front of the main stage. Guitarist Rob Kirkham greeted the crowd with a "Hello field of grass" remark, before launching into some 1940's-tinged Cabaret rock, with a subtle dose of No Doubt thrown in for good measure.
In stark contrast to the bright, humid day, the band, which includes Kirkham's two brothers Anthony (drums) and Chris (bass), and Uber-hottie chanteuse Cassandra Ford (pics upcoming), appeared all in black (save for Ford's bright-red pumps) as they played tunes from their debut January release "Fears In The Water." Midway through the gig, Kirkham deadpanned: "Welcome to the festival that celebrates chastity." The Vancouver foursome, joined by a local keyboardist, managed to garner a couple hundred fans by the time their 30-minute set finished. They even threw in a decent cover of the Jefferson Airplane classic "White Rabbit." -- Jon Cook
1:10 p.m.: The throngs have started to disperse off the ferry for this weekend's Toronto Virgin Music Festival.
We'll give you the lowdown on each and every act on the main stage, with a few others thrown in.
We're getting ready for the first act to hit the stage -- Vancouver's own Vincent Black Shadow, scheduled for 1:25 pm.
Time to grab a quick mojito from the Bacardi B-LIVE Lounge before this place gets loud.