Emily Haines & the Soft Performance
Emily Haines has lost a lot of respect as a credible performer after her lackluster show at last Sunday's Mobile Jam Fest at The Phoenix.
A few songs into her set she'd fumble through a song, stopping midway to admit how nervous she was. The audience seized the opportunity to shout out song requests. Which soon got out of hand, as Haines let the vociferous fans take over the show.
I began to wonder if it was an all-ages show (it wasn't) as the audience's behaviour wasn't helping an obviously struggling performer.
At first I was annoyed at the hecklers, who initially offered encouraging words. But that soon escalated into "I can play that song!" requests, which was met by "Sure, come up on stage and try."
Could it be that Haines was baked?
Haines did little to show her command of the audience or of her craft. She showed a level of unpreparedness and came off totally unprofessional. At one point she left the piano bench to let the audience feel her sweaty palms and show off her smelly pits.
While this sort of behaviour might be seen as a form of closeness with her diehard fans, it came off totally the opposite for this casual fan.
By the end of the show I spent more time watching and listening to others try to play the songs of Emily Haines.
This included Lyra Brown, one of the openers, who was obviously taking cues from Haines, almost watching for her approval at every turn. At least Brown had her shit together.
The show had something going for it, though. There was a cool video or two shown on the large screen above and to the side of the stage. This kept my interest where the live performance lacked substance.
While in line, waiting to get our coats back at the end of the night, I encountered a couple who were both wearing Metric t-shirts.
When asked if they were a big fans, they told me they weren't so sure anymore. I could hardly blame them.
Photos by Roger Cullman.
Comments (22)
While I wasn't at the show and can't comment on her behaviour or your insinuation, I will say that when Metric performed at UofT's orientation in 2006 I wasn't alone in thinking she was high.
On a side note: this article is in desperate need of a copy editor's warm embrace.
I don't know, being high definitely doesn't equate to a bad live performance. She probably just had other shit going on that she let take over BECAUSE she was high...
What a shame. I had lost interest in her after right around Live It Out anyway.
When I saw Metric at the Virgin festival she seemed really high and not very intelligent. I can't remember exactly what she said, but she made this one comment about gays that made me uncomfortable and made me lose respect for her.
oh god, she was high? at a rock show?!?!?
Noooooooo!
seriously, it was just an off night. everyone has them.
I know there doesn't seem to be a lot of love locally for Emily, but this "review" is dopey and amateurish.
What's your excuse?
I was lucky enough to time a trip to San Francisco in early 2006 with a Metric show at the Fillmore, and it was a great show. It'd be a shame if Haines has slipped and can no longer deliver like she did, at least at the one Metric show I was able to go to.
But what can you do. Most musicians seem to lose their focus/edge/drive at some point in their career. Some just lose it sooner then others.
Maybe it's a publicity stunt so she can go to rehab and be our Canadian version of hipster wannabe's like Mary Kate Olsen...
Just because you wear vintage clothes, are waif skinny and write bad poetry doesn't make you cool. It's like everybody wants to be "indie" cuz they think it well get them a free trip to Berlin or Paris as some Bruce Mau director's protege...
Emily Haines sucks.
I thought people went to metric/eh solo shows just to look up her skirt (it certainly can't be for the music). Maybe the problem was she was wearing pants.
Maybe if all females walked around naked we wouldn't have to pretend to like listening them to play music, eh imperial?
Ugh, anyway.
While I enjoy Metric and Emily Haines's music, I've always heard the live shows were lacking, so this isn't too surprising.
Check out the Emily Haines Interview from the Mobile Jam Fest concert.
http://www.mobilejamfest.com/tv
The entire live show will be available live on MJF next week, so you will be able to judge for yourself.
A different artist, a different venue, and this review might have lauded the artist for making it a community experience for fans.
That was her ONLY "bad" live show...and it wasn't even horrible.
You all act as if you haven't been to a concert that wasn't 100% compared to others by the same artist.
Don't speak unless you HAVE been to her other shows which have been great ie. Harbourfront (her best yet).
Honestly, I love her music but this show was a big let down. While it is nice to hear that her other shows have been great, it is too bad I attended the one mediocre show. I am a huge fan and came excited to hear a number of songs off the "Knives Don't Have Your Back" album. While she played a few of them, she did seem very not into it. She stopped half way through Dr. Blind saying "that was dark". She mentioned that she feels like she was a different person when she wrote those songs and that she was going through a hard time during their making. She also mentioned she's been playing new upbeat Metric stuff so it was clear that she was not feeling her own solo songs. She played a few brand new songs, a few older songs and then let the fans take over. While it is true that this experience was unique I honestly thought it was unprofessional. If it was meant to be a more laid-back, unprofessional show it should have been advertised as such. I didn't pay $30 (+$20 in gas) to watch Emily host a talent show. I'd be less bitter had she just played a few more songs. I don't think I'll go see her play again.
A semi-stellar show. I think she (Emily) was a bit more drunk than nervous to be honest with you all. Lyra Brown played very well, it must have been over-whelming for her to have played such a venue with Emily. The first act, Pink Dead Whale, played a short but energetic and live set. I believe his laptop was skipping? That aside, I believe he was the one who gave it the most and really did have the crowd in tune with his performance. Overall, the show was an experience. Not the greatest, but memorable bits.
Igoldy made some excellent points and I must say that I feel much the same way. I saw Emily perform with her band last year at the Gladstone hotel and it was astounding. I expected much the same this time but unfortunately I was deeply disappointed. Almost everyone agrees here that the performance was very poor but are ignoring a much more significant point. Not one of us in the audience received what we paid for. Performances can be good or bad and refunds are not necessarily given out if you didn't enjoy a show but this concert never had a chance. Why? Because "Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton" which appears on my ticket and my bill of sale did not perform that night nor did any replacement players. Only one member of the band I paid to see perfomed... unaccompanied. I think many people are devoted Emily Haines fans and came out simply to see her yet those CDs aren't of her alone. It takes an entire band to perform that music and they weren't present as was agreed to on our contracts (tickets). In short we should all receive a refund. I am currently trying to get my money back. Ticketmaster will only refer you to RMG Entertainment but I urge you to call them or email and request a refund as well. If the band couldn't attend or play they are supposed to provide at least replacement players for the instruments. I feel like I bought a home theatre system with only one speaker. Sure I could hear the music but it wasn't what I paid for.
I loved and hated this show. What it lacked in professionalism, it gained in realism. When she couldn't remember how to play some of her songs, it was annoying. When she explained that she was in a darker place when she wrote them originally and found it hard to relate to them now, it was refreshing. Was it the best show I'd ever gone to? No. Was it refreshing? Yes. Were the random audience members on stage annoying? Yes ... but I was happy as hell to get that one drunko away from behind me and at least up on stage where she shut the hell up.
Well well aren't we all uppity!!! My daughter (Lyra Brown) spent the majority of the day (of the show) with Emily and was with her backstage. No she wasn't high!!! She is busy recording, writing and doing a million other things none of you are aware of. Aren't performers allowed to have off nights? I understand you all wanted the soft skeleton and i understand what a disappointment it must of been to not get what you thought you were paying for, but cripes give the girl a break!! I have seen Metric a few times here in Edmonton and they have always put on an excellent show. If there is one band that is great in concert it's Metric. Emily has always been nothing but professional and is a beautiful human being. Get off her back or maybe it's the knives she talks about...we love it when she comes here. Go emily!!! We love you!!!
i saw emily haines play at the aeolian hall in london, ontario a little over a year ago and it was absolutely amazing. she is different and that's what i love about her.
the key to our disappointments are our expectations. perhaps we should try keeping an open mind when seeing true artists/humans perform. maybe then we'll see that the "mistakes" are actually magical moments that we could never witness otherwise.
if you want flawless and professional, pop in the cd.
All I know is, Emily Haines is an artist, and as such she should feel free to express herself differently every time the sun sets, or the wind changes. After taking in one of her shows, you should be thankful. Emily Haines won't be around and playing shows forever, and we should all be grateful how much she has contributed to the world of music since she broke through obscurity.
Please, learn your lesson, and don't buy a ticket to see her next show if what you want is on the album. A performance is a performance. Just as an album is like a travelling Circus poster, a performance is like a night at the circus, a clown might be sick and not appear the night you see it, or maybe the elephant goes crazy, and the monkey dressed like a ballerina throws his shit at a class of second graders. Both are entertainment.
We all love you Emily Haines.
This is a ridiculous article. Her performance was incredible and her stage presence is unrivaled. She puts on a show every time...with Metric and on her solo tour. The fact that you state, "[Haines] has lost a lot of respect as a credible performer" is not only a completely bias statement but also a very false one.
How can you lose respect for a performer you've never heard about before this show? Please. Take a journalism writing class and stop posting SHIT on the internet.
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