Regina Spektor Sing-along at Sound Academy
Regina Spektor's sold-out crowd became one big sing-along at Sound Academy last night.
"Aw, it's like I've got the choir of Toronto backing me up," remarked Spektor after the first song. But then it got tiresome.
The hordes of teenage girls in the audience almost ruined it for the rest of us, singing along not only during the chorus, but throughout the entire song. Did you come to hear Regina Spektor sing or to hear yourself sing along to every song?
The real back-up, often featuring violin, cello and drums, worked well. Especially with the songs On the Radio and Us. Spektor showcased a handful of songs from her latest album, Far, which translated well live for the most part, were it not for the crappy venue.
If you're still wondering -- like Matt Damon in the recent TIFF film, Informant! -- "Who the hell names their daughter Regina? That's a city in Saskatchewan." Regina Spektor is a Soviet-born, New York raised singer-songwriter and pianist whose vocal gymnastics can easily astound. Her quirky delivery, coupled with storytelling-like songs pack a mean punch.
It's a pity that the venue ruined it for me. Sound Academy, formerly The Docks, is far from ideal for a concert: Poor sight lines due to a tiny stage at the end of a long and relatively narrow hall. The harsh lighting, due to two, too-bright spotlights constantly shone from too far back, didn't help things. And the venue itself is in the middle of nowhere, with no regular TTC access.
I've seen Spektor three times before: at The Mod Club in April, 2006 at The Phoenix in October that year, and at Kool Haus in October 2007. While it's understandable that the talented singer's following is getting larger with each tour, the venues she's played at are getting worse each time. After this show at this crappy excuse for a concert venue, I swear I'll never go to another show there ever again. Spektor is now much better suited to play a venue like Massey Hall.
"Wow, there's so many of you out there," said Spektor, a few songs in. "I hope you're all drinking plenty of water."
I found that remark kind of odd. But, after being packed in like sardines near the front-half of the venue, I made a beeline to the bar to get a cup of water myself. Then I wasn't allowed back into the main concert-watching area. The security were too eager to keep the drinkers separate from those too young to drink at this all-ages show.
Back on stage, Spektor took turns at the Steinway grand piano, where most of her compositions shone, to an electric keyboard, guitar and even a solitary drumstick and chair for the song Poor Little Rich Boy. Her most poignant moment was when she was back at the piano, singing Apres Moi, totally engrossed in the song, which features a verse in Russian.
The show's opener, Little Joy had to cancel last minute due to flight delay problems. Filling in admirably was Spektor's back-up musicians, violinist/keyboardist/guitarist K Ishibashi and cellist Dan Cho. Ishibashi is in a band of his own called Jupiter One, who just released their new album Sunshower on Tuesday. It was a pleasure watching him sing and play the violin at the same time, backed by Cho on cello.
"K saved the day," proclaimed Spektor, who told us she was "a lucky bastard" to have such flexible, talented bandmates. Too bad Sound Academy couldn't save the concert.
Photos by Roger Cullman.
Comments (21)
Probably 75% of the live shows out there feature annoying audience members and crappy sound. As a critic it is important to note these things, but not to let them permeate your entire article. I do wish your review focused less on the venue and the fangirls (and even the Regina's name) because unfortunately your review comes across as whiny, petulant, small-town and amateur; revealing very little (if any) insights on Spektor's talent and performance chops - about which I suspect you are not qualified to write.
BlogTO you are gaining credibility and momentum with every passing day ... please continue to step it up, and start sending out viable critics to shows like Spektor's.
I think reporting on the venue, fangirls, and crappy sound does belong in the review as it forms a big part of the experience and can make a huge difference in ones enjoyment (or not) of an event. The quality of the performance and the music was addressed; hell he even talked about the opening act in some detail.
if you actually care about a regina spektor concert review on blogto you need to re-evaluate your life.
How dare girls sing along! Isn't sharing an experience with your fellow audience members and the artist kind of the point? You can listen quietly at home to a recording if you'd like. The last time I was at a White Stripes concert, with floor tickets at Molson Amphitheatre, I got dirty looks from a middle aged couple for screaming with joy at Jack White. It's rock concert: what do you expect?
Great review. I appreciate thorough reporting from venue and performance to sound and annoying fangurls. Love RS, but not so sad I missed the show.
I went to the show last night, and it was amazing.
The people singing didn't bother be nor Regina (she seemed to like it)---and at one point in Samson, she even stopped singing to let the audience sing.
The show was amazing. Regina was amazing. K, Dan, and Mckenzie were amazing. And I'm so glad I got to experience what I experienced last night.
But I must agree with you on one thing. The venue was crap.
Cannot wait until I see Regina at better venues like Massey Hall.
I had "comic book guy" from the simpsons beside me at the bar singing..and a ton of lesbians making out all over the place, but not like they do on dvd.
terrible sight lines = agreed
while the singing was annoying a times, it was nice to see people in toronto actually enjoy themselves at a show for once
There's a fine line between "sharing an experience with your fellow audience members" and disrespecting them by singing throughout every song. I came to hear Regina (not her fans) sing. If you want to sing along to every word of every song, that's fine. Do it at home or on your iPod if you like. :) This was not a White Stripes concert.
I hate to have to agree here.
I understand that young concertgoers have to cut their teeth somewhere, but it was overkill at this show – I've been to many all-ages shows, and I've never seen so many people SHOUTING along. Were it a matter of just enjoying the music and wanting to sing along, fine, but it seemed this was a crowd more concerned with drawing attention to themselves than letting everyone enjoy the show.
YES to the sightlines problem. My friend and I left the audience in front of the stage to get away from a group who were screaming and climbing on one another's backs to yell at the stage (appropriate for a Regina concert?), and found the 19+ upstairs to be impossible to see from. At least there was a big screen projecting the show in the back section.
Coupled with Regina's changing songwriting aesthetic, this was probably be my last time seeing this talented performer.
To all of you discrediting this review, he's got it spot on. It's one thing to sing along to a chorus or whatever, but to scream in someone's ear for the entire night is a completely different monster.
I agree that the singing is annoying, especially during the more sombre songs, but it was relatively easy for me to drown it out, but then again, i was right in front of Regina in the very front row.
The comment she made about the water is because someone passed out. Actually, TWO people did, but she didn't notice the second one since she was singing at the time.
Another thing about the singing along--Regina is pretty well-liked by younger girls, and a for a lot of them i'm sure it was their first concert (in fact, i met a 13 year old girl on the subway after who said it was her first concert and she was so excited she was still bouncing up and down). They really don't know how to behave--cut them a little slack.
And why the hell did you comment on Regina's name, for God's sake? It means "Queen", and i'm pretty sure it meant that before it was a city in Saskatchewan.
Disappointed with this review. If you don't like all-ages shows, don't go to them.
Re: Amanada>> Don't give up on Regina's concerts! She's a talented musician that should be apprciated no matter what kind of audience she attracts. And you mentioned how her songwriting is changing...well it actually hasn't. 5 of the 13 songs are "new" songs. The other 8 songs are actually really, really old./// And I'm pretty sure the next time Regina comes to Toronto, it'll be a seated venue.
Yes, I understand that when you go to a show and know all the lyrics that you'd want to sing along. Why the heck not?
I draw the line at groups of high school children screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs while crying at the same time. Not only do they sound terrible, but it really made me never want to go to another All-Ages show again.
Because it was Regina, I sucked it up, ignored them the best I could and enjoyed an amazing performance. Her cds are amazing, but who would have thought that someone could sound better live! I've always loved her, but that love has grown immensely from seeing her live.
Amazing Show!
I'd just like to say that there were plenty of teenage girls who attended who were NOT screaming or singing along - out of respect for Regina and her music. But of course, you don't hear about us.
The very same night A Hawk And A Hacksaw had to ask the crowd to stop drowning them out with enthusiastic but not acoustic-friendly synchronized clapping, so it's not just teenagers who can be annoying at gigs.
I was there, my god it was terrible. Regina should ONLY DO 19+ shows. Those teenage kids had no respect for her music. They were selfish. They just wanted to be the "most dedicated fan ever" so they sang every lyric to every song instead of LISTENING to Regina's talent.
Yeah there are always going to be fans singing along...but not like EVERY song. I never had been to a show where it was that bad. There were some slow songs that it just wasn't really appropriate to sing along and you could see that Regina was trying to have a moment but she was easily snapped out of it when she could hear an off-key high pitched 16 year old voice singing her lyrics...
If they want to have this kind of poor concert behaviour, go do it to some Jonas Brothers concert but not at a Regina Spektor show.
Regina Spektor came back to Toronto this morning to do a live interview with CBC's Q. Listen to her being interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi and play a song in the studio via their podcast.
I will definitely never go to Sound Academy again for another concert, packed like sardines is putting it lightly. Can we say over sold venue!!!! Regina Spektor deserves and could easily fill a much larger venue I can think of so many Hummingbird, Massey hall, Danforth music hall only to name a few. And yes a sit down venue not general admission. Singing along is one thing but the screaming yikes. A sit down venue and the screaming would be dispursed over a huge hall!
Besides this Regina is awesome, extremely talented, can't wait till she is back again in a better hall.
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