AmericanaramA - Toronto ON - 07.15.13

[bartel]

how is the crowd with MMJ? Are there pockets of fans dancing around the venue or pretty much just in the pit area. I'm sure a lot of dylan fans will be sitting the ENTIRE show..

To add to my above post, the Jacket fans dance (I hate dancing, but grooved was they warmed up). Dylan fans, the older ones that make up the core of the audience, don't dance, which no doubt didn't inspire mamy fence-sitters to get off their butts.

originally when I saw the bill I thought what wilco fan wouldn't enjoy MMJ and what dylan fan wouldn't love MMJ etc... sadly not as much crossover as I thought.

[oistheone]

Ottawa folks like myself? I ain't from Ottawa dude. I've never even been there.

I'm talking about the lame crowd in the pit. The crowd that the band sees right in front of them. During MMJ, there were maybe fifteen people standing in the pit, and that's a gracious estimate. I realize that it was hot. I realize that it was early. And I realize that they were playing for a lot of Dylan fans that "don't dance" -- though during Dylan, there was plenty of boogie goin' on down low. I wish I had pictures of the tranced-out hippie circle next to me to prove it. But during MMJ, I was up on my feet and grooving, and I got told to stop, move and/or sit down several times. By my estimate, that is as fucking lame as it gets.

But hey, I still had an amazing time. The true sign of music triumphing circumstances.

[Jaimoe]

how is the crowd with MMJ? Are there pockets of fans dancing around the venue or pretty much just in the pit area. I'm sure a lot of dylan fans will be sitting the ENTIRE show..

To add to my above post, the Jacket fans dance (I hate dancing, but grooved was they warmed up). Dylan fans, the older ones that make up the core of the audience, don't dance, which no doubt didn't inspire mamy fence-sitters to get off their butts.

originally when I saw the bill I thought what wilco fan wouldn't enjoy MMJ and what dylan fan wouldn't love MMJ etc... sadly not as much crossover as I thought.

It's not the crossover, it's just few know MMJ and older Dylan fans are there to see Dylan. Wilco on their own can fill smaller arenas (I think they will at one point fill the 16,000 Molson Amphitheatre as headliners, but that time hasn't come yet).

[Jaimoe]

Ottawa folks like myself? I ain't from Ottawa dude. I've never even been there.

I'm talking about the lame crowd in the pit. The crowd that the band sees right in front of them. During MMJ, there were maybe fifteen people standing in the pit, and that's a gracious estimate. I realize that it was hot. I realize that it was early. And I realize that they were playing for a lot of Dylan fans that "don't dance" -- though during Dylan, there was plenty of boogie goin' on down low. I wish I had pictures of the tranced-out hippie circle next to me to prove it. But during MMJ, I was up on my feet and grooving, and I got told to stop, move and/or sit down several times. By my estimate, that is as fucking lame as it gets.

But hey, I still had an amazing time. The true sign of music triumphing circumstances.

Sorry about the false Ottawa dig. Someone on this site is from Ottawa and it's clearly not you (they dig on T.O. all the time, like every city in Canada does).

They often don't have seats down in the 100 level, but I'm not surprised that people were sitting during the show. Dylan ain't a guy that gets his fans out of their seats, unless for ovations. Ottawa Bluesfest suffers the same fate.

[Waddy Peytona]

A bit of video from the Dylan/James/Tweedy collab:

http://pitchfork.com/news/51571-watch-bob-dylan-plays-live-with-wilcos-jeff-tweedy-my-morning-jackets-jim-james/

[LeanneP]

I definitely danced my ass off on the lawn. Everyone was sitting, our boys came out on stage and I turned to Alienlanes and said, "we're not sitting. I gotta dance. I just can't sit through this." That bugger sat on his ass for about 30 minutes but I got up and furiously danced despite the crippling heat - I kept wiping sweat off my eyelashes, thank goodness for waterproof mascara! and midway through Steam Engine, a former client ran up from the 200s and gave me her hat! 

At first noone on the lawn was was dancing or even standing but most people at least stood by mid set and a few started dancing.  I mentioned elsewhere that there was a shitty crowd of Thornhill Trustafarians/Richsters right behind us who kept snagging more jerks to yammer with but there was a group to our left who freaked out, too, and ended up all buying matching Bear shirts. They sat down during Wilco (too bad, props to Wilco for being awesome unto themselves) so I was kinda happy that they were so enthusiastic for the Jacket. 

I think Toronto's bad show rep really only applies to shows you can see for $20 or less like at the Horseshoe where the indier-than-thou crowd stares with an air of calculated boredom at all bands, never dance and never clap.

[firesofcanning]

I think Toronto's bad show rep really only applies to shows you can see for $20 or less like at the Horseshoe where the indier-than-thou crowd stares with an air of calculated boredom at all bands, never dance and never clap.

this is 100% true. My band plays most of its shows to that crowd and its impossible to tell if anyone is enjoying it. it's tough, but the only thing you can do is rock out and have fun yourself.

[Jaimoe]

I've downed two pints of 7% Headstock IPA from Nickelbrook (good Ontario micro-brewery; yes my Yankee hop-head  friends, you'd love it) and I'm taking the subway and streetcar down to the amphitheatre after I walk the dog. Can't wait!!!

What, Jamoie! You're torturing me.  If you remember, when I visited Toronto to see the Jacket in 2011 every establishment in Toronto had run dry of IPAs upon my arrival.  It was bizarre.

Hope you enjoyed the show.  I still remember vividly being on the rail at the Kool Haus show which was right up against the band.  Great show!

Even though it was only two years ago, there's oodles of new Ontario IPAs on the market.

BTW, Toronto wasn't out of IPAs. I think you just go unlucky and didn't know the different brand. Also, I think you told me that didn't visit any of our fine LCBOs (government-run liquor store) or any of our Beer Stores? Next time make it your first stop. Yes, Kool Haus was a great show!

[oistheone]

We may have been spread out in pockets, but I'm so glad that no matter where we were sitting, the true MMJ fans DID show up to support! And hey, even if Jim did notice that some people were thinking "these guys fuckin' suck!", at least it seems he's taking a liking to our "beautiful city" judging by his Twitter posts. As of last night, he was still in town! And you couldn't have picked a better few days to spend here.

BTW, I love that video of "Twelve Gates to the City" so much. It perfectly captures the confusion that the audience had during the singalong. "Oh, what a beautiful city" was an easy enough refrain, but I remember having no idea what the final lines of the chorus were, and the video captures that no one else really did either. 

[Jaimoe]

Some of the best crowds in my 30-years of going to concerts have been in Toronto: The Who, The Stones, Arcade Fire, Ray Davies, Dead Weather, White Stripes, Phish, Allman Brothers, Son Seals, B.B. King, Down From the Mountain, Stooges, Neil Young, Television, Black Crowes, Bob Dylan (early 90s), MMJ, Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Ben Harper, Sinead O'Connor (during her hardcore reggae phase), Death From Above and so on.

The Horseshoe and other small venues are a mixed bag to be sure. If you are lucky to see a red-hot up-and-comer in one of the small clubs, those shows usually rock.

On a related note, if you ever watch old footage or look at old photos of concerts from the '60s through to the '80s (and beyond), you'll notice a common theme: folks en masse seated during shows.

[Fully]

I remember looking around at one point and saw some hipster girl and her boyfriend just sitting and looking at us like we were freaks for enjoying ourselves. I proceeded to dance more. Gave me a little extra energy.  I'm glad you got such an awesome show!

This is just one of the reasons I think you're totally AWESOME!       

I'd be proud to be standing/dancing next to you anytime. 

Anytime, Ericm, any place!

[jayroxide]

That was my second MMJ concert, and their set was easily the highlight of the night for me.

There were so few fans in the pit that I'm pretty sure each and every person who was rocking on that floor, Jim walked over to you and personally gave you a moment of acknowledgement.

During Victory Dance Jim and I locked eyes and sang to each other for maybe 5 seconds...best 5 seconds ever!! hahaha