MOF at Massey Hall, Toronto tonight (Monday, Nov2)

[Jaimoe]

Anyone going to this? I'll be in the 5th row. Historic and an overall great venue.

[oistheone]

I somehow managed to score first row seats and I could not be any more pumped. I should have just taken the day off work -- time is not moving! 8PM cannot come soon enough.

[petemoss]

AWESOME show last night!
I noticed the concert seemed to be considerably shorter than all the previous shows (there was only one song played for an encore), which was kind of surprising. But I don't blame them, the crowd was pathetic, even for a Monday night Toronto crowd. It was embarassing how dead the crowd was (at least where I was sitting).

[Jaimoe]

I found the crowd to be good to great. Sure they sat down, but MOF are a sit-down band for the most part. The applause after each song was loud and genuine. I thought the show was excellent. I'm in the process of writing a review for it for SoundProof Magazine and I'm planning on mentioning the crowd in a positive light. I found the encore to be a bit confounding.

[petemoss]

Yeah, the short encore was weird.
Maybe you are right about the crowd, I just thought that while the applause was genuine, it always seemed to only last for a few seconds  - it just seemed like there was too much silence.
Maybe we are just too respectful  :)
But either way the show was amazing. I was bummed about the short encore, but I can't complain seeing as how it was pretty much twice the length of any Bright eyes / M ward show I have ever seen...MMJ is another story, Jim likes the marathon shows!

[xmascriminal]

Was the encore His Master's Voice?

[oistheone]

I see both sides of the crowd argument. I felt like I should have been clapping through all the silence, but everyone stopped a few seconds after each song's finish. But I guess that comes with the Massey Hall territory -- you sit, and listen.

I was elated to finally stand up to get them out for an encore, but was bummed when everyone sat right back down when they came out. Overall though, I wouldn't say the crowd affected the show -- for Massey Hall, it was kind of expected. I just wish I could have shown more appreciation for the amazing performance I witnessed. M.Ward, Jim James and Mike Mogis are all guitar gods in my book.

[withcamera--]

yeah, the encore was his master's voice...
Honestly, i found the crowd to be embarassing as well. All of these musicians separately seem to draw HUGE crowds, so why is it when they all get together and make an amazing album and beautiful collaboration that no one seems to notice or care much minus the few intense fans?
sure people were clapping, but honestly when i would look around during songs people just seemed to be staring, almost bored like. Maybe they were so enthralled by the music they couldn't muster up a smile or sing along or even movement, but personally if i love a song i can't just sit still and blankly stare.
but all fans are different, and we all seem to enjoy shows in our own ways.
either way, from my front row seat the show was spectacular and it's something i'll never forget! So absolutely unbelievable.  

[Jaimoe]

I sat at the front and the applause and cheers were both very loud. Honestly though, who wants to hear idiots screaming and yelling during Bermuda Highway or Chinese Translation? I thought the crowd was entranced and respectful, not bored; for example, I saw no one heading to the exits (on the main floor), other than to go to the bathroom. I've been to folk shows where all you can hear is people talking and hooting and hollering. This wasn't the kind of show that makes people get up and dance, unless you happen to be of the wookie/hippy persuasion.

[SJM]

I thought the crowd was pretty good, not extremely loud, but still there was a lot of cheering, clapping and a few shout outs. Personally I find it a bit distracting when there is too much trying-to-be-funny comments from the crowd, especially when it's constantly interrupting the musicians. I thought the amount last night was pretty good. But of course, cheering can always be louder! And it would have been awesome to stand for the encore or even Losin' Yo Head. Let's hope The Jacket plays Massey next time they come to town.

My only disappointment is that we only got a 1 song encore - probably due to the unfortunate fact that Massey Hall has an 11 PM curfew which tends to cut band's encores pretty short (Wilco commented on that when they were here last month. We got quite a few less songs than most of their sets had). So no 'At Dawn' which was too bad. But - can't complain. They played for almost 3 hours and it was pretty awesome. I know this set list is out of order but I tried to remember approximately when they played what.

Goodway
The Right Place
Say Please
Whole Lotta Losin'
Man Named Truth
One Hundred Million Years (M. Ward)
One Life Away (M. and Jim)
Chinese Translation (M.)
Baby Boomer
Ahead of the Curve
Golden (full band)
I Will Be There When You Die (Jim and Conor)
Bermuda Highway (Jim)
Look At You (Jim)
Wonderful (The Way I Feel) (Jim and Will Johnson)
We Are Nowhere And It's Now (Conor and Mike)
Leaders In The Temple (Conor and Mike)
At The Bottom of Everything (full band)
Kathy With a K's Song (Conor, M. Ward, Will Johnson)
Map of the World
Slow Down Jo
Dear God
Vincent O'Brien (full band)
Soul Singer In The Session Band (full band)
The Sandman, Brakeman and Me
Smokin' From Shootin' (full band)
Hit The Switch (full band)
Losin' Yo Head

----------------

His Master's Voice


Show poster:
http://shop.doublenaut.com/posters/monstersoffolk/zoom/

[overthetop]

Nice to see other Toronto MMJ fans out there. I got my poster signed by the man himself and thought the show was awesome.

It would be cool to meet up with some of you sometime. Obviously have something in common. I was also at Bonnaroo and NYE last year. Drop me a message if you would like. I go to tons of shows.

[Shepardspy]

Nice to see other Toronto MMJ fans out there. I got my poster signed by the man himself and thought the show was awesome.

It would be cool to meet up with some of you sometime. Obviously have something in common. I was also at Bonnaroo and NYE last year. Drop me a message if you would like. I go to tons of shows.

Quick question for you.  How exactly did you get to meet him after the show?  Did you just waiting around?

[overthetop]

I went out by the bus with the screeming girls waiting for Conor; Jim walked out of Massey hall and came to sign some autographs; I got my event poster signed... for the rest of the story see my other thread - message for Jim James from a drunken toronto fan.

that's the second time my mind went blank when meeting one of my heros. Last time it was Gregg Allman at a small Greg Allman and Friends concert in a casino outside of San Diego and I said something stupid like 'I came all the way from Canada just to see you' - I remember he looked at me like I was a crazy person.

Any MMJ fans want to hang out and talk shows we've seen (or others we are going to) I would host. I've been in Toronto for almost 4 years and have yet to meet many people  with the exception of my girlfriend (might be a sign of getting older - I'm 35). Used to think I was a pretty social guy but this City is pretty lame that way I think... or maybe it is me that is lame.  :-?

[Jaimoe]

I think you may be the lame one, my friend. Toronto has an excellent, vibrant and diverse music scene (just check out Rotate This' upcoming shows; it's staggering to see the amount of bands booked), and all my friends are MMJ fans to some extent. Go to Jambands.ca and read some of the praise and hype. At the same time, you'd have to be living in a shell if you think MMJ, Bright Eyes, M. Ward or Monsters of Folk are anything bigger than indie. The average music fan won't know them or their music - no real hit songs is the factor for this.

[overthetop]

I definetly could be the lame one. However, why was I able to see Widespread Panic last year with less than 500 people at the Sound Academy after seeing them at Bonnaroo a couple weeks earlier closing the festival and playing to 70000. The grateful dead (or members of) hardly ever came to Canada (yes I know the strip search story). I just want MMJ to keep coming back but am worried they will skip Toronto as they are too big for Kool Haus now after filling places like Madison Square Gardens last year.

I see all the cool shows in Toronto and am a big music fan. MMJ just happens to be my favorite. For example in the last 4 years I have seen Dylan 3X, CSNY, Neil twice, Raconteurs, Radiohead, White Stripes, MMJ, Monsters, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, decemberists, Bruce X2, dead weather, Gene Ween, Black Keyes, Gov't mule, Allmans and ratdog (Darien), have gone to Bonnaroo this and last year, NY for MMJ on NYE and many many more. However, I just have had trouble meeting friends with the same enthusiasm for live music in this town.

I'm probably just getting old and lame.  :P LOL.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

I'm kind of worried the Philly show may be cut short as well, I've seen Bright Eyes at the academy of music before, and I seem to remember a curfew there. What I don't get though, is if they take the stage at 7:30, how could they not get a full set in by 11?

[overthetop]

You should be fine. Max time of these shows is 3 hours and there is no intermission What confuses me about the Toronto show is why they finished at 10:45. They still had 15 minutes to play the other three songs in the encore and still make the curfew.

I missed At Dawn but it didn't hurt the show. I felt like I got more than my money's worth. In fact of everything I saw this year (including Phish and Springsteen playing together in TN) this show was my favorite since MMJ NYE 2009 in NYC. Might have had something to do with sitting front and center at historic Massey Hall, might have something to do with being a huge MMJ fan... but the show was really great.

I wasn't the only one who thought so; here is the National post review: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/11/03/concert-review-monsters-of-folk-toronto-s-massey-hall-nov-2.aspx

[Ghosts_on_TV]

You should be fine. Max time of these shows is 3 hours and there is no intermission What confuses me about the Toronto show is why they finished at 10:45. They still had 15 minutes to play the other three songs in the encore and still make the curfew.

I missed At Dawn but it didn't hurt the show. I felt like I got more than my money's worth. In fact of everything I saw this year (including Phish and Springsteen playing together in TN) this show was my favorite since MMJ NYE 2009 in NYC. Might have had something to do with sitting front and center at historic Massey Hall, might have something to do with being a huge MMJ fan... but the show was really great.

I wasn't the only one who thought so; here is the National post review: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/11/03/concert-review-monsters-of-folk-toronto-s-massey-hall-nov-2.aspx

I was at both of those shows as well. Good stuff.  :)

[SJM]

Review of the Toronto show plus photos and correct setlist:

http://www.blogto.com/music/2009/11/monsters_of_folk_redefine_the_supergroup_at_massey_hall/

[Jaimoe]

I definetly could be the lame one. However, why was I able to see Widespread Panic last year with less than 500 people at the Sound Academy after seeing them at Bonnaroo a couple weeks earlier closing the festival and playing to 70000. The grateful dead (or members of) hardly ever came to Canada (yes I know the strip search story). I just want MMJ to keep coming back but am worried they will skip Toronto as they are too big for Kool Haus now after filling places like Madison Square Gardens last year.

As for Widespread Panic, they are an aquired taste and a firmly entrenched regional band. 70,000 people were not there to see WSP, even if they were so-called headliners. Their lack of popularity is not a Canada thing; WSP really only have big followings in parts of the South. I personally can't get into them. I find them extremely boring, even when Mikey was alive. I'm a Jimmy Herring fan, but not with WSP.

MMJ will probably play Massey Hall the next time they tour Canada, as long as they don't put out another Evil Urges.

I wouldn't compare audience size north and south of the border. Bands get paid regardless and many times bands just aren't as popular when they aren't performing in their native land.