Mike and I headed downtown to see Raine Maida at the Capital Music Hall. Raine Maida is out there supporting his solo album The Hunter’s Lullaby. While he cites influences of spoken word poetry, the album only touches upon that aspect in a few songs. It’s a more interesting album than a regular rock album from Our Lady Peace. It acoustic based, with keys, cello, good drum beats. All in all, a good album.
We started off the night going to the Lonestar Restaurant with Krista, Jill, Meghan and Julie. Good times were had and the chicken chimichanga is pretty darn good. Palmer-approved.
We headed over to the Capital Music Hall and found an immense line-up to get in. That was quite strange to see at 8:30! What is even more surprising is the place was PACKED when we got in. Billy the Kid was on stage at the time and she was loads of fun. I will probably pick up an album. Mike then realized there was a flux of people in the back towards the bar and we found a great spot to stand closer to the stage.
Raine came out to introduce Jared Paul who is a spoken word artist. He was quite interesting…most of the time he didn’t use the microphone so the crowd had to hush up to listen to the words he was saying. Quite the interesting technique. At one point the crowd was losing interest so he had to switch to the microphone to keep our attention. I thought he had some interesting thoughts and I enjoyed the way he delivered them (never seeing a spoken word artist before). Mike then started a discussion about how he didn’t appreciate how people who had access to a crowd just spout out their views without saying “But inform yourselves and don’t take my word for Gospel.” This started a great debate which lasted until 3AM and in the end neither one of us had managed to convince the other so we ended on that note.
Raine Maida hit the stage with his wife Chantal Kreviazuk on keyboards, as well as a drummer and cellist (celloist? Cello-player?). Very subdued show, as in it isn’t full out rock like Foo Fighters. But it was great nonetheless. Sometimes it’s great just to absorb the music and the words he has to say. He even commented that it was different playing for a crowd that isn’t crowd surfing or pumping their fists in the air.
I believe he played his entire album (but I can’t remember and I pulled the setlist below from their show in Edmonton which seemed very similar, if not exactly the same) and he had a bunch of covers. First he spoke of how Neil Young had stated in an interview a few months ago that “Anyone who believes that music can change the world is naïve.” Raine found this hard to swallow considering some of the more….influential songs he has had in his past. Raine was thinking about it and blogged about it but after the days went by he realized that maybe Neil was stoned when he said it. Ha ha. They then played a great version of Ohio.
Later on in the show they introduced a song by a Canadian band who’s singer Raine thought was cute. I really didn’t recognize the song until the chorus…it was Try Honesty by Billy Talent! It’s quite different to hear a punk song turned into an acoustic ballad. It was very moving and I realized that sometimes with punk songs, you don’t really pay attention to the lyrics. Actually, I find I don’t pay attention to too many lyrics and I’ve started to change that in the past year to help me with my songwriting craft. I recommend you go on Youtube to find a video of Raine Maida playing Try Honesty.
Chantal also sang a Pixies cover song “Where is My Mind” which was good but I have never heard the song myself. During the encore Raine started singing Innocent and the crowd was singing along and then Raine asked us to sing louder and asked if we were just a bunch of conservatives in this town of Ottawa. The crowd definitely upped the volume on the singing after that comment and afterwards Raine remarked that he now knows how to get a bunch of people from Ottawa all riled up. I wish every artist would do that in the future!
All in all, I really enjoyed Raine Maida’s show and I am anxious for any live material to come along. Especially if it includes one of his rare tracks called Victim of a Small Town which I had never heard before but fell in love with.
Careful What You Wish For
Sex Love & Honey
The Snake and the Crown
Victim of a Small Town (new song? I’d never heard it before)
Earthless
Ohio (Neil Young cover)
The Less I Know
Confessional
China Doll
Try Honesty (Billy Talent cover)
Yellow Brick Road
Rat Race
Encore:
Where is My Mind (Pixies cover performed by Chantal)
Innocent
One Second Chance