I wake up, its awful light out to be my regular weekday wake up time… What the hell is the time? 3 hours late?! I guess I had such a good time last night I don’t even need to go to work, it is Friday after all, am I right!? But never mind my morning logic, let’s delve into what the hell went on at the commodore last night..
As I stand here waiting for the seabus in the oh-so-sunny Vancity, ears plugged with Caribou‘s Our Love album reliving the set. What a beau-u-u-u-tiful orchestration of a show. Unlike the album that hits you smack on the head with the hit track sing-along Can’t Do Without You, the band comes out on stage (after an incredible opening set by the seemingly anonymous and minimalist Koreless; you killed it brother; I am now a huge fan) and takes over the commodore and every single person standing inside the legendary ballroom with the album’s title track Our Love. In the same vain as Koreless’ opening themes, the track goes on for about ten minutes, relentlessly spiraling and meandering in the soundscapes the quartet creates. I have to mention, that I was fully expecting a one man show here, and was pleasantly surprised to see 4 dudes in all white come out and construct this beautiful experience for both the audience and themselves. From the first track, there is an obvious elephant in the room, as you are flowing along the progressive melodies and hooks there is an invigorating backbone to the whole ensemble– that drummer. Are you serious!? Some of the abrupt entrances at full tilt into an already overwhelming intro of the next track were just unreal. Thank you, my ears are hooked now!
I don’t necessarily want to go through the set track by track, but there was a vibe in the room like we are all on a ship with a captain taking us to the same destination.. The amount of anticipation built up for this (unlike on the album) in itself is an electronic symphony that had me and my boy mfbq turning to each other and saying “holy shit” every time the tracks progressed into what seemed to be a 2.0 version of themselves. As if riding the energy structure of an old wooden rollercoaster we’d have out hearts up high and feeling weightless, and then as if falling off the train completely would plummet down to be gently caught by a toned down version– a recap of the adventure of the song we just went on– to really enrich and relive that experience.
Inevitably, the rollercoaster led us to our predetermined and unanimously agreed upon destination: Can’t Do Without You. Hearing the trickling singing throat welps across the floor and being part of them, feeding our energy from the ground through our feet and body to culminate in the throat and be released into the room genuinely shows the appreciation we have for the art being performed. As an ode to the beautiful creation the crowd and performer blend in a sphere of revolving energy that can only be fostered and cherished that one night, in that moment. The fans’ ears couldn’t just stop at the all-consuming hit track. Once the commodore wooden floor was trembling from the rhythmic stomps of anticipation and plea for an encore, the quartet came back on humbled and so grateful for the energy in the room. They opted to go for the tentalising and almost tribal Sun track from the previous Swim album. They closed with saying that after completing a long, incredible tour, this was the craziest show they’ve ever played. All I have to say is, thank you Caribou for sailing with us and being an awesome captain.
This was really a next level sailing, and the crowd and the performers knew it. I think at the end of the day there were a few factors at play. One, talent and ingenuity (Caribou). Two, the show-goers love for the music. Three, venue– the commodore knows who to book and bring to this city, and they understand what an awesome venue they have and how the crowd’s energy can be really ravelled up, distilled and ridden, provided the show is good. The show was good.
There is promise in the future of electronic music, and Caribou and the commodore are behind it, that’s for sure.
sq.face
Sips a beer from a mini growler on one of the view spots at the lonsdale key, looking over the beautiful Vancouver skyline.
