The Belle Game & Gotye

Last night, I headed out to the Vogue Theatre for one of Vancouver's most highly anticipated shows--Gotye! I fell in love with his song "Somebody That I Used to Know" the first time I heard it on the radio. I remember using the Shazam app while driving so that I could download the song when I got home. A couple of listens later and a DJ's mention of the concert piqued my interest and I bought my ticket on a whim while purchasing one for another show. It's a good thing I did since it ended up selling out a few weeks later!

I got to Granville Street fifteen minutes before doors opened and was taken aback by the length of the line. It slinked all the way past Ceili's Irish Pub on Smithe and I headed to the end of it. Then the dilemma--should I brave the mosh pit or leisurely enjoy from a seat in the balcony? Forgetting to bring my Hearoes deemed it necessary for me to make a concert exception and take a seat. I found a spot in the third row centre next to a couple of guys, one of whom I shortly found out did the sound for Mother Mother and was a bassist in a band. We talked briefly about Radiohead, Tool, and The Offspring (I know as much about those bands as you'd assume I would, which is minimal).

The Belle Game

At 9:00pm, The Belle Game took the stage and blew me away with their music. A local band fronted by a fringed Asian girl with a strong, soulful voice (i.e. refreshingly not your typical frontwoman) and "led" by their male guitarist, it was easy to be hypnotized by their sound. Their band consisted of the vocalist, two guitarists, a keyboardist/backup vocalist, a bassist, and the occasional trumpeter. When they announced their last song I was a bit disappointed that it was ending, but I remedied this by buying their EP during intermission--the perfect companion for the drive home.

Most of intermission was spent either texting my big brother in Hong Kong (using WhatsApp Messenger), tweeting, or joining the guys next to me in guessing what instruments were being set up for Gotye--and there were many new and/or confusing hi-tech devices. Leading to the following tweet by yours truly (Twitter really is a good way to annoy people when you are bored. I apologize to all those of you who were victimized):

Yes, I believe I just quoted myself. This is a brand new level of blogging narcissism.

At some point I thought I was so smart in figuring out that one of the flat contraptions was an iPad. Actually, my first guess was a washboard, like the one used in The Little Mermaid to clean Ariel's shipwreck garb (with Sebastian still in it). It was flat and sitting on a music stand with a series of lit, white rows. An easy mistake by someone who grew up on Disney films. I had almost convinced the guys it was indeed an iPad until the first song revealed that it most definitely was not. I still am confused but I think that watching Saturday Night Live this week will help us solve this mystery together, since Gotye will be performing (which leads me to say, "Wow! I saw a band live before SNL booked them!").

Most of the video playing in the background during this song consisted of
that polar bear taking off his suit to reveal a man and the man taking off his
to reveal a polar bear. Deep.

I was really impressed with the band. Though I didn't love every song, I appreciated the variety of music (ranging from electronic to pop to Motown) and their use of all of those innovative instruments. Wally (aka Gotye) was a consummate entertainer and I think all of us were charmed by his Aussie playfulness and humour. He had me at his first line which consisted of a pun with one of the titles of his songs. And I get why he's so lanky--when performing, he plays at least three different instruments and sings. That deserves my first ever HTML?! (How The Mill Leaf?!)

Each of those guys was manning at least one set of buttons

Before performing his hit single, he apologized for Kimbra's absence and asked us all to sing her part. This is what ensued (captured on Medusa)--and I think it was magical.