Thievery Corporation at The Orpheum (Concert review)
Quite frankly, I would prefer my brother to write this concert review, simply because I think that he has WAY more to say. He has a fabulous musical taste, and a really broad range of preferences in regards to what he likes, and I thoroughly enjoy attending live concerts with him. I feel comfortable enough to share a live show of, say, Delhi 2 Dublin, just the same as the Vancouver International Jazz Festival.
Overall, my first impression of having Thievery Corporation at The Orpheum (and HZ agrees with me) was – WRONG LOCATION. Sorry, folks. The Orpheum for Natalie McMaster? Sure. The Orpheum for a classical music concert? Absolutely. The Orpheum for Thievery Corporation? Oh. So. Wrong. On. So. Many. Levels. Then, a one-hour delay. After we ate dinner really fast, walked CS really quickly to her bus stop (as she needed to go home and take a leisurely night), and then walked fast to The Orpheum. And we got delayed one hour. NOT. Cool.
Then Thievery Corporation started its show (after a one-hour delay that was filled with super awesome deep-house music, so I’m not going to complain). I missed Degan and Patricia (whom I knew were going to the concert), but it was ok. We all were going to the concert with different +1′s. You may ask yourself… what is Thievery Corporation’s music like and why do you like it? Easy to answer the second question: I love TC because they add some of the sounds that I enjoy – deep house, some electronica, some down tempo. From the Wikipedia entry about TC:
Their music style mixes elements of dub, acid jazz, Indian classical and Brazilian (such as bossa nova) with a lounge aesthetic.
Bear in mind – I am not a reggae kind of guy. I get antsy with high-pitched, high, intense beat music. So, admittedly, I don’t like EVERYTHING that TC plays. But what do I like? I love many of their songs, and I love the fact that they bring in guest artists (the TC duo is really a couple of DJs and the rest of the ensemble is pretty much, guests).
Admittedly, I also like their political manifesto approach to lyrics. El Pueblo, Unido, Jamas Sera Vencido (the people, united, will never be defeated) is a phrase frequently repeated throughout one of the songs that TC plays (and that we listened to). Of course, at some points we had to stand up and dance, because, well, it’s TC! One guy whom I would have NOT guessed would have good dance moves was dancing a couple of seats in front of me. It was fun to watch.
Someone put up a video with the music from Shaolin Satellite (one of my favorite TC tunes) so I encourage you to listen to it and judge for yourself. And, if you need to know what I think of the concert… well, after 2 hours of great music, HZ and I left The Orpheum slightly disappointed by the choice of closing tunes, but overall, we enjoyed the show. I’ll wait to hear if he posts a review and then link to his review, as he is a much better concert reviewer than me.
Related posts:
- Audra McDonald in concert presented by @VanRecital Vancouver Recital Society
- Audra McDonald at The Orpheum Theatre presented by Vancouver Recital Society (win tickets)
- Chromeo at The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver (concert review)
- Vancouver Concert Opera Co-Operative presents Carmen
- Free concert at Robson Square by Yuca
and then?
To begin, the show was an hour late due to the fashionista late arrival of 75% of the ticket holders. It would have been wrong to start it with the place more than half empty. It was the Orpheum, not the Commodore.
Secondly, I feel the need to play the role as your brother reviewing this fantastic show as you cheated the experience imho. Thievery Corp were nothing short of brilliant. I use brilliant not only as a fan of theirs but as a fan of good performances. From the soft, enchanting vocals provided by LouLou to the live musicians and the invitation to dance onstage, TC delivered in spades. It was more than a show, it was a collective experience backed with a stellar selection of tracks from Radio Retalliation and a handful of gems (lebanese blonde, the heart is a lonely hunter).
So bless you TC as you provided van city with an experience, not just a concert. Next time Yaletownites, skip the dirty martinis and show up on time.