Broken Social Scene, Stars, and Jason Collett
The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA
November 20, 2003

Met up with old friend Lance last night at the Edinburgh Castle for two pints of Boddingtons and a two piece fish and chips. We caught up for an hour or two, then walked a block over to the Great American Music Hall for the second of a two night stint by Broken Social Scene. I'd been anxious about seeing them ever since i bought the tickets a few weeks back. Their second album You Forgot It In People is nothing short of brilliant, and their first Feel Good Lost is incredible as well. I had high expectations for the Toronto natives.

We walked in during Jason Collett's set. A member of BSS, Jason was also playing as an opener. Pretty good pop songs, distinctly different from those of the headlining act, but worthwhile also. Next up was Stars, which Allmusic describes as "More New Order and Saint Etienne than the Smiths". What an awful description. I would cast them as The Cherry Orchard meets The Aluminum Group. Not a bad act at all. As it turns out, they also share members with BSS, notably singer/guitarist Amy Millan who lended the vocals to Broken Social Scene's amazing "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl".

BSS took the stage en masse at about 10:30pm. Lance and i were curious how they could fit 11 people on the diminutive Great American stage, but they managed. What an incredible set. BSS's mastery of the pop song is essentially unparalleled. They can write slow burners ("Anthems", "Looks Just Like The Sun"), epic jams ("Pacific Theme", "Alive In 85"), profound pop ("Stars And Sons"), and just kick-yer-ass rock songs ("KC Accidental", "Almost Crimes"). And all of them leave you with chills. Their incorporation of horns adds an atmosphere to their music that i'm surprised hasn't been taken up by more indie bands. These guys just get it.

login to submit comments