The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles housed a sold out crowd of Tegan and Sara fans recently. I was lucky enough to be there to witness their first concert on their new tour.
They planned two shows in LA, two in New York and then it’s off to Europe, then Canada, then back to the United States, all to promote their new album, “Sainthood.”
I was excited to see how perfect my view of the stage was and fell right into the crowd’s enthusiasm and nearly went deaf from the screams (and hoarse from my own screams) when the stage went dark and Tegan and Sara walked out, ready to put on yet another engaging and entertaining show. This being my fifth time seeing them in concert, I knew I was in store for a little comedy, a little unpredictability, raucous tunes and a lot of awkward dancing (the dancing provided by yours truly).
They opened with the title track of their last album, “The Con.” After the first few recognizable strums, the fans went wild, excitedly singing along. After playing a couple older songs (“Walking With a Ghost” and “I Bet It Stung), the girls switched it up by playing eight of their new songs in a row. Sara prefaced the performance of their new songs by stating: “I don’t care if you like it, you need to act like you do.” Then, they started with the staccato-laden “Arrow” followed by “Don’t Rush” and their calloused and catchy lead single, “Hell.” Tegan then took a moment to describe the story of writing her ‘80s punk-sounding song, “Northshore,” which is the most strident, vociferous tune on the album.
The new songs were received well by the audience, but then it was back to their more recognizable songs, like “Nineteen” and “Speak Slow.”
Instead of the prototypical “encore,” the band wanted to avoid those awkward 45 seconds of waiting in the wings as the audience cheered for them to come back out, so they opted to stay on stage and play what would have been their two “encore” songs. First up, was the always fun, upbeat, bass drum-heavy “Living Room” (cue my ubercool jumping around and quasi-headbanging). And finally, “Call It Off” was their swan song. If only I had my Bic lighter with me…
What I love about these girls is that they never disappoint their fans and always give the audience what they want when performing. No matter how many times they’ve played their fan favorites like “Living Room” and “Where Does the Good Go,” they’ll still perform them, giving the songs a different sound each time they’re played, whether slowing them down or speeding them up. It’s a win/win situation because the fans get to hear a new take on an old song while the band doesn’t get burned out on playing the song the same way over and over again.
Hailing from Canada, twins Tegan and Sara Quin have been making incredible music for 10 years. Though relatively absent in commercial radio play, they are no strangers to the mainstream, having had songs featured in almost every episode of the first season of “Grey’s Anatomy.” The first time I heard them, I immediately became addicted. I’m a sucker for good lyrics and their lyrics go straight through you, reaching in and grabbing on to jumpstart your heart.
Though I do tend to favor their more acoustic songs with their simple harmonies hanging in the air, there’s something to be said about their more raw, guttural thrashing sounds.
“Sainthood” leans towards the latter. They’ve traded in acoustic guitars for electric, creating a gritty, rock/punk sound. “Sainthood” is a project I, along with every other Tegan and Sara fan, have been waiting for over two years, since the release of their last album. It marks the first time the sisters actually sat down in the same room and composed songs together. Before, they wrote their songs separately.
The result is a risky, but brilliant departure from their last couple of albums. It might easy for T and S fans to be discouraged about this new release because of the different sound, but once you get used to it and let it all sink in, the discouragement fades into excitement over what’s to come from the duo in the future.
The album is excellent (I recommend downloading “The Cure” “The Ocean”) but hearing the songs live really brought the music to life for me. As I watched them, eager to hear what new song they would sing next, Sara’s words kept echoing in my ear. “I don’t care if you like it, you need to act like you do.” OK, Sara. I know you don’t care, so I’ll clap and sing along and cheer. But just so you know, I’m not acting.
Catch Tegan and Sara on tour now.
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.