Show Review

In this review I am only commenting on Spill Canvas’s performance.

It has been a while since I have seen The Spill Canvas play live. Actually, the last time I saw Nick Thomas and company he was “too sick” to play a full set which was incredibly disappointing. I mean I wouldn’t want him playing ill, but you know how it is when excitement is at its peak. At the time I was absolutely absorbed in “One Fell Swoop” and had been anticipating the show knowing it was taking place at a shockingly small venue, where the distance between band and fan is practically nonexistent. Anyway that was then and this is now.

Although, this time Thomas was cold-free (a plus) I was not “absolutely absorbed” in TSC’s latest release “No Really, I’m Fine” (a minus). Truthfully upon hearing the preordered CD I was pretty unfulfilled. A few songs were ok but overall I quickly grew tired of the album, which is sad to say since it was only released last month. Therefore I had mixed feelings about attending this show.

The band opened with “Reckless Abandonment” the high-energy first track off “No Really, I’m Fine” which definitely revved up the crowd. “Polygraph, Right Now” (one of my favorites) was next up and the posh warehouse filled with screaming fans. The crowd participation rivaled that of a Dashboard Confessional show and the ladies in the audience were hysterical. I mean Nick Thomas is not exactly my “type” and don’t get me wrong, perceived attractiveness varies, but by the roar of these girls you’d swear Thomas was “People’s – Sexiest Man Alive”. The band continued to rock on but after a succession of new songs “The Truth”, “Battles”, “Saved” and “Bleed, Everyone’s Doing It” it became apparent that the natives were growing restless.

Personally, I felt the live versions of the “No Really, I’m Fine” tracks breathed a new life into the music. I was very impressed with the guitar playing of Dan Ludeman and the powerful drumming of Joe Beck. The onstage performance had a vivacity that was lacking on the album. However, it became clear that while this tour is in “support” of the band’s new album it was going to be one of those shows were “new stuff” was all you were going to hear until maybe, fingers crossed, the encore. Sadly, my prediction was correct. TSC played “Lullaby”, a curve ball “The Tide”, “Collect the Dots” (where Thomas proudly did that intense perv-ish eye thing he does), “All Over You” and “Hush Hush”. The songs were all performed well, better than expected even, yet the concert lacked that spark. Perhaps it was because I was residing near the middle back of the audience and it was obvious people did not have the new album or did not listen to it extensively.

The Spill Canvas ended the set with “Staplegun” and during the encore played old favorites “All Hail The Heartbreaker” and “One Fell Swoop” alas, you could tell the crowd’s feelings about the show’s overall enjoyableness was mixed. Perhaps this last surge of “what they wanted to hear all along” wasn’t enough.

In my opinion, I enjoyed the show. Of course I would have loved to hear more old stuff but I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh take I now had on “No Really, I’m Fine” and in some ways my faith in The Spill Canvas was rehabilitated, at lease to a degree.

review by Heather Galbraith