Wintercity 2008: Tokyo Police Club and The Weakerthans (click for Video)

February 9th, 2008 posted by robb

The winter months in cold Canada can be long and arduous, especially in January when we face work and our daunting Christmas credit card bills. This season’s winter has been especially bad in Toronto; we’re having near record snow falls with more on the way.

That’s why I really love WINTERCITY. It’s the city’s way to try and get people out of hibernation. In addition to winterlicious, over the past few weekends at Nathan Phillips Square, bands like Tokyo Police Club and Weakerthans performed.

If the bands can play in the figid termperatures (WSIB violation?), I certainly have no excuse for not making the trek out to see them.

TOKYO POLICE CLUB
01.26.08
Nathan Phillips Square (Wintercity Festival)
Rating: 7.5/10

The boys from Newmarket played a quick 60 min set, which was just about enough time to run through almost all of their original material. It was a slow start, perhaps because they weren’t dressed for the weather. Sorry Dave, I don’t think a hoodie will cover you for the middle of January!

But after a few songs they started to heat up. I was impresssed by their stamina, given the cirrcumstances. The crowd started to get into it after “Cheer it on” and “Be Good”. The energy was decent; but what i was most impressed about was the sound quality. Who would have thought a free show in the city would sound so good? Given we were at a medium-sized outdoor show, the sound was amazingly crystal clear. You could hear every syth keyboard and guitar effect and vocal.

Their song, Your English Is Good (their best, in my opinion) blew me away. The timing of this party song couldn’t have been better, coming after a couple of melodic and reflective songs that subdued the crowd.

It was a good show for an open festival in the city.

-ROBB ENG

Section: Reviews