The Weakerthans – AtThe Barton CummingsTheatre

Mon 17th May, 2010 in Music Reviews

I didn’t know too much about The Weakerthans before I went to see them at The Annandale in February, but I am now a convert. That gig was so full of joy, and camaraderie, both on stage and in the crowd, that it felt more like old friends having a sing-along in the backyard. And with the ‘Dale packed to the rafters, and the six or seven people on stage practically sitting on each other’s laps so they could all fit, the whole thing felt like a sweaty, 200-person group hug.

Almost everything about this live DVD is the same as that Annandale show– similar set list, lots of singing along, a sense that everyone is having a great time – except that the Barton Cummings Theatre in Ontario is four times the size of the Annandale, but it’s only half-full. And so instead of everyone being jammed in together, they have acres of space to themselves. The same is true on stage, where the band members have so much room they all look a little bit lost and confused. So what happens is that all the energy is diluted through the space, and as a result seems far less exciting. I’m sure this also has something to do with sitting on my couch, being about as relaxed as you can be while still having a heartbeat. But there is certainly something missing.

That certain something certainly isn’t missing from the songs. John K. Samson is one of the most astonishing songwriters around: every song is like a novella set to music, with a rich cast of characters and a full narrative arc. It’s a similar approach to John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, although Samson’s songs aren’t so intensely personal. Or like Aimee Mann, but in Drop-D, with a punk aesthetic and sense of urgency. And like both Mann and The Mountain Goats, The Weakerthans have a small but intensely passionate fan base – every cut away to the crowd shows a pretty even split between those singing along to every word and those just staring at Samson with blissful devotion.

Tournament Of Hearts kicks the show into gear after a slow opener, while Aside and Bigfoot pack a fearsome 1-2 punch in the middle of the set. Night Windows is gorgeous as always, and a triumph of songwriting. It is just so full of desperate longing for a dearly departed friend, but is never overwrought or over the top – just sad in its acceptance of events, and its realisation that this person is never coming home. And One Great City is brilliant, too.

But a Weakerthans show wouldn’t be a Weakerthans show without Plea From A Cat Named Virtute – a song written from the perspective of a cat whose owner is going through a bad breakup and has been moping around the house for weeks. It might sound ridiculously twee and silly, but it is an incredible, life-affirming song backed by power pop guitars, and it never fails to put a smile on the face of everyone in the crowd, and make them jump up and down like crazy. Despite the fact they must have played it close to a million times, you can tell the band still gets a huge kick out of it.

If you don’t know The Weakerthans at all, you should absolutely buy this album. The DVD itself doesn’t really add much, but also included is a CD of the show. The Weakerthans haven’t released a Best Of, but this fills that void admirably.