Stars at 9:30 10/20

So the large group I was at the show with missed the opening band, New Buffalo, due to everyone thinking the show was much later than it was, and needing to make sure, for those people who really cared, that Kansas won their game. And one missed most of the show, which was really too bad. We ended up getting to the 9:30 Club when Stars was supposed to start, but they were a little late (but made up for it with a long 90 minute-ish show). The stage was set up with what looked like paintings and an immense amount of flowers, tossed in the general direction of the crowd, hitting lights, cymbals, and occasionally the crowd. The 9:30 Club has been using better lighting of late, improving the show experience. Plus, I noticed a little less shining of bright lights directly into my eyes, always a plus.

As for the actual show, they played almost every single one of my favorite Stars songs during the main set. So, that was awesome. And then they did an encore which was a little disappointing. In that the main set was so great that it just couldn't compare. I only really like The Night Starts Here from what they played in the encore. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan played off each other beautifully, singing the complementary male and female vocals that add so much to their songs. Pat McGee (not the one who has (had? who really cares?) a band) was a great drummer, keeping the beat going, with almost no breaks during the set, and who wore quite an outfit. Evan Cranley was doing a lot of rock posing, always funny to me when a bassist does it, especially when the songs aren't quite Rock Songs. I couldn't see Chris Seligman due to my location, or the other guitarist, and I couldn't always see Torquil when he was moving around the stage. Still, I had a pretty good view of most of the goings on.

Setlist:

The Beginning After the End (recorded)
Take Me to the Riot
Set Yourself on Fire
Elevator Love Letter
The Ghost of Genova Heights
Bitches in Tokyo
One More Night
Personal
Look Up
Soft Revolution
Midnight Coward
Window Bird
Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
Reunion
Sleep Tonight (performed closer to the Junior Boys remix from Do You Trust Your Friends than the original)
What I'm Trying To Say
Ageless Beauty
In Our Bedroom after the War
------------------------
The Night Starts Here
On Peak Hill (dedicated to those wusses Death Cab for Cutie, and yes, I've seen them live, and I do like some of their stuff, but that doesn't make them any less wusses)
My Favourite Book (dedicated to some guy, possibly named James or Jamie, who has a girlfriend in the UK, possibly in Leeds or Manchester, who asked them to do something, but Amy lost the note)
Calendar Girl

I do have to say that I was not very familiar with Stars until fairly recently, and my ability to recognize songs was far weaker than most shows I've ever seen. I didn't get some of my favorite songs from their earlier stuff, like Toxic Holiday or My Radio, but the stuff from In Our Bedroom after the War sounded better live. And thanks for making it clear that In Our Bedroom after the War can be treated like an anti-Iraq War song with a slight introduction. I get this feeling that there might not be many pro-Iraq War musicians. Or at least, those that are have absolutely no talent. I'm looking at you Ted Nugent.

I wasn't the only one who thought the show was frakkin' awesome: this girl and Katherine both enjoyed it immensely. As did my friends.

Also, check out Torquill's joke, not clear from where I was standing. And his outfit making sure that he was visible when they turned the lights out there during The Ghost of Genova Heights. More photos available here, here, and here.

And for those who just read my reviews to find out who I hated in the audience at the show: dude whose cell phone was ringing the entire show, louder than the band during the quiet parts. I heard it at least seven times, although I stopped counting during the encore, which was quieter than the rest of the show. If you hear your cell phone (and I know he could, if I could a few feet away), disentangle yourself from your girlfriend and turn it the hell off, douche.