I can't remember the date, but oh boy, do I remember this show. I think it was the first time this criminally unknown band played in Toronto, maybe even in Canada, and I wasn't going to miss it. I may even have been responsible since I corresponded by email with a guy who had put out some of their earlier releases and begged him to ask them to come to Toronto.
Well, the line up was three bands, with Spoon headlining. The first band were sort of forgettable, but had some gimmick. The second band was called "The Murmurs," and they're a pretty well known lesbian "bubble gum" sort of band. The place was packed with lesbians, and despite the band's exhortation to the audience to "stick around for a really great band," after their set, the place emptied out.
About 25 of us witnessed Spoon's debut in Toronto. The guys must have been disheartened, but they played an amazing show, and took requests. It felt pretty intimate, as you can imagine.
Afterwards, I approached and spoke with all three of the band members individually, just asking them not to give up on Toronto, it was just a crappy bit of scheduling. Britt Daniel, the singer and main songwriter, seemed quite down, and almost ready to pack it in. They had also just lost their major label contract with Elektra after just one release.
Happy to say, Spoon released a new EP (Loveways) on Merge Records in October 2000 and a full release (Girls Can Tell) in February 2001. Check out one of my favourite bands! Here's a good place to start: Stranded On The Texas Highway
- The Execution
- Mountain to Sound
- Utilitarian
- Rocket USA (cover)
- Theme from Wendel Stivers
- Don't Buy the Realistic
- I Could See the Dude
- Get Out the State
- Telamon Bridge
- Metal School
- Metal Detektor
- All the Negatives Have Been Destroyed
- Car Radio
- Waiting for the Kid
- Digital (???)