Broken Social Scene
Bass Concert Hall, Jan. 31“You can’t be 100 percent your whole life,” a disheveled Kevin Drew admitted to the sold-out crowd. The Broken Social Scene father figure swayed blearily for 2½ hours, ravaged by flu, the reason for the previous night’s Dallas cancellation. Austin/Brooklyn duo Lymbyc Systym opened with the brothers Bell setting an early tone for the evening with their lovely instrumental mix of Air and Postal Service. The bliss ended at BSS’ second song, “KC Accidental.” With original band members Andrew Whiteman (Apostle of Hustle), Charles Spearin (Do Make Say Think), and Justin Peroff joining Drew and co-father Brendan Canning, along with lackluster female sub Lisa Lobsinger, the Canadian sevenpiece rolled through oldies “7/4 (Shoreline)” and “Fire Eye’d Boy,” Canning’s solo material, and Spearin’s new Happiness Project featuring saxophonist/percussionist Leon Kingstone, a spoken-word/avant-jazz experiment and the highlight of the evening. American Analog Set’s Andrew Kenny afforded Drew a breather on AmAnSet’s “Hard to Find,” part cover, part reimagining, before the BSS frontman’s solo take on “Lover’s Spit” at the keys. Two songs stopped in their tracks; Lobsinger generalized crowd favorite “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl,” originally oozed by Metric’s Emily Haines; and Drew repeatedly stepped offstage to vomit. It was a hot mess, but the crowd ate it up, rising to its feet after botched closer “It’s All Gonna Break,” rooting for Drew’s heroics and his promise to return to Austin when the Dallas makeup show is scheduled. Everyone deserves a do-over.
This article appears in February 6 • 2009.