Tegan and Sara @ The Egyptian Room at Old National Centre — Indianapolis on May 10, 2014
Trust me, Olivia Newton John has got nothing on this.
As part of the “Let’s Make Things Physical Tour,” Calgary rock/pop duo Tegan and Sara made their way to the Egyptian Room at Old National Centre, bringing along with them the likes of Lucius and The Courtneys to have a party that maybe isn’t so typical.
I’ve known about Tegan and Sara for years, but for whatever reason, I’ve never taken the time to really sit down and listen to them. Since they were coming to town, what better way to find out what all of my friends were talking about than to experience them for myself? So after fighting my way through traffic (you always hit every red light when you’re running late), finding parking, and picking up my ticket, it’s time to head in. Let’s see if this show can drive me wild by the end of the night.
Shows like this are typically kicked off by a young upstart band, and this time, it’s a “slacker pop” trio by the name of The Courtneys, hailing all the way from Vancouver, Canada.
Unfortunately, traffic in Indianapolis ensured that I would be running a little late, so I was only able to catch the final two songs of their set. What little I saw, they’re a band that definitely embraces the better part of the 90s alternative scene and melded that with a more West Coast vibe: the fuzzy guitars, the catchy hooks, and the “let’s just have fun” vibes. It’s a little hard to guess how the crowd feels about them, and maybe the band looks a little nervous on stage. Then again, almost every big(ger) act out there was in the same position once, and who wouldn’t feel nervous in a situation like this. Overall, not a bad way to kick things off. Will they end up like our headliners somewhere down the road? We’ll see.
One act down and we’re off and running. The crowd continues to file into the upper room of Old National Center, while those who were here from the beginning use this as time to socialize or run to the bathroom or even to run over to one of several bars set up around the area. A brief cheer breaks out as they’re testing the lights, and the crew sets up for our next performers.
From Brooklyn, NY comes our next act, Lucius. Already I’m intrigued before they play a single note, and not just because members Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig are in matching red dresses and haircuts, but also because of their setup: all five members have percussive instruments (toms, snare, cymbals, wood blocks, tambourines, etc.) in lieu of a traditional drum set, they utilize two keyboards, and despite having a large stage to work with, they’re all relegated to one confined space in the center. Yes, it’s an example of a band that just stands there and plays. While that may be off-putting to some, they more than make it work for them.
Maybe it was the soothing harmonies, or their ability to play multiple instruments simultaneously and without flaw. Perhaps it was the vision of their drummer completely losing himself in the performance. Whatever it was, this indie pop quintet entertained and put on a show, if only for a short time. I don’t know who in the crowd knew of them beforehand (save for a few enthusiastic fans, including one standing right next to me), but it looks like they managed to win over more than a handful of people here. They came, they saw, they went “wilde,” and we couldn’t be more grateful.
A decent number of people head to the merch tables following that performance, while I take this time to “get a little bit closer” (sorry, not sorry). It’s a bit of a lengthy wait, and it’s not helped by seeing the crews set up and do soundcheck, or by catching a glimpse of what looks like a quilted LED light board as their backdrop. All around there’s polite chatter amongst the other concert goers, and even some dancing to the EDM pouring through the speakers. It’s calm, and the mood might change sooner rather than later.
The house lights go down, cheers erupt, and we’re soon greeted by Tegan and Sara, both clad in black and look ready to go. They start things off with the familiar “Back In Your Head,” and we’re underway.
As the Canadian twin sisters got physical for the next hour and some change, it’s a welcome mix of old and new tunes, with more emphasis on newer material. Though I was skeptical of how they could pull this off (ie: the more guitar-laden tracks of old vs. the more synthpop-oriented Heartthrob), they do it all seamlessly (minus a quick intermission, but we’ll get to that shortly).
As for their performance, they bring a very personable vibe to the Egyptian Room with their on-stage banter. They may have been performing since they were teenagers, but they still look like they’re enjoying this as much as this audience – comprised mostly of high school and college-aged people – who are taking this time to dance and sing the night away. It’s not a theatrical showcase by any means (even with their fancy LED quilt board), but they’ve always let their music do the talking, and tonight is no exception.
The highlight of the evening came towards the middle of the set, when Tegan unexpectedly told everyone that she needed to run to the bathroom. Ever the professional, she asked if this was okay, and of course we said yes, so she runs off stage to do so. While stalling for time, Sara shares a story about the last time they played in Indianapolis, complete with accompanying piano music. The story itself was a not-so-happy tale about an unhappy concertgoer and the few unfortunate events that happened to her once she was escorted out by security. The end of this recollection was a little bit happier, as Sara confidently tells everyone that this show is much better than the last, much to the delight of everyone. Tegan makes her way back, and from there, it’s back to the music.
It’s a few more before they break out their dance-happy hit “Closer” and they bid a fond farewell to the Indianapolis crowd. They exit stage right, but the cheering never stops. We want more, and after a few moments, they’re more than willing to oblige.
It’s a 3-song encore that Sara breaks down for everyone using prom metaphors (the word “prom” adjusted for American audiences). It’s a final chance to dance and sing along to their favorite music, minus having to dress up and spend a lot of money. They perform “Call It Off” and “Living Room” before closing with Pete Townshend’s “Let My Love Open The Door,” a cover they deemed was the most appropriate way to cap things off.
It’s one final farewell and a thank you for the support over the years, and this one is in the books. Many head towards the exits, some head to the merch table, while I make my way back to my car so I can binge listen to the CD I just bought and think about how this is going to sound when I finally put it into words.
So here we are a few days later, with me sitting at my computer with fond thoughts of a fun night of music. Now for the final verdict:
Having never really gotten into them before tonight, it’s all so clear to me now. I know why my friends love them so much, I know why they’ve managed to have such a loyal following over the years, and I know why they’re still going strong. Simply because they’re good at what they do. They know how to put on a good show, and they certainly know how to make everyone’s hearts throb.
And let’s face it: things are better when they’re physical.
The Good:
There was a lot to like from this show. Aside from Tegan and Sara, Lucius was a very welcome surprise, and I see some potential from The Courtneys. All three acts really meshed together well and were able to put together a very enjoyable night of music.
The Bad:
This has nothing to do with the show, but rather, that I was late and missed most of The Courtneys’ set. The moral of this story is: always be on time, and check for traffic when you drive around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IUPUI during an Indy Eleven match.