CONCERT REVIEW: Islands
Saturday, November 7th, 2009The Mod Club - Toronto, ON
After receiving a fair amount of flack for their maligned sophomore effort, Arm’s Way, Islands returned to synthy form with this year’s Vapours. Sporting a ridiculous rhinestone-studded white cape and looking like some seventies-rock-star-from-another-planet (Ziggy Stardust?), frontman Nick Diamonds and his equally bizarre-looking bandmates –- including his Unicorns collaborator Jamie Thompson, returning to the band after a one-album hiatus -– played a stellar show recently at Toronto’s always-decent Mod Club.
Kicking-off with Vapours opening track, “Switched On” was the perfect starting point, both sonically and title-wise. They followed that with a rotation of old and new, including a few selections from that poorly received second album. Tracks like “In the Rushes” and “The Arm” made for wonderfully long-winded, guitar-crunching counterpoints to the band’s more accessible output.
The band's debut record, Return to the Sea, also provided several of the evening's high points, including “Rough Gem” (complete with audience clapping), “Where There’s a Will There’s a Whalebone” (Bus Driver’s rapping replaced by tripped-out instrumental noodling) and the album's outstanding icebreaker, “Swans (Life After Death).”
Nearly all of Vapours was performed, but standout track “Shining” regrettably didn’t make the cut. Choice picks “Tender Torture,” “On Foreigner” and the title track realized their full live potential, thanks in part to an enthusiastic, sing-along crowd. It should also be noted that “Heartbeat” came and went sans auto-tune, probably for the best.
Once again, Islands confirmed themselves as an immense pleasure for eyes and ears alike, so much so that I found myself rushing off to purchase a gaudy t-shirt, declaring that “I Caught the Vapours.” With any luck, it won’t be long before I catch them again. -- Neil Karassik
