KULAS TORONTO RIVOLI 7.10.05

Setlist: Sweet Lips, Star Land, You Only Come Out At Night, Glasgow Rain, HMS Pinafore (solo voce segment), Let You Go (?), Pavement (solo acoustic), The Only One, All The Rage, Anyone Else, Instamatic Camera

Encore: Laid, Sit Down

Something New, Something Old

After an eighteen month absence from live shows, Kulas returned to Toronto’s Rivoli Club with his four member band tonight for a 60 minute electric set consisting largely of unreleased songs, including the live premiere of an unnamed new tune (perhaps entitled “Let You Go”?). The band was in fine form this evening after backing Katie Griffin in her 45 minute opening set, which contained three songs written by husband Kulas, including another live premiere, Kulas’ theme song for the Japanese animated TV series Team Galaxy.  The sound tonight was largely hard edged.  In particular, I found tonight’s rendition of  “You Only Come Out At Night” had the feel of John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band classic “Cold Turkey” (this is a compliment); the only thing missing was the screaming in pain lead vocal in the chorus (maybe something worth trying another night). Speaking of Plastic Ono Band, I finally realized what I would like to hear in the majestic Glasgow Rain, one of my favourite Kulas songs; an angst-ridden blues based Claptonesque take no prisoners guitar solo (hope you read this Kevin). 

As usually happens during a Kulas evening, we had a few moments of levity and humour, ranging from an impromptu HMS Pinafore chorus, to promote tonight’s cabaret feel, as well as a few remarks to address a piss-drunk patron by the stage who wouldn’t stop singing midway through the set. 

After the catchy, driving Instamatic Camera brought the main set to a close, Kulas and band returned to the stage for an all-James encore comprised of a rocking edition of Laid and a new jangly guitar take of the classic English folk song Sit Down.  The audience was encouraged by, and in fact obliged, the by now hoarse voiced Kulas to join in chorus singalongs, bringing the night’s session to a warm close.

On a side note, perhaps the afore-mentioned hard edged sound and feel of tonight’s Kulas set might be reflective of the yet to be completed and released follow up to 2001’s Another Small Machine.  During tonight’s set, Michael made an offhand reference to his next cd, musing that with the way things were going it wouldn’t be until 2010 that it would be released.  Hopefully we won’t have to wait anywhere near that long. As I am so full of bright ideas tonight, perhaps Kulas should consider following the lead of other artists, such as Wire and Willy Mason, and making lo-fi demo discs available at gigs.  In addition to partially satiating the appetite of fans for a new release, this would provide an avenue for feedback on some of the unreleased material as well as generate some buzz.