Elliott Brood – La Sala Rossa – 11.19.2011
After a shaky start, One Hundred Dollars’ opening set secured a steady rhythm and provided a soundtrack of heartache and sorrow based in the themes of love and loss. Their second song, “Forest After You,” evoked the images of the dead pines of the backdrop that adorned the stage. The hauntingly beautiful voice of Simone Schmidt held fast and true to the genre of Americana with numbers such as “Powdered Confessions.” Every once in a while I caught a rougher and tougher version of Neko Case in her vocal styling and the band held up their end by warming up the crowd and ensured the head bopping would carry over to the Elliott Brood.
While the band set up for their set, the crowd set up for the show by busying the bar staff and merchandise table. After a slight delay with the start of the set, the anxious crowd quickly warmed up to the Brood with a wave of intensity and fervour. The three piece band comprised of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Sasso, guitarist Casey Laforet and drummer Stephen Pitkin. The band blazed through songs from their new album and some from their old, while the crowd, also of young and old, stepped up their appreciation with each tune. Some country jams made heads sway, and the band made sure to connect with audience with some theatrics and humour that didn’t go amiss. I believe that Laforet will be billed for a broken Sala Rosa chair that didn’t hold up nearly as well as the guitarist’s steady piercing riffs. Numerous shout-outs and thank you’s enchanted the crowd, even if the music had spoken for itself. By the time the sing-along “Oh Alberta” came around, the crowd had been easily won over and the venue warmed by the body heat of the dance floor.
On their most recent release Days Into Years, the Elliott Brood was inspired by the sights, cemeteries and stories of the Canadian soldiers in Europe during the World Wars. How fitting then during this month of remembrance the band gave us something to think and cheer about. -Tim O’Connor
