Broken Social Scene Pack Amoeba Music in Hollywood (Video)

“There’s been a lot of talk about Justin Bieber,” said Kevin Drew dramatically towards the end of Broken Social Scene’s free set in front of an absolutely packed Amoeba Music in Hollywood yesterday. “Maybe too much talk!”

The 6 members of the Juno Award-winning Canadian indie band (plus occasional 3-piece horn section and other various guests) could barely navigate the small stage at Amoeba without bumping into each other. But all of that concentrated energy only helped make the show that much better. “Here’s one that got us here,” said Drew as he went into set opener, “Superconnected.” from the band’s 2005 self-titled record.

Drew explained that Broken Social Scene had played Amoeba before. “But it wasn’t like this,” he said, pointing out to the sea of people who filled the warehouse sized record store, “All I see are heads.” The horn section squeezed on and off stage as needed, and made their way to the front for the ending of “7/4 Shoreline,” one of the band’s career highlights. From my angle to the right, all you could see was a line of instruments protruding in all directions from the stage.

There was a noticeable increase in energy and enthusiasm, though, when the band started playing their new material, including “Forced to Love” and “Art House Director” (two of the strongest tracks from Forgiveness Rock Record). “We’re here to play songs from our new record, so we might as well do that.” The band stomped through a very generous hour+ long set, stopping between songs for some storytelling (Drew explained that a producer changed one word to “Sweetest Kill” and now has a writing credit), and a discussion about the 2008 Juno Awards compilation CD he asked someone to pass over to him (“No Justin Bieber. He was too young then!”)

Earlier on in the show, the band encouraged the crowd to clap along in a few spots, but, by the time they got up to You Forgot it in People’s “Stars and Sons,” everyone was more than willing to volunteer the hand claps (and right on queue). Even with only about a square foot of personal space per band member, Broken Social Scene was able to easily captivate the entire crowd disbursed within the roped off isles of sub-categorized CDs and vinyl.

Afterward, the band signed copies of Forgiveness Rock Record for the majority of the in-store attendees. Before I could even make my way over to the register, they were sold out. So I got the new Justin Bieber.

Setlist:
1. Superconnected
2. 7/4 Shoreline
3. Forced to Love
4. Art House Director
5. Sweetest Kill
6. Stars and Sons
7. Cause=Time
8. Texico Bitches
9. Meet Me in the Basement
10. Ibi Dreams of Pavement

—Elizabeth Stolfi | www.mypoproks.com