I saw The Stills Thursday night at Capital Music Hall here in Ottawa. I'll get my bitching out of the way straight off just to be done with it: the audio was bad again at the CHM (see my account of Thornley at CMH) ... there was very audible crackling over the main speakers, especially during the opening act. Maybe I am expecting too much from a small bar, I dunno ... I haven't been to many live shows (less than a dozen). OK, I'm done. :) hehe

The Stills are a great live band -- they have lots of energy on stage and improvise a lot, especially the drummer and the bassist. It's great when you go to a concert and hear every song on a band's album done differently. It's a whole other window on the music, and it looked like they were having a lot of fun not taking themselves too seriously. If more bands were like this live I might go to more concerts!

During their last song (yesterday never tomorrows), which the drummer sings, they brought up a guy from Broken Social Scene (who if I'm not mistaken was playing with the opening act, they are label-mates) and sang some of their lyrics ("bleachin your teeth...").

The opening act was Jason Colette, who I can best describe as an amalgam of Wilco, Blue Rodeo and Pete Yorn and others. Nothing really stuck out and made me go "wow!" but it was good low-key rock with a subtle country influence.

The show was a well spent 20 bucks!

some related songs

Broken Social Scene
   Looks Just Like the Sun
   KC Accidental
   Stars and Sons
   Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl

The Stills
   Of Montreal
   Lola Stars and Stripes
   Changes are No Good
   Still in Love Song
   Killer Bees