Tegan And Sara
HMV Picture House, Edinburgh
15/11/09

There are the odd, often delirium-induced occasions where upon leaving a gig you’re left pondering just how that show could have been any better. And Tegan And Sara whack one right out tonight. They’re here riding the cantankerous wave of their latest release, Sainthood – and it seems as if they’ve brought with them wild packs of 15-year-old girls with mullets who are a little confused about their whereabouts in life. It’s an odd vibe, but tonight the two twins and their backing band give a masterclass in how to put on a truly engaging show.

After an outlandish and sometimes unsettlingly passionate support act – the Eminem meets one-man-and-his-laptop Astronautalis – there’s a lingering atmosphere here, but opener ‘The Con’ gets things snappily back to joviality with its introspective yet bouncing sing-along nature. All the songs tonight are jubilant sing-alongs. ‘Walking With A Ghost’ elicits a rowdy response, opening up the floor to a communal karaoke session before some ear curling screams of appreciation, whilst latest single ‘Hell’ is a sharp, punk-rock jaunt. And the black holes between the songs are filled so exuberantly and entertainingly too. At times this is stand up comedy, with Tegan often waxing lyrical about everything, that and this, including a family story of a parakeet drinking from a Pepsi bottle top, much to her sister’s endearing bemusement.

Bemusing indeed, but the interplay between these painfully good-looking Canadians is amusing and pretty enchanting too. More-ish vocal harmonies are swapped as freely as teen STDs, whilst the awkward to and fro what-should-we-do-next mutterings after Tegan halts ‘Night Watch’ mid-song to let a steward remove a deviant from the crowd is a charming peek into the life of the twins. By the time ‘Call It Off’ – the closing cut from their superb 2007 album ‘The Con’ – ends the show, every lung in the room is requested to help on vocals, and by gosh they do. It’s a fitting, call-to-arms end to a fun, sometimes frenzied but fantastic evening.

Chris Cope