Broken Social Scene
London, HMV Forum
30/06/2010

Time keeping is certainly not something which is high on the agenda for most of today’s bands, but when you’ve got the amount of melodic arsenal that Broken Social Scene have to get through in their set, it’s no wonder they dash on stage early tonight. Kevin Drew and co. glide straight into the first single from their new album, ‘World Sick’, and although it’s a new addition to their catalogue, there’s something just as soothing and familiar as some of their more well-worn hits.

The rest of the set is a seamless performance of old favourites including ‘7/4 Shoreline’ and ‘Cause = Time’ and although these indie classics resound with glistening harmony, the intensity of every ingenious band member seems, at times, to drown out some of the more subtle instrumentation. Even still, the energy that each of the BSS family give to the audience is exhilarating to witness live, and of course, it’s frontman Kevin Drew who steals the show, valuing each and every member of the audience he’s held captive. He even sits with the front of the crowd for slower tracks, before inviting a supposedly unaware member of the audience, Angus, on stage for new track ‘Forced To Love’. Providing plenty of entertainment, shaking instruments and dancing around the stage with each BSS member, Angus finishes with a dance routine with Drew.

After more excellent tracks from the new album, ‘Sweetest Kill’ and ‘Ungrateful Little Father’, Drew tones down the energy with the tender yet powerful ‘Looks Just Like The Sun’. In true BSS style, the end-of-gig song ‘Meet Me In The Basement’ heightens the buzzing audience’s glee, with its multiple false endings. A solo encore of the soaring ‘Lover’s Spit’ followed, Drew’s presence, with just one spotlight on him and his keyboard during such an emotive song was enough to silence the audience and leave us craving more.

The end of the set sees ‘It’s All Gonna Break’ which, if a high had not been reached already, certainly was one. All in all, tonight BSS create a perfect balance of crowd dedication and passion for their captivating music.

Jemma Mahon