A FINE FRENZY - THE MEDIA CLUB, VANCOUVER - CONCERT REVIEW:





















Photo Copyright KulPop

Alison Sudol returned to Vancouver to play the intimate Media Club venue for an early show with Ferras and Ben's Brother as opening acts. Ferras played a short four song set finishing with his current single 'Hollywood's Not America'. He performed well and is definitely a talented singer/songwriter and is a bit of a joker too. From listening to samples of his forthcoming album 'Aliens And Rainbows' I think he should be quite successful. This was only his third show on the tour and only his third actual gig outside of L.A. where he moved to from Illinois to pursue his music career. I video taped the last song but the lighting wasn't very good (see comment below) so it isn't that great (although the audio is okay).

Ben's Brother from the U.K. (two members of the band) were also playing their first Canadian gig and it was the last date of this tour for them before heading down to Texas for the SXSW music conference. They were enjoyable and performed their hit 'Stuttering' which is used in a Dentyne Ice gum commercial.

Alison Sudol and her two band members played for just under and hour with all the songs coming from her debut cd 'One Cell In The Sea' except the encore. Alison played guitar on the encore (she has just recently learned to play it) the new song 'What I Wouldn't Do' which will be on her next cd. She is a great vocalist and charming performer and was impressed when the audience sang a verse of 'Almost Lover' for her as well as how quiet the audience was waiting for her to perform the encore. The only thing that took away from the concert (besides the obligatory strange female fan that insists on yelling to Alison several times during the show and making a fool of herself) was the poor stage lighting provided by the club. Maybe Alison requested to be dimly lit but it was so dark I'm sure the people further back in the club would have had trouble seeing her face during most of the show while she was playing seated at the piano. I highly recommend you go see A Fine Frenzy live if you like the cd, hopefully you'll get to see Ferras as well before he becomes huge.

Set List:

Ferras:

Marshmallow Spaceship
Aliens And Rainbows
Rush
Hollywood's Not America

Ben's Brother:
Time ???
Holding Out For More
Beauty Queen
Carry On
Stutttering
Live

A Fine Frenzy:

Come On Come Out
You Picked Me
Last Of Days
Think Of You
Ashes And Wine
Borrowed Time
an unnamed classical instrumental
The Minnow And The Trout
Hope For The Hopeless
Almost Lover
Rangers

Encore:

What I Wouldn't Do (new song)