TORQUIL CAMPBELL, FEIST, WHITEHORSE, THE SADIES and CHARLES SPEARIN as part of #IMAGINEOCTOBER20 at Randolph Hall, Wednesday, September 30. Rating: NNNN
The star-studded #imagineoctober20 concert at the Randolph Hall was a hope-filled, Hogtown hootenanny that left the beaming crowd dreaming of, maybe convinced of, better days and ways to make it happen.
Maybe I didn’t initially get the concept, but #imagine proved to be a mid-election campaign spirit-raiser – a fun-raiser as opposed to fundraiser. Its unlikely there were any Conservative supporters in the sold-out room, ready to be converted to “progressive” candidates. Instead, the show was a rabble-rousing rally cry, a mid-campaign Hell Yeah for all who hope to unseat Stephen Harper and his politics of no hope on October 19.
I think the goal was to re-charge Harper opponents and give them the energy and optimism to go back to their communities, their families or their dorm and help mobilize the vote to oust our hapless and hated PM.
Hosts and organizers Torquil Campbell and Dave Bidini did a great job, successfully working their non-partisan position but still infusing the night with plenty of politics bent on defeating the Harper hagiography. Both Bidini and Campbell left little doubt how determined they are to make real change on October 19.
While preaching was kept to a minimum, both hosts managed to deliver powerful and pointed political comments without proselytizing in disciplined, short breaks between players. Fun was always at the core of this hopeful event. There was lots of love for the CBC and, if they’re looking for a new Q host (sorry Shad) my money is on Campbell: he’s funny, talented and unafraid.
Campbell’s best line was in the show’s second half when people might have started looking at their watches: “I know you’re thinking this show is so long – it’s like the Oscars without rich people.” He also performed an awesome anti-war song a capella while another band set up onstage.
The Sadies wrapped things up with a blistering instrumental that had some soft souls plugging their sensitive ears, but husband-and-wife team Whitehorse, featuring Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, probably scored the top musical points of the evening. And Doucet wore his NDP Pride on his sleeves in an orange jacket he made sure we didn’t miss.
Fan favourite Leslie Feist made two appearances. She played one of her vintage tracks and inviting most of the crowd to join her on stage, which they enthusiastically did.
She also appeared in the first act’s closing “theatrical piece” hosted by Broken Social Scenes’s Charles Spearin. It felt like a drama club offering (in a good way) as he enlisted various musicians as musical metaphors for Canada’s political landscape. With musicians sporting orange, red, green and blue, Spearin and his players – including Feist on blues guitar – demonstrated their hopes for a better political scene in the future.
In all, it was a great night that offered promises of an even better one on October 19, to be celebrated on October 20.
michaelh@nowtoronto.com | @m_hollett
