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Over the Top Festival featuring Final Fantasy, The Akron Family, Great Lake Swimmers Grade: B+ |
Mention Final Fantasy in conversation and you’re more likely to hear “the videogame?” or “the movie?” rather than “Owen Pallett.” Yet last week, Queen Street West was lined with people (ticketed and unticketed alike) facing the bitter cold in the hopes of seeing the 25-year old violinist perform.
Following close friends Great Lake Swimmers and The Akron Family, Pallett took the stage with a strange reluctance at this year’s Over the Top Festival. While the St. Kitts String Quartet became situated on-stage, Pallett awkwardly held his violin and said briefly to the audience, “I hope you don’t get bored.” The audience laughed, but in a suspiciously well-crafted deadpan, Pallett’s expression didn’t change. He frowned, appearing unsettled. The Akron Family had just played a very vigorous set, rabble-rousing as they danced in the middle of the floor and urged everyone to clap their hands and sing along.
Pallett’s obsession with perfection characterized the show, and made for both wonderful and terrible moments throughout. In an attempt to play a song on “his father’s old harpsichord,” Pallett became frustrated by the fact that it was not properly tuned (possibly because of the high temperature inside the hall). He proceeded to spend the next five minutes tuning the instrument, desperately groaning in distress with each false note, muttering to himself: “this isn’t working.” “This is the first time I’ve played the piano in public,” he said in a forewarning tone before another song. Pallett’s harsh self-criticism paid off, however, especially when performing the songs ‘The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead’ and ‘Please Please Please’ effortlessly and beautifully, his voice (fey yet strong, and at times screaming into the violin) unfaltering. Though Great Lake Swimmers and The Akron Family caused us to raise our voices, Final Fantasy hushed his audience, leaving them deeply moved and utterly speechless. He later fielded requests for a cover, agreeing on a powerful rendition of Bloc Party’s ‘This Is Modern Love’ as his final song.
Pallett played a three-song encore, inlcuding one with aspiring artist Laura Barrett. The two ended the show with a creepy, yet addictive song ‘Robot Ponies’ which can be heard at Barrett’s myspace page. Proceed with caution.
Look: http://finalfantasyeternal.com
Listen:
http://www.myspace.com/laurabarrett
by Sally