Guster and support act Mason Jennings were at the Phoenix Tuesday night. Ill admit im not very familiar with either of them. Though i do know who they are, i just dont know many songs. Which made for a great show because everything played was completely new to me. Mason Jennings, a folk rocker from Minneapolis, started the night off around 8pm and played for 45 minutes. He played 11 songs from various albums, mainly “Boneclouds”, and two from the EP “If You Need A Reason”. The sound was pretty good and the recording turned out quite nice aswell. Next up were Guster. Taking the stage just after 9pm and playing for over 90 minutes. Their soundman did an excellent job because i dont think ive heard a band sound that good at the Phoenix before. This was the first time ive heard a band encourage the crowd to “boo” to get them to come back out for an encore. It was all in fun though. The crowd did oblige and the boo’s and “Guster sucks” chants had the band back onstage in about a minute or less. They played 4 more songs and said their goodbye’s. The house music had come on and half the crowd had left, but the soundman had not started packing up or turning things off yet. A few minutes pass and the band comes back out for 1 more song. They play it without the PA system to a lucky bunch of fans who stuck around chanting for the band to come back out. Anyways, a great night of music had by all. Hopefully they both will be back in Toronto sooner than later.

Mason Jennings
Setlist: 01 Fighter Girl / 02 Be Here Now / 03 Butterfly / 04 Crown / 05 If You Need A Reason / 06 Where The Sun Had Been / 07 The Mountain / 08 Jackson Square / 09 Moon Sailing On The Water / 10 Some Say Im Not / 11 To You

Download from the LMA: mjennings2007-02-26.akg463.flac16

Guster
Setlist: 01 Intro / 02 The Captain / 03 Barrel Of A Gun / 04 Ramona / 05 Satellite / 06 The Beginning Of The End / 07 Aquarela do Brasil (Geoff Muldaur) / 08 Lightning Rod / 09 Come Downstairs And Say Hello / 10 Demons / 11 Centre of Attention / 12 On My Own / 13 What You Wish For / 14 Manifest Destiny / 15 On Man Wrecking Machine / 16 Amsterdam / 17 Airport Song
Encore I: 18 Ruby Falls / 19 C’mon / 20 Happier / 21 Keep It Together
Encore II: 22 Jesus On The Radio (Daddy On The Phone) (Unplugged)

Download from the LMA: guster2007-02-26.akg463.flac16

I havent made it out to many mid-week club shows in the last few months, mainly because I find it hard to stay awake past 10pm. Not to mention the next day always seems to go by really slow. But that’s nothing a few coffee’s and three really good bands cant help. I made my way down to Lee’s and arrived around 8pm. Soundcheck was still going on so there was a little wait outside. Thankfully it was not as cold as last week. After a short wait of 10 minutes myself and the growing lineup on the sidewalk were let inside. I went in first without my recording gear to make sure it was still ok for me to record the bands. A few minutes later i was given the thumbs up and with only a couple minutes to spare i ran back to the car and grabbed my stuff. I was able to get everything setup and recording on time, except i forgot i had the pmd660 set to line-in for the Silverchair show and i needed it tonight set to mic-in. So i had to stop, change to the other preset and start recording again. I ended up missing part of Rock Plaza Central’s opening song. The rest of the night went on without a hitch.
Which brings us to Rock Plaza Central. This was my first time seeing them play. I had planned to check them out at the Tranzac last December, but couldnt make it. Rock Plaza Central are a seven piece band based here in Toronto. Their second album, “Are We Not Horses“, came out last year and the majority of tonights setlist came from it. Anyways, I really enjoyed their set and am looking forward to seeing them again, soon. I thought they sounded pretty good tonight, as did all bands, albeit there were a few problems with the mandolin, but that was quickly fixed and the show went on. They played for just over 30 minutes with 8 songs being played. The setlist is posted below.
Next up was Casper And The Cookies. I hadnt heard of nor listened to the band prior to this show. They are a 5 piece out of Athens, GA. Their currently touring for their lastest record “The Optimist’s Club”. They played for about an hour which included a birthday cake being brought out for frontman Jason NeSmith.
The headliners, Apples In Stereo finished the night off with a great energetic set. The band is touring as a six piece in support of their new album “New Magnetic Wonder“. The band took the stage just after 11pm and played for about 80 minutes. The setlist was made up of songs old and new and i think there might have been a request or two from the die-hard fans upfront. All in all, it was a great night of music which i enjoyed very much. Big thanks to all 3 bands and the folks at Lee’s for allowing me to record.

Rock Plaza Central
Setlist: 01 A Town At The Bottom Of The Ocean (cuts in) / 02 I Am An Excellent Steel Horse / 03 Mount Up And Ride / 04 Fifteen Hands / 05 My Children, Be Joyful / 06 How Shall I To Heaven Aspire / 07 Gutterdance / 08 We’ve Got Alot To Be Glad For
How Shall I To Heaven Aspire: rpc2007-02-20_t06_sample.mp3
Website: http://www.rockplazacentral.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rockplazacentral

Casper And The Cookies
Setlist: 01 Sid From Central Park / 02 Kiss A Friend / 03 Neo Dada Heyday / 04 Krotenwanderung / 05 The Optimist’s Credo / 06 My Heart Is In My Head / 07 Learn How To Disapear / 08 Hey Mr. Superstar / 09 Sweet Pea (Tommy Roe)

Website: http://www.casperandthecookies.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/casperandthecookies

Sample: catc2007-02-20_t06_sample.mp3
Download: catc2007-02-20.akg463.flac16.zip
LMA Download: catc2007-02-20.akg463.flac16

Apples In Stereo
Setlist: 01 Intro / 02 Go / 03 Please / 04 Can You Feel It? / 05 The Rainbow / 06 Energy / 07 Strawberryfire / 08 Radiation / 09 Do You Understand? / 10 Open Eyes / 11 I Cant Believe / 12 Skyway / 13 Motorcar / 14 Tin Pan Alley / 15 Sun Is Out / 16 Same Old Drag / 17 What’s The #? / 18 Ruby / 19 (crowd noise)
Encore: 20 Intro / 21 Play Tough / 22 Baroque

Website: http://www.applesinstereo.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theapplesinstereo

Sample: applesinstereo2007-02-20_t10_sample.mp3
Download: applesinstereo2007-02-20.akg463.flac16.zip
LMA Download: applesinstereo2007-02-20.akg463.flac16

This was my first time having a ticket for row 1 at a seated concert. Albeit my seat was the first in the row, on the left floor, right in front of the subs. It was great to be able to see, with clarity, the expressions on each musicians face, but my ears (and recording) would have preferred a different seat. The Constantines put on a great opening set that i really enjoyed. Ill try and catch theirs shows at Lee’s Palace but fuck, March is going to a busy month. As for the Hip’s set, its a toss up. When i try and compare shows i try and do my best to take everything into consideration. So on the two Hip shows i saw this tour it is a toss up. Barrie, i thought, had a great crowd and awesome performance by all. Oshawa’s crowd sucked. Well, half of them did. That being the half sitting down and forcefully telling those infront of them to sit down so they could see. I dont think it would bother a band like the Hip, but, being upfront you could see them eyeing the one side sitting down. All in all, they put on a stellar show both times i was there, but i think ill choose Barrie over Oshawa. Still no Fiddler’s Green for me. Heres hoping they play it on one of the nights in Buffalo. Anywho, since my recordings did not turn out (again, fuck!) you, the reader, will find, in due time, a copy of this show to download at thehiptracker.