AMY MILLAN + Darling Arms @ Main Hall

By Mike Bresciani - The Lonesome Strangers - 02/10/2007

Entering a sold-out Main Hall only minutes after yet another disappointing Montreal Canadiens performance, this deranged Habs fan was in desperate need of some comforting, which came thankfully in the form of his other love: the live show.

After a sufficient wait upon entrance, the chandelier lights dimmed as the lovely Darling Arms took to the stage, and established the perfect setting for an audience clutching their winter coats. Fronted by former One Candle Power vocalist Christina Musacchio, their serene melodies held onto the listeners’ ears and gaze throughout the entirety of a very pleasant yet melancholy set. Backed by a standup bass, violin, drums and piano, most songs were introduced through Musacchio’s sweetly engaging anecdotes about "working for the man", gender-based product advertisement (Concept Car) as well as the beautiful sadness heard in "The Hero" that left most in awe. The performance ended in a barrage of balloons floating around the audience, celebrating Christina’s birthday.

The wait in between sets went by rather quickly, as they were spent happily listening to Tom Waits’ Mule Variations and the Eels’ Shootenanny playing over the P.A system. If one would’ve known who the operator was, there would’ve been an embarrassing Don Cherry-like thumbs up shot their way along with an ear-to-ear grin.

Enter Amy Millan sliding a capo up the neck of her acoustic guitar as she greets the audience with "Losing You", the downhearted opener off her first solo offering Honey From The Tombs. Shortly thereafter, the rest of her live ensemble (also known as The Winter Boots) took to the stage and aided Millan through a solid 80+ minute performance. You wouldn’t have imagined how much work went into such a "solo" presentation. At times, she was flanked by six other musicians on stage pulling multiple instrumental duties (brass, lap guitar, piano) for songs such as "Wayward and Parliament" and "Baby I".

Having temporarily strayed from her full-time band Stars, Millan produces heart-wrenching tales of love and despair that would catch the affection of anyone, including those who’ve listened to her previous musical accomplishments. Honey From The Tombs is a strong album beginning to finish, as it’s carried by Millan’s luscious voice that just oozes a certain soothing tenderness. Although it was impressive to see the songs come alive on stage with horns, organs and such, the best moments took place with that less-is-more setting. The music is far from being simple however; pure acoustic gems like "Blue In Yr Eye" had me aching for a one-woman show at some dive bar, with only a few people in the audience to embrace her musical brilliance.

The set had a few surprising curveballs thrown in, as there were at least three new songs played -- the names escape me -- while the last pre-encore song was the brilliant single "Skinny Boy". Minutes later, Millan re-appeared for an encore that included "He Brings Out The Whiskey In Me" as well as a hauntingly stunning cover of Death Cab’s "I Will Follow You Into The Dark", which would raise the hair on the back of one’s neck.

Now although I love Millan and her solo outfit, I couldn’t get the same wonderful feeling after listening to Set Yourself On Fire or Heart, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a different kind of sentiment, one that’s more laid-back in a certain contrast. These are songs that showcase Millan’s more fragile, nostalgic side, which doesn’t beat around the bush like many Stars songs do (although we love them for it). Her acoustic guitar may not have the intensity of the bass n’ keys of a song like "Elevator Love Letter", but still her divine narratives more than make up for a lack of slick synths and Pro Tools-inspired magic.

Keep in mind, there is usually a lot of hype surrounding solo projects, which usually fail to impress. Noteworthy examples of this would have to be Billy Corgan, Thom Yorke, and Emily Haines. All three were pretty big disappointments, whereas Millan holds steady on her own, whether you knew Stars beforehand or not.

[Tune in to The Lonesome Strangers every Wednesday from 3pm to 5pm.]