Cold War Kids + The Balconies @ Le Theatre Corona

Montreal is known for a lot of things: poutine, riots, gorgeous people, riots, a vibrant nightlife, riots, riots, riots. What it is not known for, however, is quiet, limp, lethargic concert crowds. Sit down, Cold War Kids fans, because you will most likely not enjoy this review.

First of all, I want to say that my introduction serves a purpose. I feel the need to talk about Montreal and its concert culture because this was the first thing I noticed upon my arrival at Le Théatre Corona on March 19th: the energy was high, the people were beautiful, and the venue was perfect. If you have yet to attend a show at the Le Théatre Corona then think of Le National, but cozier. This is a great place to put on a show, and it shows off how all of Montreal's little neighborhoods are packed with local gems. This was great because I was, and am, only a casual fan of the band; I came in with no hefty expectations, simply a genuine interest, and having a great venue and a fantastic opening band really got me pumped.

On that note, I'd like to take a moment to talk about The Balconies. The Ottawa-bred trio took the stage with an infectious energy and the three members were all smiles throughout their set. My partner in crime and I felt that, while they were certainly not reinventing the wheel, their love for music really shone through and made their act feel fresh and entertaining. I look forward to seeing what they do in the future. And just one more observation: they all have great hair.

Now let’s move on to the main course: the Cold War Kids. As I mentioned before, I didn't really have expectations for this concert. I appreciate their blues-rock feel, but I’m only a casual listener of the band, so my intention was to review them purely on the experience of seeing them live. It's in that spirit that I have to say that I was disappointed. I don't really know how to describe or define the chemistry that should exist between a band and the audience, but I just wasn't feeling it and I know I wasn't the only one. You see, my friend and I had strategically placed ourselves behind a nice young fellow in a wheelchair. I hesitate to say that this was partially for the enhanced view, but I'm sure you could have pieced that together by yourself. Throughout the opening act he remained relatively stationary, but when the Cold War Kids took the stage, he pulled a little Optimus Prime number and converted his wheelchair so that it could hold him up in a standing position. This was somewhat to our dismay, but I digress. All this to say, this guy was a fan. So, I was a little bit surprised to see that a few numbers into their set, he folded his seat back down and left the venue. As I watched him leave, I noticed there were others leaving as well. In fact, there was a small group in front of the stage that seemed to be having a blast, but everyone else seemed rather disinterested. I realized that, while for the last couple of songs I had been alternating between tapping my foot and lightly swaying, I was bored. Now don't get me wrong, this wasn't a problem with the music. It had something to do with stage presence, or perhaps the lack thereof. It just felt generic when frontman Nathan Willett addressed the audience with a “How's everybody doing tonight? We sure are glad to be here in -insert city name here-.” I will give him credit for playing a request mid-way through the set, but even he observed that we were a “quiet bunch.”

Am I saying that you should avoid this band? Absolutely not. I'm sure that their fans were happy to see them in action. What I am saying, however, is that if you are a casual fan like me, you may want to consider hanging on to your untainted image of them by staying home. They did not impress me as a live act, and because of that I can't, in good conscience, give this show my recommendation.

-Joshua K hosts The Chesterfield Hour on Fridays from 12-1pm