Stars @ Berklee Performance Center, Boston

October 20th, 2007 - by Eddie

Boston, Shows

About half way through the second song, I figured out something was wrong…I was sober. Like 12-step sober and to top that off, I was restricted to my assigned seat at the Berklee Performance Center and was also told that I couldn’t run up and down the aisle.

It’s not that I need to do the crab-walk on the floor, but the fact that it wasn’t an option completely soured my mood.

This was the scene at the Berklee Performance Center, which has a fantastic-looking stage and crystal clear acoustics, but also subjects its patrons to rules and regulations, which are enforced by an army of ushers that walk up and down the aisle, telling people to return to their seats, to put their cameras away and to essentially put a cap on the unbridled fun concerts are known for.

Not to mention I had to endure New Buffalo, who was the opening act. She’s an Aussie that’s been hailed for creating a “new and unique sound.” She does have a unique sound, especially when she breaks out her pre-recorded backup vocals and sings a pop-infused song about how hard it is to breakup with a friend. I was immediately irritated and wanted to scream in the aisle. I was promptly told to do what I want, but in my designated area.

(Then again maybe she had a cold or something. She’s sounds decent on her Myspace).

New Buffalo (I’m just as perplexed as you are about the name) is just one person and she was on stage with a keyboard, a guitar, and a simple green dress that made her look younger than she actually was (or maybe she is 13 and has been writing songs in her room for years).

When Stars finally came on, the six-member band stormed the stage and attacked the audience with melodramatic pop songs while throwing fake flowers into the crowd. I smiled. I was amused and thrilled that they opened with “Take me to the Riot,” one of my favorite songs on the new album “In the Bedroom after the War.” Then I brought my hand up to drink my non-existent beer. Right. Sober.

I’m being harsh. The show was great and the band played a great deal from the back catalog, which I didn’t know as well (though now I’m on Rhapsody.com looking for a couple of songs that I really dug).

A lot of their songs deal with melodrama of life. Want to hear a song about the anguish of love? Check. Or how about one about fucking someone to death? There you go (which is the one I’m trying to find). The thing is, after a while, the melodrama gets a little hard to take, even with front people Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan singing with such believable sincerity, coupled with a couple of epic hand gestures and stares into the ceiling.

In fact, seeing Campbell howl “WAAAAAAARRRRRR!” towards the end of the set was completely satisfying. Somewhere in his red-strained face and vein-popping neck, I felt there was a political message. Especially after the fourth howl. That totally meant he was serious.

At this point, I’m coming around and started to feel better. Even the guy in front of me dancing like he literally has ants in his pants or the girl moving her hips back and forth to make it look like she was humping the air couldn’t bring me down.

When I got outside, I was greeted with rain and intense hunger that eventually subsided thanks to some beer and frozen pizza. Once I got into bed, I almost wanted to turn my computer on and log on to New Buffalo’s Myspace to give that Aussie another chance…almost.