The highlight of my North by Northeast concert-going experience by far this year was Rich Aucoin's show at the Garrison on Friday June 24.
In fact, I may even be so bold as to say it was the best thing I've experienced at North by Northeast ever. While a typical scene at the city-wide music festival may see cross-armed hipsters slightly bobbing their heads to show enthusiasm, never have I seen an audience so engaged to move, dance, and sweat.
Recommended by Janice Wong, Aucoin brought a high-energy enthusiasm to his brand of electro-pop that got the whole room moving.
Armed with a keyboard and microphone, Aucoin was intent on audience participation, projecting lyrics on a screen behind him, and guiding us through preparatory chants.
And even the snobbiest of concert-goers would not have been able to resist once Aucoin got the party going by launching numerous blasts of confetti into the crowd. He came with his own confetti! You can't beat that.
Throughout his set it was clear there were no barriers between Aucoin and the crowd, as he jumped into the audience, crowd-surfed and at one point had us all down on one-knee as we sang along with him.
It couldn't have gotten more joyful, however, than when Aucoin threw out a multi-coloured parachute into the audience, encouraging us to dance underneath it.
Much like in childhood, the parachute served as a fort of fun, as we let loose under its rainbowed-shelter.
[I realize as I write this, it also allows me to cross #22: (inevitably sweaty) dance party off my Summer Fun List.]
It was a truly delightful, energy-filled, and enthralling concert experience, that I daresay was so very un-Toronto.
The only problem, Janice Wong and I later discovered, is that it's kind of impossible to describe Aucoin's music and the thrill of his performance without just experiencing it.
"With enthusiasm" is the best way Janice Wong thought to describe Aucoin, and I don't think anyone can argue with that.
[photo via blurasis]