Back on June 19th, BSS returned to the Toronto Islands with a bunch of friends to give fans what they have long been waiting for. It’s been five years since the group released their self-titled hit, and they were more than excited to share their new release, Forgiveness Rock Record.
Following acts like Beach House and Band of Horses(who both performed incredibly entertaining sets but were simply blown away by the phenomenon that is BSS’ live show ) BSS were proud to share their new record with fans. Not shying away from the old hits; “7/4 Shoreline”, “Lover’s Spit”, “Stars and Sons”, “Cause=Time”, BSS offered almost a dozen songs off the 14-track new LP. This was an island you wouldn’t mind being stranded on.
As mentioned, since the boys and girls in Broken Social Scene were home they opened their little black books and called up everyone in it. Musicians from other Canadian bands like Metric, Death From Above 1979 and The Stills joined the crew, and even everyone’s favourite, Feist was even on stage a fair amount. In fact, at one point I counted 17 people on stage rocking out, singing, hugging and laughing! Trombones, Trumpets (plural, very plural!), Violins, basses, Guitars(sometimes four or five going!), drums and percussion, tambourines, bass, and even a French Horn.
It was a party! A party thrown by Broken Social Scene, who couldn’t have been better hosts to thousands of strangers. Strangers who didn’t hesitate to jump on a fairy and cross lake Ontario(and pay $10 for a Burger!). Strangers who didn’t feel like strangers. They felt like family. They felt like they were a part of something. Something uplifting and powerful. Something that cannot be described. So stop reading my ramble and go see them for yourself. There is no possible way you will be disappointed. There is no possible way you will be the same person afterward.
-Josh "The Intern" Hoffman, BDM
