Canadians do it better

Montreal’s Stars bring flowers and a lot of hope for indie-pop hearts at Chicago show

By Kirstie Shanley
Published: November 8th, 2007 | 2:11pm

Chicago's Vic Theatre became a temporary home to Montreal's five-member Stars’ lineup on November 2, 2007. The flora-adorned stage created what could have been mistaken for a garden terrace. Flowers were lavishly draped around mic stands, and atop instruments and amps. In fitting with the stage’s theme, lead vocalist and co-songwriter Torquil Campbell dashed onstage looking dapper in his velvet jacket, while Stars’ co-vocalist Amy Millan was dressed in a lovely, regal black evening gown.

If you think the critical praise for Stars’ fourth studio album, In Our Bedroom After the War (released September 25, 2007, by Arts & Crafts) has depleted the band's humility, think again. The quintet is indie royalty in their home base of Montreal, yet the band seems more eloquent than haughty in its performance.

Throughout the show, Campbell thanked the audience for supporting him, while throwing out flowers to fans between songs. He also extended the same attention to fellow band members; Campbell and Stars’ bassist Evan Cranley frequently moved closer to Millan to heighten the onstage chemistry during duets.

As a way of honoring their longtime followers, Stars performed many fan favorites, including “Elevator Love Letter” from 2003’s Heart and a handful of songs from 2005’s Set Yourself on Fire, the standouts being “One More Night,” “Reunion,” and an encore of “Calendar Girl.”

Set opener “Take Me To The Riot” was a strong contender, but the best song of the night had to have been the title track from Stars’ new CD, “In Our Bedroom After the War.” The song is free from cynicism evident on the band’s previously released political tracks like “He Lied About Death” from Set Yourself on Fire. “Our Bedroom” comes across as a postmodern answer to John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over),” as evidenced by an optimistic anthem and easily chant-able refrain, “After the war!” With Stars’ song, it feels as though the wish for war to end was granted.

Though this is unfortunately far from the real-world truth, it's nice to see a hopefulness about the future in our music royalty’s lyrics, if not our political leaders’ words. It was also great to see fans joining in on the chorus with a sing-a-long, giving the band the sort of praise that only comes when songs are dear enough to learn the words by heart and nobility is well-earned.