Live 8 Concert

Live 8 Canada: Toronto review (cont.)

Jet, Jann Arden, Motley Crue and DMC at Live 8 Torontos

Jet did a fair job with their set, but I wouldn't exactly think an instrumental was the best thing to start out with, especially since they are not as well know up here in Canada. I would have thought they would have used their mic time a little more wisely. They did a great job of exiting the crowd with "Cold Hard Bitch", "Are You Gonna Be My Girl", and "Look What You've Done". A tight set from these rockers.

Jann Arden is next up Live 8 Toronto, sporting a new long blonde mane and black, rap around glasses. Her repertoire isn't gut enough to animate the crowd like Jet just did, but she makes a oddly suitable set-up for Motley Crue, who won't likely touch ballads. Jann's performance of "Good Mother" was solid. She looked a little out of place wearing a rather long coat. It reminded me of watching Alison Moyet at the original Live Aid concert. Alison and Jann seem about the same size and shape. Although they both are fantastic singers, they seem a little out of place in their skin.

It only takes a few notes from of Motley Crue's "Kickstart My Heart" and the crowd-surfing begins. Vince Neil looks a little old and blotted, but he hasn't lost his voice. Nikki Sixx is doing his thing and the crowd is treated to "Home Sweet Home" and Tommy Lee takes the keyboard. Vince Neil affirms that "this day is about eight men getting together in a room and doing the right thing, man." A little quirky, but I guess for him, it works. They finish their set with "Dr. Feelgood". The Crue still have it after all these years.

Dan Aykroyd gives the Tragically Hip a intro, and singer Gord Downie does "Music At Work" skillfully. A weird choice for first song, and the crowd seems far more approving for "Ahead By a Century." This is definitely the most engrossed that the audience has been today and Dan Aykroyd redeems himself a little by playing harmonica on The Tragically Hip's "Poets."

After 20 years, yet again the ever-famous Run DMC hit the stage. A lot has happened since the original Live Aid event back in 1985. Run DMC were cutting edge at the time and most of the world got their first tast of rap at Live Aid. This assemblage was not what is cracked up to be and the crowd was not very responsive for their set. A D-list of stars including that guy from CSI. They did a track called "Machinegun" followed up by a slightly slanted version of "All Along the Watchtower," and finished their set with some members of Aerosmith and the singer Josh Todd from Buck Cherry. The odd thing about this set was Steve Tylers' voice track singing "Walk This Way". I could have done without this set. Todds' mic kept going out, but no great loss.

Up on the Live 8 stage next - Barenaked Ladies. They begin with a brooding track called "Brian Wilson". I myself don't like the song too much, but was reminded that the real Brian Wilson was playing at the Live 8 Berlin concert today. We didn't get to see him up on the big screen. The Ladies followed up with the fun and fantastic "If I Had A Million Dollars", ending with the words from the song "Tears Are Not Enough".

Live 8 Canada, Toronto (continue review)

See all Live 8 Concert reiews:
Live 8 London, UK :: Live 8 Philadelphia, USA :: Live 8 Toronto (Barrie),CA