Forget the opening acts; not because they weren't good, but because they didn't really prepare anyone for the Devin Townsend onslaught.
I've never seen the Metro come alive like it did for this man. It was definitely the loudest show I've seen in years, with so much energy coming from such a strange looking fellow.
3/5 of SYL are freikin' huge men.
Just to get the audience into the spirit, there were comical quips as introductions to songs. Some goofball threw a glow-stick on the stage, which was incorporated into some comical standup phallic antics. The crowd was a jumping frenzy within seconds of the band joining the stage. Detox had many punters migrating to the area directly in front of stage for what seems to be the high point of the show. A handy time for it to occur, as this was the time for the pseudo encore. As a result, all present were eager for a return to the stage, so they may resume and hopefully perforate more eardrums.
A recent article in some street rag had quoted Devin as saying something along the lines of deliberately having fast & messed up rhythms to interfere with the brains natural processes. The beat was so loud, that it interrupted and re-aligned the pulsing of my heart. Strange feelings, I'm sure, would have been shared amongst the masses present. There was a mix of songs both old and new — they don't seems to have changed much over the years, despite all the various side-projects & other artistic outlets. Not that these would necessarily have an effect, but some artists seem to change their style a little.
Returning to the stage for 2 more songs, SYL never once looked like relenting, or even looking tired. They did, however, look incredibly sweaty.
Reviewed on Sunday, 2 November 2003