More from my Supergrassy Weekend (Vancouver, BC)

(Find the first half of my Supergrassy Weekend story (Seattle) HERE.)

By the time I got to the Vancouver show, I was slightly soaked and windblown from the weather, and we got there very early to be assured a spot right in front. The crowd in Vancouver was great! No one was pushy, and everyone was having a good time. We listened to the opening band Pilotdrift for the second time, and that night they were pretty good. They hadn’t impressed me too much during the Seattle show, but I started getting into their music in Vancouver…they sounded a lot more on. There was one song that sounded like a cross between Pink Floyd and Radiohead that was excellent. When they finished their set, the crowd applauded ecstatically. People really enjoyed it.

When Pilotdrift ended, it seemed like a million years before Supergrass finally came on stage. I was really excited about being there for a second show, and I knew they were going to be fabulous like the previous evening….They were so much better! I think I’d have to invent new words to sufficiently describe how incredible the concert was. No doubt people will be talking about the show for years to come. This was the final concert of their North American tour, and it was evident that the band wanted to rock hard.

The show started as it had in Seattle, with acoustic numbers played by Gaz alone and then Gaz and Mick. They played “St. Petersburg,” “Caught By the Fuzz,” “Sitting Up Straight” and “Low C.” I can’t remember which songs Danny and Charlie joined in on, but Danny came in dressed in old-time, black and white striped jail garb. I don’t know what message he was trying to send with that outfit, but it was interesting. I should say that Gaz looked fantastic in a black, button-down shirt and a wild-looking tie. He was also wearing what looked like gray, flannel trousers and white shoes (sort of the type Simon LeBon would have worn in 1984). I think Mick was wearing a black, button-down shirt also, but no tie. Charlie was wearing a big floppy hat that looked similar to the one Gaz wore in the “St. Petersburg” video.

I wanted to be in the center of the action this time, with no one’s head in my way, and that’s why I chose front-row, center. Sometimes people will say that the sound isn’t as good at a show if you’re too far in front, but I thought everything sounded incredible. It was as though every song had been kicked up 10 notches from the night before. Danny seemed to hit the drums harder, Gaz and Mick seemed to be more into the songs, and Charlie’s keyboards sounded even groovier. Maybe it was just that the sound system was better, or that the crowd seemed to be totally mesmerized. I’m not sure. And while the band was rocking out… they also seemed to be having a good time. I could see smiles between the band members on stage. This was their final show of the tour, and I’m sure they wanted to go out with a splash. The members of Pilotdrift could be seen off to the side of the stage, and having a wonderful time dancing, singing-along, taking photos with their cameras, etc. They must be even bigger Supergrass fans than I am (if that’s possible). At one point, Gaz called them out onstage, and he gave them each a hug and told them how great they were. It must have been amazing for them to tour with Supergrass.

When the band took a break before the encore, the audience at the Commodore went absolutely crazy, stomping and chanting, “SU-PER-GRASS… SU-PER-GRASS… SU-PER-GRASS” over and over. I could see that I wasn’t alone in finding the show to be INCREDIBLE! I had hoped for the band to throw in a couple of extra songs for the encore, but they performed the same numbers as in Seattle, “Fin” and “Lenny.” I had not been a particular fan of “Fin” when listening to the “Road to Rouen” album, because I couldn’t really get into the production style. It seemed a bit too contrived. But when Gaz performed it live with an acoustic guitar, it was an absolutely beautiful song. Maybe this version is available as part of the “Fin” single that was released. I’ll have to look into that. The final song, “Lenny,” blew the roof of the place, and at the end Danny kicked over his drums a la Keith Moon (as he’d done the night before), and threw his drumsticks out to an eager audience. One of the drumsticks hit my husband in the arm (because he was looking in the other direction), bounced off him and then landed on the ground on the other side of the barrier. Fortunately, he was able to grab it. Meanwhile Gaz had thrown one of his guitar picks in our direction, but it didn’t quite make it over the barrier. One of the security guys reached down and grabbed it for us.

It was an evening I'll never forget, to say the least. That was only the fourth time I've ever seen Supergrass, because they only seem to come around every three years. I hope they won't make us wait that long again!