Review by Dave Anastasi

I've been to the Paradise in Boston over a dozen times, but never before have I seen its floor covered with chairs. I knew then that I was in for a different experience at the club. Luckily, we arrived early and were among the first to walk through the door, so we had no difficulty securing seats in the front row.

Moody opener Tall Firs did a nice job setting the tone in the room. They've got a bit of an indie sadcore thing going. Think Arab Strap with more chipper vocals... or the slow dark side of Sonic Youth. Their songs were well performed, though not very memorable, and featured some intense drumming by dextrous Ryan Sawyer.

On to the main act...

"We put out a winter album, and then winter never came," Emily Haines remarked, referencing the record-breaking warm temperatures that North America has seen over the past three months. Emily's full-length debut Knives Don't Have Your Back is sublimely gloomy, in contrast to her work with Metric and Broken Social Scene. Those Metric fans who may have felt a bit alienated by the release will no doubt be saddened to hear that their favorite songs aren't being played on this tour. But for those of us who revel in the melancholy, experiencing Knives in concert from start to finish is quite a treat.

Emily's vocal style is very unique-- breathy and at times frail-- so much so that I was a bit skeptical about how well it would translate to a live setting. However, those doubts were short-lived. I was amazed to hear what incredible control she has over her voice despite her style. Every note was spot on and every word was crystal clear.

The backing band (bass/guitar, drums, and keyboards) for the most part did a good job of supporting Emily's vocals and piano when appropriate, and getting out of her way when it wasn't. The most significant omission in the instrumentation was the pedal steel from The Lottery. Aside from that, they reproduced most of the sounds from the album faithfully.

Overall, the show was downright riveting. The room was so silent during the quieter moments of the performance that I felt like I was at the symphony rather than a night club. The show also featured a makeshift video screen behind Emily's piano that played crudely spliced clips of anonymous old movies, somehow adding to the dark vibe of the room. The night's highlights included Detective Daughter, Mostly Waving, and The Maid Needs A Maid.