Sisters need to get “a little bit closer” to Ottawa fans
Sabrina Nemis|Fuclrum Staff
Photos courtesy of Marc DesRosiers
IF I HAD to guess, playing a show between Wu-Tang Clan and fun. on a rainy Sunday evening was probably never an item on Tegan and Sara’s bucket list.
Playing Bluesfest’s Claridge stage July 7, to a crowd damp from drizzle, the sisters seemed subdued. The audience was engaged—singing along to a set that spanned the 10-year breadth of the duo’s musical career—but there was a connection missing.
Anecdotes and stories are a staple of Tegan and Sara shows; it’s part of the experience and while the indie/synth-pop duo sounded great both vocally and instrumentally they didn’t share much outside of their set list.
Perhaps it’s because they’ve been touring intensely this year and couldn’t bear to tell the same stories once more. Maybe they felt the crowd was killing time waiting for fun. to come on. There’s always the chance that with their recent spike in popularity outside of Canada and the subsequent change in venues—switching from smaller, intimate clubs to stadiums—something got lost.
This is not to say the Quin sisters weren’t charming and lovely overall, they asked the crowd how they were doing a few times and thanked them for their support after nearly every song.
As they spend the rest of their summer touring with fun., perhaps they’ll regain their bearings and bring back the intimacy that used to characterize their shows. Maybe they’ll let their fans get a little bit closer.
