Review and photos - Nada Surf at Lee’s Palace, Toronto, March 29 2010

-review by Eugene Osudar/photos by Bonnie Crawford

sometimes, when you see
a band so great, like
Thrush Hermit, the day
before and in the very same
venue but to a different kind
of audience, Thrush’s audience
is embrace
and
remembrance,
while Nada Surf
is a different kind of
embrace, it’s touch and
romance

the musical palette isn’t
clear, ready to embrace,
my musical palette
after so many shows
over a few delirious
daze.

Lover’s Rock
not the jagged type
of The Clash
but this beautiful
melodic
pretty kind
the kind of Nada Surf.

what i saw
looking around
Lee’s Palace
packed solid (again)
were Lovers,
men and women
touching and caressing
to the sweeping building
crescendos
of majestic
guitar and sweet soul
singing,

Nada Surf
isn’t big bold beautiful
like Thrush Hermit
they’re just right
for a woman to caress
her man’s bottommmmmm

perfect for a man to knead
his woman’s neck

a hand on mid/back
gliding and sliding
sweeping over their
lower back
or hand in hand
and a little dance
with your dance
partner of The Now.

that’s Lover’s Rock

Nada Surf‘s rock.

i was alone and re-writing
my Black Lips review
which was somehow
lost in the cyber worlds,

and then i saw her
a vision
of Lynne,

my frantic film dancing
music-loving
karaoke-singing
friend
from Winnipeg
i closed my book
and opened my thoughts
to this beauty
all around me
and
before me

(she is beautiful)

men and women
touching and holding,

i tapped her on the shoulder

“there’s a reason i love you!”
or something like that
and as she turned
her instant joy
made me know

This
is a perfect Monday
evening
in Toronto.

she kinda had a feeling
that i’d be here,there
everywhere
and i forgot she had
told me she may be
in Toronto while i was
here, now.

Nada Surf began with the songs
Lynne wanted to hear,
Whose Authority and Happy Kid
and we’re dancing,

60s based pop
when voices mattered
and were
gorgeous and layered
and guitars sweetly
melodic.

a gift from The Beatles
to generations
then and now and beyond.

a beautiful thank you.

i could write about the wildly dancing
dread string
twirl locks
of the bassist,

but i won’t

i’d rather
remember
the lovers
touching
caressing

holding
hands
backs and
derrieres

that’s the essence of Nada Surf

it’s Lover’s Rock.

it’s warm
smooooothly
polished
rocks
rubbed along
naked
oiled skin
under candlelight,

glimmering
shimmering
sparkling eyes
honey kisses
and luscious
licks

that’s the way
i like it
too

with slices of mango
and berries
smooshing into
canvas skin
love expressionism

that’s Nada Surf.

there were cover
songs, from their new
CD,

Depeche Mode
and Kate Bush
(stunningly brilliant
and all of her songs
build into textured
beauty, curvaceous
crescendos)

21 songs
90 minutes

see those eyes
whose authority
happy kid
killian’s red
what’s your secret
love goes on
80 windows
treading water
your legs grow
fruit fly
enjoy the silence
weightless
ice on the wing
blonde on blonde
blizzard of 77
neither heaven nor space
love and anger
hi-speed soul

encores,
do it again
always love
blankest years

Nada Surf
is a beautiful
dessert
strawberry
raspberry
honeydew
cantaloupe
over ice cream.

i like that.

Nada Surf
Lee’s Palace
March 29.