Stars, with The Elected
February 11, 2006 – The Avalon, Los Angeles, CA

Yet another fantastic indie band out of Canada endearing the hearts and ears of fans and critics, Stars performed at the Avalon on February 11. They performed before an enthusiastic and sold out crowd which, for a band who were practically unknown just a few months ago, was clearly astounding and delightful, inspiring them to deliver a truly memorable performance.
To be honest, except for two or three songs, I was pretty unfamiliar with Stars, and utterly unfamiliar with opening group, The Elected. Needless to say, I was very grateful to my friend John (of Crashing the Soundboards fame, check it out if you donâ??t listen already), for convincing me to go to this show. The opening band was The Elected, featuring guitarist Blake Sennet of Rilo Kiley fame, and two other members of the now quintessential indie band. Although the music is not a far departure from Rilo Kileyâ??s country-inspired infectious melodies, Sennetâ??s charisma and presence has established The Elected as more than a mere side project. From the passionate preaching verse of â??Did Me Goodâ?, to the climactic guitar battle of â??Biggest Starâ?, the band provided an admirable delivery of songs from both their debut â??Me Firstâ? and their latest and most popular release, â??Sun, Sun, Sunâ?. As the opening set neared its close, the venue, which has a fascinating interior and a powerful sound system, neared full capacity, and already I was more than satisfied with the night.
After a brief wait, Stars walked modestly onto a stage decorated with assorted lamps, one for each member of the band and lighting individually as they and gracefully performed their opener â??Theme From The Starsâ?, as an appropriate back-drop of the night sky lit up. Featuring singer/trumpet player Torquil Campbell and singer/guitarist Amy Millan, Stars are quite a large band supported by a keyboardist, guitarist, drummer, and violinist, allowing them to produce rich and beautiful auditory textures. Performing much of the material off their latest album â??Set Yourself on Fireâ?, the audience quickly fell in love with the coy but moving performance. Meeting my stereotypes of Canadians, Torquil spent practically every opportunity expressing his astonishment and gratitude for the packed house, uttering â??thank youâ? enough times that it seemed like everyone in the crowd got a personal acknowledgement of appreciation from these well-mannered musicians. Despite minor issues about the audibility of the trumpet and violin, the performance was near flawless in execution and reached just about every individual there. At the quietest times, the band would draw you in to hypnotic ballads of insecurity and honesty and at their loudest, their pure richness of sound would reach triumphant volumes and stirring textures. After a glorious and highly-demanded encore featuring the fabulous â??Elevator Love Letterâ?, the entire crowd left with broad smiles across their faces and a feeling of warmth inside. Judging from the sheer majesty of the performance and the enthusiasm of the crowd, I anticipate that Stars will continue to bring light to the nights of music lovers for quite some time.

-Felix Danbold