Overall score: WWWW (out of five)
(Note: This show also featured an band called Paddington, but I was late for their set so they will not get reviewed. Sorry)
Perhaps I, being a guy, am out of place for a show like this. The York University show, headlined by the wonderfully gifted Emm Gryner, was more or less a benefit concert for the York Women's Crisis Centre and various other local women's groups, so, obviously, it wasn't targeted at me. However, me, having liked Gryner's "Asianblue", really wanted to see her live, so I decided to check it out. It was well worth my time.
As I stated before, there was an opening act, Paddington, but I arrived late for their set (I went with my brother, and he was tied up so we arrived late) and thus, I don't really know much about their set except for two songs. I admit, they were not that impressive, but the band did have a sense of energy that could resonate well as they progress as a band.
After Paddington, there was a spoken-word piece done by a couple of York University theatre students. The piece was good, though it was a little dumb at times (but some things- like the Kenny & Barbie dolls in the toy car- are understandable seeing how they're not a big budget production) and was a little incoherent. Still, the message of female empowerment through sexuality came out well and made the piece worthwhile.
Popjoy, a new independent act out of London, Ontario, took the stage next. They were brilliant, as their set was full of energy and was a lot of fun to listen to. They mixed up their set with covers (among them The 4 Non Blondes' "What's Goin' On" and AC/DC's "Thunderstruck") and originals, and while the originals were better than the covers, the covers still packed a lot of bite. "Thunderstruck", for example, really got the crowd moving, and, hey, Sarah Smith's vocals were a heck of a lot more bearable to listen to than Angus Young's (not to knock AC/DC's good version). Still, though, their best song was an original, "In Love With Me Too", where Smith boldly tells a potential boyfriend, "Won't you stay for awhile/Let's make this last", continuing in the chorus with "Oh, won't you come home, with me now/I can tell, that you care, for me too/And you love all I do/You're in love with me too", all sung with great charisma and poise. It also helps that the band knows their way around a hook, and their knack for fun, catchy rock tunes with a lot of energy should mean that they'll go A LONG way in years to come.
After another spoken-word piece, the headliner Gryner took the stage. As expected, she was brilliant. Hearing stripped-down versions of the classic-worthy "Symphonic" and "Summerlong" was a treat, but the highlight of her performance was a cover of Blur's "Song 2". She turned that song into a sweeping piano ballad, making it really intriguing when she sung the song's hook of "whoo-hoo". Suffice to say, Gryner's version is better than Blur's great version, if only for the novelty of hearing the up-tempo song slowed down and made into a beautiful piano-ballad. Gryner was really into her performance, perhaps a little bit too much as during one song (I believe it was "East Coast Angel" but don't quote me) she missed a chord and had to stop to catch herself before continuing. It wasn't at all a misstep- more one of the night's humurous moments, as it shows that Gryner is human too, and it really helped Gryner that she recovered her form almost immediately after the mishap.
So, all in all, the Women In Song York Concert was a great experience. You have the established independent star Gryner on stage with future stars Popjoy, both having remarkable sets. Even though it wasn't geared for a guy like me, it was still a memorable experience, as Gryner solidified herself as one of Canada's true sleeper acts and Popjoy as a band with a bright future ahead of them. Get used to both names, because chances are, you'll be hearing a lot of them in the near future.
-DG