Love, Love, Love and Hole

I know that Lady Gaga is taking over the world, but even in her strangely toned down demeanor at Saturday night’s Sound Academy show in Toronto, Courtney Love could still kick her ass and take it back. I’m probably not the best girl to review this considering 1) I’ve had a girl crush on Courtney for 16 years, 2) I had one too many cans of beer at the show (yes they were selling cans) and 3) I have one too many bruises from fighting off the mosh pit to get a closer peek and a sore neck from head banging most of the night. But I have to say that this show rocked my 31 year old world.

Courtney not only looked awesome (although a little on the skinny side), but she sounded amazing. Her voice is as raunchy, rough and delicately rugged as ever. It’s deeper now than it was 15 years ago, but man can she still belt it out. She was surprisingly (and a little disappointingly) calm and cool, staying near the mic for most of the show while at times pulling out her signature "leg on amp position". I suppose she is forgiven considering she just turned 46. She seemed to control the crowd, who was ready to unleash at any moment, by following up heavy songs with slower songs. I couldn't believe how intense the crowd was for middle aged grungers; jumping, body surfing and pushing for a better view. Bitchiness did occur, but I think that’s a Toronto thing – we tend to get really uptight at general admission shows when people move in front of us (like it was assigned seating or something?!) But Torontonians generally have a pickle up their ass about most things (I’m allowed to say this cause I was one, but had to get out for that exact reason).

Hole opened beautifully with a sample of the song ‘Pretty On the Inside’ from their debut album of the same title and then went into ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ by The Rolling Stones. They played a varied set from their albums, to name a few; Nobody’s Daughter (‘Letter to God’, ‘Skinny Little Bitch’, ‘Someone Else’s Bed’, ‘Pacific Coast Highway’), Live Through This (‘Plump’ - which was amazing, ‘Doll Parts’, ‘Miss World’, ‘Asking For It’) and even a couple off Celebrity Skin which Courtney apparently despises and thinks of as her sell-out album (‘Malibu’, ‘Reason to be Beautiful’). They could have done without the cover songs as they have a great catalogue, but I thought the band pulled them off (Nine Inch Nails’ – ‘Closer’, Leonard Cohen’s (as Courtney pronounced “Co Hen”) – ‘Take This Longing’, Judy Garland’s (dedicated to her gay fans , of which there were many) – ‘The Man Who Got Away’ ). She didn’t overly interact with the crowd, but she did manage to get a whole gaggle of bras and a bouquet of flowers.

Although it would have been nice to see some of the original band backing her, her new band sounded tight and they let Courtney shine…although I’m sure that was a pre-requisite at auditions. I hope it’s not another 12 years till we see Ms. Love again, but maybe next time it will be in a seated venue like Massey Hall so I can just sit and stare in awe and save my neck from going into a brace.

http://www.holerock.net/

Single Chick