Review and Photos by Marissa Bowen
After recently moving to the Seattle area, I was itching to see what the music scene was like out here. And there was no better way to break that in than seeing a band that has held my heart for the last decade. Tegan and Sara brought The Con X Tour to The Moore Theatre this past Friday. I think I can speak for the teen angst in so many of us when I say this album changed and helped so many people. What better way to celebrate that than an acoustic 10-year anniversary tour?
They didn’t just give us a tour, they also put out The Con X: Covers. Tegan and Sara asked artists across different genres to cover a song from The Con. They wanted the artists to be either a LGBTQ person or an outspoken ally, seeing as all the proceeds from the covers album go to the Tegan and Sara Foundation for helping the LGBTQ women and girls. A dollar from each ticket sold for the tour goes to the foundation, as well as each night having opportunities for people to donate. It’s amazing to see artists use their platform in this way.
After dabbling in the electro pop scene for the last two records, they dialed all that back to bring The Con era back to life. From the aesthetics of the stage, where they had panels of artwork from the album hanging up as their backdrop, to the merch which brought back all the favorites while adding some new must-have items. They also had a limited supply of the covers cd signed by them and tote bags stuffed with surprise goodies at each show.
As soon as the concert began you could tell right away that they have grown as people and artists, making this a very polished rendition of the classics. They played the album in its entirety from front to back, while adding a few songs at the end from different records that meshed well with the feel of the album. Even some of their newer songs, which have a totally different feel, were stripped down and intertwined nicely into the set.
The Canadian duo is known for their hilarious banter during shows. Every few songs, they paused to talk to us for a bit. I really love when they do this because it gives such an intimate feeling to the shows. You get to hear about stories from their past, what happened earlier that day, or just how they are feeling at the moment. From being twin sisters to music partners, they have their charming differences, which they let be known when they are giving each other a hard time. With their differences, comes this chemistry that is endearing and makes them work well together.
Diving back deep into the record’s depth, they filled the entire theatre with beautiful harmonies and lyrics that give you goosebumps. They took turns taking the lead with each of their songs, while the other accompanied in a way that complimented the other and made each song whole. The songs have so many layers and watching them unfold was truly an experience. If the sound wasn’t enough to win you over, halfway through the set a star filled background illuminated the stage while the fans were left in awe. Hearing the songs I love done in such an unique way while watching them put the emotions of this record on display for us once again, made this one of those shows that I will hold close for years to come.
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