Kalan Porter Toronto Concert Review

Coo_Coo4Kalan was great enough to give me a review/recap of Canadian Idol winner, Kalan Porter’s recent concert in Toronto.  If you ever have a recap or review of something that you would like showcased here on Idol Stalker, email me!  To get things started, here’s a video of him singing “Beauty.”

Here’s Coo_Coo4Kalan’s review (check out more on her MySpace page!)

I have never been one to think Kalan Porter can do no wrong, if he’s going have a bad show it’s going to happen…just not on March 15^th at the Music Hall in Toronto. Hearing every song was like being kicked in the stomach repeatedly. I have NEVER felt a physical reaction to a concert like that. It’s just music right? Kalan knows exactly what he is doing – it’s intimidating. All you can do is watch and hope not to get the wind knocked out of you.

More after the jump!

The opening act Pat Robitaille was REALLY cool!! A high school drop out who loves nothing better than just being up on stage, this guy has more musical ability in his pinkie than some people with University degrees have in their chosen fields. His set was just him and his guitar; I loved his song No Superman.

There was a fifteen minute intermission before Kalan came out. He seems like the most unassuming guy when he’s up on stage in-between songs, telling the audience little stories about the recording of his album Wake up Living, the album featured at tonight’s show. Once he starts singing or playing any of SEVERAL instruments – watch out.

The show started with Down In Heaven which had me mesmerized from the first note. There is something about the vibe Kalan sends out when playing the violin. He is so incredibly skilled and this was just the first example. A cool “violin plucking” coda sent Kalan into his song Try which stayed true to the recorded version. Kalan played the Tom-tom drum on this song (the only actual drum present at the show, every other drum sound was synthesized) and he beat the life out of that thing! Only Kalan Porter has the ability to “beat the life” out of an inanimate object, I’m positive.

Kalan then told a story about when a more “mature” fan threw her brassiere at him, which I am sure made him want to Run Run Run. This song came next with Kalan again showing off his musicianship playing the synth bass (because no bass guitar was present at the show either). Single from Kalan’s first album 219 Days followed but something about it was off. Was a new arrangement ripping off some classic Michael Jackson? Nope…it was REMIXED with some MJ, Billie Jean to be exact, Kalan grooving with a tambourine on this track.

Karma King was a song that really showed off the talent of Kalan and his two band mates Ricky Tillo and Ben Kobayashi. It started off with Kalan on the drum and vocals, Ricky on guitar and Ben on the keyboards. By the time the song was through Kalan was on the keyboard, Ben was playing guitar and Ricky was rocking the drum. Please go watch this on youtube.com.

Beauty was beautiful, Kalan just sang it and that is all he needed to do. Hurray followed with some fun fan interaction. A few audience members went up on stage to dance and play instruments. Ricky and Kalan’s respective guitar and violin solos were awesome.

Wrong – Kalan brought out his viola for this song and it was another instrument on which he shined. He has played this since he was a wee little lad and it showed. Kalan was in the zone and stayed there when singing Out of My Head, a song he wrote a week after he found out his mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since won that battle; and Kalan introduced the song with her story.

One Last Try – The highlight of the show for me, mostly because I cannot stand the recorded version of the song, I never “got” it. Now I get it. I said when I began this review that every song was like being kicked in the stomach; I felt the entire soccer team with this one. It was just Kalan on the keyboard but it was stunning. Another youtube must.

Kalan then demonstrates the loop peddle that was being used throughout the night. He sang a “Gaelic Lullaby“ into it which seemed so random, and I started to think that Kalan had lost it. He sang the same thing a bunch of times in different keys (basically harmonizing with himself), recorded it, and then he finally got to the point. He played the song backward and it sounded vaguely familiar…at least to the people over 40 years old in the crowd (of which there were quite a few). The Beatles song Nowhere Man started playing as if like magic! Kalan’s voicing shining through of course.

The show was coming to a close as Kalan thanked his audience and pointed out there was one song left; The Charlie Daniel’s Band hit The Devil Went Down to Georgia. A Kalan Porter staple, the violin in his hand took on a life of its own as Kalan tempted Johnny’s soul away.

As this song was ending I’m trying to politely exit and find the autograph line that didn’t exist yet when I hear the melody of another song. I couldn’t hear it well at first, so I go back into the theatre but no one is on the stage. I look to my right and there stands Kalan, singing Destination (Where I Belong) without a microphone accompanied by Ricky. I was at the other end of the theatre but my goodness can that guy PROJECT! I heard him perfectly.

Awake in a Dream was actually the last song, sung straight up Idol style sans confetti and puffy shirt.

Then Kalan signed autographs for EVERYONE. I couldn’t stay but heard that it was about 1:30 in the morning when another fan left and there was still half the line to be attended to. Kalan ALWAYS stays.

There are no words to describe what watching this show was like (except the 1,000 or so that precede this paragraph). Pride is the only thing I can think of to sum it all up. This is why I withstood Ben Mulroney’s bull for four months and called the number he grated into my brain every week. I love it when I’m right.

Sounds fantastic!!!