Tegan and Sara, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, 14 September 2000

August 6, 2006

Tegan and Sara, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, 14 September 2000

Way back before they were covered by the White Strips, before their songs were featured on Grey’s Anatomy and The L Word, before they even got themselves a band, and at just about the time they released their first album on Universal/Vapor (“This Business of Art,”) and Tegan and Sara were about to hit the big time, they played to a packed house on a rainy and hot September night in Toronto.

They played an energetic acoustic set and, as what seems to be something of a trademark in their live performances, chatted with the audience and each other between songs, telling stories, jokes, and just seeing how everyone is doing. They didn’t play terribly long, only about 45 minutes, but I think everyone in the audience walked away happy, knowing that we experienced a band in their purest form just as they were about to go on to do great things.

I wasn’t the one to record this concert but I offer my thanks to the anonymous taper who recorded and shared this. The recording has been circulating so if you are a T&S fan you may already have it or some songs from this performance.

I was, however, in the audience. Want proof? Ok. I spent my third year of University in Glasgow. Just before I left for the year I visited Toronto to hang out with friends and go to MEC and do those last minute things you do. As part of my send-off I went to see Tegan and Sara with some friends I have known since highschool. Before the show started, my friend Kathryn walked backstage and talked to Tegan and Sara for a bit. I’m not exactly sure what she said but on track 20 – that’s me they are talking about. Which at the time (ok, and now) I thought was pretty cool. Afterward the show they signed my album and wished me well. And Sara, you totally could have come with me. It was a great show and a great night all around.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic long weekend.

Tegan and Sara, Lee’s Palace, Toronto, 14 September 2000

1) Proud.mp3 (2.82 MB)
2) trading seats talk.mp3 (0.4 MB)

3) The First.mp3 (2.93 MB)
4) dancing and tshirt talk.mp3 (1.43 MB)
5) Hype.mp3 (2.7 MB)
6) being hot and standing talk.mp3 (0.6 MB)

7) My Numbe.mp3 (2.75 MB)

8) more standing talk.mp3 (1.23 MB)
9) Freedom.mp3 (2.04 MB)
10) broken string talk.mp3 (1.09 MB)

11) Not With You.mp3 (3.11 MB)

12) sharing a bed and fight talk.mp3 (1.06 MB)

13) Buried Alive.mp3 (3.32 MB)

14) Tegan’s patroller camp story.mp3 (2.61 MB)
15) More for Me.mp3 (2.25 MB)
16) email talk.mp3 (1.13 MB)

17) All You Got.mp3 (2.26 MB)
18) last song and streetcar talk.mp3 (1 MB)
19) Superstar.mp3 (2.93 MB)
20) encore protocol, thanks, and going to Scotland talk.mp3 (1.51 MB)
21) Divided.mp3 (2.65 MB)

To coincide with my post on them, Tegan and Sara are releasing their live DVD “It’s Not Fun. Don’t Do It” on August 8th. Check out the trailer here and pre-order here in Canada (with a poster) or here in the US.

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