PHOTOS: Rich Aucoin @ Fox Cabaret - June 01, 2023
Rich Aucoin, with Petra Glynt
at Fox Cabaret
June 01, 2023
Rich Aucoin, with Petra Glynt
at Fox Cabaret
June 01, 2023
Regular readers of this blog will probably be aware of Rich Aucoin’s legendary live shows, and/or how I feel about them. It’s one of the most unique, uplifting, and engaging live shows going, and your time is running our to see it. Aucoin has previously announced that after a couple more tours, he will be retiring this version of his performance. So I hope you were at the Fox Cabaret last night, or plan to be at an upcoming one throughout his Is This The Real Life? tour (or when he returns for the next one).
Arriving a little late to the venue, I missed Devours, getting there just before Petra Glynt started. With an entire table of musical gadgets stretched out in front of her, she performed what she called a “machine set”, playing and looping everything live -- except when running into a bit of tech troubles. The experimental pop sound was bolstered by her vocal prowess, going from a breathy to a harsh to fragile throughout her set, a few times letting a loop play so she could stalk the front of the stage.
Not long after, the curtains parted and a timer started counting down to the “preshow” for Rich Aucoin. After a word from our sponsor & coming attractions -- built off memes, movie clips, and mashups -- an AI introduced the show and the crowd was tasked with summoning the narrator for the night: Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Governator pumped the crowd up, getting everyone used to the frequent instructions & lyrics that would be appearing on screen, interspersed with more movie clips, viral videos, and more all perfectly synced to the songs throughout the set.
At this point Rich hit the stage, joined by drummer Tony Dallas and Pete MacDonald on bass, starting with “Space Western” to build the tension as the ‘opening credits’ flashed on the screen, giving shoutouts to people in the crowd. From there Rich burst into “Meaning in Life”, leading the first sing (yell) along, as he smoothly transitioned into synth pop bangers like “The Other” and “Brian Wilson is A.L.i.V.E.” leading the crowd from the front of the stage, shooting off confetti, and even jumping into the mass of people to dance.
Part way through the set, ‘Chapter 2’ started, where Rich transitioned into songs from Synthetic, a four-part album (the first two Seasons are out now, the other two coming within the next year). The instrumentals kept up the same energy, accompanied by psychedelic imagery on screen, while everyone continued to move, especially those on stage. Even behind his synth, Rich could barely be still for a moment, radiating energy, and Tony Dallas more than kept pace as he clattered the drums.
After a few instrumentals, Rich went into “Undead” for more crowd participation, reminded us that “We are not dead yet, we are undead”, and one my favourite of his “Want to Believe”, which was mashed up with “4 More Years” — a song that was released nearly 10 years ago but feels incredibly timely after a global pandemic with line “What good are friends you cannot touch?”.
Then it was time for the centerpiece of Rich’s set, as Tony Dallas started to unfurl the parachute. The big rainbow canvas made its way across the Fox as the entire room huddled under (or grabbed the edges) for a cathartic dance party to “Are You Experiencing?”, Rich in the middle of it all letting everyone know “When you give it all up, you get it back”
All too soon, the set drew to a close with another one of my faves, “It”, backed by the song’s music video full of recreated movie scenes. For the final goodbye, Rich waded into the crowd for one last communal experience, a big singalong to “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Or, it started that way before Rich made sure everyone was looking at the lyrics on the screen and switching up to the smash hit “All Star”... but still to the tune of the Queen classic.
Since the first time I saw Rich Aucoin perform live, back in 2011, I’ve probably seem him a dozen or so times. And somehow I am no less enthralled by his show. The way he brings everyone in the room together is almost unparalleled; I’ve probably only seen one band do it better, and that’s The Flaming Lips. I hope everyone gets the chance to experience it before the show is retired.
Rich Aucoin
Red Truck Beer - Concert Series
August 13, 2022
Christine McAvoy Photography
The first time I saw Rich Aucoin -- opening for Arkells at the Commodore nearly 11 years ago -- he instantly became one of my favourite live acts. So of course I was excited when he was finally able to return to Vancouver, while touring his 2020 album United States.
I caught the tail end of the opener, The Daveed Saband, who had a pretty high energy rock sound, and seemed like a good opener for the night.
Once they were done, and while the stage was being set, the overhead projector fired up in anticipation, telling us to keep our arms and legs inside the universe, and that in space no one can hear you scream (so we'd better be loud when yelling along).
It wasn't long before Rich Aucoin introduced the set, saying we first had to hear a word from our "sponsor", a jelly commercial aptly scored by "Bootylicious", followed by some faux-trailers and the opening credits -- as usual, featuring fun facts about some of the people who were in attendance.
After being introduced to our narrator (Michael Caine) and a brief mention of the illness that took the world in 2019 (the major motion picture Cats) it was time our feature presentation, as Rich lead the audience to a singalong to some 20th Century fanfare.
Aucoin launched into "Meaning in Life", transitioning into "Yelling in Sleep", and then get the entire room shouting along to one of my favourites, "Want to Believe", which was mashed up with "Four More Years".
Rich was joined only by drummer Tony Dallas, who was on-point all night but especially got to show off during "Undead". Tony matched Rich's incredible energy, even when stuck behind the kit, as Rich was able to run up and down the stage, and even into the crowd frequently.
The projector ran the whole set, showing lyrics to yell, chapter transitions, clips from Cats as well as other movies, memes, narration from Sir Michael Caine, and more, usually synced perfectly to the music. Though I've often said that as fun as the set is, it wouldn't be near as good without the music to back it up, and songs like "How It Breaks", incredibly catchy with heavy lyrics inspired by events of 2020, backed that up.
The climax of the set was "Are You Experiencing?", which saw the nostalgia-inducing rainbow parachute come out, stretched over the entre dance floor for everyone to jump under, as Rich joined everyone in the centre of the parachute, singing to/at/with them. Then all-too-quickly, the set came to an end with "It" — one last giant group song, Rich once again in the middle of the crowd, urging everyone not to “leave it all in our heads”.
Though that wasn’t quite the end of the night. But even though Rich never left the stage area, the finale had “encore energy”, as Rich sent everyone home with a singalong to Smash Mouth hit "All Star", lead by both himself and the disembodied voice of Michael Caine.
If (IF!) there is downside to Rich Aucoin’s shows, it’s that they always feels like they go by way too quick. But then again, by the end of it, I was exhausted... and I wasn’t even the one performing.
Rich has been saying recently there are only a few more years left in this particular version of his live show before he transitions to something new, so if you have a chance within the next few years, I implore you to do it!
setlist
Meaning in Life
Yelling in Sleep
Want to Believe / Four More Years
How it Breaks
Undead
Are You Experiencing?
The Other
It
All Star [Smash Mouth cover]
Rich Aucoin has been on his "Death Tour" recently, promoting his latest album Release, and he finally brought it back to Vancouver, returning to the Biltmore Cabaret. But what could be better than a Rich Aucoin show? How about a Rich Aucoin show on Hallowe'en night? With loads of costumes both onstage and off, ranging from the lazy (mine) to the elaborate, it was the perfect night for a show about death.
Opening the night was Vancouver duo Tourist Company. Taylor Swindells and Brenon Parry took the stage in banana costumes, for their space-y alt-rock, kicking off with last year's "Spokane".
Swindells' ethereal vocals filled the room, as they played a collection of songs both from their previous album, the space-race-themed Apollo as well as some recently released songs. Highlights included the slower and incredibly emotional "'Til We Disappear", the frenetic "Conflicted/Restricted" and the driving (and infectious) "Fractured State".
After a brief break, Rich Aucoin introduced the show, dressed as an unmasked Spider-Man, joined only by Tony Dallas on drums (in a full Daft Punk outfit, helmet and all). He began, as he usually does, with a vocal warmup for the crowd: singing along to the 20th Century Fox fanfare. This lead directly into the "opening credits", clips from movies intercut with the names of people at the show, along with a fun/awesome "fact" about them.
After the intro, the set opened with the instrumental title track to the new album Release, Aucoin on synth and Dallas the backbone of the show — even when getting tangled in the decorative cobwebs, he literally didn't miss a beat. While the slow-burn spoken-word of "The Base" got the crowd hyped, the energy erupted into the next song, an old favourite singalong, "Undead".
With lyrics on the projection screen at the back of the stage, the audience screamed along for most of the night; in joy, in defiance, in catharsis, and Rich was right there with everyone. Sometimes literally as he would often hop off the stage and go into the crowd, illuminated only by a handheld bare lightbulb. Along with the lyrics, most of the new songs were accompanied by clips from Alice in Wonderland, as the new album was written to be synced up with the film, Dark Side Of The Rainbow style.
And of course, as is now the Rich Aucoin trademark, he brought out the parachute during "Are You Experiencing?", the rainbow canvas stretching back to fill the entire Biltmore dance floor, as people rushed under it to dance with Rich, or held on to the edges to wave it with the enthusiasm of a 3rd grade gym class. There are few concert experiences I've had that spark more joy (to borrow a phrase) than the parachute.
But as I've said before, no amount of "stage show" would be as fun if there weren't the songs to back it up, and Aucoin absolutely has that. From the unbridled exuberance of "Want To Believe" to the melancholic "The Time" and every emotion in between, the show included some of the most uplifting (and catchy) songs about death you will ever hear, including favourites off the new album like “The Middle” and “The Other”.
After a set that completely flew by, Rich brought the night to an end with one last giant singalong, as he started "It" by asking everyone to put their arm around their neighbour, and then wading into the middle of the crowd while urging the audience not to leave it all in their head.
I've joked to people that Rich Aucoin is one of only two musicians who I will voluntarily stand front-row for, and the ONLY one that will get me to actually dance, because the energy at one of his shows is utterly unparalleled. And not just coming from the stage -- he barely stands still even for a moment -- but in the crowd as well. Aucoin has a talent to bring everyone in the room together, not just as a collection of people standing in the same room watching the same show, but a true shared experience.
And don’t forget to check out Christine’s photos here!
setlist
Release
The Base
Undead
The Middle
The Change
The Self
Want To Believe
The Time
Are You Experiencing?
The Other
It