On the second of a two-night stand at Toronto's Kool Haus, Yeah Yeah Yeahs appeared as if the previous night's sold-out performance never happened. While the venue wasn't rammed the way it was on the Tuesday, the overly affectionate city returned for a second show that was certainly close to capacity.
As the trio came on stage and jumped into the contradictorily named "Dull Life," in a vivid aboriginal cloak, Karen O let it be known immediately that the next 80 minutes would be anything but dull. Somehow a massive inflated eyeball behind them was always eclipsed by the singer's signature poses and carbonated aerobics, which dazzled even more when the confetti came raining down.
Covering a gamut of their catalogue, Karen ignited a sea of clapping with an extended version of "Cheated Hearts," blinded the crowd (literally, thanks to the lighting) with their latest single "Heads Will Roll" and inspired a half-naked drunk guy to invade the stage for "Y Control." How she maintains her unbridled enthusiasm night in and night out is anybody's guess, but Karen only managed to stand still twice to hammer home the emotional immensity of their ballads. "Skeletons," which saw a cloud of confetti cover her for the entire song, and for the encore, "Maps" saw Nick Zinner strip down his guitar to an acoustic so that the entire crowd – drunken slobs included – could serenade each other.
Instead of sending home fans all mushy and teary-eyed, though, YYY ended with an adrenaline rush combo of "Honeybear" and "Date with a Night," as Karen bid farewell through a series of orgasmic caterwauls that complemented the riffage seething out of Zinner's Strat. The appreciation felt as though a third night was in order, but Yeah Yeah Yeahs left the city knowing they left their mark for an arena-sized return.
As the trio came on stage and jumped into the contradictorily named "Dull Life," in a vivid aboriginal cloak, Karen O let it be known immediately that the next 80 minutes would be anything but dull. Somehow a massive inflated eyeball behind them was always eclipsed by the singer's signature poses and carbonated aerobics, which dazzled even more when the confetti came raining down.
Covering a gamut of their catalogue, Karen ignited a sea of clapping with an extended version of "Cheated Hearts," blinded the crowd (literally, thanks to the lighting) with their latest single "Heads Will Roll" and inspired a half-naked drunk guy to invade the stage for "Y Control." How she maintains her unbridled enthusiasm night in and night out is anybody's guess, but Karen only managed to stand still twice to hammer home the emotional immensity of their ballads. "Skeletons," which saw a cloud of confetti cover her for the entire song, and for the encore, "Maps" saw Nick Zinner strip down his guitar to an acoustic so that the entire crowd – drunken slobs included – could serenade each other.
Instead of sending home fans all mushy and teary-eyed, though, YYY ended with an adrenaline rush combo of "Honeybear" and "Date with a Night," as Karen bid farewell through a series of orgasmic caterwauls that complemented the riffage seething out of Zinner's Strat. The appreciation felt as though a third night was in order, but Yeah Yeah Yeahs left the city knowing they left their mark for an arena-sized return.
