Montreal indie-pop band, Stars took the sold-out crowd at the 9:30 Club for a trip up to The North. Opening for them were Chicago-band California Wives and the dance machine from Toronto, Diamond Rings.

Opening with the first track off of their latest album The North, “The Theory of Relativity” warmed up the crowd to a dance party, setting the mood for what was in store for the rest of the set. The set featured all but one song from the record but never disappointing in playing the hits that got the crowd to sing-along at the top of their lungs. That’s what happened when Torquil Campbell pulled out his melodica, playing the familiar tune of their most noteable song, “You’re Ex-Lover Is Dead” from 2004′s Set Yourself On Fire or to the back and forth vocals of “Midnight Coward” and “Dead Hearts.”

Continuing with more tracks from The North, Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan stayed true to the romantic/melodramatic live Stars fashion during “Do You Want To Die Together” and “Walls” with Millan shining through her shimmy and shakes during her performances of “Backlines” and “Progress.” The band brought more of back-catalog during their set. From Campbell’s slight singing of “Don’t fuck this up, please don’t fuck this one up” at the beginning of the track “Soft Revolution” or Millan dedicating “Ageless Beauty” to those who have been with them since 2004, to the ever so popular “Elevator Love Letter” from 2003′s Heart, it was safe to say that Stars played a wonderful mix of old and new for everyone at the 9:30 club, in which they called the best club in the US. The crowd cheered for the band as they came back out for an encore, playing “Reunion” and closing with “The 400″, the attention focused on Torquil Campbell and Chris Seligman as Amy Millan sat back by the drums, singing beautiful backing vocals. As the show ended, the band thanked the crowd with genuine happiness, telling us that we [the crowd] played a beautiful show, that without us they would be nothing. It’s a wonderful day when Stars comes to your town.

Setlist:
The Theory of Relativity
Fixed
Song is a Weapon
Ageless Beauty
We Don’t Want Your Body
Through the Mines
Your Ex-Lover is Dead
Do You Want To Die Together
Backlines
Soft Revolution
Lights Changing Colour
Dead Hearts
Elevator Love Letter
Progress
Midnight Coward
Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give it
Take Me To The Riot
Walls
-
Reunion
The 400

California Wives

Diamond Rings

Stars