LimeWire Music Blog

You could say The Stills have gone through a lot since 2000. After issuing an incredible debut album, one guitarist left, a pianist and drummer joined; the band reshifted, and released pretty good second album on a new record label. Then came an even better third album and nonstop touring, which has made them stronger and better than ever. After winning two Juno awards (this year’s ceremony took place in  Vancouver), the boys were back on the West Coast to kick start their short  Canadian tour.

As neon strobes lit the microphone stands, Dave Hamelin approached the single drum and began reliving the days when he was the original drummer as they opened with “Snakecharming The Masses.” While in the darkness, Tim Fletcher bellowed his heart-wrenching vocals across the venue and could barely be seen. As the stage got brighter throughout the show, they continued to mix the set with songs from all three albums and worked through “Lola Stars and Stripes,” “Helicopters,” “Snow In California,” and “Panic.”

After witnessing The Stills perform on several occasions,  their musical progression is obvious.  They are experimenting with more instruments and mixing up their sound from moody, indie kids to rockabilly men. Gone are the days playing one crappy venue to the next. These days, they are playing stadiums and supporting the likes of fellow rockabilly men Kings Of Leon. No wonder they are putting on a stadium-worthy performance tonight. Dipping their guitar heads into the crowd, they know how to please their fans by playing old and new tunes, but I’m sure the locals were simply happy to have the guys back in town. With continuous touring and a growing base of fans, who knows when they will be back.