ANATHEMA - Feeling Optimistic In Toronto!

August 29, 2017, 6 years ago

Jason Hraynyk

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For only the second time in their twenty seven year career, Anathema touched down in Toronto on August 21st. The packed Opera House welcomed the band with open arms and were swiftly taken on a more than two hour career spanning set. The perfectly paced set blended new material from the solid 2017 release The Optimist with selections from the band’s back catalogue. New tracks “Springfield”, “Endless Ways” and “The Optimist” were enthusiastically received and worked well alongside the older material from albums like Alternative 4 and Weather Systems. 

Anathema live is a musical journey that can move you to tears and the next minute have you whipped into a frenzy. Emotional versions of “Lightning Song” and “Dreaming Light” made way to roof raising renditions of “Closer” and “Distant Satellites” the latter with frontman Vincent Cavenagh pounding tribal beats on a drum. With an intimate amount of banter throughout, the band thanked the crowd for their overwhelming support and opportunity to come to North America. They also hinted at a possible return in early 2018 and another chance to be part of a special experience that doesn’t come around often.

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