:: Tegan and Sara :: Boulder Theater :: November 3 ::
By Lisa Oshlo
Long the darlings of the indie rock scene, Canadian-born identical twin sister act Tegan and Sara are finally bringing their infectious brand of punky-pop (with a bit of an ’80s edge) back to the Front Range. With five stand-out albums under their collective belt by the age of 26, Tegan and Sara, well…rock.
The girls taught themselves to play guitar at 15 and within two years had used their school’s recording studio to record two albums (Who’s In Your Band? and Play Day). The following year, they won the prestigious Garage Warz music competition in Calgary and started focusing on the band in a big way.
What began as just a sister act eventually evolved to include Ted Gowans on guitar and keyboards, Dan Kelly on bass, and Johnny Five Andrews on drums. The band released their fifth album, The Con, in July, along with a companion DVD.
In a recent interview with The Marquee, Tegan Quinn explained why it made sense to include a DVD with the album. “[The DVD] is a great companion piece to the record,” said Tegan. “It shows how each song was built and how much thought and energy was put into it. It also gives everyone who is a fan of Tegan and Sara and the new record a closer look at us as people. I think our fans tend to connect with us as much as with our music.”
It’s easy to connect with these two on a personal level, as their live performances showcase the girls’ charismatic personalities as much as their catchy, innovative songs. Their music has been described as somewhere between Sleater-Kinney and the Indigo Girls; the lyrics are emotionally mature, but are backed by the kind of breezy pop that the Go-Go’s made famous in the ’80s. The result is aggressive, but feminine.
The new release follows closely on the heels of 2004’s So Jealous, an album that Rolling Stone named one of the 50 Best Albums of the Year. After three full-length, critically acclaimed and fan appreciated albums, So Jealous afforded them some measure of mainstream success and in 2006, Tegan and Sara were nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy) for alternative album of the year.
They took their time with The Con, spending a year writing, demo-ing, and recording its tracks. “Time afforded a lot more room for creativity, and Chris Walla (producer, Death Cab For Cutie) really encouraged Sara and I to record the way we felt most comfortable,” said Tegan. “The songs didn’t really change much from demo to studio, which leaves the record feeling very loose but also very Tegan and Sara.”
They’ve garnered the respect of an impressive list of musicians along the way, picking up opening slots for artists like Neil Young (who gave them their first record deal in early 2000), Rufus Wainright, the Pretenders, Ben Folds, The Killers, Gogol Bordello, Ryan Adams, and Hot Hot Heat. “Ryan Adams would come out and play on four of our songs, and covered an old Tegan and Sara song called ‘Not Tonight’ in his set,” said Tegan. “When a headliner shows so much support for its opening act, it feels like the audience receives them so much more.”
It’s easy to receive what is genuine talent, and that talent has garnered critical acclaim and a solid underground following since its earliest stages.
:: Tegan and Sara ::
:: Boulder Theater :: November 3 ::
Spectate if you Gravitate:
• Rilo Kiley
• Metric
• The Go-Go’s
