Courtesy of MySpace.ca

Let’s be blunt: there’s no question that this performer is not aesthetically what audiences expect to see on centre stage, spotlight beaming in on all of his glamorous imperfections. But Shane Koyczan has developed a comfort with himself that few people can pull off; a comfort that both radiates and sucks in the audience, and obliges them to listen to what he has to say: “Fuck physicality, give me some reality!”

Last night at Hugh’s Room, the band performed a sequence of “spoems” (a creative fusion of songs and poems) which could only be described as a mental workout at best. After beguiling us with his passion for words, the audience was left speechless with their complete attention focused on the unique and powerful sound being played before them.

Shane and his band put together an impressive, melodious journey through life as we know it, and life as we sometimes forget to see it: pinpointing issues at large and issues that just affect a boy and a girl rolling around between the sheets. His mixture of stand-up comedy, beat poetry, rap and folk music deserved the standing ovation his band received when the final chord was struck.

If you’re interesting in hearing this spectacular sound for yourself, they’ll be playing their last show in Toronto tomorrow at the Drake Hotel, Wednesday, July 28^th, 2010.

–Caitlin Roberts.