Mostly still got it
by Wayne on 2019-09-16Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre for the Performing Arts) - TorontoRating: 4 out of 5The (formerly Sony Centre) Meridian Hall is a nice venue. It's been around for decades but still looks very nice, convenient location (near Union station and restaurants), and the sound was good.
If I was going to whine about something is that I'd guess a lot of the 50-70 year old audience probably had sore feet the next day due to standing while watching the bands play on the slanted floor.
Since the show/tour was celebrating music from 40 years ago, one can understand some of the performers have slowed down a step or two.
Three bands was good value for the money, and it allowed the acts to focus on their A-list material.
Berlin was first, they performed their hits and then some. It was a good opener. Terri Nunn, their lead singer, still sounded and looked great. She was lively and interacted with the audience.
OMD was next, and really put on a great show. Andy McCluskey was funny and very active on the stage. The sounded good, my one little complaint was that they played most of their hits except for (one of my favs) Genetic Engineering.
B52s finished the evening, they sounded good. Although I questioned their set order because after a couple of lively starting tunes they really mellowed it down quickly and that seemed too early and too long of a lull. The singer Fred Schneider didn't seem too active at the start of the show and then went off-stage for what seemed to be a long time (versus just staying on the stage when Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson sang).
The biggest complaint I could give (and my friends had the same opinion) is that the billing should have been switched. With 2 of the 3 bands being American, and mainly doing a tour among the US, one can understand the B52s headlined. But in terms of hit songs, OMD probably had a dozen more (at least in Canada) than the gang from Athens, Georgia. In terms of energy and getting the crowd going, OMD did a much better job at it.