Making daydream believers
Stars serenade The Venue with dreamy art-rock soundscapes
Jen Zoratti

You’d think members of a band called ‘Stars’ might have a high opinion of themselves, but these particular Stars are delightfully unpretentious.

Still working to support 2004’s smartly sexy Set Yourself on Fire, Montreal’s Stars kicked off the 2006 leg of their touring schedule here in the ’Peg on Feb. 1, playing to an appreciative, nearly sold-out audience of scenesters of all ages.

Like the hopeful, starry-eyed love child of Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire, Stars displayed a similar knack for creating intricate and sometimes epic art rock, but it’s their knack for storytelling and dazzling lyrics that makes these indie darlings stand out.

Taking the stage in a crushed-velvet jacket, singer/songwriter Torquil Campbell and his band treated the crowd to a loose narrative about heartbreak, sex, love and that one-night stand we all sort of regret. With Campbell telling the tale from the guy’s point of view and vocalist/guitarist Amy Millan’s fragile voice singing the girl’s part, the band offered a unique blend of theatre and the kind of soul-bearing discussions you might have over too much red wine.

From the delicately beautiful Ageless Beauty to the infectious rocker Reunion, Stars delivered all the standouts from Set Yourself on Fire, ending the show the same way they ended the album, with the heartbreakingly pretty Calendar Girl. Nevertheless, it was the lyrically brilliant Life Effects from 2003’s Juno-nominated EP Heart that truly stood out, a sweetly simple indie anthem that kicks your ass and makes you want to cry.

At times, Stars were almost too pensive and it was easy to get lost in their electro-pop lull. Still, they showed us that even daydreaming music can pack a powerful, emotionally charged punch.

Thurston Revival, a genre-confused duo hailing from Vancouver, opened the show, but its smarmy art rock was a poor contrast to the sincerity of the headliner.