The Rural Alberta Advantage @ First Avenue 3/25/11 (Concert Review)

When a band starts thanking the crowd before they've even played a song, you know you're in for a special evening. That's exactly what happened with The Rural Alberta Advantage last night at First Avenue. As soon as the screen raised and the trio appeared to a sold out crowd, frontman Nils Edenloff said grinningly, "This is the largest crowd we've ever played to. Even if our Toronto CD release show sells out, there won't be as many people as there are here, so let's call this our CD release show." As the massive crowd cheered in approval, the RAA burst right into the spastic "Luciana," which showcases drummer Paul Banwatt at his most furious. The tenacity at which he manages his kit is remarkable, and that continued into the equally upbeat "Muscle Relaxants," "Rush Apart," and the group's first hit "Don't Haunt This Place."

After a trifecta of songs from the new album, Departing, and another thank you or two from Edenloff (seriously, he had to have thanked the crowd a dozen separate times), the middle of the set found the attention shifting from Banwatt's drumming to Amy Cole's multi-instrumentation. Whether it was the keyboard, the Moog, the percussion or the high-tech xylophone, Cole played them with precision and importance, while also complementing Edenloff's signature nasal delivery with her own understated vocals. While Banwatt and Cole took a brief break, Edenloff jumped into a tame cover of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," that was enjoyable but expected considering it's been a staple of their setlists for years now.

They picked the energy back up with the rabid "Four Night Rider," the blissful "In the Summertime" and the intimate yet in-your-face "Frank, AB," which found much of the crowd singing along. As they closed out the main set with an excellent rendition of their recent hit "Stamp," the crowd grew even more appreciative, and in turn, so did the RAA. As they took their bows and stated "seriously, you guys have no idea how good this feels," the crowd roared and had no problem patting their respective backs. All throughout the night, the RAA seemed to be smiling, truly enjoying what they do and admiring those that come out to see them play. 

The encore began with "North Star," which Edenloff dedicated to the North Stars, prompting a "too soon" or two from the still lively crowd. After the trio caught their breath, they ripped through the crowd-pleasing "Drain the Blood," "Barnes' Yard" (one of the highlights off the new record) and "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge," which Edenloff and Cole bellowed with loving urgency. 

This is when the show would normally end, but after a brief band conference offstage, the RAA jumped back in front of the swelling crowd and declared that they would "do the impossible." Edenloff grabbed his guitar, Cole snagged a tambourine and Banwatt took a single drum as the trio headed to the landing on the stairs on the way up to the bathrooms. Here, after one last gracious thank you, they closed off the night playing the oh-so-quiet and aptly titled "Good Night" to a perfectly attentive crowd (well, after a few people shushed their friends). Edenloff proclaimed that "we've done this every time we've played Minneapolis and can't stop now."

No, no you cannot.

(Note: Opener James Vincent McMorrow seemed equally blown away with the turnout as the RAA. Unfortunately, JVM's subtlety and brazen falsetto had a tough time connecting with a buzzed Friday night crowd. Despite this, he still delivered a gorgeous set, just not at the right time).

Setlist: Luciana / Muscle Relaxants / Rush Apart / Don't Haunt This Place / Tornado / Two Lovers / The Breakup / Eye of the Tiger (Survivor Cover) / The Ballad of the RAA / Four Night Rider / Edmonton / Under the Knife / In the Summertime / Frank, AB / The Deadroads / Stamp / Encore: North Star / Drain The Blood / Barnes' Yard / The Dethbridge in Lethbridge / Good Night