Memphis
Cafe du Nord - May 2, 2007
review by lexicon

I love Torq. I thought I loved Stars, but mainly I just really love Torq (no offense Amy, Chris, and Evan). Torquil Campbell, that is: Male lead of my beloved Stars, half of Memphis, singer, actor, and comedian, petite and spunky, always fashionable, he is the celebrity friend I want most of all.

So, unsurprisingly, the moment I spotted him walking casually across the main floor of Café du Nord, I gasped, involuntarily pointed, and grew a beaming smile - a smile that didn’t leave my face for the next 75 minutes.

"Oh you can turn those waaay down. Even more down. No one needs to see what’s happening up here," he began. Lights adjusted satisfactorily, Memphis (in this case, six or seven 30-something, clean cut, nice looking white guys) slipped easily into their effortless set of dreamy, lyrical pop. Watching them casually unveil one polished song after another was like eating ice cream: easy, smooth, and deeply satisfying.

But let’s get back to what’s important: Torq. Not to undermine the lovely instrumentation by Chris Dumont, but, for me at least, Torq is the one carrying this band – both in music and in performance.

On their most recent release, A Little Place in the Wilderness, which actually has yet to be released stateside, nine of the ten tracks feature words and vocals by Torq. Anyone who knows Stars will recognize the similarity because of Torq's fantastically engaging, breathy voice. It is Torq's touch that defines Memphis’s sound.

On stage, it is Torq's presence that defines the show. And that is a most marvelous thing, because he is a joy to watch. He sings effortlessly, all the while casually swaying and occasionally bouncing about the stage. During more up-tempo songs, he develops a perfectly timed twitch that displays an amazing flexibility in his right knee.

Between songs, he spouts clever little asides. Before "A Ghost Story," he asked if anyone had a ghost story he or she would like to share. Before "The Second Summer," he explained, "This song is about taking drugs. We don’t recommend it but we do think it’s a good idea." There was literally never a dull moment in their set. Nope, nary a pause; it all flowed effortlessly, the music perfect, the banter hilarious.

Effortless. Yes, effortless is a good word for Torq: He exudes a casual confidence right along with his self-deprecating goofiness: "I apologize for my clothing; I didn’t get home in time." (I might add, my friend and I had already commented favorably on his fitted white cargo jacket.)

Oh, did I mention Daniel Handler (a.k.a. Lemony Snicket) was there playing accordion? Well, he was, and he was a joy to watch too – so happy! – and quite accomplished at the accordion. Of course Torq and Lemony Snicket are friends. Of course.

Toward the end of the show, after thanking us warmly yet again (this was done – most genuinely – after each song), looking out into the sparse crowd, Torq declared, "We decided to tour America in a stealthy, unassuming, incompetent way." These were not defensive words; they were Torq, and Memphis, at their collective best: witty, modest, and lovable.

posted May 03, 2007
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