Daniel Lanois and Friends
Daniel Lanois and his new band perform at Toronto City Hall as part of the 2010 edition of all-night art happening Nuit Blanche. The set up was pretty cool. 24 screens displayed video art throughout the night, interspersed with live performances by Lanois and company. The audience stood on ramps and platforms above the recessed stage, and watched the performance in the large mirror above the pit or on the video screens that dotted Nathan Philips Square (which included projections into the square’s reflecting pool) as nobody but those in the first line of spectators could see anything. All the technical gear that enabled the performance was above the pit at eye level with the audience, so those who couldn’t see the show directly would see its mechanics in progress, and also got to witness Lanois and his band hanging out between sets in what was essentially an open concept backstage area.