Bookending my birthday this year was a pair of concerts, beginning with Beth Orton's appearance in Montreal. This tour was Beth's return from the three-year absence that followed her second album, Central Reservation. It was also a showcase for material from her upcoming release, Daybreaker. Based on the concert, I can say that Daybreaker will live up to the high standards of her first two albums; and I'm very much anticipating its July release.

The venue for this concert was the Cafe Campus, a small club with a very cool vibe. I was pleasantly surpised that I was able to secure a position against the stage, directly in front of the centre mic, where I stayed for the rest of the night.

Dayna Manning opened the night, her vocals and acoustic guitar accompanied by only one player, on electric guitar. I guessed that he was not a regular partner when I saw that he had the chords for each song written out on paper. Nonetheless, his playing (particularly the slide work) accentuated her strong acoustic work and vocals. Dayna's stripped-down sound was a perfect precursor for what was to come.

When Beth took the stage, she proceeded to illustrate that even with a very different dynamic, the acoustic/vocal pairing could be the focus of the show. Her six-piece backing unit comprised electric guitar, stand-up bass (and occasional electric bass), drums, keyboards, violin, and cello. They proved to be the perfect foil for her haunting, powerful vocals. Their musicianship and energy was without fail, while Beth's stage presence ensured that she captivated the audience's attention.

Older songs, such as "Stolen Car," "Pass in Time," "Central Reservation," "Someone's Daughter," and "Sweetest Decline" (false start, missed chord, and all), were even more emotional and beautiful live. The new songs, which made up about half of the set, also came across very well. At times, I was surprised by the musical fierceness of particular stretches of the new material, although that intensity may have been a product of the live setting. On the whole, the songs held the promise that repeated listenings would deliver the same resonance as did those of Trailer Park and Central Reservation.

Having the best position on the floor, with Beth directly in front of me, helped me to lose myself in the music and the night drifted past very quickly. The encore came all too soon; but it ended the concert on a high, with "Blood Red River," another new song, and "Best Bit." (And my positive reaction to the finish is only partially due to the fact that I had a girl ask me to dance through "Blood Red River." Heh.)

Beth Orton's visit to Montreal was a welcome return from one of the most haunting singers in the world; and it left a lot of satisfied fans waiting for daybreak.