by Jake McKenzie
photo by Shervin Lainez
When Stars co-headlined their debut tour with Broken Social Scene, the two bands traded members back and forth on a nightly basis. Though originally from Toronto, Stars have written and recorded in New York City, Montreal, and they even rented a house in Eastern Townships to live and write together for a month and a half while they developed Set Yourself on Fire. Creating eloquent indie pop-accented tracks with light, narrative lyrics, Stars are like a living love letter with cinematic flare. Stars’ magnetic stage presence combined with a loyal fanbase make seeing their live shows feel like you’re a part of something much bigger than the show itself. Stars try hard to turn their live concert into a positive feeling, sometimes saying things like: “There is a lot of ugliness out there, please stay soft and stay beautiful.” And when they shout out the lyric: “Put your hand up if you ever feel afraid,” be prepared to reach for the sky.
