Octo-band: Broken Social Scene endures

Sep. 30—Bio Box

—Broken Social Scene

—8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4

—Meow Wolf, 1352 Rufina Circle

—Check for ticket availability; 866-636-9969, meowwolf.com

People attending the Broken Social Scene concert should be prepared for a large crowd — and that's just onstage.

The Canadian indie rock darling's roster fluctuates; the band currently is an eight-piece but has had as many as 12 members on tour at a time. Mainstays Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning created the band's first album, 2001's Feel Good Lost.

By the time the band released its follow-up, the classic You Forgot it in People, the touring lineup had grown to 11 members, hitting audiences with a wave of horns, vocals, and guitars.

The current tour began with back-to-back performances in Vancouver, British Columbia, the only Canadian stop. Canning estimates that his band does better business south of the border.

"Some bands really have this 'Canadian' sound, and it keeps them in Canada," he says. "And I think we're much more interested in making sure that we [succeed in] the country where a good portion of our favorite bands are."

Like early '90s bands My Bloody Valentine, Mudhoney, The Lemonheads, and A Tribe Called Quest.

Canning, 53, says he listened to new music often in his 20s, when he was in other bands. But it's not as much of a draw now.

"When you're that age, you're just devouring music because that's, like, your identity that sets you apart," he says, adding that his "side hustle" of working as a DJ keeps him aware of trends and some new music.

The band's eight current musicians will travel with four crew members in a bus after flying to Vancouver, Canning says. It will be Broken Social Scene's first New Mexico performance.

Pull Quote

Canning isn't road-weary, but a North American bus tour is more his speed at this point.

"Early in your career, you haven't made your mark yet, so you're just so hungry," he says. "It's like, 'Oh! We're going to Japan!' Flash forward 14 years and it's, 'I don't want to go to Japan.'"

These days, Canning sees his job as keeping the band rolling.

"We're all different individuals with different interests," he says of the band. "But we still have this touchstone of Broken Social Scene, which keeps us together for the most part. We all like each other."

You Forgot it in People came out in 2002 in Canada and the following year in the United States, and the current tour marks its 20th anniversary. A special edition is scheduled to be released in the U.S. in June 2023.

A Pitchfork.com reviewer wrote, "You Forgot it in People explodes with song after song of endlessly replayable, perfect pop. For proof, pick virtually any track: the sound barrier-bursting anthem 'Almost Crimes,' the subdued, gossamer 'Looks Just like the Sun,' the Dinosaur Jr-tinted 'Cause = Time,' or the shimmering, Jeff Buckley-esque 'Lover's Spit.'"

The reissued album will have deluxe packaging but no bonus tracks, Canning says, adding that it's important people hear the complete work as it was intended.

"You know, we're not gonna fix what's not broken," Canning says ahead of the band's tour. "That record brought us to an international stage; we're not about to start adding extra songs."

Paying tribute to a 20-year-old album invites introspection, and Canning says the years of touring have opened his eyes to his own good fortune.

"We don't sell millions of records, but we're going into Santa Fe and playing a 400-capacity club that sold out quickly," he says. "I couldn't be more delighted."