Photos By Catherine Li / Brandon Teed

New Ground

"They've lost some of our bags," said Paul Noonan, Bell X1's front man on a cold, Wednesday night. A rough way to start their first extensive North American tour, the cliché of poor airline service didn't stop Bell X1 from making their inaugural appearance in Toronto. Even though they were a few bags short, Bell managed to bring all that was needed to impress a near capacity crowd at the venerable venue known as El Mo'.

Critically acclaimed from Ireland, Bell X1 managed to cross over to North America at breakneck speeds after one of Noonan's songs was featured on the indie lauchpad television series Grey's Anatomy.

As a result, Flock, their third studio album, was recently released in North America, and judging by the crowd's familiar reactions to older favorites, it's safe to say the audience was filled with long-time followers who were anticipating their first Toronto visit.

El Mocambo provided an intimate backdrop for their hour plus set full of highlights: Flame, Bigger Than Me, Tongue, and I'll See Your Heart And Raise You Mine. And the biggest sign of appreciation from a band experiencing newfound success abroad? They mingled with fans for over an hour, signing autographs, taking pictures, and chatting.

Despite the cold, it's obvious why fans are drawn to their flame.

Setlist:
My First Born For A Song
Bigger Than Me
Reacharound
Next To You
Eve, The Apple Of My Eye
Trampoline
Rocky Took A Lover
Tongue
White Water Song
Bad Skin Day
Alphabet Soup
Flame

Encore:
Lamposts
Snakes and Snakes
Natalie
I'll See Your Heart And Raise You Mine

Videos

Flame

Notable Links

Myspace page
bellx1.com - official site
Bell X1 Letterman Appearance