[Photos] Paul Weller at the 2008 Toronto Virgin Festival

We found after the Stereophonics set who the lucky few photogs that were going to be able to shoot Oasis were. I was not one of them. Honestly, I was pretty upset. I had traveled a very long way to take photos of my favorite band and it was hard for me to accept that it wasn't going to happen.

Thanks goodness for Paul Weller then. There isn't a single other artist (including my beloved Super Furries) who I would have rather seen at that moment. Readers of this blog know I am a huge Weller fan and I had sky high hopes that his set, the first time I would see him with a full band, would deliver. Boy, did it. He was, quite simply, incredible. Full of vim and vigor of a person half his age (The Modfather turned 50 earlier this year). Standing a few feet away from him while he sang "The Changingman" was a treat that I will carry with me for a long time. He performed a changed up version of "Wild Wood" accompanied by some spare backing arrangement and a pounding drum beat, smoking a cig and giving off attitude the whole time. It was so bad ass. I was enthralled.

He's playing the 9:30 Club tomorrow night and you better believe I will be there. Would not miss it for the world.

[Photo Gallery]
Paul Weller at the 2008 Toronto Virgin Festival