"It's awfully quiet in here!" shouts MasiaOne halfway through her set.

Ah, such is the life of a Toronto performer opening up a concert for an international artist. On last night's bill featuring the criminally sexy Goapele and fellow neo-soul sistas Floetry, rapper MasiaOne was charged with the noble yet thankless task of "warming up the crowd."

When it comes to a Toronto audience, success is often measured by an absence of boos and catcalls. Even the polite applause MasiaOne did receive easily translates into "Hurry up and get off the stage so the headliners can show up!"

But whoever worked the boards at the Phoenix last night gets a big ol' gasface from me. The levels were terrible. They improved (slightly) as the night wore on but it really did a disservice to the performers on stage.

It's a shame, because MasiaOne is actually good. The B-Girl threw down a tight set, showcasing a lyrical versatility that a lot of male emcees would kill to acquire. And with Zaki singing backup (who truly impressed me and sounds just as dope live as she does on her recorded material), there was even more to love.

MasiaOne's set ends and the muted applause ensues. She bows out gracefully and heads to the back.

photo: MasiaOne