Let it be known: Tegan and Sara Quin are no longer the teenage lesbian twins that you used to listen to in high school. Well, I suppose they’re still lesbians, and there’s no escaping the fact that they’re twins, but these girls have grown up. The last time I saw Tegan and Sara was at the 2008 installment of Sasquatch! Music Festival, and they were a different act entirely. They were obviously talented and had a knack for working a crowd, but the T&S we saw last night were completely transformed.

The girls who were once the capable, fun to watch, indie standouts are now the capable, fun to watch, wizened indie rock veterans. They have completely come into their own as performers, and control the audience with a deftness that only an act who’s been in the game as long as they have can. The difference in maturity level from 2008 to 2010 is immense: they’re now full-fledged vets and they know it, but they manage to maintain the cute and endearing demeanor that they’ve emanated over the years.

After impressive openers Holly Miranda and Steel Train, the Quin sisters came out guns a-blazin’ with Sainthood standout “The Ocean” which immediately led to another Sainthood track, “On Directing”. Tegan then introduced herself and her sister and said, “First we’re gonna play some new songs, then some old songs, then some more new songs, and then we’ll go back to the old songs and then we’ll all have a sleepover and watch movies.” This annunciation received a ballyhoo of cat calls and cheering from the surprisingly homosexual Salt Lake crowd.  It’s not often that homosexuality is praised in the extremely red state of Utah, so it was refreshing to see that lesbian heroes Tegan and Sara could pull them all together.

The ensuing tracks were as promised a blend of old and new including the recently seventeen-times-remixed track “Alligator”. They played fan favorites “The Con”, “Nineteen”, “Walking With A Ghost”, and oldie “Monday Monday Monday”. Sara introduced the latter song by saying, “I wrote this song when most of you were twelve. Just kidding. But seriously. It’s weird. I’m 30. Hope you like older women!!!”

This was the second to last show in their massive North American headlining tour that started back in January, and they acknowledged it. But they showed absolutely no sign of being burnt out. Throughout the rest of the set, they stayed energetic and positive and as Tegan announced that this would be their last song, she added that, “You guys are the kind of crowd that deserves an encore. In fact, you’re the kind of crowd that deserves, like, Sara. We’ll just leave her here with you. She can work at the bank and you guys can stop in for a chat. Maybe she’ll read to you or something. We’ll be back shortly.”

As promised, they returned for a four song encore that included Con hits “Back In Your Head”, “Dark Come Soon” and “Call It Off” and If It Was You highlight “Living Room”. Unfortunately, she didn’t leave her sister behind, as promised.

Tegan and Sara have achieved the status of wise indie rockers who have been around the block, which they illustrated last night in Salt Lake. Their years of hard work and brilliant songwriting have finally paid off at long last.

Setlist:
The Ocean
On Directing
The Cure
Alligator
You Wouldn’t Like Me
I Bet It Stung
The Con
Nineteen
Northshore
Night Watch
Red Belt
Monday Monday Monday
Where Does The Good Go?
Speak Slow
Walking With A Ghost
So Jealous
Hop A Plane
Sentimental Tune
Hell

Encore:
Back In Your Head
Dark Come Soon
Call It Off
Living Room