What would Toto ... hear

Allow me a brief musical interlude. Trust me, it's got a cinematic connection.

Caught The Swell Season at the Ogden Theatre in Denver tonight. It's essentially the stars of the indie romance "Once" -- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova -- but backed by members of Hansard's band The Frames. They played much of the film's soundtrack, but they mixed in a few adroit covers (Van Morrison, The Pixies) as well as a snippet from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Major cool points scored there. Hansard is a brilliant live performer, as clever and self-deprecating as any talented singer-songwriter should be. Irglova proved as enigmatic here as she is in the film, singing lead only a few times and saying little between songs. In fact, the duo barely played up their on-screen romance, a connection which led to a real live affair months later. The two swapped furtive glances, nothing more. Their modest U.S. tour appears to be winding down, but the duo will hit a few major cities in the coming days. (Photo: Hansard and Irglova get to know each other in "Once.")