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Zeus
The Courthouse June 18, 8 pm
After last night’s show at the Courthouse, Zeus have already outgrown all of the too-easy godly puns. First of all, the venue was perfect: high-ceilinged and probably the only courthouse outside Vegas with a disco ball. The band came on, dapper and perhaps shy at the beginning — or perhaps just aware of their newness to Arts and Crafts and the fact they would have to win over this crowd. They passed around a lovely Rickenbacker guitar, as Mike O’Brien, Carlin Nicholson, and Neil Quin played a bit of musical chairs with their instruments. Each took a crack at the piano, which sounded exceptionally smooth and melodic. Rob Baker’s drumming was a straight and strong backbone, although at one point he had to stop and readjust one of the drumheads. O’Brien was the most mellow presence onstage, his tall figure leaning back with eyes closed, appearing totally blissed out. This lasted until the final song, when they reached an energetic apex that found O’Brien bent over and wrapped around his guitar. Quin seemed shy; his head down with his hair in his face at the guitar and piano. However, he really needn’t have been — his slide solo on the last song was exceptional. Nicholson was a commanding presence, the most eye-catching and grounding of the four, not just because his killer bass lines were the anchor for all of Quin and O’Brien’s melodies. They are all natural singers and the excellent sound at the venue served them well. Their cover of Genesis’ “That’s All,” also available on their new EP, Sounds Like Zeus, deserved to bring the crowd into dancing ecstasy but sadly the crowd was reluctant. An original, “Cornerstones,” was another highlight, as well as a new slower jam. Zeus are clearly primed for considerable success and if their EP didn’t prove it, last night’s show certainly did.
- Sally Walker Hudecki
The Balconies
The Drake Hotel (Underground) June 18, 9 pm
If you think three classically-trained University of Ottawa students would calm down a room and mellow you out, you better think again. With a sound that’s closer to Metric than Mozart on the music spectrum, Ottawa trio The Balconies played a fiery set at The Drake Hotel, drawing crowds of hipsters away from the bar and couches and out onto the dance floor. Opening with one of their newer songs, “Battle Royale,” drummer Liam Jaeger’s pounding bass drum could make your heart shake and cause your feet to involuntarily tap along to the beat. The real treat of the song, and the whole set, was hearing vocalist/guitarist Jacquie Neville’s powerful, soaring vocals, which carried the tune to new heights. Jacquie’s younger brother Steve held up on his end too, sharing lead vocals on songs like “Elephant Lamp” and playing unique bass riffs that held up on their own. When Jacquie wasn’t singing, she stomped around the stage and strummed away furiously on her guitar. Together, they make a fine trio that compliment each other well. The Balconies are truly a band worth experiencing and don’t forget to keep an eye out for their debut LP when its released.
- Jon Brazeau
Mardeen
Rivoli June 18, 9 pm
Mardeen sound like teenagers, which has its upsides and down. They appear very young, but have a lot of energy and some catchy songwriting skills. However, neither the crowd nor the sound were on their side last night at the Rivoli. It was hard to eke out the melodies, lyrics and even the drumbeat from the heavy feedback and too-loud sound quality. Not only that but several songs included at least two guitars (sometimes three) playing the same thing, which, while probably strong on a recording, did not serve Mardeen well at the Rivoli. While they performed well, had a lot of energy (although they seemed very nervous) and had written catchy songs (particularly their original “Two Times Gone”), their occasionally overwrought sound was wrong for the venue. Certainly, they have potential. Too bad the catatonic crowd, uniformly bopping one leg, barely responded to lead singer Jon Pearo’s attempts to engage them. Instead, towards the middle of the set, someone shouted, “tell a joke!”, which was unfortunately followed immediately by the band starting to play a cover of MGMT’s “Kids.” Make of that what you will.
- Sally Walker Hudecki
Oh No Forest Fires
The Drake Hotel (Underground) June 18, 10 pm
Oh no, technical problems? Early into their set, Toronto four-piece Oh No Forest Fires experienced a bit of a setback when Matt Del Buono handed over his bass to guitarist Brock Swanek. Del Buono sat down to jam out with the band on the keyboard and...silence. The band took a breather as singer/guitarist Rajiv Thavanathan kept the audience cool while calling it the “worst thing that’s ever happened to us.” Fortunately, the band was able to get everything together again and didn’t lose any momentum as they continued to rock out. Thavanathan’s face was barely visible – covered in a mess of shaggy, curly black hair and a beard – except for the times, and there were many, when he would thrash around the stage, bobbing his head back and forth and waving his hair all over. In fact, the only times he stood in the same spot twice was when he was either singing (and had to be near the mic) or when he was playing with his guitar pedal. Taking a cue from The Balconies – announcing “this is the first song off of our latest album” - Oh No Forest Fires launched into “It’s Not Fun and Games Unless Someone Loses an Eye” from their album The War On Geometry. If there was a war, it was between the band and the floor of the stage as the stomped, hopped and bounced around. Adam Nimmo was a tad louder than the others on the drums and he made sure he was even louder, crashing away on cymbals and keeping his right foot pounding away on the kick pedal. While the crowd drifted a bit towards the bar and those on the floor remained mostly expressionless while the bobbed their heads, Oh No Forest Fires did their best to ensure their set was a treat.
- Jon Brazeau
The Black Lips
Yonge Dundas Square June 18, 10 pm
Yonge Dundas Square is conveniently located in the heart of Toronto’s shopping district. It’s new, clean, well lit – safe. Nickelback should be playing shows there. Wait, fuck Nickelback. There’s nothing safe about The Black Lips, they should be playing in a hole in the wall with urine-soaked floors. They should be playing at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern. Needless to say, I was disappointed to hear that Atlanta, Georgia’s favourite sons would be playing Yonge Dundas Square. But as I see a trio of guys slugging back cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon, I realized The Black Lips simply needed to share an affinity with their audience for their show to work – and the eclectic crowd standing under overcast skies were ready and willing to go completely nuts. The Black Lips ripped right into their unique flower-punk, garageland style, every song a singalong to the raucous crowd. A mosh pit broke out instantaneously and bodies were thrown in the air, body-surfing with reckless abandon. Ian Saint Pe, not one to dissuade renegade behaviour encourages his audience, “We work. And we get paid. The security guards get paid too. Make ’em work.” That was it, a carte-blanche for an already debaucherous crowd. Two women quickly got on stage so they could make-out to the hoots and hollers of an approving crowd. Other women soon followed and the boys weren’t far behind them. Suddenly, the Lips were playing on what was less a stage than a performance pit. The lo-fi tunes continued on until the security guards put an end to the party by escorting the dancers off stage and eventually physically removing two of the more aggressive broads. The stage was now clear for the larger than life King Khan who, along with BBQ, performed a boisterous and unrelenting lo-fi fit. The Lips-Khan tandem is an unstoppable force. As good as The Black Lips were, the King Khan & BBQ preview left me ready to hightail it over to the Horseshoe Tavern for the King Kahn & BBQ Show’s midnight extravaganza.
- Joe Veroni
Times Neue Roman
Wrongbar June 18, 10 pm
Time Neue Roman won over the crowd early on with their unique blend of electro, hip hop and some rock elements. Alexander The, lyricist of the band, started the show off with a very clever rhyme about having “Shannon for dinner and eating Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which, cheesy innuendo aside, got a lot of people going right off the bat. Their first song was very synth heavy, which had people dancing along and clapping. The time conflict with Kids on TV’s set made Times Neue Roman’s show quite short but some strong points in their set were their ability to engage the audience with their word play and awesome use of drums, synth, and laptop beats.
- Max Mohenu
Ume
Neutral Lounge June 18, 10 pm
Ume lead singer Lauren Larson is a rock and roll monster trapped in the body of a pixie. As she — alongside bandmates Eric Larson and Barrera — stepped on stage at Neutral Lounge, she underwent a distinct transformation from understated indie queen to full-blown, headbanging rock star. While Eric Larson and Barrera held their own admirably, it was Lauren Larson who stole the show. The small Neutral Lounge was nearly full of an eclectic mix of fans jumping along to tracks from the band’s debut EP, be it their ethereal indie pop tunes such as “Sunshower” or their heavier tracks such as “Pendulum.” Larson’s raucous guitar riffs and sultry yet angelic vocals were interspersed with high-pitched, almost mouse-like “thank yous” to the audience, mixing noise and melody to create a truly unique live performance. The showcase was definitely one to talk about and have helped secure Ume’s position as a band to watch this year and into the future.
- Heather Adamo
The United Steel Workers of Montreal
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern June 18, 11 pm
This seven-piece country outfit packed the ’Shoe to the gills and the only way to squeeze in meant sacrificing the view of some poor young lady who just happened to stand behind a perfectly suitable viewing hole. “Sorry ma’am, I’m a journalist.” Not only tight in the audience though, this massive band also made for a tight stage. The quarters were so close, in fact, that the chilling guitar solos had to be performed on the stage right steps. The group changed their sound with each song, moving from hard-driving, bass twirling country tragedy, to religious parody. Two vocalists represented different sides of the band, with scratchy voiced Felicity Hamer covering the more straight-up bluegrass songs, while Gern F chanted like a Southern preacher through an echo box, urging audience members for “Hallelujah!” responses in exchange for “the big ole pie in the sky.” Audience participation is not something one expects from Toronto crowds but on this night they seemed more than eager to oblige. In contrast to the evangelical parody, the next song encouraged audiences to “stick the thumb in your mouth in yer bum, and the thumb in yer bum in yer mouth.” While much of the set’s humour was subtle, this was a perfectly silly lead in to the showcase act of the night.
- Daniel Demois
Kids On TV
Wrongbar June 18, 11 pm
Kids On TV have been known to really put on an amazing show, which is exactly what they did at Wrongbar. They were all wearing Halloween costumes but with a little glitter and glam that made them even more amazing. A crazy dance party started the minute they hit the stage and a lot of NXNE reporters spent more time dancing than actually writing anything. Their set had a lot of fun songs and the crowd was singing along to every word. Kids On TV definitely lived up to their crazy nature and left a lot of the audience ready for more.
- Max Mohenu
Tyvek
Bovine Sex Club June 18, 12 am
Making the drive from Detroit, garage punk trio Tyvek turned lo-fi into a high-energy affair. Guitarist/vocalist Kevin Boyer came across as mix between Lou Barlow and Joey Ramone while singing about girls and strumming away while playing “Sidewalk.” No, that wasn’t a mosh pit at the Bovine, it’s just hard navigating through the narrow club that you’re bound to get an elbow in the back or a foot stepped on (although there was friendly pushing among a few people near the front). When the band turned it up a notch into faster punk territory, the front rows responded by swaying back and forth in key. It was like the band had the crowd under a hypnotic punk spell during songs like “Needles Drop” and “Frustration Rock.” Boyer dedicated his set not only to the other bands playing on the bill but also to Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, who passed away earlier this year. At the end of their set, an exhausted Boyer thanked the audience and wished they all could move to Detroit, which turned the cheering and applauses to friendly boos.
- Jon Brazeau
The King Khan & BBQ Show
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern June 18, 12 am
I’d long since forgiven King Khan for his last Toronto show with The Shrines in which he sung an entire set with a totally shredded voice. The prospect of friend’s The Black Lips showing up before they took off for Baltimore on Friday had me anxiously awaiting a doo-wop garage sweat fest, after all, Khan and BBQ had shown up at the Lips gig only one hour earlier. After 10 minutes of tuning to recreate their albums low-fi garage sound and two minutes of costume change, King Khan & BBQ took the stage in turbans, glitter and gowns. Khan informed the audience if they didn’t dance, the show would end and the crowd immediately kicked into high gear. He made it easy for them, playing his phallic guitar between his legs ala Spinal Tap. Some audience members thrashed around, some shuffled and beatle bobbed, some fainted from the heat. Some were forced to play Khan’s guitar with their head. BBQ’s doo wop singing blended perfectly with that raucous fuzz guitar and the shrieking back ups, making for a nuggets style dance party. Jared Swilley of the Black Lips showed up for a song, as well as Jenna Roker from the The Sunday Sinners. When one of Khan’s guitar strings broke, BBQ performed a song on his own, playing drums, guitar, and singing all at once. If you’ve never seen the man, show up early to Lee’s Palace on Friday so there isn’t some tall douche blocking your view of the seated, one-man band. When the set ended, most of the dehydrated audience piled out of the Shoe, knowing full well that they had probably seen the best show of the weekend already.
- Daniel Demois
PAPAGROOVE
NOW Lounge June 18, 12 am
PAPAGROOVE’s smoldering classic funk was a welcome burst of sunshine in the NOW Lounge at midnight. Their full brass section was in perfect form and lead singer Sebastien Francisque was charming, charismatic and engaging. Their jam-packed sound, traditional shuffling brass section and politically-aware lyrics could hardly fit on the tiny stage, however. Whoever booked them into the narrow NOW Lounge did the band a disservice they mostly overcame. With much of the older crowd dancing (or at least chair-dancing) and Francisque joining them, it was a bright and fun party. However, they deserved a much bigger stage — the guitar and bass players were squished behind the sax players, trumpet, and singer, with the drummer playing in the corner with his shoulders up by his ears. No wonder he stood up near the beginning of the set to smack his sticks together and get everyone into it — he was probably suffocating. However, they were good-natured and the show ultimately overcame this strange impairment. PAPAGROOVE’s sound was literally too big for the stage, and their energy was bursting throughout the place.
- Sally Walker Hudecki
Skydiggers
Lee’s Palace June 18, 12 am
Toronto roots-rock band Skydiggers is well established as a leader in the Canadian music industry, having created MapleMusic Recordings and being active musicians since the early nineties. Their showcase at Lee’s Palace demonstrated both their musical talent and their quirky personalities, resulting in an entertaining experience for fans and new listeners alike. Skydiggers’ live performance felt like hanging out with friends and family in your living room, complete with the uncle who, after a few too many drinks, is likely to be bopping around with a lampshade on his head. These dance moves and on-stage banter from lead singer Andy Maize kept the crowd hooting and hollering, as he recounted life lessons and anecdotes about his choice of pants and appropriate pant length (informing the audience that he was wearing “super duper flares” because “floods aren’t fucking cool!”) The band performed favourites including “Slow Burning Fire” and “A Penny More,” much to the delight of the audience. All in all, Skydiggers stayed true to why their fans love them; they host an authentic and eccentric feel-good time.
- Heather Adamo
The Juan MacLean
Tattoo Rock Parlour June 18, 1 am
The Juan MacLean’s brand of futuristic performance could not have been better suited to the vibe at Tattoo Rock Parlour. From the architectural stainless steel detailing to rainbow lights both on stage and behind the bar, the audience felt as though they could very well have been traveling in our own kind of musical time machine. The band mixed their characteristic synth sound with live drums and percussion instruments of every variety (to tambourines, maracas and everything in between) to formulate an engaging and exciting live performance. Female lead singer Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem had a casual aura of cool that was mesmerizing to watch, choreographing her movements to be precise and accentuate each musical decay and build perfectly. By 1 am, the crowd was ready to party and thoroughly enjoyed each extended instrumental breakdown sequence that the band performed alongside more vocal-oriented tracks such as their single “One Day.” Despite brief monitor issues midway through the performance, The Juan MacLean blended their songs seamlessly together to create the ultimate dance party and a perfectly hipster way to end or begin a Thursday night.
- Heather Adamo
Elliott Brood
Lee’s Palace June 18, 1 am
Impossible to sleep after the Khan/BBQ show, so off to Lee’s Palace for the not so secret show by Elliott Brood. Murder country, alt country, Gothic folk, honky banjo harmonica music; it would be difficult to assign one style to this outfit. Playing ukulele and harmonica simultaneously, lead singer Mark Sasso has a scratchy, booze-soaked wail that can get you dancing or give you the willies. With plenty of people working on Friday, the Palace was thinning out by the time these dance rock country superstars hit the stage. Guests included Six Shooter label mates from the band NQ Arbuckle, who helped with the party song “Write It All Down For You,” which conspicuously sounded like a late Strummer song at times, but the audience ate it up. The consistently changing pace and style of the music was a little bit jarring but at that hour you have to keep the audience shakin’. I arrived at the Palace hoping for a quiet downtime country band to ease me into bedtime mode but what I got was heavy beat country rock that kept my mind and body moving and my stomach hungry for pre-bed pizza.
- Daniel Demois
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