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 The Kills
@ The Kool Haus, Toronto
Feb. 7, 2012
For those waiting in the bitter cold to enter the Kool Haus to see The Kills again for the second tour of their album, Blood Pressures, it was worth it. For those (such as myself) freezing in line to get into the venue and see them for the first time in Toronto, it was worth it even more.
Having played at The Sound Academy in Toronto last May, The Kills came around this time to the Kool Haus with supporting bands Hunters and Jeff the Brotherhood. If there is anything that all three bands have in common, it’s stage presence. The evening was one full of energy on the stage and in the crowd that had the whole venue jam-packed.
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Hunters opened the night getting the crowd to bob their heads to the beat while they rocked the stage. The chemistry between singer/guitarist Derek Watson, and frontwoman Isabel Almeida definitely got a reaction from the audience, but what struck the crowd most was when Watson crowd surfed while still playing his guitar.
 “That was the first time I’ve ever seen a guitarist crowd surf,” I could hear from behind me in the crowd.
The Nashville brothers, Jake and Jamin Orrall, of Jeff the Brotherhood, had a slightly larger crowd than the act prior to them, but that might have been because they just performed at a later time. Either way, their Psychedelic/Garage sound, along with the smoke machines that accompanied them on stage caught the audience’s attention and built up the energy in the pit. However, what got the crowd really going was when Alison Mosshart of The Kills joined the brothers in their closing song. Seeing Mosshart come on stage before The Kills’ set was a real tease, and it made waiting for the stage crew to set up The Kills’ leopard print backdrop even harder. But the Kool Haus eased the tension by treating the audience to The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind” and “She’s Lost Control” by Joy Division.
By the time The Kills walked on the stage the Kool Haus had reached its capacity limit. Cheering and cameras held up in hopes of snapping a good picture welcomed the band on stage. Though they usually use drum machine for live performances, the duo added two drummers whose playing resembled that of the Blue Man Group. Not only did the added drummers contribute to The Kill’s rhythm, but they had a certain aesthetic appeal that added to the performance as well.
Opening with “No Wow” set the atmosphere for the night – pure Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jamie Hince and Mosshart know how to dominate the stage and their audience. Though Hince usually occupies one spot for the entirety of a show, he managed to strut front-stage while shredding a solo while Mosshart accompanied with rhythm guitar for a couple of songs. However, Mosshart put everyone in a trance while her vocals ranged between Grungy-Garage tracks, to a soulful, heartfelt sound of the Blues. Possibly being one of the greatest frontwomen today, Mosshart can dominate any instrument she plays – from the drums on “Pots and Pans,” to a keyboard solo in “Baby Says.”
Although The Kills were touring for Blood Pressures, their set-list included at least one song from every album. Covers included “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, and The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes” which was performed during the encore.
Engaged and wanting more is how The Kills left their audience. It was a memorable performance with a grungy atmosphere that transcended what the Kool Haus usually doles out. One thing’s for sure, if The Kills tour Blood Pressures a third time, it will still be worth going to see.
– Emily Rivas
 Little City
@ 918 Bathurst
Little City is a tight act with drive. I’ve seen plenty of bands who are capable of putting on an equally solid show. But with ten folks on stage at once… I can’t say I have. I’ve also never felt so helplessly unable to leave the front row. The temptation to step away and grab a drink, join the bathroom queue or shake the hands of attractive strangers was entirely non-existent. Why, you ask? You didn’t ask? I’m telling you anyway. Let me count the ways…
 918 Bathurst is a terrific venue. The band had rented it out for what I can only assume were two reasons. The place is really good looking. It’s a great stage with a terrific backdrop. With the impressive film crew working away behind and above the scenes – Little City wanted to make this show count. That is to say, with it being filmed live, they wanted to make it count more than usual. They had a humungous boom cam! You just don’t waste shit like that. Then, when you take into account the structure itself, and how the sound just shot through the rafters and buried itself in the walls, the ceilings and the fans, this had all the makings of a great show. After one too many performances that have been sullied by mucked up sound and lousy rooms, this show had my attention as soon as I glanced the venue.
Whoever’s booking for Little City sure knows how to put together a bill. The Elwins and Rival Boys were terrific in their own right. I’d rave about them too, but I want to stay on assignment. (Email me to know more about these terrific bands!)
Little City is a front row band. I briefly listened to their set from the back of the 300 capacity room (which they nearly filled), but the stage pulls you in. Slinking and subtly elbowing my way to the front (sorry!) I was turned to jelly. Part of it was getting lost in the strange nameless emotion in singer/multi-instrumentalist Frances Miller’s eyes as she sings, enticing you to search your soul, your ears, the words and her beautiful voice for some sort of connection to whatever it is she’s dialed into. Maybe it’s the child like joy of watching Jordon Axani seriously rock out for a straight hour; or watching Shaun Axani’s more aggressive side creep up on the mic, him toting his guitar into the audience and going nuts. Perhaps it was just piano virtuoso Trevor Kai’s delightful getup! Was it coincidence that it matched his accordion? Part of it is the plain sight of ten folks on stage having a terrific time. It makes you wonder why anybody on earth would ever take up any other occupation – which funny enough, they all do. Beautiful rootsy singer Frances is writing a masters’ thesis, Shaun teaches at a university, bass player Dave Clarke works full time at a studio… the list goes on.
 In an interview Shaun Axani (songwriter) expressed his love of playing live music. He’s only just now getting comfortable with the recording process, which you wouldn’t know by listening to their phenomenal EP. For him, the record exists in order to promote the live show. Artistically speaking anyway. This is the sort of show you go to if you want to hear the songs organically constructed, right in front of you, not simply reproduced verbatim from the record. Their songs have more punch live, more energy. It’s not a matter of whether they’re better or worse live as opposed to being recorded (though the latter is certainly not the case). Both are excellent and uniquely their own sound. They’re just different forms of art, different mediums.
Little City is an eclectic band; I try to use that word in the least snobby way possible, because their music maintains a certain accessibility. Leaving all their more cerebral, deeper qualities aside, they’re just plain fun! Having “stolen the show” at Canadian Music Week last year, the three-year old band is finally gearing up for a tour outside of Ontario and Montreal, so keep an eye out for their East Coast shows (you can find them at LittleCityBand.com) and tell your friends. Don’t miss out! Their new single “Sperry” is available now!
– Anthony Damiao
 Roy Ayers
w/ Ian Kamau &
Bad Bad Not Good
Nu Jazz Festival 2011
@ Mod Club, Nov. 20
Mention the name ‘Roy Ayers’ to any Jazz, Funk, R&B or Hip-Hop head and they’ll be able to tell you just how huge of an impact the musician has had in music.
When word came out that the NuJazz Festival, alongside Manifesto, were bringing the L.A native to the city, musicians and fans alike began counting down the days ‘til the big show. 
Taking place at Toronto’s, Mod Club – despite its large theatre-like style the Mod Club has a way of maintaining a very intimate vibe. Just right for a night of Funk and Jazz.
Hours before the show began while standing in the lobby speaking to the doorman, I happened to catch an unexpected listen of someone from Ayers’ band, if not Ayers himself, belting out some incredible notes from behind the Mod Club’s metal doors which were shut during sound check.
Right then and there any doubt that their show would be anything less than the spectacular sounds that were emanating from behind those doors was instantly shot.
And the anticipation only continued to grow. From the lineup outside where ticket holders quickly began to spiral down the Mod Club ramp onto the sidewalk, to the mere seconds before Mr. Everybody Loves the Sunshine himself took the stage – erupting the platform  with his five piece band – completely sending everyone into a frenzy as he sang with style, wearing a pin-striped suit and hat to match, “We Live in Brooklyn babay… We live in Toronto babay!”
One of the main things that stood out with the entire show, so much so that even Ayers had to mention it, was the audience.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with me was a fairly young crowd – 20 and 30-somethings dancing away, singing along to Ayers’ music word for word, and it was a beautiful sight. It just goes to show that good music is universal, without the thought of age to say any different.
From the DJ to opening acts (Ian Kamau and Bad Bad Not Good) it wasn’t only Ayers who handled the stage with ease as both opening acts had the audience in a serious uproar, engaged and moving.
 Bad Bad not Good and their three-piece selves blew me away with their Jazz covers of Nas’ “The World Is Yours,” Tribe’s “Electric Relaxation,” even Gucci Mane’s “Lemonade.”
Ian Kamau also did a great job with his band, performing songs off his newly released album, One Day Soon, incorporating an element of poetry/spoken word and emceeing to the blend.
I must say that I was really proud of our city that night. Proud of our music, our artists, our culture, and proud of the overall appreciation and respect everyone showed that evening. Not to mention the individuals who helped to tie those aspects together for everyone to experience.
Thank you.
– Xolisa R. Jerome
– Photos by ELMNT
 Mike Field, Lord Bubba NuJazz Project, Jessica and Her Few
@ Waterfalls Indian Tapas & Grill, Nov. 18
NuJazz Festival 2011
Walking into Kensington Market’s, Waterfalls Indian Tapas Bar & Grill, especially on a cold November night in the city, I was immediately faced with a warm, colourful atmosphere set to a dimly lit room of several dining tables adorned with couples  cuddled up against walls, groups of friends laughing over meals and drinks, and spectators sitting solo, completely taken away by the sounds of saxophonist, Elena Kapeleris from the NuJazz Project lead by bassist and band leader, Lord Bubba.
On first glance, standing on the audience side of the venue looking onward as Elena executed through a beautiful solo standing just in front of the stage along side DJ Stutter. Things did look a little chaotic where you had Elena’s music painting a dynamic, yet calming backdrop for our ears, but a busy picture of movement setting a backdrop for the saxophonist, as the Jessica Stuart Few band set up on stage just behind her.
Set up on stage was Nico Dann on drums (who put on a solid performance), Dan Fortin on bass, and an unnamed guest performer who provided vocals and glockenspiel musicianship. The Jessica Stuart Few put on an engaging show, showcasing music from their album, Kid Dream, as well as new music from their upcoming album, Two Sides to Every Story, which is releasing next summer.
What was great was Stuart’s musicianship, she would alternate between her guitar and koto like it was nobody else’s business – charming the crowd alongside her band with full energy,  producing a solid sound.
Now, at this point as the Jessica Stuart Few were performing, I wasn’t aware of the fact that Mike Field had already performed. I found out however after I almost asked Mike himself, who was standing near the entrance, if a table I had scoped out was free – completely mistaking him for a Waterfalls employee! (How incredibly embarrassing for me.)
Luckily enough though, Mike was the coolest and we were able to laugh about the whole mix up, agreeing that him being dressed  ever-so-dashingly (my words not his) in black, made the mistake pretty understandable.
Though we didn’t catch his show, we did get to chat with the trumpeter about his upcoming free performance at Harlem Night Club on December 16th , as well as take a few great shots of him playing his trumpet. What’s better than a one-on-one show!
Once Jessica and her Few wrapped up their performance to an enthusiastic crowd, Lord Bubba and his NuJazz Project took the stage. Though unfortunately, I was unable to stay for his performance, I once again did get an opportunity to speak to the musician about future shows and capture some shots.
 The night was a great one, with amazing musical performances; each highlighting some of Jazz’s various styles with their approach and delivery.
Being that Waterfalls normally does host live Jazz music every week the environment couldn’t have been a better one – with a full house of spectators there to absorb the sounds.
***
On a side note, I would like also like to take the time to include additional information on The Bounce Project who also performed that night, who regrettably I did not get to witness. Listeners can and should take a look though at future gigs the band has planned. You can read more information here.
– Xolisa R. Jerome
– Photos by Magic M.
 Hey Rosetta!
@ The Phoenix
November 26, 2011
Isn’t it always so immensely satisfying when a band lives up to their reputation for playing memorable live performances? Or when a band walks off the stage at the end of the show leaving nothing else for the audience to desire? If I needed to give a brief summation of Hey Rosetta!’s performance Thursday night at the Phoenix, the preceding sentences would be more than sufficient.
Hey Rosetta! played with intensity, adding cathartic moments brimming with emotional sparks. There was a spirited performance by every member of the band. And the audience, evidently, couldn’t be more pleased as they danced to the music and strained their throats to voice their placated appreciation. The music dared everyone to try to avoid being stimulated by it.
Led by frontman Tim Baker, Hey Rosetta! flowed in and out of songs of varying intensity, delicacy, sound, and, most noticeably, volume with a musical deftness not often seen. But it wouldn’t be inconceivable to think that Baker, on his own, could match the same impact as he does playing with five other musicians. Even if people aren’t too fond of Hey Rosetta!’s music, everyone could appreciate Baker’s performance. Think of all of those age-old clichés about giving some task 110 percent, or about giving it all you’ve got, and you will have an idea about the passion Baker brings with him on the road. The singer has impressive emotional and vocal range when he performs, switching from singing delicately to yelling at the top of his lungs, never losing control and hitting every note with awe-inspiring precision.
Hey Rosetta! even pleasantly surprised the audience during the encore by closing the show with a cover of David Bowie’s “Changes,” which was a fantastic way to close a memorable evening.
– Joe F.
 Chad VanGaalen
@ the MOD Club
October 28, 2011
Chad VanGaalen has gone through somewhat of a metamorphosis since he released his third album Soft Airplane (2008), and that metamorphosis has significantly influenced his live performance. Much of what made VanGaalen’s music on that album fresh and intriguing is not taken on the road, but rather left in the studio. This probably influenced the sound on 2011’s Diaper Island, which steers his music away from the fascinating amalgamation of the Folk meets Rock, meets Electronic sound of Soft Airplane and towards a more conventional Alternative Rock sound that dominates his live performances.
 Nowadays, VanGaalen’s music favours an all-too-common upbeat, Dance-Pop sound, which unfortunately is inferior to the sounds of Soft Airplane. Stripped away of the most interesting aspect of his music, Vangaalen’s live shows are just not as interesting as his albums. He put on a decent performance at the MOD club Friday night, and was able to give a good vocal performance without being impeded or thwarted by his sore throat. It was also nice to see Julie Fader come on stage and perform some of my favorite songs from Soft Airplane, like “Molten Light” and “City of Electric Light,” with VanGaalen and his band. But Fader’s appearance was not enough to make me forget that essential pieces of the performance that were missing. I left the MOD club wanting more from VanGaalen’s performance and praying that on his next tour, he makes more of an effort to recreate his wonderfully unique sound, which got him a Polaris Prize nomination and put him on the music map.
– Joe F.
 Charlotte Cornfield
@ The Dakota Tavern, Toronto
October 27, 2011
On October 27th, up-and-coming Folk singer Charlotte Cornfield celebrated the release of her debut album, Two Horses, to an extremely warm and welcoming crowd at Toronto’s Dakota Tavern.
The surprise opening act for the night, originally just listed as “Special Guests,” was the Toronto based trio, The Pinecones. With a band name like “The Pinecones” I was quick to write them off – but it’s safe to say that I’m never going to do that again. With melodious Pop sounds straight from the ‘70s, The Pinecones certainly caught the audience’s attention with their sweet sounds. The Pinecones were such a compelling act that I’ll let slide the fact that their Retro-Pop didn’t really fit with Cornfield’s Folk sound.
As much as The Pinecones rocked the Dakota, nothing could take away from Cornfield’s special celebration of Two Horses. A sense of warmth and support towards Cornfield from the audience, mostly made up of friends and family, was obviously present throughout the night.
All crammed onto the tiny Dakota stage, Cornfield’s band (most of whom are featured on Two Horses), helped to celebrate the night, making it a full-band affair. Cornfield’s album producer and childhood drum teacher, Ryan Granville Martin, was also present on stage, taking his place behind the drums.
The first song of the night, and the first song off the album, “Construction On The Street,” is an energetic tune that was amped up even more for the live show. Fast paced and powerful, Cornfield caught the audience’s attention early with a great opening number. Quieter songs like “Harbord & Grace,” an ode to the Toronto intersection, and “Arc Blues,” remained intimate as the band was not overused.
Propelled by the warmth of the crowd on a monumental night, Cornfield was very calm and full of confidence. Successfully conveying the spirit behind the songs found on the album, Cornfield put her heart behind every one, most notably during “If You Don’t Pursue.”
Along with the new tracks from Two Horses, Cornfield vigorously played songs from her two very well received EPs, It’s Like That Here and Collage Light. Her song selections included a personal favourite, “The Faun.”
Towards the end of the show, the inevitable dull constant chatter of the well-sized bar crowd went quiet as the Dakota seemed to hang on Cornfield’s every word. The Folk singer made an appealing case for her new record and showed that the strengths of Two Horses can translate onto the stage.
Two Horses can be bought here: charlottecornfield.bandcamp.com
– Laura Stanley
 Death From
Above 1979
@ The Sound Academy
October 27, 2011
From within a dense fog of sublimated dry ice, the obscured shapes of Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler of Death From Above 1979 emerged on a Toronto stage for the first time in six years on October 27th. They came out with an abundance of fervent energy, amplifiers turned way up to an eardrum-perforating eleven, and lights programmed to flash bright and fast in a seizure-inducing fashion. The band quickly jumped into the track “Turn it Out” from their album You’re a Woman I’m a Machine (2004), and proceeded to play the majority of that album, along with tracks from their two EPs (Heads Up and Romantic Rights both from 2005). At first, the energy evoked by the band and their songs was infectious; it had me bobbing my head to the beat of Grainger’s blistering drum beats and staring in awe at Keeler’s thrashing basslines.
 But the quality of the show diminished almost as quickly as the curtain of dry-ice dissipated. As entertaining as the show was at first, a show can hardly remain interesting when the two members of the band play the same thrashing style throughout the entire performance. Much of the show was stagnated. Grainger and Keeler played at one speed, one volume and one tone – and thus never diversified the performance for even one song. The only thing that seemed to change was the colour of the lights on the stage. All in all, the performance was unfortunately one-dimensional. This fact was accentuated by Keeler when he responded to the crowd’s “Bass Solo! Bass Solo!” chant by saying, “Every song’s a bass solo!”
– Joe F
 The New Noise Live Showcase #2
Mausoleum and Volcano
with Ostrich Tuning
The Garrison, Toronto
October 13, 2011
The second in their monthly showcase series, The New Noise Live selected Mausoleum, Volcano Playground and Ostrich Tuning to fit their emerging talent criteria. Each bands’ NNL playing card was stacked beside the hand stamp at The Garrison, containing tidbits of information on the back. F.Y.I. -Volcano Playground’s favorite car is a Delorian, and if they could time travel to any era it would be to ‘80s Manchester.
Arriving on time is not always the popular choice when it comes to a ‘doors @ 9’ call, as openers are not usually the main draw for most shows – but NNL might just inspire a change in this, at least on the second Thursday on every month. Why? Well, the band picks they group together for each showcase, although varied in sound, have the perfect amount of cohesive qualities that basically guarantee if you like one band you will like them all.
Toronto’s Ostrich Tuning began the night. With a spread out crowd their too-short set drew people in with its loud but soothing sound. Heavy on guitars, the vocals brought lightness to their haunting hum, especially for the last few songs, where Ami Spears was on the mic.
Volcano Playground brought on a Shoegaze sway as the floor filled up for their set. Dense with Post-punk influences, the layered vocals from Jakub Hladik and Jackie Game are the hook that brings the audience back to the present. The hypnotic track “Waiting” thankfully made their set list (and hopefully always will), which consisted mostly of newer tracks and not enough vocals from Jackie, but really that just cause she will always leave me wanting more.
For the final set, Mausoleum created a wall of Post-punk/New Wave sounds. Although volume levels seemed to keep people at a length from the stage the sound was as clear as it’s ‘70s New York / ‘80s Manchester influence would have asked for. Rich Forbes serious vocal intensity was mesmerizing paired with flawless drumming from a shirtless Sean Dunal. The four-piece’s set was equal parts throwback and progressive development of an oh-so familiar sound – a combination that makes you instantly attached.
At the end of the night – cards collected, ears ringing – I heard someone say, “Well that was three for three,” one of the lucky ones who learned the ‘arrive on time’ clause of The New Noise Live showcase. More people are bound to catch on to that lesson to catch the start-to-finish perfection that will occur at The Garrison on November 10th for The Mark Inside’s long anticipated record release show with Ruby Spirit and Chang-A-Lang.
newnoiselive.com
– Addie Chown
 The New Noise Live Showcase #1
Harlan Pepper
Rivoli, Toronto
September 8, 2011
Arriving at the first showcase by The New Noise Live – a project under the umbrella of Live Nation – there seemed to be something in the air: the feeling of new addictions. On the ticket counter at the back of the Rivoli sat three piles of what seemed like playing cards. Did you ever collect playing cards? I did. Remember when you realized the habit had  started and one just wasn’t enough? That was this night in a playing card (or three).
One card featured Harlan Pepper, another Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose and the other Ben Somer – all the bands featured in this NNL showcase. The marking ‘Showcase #1’ in the bottom right-hand corner, along with their sweet but random band Q&A on the back, suggested this showcase would become a collectors item, and informed me that Harlan Pepper’s celebrity crush is The Coppertone (good choice).
The night  began with Ben Somer and his raspy upbeat folk – a charming solo performance. Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose filled the stage with their six members and literally played musical chairs. These multi-instrumentalists were dazzling with their high-energy soul sound. Especially breathtaking was vocalist Carleigh Aikins – I seriously forgot to breath.
As Harlan Pepper took the stage it was clear that although they may have been carded at the bar, they had every right to be where they were. With sing-along track “Reefer” they drew the crowd near. Their youthful faces were almost confusing  with their sound – that of and old folk-rock soul, but they knew exactly what they were doing.
Their cover The Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil” made me want a recording of their rendition (do it please), and showed the audience where the young men of Harlan Pepper’s old sound has grown from.
The highlight of the night, during a new song with a rockier sound, was when they where two on one guitar – one on the neck and one plucking the strings. After successfully pulling it off, Dan Edmonds smiled into the microphone and said “We practi ced that for an hour.” Well played.
Flyers were at the door for next month showcase at The Garrison – Showcase #2. I’ll be there. Thanks for not leaving us with nothing to look forward to. And yes, I will do what the playing cards say and vote for my favorite NNL player.
Just like that, I’m a collector again.
www.newnoiselive.com
– Addie Chown
photo credit: Diana Kurtzer
 Mother Mother
Sound Academy
September 17 @ 11:00pm
At 11 Polson St., but a few minutes’ walk from the Cirque du Soleil tent, Mother Mother performed a rivalling balancing act. Last Saturday, this Vancouver-based quintet rocked the Sound Academy, a venue with a capacity for over 3000 people, and took on the challenge of pleasing a large and diverse crowd.
The concert opened with a strong indication that the show wasn’t one to be expected: one of their most driving songs, “Hay Loft,” played in a down-tempo, acoustic rendition. It was only a fraction of the length of the original song, leaving fans hanging, but as it was followed by “Chasing It Down,” the craving for a fast-paced rock song was quickly satisfied.
Immediate gratification might have been the idea, as the band powered through songs, as if to give the crowd the biggest bang for its buck. But more than that, it maintained the energetic mood of the night, without punctuating it with silent transitions between songs, or meaningless banter. When Guldemond finally did say a few words to the crowd, he gave a full out speech. With the obligatory shout outs to this city’s hot spots, Guldemond talked of how that Saturday night was a good night, despite how life puts us all through the ringer. It was about the concept of yin and yang, which resonates deeply with this musical act. With this speech, Toronto got to feel personally connected with the band, meanwhile connected with the audience as song upon song were unloaded in an excellently-mixed delivery. It was seamless, even as the five-piece drew upon songs from very different periods of their tenure.
 Throughout the Mother Mother’s history, their records become more and more cohesive. And while their first album, Touch Up (2005), is somewhat disjointed in its own, let alone in relation with the rockier and more electric albums from their catalogue, Mother Mother craftily put together a well-balanced set, drawing on songs, both old and new, electric and acoustic, and even original and modified.
While mainly sticking note-for-note to their original compositions, the Vancouver band added many variations of songs, especially with added guitar solos or breakdown, to get the crowd pumping with Mother Mother music they hadn’t heard. It was a delicate approach, as they surprised fans while not making their tunes unrecognizable. To top it all off, anyone upset with their acoustic treatment of “Hay Loft” was surprised, as by the end of the set, they brought the upbeat song back, determined to finish the song they started acoustically. It was a set-long tease for this single to be virtually forgotten, before being brought back – and with an epic guitar solo tacked on at the end. This was the best example of the thought this rock group puts into their shows. It was like they calculated how to best serve up a mix of what Mother Mother fans wanted to hear and what those fans didn’t know they wanted to hear until they were hearing it.
From inciting the crowd sing-a-longs on “Ghosting,” to the high-energy dancing on “Baby Don’t Dance,” this B.C. band clearly tapped into the hearts of Toronto fans with their calculated and balanced concert. Not immune to the show, I left the venue noticing the afterglow on the other smiling faces. I could only think that, upon discovering the recipe for such a reaction, Mother Mother must have been thinking “Eureka.”
– Robert Vandrish
The Glitch Mob / Phantogram / Com Truise
The Mod Club Theatre
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
The Glitch Mob took over a small chunk of Toronto when taking the stage at College Street’s renowned Mod Club Theatre. Originally slated to perform at 69 Bathurst the venue change was last-minute and a bit confusing. The only explicable reason that the move had occurred is that ticket sales had simply surpassed the capacity at the original club and a larger area was needed to compensate for the crowd. The move proved to be worth the confusion in the end, and fans of the band were more than capable of figuring out the venue switch-up. A smattering of people filed into the  club, not so much a crowd that looked geared to see a concert but more like an assemblage of drinkers, friends and low-key club-goers. The stage revealed only one-third of its area cleared, the back two-thirds lay in quiet chaos with an enormous amount of drop-cloths covering… something big.
Com Truise took the stage with a whimper of an entrance that was only noted at first by a handful of people. Standing behind a tightly crowded series of CPU’s, monitors and an electronic percussion-pad he proceeded to slowly get things moving. Electronic beats and digital loops began filling the hall, all the while escalating as he tweaked and fiddled with his dials. The  set ended with a fizzle as a muffled “thankyoutoronto” (small caps intended) was shyly murmured into the microphone as Com Truise left the stage. Next on the docket was Phantogram. This band typically works as a duo with a sequenced electronic percussion providing the backbeat. However, this tour included a live component with session-drummer Tim Oakley filling in for the computer. Sarah Barthel played with sequenced repeats of her own vocals, filtered through microphones and a midi-system that provides richness to her repeated ‘sound bites’. The live percussion gave the music a raw quality that bounced nicely off of the modern synthed sounds that she created. Filling the final void was Josh Carter’s sharp and pronounced guitar-work and intermittent vocal add-ons. This set became something of a lovely surprise. The energy in the room had quickly grown and the crowd’s response to the music was becoming enthusiastic and upbeat. The combination of the three live components and the electronic core made for a fantastic opening act, one that now seemed aptly chosen to set things up for the headliners.
The Glitch Mob’s entrance was led in by the removal of the canvas drop-cloths, revealing three massive diamond-shaped metallic units that took over the foreground of the stage. Beside and behind each of these lay a crowd-faced touch-pad computer panel and simple drum kit. Something special was about to happen – we just didn’t know exactly what it was yet. Instantly the diamond-shaped monoliths emitted a sequenced light show that began a countdown, all led by a numbered LED sequence coming from the center panel. The timer hit ‘0’ as the three m embers of the band had taken their positions on-stage. All-hell instantly broke out once the first electronic pulse hit the crowd. The intro led into Glitch’s remix of Daft Punk’s “Derezzed,” and from that moment on the night was set in fevered motion. The band played crowd-pleasers from their earlier works, plus some new soon-to-be favourites from their recently released EP, We Can Make the World Stop. The Glitch Mob conveys something truly great in a live performance – something that lacks certain ‘oomph’ within their studio recordings. Pure energy filled the air for their entire twenty-song set (that’s right – twenty songs), and for the duration of their presence everyone’s eyes were glued to the stage. Beat-driven electronica with a remarkably controlled touch-pad rhythmic pace guaranteed non-stop liveliness that evening. The combination of percussive moments with the electronic mayhem that drove the entire session provided an exciting onslaught of live music, all of which was clearly enjoyed by the masses. Finishing with a three-song encore the verbal intro “This track is for those who love grimy bass!” gave way to their electro-nightmare version of “Seven Nation Army”; a track that once again fed the frenzied crowd then dropped them like a wet rag as they left the stage.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or lightweight follower of what The Glitch Mob produces, the massively energetic live performance that these guys put on is one that will suck you in without remorse. Some sound advice – take in all of the studio recordings that The Glitch Mob have made to date and then set your sights for the next live performance. Prepare to become a believer.
Set List:
Intro
Daft Punk - Derezzed Remix
Animus Vox
Warrior Concerto
Fortune Days
We Swarm
Drum Solo
TVOTR - Red Dress Remix
How To Be Eaten By A Woman
Nalepa - Monday Remix
A Dream Within A Dream
Starve The Ego Feed The Soul
Palace Of The Innocents
DSP Solo
Fistful Of Silence
Matty G - West Coast Rocks Remix
STS9 - Beyond Right Now Remix
Encore:
Drive It Like You Stole It
We Can Make the World Stop
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army Remix
— Stephen Lussier
photo credits: David Myrick & Stephen Lussier
 Bravo Presents:
Sam Roberts Band
At the Concert Hall
July 10th, 2011
In the heat and haze of a Sunday afternoon hangover I ventured out to Toronto’s Masonic Temple to catch the Bravo presentation of Sam Roberts Band at The Concert Hall. It’s been just shy of a decade since I first saw Sam Roberts and his band at SARSstock when I was a skinny 15-year-old hopelessly in love with Rock ‘n’ Roll. And since then Roberts’ distinctly driving and homey live-vibe that I remember has only continued to peak with time.
It was something of an intimate affair – as intimate as it could be with the TV cameras rolling. There were maybe 100 people in attendance, but the atmosphere in the room felt incredibly warm, as if everyone was genuinely excited to have come together to take part in this moment with the band.
The interview portion was candid, as there was a great natural dynamic between host Matt Wells and Sam Roberts, who are something of old friends. Offering some insight into the recording of their fourth studio album, Collider – which was released in May of this year under the official moniker “Sam Roberts Band” – Roberts seemed at ease as he thoughtfully recalled the band’s roots and expressed his happiness toward the level of continued success the band has achieved thus far.
The performance portion is sure to be a favorite of fans when the special airs on Tuesday, August the 23rd at 8pm ET on Bravo!. Captured to its absolute fullest for television is that incredible home grown Rock ‘n’ Roll vibe that has become so characteristic of this band.
I’ve been wondering for some time now if there were any more rock bands out there capable of playing their songs bigger and even better live than on the record – and this performance gave me a new sense of hope. Sam Roberts Band is truly a fixture of the modern Canadian musical landscape, and one of the few bands that manage to articulate the essence of life here in Canada in a beautiful and exciting way.
As a lyricist, Roberts has always been a modest poet, never tying up his intensions with pretension, and always sealing every word with a heartfelt sense of conviction. This band has the amazing  ability to take that strange sense of second-best that we often feel as Canadians, and put it to bed. Sam Roberts Band have taken the very fabric that makes them special and have learned to swaddle each of us in it, so that they may pick us up and allow us to journey with them through Canadian landscapes, back through the archives of childhood and family memories, past city buildings that scrape the northern blue skies, through love and fear, across the landmines of our dreams, and forward toward whatever may be.
– Juliette Jagger
 NERO
Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
July 23, 2011
Saturday’s adventure had taken me to the Phoenix Concert Theatre to catch UK big boys NERO bless Torontonians with some well needed bass-therapy. As I got out of the cab I was astonished – I had never seen a lineup outside of a venue stretch so long. Wrapping out the doors, up the street and what seemed to be around the corner as the crowd faded into the darkness of the dimmed Sherbourne Street lights. The tingle up my back was telling me this was going to be huge.
Being a fan of NERO for some time now, I was buzzing with the prospect of finally witnessing a live show. If YouTube links could put chills up my spine, what the hell would be in store for me once the bass rumbles through my chest at close range? When entering the arena Keys ‘n’ Krates were warming up the crowd. Not knowing very much about these cats, I was pleasantly surprised at their stage presence. This trio was definitely stirring up energy, and setup a hot stage for Pretty Lights to take over. The crowd instantly doubled and the second part on the evening had begun. Smashing the crowd with bass, Pretty Lights took over stirring the frenzy of fans to dancing maniacs. Their strong performance was just the beginning of what was to come. After watching Pretty Lights I was momentarily (I stress momentarily) side-tracked from my purpose of being there – I felt like I had just watched the main show. It’s crazy, I know, but I was to be quickly reminded why I was at the Phoenix in the first place – and holy shit what a reminder it was!
After a brief intermission the lights dimmed, and with onstage decks prepped the crowd clawed their way to the front – or as close as they could get. With anticipation climaxing the darkness began to lift and the intro track “Book of Harmony” set fire to the ‘massive’! Nestled nicely in the top level of the Phoenix I was able to catch the show from an amazing vantage point. I witnessed a sea of dancing fans swaying back and forth in unison. Goosebumps quickly formed as NERO sent a wave of bass electricity smashing through the dance. From monster tune to monster tune NERO bass-slapped the crowd and they loved every minute of it. Squealing synth-notes followed by room crushing bass was obviously the common theme here. Tunes included Doctor P‘s “Big Boss,” “Crush On You (Nero Remix) ,” “My Eyes” (from their latest album), and a little Beasties was even thrown into the mix for fun. The excitement and energy radiating off the Phoenix crowd was intoxicating. Sweaty bodies – heads snapping back and forth – arms raised high touching the sky with smiles all around – simply amazing.
Regardless if you knew all the material or not, NERO controlled the pace and gave this crowd a 101 in bass-therapy, but more importantly NERO also gave the masses an amazing performance and something great to remember! This was definitely a show NOT to be missed. Toronto, if you get another chance to see NERO in action – buy that ticket!
– S.G.
 Atmosphere
Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
August 10, 2011
Arriving at the Phoenix it was obvious that the crowd was anxious as they entered, and some of them angry as they were escorted out by security. Earlier this year, Atmosphere, the Minnesota hip-hop group, released The Family Plan, their first LP in three years. But after their 15-plus year career, it was clearly not their only draw for this sold out show.
When the lights came up on the stage there was the scene of a forest as a few stark trees stood behind the four-piece and MC Slug stepped forward. Charming in his air of arrogance Slug didn’t disappoint, with the order to the crowd: “Don’t be a pussy, clap your hands,” during “Guns and Cigarettes” as the crowd sang along to every word.
To follow up a bluesy guitar by Nate Collis accompanied “Just For Show,” off the new album. Fists in the air there was an echo of the lyrics from everyone watching. Afterwards Slug  confessed that he almost didn’t make it to the show, admitting that he’s enjoyed himself a little too much the night before. He seemed like he was enjoying being the brazen guy you either love or hate, but he also seems like the guy wouldn’t care, just as long as you had an opinion.
Many of the new tracks followed. With “Became” the narrative of footprints in the snow, tracked with those of a wolf fit nicely with the setting of trees on the stage’s set. Although it could be a simple story about camping, there is also a dedication to something lost but never forgotten it this story’s tragedy.
 “If You Can Save Me Now” gave focus to Erick Anderson with clear crisp notes on keys. Erick and Nate have been part of the Atmosphere family for a few years and their addition to the two-piece of Slug and DJ Ant is highlighted on the tracks off the new album. Their sounds become part of the tale Slug weaves with its eerie riffs and lends itself to the stories they tell, as they stand in the darkness of a forest this Family created on stage.
– Alison Chown
Photos: Diana Kurtzer
 Handsome Furs
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
August 2, 2011
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern has earned its status not only from years of great music but also for being the hottest venue in town. Literally. But on August 2nd magical air conditioning vents pumped cold air into the audience for the venues’ second Handsome Furs show of the week, which was added after the husband-and-wife two-piece’s August 1st  show sold out.
Opening band Parlovr’s punky pop and tales of moustaches-past charmed the crowd as the heat began to rise. They gushed that the Handsome Furs are, “The most inspiring couple” they know, as the pair, Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry stood not quite front and centre in the audience, catching the end of their opener’s set.
After a quick on-stage prep Dan told the audience, “We are going to have a cigarette and then we are going to play some music.” In the next five minutes the crowd inched forward and the air conditioning became a distant memory.
 “When I Get Back,” the opener of their third and most recent LP, Sound Kapital [album review] , opened their set. The mesmerizing keyboard riff had stiff competition for attention from Alexei’s sparkling outfit and hypnotic movements. I heard one of my male neighbors whisper, “She’s perfect.” Agreed.
After their second song, with sweat flying from the stage, Dan removed his jacket saying he thought he’d make it to the fourth song. Alexei told us her mother had been in the audience the night before and it was “fucking terrifying.” When she told us, “Tonight I’m glad it’s just friends,” it  wasn’t just smitten neighbors that swooned. It seemed like everyone was getting that feeling like they were at the best basement party with soon to be old friends.
It may have been that they were having an amazing time, or that they love Toronto, their “home away from home” (and don’t we all love to hear that), but there was fire on stage as they moved through their set and no one minded as we melted. Alexei stared at Dan during “What About Us,” as she wildly danced to his mournful yet optimistic voice and never missed a key as she moved.
 This being their sendoff from Canada, as they headed to Europe the next day, their night wasn’t about to end with this show. There was the promise of “Black Flag and South African Techno” at their Gladstone DJ set that they were already late for as they returned to the stage for one last song, but it didn’t matter that it was over because everyone was moving with them down the street.
myspace.com/handsomefurs
– Addie Chown
photo credit: Diana Kurtzer
  
 Ottawa Bluesfest
Cage The Elephant
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluesfest Day
July 8, 2011, 7:00 PM
Hunched over in torn jeans and a faded t-shirt, talented wordsmith Matt Schultz delivered his powerful melodies at a near scream. Schultz leaves no energy to spare throughout the performance. While other members of the band are tied to their instruments – blasting out chords and rhythms at machinegun pace – Schultz runs around stage like a man possessed, passing his energy off to the crowd and band alike. Choosing a strong mix of songs off their self-titled debut and their newest release, Thank You, Happy Birthday, the bluesy boys from Kentucky got the strongest reaction from the crowd towards the end of their set by unleashing their most recognizable tunes, “No Rest for the Wicked” and “Shake Me Down.” Schultz took the opportunity to dive into the crowd before returning to stage and tearing a final adrenalin-driving “Sabertooth Tiger.”
– Tom Leclair
Hey Rosetta
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluefest Day 4
July 8, 2011, 9:00 PM
Facing the eager crowd sprawled across the fields of Lebreton Flats, Hey Rosetta kicked off their set with simple acoustic arpeggios accompanied by claps under the fading sun. As the night progressed, the band built energy, shifting dynamics – layering mandolin, cello and piano over their East Coast indie sound – the weather seemed to respond in kind. With the wind and rain picking up Hey Rosetta battled through the elements. Showing little regard for the safety of their instruments and equipment, the band seemed to play with even more intensity as the rain washed over the stage. Mimicking the band’s tenacity, the crowd also held their ground despite the lack of shelter. With the spotlight shining on the rain, and the roaring wind being overpowered with the sound of guitars, violins and cellos blazing, Hey Rosetta powered on for a few more songs before finally succumbing to the elements.
– Tom Leclair
The Black Keys
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluefest Day 4
July 8, 2011, 10:30 PM
As their start time approached it was beginning to look as though The Black Keys might not get a chance to take up the stage at Ottawa Bluesfest at all. Organizers were forced to shut down the stages and postpone the night’s festivities due to high winds and an ungodly amount of rain. Squirming with anticipation, the crowd stood their ground before the rain subsided and the band got a chance to reward the crowds’ patience on the presumably soggy stage. With a noise curfew of 11pm approaching the band wasted no time, changing the mood of the crowd from impatient to enamoured in the first few chords of “Everlasting Light.” As 11pm reared its ugly head, Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach decided to ignore the sound curfew. It was easy to see the passion flowing through the crowd, and the band’s decision turned the show from a potential disappointment into one of the highlights of the entire festival.
– Tom Leclair
Sweet Thing
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluefest Day 5
July 9, 2011, 3:00pm
Immersed in the sunlight of the early afternoon and wearing their finest resort wear, Sweet Thing’s animated performance was well suited to the bright atmosphere. The Toronto band seemed right at home on the large outdoor stage in Ottawa, front man Owen Carrier nearly overflowing with energy as he ran about the stage, making the most out of its size. Despite their early time slot, Sweet Thing drew the attention of many Bluesfest patrons to their stage – making what started as a modest crowd size grow exponentially as their set went on. During an instrumental break late in the set Carrier broke free of the restrictions of the stage to engage the crowd by tossing around a beach ball and dancing his way through the field, making it back to stage just in time to reprise his vocals on “Kite Flight.” Sweet Thing ended the set on a high note, playing up the call and response vocals on the single “Change of Seasons” with a good measure of crowd participation from the completely engrossed crowd.
– Tom Leclair
Rich Aucoin
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluesfest Day 5
July 9, 2011, 5:00pm
As Rich Aucoin and his drummer got their gear set up on stage many faces in the crowd – probably not familiar with Aucoin’s act – looked puzzle as though wondering if Aucoin would be able to command the stage with only two people. Their concerns were quickly silenced by Aucoin’s charisma as he engaged the crowd. In fact, the crowd becomes such a core aspect of the show that they essentially became full-fledged members of the band. The repeating lyrical style of the melodies, and movement-inspiring samples that accompanied them, engaged the crowd, but the highlight of the show was Aucoin’s stage performance. The man was in constant motion, adjusting his instruments, running through the crowd, dancing, and firing off cannons of confetti. At one point a gigantic multi-coloured tarp was pulled out for a game of parachute! It’s the child-like exuberance and fun-loving nature that Aucoin brings to his performance that makes his show so enjoyable to watch. Easily a highlight at Ottawa Bluesfest, and not an act to miss the next time he comes to your town.
– Tom Leclair
The Tragically Hip
Lebreton Flats, Ottawa
Ottawa Bluesfest Day 5
July 9, 2011, 9:30pm
It feels fitting that, on one of the biggest nights of Bluesfest in the nation’s capital, the band often used for describing Canadian musical identity would come in to close the show. Ever professional and clearly eager to play, The Hip began their set just as the final note of Erykah Badu’s performance rang out. The crowd shifted across the field from one stage to the next, surging at an impressive speed for their size, in order to get a good view of the Kingston rock legends. The band never for a moment failed to deliver, playing an incredibly varied selection of songs from their almost three decade-long career. Of course the main focus of the crowd was on the entrancing antics of singer Gordon Downie, with all the quirky dance moves and insatiable energy he is known for. The rest of the band members were no slouches either, displaying a staggering amount of musicianship and never missing a note in any of their classic songs. Offering a consistent stream of top-tier classics throughout the night, The Tragically Hip still managed to pull out the big guns for the finale, ending their set with an aquatically-themed medley of “New Orleans Is Sinking” and “Nautical Disaster.” After wishing the crowd a good night, emphasizing that they drive home safely and not speed, Downie and the boys were called back on stage and played the adrenaline driving “Locked In The Trunk Of A Car.”
– Tom Leclair
 The English Beat
@ Mod Club, Toronto
July 4, 2011
On a hot day in early July the English Beat graced Toronto with their annual appearance. Longing to recapture an ‘80s moment, a full house of mostly 40ish Ska lovers were attracted to the Mod Club. Singer and guitarist Dave Wakeling, the sole original member of the popular British band, tours with a new collective in North America; while his old counter-parts, Ranking Roger and Everett Morton, keep the Beat (UK name) alive in their native homeland.
The idea of an ‘80s nostalgia band regrouping and performing live usually raises a skeptical eyebrow, ‘Oh how sad and desperate is this?’ Happily with the English Beat, this is not the case. Time and age certainly has not inhibited frontman, Wakeling’s talent and ability to stir and get an (mostly) equally aging crowd moving for a good two hour set!
The band played a solid sweaty set which included songs spanning their history from I Just Can’t Stop It (1980), Wha’ppen? (1981), and Special Beat Service (1982), to when the English Beat became General Public after a not so nice parting of ways between the original members. They even threw in a new song, which has yet to be put down on vinyl, called “The Love You Give.”
Given the audience response and participation, they were satisfied to be entertained by the usual suspects: “I Confess,” “Rough Rider,” “Mirror in the Bathroom,” “Tears of a Clown;” and offered up from General Public, “Tenderness” and “Never You Done That.” The English Beat’s audience shows their appreciation by a frenzy of dancing. In between songs, Wakeling bantered with the crowd, exercising his witty humor, which helps to soften the blow of his strong political views. He did this with a disarming charm and the band never resorts to using the stage as a soap box (thank you).
On a darker note, the crowd was not your usual nice, warm, friendly audience that the band usually attracts. Many were really aggressive and just plain rude – and these were middle-aged types! It was unnerving to witness; hopefully it was just the combination of too much heat and beer, not a foreshadowing of future Toronto audiences.
At the end of the night, all was forgiven and forgotten as the English Beat went out with a bang and a room of sweat drenched, tired but happy campers. It is refreshing to see a live band give it their all, and in the process creating a joyous and positive atmosphere. If the English Beat are wary of cranking out the same tunes night after night, one  could never tell. It felt like the first time I ever heard those songs all those years ago and that is a talent that few “revival” bands can boast of. Easy Skankin’
www.Englishbeat.com
www.DaveWakeling.com
– Daria Essop-Lafontaine
Edgefest 2011
 Arkells
(Main Stage)
Moving up from the 1pm slot, then the 2pm slot, the Arkells are now playing a 3pm set at their third Edgefest. By 2016, the band predicts, they will headline the festival. Judging from the way they played at 3pm last Saturday, their estimates seem conservative.
Unleashing some brand new tunes like their latest single “Whistleblowers,” the soulful Hamilton rockers delivered a powerful show. They key to their delivery is how much fun the quintet is having. It’s contagious. And at Downsview Park, the crowd was feeling the upbeat grooves the Arkells laid down. More than one spectator was visibly air drumming to “Oh, The Boss is Coming!,” the band’s amped up breakthrough hit. Upon the breakdown of this song, the band tried to engage the crowd with call and response lyrics, which (partially due to the common assumption that someone else will chant along so there’s no reason to bother) took a few tries. Lead singer Max Kerman’s quip that the 300 people from a show the night before were louder seemed to work. But the Arkells nevertheless signalled in their reinforcements shortly afterwards, as members from Tokyo Police Club, The Reason and Dinosaur Bones were called to join in on the act. Finishing with the keyboard-heavy “John Lennon” and Bryan Adams’ “Run to You,” the indie all-star line-up finished on a high note, placing a high bid to headline the festival by 2016.
– Robert Vandrish
 Monster Truck
(XM Side Stage)
This ’70s rock revival band got to see breasts. Possibly the only two nude pairs of Edgefest 2011. That is how potent Monster Truck’s classic-style blues-infused rock was. Playing the side stage outside at Downsview Park, the band gave the impression of a small taste of what outdoor festivals in the ’70s might have been like. Heavily-riffed songs about pot and girls inspired the audience to smoke more weed and girls to show off, well, their girls. It was a high energy show, drawing dozens of people from the main stage as Tokyo Police Club’s Dave Monks’ recovering voice (he had a sore throat) lost some listeners. Monster Truck is no-frills, no-qualms rock ‘n’ roll. Not too much to think about, but a lot to experience. The band had the crowd easily engaged in the show, as in the most approving manner, some spectators bopped their heads and other removed their brassieres.
– Robert Vandrish
 Rise Against
(Main Stage)
Rise Against put on a brilliant set. Incandescent even. When I say this, I’m talking about the light show. The visuals fit so well with the high energy music that they can hardly be considered a prop. It was light theatre to the tune of punk rock. And as the band played their rhythmically schizophrenic tunes (seriously, most of their choruses follow the formula of either jumping to double or half time), the illuminations synced up, making all those busy moshing miss out on a key element of the show.
The potency of the visuals was largely due to a  wall erected directly behind the musicians. Fiery lights hit this wall, making the front line of musicians seem to be playing on a molten, apocalyptic stage, as their high energy tunes captured the audience. And with the crowd echoing Tim McIlrath’s partially-cataclysmic, partially-inspiring lyrics, it was fitting. For 20,000 people to be so engaged, this says something about Rise Against’s show. Indeed, with a band that invests so much in their creative visual displays, it’s not surprising their musical performance was tight and their efforts to interact with the spectators were observable. The only downside was that McIlrath’s banter is so melodramatic when he tries sets the tone for his emotional songs. But that is a small complaint for an otherwise incandescent show. And when I say this, I’m not just talking about the lights.
– Robert Vandrish
 A Perfect Circle
(Main Stage)
Oh Maynard, why are you so shy? By asking this, I don’t want to make you self-conscious and ruin your progress. I am very impressed you didn’t have your back to the crowd at Edgefest. And your placement at the far end of the stage worked with the drums being set up at the opposite back corner. But that’s a consolation prize; you still have much room left for improvement. Maybe engaging the crowd takes away from your singing abilities? I’d believe it if you told me so. After all, you did sing very well. Bone-chillingly, as your  yells echoed throughout the whole park. Everyone really liked your famous cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” by the way. But realistically, your drummer had more stage presence than you (and you weren’t even playing with Tool!). Nevertheless, you made an improvement by looking in the general direction of the crowd (unlike last Edgefest you played), as you stood on your platform, surveying your fans like an uninvolved god. And your music didn’t suffer. It wasn’t quite like your recorded stuff, but it was well performed. It was a little rawer and at times more ambient – a definite treat for your fans to hear you in this context. But still, you know what would have really turned on your fans (maybe converted many more)? Being a frontman. No matter how well you sing, you can’t be a frontman from the back of the stage.
– Robert Vandrish
 Yeasayer
Phoenix Theatre, Toronto
June 7, 2011
A capacity Phoenix Theatre pulsated with anticipation for the return to the city of one of the biggest indie bands travelling the globe, Yeasayer. But before we could experience the mind-altering affects of the neo-psychedelic Brooklyn trio, we would be treated to a rock solid set from the princes of neo-glam rock, Smith Westerns.
The embarrassingly young Chicago natives flawlessly danced through songs from their brilliant Dye It Blonde and self-titled albums, the crowd in particular coming to life upon hearing “Be My Girl,” “Weekend” and “All Die Young.” Playing a perfect opening set – not too long and full of hits and plenty of energy – they proved to be a great pick for a support band.
Then, after a few minutes wait/bathroom breaks/drink refills, the headliners took to the stage, the three main members and two back up percussionists/multi-instrumentalists in tow. What followed next was an unbelievable 13-song set of world music infused dance pop that left the crowd screaming for more. Working their way through tracks from both of their outstanding LPs, the music wound in and out of the trippy LED light show illuminating the band from the back of the stage.
 Highlights from the set included “Tightrope” (the song the band donated to the Dark Was The Night charity compilation album), “O.N.E.,” and the lead single from their previous album Odd Blood, “Ambling Alp.”
The band also worked through three new songs – “Henrietta,” “Devil And The Deed” and “Demon Road” – all exciting Rick Springfield meets Fleetwood Mac prospects for the band’s next record.
The night closed out with the entire crowd shredding their vocal chords to the “Yeah, yeah, we can all grab at the chance to be handsome farmers…” bridge of “2080” in one of those magical moments when the audience overpowers the band with their enthusiasm.
It was without a doubt the most thrilling live show I’ve seen this year.
– Nathan Wood
Set list:
• Madder Red
• Tightrope
• Henrietta (New Song)
• O.N.E.
• Devil And The Deed (New song)
• Mondegreen
• Rome
• Wait For The Summer
• Grizelda
• Sunrise
• Ambling Alp
Encore:
• Demon Road (New Song)
• 2080
 Damon & Naomi
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
May 24, 2011
Despite a torrential downpour outside, a crowd of around 40 still braved the weather to watch former Galaxie 500 members/indie dream folk veterans, Damon & Naomi for the Toronto leg of their False Beats And True Hearts tour.
With the audience largely choosing to sit at tables and stools, the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern felt more like a classy, intimate jazz lounge rather than the rowdy rock venue that it’s “Legendary” for. As a result it was the perfect setting for the acoustic set that we were there to enjoy.
Openers Amor De Dias got the night off to a great start, playing a beautiful strings-meets-folk set of summer daydream tunes that quickly helped us to forget the flash flooding outside.
A stripped down Damon & Naomi act then took the stage, consisting of just an acoustic guitar, a keyboard and a horn player. For the next 45 minutes the band flowed through a number of tracks mostly from their latest album, as well as some songs from their seven album, 20 year back catalogue.
Both Damon and Naomi’s voices sounded gorgeous and the guitar, keys and horns combination worked perfectly with their harmonies. Meanwhile, Damon’s anecdotes between songs, which explained the lyrics behind each tune, were  utterly charming and helped to increase the already high level of intimacy between audience and performers.
The highlight of the night was when D&M were joined on stage by members of Amor De Dias – their contributions of electric guitar and cello thickening out the performance and filling the Horseshoe with lush, orchestral folk music.
Eventually the set came to a close and we were faced with re-entering the storms outside, but at least we were now drunk with the warmth of the wonderful music of Damon & Naomi and Amor De Dias.
– Nathan Wood
 Crystal Stilts
Sneaky Dee's, Toronto
May 22, 2011
Another in a million-long-list of Brooklyn buzz bands that seemingly pop up for a show in T.O. every couple of days, Crystal Stilts had a sizable crowd ready and waiting when they took to the stage this warm Sunday evening at the infamous nacho bar/music venue, Sneaky Dee's.
Opening act Actual Water were actually awful. Awkward and stiff on stage, they came across extremely amateurish – their songs only seeming to resonate with the fans at the show they'd clearly dragged along themselves. Still, it provided plenty of time for buzz beers before the buzz band.
 Eventually, the refreshingly un-rock 'n' roll-looking Crystal Stilts strode through the crowd and onto the stage, backed by a visual projection that looked like someone gazing at the bark of a tree while tripping on acid. The band tore through a hot set of songs from their excellent second record, In Love With Oblivion, with the guitars, drums, keyboards and bass all teaming together in unison to wash the crowd with sonic waves of noise rock. As they ran through cuts like “Sycamore Tree” and “Silver Sun” the group's strange, Brian Jonestown Massacre-like stage setup (the bassist and guitarist standing side-on rather than facing the audience like the other members – they actually looked crowded up there, hence the BJM reference) also added to their appeal.
If only the vocals weren't completely inaudible. I watched as the sound tech repeatedly walked from behind her mixing board to gauge what the audience was hearing, before returning to her desk to try and correct the problem. Whatever she was doing, though, didn't seem to have any resurrecting effect on the deeply buried vocals. I would normally quip that vocal man Brad Hargett may as well have not even got on stage for all the vocals you could actually understand, however, Hargett's stern, piercing eyes added a stage presence to the overall performance that contributed as much as the psychedelic bark trip behind the band.
In the end, what could/should have been a great show was slowed by a bland warm up act and way too much audible buzz for a buzz band. Better luck next time, Crystal Stilts.
– Nathan Wood
Wildlife
Sneaky Dee’s, Toronto
May 26, 2011
Seconds after taking the the stage Wildlife pick up their instruments and begin layering and building the chords for an atmospheric opening. No words were needed as the stage was set with an affectionate introduction courtesy of opening act Topanga. As the music swells, the crowd begins to look around the stage trying to decipher which song Wildlife was building into. Suddenly, a mustachioed Graham Plant turns to face the crowd, having exchanged guitar for mandolin and wildly strumming the opening chords to “Stand in the Water.” The crowd erupts in recognition, backing frontman Dean Povinsky and bassist Derek Bosomworth in singing the opening lines “Meet me down by the river.” Even after only the first song, the line was blurred between audience members that had just come in seeking shelter from the rain and those who were drenched by trying to keep up with Wildlife’s energetic performance.
To follow up the excitement, Wildlife busted out the guitar driven “When I Get Home.” With even more gusto than the recording, the song kept the crowd in perpetual motion well into the extended outro. As the final chord faded out, Wildlife switched gears into the more mellow “Drunken Heart.” With an emphasis on chanted vocals and powerful, reverberating organ — courtesy of keyboardist Tim Daugulis — Wildlife transformed the upper floor of  Sneaky Dee’s into a spiritual place where those in attendance could commiserate together and partake in the commanding verses. After the shared spiritual experience, Povinsky takes some time to schmooze with the audience over the merits of heckling at a baseball game before drummer Dwayne Christie takes the reigns, leading Wildlife into the upbeat “Matches.” Povinsky’s erratic dancing over the verses inspired a similar reaction in the crowd, giving the repeated line “I will show you how!” added meaning.
Wildlife maintain momentum, rocking forward on with a phenomenal performance of “Sea Dreamer” with Daugulis nearly pulling his keyboard from its stand in all the excitement. The band close their set by once again including the audience in a call and response at the conclusion of “Killing For Fun,” with the combined vocals of the band and audience shaking the concert venue to its core. The band said their farewells to their friends in the audience, new and old, before being summoned back on stage. The band didn’t waste any time getting back into the groove, asking the crowd for the first suggestion that came to their heads. With that suggestion, Wildlife paid homage to The Boss by playing what would be an appropriate summary of the night, Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing In The Dark.”
– Tom Leclair
 Death Cab For Cutie
Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
May 18, 2011
Less than two weeks until their seventh album is to be released, Death Cab For Cutie began their “Underplay Tour” to a sold out crowd at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre.
With smaller-than-usual concert venues scheduled throughout the tour, the band (lead singer and guitarist Ben Gibbard, guitarist and producer extraordinaire Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer, and drummer Jason McGerr) are looking for a more personal and intimate setting for the tour – and that’s certainly what fans got.
In anticipation of songs from the new album, Codes & Keys, excitement began to build in the surprisingly young crowd. And this before the boys even took the stage. Various members of the band have already said that Codes & Keys, is, “A largely guitar-less affair” while the songs are more optimistic and emotional, reflecting their changing lives.
 Fresh from being signed onto Walla’s record label, Trans, and releasing their new album Arrow, The Lonely Forest began the night in fine form.
The voice of lead singer and guitarist John Van Deusen, was hauntingly similar to that of Gibbard’s. With a few notable hits in their short set, the talent that Walla saw was clear as The Lonely Forest turned out to be a very suitable opener. Walla was so impressed with the audience and acknowledged the fact that we knew all the words to their songs. He Tweeted afterwards, “Thank you, Toronto. You all smile so nice.”
When Death Cab For Cutie came on stage, the audience never missed a beat as the guys ploughed through an impressive twenty-four song set. Beginning with the full eight and a half minutes of their first single from Narrow Stairs, “I Will Possess Your Heart,” the musical talent and togetherness of the band was truly astounding.
Covering favourites from all six albums including the huge hits, “Sound of Settling,” “Title & Registration,” “Crooked Teeth,” and the stunning (and a personal favourite) “What Sarah Said” felt fresh and have never sounded better.
Debuting new songs from Codes & Keys, “Underneath the Sycamore,” “Some Boys,” “Codes & Keys,” and the first single from the new album, “You Are a Tourist,” were received with positive reactions.
Death Cab ended the concert with the epic and powerful “Transatlanticism,” the title track from their career changing album Transatlanticism.
For the first show of the tour, the band was far from sounding rusty and besides a few technical problems, the quartet put on a phenomenal show.
Codes & Keys is available May 31.
– Laura Stanley
 The Mark Inside
The Garrison, Toronto
Thursday, May 19th
If Thursday’s the new Friday, you’d never be able to tell by looking around the Garrison on May the 19th. Maybe The Mark Inside simply went on too late for a school night; or maybe the hipster crowd had already escaped the city’s confines for an extended long weekend – whatever the reason, the sparse crowd missed a captivating evening of psychedelic rock. The show was hosted by The Mark Inside, who brought along some friends (The Auras, Sports, The Hoa Hoa’s). Four bands that have a distinctly different take on their genre of choice.
The Auras opened the show to a near-empty house, a shame considering that the young six-piece put on a virtuoso display of psychedelic rock. Unleashing three, and sometimes four guitars (all played with genuine intensity, a beer bottle slide, against a keyboard and at one point with teeth) the unsigned Toronto boys kicked some serious ass with their garage-fuelled psychedelia. Like an amped up Velvet Underground, The Auras rocked big time guitar solos and never let the small crowd affect their inspired and raucous behaviour. Since there was barely anybody watching the show, I know you missed it – but that’s ok, because these guys will surely be playing for years to come.
 Set to a lightshow by General Chaos, The Mark Inside brought their Psych-Surf style of rock on stage and gave an impressive show for the leftover crowd (leftover, that is, from what turned out to be the main draw) Sports. Sports, with their pretty and polished shoe-gaze, may command more fans – but this won’t be the case for long now that The Mark Inside has finally released an EP (produced by Jim Abbiss [Arctic Monkeys]).
With the ferociousness of a punk show, the foursome blasted through their new release, False Flag, and give good reason to keep your ears open for a full-length album. The band was energetic, precise and explosive – rarely does psych rock hit so hard. Despite supporting a debut EP, it’s easy to see that The Mark Inside isn’t new to the scene; their set is tightly woven with precision playing, with no time wasted between songs. They were on a mission, and said mission was to rock the Garrison into submission until the wee hours of the morning. The efforts were not lost on the fans, some of whom noodled their way across and through the dance floor with curiously ambitious dancing.
– Joe Veroni
 Young Widows, Burning Love, My Disco, Ancestors
The Garrison, Toronto
Thursday, May 12, 2011
A half full room awaited the evening’s onslaught from an army of heavy rock acts at The Garrison. The charge was lead by local psycho punk outfit Ancestors, who got the night off to an ear bleeding start. Their heavy guitars and blood curdling vocals riled up the small, yet enthusiastic crowd.
Then came Aussie band My Disco. Touring on the back of their latest album, Little Joy, they lurched and thumped their way through a mesmerising set. Droning and screaming guitars, thundering bass lines and complicated, intricate drum patterns made an intense viewing experience that would ultimately be the best performance of the night.
What came next can only be described as a mistake on behalf of the promoter.  Obviously concerned that My Disco may not have enough drawing power, they made local scream-wank band Burning Love the support act. Their riff heavy, screamo style was completely out of place with the rest of the acts on the night. Also, the lead singer hurling a jug of ice water into the crowd at the start of the set was just fucking stupid. The only positive to be taken from their set was that it was a good time to grab a drink from the bar.
Finally, Kentucky’s post-rock princes Young Widows took to the stage in front of what was now a fairly decent crowd. Illuminated by lights mounted in the heads of their amps, the band looked eerie and evil as they tore through songs from their three records, with tracks from their latest album, In And Out Of  Youth And Lightness, dominating the set list.
However, for all the cool lighting and a long network of fantastic songs to pick to perform, the band never really threw themselves into the music, which turned their set into a ‘going through the motions’ affair. The momentum built by Ancestors and My Disco had been demolished by Burning Love and Young Widows were sadly unable to recapture it.
Hopefully the promoter will rethink their running order next time.
– Nathan Wood
 Neil Young
Massey Hall, Toronto
May 10, 2011
The first of his sold-out, solo, two night stand at the historic Massey Hall, iconic Canadian rocker Neil Young really showed that: “Rock and roll will never die.”
Forty years since Young’s Live at Massey Hall 1971 performance, where he played new songs set to appear on one of his best-selling albums ever, Harvest, Young made his return at the end of his North American tour in support of the Juno award-winning album Le Noise.
A stunning stage set with guitars, two pianos and a beautiful organ (and not to be missed, a large statue of an Aboriginal chief) all basked in low, church-like lighting that transformed the stage into a quiet and intimate practice space.
Cameras were ready to catch every moment of the show, as acclaimed director Jonathan Demme, best known for directing The Silence of the Lambs, filmed his third and final concert film of Mr. Young, the other two being Heart of Gold (2006) and Trunk Show (2009).
Scottish musician Bert Jansch opened the show with his quiet acoustic songs and rough Neil Young-esque voice. Jansch impressed the audience with his guitar work and sheepishly added towards the end of the set: “Thanks for being so quiet and not throwing anything at me.” Not the most exciting opener though, as perhaps a new local folk-musician would have proven better.
As Young came on stage, ready to start an unforgettable night of music, the Toronto audience greeted him with a standing ovation, one of many that night, showing their respect and gratitude for a musician that never forgot where home is.
Beginning the night in classic fashion, reminiscent of the Live at Massey Hall 1971 performance, Young, with harmonica and all, took a seat with his acoustic guitar to play the classic, “Hey Hey, My My [Into the Black].”
Through the rest of his set, Young changed between acoustic and electric guitars, playing politically inspired songs like “Love and War,” from Le Noise while, at times unsuccessfully, putting the intensely loud and rough electric feel that is found throughout the new album, to his classic songs like “Down By The River.”
Despite walking around on stage as if to question what to do next and at one point, talking to the Aboriginal statue, when it came to playing, the 65-year-old rocker didn‘t show his age one bit, rocking as hard as ever to new songs but also classics like “Cinnamon Girl” and “Cortez the Killer.”
Other highlights came as Young sits down to the organ to play a beautiful version of “After the Gold Rush.” And during a lighter moment in the show, Young told the audience that the next song, “Leia,” is for “all the little people that couldn’t be here.” Referring to his grandchildren, Young joked, “but grandpa made it!”
Besides the proverbial jerk in a surprisingly rowdy crowd, who yelled “Neil!” every chance he got, one fan yelled to a rousing applause: “Neil, you are Canada!”
It was a fitting sentiment in a show that revealed the rocker continuing to grow as a musician and a constant staple in Canadian music.
– Laura Stanley
Photo credit: Tom Pandi
 Tame Impala
The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
Sunday May 2, 2011
An almost packed house of hippies, stoners, hipsters, jam-band-fans and Aussie ex-pats filled the Phoenix Theatre for Australian psych-rock revivalists Tame Impala’s largest ever Toronto show – and the young crew of Perth musicians did not disappoint their eager audience.
The band waltzed their way through songs from their smash record Innerspeaker with swirling guitars, pulsating bass lines and drilling drum beats that pushed the venue’s great sound to the best of its abilities. All the while a radar display transformed the sound waves from the band’s instruments into a trippy light show as the stage backdrop – the combination of the two creating an all-encompassing sonic and visual experience that was mesmerizing.
Seeing a band so early in their career receive such rapturous applause from an international crowd, signals what will likely be a long and sprawling career of records and creativity for this group. That being said, they did at times look uncomfortable on stage – especially the rhythm guitarist, whose “I’m fuckin’ one with the music, man” shoe-gaze stance will be something he’ll surely come to look back on and regret when he reaches his late-20s. The interaction from the crowd left a lot to be desired too, with immature rants from the drummer garnering little more than an awkward response from the audience.
In the end this show ended up being quite historical, with the announcement mid-show of Osama Bin Laden’s demise. Which will lead to many people’s answer to the question “Where were you when you found out Bin Laden was killed” to be “Baked outta my brain at a Tame Impala gig.”
– Nathan Wood
Foals, Freelance Whales, The Naked and Famous
Phoenix Concert Theatre
April 30, 2011
The crowd slowly trickles into The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Saturday evening for a sold out triple bill. Milling about with beers in their hands the early bunch happily awaits the epic evening about to unfold.
Though the spectators were sparse as New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous took the stage, the group’s energy seemed to pack the place giving everyone there the satisfaction of knowing that punctuality really does pays off. With songs like “Young Blood” it’s obvious that this band’s future will include later set times and fuller crowds.
Freelance Whales arrived onstage with many more instruments than band members. Unable to contain their excitement they quickly share that it’s frontman Judah Dadone’s birthday. The group’s focused interest is especially charming with the knowledge that, although now very much at home on stage, they have played many subway platforms around their home base of Queens, New York to get where they are now.
Keen and confident, the birthday boy’s cooing whine catches the crowd’s attention with “Generator (First Floor),” as Dadone proves that the banjo can be right at home in an indie rock band; and surprises from the multi-instrumentalists didn’t stop there. Whispers of “What is that?” come from beside me, and were surely echoed through the crowd, as Doris Flynn Cellar haunted us with the sighs of her harmonium. Confused but intrigued, my neighbor describes the instrument as “an accordion you squeeze the wrong way.” Beyond this uncertainty the crowd clearly appreciated how the harmonium complemented the twang of the banjo. In “Generator (Second Floor)” another surprising partnership had the banjo accompanied by a show-stealing glockenspiel played by Kevin Read.
With busy, masterful hands this group seemed to make light work of the birthday celebration. Overall, the low-key nature of the music was a bit of a departure from the spewed energy of The Naked and Famous. Perhaps the lineup was miscast? Still, Dadone and company showed their unique ability to get a crowd to look past the band’s eclectic instruments and just enjoy the music – even if the swaying hypnotism that Freelance Whales inspired would have been better enjoyed with a different pairing.
Then, the energy from earlier in the night returned, filling the Phoenix with anticipation of the headliner. Clearly Foals, a UK foursome, was what everyone was waiting for as opening track “Blue Blood” was almost inaudible through the crowd’s sing-along. Frontman Yannis Philippakis mirrored the fevered excitement of the crowd, and refused to let the stage contain him. Climbing amps Philippakis got himself on top of the awning covering the entrance door (something I’ve never seen in my many years at the Phoenix). The lead singer even found his way to the edge of the balcony – his intention to jump seemed to pass purely for the good of the fans below. And not for a second did all this take away from the energetic performance that was happening on stage, a highlight being the mind-blowing drums from Jack Bevan. Playing other favorites like “Total Life Forever,” the crowd went wild even as the band stayed put. Philippakis even found a moment to ask us if we were voting on Monday. Hopefully the enthusiastic cheer from the crowd was not just to appease him.
Even with the show ending with incredible intensity, the performances of the earlier bands continued to resonate. Hopefully the next time we see any of the evening’s bands they’ll be headliners. And hopefully we all remembered to vote.
– Alison Chown
 Cloud Nothings
The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
April 14, 2011
A tiny crowd (I counted 30) awaited Dylan Baldi and his Cloud Nothings bandmates at the Horseshoe on a cool Thursday night. In fact, it was the sparsest crowd I’d seen at the venue, which is a shame because Cloud Nothing’s pop punk songs are the perfect soundtrack to a packed-out house party – not the mostly empty rock bar they were left to entertain.
The lack of ticket sales, however, didn’t deter the band from bashing the shit out of their instruments and putting on as good a show as they could give for the small legion of fans that huddled together around the stage. In turn, those fans gave back an equal amount of love, loudly applauding and cheerily bantering with Baldi between songs. In fact, the zealousness of the crowd made the room feel a lot fuller than it actually was.
Blasting through 12 songs from the band’s two LPs and single EP, Baldi & Co. raged on stage with the enthusiasm (and appearance) of a bunch of high schoolers performing for their buddies at a local band competition.
But despite the positive overall feeling of the night, it’s probably too early in their career for Cloud Nothings to be headlining a tour. That being said, if the other gigs they have played on this North American tour have been anything like their Toronto show, they’ve definitely made inroads to filling a venue the next time they swing through town.
– Nathan Wood
Photo credit: Nicole Wasilewicz at FREEwilliamsburg
Set List
1. Turning On
2. I’ll Follow You
3. Cool Kid
4. I Don’t Understand
5. Nothing’s Wrong
6. Can’t Stay Awake
7. Even If It Worked Out
8. Oh I Know (New song)
9. If You Forget
10. See recording
11. All The Time
12. Leave You Forever
Reunion Tours Don’t Suck
The Pixies
Massey Hall
March 18, 2011
A sharply dressed, blackberry-wielding, ex-grunger-turned-yuppie audience (a surprisingly high number in thick square spectacle frames and plaid shirts) gathers at Massey Hall on the 22nd anniversary of “the day Doolittle was born” (drummer David Lovering tells us late in the show) to hear the 1989 album played in its entirety, including B-sides from the original tour. The 905er crowd is slightly sauced, anxious, and yes – they’d admit it – over the hill. Reunion shows are a funny thing – it’s a rare juxtaposition of indulgences to see the Pixies, still as raw and loud as ever, playing at a respectably early 9:15pm start time, at perhaps the most elegant and grown-up concert venue in Toronto.
Doolittle followed the seminal Albini-produced Sufer Rosa and secured the Pixies “classic” status, although their fan base probably tripled a few years later when Kurt Cobain touted the band as a major influence on his own songwriting.
With the house lights still on, and ticket holders shuffling to their seats, a large film projection appears on the stage’s backdrop. This is Luis Bunuel’s surrealist classic short Un Chien Andalou (co-produced by Salvador Dali), and the inspiration for “Debaser” (surely even those without film backgrounds can connect the dots when they see the close-up of a woman’s eye being sliced by a razor). It seems an odd way to start a show, especially without the lights down low to pair with the film’s dramatic, creepy images – but given the quirky and often abrasive tone of Pixies shows past, it’s clear that this uncomfortable introduction was deliberate (maybe to separate the real fans from the yuppie posers?).
The Pixies open their set with four B-sides including “Weird At My School” and “Manta Ray,” and follow quickly with a less-than-tight, but emotional performance of “Debaser,” which turns the entire hall feverish. The tracks which earn the best audience response are without a doubt the catchy “Monkey Goes to Heaven,” the aggressive “There Goes My Gun,” and surprisingly, the Spanish-sounding ode to a crazy college roommate, “Crackity Jones.”
 Charles Thompson (known to most Pixies fans as Black Francis, or, in more recent projects, Frank Black) is as bald, round and quietly eccentric as he was during their last reunion tour in 2004. Tonight, for the most part, the band members take on their original and infamous tour stage identities (albeit with light-heartedness); Kim Deal partakes in repartee with the crowd while sporting her signature ear-to-ear grin, lead guitarist Joey Santiago’s expression ranges from confused to constipated as he wails out distorted edge-pop riffs, and Thompson, without a trace of arrogance, relaxes into the same motionless and banter-free performance he has given since 1988.
For a few moments during the show, it seemed possible that these aged Pixies were making fun of their aged Pixies fans. Or maybe they were poking fun at themselves as well. Half-way through the show, Kim addressed the crowd with dead-pan humour: “Uh, hey. Tonight we’re playing all of In Utero.” Later on, at the close of their set, Thompson wore a distinct smirk as he raised his hands overhead, prompting the crowd to follow suit in beat with the music. Upon seeing the crowd clapping along like giddy robots, he and Kim shared an incredulous look from across the stage, and Kim threw her head back in laughter.
However, committed to giving their fans their money’s worth, the Pixies returned to the stage for two lengthy encore sets, which included a slower B-side version of “Wave of Mutilation,” a gorgeous and melancholy cover of Neil Young’s “Winterlong,” and the Surfer Rosa favourite, “Where is My Mind.”
With many successful musical projects under his belt since Trompe le Monde, (If you don’t own any Catholics albums, you’re missing out!) it’s clear that Thompson doesn’t need to do these reunion tours for the excitement or the money. Instead, he seems to be a generous and gentle servant of his fans; while Deal, Lovering (clad in a Rush t-shirt), and Santiago seem happy to participate in the worship. What’s more, they all seem genuinely pleased to finish the show by 11:05 and “go off to bed,” Deal says, as they wind down the night with “Gigantic.”
– Erin Klassen
photo credit: Brian Patterson
 Happy Birthday, Bovine Sex Club
Asexuals
Bovine Sex Club
March 4, 2011
It’s a pretty good crowd for a Friday night birthday party. In fact, The Bovine Sex Club is ram-packed with people who want to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic venue by seeing some bands who helped make the Sex Club what it is today. There’s too many 40-year-olds skanking up a storm on the dance floor (which is a skinny strip reaching from the entrance to the  far back of the club). But tonight you can’t blame them for their limb-flailing attempts at regaining their lost youth, because that’s the whole damn point of a 20th anniversary show – to reminisce and act like you did two decades ago. The drunken dancing fools inspire more 30 and 40-somethings to pour booze down their gullets – shots are being ordered en masse while screams and whoops of approval sound out like it’s a teenager’s first time getting tanked at a show. Everyone’s having one hell of a time, and without question these ex-punkers all remember seeing The Fleshtones, Stark Naked and the evening’s headlining Asexuals in their late-‘80s heyday.
Oddly, Peter Jackson’s remake of King Kong plays on several screens above the Bovine’s bar while Stark Naked fulfil some CanCon regulations by covering “Born to be Wild” (an unintentional, though amusing soundtrack to Kong rampaging through Broadway). It’s nearly impossible to look away from the glowing televisions, as every time I  look at the band, I just see some old guys who don’t quite have it anymore. Musically they’re solid; they hit their notes, hit their queues and deliver an intense show – it’s just difficult to watch some aged punks fake their way through a set. I apologize for this egregious display of ageism.
Luckily the crowd thins out near the stage just long enough for me to get right up front with the serious fans, who look as though they’ve been ready for this show for about the last decade.
Reuniting from busy schedules, John Kastner (vocals), Sean Friesen (guitar), T.J. Collins (bass) and Paul Remington (drums) look at home together on stage and not at all like a band whose original manifestation has been defunct since ’91. Together again, the original line-up perform some hardcore tunes from their first two albums and prove that they can still kick out the jams like they could in their youth.
“We wrote these songs when we were teenagers. A long fucking time ago,” quips Kastner in the middle of the set. But you know what? The foursome plays fast and hard, never sounding or acting like a washed-up group of has-beens. They still believe in their music and lack the contrived feeling of Stark Naked’s set. Post-Asexuals, Kastner went on to front the Doughboys, among other projects – but tonight one wonders what could have been of the underage hardcore band from Montreal.
The band is more than happy to acknowledge that they’ve reunited simply to pay homage to the Bovine, a great Toronto venue that helped give the band their start when they were a small-time Montreal band. The Asexuals used to play any venue that would let them in and print their own flyers to paste around town – they were the epitome of the DIY movement and as a hardcore band fringing the ‘90s, they weighed in at the crossroads of punk and grunge.
The Asexuals finished off their set with a toast to the BSC. The shot was met with cheers and a sense of camaraderie betwixt the club-goers. There’s never been a shortage of alcohol at the Bovine, but this shot surely goes down as one of the more memorable drinks in the club’s 20 year history. The Bovine remains the preeminent Toronto institution for punk and hardcore – and it’s hard to imagine this fact changing any time soon.
Here’s to you – happy twentieth, Bovine.
– Joe Veroni
 Timber Timbre
Trinity St-Paul’s United Church
April 8, 2010
Trinity St-Paul’s Church pews were packed by early evening with a somber crowd awaiting Timber Timbre’s sold out show. The stained-glass windows and the church’s pipe organ were the perfect backdrop for Timber Timbre’s ‘spooky blues’ sound at the premiere show in support of their second album, Creep on Creepin’ On (released April 5th).
With the lights turned low and only the glow of a few warm red construction light bulbs to cast shadows across the stage, the trio opened with the bluesy “Bad Ritual.” With  frontman Taylor Kirk’s standout vocals and a strong piano foundation, this track perfectly showcased how Timber Timbre has evolved since their first album, Timber Timbre (2009), where the sound was more of a constant drone, hauntingly beautiful but hard to connect with.
The slightly more upbeat “Too Old to Die Young,” was a crowd favourite. Less ghostly than the rest of the album and more like a dreamy lullaby, with backup vocals showcasing Timber Timbre’s telltale haunting sound. The audience seemed almost in a trance – as one song ended and the next began the crowd’s applause often ended abruptly so it wouldn’t interrupt the magic on stage.
Building toward the close of the set, “Do I have Power,” showed the ghoulish undertones the group is known for with a sweet but sharp harp, played by Simon Trottier. Every movement on stage needed to be precise and premeditated, since each band member had multiple instruments surrounding them. Mika Posen alternated from violin to keyboard mid-song, often with a mallet in her left hand for bass drum, right  fingers on keys. Trottier pivoted in his seat, reaching over his lapsteel to reach an auto-harp. You might not have even noticed Kirk’s precise pounding foot on the pedal of a bass drum while he effortlessly played guitar, often with eyes closed, lips against the microphone. Apologizing mid-show for not saying much, he explained the “multitasking” on stage was to blame, something all three seemed to do effortlessly. The audience did not seem to mind and were happy to watch this group perform.
At one point, Kirk did notice that one of the red bulbs was off, and quietly uttered “Oh, one second,” half rising to switch it on and when seated again: “That’s better,” demonstrating how aware he is to every detail of his performance.
After an encore of “Trouble Comes Knocking” from their first album, the show was over, just like that. But the spell wasn’t broken, as line-ups at the merch booth proved. I myself was inspired to buy the vinyl, which came in a choice of three colours! (I picked green.)
– Alison Chown
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark
Saturday March 5
Phoenix Concert Theatre
It’s hard to believe that it was 1982 when I first saw Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD). Now it’s 2011 and here they are again, gracing the Toronto audience with their new tour and album, The History of Modern. OMD played a sold out show to their old and young fans alike and what a show it was!
The Phoenix was infused with energy, excitement and anticipation and when all four original members; Andy McClusky, Paul Humphreys, Malcolm Homes and Martin Cooper took to the stage with “New Babies, New Toys” (from History of Modern) it was like being transported back in time. OMD are just as special today as they were when they first broke out with “Electricity.”
Andy McClusky set the pace with high energy, and good spirits emanated from both band and audience who went mad for it. Everyone danced for the entirety of the show, almost two hours of pure pleasure. They followed that with “Messages” and solid hits from their long reign of synth-pop hits and newer songs. OMD triumphantly manages to merge melody and melancholy into a pop song, a skill that has afforded them many hits over their long career.
With age McClusky seemed to have gained a broader vocal range and the new songs sounded more soulful, “Sister Mary Says” is one such song that really works live. The older much loved tunes like: “Enola Gay,” “Electricity” and “Joan of Arc” were warmer and wiser with age. The band, especially McClusky exuded energy and his quirky dance moves (reminiscent of Ian Curtis) could put more youthful people to shame.
My biggest fear was that the synth-pop that was originally way ahead of its time would now sound tired, dated and foolish. These worries were unnecessary as the tracks couldn’t have sounded more modern and the obvious technical skill remained. With maturity comes mastery and a naturalness and joy of entertaining that keeps OMD from being sad and stale. The warmth and ease generated in the room was infectious by nature and drew the usually stoic Toronto crowd out of their shells and into a dancing, sweat soaked fury.
OMD give new electronic-pop bands a run for their money and hopefully something to aspire to. They’re back with a vengeance and hopefully the band will come back to Toronto soon and grace us with their joyful presence. After so many years Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark remain full of fresh promise and hope.
– Daria Essop-Lafontaine
www.omduk.com
Motorhead
Kool Haus, Toronto
February 26, 2011
"Where were you in '79 when the dam began to burst, did you check us out down at the local show? Were you wearing denim, wearing leather? Did you run down to the front? Did you queue for your ticket through the ice and snow?" sang Saxon in their anthemic heavy metal classic "Denim & Leather." The song pays tribute to the fans that made the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene explode in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, giving rise to such metal powerhouses as Iron Maiden and paving the way for metal's domination of the ‘80s. Those lyrics also sum up, literally, the events of February 26th, when thousands of denim and leather-clad metal punters converged on the Kool Haus in Toronto, through the ice and snow, to see one of the founding fathers of metal, Motorhead, who not only preceded and heavily influenced the metal explosion of that day, but long outlived it.
Lemmy Kilmister, Motorhead's legendary front man who enjoys a bigger-than-life reputation, opened the show with his classic growl and the band broke into the fitting introductory song "We are Motorhead." The sold-out crowd was subjected to nothing short of metal mastery. The blistering guitar-work of Phil Campbell, the earthquake aftershock drum-thunder of Mickey Dee and Lemmy's high voltage bronchitis and ‘piano falling down the stairs’ bass stylings made for a memorable night. At 65 Lemmy looks and sounds exactly the same as he did in 1977. This relentless, ferocious set included legendary fist-pumping hymns "The Chase Is Better Than the Catch," "Ace of Spades" and "Overkill" as well as more recent hits "Rock Out" and "Get Back In Line."
The iconic Metalheads played 17 songs in total, non-stop, with Mickey Dee providing the only interlude in the form of an intense drum solo which nearly rivaled John Bonham's classic solo on Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick." This brought the audience to a frothing frenzy, while Lemmy was out having a smoke.
Motorhead is touring in support of their 20th studio album, The World Is Yours, which they dedicated to the late great metal icon Ronnie James Dio. Kilmister is also the star of a recent documentary – Lemmy – and made an appearance in the latest Foo Fighters video. This band won't stop… and why should they? When Motorhead comes around, it's the best show in town.
– Michael Cool
 Akron/Family w/ Delicate Steve
February 20, 2011
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Collective Concerts could not have done a finer job enlisting Delicate Steve to open up for Akron/Family’s February Horseshoe Tavern appearance. Both groups focus more on creating an atmosphere for listeners to bask in than the ordinary single song experience. Expectations of the evening were of hippy-dippy head bobbing and cosmic trance inducing music.
Delicate Steve’s album Wondervisions is an optimistic and tropical treat of guitar work, creating a nice sunny vibe with its dual acoustic/electric guitars, for the most part forgoing lyrics altogether. The guitars are played so high that one could easily confuse them for keyboard/synth work in many instances. Wondervisions almost feels like a collection of well-orchestrated midi files that may in fact be the work of one very delicate man. In actuality Delicate Steve is a five-piece band, featuring two guitarists, one percussionist, an aggressive stand up drummer, and not surprisingly a keyboardist. On this evening in Toronto the group played most of their new album, including “Attitude/Gratitude,” which sounds like a slightly more cosmic, acoustic Zeppelin track. The catchy melodies and computery music vibe easily win the audience over and Delicate Steve proves to be a more enchanting opener than most. While closing with “Butterfly” the lead guitarist struggled with playing the hook properly, but this was just one unfortunate blip in an otherwise impressive set.
After the slightly inexperienced (but ‘keep an eye on them’) vibe of Delicate Steve, Akron/Family’s taking of the stage was a little jarring. To be perfectly honest they seemed too entitled, giving audience members the middle finger and acting a little too cocky for my liking. Even Bono seems graceful compared to these guys. Still, they managed to create some memorable moments. Throughout their hour plus show the family played a good chunk of tracks off their latest album The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT. The group was at their best during softer moments, like the gentle haze inducing “Island.” At this point in the show, the drums crashed like gentle waves and the vocal harmonies of the chorus soared around the Horseshoe. It’s tough to make the sound system at this venue sound great but they did it, for a while.
Never ashamed of their hippy-dippy influences, the group encapsulating experience has always been a goal of the band. There is however something about the hippy movement that always seemed a tad self-indulgent. Akron/Family are a competent, even impressively capable live band, but their drifts into wanking territory squandered that potential, making the experience more enjoyable perhaps for those among the audience that were chemically/herbally affected. More rocking numbers like “So It Goes” were pulled off successfully, though their constant transition from heavy prog-rockers to spacey jam-band made it difficult to maintain a steady level of enjoyment, especially when most of the extended jams evolved into obnoxious noise.
The well paced excitement and beauty of the group’s most recent album makes it a wonderful experience, but on this evening the group (or their setlist) were unable to capture the magic that Akron/Family achieved with the at-home format.
– Daniel Demois
 Das Racist
Revenge of the Douchebags
“Let's have a toast for the douchebags,
Let's have a toast for the assholes,
Let's have a toast for the scumbags,
Every one of them that I know
Let's have a toast for the jerkoffs
That'll never take work off.”
You might wonder why a live review for a Das Racist show would start with a Kanye West quote.
The reason will soon become abundantly clear.
“We don’t have a media list,” says a proto-hipster party organizer, in the voice of a child. “This is my party and no one else is on the list. I have no idea who Michael Kimber is.”
At this point the clad in plaid promoter is only moderately drunk and has only slightly pissed me off. He gives me a cursory look and stumbles back inside, confident in the glory of his barely competent beard and the power of his authority.
I’m at the Wrong Bar to cover the Das Racist show and nothing will stop me. Not even the fact that the promoter is already too drunk to properly read a guest list.
The sober and polite bouncer then checks the guest list and finds my name – but no plus one. My photographer now has to pay for her ticket. The door into the Wrong Bar is translucent glass and according to my photographer hurts quite a bit if you walk directly into it at full speed. I’m asked to touch the two sides of her forehead and decide whether one side is bigger than the other. After determining she doesn’t have a concussion I decide to buy us a drink.
Due to the pain caused by walking into said door and her lack of a comped ticket she decides that photography is too dangerous to attempt at the show.
As I take my first sip I notice that the promoter has taken the stage and is “DJing”.
This means our plaid hero is picking songs from his laptop and pressing play whilst making a lot of impressive gestures with his arms to show his enthusiasm and skill. He has two similarly wasted ladies with him on stage, cheerleading as he picks the songs for his playlist.
It’s 11 o’clock and the Douchebags are in the hyper excited dancing stage of being smashed. We have a lot of hill to go down. This goes on for nearly an hour.
Wrong Bar slowly becomes more claustrophobic as more and more people pay $25 for last minute tickets. Advance tickets were $13 and many people complain about the discrepancy. However it’s our plaid hero’s party, not yours.
The security and bar staff are friendly, polite and more than competent, making for short waits at the bar and door. According to my friend the wait for the female bathroom is short and despite the rumours no one is doing coke in the bathroom. If you hadn’t guessed I have gotten into the part of the review where I describe the parts of the show I enjoyed.
Blake Carrington takes the stage and for a brief moment saves the evening from the clutches of the Douchebags. Blake has a throwback 1980s fade and a mean early ‘90s rhyming style. By this point the venue is jammed pack and for a brief moment the crowd of plaid heroes and stylish beauty queens become a hip hop audience raising their fists and dancing like they showed up late for a music video.
Carrington is one of the rising stars of the Toronto hip hop scene and completely steals the evening. He succeeds in getting the audience more excited about seeing Das Racist then Das Racist managed to do when they were actually seen. Carrington is a hurricane of energy, moving across the stage and holding the audience in his hands. Carrington is young, immensely talented and humble. He is also being video taped by his friends for a YouTube video. By hitting on girls in the front rows he manages to charm a dozen beautiful women onto the stage. They shake what they’re working with while DJ Romeo works magic on the ones and twos. He also manages to get the girls offstage when the song is done. However he can’t manage to get the promoter off stage, who looks as if a long day has finally gotten to him. Our plaid player’s eyes resemble those of a zombie as he constantly raises his arms and half heartedly cosigns Blake’s circus. Sometimes he manages to shout along with the call and responses – but mostly he looks as if he is yawning and desperately trying not to pass out.
Maybe I’ve become petty. It’s his party and he can zombie if he wants to.
Carrington brings his boys “The Smash Brothers” onstage and the duo murders it with high energy raps. Carrington gets the audience to give them a hand and says this, “These boys are getting their start. Everyone has a place where they start. I did. Das Racist did. This is just the beginning.”
I can guarantee that Carrington’s career is just beginning. He is funny, he is incredibly charismatic and he has the skills necessary to make it in the industry.
Das Racist takes the stage and once more the Douchebags threaten to conquer the world. Apparently there is a problem with the microphones and no one quite knows how to deal with the issue. Confusion and grins come from our plaid hero in answer; it’s his party, not his sound system.
Claustrophobia has become a question of personal safety. No one is willing to watch the show from the back. This involves a lot of pushing, which involves dudes falling into my rather petite almost concussed photographer. Elbows are exchanged as dance moves.
Das Racist continues to complain about the microphone levels. Complaining substitutes for crowd interaction.
Soon a new species of Douchebag join the band onstage. There is something about beautiful drunk girls, stages, microphones and yelling the word ‘woooooo’. The problem about this audience is that no one wants to be in the audience. Everyone wants to be a performer, even if they get in the way of the performers playing their set.
You can see that Das Racist are getting more and more tired of the incompetent sound system and spend most of their time not rapping but complaining about the shitty sound. Himanshu Suri looks drunk to the point of hardly being able to stand. To wake himself up he pours half a bottle of water on his own head. He throws the rest of the water on the audience. This encourages the audience to throw back some of their own drinks and cover me and my photographer with liquor. You can hear bass, distortion and the cheers of a crowd very intent on celebrating itself.
I hear that Das Racist are incredible lyricists. However I couldn’t hear any of their lyricism. Good performers can make a good show even with faulty equipment.
Finally after a good half hour of being elbowed and grinded against by unwelcome accidental predators I chose to leave.
Outside someone was videotaping a fight and a security guard was trying to break it up. Several people were trying to get on camera instead of attempting to stop the fight. On the night of the most savage Douchebag triumph in recent history, the most important thing in the scene was to be seen. Scenes were made and common courtesy wasn’t in fashion, while irregular cuts most certainly were.
I left the Wrong Bar and it felt oh so right.
While the plaid hero danced behind the band, the crowd screamed so loud they couldn’t hear the distortion destroying Das Racist’s set. As he made tons of cash despite failing to provide the quality show that had been promised. The show was shitty for everyone who was listened. But at least a lot of people attended and tickets were expensive. Let’s give it up for our plaid hero,
“Let's have a toast for the douchebags,
Let's have a toast for the assholes,
Let's have a toast for the scumbags,
Every one of them that I know
Let's have a toast for the jerkoffs
That'll never take work off.”
-Michael Kimber
 Tokyo Police Club
Kool Haus, Toronto
January 15, 2011
Hours before Tokyo Police Club was set to perform with his band – at 3:30pm, to be exact – lead singer David Monks walked in the front entrance of the Kool Haus wearing a winter coat on his back and a babe on his arm. Within minutes, he and the rest of the band began ensuring their instruments were fit to vindicate their sold out show.
Right then, it was just four skinny men from Newmarket, Ont. rehearsing a few of their radio singles in a largely empty room. There wasn’t much energy to their performance – minimal lighting, no gusto, a show as dry as the ice  emanating from the fog machine – but that would all change come 10:30 that night, when these headliners would dominate that same stage, opening with “Favourite Colour.”
Indeed, the crowd chanted the words of that first tune, “tell me your favourite colour,” both with their mouths and with their loud, multi-coloured band tees on which the lyrics were printed. Fans cheered enthusiastically, as if the 40-minute wait between these headliners and their opening act Two Door Cinema Club, were being rewarded. A hit single followed, “Nature of the Experiment,” which helped further reheat the crowd after it endured such a long, bureaucratic-like time in concert limbo.
Still, Tokyo Police Club never managed to get the same response as the openers who came from Ireland to join them on tour. Both acts spawned dancers and crowd surfers, but the Irish group seemed to have inspired more. Perhaps it was because they were much more mobile on stage, as they played their brand of ambient dance pop. But, to be fair, the Ontario band had a handicap; all the members of Tokyo Police Club are chained to the instruments that give them the distinct sound that draws fans to their concerts.
Drummers are always seated behind the kit and there was nothing Greg Alsop could do to escape the limits of that position. Meanwhile, vocalist/bassist Monks could only move around the stage when he wasn’t singing; Josh Hook often had his feet working his effect pedals to get the right sounds; and Graham Wright, the guy who plays the keyboard, second guitar, tambourine and even the sample pad that blessed their recent single, “Bambi,” with its unique, slightly abrasive, hook, was somehow the most mobile of the four.
This is the problem the band faced in Toronto, and will likely always face with their live shows.
Yet despite this handicap, the group rocked the Haus by compensating with a flawlessly-performed set, a great lightshow and a masterful harnessing of crowd involvement. Monks even demanded of the spectators a “Ph.D-level of clapping,” a rhythmic counterpoint to the keyboardist’s playing. Thus, the audience became a simple part of the music, which not only enhanced the sound, but the crowd’s attitude, as well. In addition, the audience’s transition from participatory clapping to an ovation style of clapping was seamless.
They cheered a particularly loud for the radio hits, like “Bambi,” which, like almost all the other tunes, sounded the same as on record or air waves. Even the riff for this single, which Wright told me was created from a slow, guitar lick on a vlog the band recorded in New York years ago, sounded like the recording.
With a 45-minute set, Tokyo Police Club had finished their concert, that is, before reemerging for a three-song encore. First, Monks came out with an acoustic guitar, playing “Favourite Food,” before trading it for his bass once the band joined in on the song. Second, “Cheer It On” rang through the venue. And finally, after inviting Two Door Cinema Club to perform The Strokes’ hit, “Last Nite,” with them, the artists completed its denouement.
By 11:30pm, their potent hour-long set was over. For the audience, this meant a long line up to escape the only exit of the Kool Haus. For the band, however, this meant getting ready for a six-hour drive to Montreal the next day. But first, they were going to party like rock stars. That’s right: they were going bowling.
-Robert Vandrish
Russian Hats & Rap,
Aceyalone and Cale Sampson
The Drake Hotel
January 14, 2011
 On the bus on the way to see Aceyalone, I see a homeless man attempt to make a new friend.
“Nice hat,” says the homeless man.
The beautiful bar star laughs, her brown hair covered by a Russian style flap hat. “Thanks.”
“Are you Russian? I’m from Canada. Newfoundland. Do you know where that is?”
“I’m Canadian, actually. I’ve been to Newfoundland.”
“That’s one hell of a hat. Is it colder here than in Russia?”
We stop at Queen Street, the girl, the homeless man and I get out.
“I’d have a drink with you but I’m going to rehab on Monday,” says the homeless man.
“Sounds like a good idea,” she replies.
He turns to the left and enters an art gallery opening.
Which leaves me and the Russian hat walking towards the concert. I ponder how I would bridge the gap between myself and the pretty girl. I contemplate asking her if she is Russian, hoping to provoke that laugh that comes from sharing an awkward experience and somehow being above it. Instead she drifts into the distance.
But the Russian hats follow me.
The security guards at the Drake Hotel both have them. 
I think of bringing this up but decide to duck into the venue instead. I’ve arrived a half hour early and there are a bunch of 45 year olds waiting for the show to start. I decide to read a little Hunter Thompson, expecting that 25 minutes early for the supposed start time of the show will become two hours. After all, hip-hop never starts on time.
More Russian hats appear. I struggle to think of some line that would connect me to the room full of strangers. I haven’t smoked weed in a year and thus lack the starry-eyed friendliness that allowed me to make strangers into friends. Should I make a comment on all the Russian hats? Would that make us all best friends?
CALE SAMPSON
I’m wrong about the show starting late. By 9:05 Cale Sampson is onstage. His rhymes are from the heart, laden with multi-syllabics about his experiences and views on the world. I wince when I hear a chorus that says something along the lines: “I’m going to, I’m going to, live up to my potential.” I hate when rappers sound like motivational speakers but his energy is infectious and I decide to go with it.
Pretty girls are dancing, free shots of Jager are circulating and the beats are slamming. I’m also dancing and trying not to give into my temptation to indulge in the white man’s overbite. The white man’s overbite is the act of biting into your lip while dancing which for some reason is supposed to make you look as if you aren’t taking yourself seriously and are especially cool as a result.
Sampson is more focused on the video crew taping his performance than the audience in front of him. Every two minutes he gets to his knees and raps directly into the camera. Several people are capturing the show with their phones. It’s strange when you get the sense that people go to shows to see themselves on YouTube afterwards.
Sampson is best when he rhymes about his love of rap because it’s clear that he is a die-hard fan who takes his craft seriously. His song about the golden era of hip-hop from “94-96” is filled with clever wordplay, well chosen hip-hop references and fresh flow. His double time song titled “Phenomenal Flow” has an interesting call and response that gets the crowd shouting along with him.
The low point in the performance came when Sampson decided to rap about the Iraq War and world wide banking conspiracies. His conscious rhymes were without context and amounted to three minutes describing war as bad without giving the audience much in the way of food for thought or a deeper understanding of the situations he was describing. Upon researching online I found another track he did on the Iraq war that was significantly more interesting and showed that he also put thought behind his passion.
 ACEYALONE
I was hoping that west coast rap legend Aceyalone would be wearing a Russian cap. He wasn’t. Several people in the audience were. And when Aceyalone took to the stage there were a lot of Russian hats bobbing to the beat. His crowd interaction was on point and his delivery was pitch perfect. When he rhymes quickly you can hear every single word he is saying and his choruses have the crowd shouting along. He has the dialed in skill of a master performer. A founding member of Freestyle Fellowship and Project Blowed, Aceyalone has been on my radar since 1994 when Cale Sampson was first getting into rhyming.
Highlights of the performance included his DJ grabbing the mic and rocking some high speed rasta-style rapping and a rather large bald gentleman lighting a joint and passing it to Aceyalone during his song “High Lights” about the joys of smoking weed. I do wonder if the joint may have taken the wind out of Aceyalone’s high-energy flows. In the beginning of his performance he was staring into the audience like a prize fighter against his opponent. After the joint he sort of looked like the audience had become an adorable baby he wanted to hug.
By eleven o’clock the performances were over and I was on the street once more making my way home. Shivering. Walking past the security guard. I can’t resist anymore.
“That is a nice fucking hat,” I say.
He nods in benediction.
And I’m off into the cold. Wishing I had a Russian hat.
-Michael Kimber
 Killing Joke
Tuesday December 7, 2010
Phoenix Concert Theatre
It seems that the original lineup of Killing Joke have a special and noted connection to Toronto. They played their Hog Town debut at the now-defunct, but legendary punk club, Larry’s Hideaway. It was in Toronto that Killing Joke recorded their first commercial album, a six-track ten-inch EP simply titled, HA. All this after emerging out of Britain at the tail end of the 70s from the ashes of London’s post-punk scene. Now, after too many years, they’ve finally returned to the city that has treated them so well.
 In May 2010, volcanic ash spewing out of Iceland into European airspace would cancel scores of music festivals and gigs all over the world, including Killing Joke’s North American tour. Finally, on December 7 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto the long awaited Killing Joke gig came to pass. It marks the end of a very eventful year for this extremely influential and unique rock band.
Of special interest to fans, this tour marks the first time that all of the original members (with the exception of the great Paul Raven who has recently passed away) are playing together in 27 long years. They are stronger than ever as a full unit, bringing their inimitable form of worldly folk-rock back to the masses and shaking up the current ever so-bland state of music yet again.
They are back with a brand new album and have been gigging sporadically across the globe with the spirit of Paul Raven guiding them through it along the way. They performed with sheer vengeance, the electronic syncopation of the overtly political “European super state,” the heavy dub styling of “Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove,” the swirling dance beats of “Bloodsport” and “Pssyche.”
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set list
Tom’s World
Love Like Blood
Change
Wardance
Absolute Dissent
Bloodsport
ESS
This World Hell
Fall of Because
Ghosts
Madness
Requiem
Primitive
Great Cull
Fresh Fever
Asteroid
Depth Charge
The Wait
Pssyche
Complications
Eighties
Pandemonium
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When the band broke into the first few chords of “Eighties,” it whipped the anticipative audience into a frenzy while the general admission floor turned instantly into a mosh pit. The chimed sustained-release delivery of fret-mangler Kevin Geordie Walker’s sonically dissonant and atmospherically clashing guitar chords worked best during the anthems “Love like Blood” and “Requiem.” The cyclonic precision and tribal drumming beats of Big Paul Ferguson and the pulsating and deep swirling bass lines of Martin “Youth” Glover made for a truly powerful rhymes battery. As for the astute front man Jaz Coleman, he was an extremely intense and imposing presence, decked head to toe in a boiler suit; his robotic marching on the spot and aggressive gestures and body language coupled with his harsh growling vocals proved awe-inspiring to behold.
Coleman didn’t hesitate to convey his inner thoughts and feelings to the audience either, choosing to dedicate “Love like Blood” to the memory of Paul Raven. Coleman was a commanding force throughout the entire show and his highly charged stage antics fed off the energy and emotions of the loyal audience. Personally, I experienced a variety of emotions during the course of the show. Certain songs brought on chuckles, while others managed to evoke tears. I feel it my duty to mention that bass player “Youth” Glover sported my very own personal and beloved pearl-woven cotton wool mouse hat during the first few songs, as can be seen in the accompanying photos. In fact, it was that very genius of a musician named “Youth” who had asked me in an earlier interview (Coming soon to Spill) if he could have it. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
This concert was a truly unique experience, one to be treasured by all lucky enough to participate. The evening was due to the force and presence of a unique band of talented and special individuals. Raven was watching over every one of us there, he was not only there in spirit, but right up there with the band putting a smile or two on their faces like only he could. Certainly Killing Joke remains as relevant, fresh and pure on a cold night in Toronto as they were 27 years ago when it all started in London.
-Kayvon Zahedi,
With support from Daria Essop-lafontaine
 Gary Numan with
Nash the Slash
Opera House, Toronto
October 24th 2010
Gary Numan performed to a pretty much-sold out house at the Opera House last month. Upon arriving just in time to catch the last song by Nash the Slash (there’s a blast from the past), the place was packed and I thought I would never make it to my usual spot at the front, near the side of the stage. Along with me was my younger cousin who hadn’t even heard of Gary Numan! I was worried that she would be bored and unimpressed, and blame me for putting her through a night having to tolerate sweaty middle-aged men reliving the 80’s.
I was really anxious when we spotted a few (bad) replicas of Gary Numan look-a-likes circa 1980. There’s something very sad in a middle-aged man sporting food colored blue hair, pasty white pan-cake makeup and tight black clothes that only emphasize the fact he has drank a few too many beers in his time. My innocent cousin asked why so many men were in Halloween costumes. I, embarrassed for my generation’s foolishness, lied and said they were in drag. Fortunately, however, Gary Numan doesn’t live in the past. He is very much a man of the present. Funny, how much like Bowie, he was so furturistic and ahead of his time at the height of his fame.
The tour that brought Newman to Toronto was in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Pleasure Principle album. The event started with atmospheric smoke being released and finally Numan and his six-member band appearing from the foggy haze. From the minute they took the stage there was rarely a dull moment to be had.
The album was played in its entirety by Numan who was accompanied by four synths, basa guitar and drums. Perhaps because of a recent throat infection, he relied on his band to pull the show through and with good result. The energy of the entire band was infectious and Numan was captivating. It was somehow more impressive watching him perform now than when he was young, handsome and famous. Why? This time he didn’t have all the glitter, makeup and distant and intimidating stage presence as when he first performed the classics such as ‘Cars’ and ‘Are Friends Electric?’ There was nothing shiny to hide behind; stripped down and mature, his talent is what shone. He was entertaining, energetic, charismatic and much more interactive with his audience. The young, highly energetic and dancy band gave it their all and helped Numan create a warm, engaging show. His audience responded with equal enthusiasm. The newer material on the soon to be released album entitled Splinter was equally compelling and we were treated to a preview of great things to come from a very current and very gifted Gary Numan.
- Daria Lafontaine
 Hello Beautiful
Friday October 22, 2010
The Rivoli
All great chefs begin with a vision and a choice selection of ingredients – all the while taste-testing to ensure the dish’s perfection. Local talent Hello Beautiful is no different with a paralleled method of making music. They have evolved themselves immensely in the span of a mere two albums, and through their live performances they easily prove that they are a great deal more than just your average ‘up-and-coming’ band. With an assemblage of catchy guitar riffs, infectious keyboarding and positive, upbeat lyrics they both captivate and entertain as musicians. The onslaught of rock-steady beats and bold bass-lines manage to stir together all of these ingredients nicely. The resulting dish measures out as a well thought-out performance of genuinely refined skill and talent.
 Toronto’s Rivoli played host to Hello Beautiful as headliners to late October’s Anything Can Happen event. The venue quickly filled with happy and eager faces. With anticipation elevated, the lights began to dim and the wait had finally ended. A background intro track ensued, luring fans forward towards the stage in a cluster. Hello Beautiful emerged from the darkness and hit hard with their opening  number "Black & White." The crowd responded right from the start and it was no surprise to see most people singing along, snapping their heads back and forth and waving their hands in the air to the music. Keeping the energy high the band immediately transitioned the end of this song into another crowd pleaser – "Queen Model." Hats off to this Whitby-rooted band for getting the downtown fans immediately frenzied, seamlessly slipping from track to track. The liveliness was kept going before the pace was brought down slightly with the lighter-fare of “Some Days.” This breather played well as the perfect interlude before they again regained the heightened tempo and stirred up the fans. The remainder of songs consistently upswept the crowd and revealed more than a few Hello Beautiful fans in the house. Closing out the set with "Déjà Vu" climaxed the show perfectly and the packed house began screaming for a well-deserved encore. The reciprocation took the shape of a solid rendition of the bands’ very popular "Virginia Symphony" from their debut album Soundtrack for Scenario. This only managed to once again bring the crowd to a boil and the energy hit another pinnacle.
The stage chemistry among band mates throughout the show proved vital and successful, in particular between lead vocalists Charlie Royal and Cole Kidd. Their pumped-up drive reflected all night with the audience, providing give-and -take between band and fans that made for an exciting show. It was clear from the get-go that these musicians are serious about what they do. Songs performed from the debut album and their latest release, I Wanna Die Like This, showed us a side of maturity that the band is clearly evolving towards. The combination of performance, stage lighting/set-up and boisterous attitude helped to translate the music of Hello Beautiful flawlessly through their live performance. The fusion of alternative rock possessing clear-cut elements of hip-hop, rap and ska has been building momentum for the band since their earliest beginnings. Hello Beautiful managed to hit a high point on Friday night, showing the Toronto fan-base that they are definitely here to stay with their uniquely fused brand of music.
-Stefano Gasparotto
(Photos by Stephen Lussier)
Women
September 29, 2010
Lee’s Palace
If you want to understand Women you’ll have to work hard at it – and then they’ll still confound you from time to time. Despite the work that has to go into listening to a Women album their reviews have all been glowing in neon lights. Their sophomore album Public Strain has been masturbation material for music geeks and columnists on both sides of the pond – pretty impressive for four dudes from Calgary who are dabbling in a genre dominated by Europeans. The boys have already toured extensively through Europe, the States and, of course, Canada. If that’s not enough proof of how well respected they are then consider that Women, opening for New York’s Liars, rolled into Lee’s Palace (the ultimate venue for any brand of snob-rock from alt-country to post-punk to art-rock) on a Wednesday night and managed to fill it out.
Sophomore album Public Strain is best delved into by equipping your ears with a good set of headphones and your brain with a shovel to dig through the strain of the reverb, the distortion and the fuzz. I’m curious how this fact will play out in a live setting. With no headphones will anyone be able to discern the tight songmanship?
The answer to this question quickly becomes evident: No.
Women plod loudly through their set (there are earplugs being given away for anybody who still wants to hear when they turn 40). Unfortunately, the quartet plays without any noticeable amount of direction or stage presence. Musically all you can hear is a cut-and-paste job of feedback and clunky flat tunes that pop in and out as if the boys have a hatred of any and all melody. The boys meander through their set playing tunes from both of their albums and the most of the crowd loves it. It’s hard to tell whether it’s actual love or people just remembering the hot reviews.
The show attempts to embrace the more ambiguous side of Women, the side where you have to work for your enjoyment of a well written song, unfortunately the sound is poorly orchestrated and I realize I’d rather just be listening to Sigur Ros or Dungen.
I can’t help but think that Women will always be a studio band and best enjoyed on cold grey evenings from the comforts of your own home on a good stereo system with your headphones keeping the rest of the world at bay.
- Joe Veroni
 The Birthday Massacre
The Mod Club Theatre
Thursday, September 16th, 2010
It's a cold fall evening and an assemblage begins to collect around College Street's Mod Club Theatre. The doors open and the floor slowly fills with eager young fans. The mass of primarily 20-somethings have gathered to witness a live performance by The Birthday Massacre as they hit their hometown of Toronto. The electric atmosphere develops and the energy starts to elevate as the evening begins to unfold.
Opening acts Mary & the Black Lamb and Raggedy Angry lash out an onslaught of angst-filled post-punk/emo  music to appeal to the darkly dressed crowd. By the time the stage is reassembled for The Birthday Massacre the crowd has easily more than tripled. The entire band (barring lead vocalist Chibi) leap onstage, each with an energy that the crowd immediately responds to amicably. Chibi at last emerges in all her glory sporting a curious assemblage of clothes best described as a half-corpse/half-schoolgirl uniform. The rest of the band also dons similar (albeit male version) 'uniforms'.
Kicking into full-out concert mode with a bang The Birthday Massacre set things in motion (just as they do on their recently released Pins & Needles album) by gunning straight into "In the Dark." The album-release component of the show takes precedent and hits hard for those who already know the new music. More polished and refined than the work from previous albums, we’re shown a band now in their sophomore years, much more in tune to their own sound. Continuing the outpour of aggression-laden electronic rock the band delves back into their catalogue with a couple of songs from their earliest efforts, "Lovers End" and   "Video Kid." With these and other more high-paced songs the level of performance skill and energy abundance shows the passion that the sextet holds for their music. Almost a half-dozen songs from acclaimed 2007 album Walking With Strangers follow and the crowd responds enthusiastically. Connectivity between the band and the fans grows stronger still with an abundance of songs that they can simply sing and scream along to while the band continues to thrash about onstage.
The toning down of the harder electrical atmosphere hits with ballad-style tracks "Violet" and "To Die For," creating a more relaxed and intimate  vibe throughout the room. Chibi and  the boys easily return the energy back and forth mixing softer songs with their trademark harder, synthed-out guitar rock. The set ends with 2004's "Blue," offering a cavalcade of electric guitar, synthesized backing, and vocal diversity that ranges from guttural to melodic. At the end of the controlled chaos comes a more than appreciative applause and shouts for more. "Happy Birthday" (a signature-piece for the band from the earliest years) erupts, and finally "Walking with Strangers" closes the show on a lively high-note.
At the end of it all the crowd slowly disperses, deflated but with a satisfaction that resonates on their faces. The band returns in just a few minutes to the main floor and takes the opportunity to mix with anybody remaining. As Toronto is the hometown of many band members it makes for an exhausted, yet enthusiastic encounter with the fans – most of whom (judging by how many sang along with the lyrics) have been following the band since their emergence on the scene in 2002. Autographs are given out and photographs are taken with their followers. This final scene makes clear the unconditional gratification that each member of The Birthday Massacre holds towards the people who simply love what they do for them.
- Stephen Lussier
photos by Stephen Lussier
 The Specials
Sound Academy
Saturday August 28, 2010
The long awaited rescheduled Specials gig finally came to pass this past Friday and Saturday. Friday night was sold out months ago so I was lucky enough to attend Saturday’s additional show.
I always get a nervous, faltering feeling when going to  see an old band that I once loved doing a reunion tour. My feelings for the Specials were tinged with both excitement and skepticism. Could they ever recapture that great moment in ska revival musical history? They were one of the best of the ska bands up there with The Beat and Madness. They successfully manipulated the old style of Jamaican ska and made it their own. It was a multi-racial (2 Tone) Coventry bred style of music; a blend of socially and politically charged music with a punk twist that you could dance to – and they did it with style and coolness.
 Well all those mixed feelings dissipated the minute I walked into that big cold soulless room of the Sound Academy. The temperature heated up quickly once the Specials took to the stage and made that sterile room electric. The only thing missing was original member and keyboardist Jerry Dammers, who still has bad feelings about the rest of the band (boys will be boys).
The rest of the original members (Staples, Golding, Radiation and Panter) performed with amazing skill and energy. They were entertaining, running around the stage and giving it their all for the 90 minute hit-fuelled set. Singer, Terry Hall remained aloof and cool in his excellent delivery of the songs that had even the most reserved person skanking along to the sweat inducing show.
There were even some overly aggressive (probably drink-fuelled) guys at the front of the stage. Throughout the audience there was a sprinkling of skinhead replicas that brought back some disturbing memories of the dark side of the era. Fortunately it looked more like a fashion retro thing and was hopefully harmless.
For those who stayed away from the mosh pit and couldn’t see too much through the sea of bouncing people enjoying themselves at the front of the house, there was screen projecting the show at the back in black and white. This gave the show an eerie vintage feel from the good old days – but you could see that the faces of the band members were vintage as well. It was a powerful setting, and for an all too brief moment a wonderful musical history was recaptured and I was lucky enough to relive that era once again.
Daria Essop-Lafontaine
 Photos by Karen Scibatta
Saturday’s set list
Do the Dog
Dawning of a New Era
Gangsters
It’s Up to You
Monkey Man
Rat Race
Hey Little Rich Girl
Blank Expression
Doesn’t Make it Alright
Stupid Marriage
Concrete Jungle
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
Stereotypes
Man at C&A
A Message to you Rudy
Do Nothing
Little Bitch
Nite Klub
Too Much Too Young
Enjoy Yourself
Ghost Town
Guns of Naverone
You’re Wondering Now
 Arcade Fire
Olympic Island
Aug. 14, 2010
It was an almost unbearable build-up waiting to see Arcade Fire on Olympic island. It was the eager anticipation of seeing this fantastic band live for the first time that steadily increased as the day wore on. Catching bits and pieces of enthusiastic discussions about Arcade Fire during the pilgrimage to the island, and having to first sit through two openers did not help calm the audience’s enthusiasm. This is not to undermine the performances by The Sadies and Janelle Monáe who put on enjoyable shows and provided some variety for the event. That being said, neither band could match the brilliance of an Arcade Fire show. After the band plucked the very last chord of their set it became clear that the wait was well worth it.
Quite fittingly the band commenced their set with the track “Ready to Start” from their new album,
The Suburbs and from there they went on to play a mix of new and old songs. Naturally the standouts were “Rebellion (lies)” and “Wake up”, which never fail to get fans on their feet dancing and singing along. A particularly memorable moment occurred after “Rebellion (lies)” when fans continued singing the violin melody at the end of the song for four minutes until the band came back on stage to perform an encore. Another standout moment was Régine Chassagne’s performance during “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”. Not only does her voice sound more pristine live than it does on the album, but she also displayed her immense vocal range.
Before the show I was praying that they would play this song and I was in awe watching Chassagne perform this song – and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only person on the island that was in awe of her vocal talents. Then of course there’s Win Butler who can effortlessly convey so much emotion and passion with his lyrics and vocal styles. His performances during “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”, “Wake up”, “Keep the Car Running” and “Crown of Love” were truly remarkable. Watching him belt out his lyrics with so much passion and energy was really spectacular and it was such a relief to see a singer leave nothing to be desired by the end of the show. The members behind Win and Régine do a remarkable job adding layers and filling in the gaps in the music. The other members of Arcade Fire help make the band’s sound become incredibly epic so that it hits you with so much passion that it’s impossible to ignore.
— Joseph F.
 Crystal Castles
Koolhaus
Aug. 14, 2010
If someone wanted a visual demonstration of an artist giving an intense, energetic performance, they should check out a Crystal Castles show. Singer Alice Glass seems to have an infinite amount of energy to burn as she does not stop moving throughout the show. Her energy is contagious turning the front of the stage into a congested pit crowded with fans feeding off of her energy. The show quickly became dirty, sweaty and stuffy – but this did not diminish the pleasure that the show was to experience. This was one of the first shows I’ve seen in a long time where every member in the audience embraced the music by letting go of their inhibitions and letting the music guide their every move. The band treated the crowd by playing a lot of songs from their new self titled album (also known as Crystal Castles II). The tracks “Baptism” and “Doe Deer” had people jumping around and dancing frantically. It was fantastic to see people one might label as shy dancing in some of the most spontaneous and imaginable ways. Even the songs that are tamer such as “Celestica” didn’t diminish the energy of the Koolhaus. One thing I couldn’t help but marvel at was the diverse range of the crowd’s musical tastes. From noticing various bands on t-shirts and from meeting some people within the crowd it was easy to pick up on the various tastes in music that the audience had – and yet all of them are still drawn to Crystal Castles. Regardless of what those reasons might be, they all clearly came to experience a show where you don’t just show up to watch a band perform which is something Crystal Castles can do with relative ease.
— Joseph F.
 Calexico
Phoenix Concert Theatre
July 22, 2010
Among those familiar with Calexico it has become quite the cliché to suggest that ‘you have never heard them until you’ve seen their live show’. And while the group’s numerous recordings are consistently satisfying, their show at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Thursday proved that they bring the music to a whole new level with a live audience. On the recordings it becomes too easy to focus on each singular contributor; but in a live environment the full strength of Calexico really shines through with wailing trumpets and pedal steel complimenting the guitars, drums and accordion.
Joey Burns and co. wander out and kick things off with ‘Sunken Waltz’, the front man crooning effortlessly about ‘Carpenter Mike’ while the accordion, bass drum and electric guitar filled the hall. The audience was immediately drawn in. Burns encouraged the crowd to get involved throughout the evening, and amazingly the Toronto audience obliged. It only took two songs for the reserved GTA to start clapping along and throwing in high pitched Mexican yelps. Perhaps the Spanish vocals on ‘Roka’ had the crowd transported far to the South explaining the loss of chilly demeanor.
Throughout the night the group would cover songs from their ten year career, and while there were certainly somber songs, the show will be remembered for its high energy. Proving themselves accomplished at soloing (especially the trumpet players) the evening was full of innovation and curve balls. Changing things up on a few songs, the group played a soothing version of ‘Writer’s Minor Holiday’, and threw lines from The Clash’s ‘Gun’s of Brixton’ into fan favourite ‘Crystal Frontier’ which closed the initial set. The encore consisted of Calexico’s trademark cover of Minutemen’s ‘Corona’, which many people would recognize as ‘The Jackass theme’. Amazing how a politically charged song can be transformed into a goofball anthem and then back into a rousing enthusiastic call to arms. Openers Elliot Brood joined in for a rendition of Neil Young’s ‘Cortez the Killer’, and things wound down with a quiet two man version of ‘Bisbee Blue’. Even our favourite bands tend to play too long these days, but it’s rare that we really want the show to go on. Calexico could have played all night and audience members still would have left refreshed.
- Daniel Demois
Photos - Katie Demois
 The Sadies
Rivoli, Toronto
April 26, 2010
Toronto is accustomed to seeing hometown alt-country heroes The Sadies play in front of a packed Horseshoe Tavern at the wee hours of the morning. I can’t even count how many times frontman Dallas Good has called his audience “a bunch of crazy bastards” for staying up so late to see them play. This all swirls in my head as I walk down Queen West on a beautiful Monday evening. The sun is shining and hipsters are abound on patios sipping cold and delicious pints. It makes little sense that I’m heading to the Rivoli at 6 p.m. to see The Sadies perform their as-of-yet unreleased album, Darker Circles (out May 18). This is to be the band’s eighth addition to an already incredible catalogue. I’ve managed to sneak a preview listen and I can guarantee that Sadies fans will not be disappointed. But for now, I’m more interested in seeing how Darker Circles will translate to the band’s live performance.
 There’s a great opportunity for mingling once inside the Rivoli. Travis Good and drummer Mike Belitsky are working the room light-heartedly. I should be out there, making contacts, seeing who’s who in the Sadies’ universe. But this Friends-n-Family (along with a few low-ranking media types) style concert has come with two free drink tickets, so I figure it’s safer to get some beer before the booze lineup grows. My alcoholic’s sense of paranoia was unfounded as there were less than 100 people in attendance leaving lots of breathing space. Now don’t go chalking that low figure up to lack of interest, it was the entire point of the show. Though The Sadies played with the same emotion and zeal that they always do, it was a more intimate performance in the tiny concert hall. It was the perfect forum to unleash the new Darker Circles for the first time.
The band breaks into Darker Circles as if the new record were an old standard like Stories Often Told, or Pure Diamond Gold. The new album is largely in the same vein as the last two albums, though a notable difference is that it contains some more rockin’ tunes compared to the generally softer sounds of New Seasons and Favourite Colours. It’s great to finally see Travis kick out some jams on new tracks. The highlight of the show turns out to be the brooding and melancholic “Tell Her What I Said”, which is soon to be a fan-favourite at upcoming Sadies shows.
 After about 35 minutes, Dallas declares that his band doesn’t know any more new tunes and so they close out the brief set with their classic, “Tiger Tiger”. The show may have been short but it doesn’t lack any of the thrills of a typical show. I do my best to never miss a show, so seeing the band perform to such a small and laid back audience is a great treat.
I escape into the evening and the sun is still shining. I feel as though I should be searching out copious amounts of bad Chinese food and some cold tea but it’s far too early for such adventures. I’ll save this drunken late night quest for bad food until The Sadies play their actual CD release party on May 22 at Lee’s Palace. But I wouldn’t expect any drink tickets if I were you.
— Joe Veroni
photos by Joe Veroni Jr.
 Yukon Blonde
The Garrison, Toronto A
pril 23, 2010
It’s difficult to even find The Garrison, what with the fact that there isn’t even a sign out front to let you know that you’re walking right by your concert venue. Of course eventually you get inside and you can quickly tell that the atmosphere is warm, friendly, spacious and beer infused.
Around midnight, a couple of bearded hippies clad in plaid took the stage along with a pair of clean shaven rockers. Speaking strictly of aesthetics, the foursome seemed as unlikely a grouping as mixing the Gallaghers with the Grateful Dead. But appearances can be deceiving as the foursome make up Yukon Blonde. The Garrison was pretty packed, and most of the audience had pushed their way up close to the stage in anticipation of some poppy, yet psychedelic sounds.
“Get your fucking lighters out,” said Jeff Innes as he and the rest of Yukon Blonde broke into their indie-pop set. No one pulled out a lighter — maybe it’s just that nobody smokes anymore, and certainly no one would dare smoke inside these days — but the point was made that Yukon Blonde is well versed in a pop-driven classic rock sound. They sound like Ween has infiltrated the Grateful Dead’s archives and had their unholy way with the tunes. The music was fun, and this not lost on the audience or the band who were obviously enjoying playing for such a large crowd. They have fun and they rocked out as the audience swayed to the tunes and were engaged by the band’s honest approach to rock ’n’ roll. The most striking aspect to Yukon Blonde are their harmonies. All four members sing and the harmonies are tight and fresh. There’s no better example of their harmonic abilities than on “Wind Blows,” a romantic happy-go-lucky tune (and one of the best tracks off of Yukon Blonde’s self titled debut album).
The boys whipped through their entire catalogue, rarely breaking between tracks. It’s easy to tell that Innes, Brandon Scott, Adam Newton and Graham Jones have been together for a long time. Yukon Blonde may only have one EP and one full length available, but they’ve been around for much longer than that, albeit as another band. Not so long ago Yukon Blonde was Alphabelly and called Kelowna, Ontario home. They’ve since moved to Vancouver and changed their name. The change of scenery has been well served as their debut has been getting excellent reviews and the packed Garrison was proof positive that people are eating up Yukon Blonde’s fresh indie pop sounds.
— Joe Veroni
 Nada Surf
Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON
March 29, 2010
New York’s Nada Surf returned to the venue where they played their very first Toronto show many years ago, this time supporting their upcoming covers album, If I Had a Hi-Fi (available only at their merch table, it’s not in stores until June). But as singer/guitarist Matthew Caws mentioned, they’re also touring for fun. And it showed. The band played a solid set for a fairly packed Lee’s Palace crowd, surprising since it was a Monday night and most of the twentysomethings in attendance probably had work the next day or an exam to study for. Either way, they weren’t going to let tomorrow bring them down.
Nada Surf kicked off their set with the first two tracks from their latest album, Lucky: “See These Bones” and “Whose Authority.” Right from the moment they took the stage though, the crowd ate up every second. The band also whipped out a few covers, including Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger,” as well as a punky, barely-recognizable version of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence.” Nada Surf truly made it their own.
Bassist Daniel Lorca stepped off stage during the mellow “Concrete Bed,” but upon his return, Caws jokingly said to his bandmate that it was boring on stage without him and now he was stuck with them. Sure enough, Lorca stayed put. Caws switched guitars back and forth throughout the set but busted out the acoustic for “Blizzard of ’77” as the possibly drunk audience swayed along.
 After 18 songs and an hour and a half later, Nada Surf unexpectedly called it a night. But with the lights still out, you knew what that meant. Sure enough, Nada Surf returned for a three-song encore, capping their set with “Blankest Year,” which had the whole audience singing the “fuck it” callback during the chorus. It was the perfect way to end a highly energetic and totally enjoyable performance.
Fittingly, opening act Dawn Landes played her first ever show in Canada. Along with her friends, the trio’s alt-folk sound brought a different flavour to the night but one that was welcomed. Songs like “Wandering Eye” and the upbeat rocking “Bodyguard” warmed up the crowd, like a good opening act should. It’s unfortunate that during the band’s quieter moments, audience members took the opportunity to chat away or text their friends. Guys and gals, put your phones away, you missed out on a cool band. The trio managed to grab the audience’s attention with their fun intermission-ish moment, featuring a slide whistle, a kazoo and a hula hoop girl spinning two hoops at the same time.
— Jon Brazeau
photos by Jon Brazeau
 Black Lips
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
March 27, 2010
Drunken, sweaty, filthy and no security barring the audience from the stage, the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern is the perfect venue for the boisterous Black Lips when they saunter into Toronto. The Lips got themselves on stage by about midnight to the delight of a capacity crowd that could not have waited another minute to see them. The moshing started even before the first lo-fi note cruised out of Cole Alexander’s guitar and the body surfing was a mere moment behind.
The Lips raced through garage rock tunes that spanned their entire catalogue, from 2003’s Black Lips! to the  most recent 200 Million Thousand. The audience never gave pause from their raucous behavior but managed to give a little extra on tracks “Bad Kids,” “Vini Vidi Vici” and “O Katrina!” from fan favorite album Good Bad Not Evil.
The Lips managed to hold the stage to themselves for about half of their 70 minute set. But their infectious brand of southern-fried garage-punk was too much for many members of the audience as bodies started to climb onstage. At first just a drunk girl who seemed content to get out of the way of the moshing. But soon more gals made their way up. A quick note to any ladies planning on getting on a rock ’n’ roll stage in the future: when on stage make sure you enhance the show; this means dancing rambunctiously, or at the very least taking your shirt off. And a note to any gentlemen planning on crashing the stage: just don’t do it. Bass player Jared Swilley even managed a kiss from one particularly aggressive stage crasher — I don’t  think he minded. But this was a signal for the rest of the pit to get themselves on stage. Soon enough Swilley’s Where’s Waldo t-shirt was most appropriate as the band was lost in a sea of drunken fans. This did not, as it never does, stop the Lips from continuing on with their aggressive set.
By the time the crowd dispersed, the floor was a pool of beer and broken glass, leaving a venue in shambles and the audience in a drunken stupor is just another day in the life of Georgia’s favourite black sheep. And the Lips were to play a second show Sunday night. Somebody better stop by the Horseshoe and make sure it hasn’t been torn down.
— Joe Veroni
photo credit: Erin Klassen
 Great Lake Swimmers
Sonic Boom, Toronto, ON
Feb. 5, 2010
The basement of Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop usually isn’t too busy. There might be a few hipsters searching tirelessly through the vinyl section and some dude fingering through the old cassette tapes, but nothing like when the shop hosts a concert. Sonic Boom doesn’t usually invite chumps to play, so you know that donating a canned good (the price of admission) will be worth it. Fresh from a trip to Asia, Great Lake Swimmers played a warm-up show to their Feb. 6 gig on Sonic Boom’s tiny basement stage. As usual, Sonic Boom had a packed crowd who overflowed onto the stairs. Folk rock troubadour Tony Dekker and company were playing in support of their most recent album, Lost Channels. The band delighted the crowd with some choice picks from the new record including the newest crowd-favourite “Palmistry” (which you can check out a video of on YouTube). It’s nice to see Dekker using his band more these days — something that was obviously a focus on Lost Channels. Great Lake Swimmers finally sound like a band, not just a like a wandering musician with a distant and nearly invisible cast. An upright bass and a banjo are an excellent addition to Dekker’s refined and folky  guitar. The Swimmers have gained a steady following for years and folk rockers everywhere should be checking them out if they haven’t already.
— Joe Veroni
 The Pigott Brothers
Cameron House
Jan. 14, 2010
If Ollie, the older of the Pigott brothers, was channeling Elvis as evidenced by his bodily gyrations during his performance at the Cameron House, younger sibling Sebastian alternated between emulating a lovesick downtrodden bluesman in the vein of Muddy Waters, and paying homage to the legacy of M.J., when guitar-less.
While the brotherly similarities were many and distinct (they included, among other things, a characteristic head turn to the left when belting sustained notes, along with a guitar stance which drew upon classical holding technique while positioning the instrument on the torso at Beatles-esque height), there was a certain rawness and vulnerability in the younger of the duo’s performance not apparent in his more accomplished musical counterpart.
In fact, this distinction between the two brothers’ songwriting and performance styles kinda reminded me of what happens all too often when an indie band makes the transition between their debut and sophomore effort, and a label gets involved. i.e.: while the debut represents the bare-bones organic straight-up feel of the band without any mediating influences, the sophomore effort, while attempting to maintain a semblance of the original so as to not lose the act’s fanbase, ends up coming out too polished, too perfected, and too constructed for mainstream radio. In this analogy, picture Sebastian as the original unfettered rock band, and Ollie as the overproduced carbon copy of everything that’s currently popular on Top 40 radio.
In Ollie’s defense however, there was label and media presence at the gig, which may, in part, have accounted for his “trying to hard” antics. Ollie’s solo finale of, “Our Generation”, did manage to redeem him in a major way, however, in my eyes; at least he saved the best for last, or to draw upon another entertainment cliché, he certainly went out with a bang.
The highlight of the night was, without a doubt, when the two came together. As one bystander phrased it, “when Ollie and Sebastian are joined onstage, what they produce is magical.”
Energetic, emotional, and playful with just the right balance between crowd interaction (which included humourous interjections about how mom constructed their setlist, audience-syncopated clapping, as well as an attempted sing-a-long with a highly inebriated diehard fan who was undoubtedly still intoxicated from the night prior), and serious musicianship, though the venue was not ideal, nor am I a fan of their “scene” per se (imagine a Beatnik-inspired poetry room still decked out in its original décor from the 60s, and filled to the max with audience members who you can be certain are more than a little familiar with various mind-altering substances), The Pigott Brothers certainly know how to put on an entertaining show.
— Rose Cora Perry
 Frank Turner
Horseshow Tavern, Toronto, ON
Jan. 26, 2010
John, Paul, George and Ringo walk on stage to the delight of a packed Shea Stadium and fifty thousand females lose their shit. Flashbulbs explode and the screams are deafening. Three girls in the first row drop their drawers and commence with the self-abuse. Only I’m not in Shea Stadium but Toronto’s Legendary Horseshoe Tavern; and The Beatles are nowhere to be seen. However, there is another English bloke on stage: Frank Turner. He’s less a musician to this packed crowd than an iconic sex-magnate. It’s hard to believe that Turner is only the second act of the evening and that there are two more bands yet to play — but make no mistake, he is most definitely the headliner. Turner looks like The Boss, circa Darkness on the Edge of Town and dozens of digital cameras eat him up all show long.
From his opening banter — “Hello Toronto! It’s a fucking pleasure!” — the audience was captured. They were sold not only by his jovial cursing, but by his presence. And it was easy to see why. Turner blends his punk rock roots with a folky acoustic style and tops it all off with a charming smile and charismatic banter that the audience (especially the XX-chromosomes) just couldn’t get enough of. Case and point, Turner requested help in the form of a harmonica solo from the audience and there was no shortage of hands in the air. He choose a blonde dame with no harmonica experience but fret not, “You breathe in,” Turner instructs, “you breathe out. You go left and right; you sound like Bob Dylan.” The solo wasn’t all bad either and the crowd dug it thoroughly.
For the full hour’s set, Turner sang with enough conviction to draw cheers not only for his gentle strumming but his aggressive vocal style. The crowd itself mimicked the troubadour’s multi-faceted technique. It was an eclectic group ranging from screaming girls wearing pink Fila to leather-clad thugs who look like the only ballad they’ve ever enjoyed was Sid Vicious doing “My Way.” What they all had in common was the wide-range of fans were all enthralled from the opening strumming to the bitter end of the show and it didn’t seem like anybody left the show disappointed. If any ladies want the panties that they tossed on stage returned, they should write to Frank Turner who keeps a dumpster-sized lost-and-found for discarded skivvies — but I doubt they’ve been washed.
— Joe Veroni
 One Hundred Dollars
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
Jan. 22, 2010
By the time One Hundred Dollars took the stage, the Horseshoe was ram-packed with eager city-slicker country fans clad in plaid. Someone beside me complained, “nobody in this joint is even country,” which is true and begged the question of why the Toronto music scene is so hot on a wide-variety of country music right now. The question faded from mind as Simone Schmidt’s incredible voice cut through a nearly ridiculous amount of smoke that’s been pumped on stage like a bonfire had gotten completely out of control. The audience was riveted from note one by One Hundred Dollars’ authentic sound and I can’t help but think they would have been blown away by the two opening acts had they just made it inside a few hours earlier. One Hundred Dollars was playing in support of their new seven inch, My Father’s House. To the crowd’s delight, they played the new tune along with a truckload of old favourites and even threw in a cover of “Willin” by Little Feat. For fans of authentic country sounds, One Hudred Dollars is not to be missed — but judging by the Horseshoe’s packed crowd you already know that.
— Joe Veroni
Lonesome Ace Stringband
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON
Jan. 22, 2010
Those who showed up to The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern early enough had already been treated to Stripmall Ballads and were in for another strong act as the Lonesome Ace Stringband took the stage. The venue was maybe half-full as Toronto concert-goers aren’t too keen on seeing a band they haven’t seen before or that their hipster friends haven’t recommended. But those who were inside the Horseshoe by 11 p.m. got a dose of old-time country from a local trio. Lonesome Ace Stringband usually haunt the Silver Dollar Room but fit right in opening for One Hundred Dollars. John Showman punished his fiddle for the entire set as the audience waited for smoke to start steaming off the fiddle’s strings. Max Heineman plays upright bass for the band and keeps everything together as Chris Coole plays guitar and banjo. The trio looked as if they’d be comfortable playing on the tiniest of stages as they all huddled around one mic to sing their gospel songs. It’s hard to get much information on the band as they stick to their old-time guns — this means no website and no MySpace. It has to be hard to get your band noticed without our time’s most influential medium but Lonesome Ace Stringband are making a go on nothing but talent and hard work.
— Joe Veroni
 Hollerado
Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Dec. 22, 2009
Hollerado, gang of lovable scamps by day and indie rock gods by night, took 2009 by its throat. This dying year saw them all over the place: China (more than once, they’re now practically locals), South America, Montreal, New York, Boston, Hamilton, Ottawa (where they won $250,000 by being the greater thans in competition) opening for the Dead Weather, digitally releasing Record in a Bag, and some heres and theres between. How could they go wrong, then, returning triumphantly to the Horseshoe to play between The Order of Good Cheer and Arkells?
A lesser band would have screwed it up somehow. But Hollerado made absolutely no wrongs, only rights. No doubt exhausted (having returned from China mere hours earlier), Menno Versteeg, Dean Baxter, and Jake and Nixon Boyd are no slaves to sleep. The tightness of their playing betrayed the intense schedule they’ve been riding halfway around the world. And yet, their more practised set did nothing to betray the band’s spontaneity.
Even after drummer Jake Boyd mouthed the words “I don’t know this part” in the middle of “Do the Doot Da Doot Do,” he pulled off every beat with aplomb. He also pulled off his pants, but that’s a different story (underneath were pajama pants he had apparently been wearing for a week, which added a whole other layer of je ne sais quoi to the proceedings). The boys (and Boyd) wielding vintage guitars were having as much fun as a hipster on coke, stopping in the middle of the set to commemorate the holidaze with a singalong “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Fun Fact: Charm-o-meters go up to 11 in HolleradoLand.
“Fake Drugs,” often a favourite for its delicate desperation and bittersweet bounce, became a highlight when Versteeg pulled some surely anonymous girls (hey look, it’s sarcasm o’clock already!) out of the crowd to sing backup. Speaking of the crowd, the band’s success appears to be directly proportional to the number of photographers in the front row (many), drunken teenagers (too many from my ol’ high school), and extremely drunken adults (at least one too many). All, still, were captivated by the music. The band’s palpable joy at producing it matched ours at witnessing it, and the ensuing cheeriness was, while festive, probably nauseating.
On December 22, Hollerado smashed the end off this banner year, and got us dancing on top of it — just for good measure. Here, all the way down here, is the point: if you don’t have “Americanarama,” “Got to Lose” or “Fake Drugs” stuck in your head yet, you might be living in a bag.
— Sally Walker Hudecki
 Raised by Swans
Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto
Dec 11, 2009
Photo by Jenny Charlton
“Worst banter ever,” quipped Eric Howden a few songs into Raised by Swans’ CD release party for their second album, No Ghostless Place. We’ll forgive Howden and company for not engaging the audience with much chit chat as it was the band’s first show in over a year and a half.
It was obvious that the band wasn’t quite comfortable with the live atmosphere. They were more concerned with getting their stage legs back on and unleashing their ethereal sounds in studio quality. If this was the band’s goal then they succeeded at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern.
The Swans played a tight set using equal parts of their critically acclaimed 2005 debut album, Codes and Secret Longing, as well as their new record. The live renditions didn’t vary much from the album versions, a compliment to the band’s tight musicianship. But then Raised by Swans aren’t a bunch of cheese-eating high school kids. They’re a tight group of accomplished musicians. Howden has already enjoyed some previous commercial success with The Gandharvas, while bassist Andy Magoffin (producer of both Swans albums) has done production for such bands as The Constantines, Great Lake Swimmers and The Hidden Cameras. These are serious artists with serious talent but it was hard to tell if the audience gave a damn.
Perhaps Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern wasn’t the ideal venue for the sensitive sounds of the London, Ont. indie rockers. The typically drunken and filthy (meant in the most loving way possible) Horseshoe was much more morose and sober than usual with a crowd that could barely bring itself to bob their heads to the dark sounds and ghostly singing of Raised by Swans. The ambient sounds seemed more fitting for an outdoor venue on a dreamy night where the audience could lose their heads in the clouds.
If you’re a fan of Codes and Secret Longing then you’ll know what I mean. And if you are indeed a fan of Raised by Swans then you won’t be disappointed by their darker and more sprawling sophomore effort, No Ghostless Place.
— Joe Veroni
 Andre Williams
Horseshoe Tavern
Nov. 19, 2009
He was a questionable sort when he was younger and it would seem that his demeanor has become even more explosive and offensive as he’s aged. Andre Williams made his name decades ago, releasing numerous R&B singles and becoming famous for semi-novelty tunes like “Bacon Fat” and “Jailbait.” His predatorial growl and sleazy personality has kept him on the outskirts of mainstream success his entire life. He slipped into obscurity and went through some seriously dark times but began to reach a new audience in the ’90s, releasing new material with younger artists who owe much of their sleazy sound to the man who calls himself The Black Godfather.
 Williams wandered on to The Horseshoe Tavern stage in a bright red suit and hat accompanied by two women in some provocative evening wear, who would dance along throughout a set that focused largely on newer tracks. While he did eventually get to those early standards, it was the newer songs that proved Williams was just as out there as he had ever been. The audience cheered on this elderly man hooting and hollering at the young ladies in the audience, saying things that would definitely land you a slap in the face or a lawsuit if you weren’t Williams. When Williams sang songs like “Agile, Mobile, and Hostile” or “Pussy Stank,” the audience ate it up. Who among the women in the audience didn’t want to be the one he affectionately referred to as “. . . all that, and a bag of potato chips.”
Knowing when to level out the craziness with some more traditional sounds is what makes Williams a real pro though, singing tracks like “Proud Mary” with complete sincerity. Now he may be a little too old for any extreme dance moves but those little steps and fist pumps — that alternating pain and conviction in his voice — these are the factors that put Williams on a level of showmanship with the best of them. As the back up vocals confidently proclaimed on one choice track, Williams is indeed “a bad mutherfucker.”
— Daniel Demois
Photos: Katie Demois
 Sufjan Stevens
Lee’s Palace
Oct. 1, 2009
In support of his directorial debut, The BQE, and Run Rabbit Run, Sufjan Stevens decided to have a small intimate tour.
Considering the Lee’s Palace date sold out in under an hour, it was not surprising that the lineup was from Lee’s Palace all the way to Sushi on Bloor, but considering the weather, finally getting into the show was the best part.
Cryptacize started the night and it was one of their best shows to date. Their set was very highly energetic and the crowd really got into it right off the bat. Nedelle Torrisi’s vocals were lovely for “Tail and Maine.” Her stage presence and fun dance moves really put the audience in the mood.
When their set was over, Stevens began setting up and about four women started howling, which was one of many interesting crowd moments for the night. Stevens’ Cub Scout outfit with multi-coloured wings did not make this show but instead he rocked a red toque over a baseball cap, which was just as cool.
Stevens was joined by a full band, which included Torrisi. The first half of Stevens’ set was all new material that was very well received. The first new song, “Impossible Soul,” was beautiful. The horn section meshed wonderfully into Stevens’ calm banjo playing.
Stevens told the crowd that most of the songs were very long (most songs were almost 10 minutes) but nobody seemed to be too concerned with that.
Torrisi’s angelic vocals may be enough to put indie songbirds like Dirty Projectors’ Angel Deradoorian on notice. Her vibrato soaked folk harmonies gave this new song a lot of soul and her chemistry with Stevens on stage was beautiful.
After a half hour of Stevens’ new “experiments,” the second half of the set took a trip through all of his musical gems; including “Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head (Rebuild, Restore, Reconsider),” which everyone sung along too. Stevens jokingly dedicated “The Dress Looks Nice on You” to all the ladies. He also joked about needing a guitar tech afterwards, which two ladies were happy to lie and say they were. All Stevens’ reactions to the crowd’s banter were very cute and awkward, which made every one of those moments very funny.
The two-hour set ended with a beautiful rendition of “Chicago.” Afterwards, Stevens returned for an encore, performing the very powerful “John Wayne Gacy.” The night concluded with “Too Much Love.” This new song channels Miles Davis, according to Stevens, but in a way that’s more upbeat jazz. The song undoubtedly was the most intense of the new tracks and ended the night on the best note.
Stevens told the crowd that it was honour to return to Toronto but for anyone who was in attendance that night, it was more of a privilege to have witnessed the return of one of the most amazing songwriters of our time.
— Max Mohenu
Photo by Frank Yang (Chromewaves.net)
 Fever Ray
Kool Haus
Oct. 3, 2009
Photo by Erin Pehlivan
Karin Dreijer Andersson sent shockwaves through the music world when her Fever Ray side project was revealed. The debut album takes you through leaps and bounds, with the same mystique that made The Knife so incredible both musically and aesthetically.
The show started out with Finnish newcomer Vuk. This beauty’s unique blend of melodic chamber pop infused with haunted church organ was sultry, intriguing and just damn spooky. Her lovely voice carried through the room and her music was so well received that many show goers were inspired to do interpretive dance during her set, which was funny to watch.
The setup for Fever Ray’s set was very lame because they decided to turn on the fog machine, which was cool, but you could hardly breathe in there. As soon as the laser light show, flashing lampshades and crazy shaman’s from the “Seven” music video appeared on stage, you could feel the energy in the room change completely.
Andersson graced the stage in a rotting organic corps, which she wore for the first half of the set. She took it off during “Dry and Dusty,” only to reveal very interesting face paint.
All the songs were each complimented with a different special effect on stage, which made them all so amazing. What made the show a hit is the level of precision put into the way each song would be performed. A lot of fans definitely were in another world, which is how you feel when you first hear the record.
Andersson definitely wanted to give her fans a live version of her self-titled debut and for anyone who was a Knife fan and new Fever Ray fan; this spectacle will go down as the most amazing show in Kool Haus history. Andersson’s dramatic exit will not be soon forgotten.
— Max Mohenu
 Miike Snow/Jack Peñate
Wrongbar, September 23, 2009
A lot of hype around Swedish band Miike Snow stems from them opening for Lykke Li this summer. The Wrongbar show was their chance to live up to much of that hype and they didn’t do too badly.
The night started with Jack Peñate. Peñate’s set was very fun, but also kind of sloppy at times. The 24-year-old London native appeared drunk during most of the set and could’ve delivered a lot more that a few quirky dance moves. The current single, “Be the One,” was crisp and full of high energy, which may have redeemed Peñate a bit to the crowd. Peñate’s R&B-soaked vocals gave the song a different feel live than on the record, which was great.
Miike Snow came on shortly after and immediately got the crowd going. The beginning of their set was really mellow. Their stage presence was unlike any other; lead singer Andrew Wyatt’s vocals carry a different essence that makes their emotional songs a bit more intriguing.
Near the end, the set got a little boring, mainly because the songs were a bit drawn out. However, the crowd stayed consistently into it and a lot of people were hoping for an encore. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.
— Max Mohenu
Photo by Erin Pehliva
 Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Kool Haus, Toronto Aug. 4, 2009
During Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ performance of “Zero” — the single from their newest album, It’s Blitz! — Karen O slipped on a leather jacket with “KO” spelled out in studs on the back. Surely a more appropriate set of initials have never been, for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show at Kool Haus was a sweet, sucker-punch knockout.
They followed opener Amanda Blank, whose last name sadly describes the crowd for most of her set; the loudest cheers she garnered were when she brought up the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Before they went on, there was plenty of time for the well-behaved, all-ages crowd to examine the backdrop: a glittery, almost-rainbow of concentric half-circles anchored by a conspicuous white balloon. There was much speculation that the balloon was not long for this world, soon to be burst out of by a rampaging Karen O. How ignorant we were, as though anything about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would come as expected.
After they took the stage and began with the gorgeous and somewhat tame “Runaway,” the excitement gathered when the balloon (and our expectations) was turned around to reveal that it was, in fact, a giant eyeball. Later, during the theatrical “Skeletons,” the balloon, through the wonders of projection, became a shadowy moon.
The band was in full force, playing much of their older stuff to the drooling, thrilled crowd. Brian Chase looked happy as a clam on the drum set and as well he should, because his drumming was flawless. Nick Zinner was, as always, like an infinitely more dexterous Edward Scissorhands. Karen O was, by turns, a grinning whirling dervish and a Ziggy Stardust-esque rock star paradigm with a microphone in her mouth and a scarf over her face. The sound and lighting especially were magnificent and confirmed the well-rehearsed feeling of the entire show.
Possibly the best thing about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, as I realized last night while drowning in hipster sweat, is that they are sitting at the perfect intersection between art, music, theatricality, and honest in-the-moment improvisation. When that balloon was turned so as to be plain white, it was a simple stand-alone visual device, just as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs albums are examples of exceptionally done vulnerable and raw music. Then it was turned towards us, and in an instant the balloon became an eye and an artistic statement; as we were riveted by their performance, they were watching us.
Later, the balloon was turned back to white and projected upon, adding to the atmosphere and creating a beautiful image. Karen O’s stage antics were over the top, expected by now, and theatrical; the silver “Y” confetti that flew at the end of the encore was definitely more ostentatious than essential to their performance. But neither is a genuine artistic statement, and neither is their showmanship. They’re still genuinely talented musicians who make consistently engaging, original music and if Karen O’s grin was anything to judge by, the band absolutely loves it. And so do we. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are never going to be what you expect, and in that way always going to be what you want.
— Sally Walker Hudecki
 Broken Bricks CD
Release Party
The Monarch Tavern, Toronto July, 25, 2009
If anyone can make teenagers dress in suits for a show on one of the most humid nights of the summer (not that that’s saying much), it’s Broken Bricks. To celebrate the release of their new album, Pasquale, Broken Bricks declared the show a “1940s black tie affair.” To the band's credit, the audience featured many well-dressed men. Broken Bricks was sharp and full-bodied (literally), fitting a violin and bass player in between their usual piano-guitar-drums setup. Singer/pianist Luke Kuplowsky traded in his dolled-up keyboard for a big, shiny grand piano, which served him very well. Frontman Marlon Chaplin’s witty lyrics presented themselves best towards the middle of the set when he swapped his fantastic gold glittery guitar for an acoustic. New-ish drummer Patrick Kahn was banging around and having a great time, driving the set with slightly swinging beats. The show was a sort of mash-up of decades and styles, with Kuplowsky sporting his signature Thin White Duke-esque vest, the rest of the band in suits, much of the audience in suits and/or fancy dresses and yet straight rock ’n’ roll inspired by many of the greats of the ’60s and ’70s. Their energy, however, was almost from tomorrow — that fictional tomorrow when you will magically accomplish everything you didn’t today. That tomorrow that never comes. Well, Broken Bricks showed us a sweet taste of that boundless, bouncy energy, limited only perhaps by the lack of space — not to say that Chaplin didn’t manage to fit in some manic jumps while ripping away on guitar. If history truly does repeat itself — and by history I mean last night — then you should be there. If Broken Bricks got us into suits, ties, dresses and heels once, who knows what the future will look like.
— Sally Walker Hudecki
 The Dead Weather
Surprise Show
Horseshoe Tavern June 13, 2009
I can’t shake the feeling that I do not know what happened at the Horseshoe Tavern.
Here is what I do know: The Dead Weather played. It was packed, sweaty, airless. There had been people waiting since 9 a.m. to get a wristband and the system for getting in was convoluted, seemingly designed to make everyone who made it feel exceptionally lucky, even before they went on.
As if anyone hasn’t yet heard, The Dead Weather is comprised of Alison Mosshart (of The Kills), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age), Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes), and none other than Mr. Jack White III (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs).
It was like being inside a thunderstorm. The lights, kept low and cold, occasionally and briefly swung up, lightning-like, to reveal the whites around Mosshart’s irises, unblinking and cut through with locks of her long black hair. Lawrence’s bass was thunderous but distinct, each note pulsing, while Fertita’s guitar flickered blisteringly through the club. It was electrically-charged from beginning to end.
Even the roadies setting up the stage were part of the performance, each wearing black suits with dark blue shirts fedoras, setting up the breathtaking, exquisite white Gretsch guitars, each adorned on the gold pickguards with a strange symbol, the combination of Jack White’s “|||” and James Bond’s 007 pistol. White’s drum kit, set up low to the ground, so that his entire torso was visible, was streaked in black and gray and the kick drum was covered in an eerie black and white photograph of three women.
I know they were performing for us because of the moments when it broke, like Mosshart’s sudden smile when she unexpectedly knocked over her mic stand and drink at the beginning of the set. Easily composed, White carried on the vocals, and Mosshart was back into her swaying, convulsing, writhing trance. If the sound had been completely removed, an ambulance could reasonably have been called for her at several points during the set and no paramedic would have denied her medical attention. In the alleyway after show, Mosshart was friendly and coy, almost completely irreconcilable with her devilish singing presence.
 White explained in a Spin Magazine article that their song “Cut Like A Buffalo” was for him, a transcendent achievement. When they played it, it was clear how right he was. The song balances between the spare, open nature of The White Stripes two-piece compositions and the fuller, more complex sound of The Raconteurs. It is rare that anything means as much to the person who created it as to the people witnessing it but White was so right about “Cut Like A Buffalo”; it is everything, and we could feel it. In his third major band, White has finally struck an equilibrium that tilts perfectly between everything he has done. It was completely absorbing, completely new, and utterly exhilarating.
The mood never wavered but only heightened, especially when White stood up from his drum kit to play and sing one song on guitar. Lawrence took over the drums, and Mosshart sang with White, their voices merging together into a single, vulnerable, howl. They magnetically attracted and repulsed across the microphone, achieving a singular, thrilling sexual tension, all messy black hair and pale faces. His guitar solo brought the room to a fever pitch, everyone panting for more, sweating, straining towards him.
Then, just like a hot summer thunderstorm, just when it was too much, just after his solo had brought everyone to a complete musical orgasm, they were off. Drained as we were, with feedback playing over an empty stage, we called them back for the encore, like they knew we would.
But no matter how well I know those things, right there in front of the stage—there was still something about it that whispered into every single person’s ear, cutting quietly under the feedback. That is what I don’t know. I don’t know if it said, “this is just a show. They are entertainers and they know what they are doing to us.” It might have. It might have also said, “these people are barely human, barely mortal. They are doing something that has not yet been invented. This sound you are hearing is not something that has been witnessed before.”
Maybe that is it, what we all learned, those that can count ourselves lucky for being there. Maybe it is that The Dead Weather are the teasing, knowing gatekeepers on the fault line between mortal and supernatural, the cracks that jump, over time, into everyone’s sanity, standing between what we can name and call “art” and “entertainment” and what we cannot yet name, but only wordlessly experience.
- Sally Walker Hudecki
photos from Craz11 on Flickr
 Bidiniband
Horseshoe Tavern
June 6, 2009
It’s been just over two years since Dave Bidini and his fellow Rheostatics drew the curtain on their many years as the most Canadian band ever. This of course has left something of a black hole in the heart of Canadian music. Dave Bidini’s show at the Horseshoe Tavern was a reason for celebration in this respect.
The CD release of his new album under the name Bidiniband brought Rheos’ fans back together at the familiar Horseshoe Tavern where that former group had played many times. If you had attended any of the later Rheostatics shows, or Bidini’s October/November residency at the Cameron House, you would already be familiar with many of the songs that Bidiniband would be busting out late this Saturday eve. Those weekly Cameron House shows seemed to serve as practice time for the band, fine tuning many of the new songs for the album, and by the time the group (Bidini, Paul Linklater on guitar, Doug Friesen on bass, and Don Kerr on drums) arrived at the Horseshoe, the songs were fully formed rock anthems.
 Much of Bidini’s contribution to the Rheostatics, particularly in the later days, seemed to be more of a straight up rock and roll sound. The combination of Bidini and Martin Tielli created a terrific blend of eccentric and Wintery alternative pop.
The Bidiniband song “We Like to Rock” is something of a mission statement for this new group, emphasizing their back to basics, crowd pleasing intentions. The group has created a setlist that harkens back to the seventies, with big dramatic riffs complimenting Bidini’s often scathing, and sometimes downright bitter lyrics. Watching these middle-aged men playing such guitar heavy tunes verges on parody but there is no doubt that they are sincerely having a good time. This group does not take itself too seriously and just wants audience members to submit to the simple pleasures of rock and roll with them.
Back to the Canadian content. These songs are ripe with it. The new album, The Land is Wild, takes it’s name from the showcase song of the night, which is about Bryan Fogarty, a young hockey phenom who self-destructed at a young age. Only Dave Bidini can sing a serious song about hockey that is this emotionally involving. “Do you dream of winter in the summertime?” he queries on the chorus that was featured on Hockey Night in Canada (the emblem of which is sewed
onto his blazer this night) days before the show.
 He would also sing of Jaques Cartier on the song “Memorial Day,” and express concern for Canada’s Americanization in “You’re Killing Us Now” featuring lyrics, “Chad Kroeger, Stephen Harper, Zack Warner, and you, our colours shine through and they’re red white, and blue/We’re Americanized, where’s my chicken, where’s my fries.” There aren’t many artists singing songs that apply directly to Canadians; songs that people of other nations just wouldn’t get.
Members of The Five Hole Band would join the stage for an ode to Wayne Gretzky from a stage adaptation of Bidini’s Tales of Hockey Erotica book. Guests would also include The Billie Hollies who would join for an operatic version of “The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum.” And Martin Tielli picked up the guitar, adding a dual attack for the closer; a scorching version of the Rheos’ song “Horses.” Linklater and Tielli traded riffs and crazy guitar noises until the night closed, putting a nice capper on an already satisfying show.
While perhaps Bidini’s new music doesn’t quite meet the ambitious majesty of his former band, the entire audience was pleased to see the man up there still able to write great tunes, and put on a terrific show.
- Daniel Demois
Photos – Katie Demois
 Joel Plaskett
Massey Hall
May 23, 2009
Associated with his lively stage presence for more than ten years now, we were all curious to see how Joel Plaskett would alter his barroom jams to accommodate a major historical showcase. Shifting from playing locales where loud is more to tightly packed audiences, (No offence Horseshoe! You’re legendary!) Plaskett would finally bring his brand of power pop to a larger capacity in a pitch perfect hall. With a history that includes Canadian icons Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot, a Massey Hall appearance would put the young man in none too shameful company.
Taking the stage in his skinny jeans and plaid shirt, Plaskett opened up the largely acoustic first set with a nice ode to the great Hall, which moved into opener “Happen Now“ from his La De Da album. The largely acoustic first set would focus primarily on the new Three album. The only notable beats were courtesy of Plaskett’s miniature “value village” keyboard, which the man claimed carried a rhythm more successfully than any church organ on the tour circuit. Adding to the ho-down hulaballoo feel of the set, both assistant vocalists Anna Egge (keen on synchro back-up dancing) and Rose Cousins (not so much) were given the opportunity to sing a track from their own quietly pleasing country catalogue. Joel’s father Bill Plaskett played rhythm guitar for the majority of the set and also sang along on a moving rendition of “Nothing More to Say” which Joel insisted was “no reflection of their experience touring together.” This was all well and good, in the same way things on a Plaskett recording are always well and good until you hear superior live renditions. Not until he got on stage for a rocking good second set did things really heat up.
Mr. Pankiw-Petty informs me that Joel always has a theme sandwiching his sets. Tonight kicks off the second set with a story about his earless cat White Fang that resembles an unfortunate baby seal. This amusing ramble on the creature cat led into an electric set that opened with some Truthfully, Truthfully tracks, immediately getting Massey on its feet. Clearly excited to be playing in this venue, The Emergency band delivered on the promise to beef up Plaskett’s fresh triple album. With his convincing delivery of astute lyrics, and herky jerky leg moves, Plaskett led the group through at least half of Three’s tracks, earning cheers and causing joyful shivers, with band members coming on and off stage frequently, sometimes mid song. The timing of the whole thing was pitch perfect. When a roadie seemed to be slightly in the wrong, Plaskett corrected him with East Canadian ease, exhibiting the most likable demeanor in Massey history. In a few years, the acoustic country intentions of the opening set will come through, but for now Plaskett seems way too at ease as the leader of a terrific rock outfit.
Whether singing alone with his guitar or with the full band, which was upwards of eight members by the end of things, audience participation was pleasantly initiated by audience members. Clapping and singing was required rather than requested, elevating stripped down renditions of “Nowhere With You” and “A Million Dollars” from simple pub sing a longs to cross country anthems. The entirely audience sung “Love This Town “ hit home with it’s Massey Hall references, which the Easterner guiltily admitted change per town for laughs and crowd approval. An inspired rendition of” Fashionable People “ had Plaskett singing falsetto while on drums and the epic “On & On & On” closed the three-hour show that felt only one hour old. As the song ended, Plaskett brought the set full circle coming back to the cat White Fang rant, bringing up the lights as he did, revealing a high energy Massey crowd, clapping in time, and singing along.
- Daniel Demois
Photos - Katie Demois
 Fall Out Boy
Ricoh Coliseum
May 5, 2009
Fall Out Boy have a reputation of being one of the most polarizing bands today. At their Toronto show, they took it a step further by performing on the same night as the AP tour, forcing their hoodie-loving demographic to splice its previously united front. This resulted in spottily-filled seats and only one-third of the floor covered with junior high/high school girls in band T-shirts and tight jeans. The crowd was not the only thing that got the cut that night; it looked like the budget had as well. Fall Out Boy’s tour for their previous album, Infinity on High, included giant screens and pyrotechnics, whereas during this show, mini-screens book-ended the drum-set and a decent lightshow replaced the popping flames.
As half a dozen sirens flashed and wailed on stage, the boys punctually made their grand entrance escorted by S.W.A.T.-esque troops and dressed as what appeared to be Republican senators in gray suits. Vocalist/guitarist Patrick Stump even sported a gray wig and bassist/frontman Pete Wentz’s usually coiffed emo hair was slicked back. The set included five songs from their latest album, Folie à Deux, and mostly singles from their previous albums.
“How many of you have our new album?” Wentz asked the crowd. “I don’t care how you got it, as long as you got it.”
After their third song, “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” the band changed into more casual attire for the remainder of their hour and a half set as a video of Wentz undressing while his band-mates snacked played on the screens. Not too long after, all but the drummer traded their instruments for light-up ones solely for their number “I Don’t Care.”
“I think the worst thing I ever learned when I left high school was that high school goes on forever and ever. Losers stay losers forever and bullies become Canadian border guards,” Wentz said.
When Wentz turned the show over to Stump, Stump could only decree, “Hi, I’m Patrick,” before mumbling comparisons between the CN Tower and the Sears Tower.
“Folie à Deux” means “a madness shared by two,” and describes a certain psychiatric syndrome. However, in the case of Fall Out Boy, the title of their latest album is seemingly more of a commentary on the dynamics between Stump and Wentz. Although Wentz provides opening and closing monologues as well as preaches between songs, Stump is no shrieking shrinking violet. His vocals were particularly strong and by the time the five song encore rolled around, he reached his jazzy stride before they merrily covered Outkast’s “Hey Ya” as a precursor to “Dance, Dance.” In the outro of “Coffee’s for Closers,” Stump and Wentz waltzed between their instruments, symbolically sealing their symbiosis.
Wentz waited until the final song, “Saturday,” to potentially splinter his tongue during his signature bass licking. Overall, Fall Out Boy’s set was very solid and there was nothing truly polarizing about it. Well, at least not to this crowd.
- Melissa Kim
 John Doe and The Sadies
April 30, 2009
The Horseshoe Tavern
The last time The Spill Magazine chatted with Dallas Good of The Sadies was a few days before their performance at the 2007 NXNE music conference. He kept hinting that hopefully the group may join John Doe during his set. The group played alongside the punk legend and Doe made a promise that one day they would record together. Two years later, John Doe and The Sadies landed at The Horseshoe Tavern in support of their collaborative album, Country Club.
The Sadies kicked things off with a typically high octane set before being joined by their current frontman. One would have thought that after the blistering opening, some old country standards would leave audiences wanting, but John Doe knew exactly what he was doing. Right off the bat he informed the crowded tavern that they would have to take the slow with the fast. This was after all “a country and western show,” he said, putting to rest any hopes people had of hearing 20 tracks from Doe’s Los Angeles punk outfit X. Among the honky-tonk rockers the audience would hear love songs and murder ballads.
The tracks on the album, which made up most of the show, sound much tamer at home than when performed live and Doe’s country range was really given a chance to shine with such a confident and accomplished band watching his back. You would think they had been playing together for years, with witty banter and knowing smirks to go along with the Good brothers’ amazing guitar solos. When Doe asked Dallas Good to sing a “pretty song,” the audience was graced with the fishing tale of “Old Mossback,” one of many rollicking traditional songs that caused the show to grow so rowdy our photographer found it difficult to catch a clean shot.
Performing songs by the likes of Merle Haggard, Roger Miller and Hank Snow, this is as purely country as The Sadies or Doe have gotten. Not the alt-country of college radio but the real thing; the kind of music that the Horseshoe was once known for. From the moment the show began, there was no question that Doe’s transition from L.A. punk to folk rocker was complete. New fans would have easily assumed he’d been doing this stuff all along.
- Daniel Demois
The Music Tapes
Lee's Palace
February 27, 2009
The small crowd in attendance at Lee's Palace to see Nana Grizol and The Music Tapes perform was treated to one of the oddest and perhaps most unique performances that The Palace has ever hosted.
Opening the evening was Athens, Georgia's very own Nana Grizol, who would later perform as The Music Tapes with the inclusion of experimental folk musician Julian Koster. Nana Grizol frontman Theo Hilton, standing before the audience shoeless, opened their set by announcing in a generic foreign accent (a la Borat) that this is the band's first international appearance. The band seemed to be taken by Canada, pointing out their love for Labatt Blue and the fact that the snow in Canada actually falls from the sky. They played a fantastic set, with eight band members in total cramming the already cramped stage with their numerous instruments. Most band members demonstrated their musical talents playing two to three instruments each.
Enter Koster and The Music Tapes set began and things turned a little odd. Koster is the stereotypical weird guy that we all knew back in high school that we could not help but like. Experimental folk music is his schtick and he demonstrated this well in a live aspect, using vintage instruments like a musical saw, which he referred to as “Badger.” He also played his banjo at times using a bow. Staying consistent with the vintage theme, he presented a 1950's stylized television on-stage, broadcasting an image of a white scribbly lined face composited over a snowy screen. The television did the singing in it's electronic voice  as Koster played along with his banjo. Later in the show, Koster came off the stage and into the crowd with Badger (the saw), treating Badger as an individual, a co-performer if you will. It played the Christmas song Noel to an audience now huddled on the floor forming a circle around Badger as Koster coaxed the notes from him using a violin bow. The crown was asked if they would like to play a game in which they overwhelmingly replied with a loud “yes.” They were asked to write down a fond memory onto a scrap of paper without revealing it. The memories were collected by a member of the band and deposited into a plastic camel. It got even weirder. Koster prompted the crowd to empty out of the Palace where they followed him into the club's back alley. The memories were then deposited into a pot where lighter fluid was sprayed on them and they were set on fire. Each participant was required to jump over the fire before returning back inside. It was -18 degrees Celcius outside with the windchill but the audience were real gamers. The look on the bouncers’ faces were priceless, that of a party host embarrassed by an overexhuberant guest. Tiny bells were then distributed with the instruction to ring them as their secret memory becomes revealed through Koster's performance as he took the stage once again.
Bells rang loudly and Koster concluded his set by thanking all in attendance for the memories. It was a night so out of the ordinary it will likely be unforgettable by all.
- William Self
 Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair: A Cool Concert
There is a certain energy in the air when a bunch of singers get together and support each other in performance, and this was definitely the case during the second night of the Third Annual Brenda Carol Renaissance Jazz Fair. While the variety of styles wasn’t huge, there’s definitely a very distinctive vibe created when putting together a string of fairly similar performers, and isn’t vibe an important part of any event?
Brenda Carol seemed to have a laid back theme in mind when orchestrating the night, intentional or not, the stream of musicians all seemed to have a cool aura to them: ranging from sultry, to lazy, to just plain soulful.
Starting the night out herself, Carol performed her own unique arrangements of classic tunes, taking chances with some crazy jazz scales and melodies on otherwise low energy folk tunes. Progressing the evening into a sexier stage was one of my favourites, vocalist Pat Murray. Nothing sets a laid back tone more than a bossa, and Nature Boy was the perfect choice as the combination of the mysterious jazz standard and Latin bass groove set up a sipping-drinks-by –the-pool atmosphere. Carin Redman’s set followed, taking the energy down into a cool, sultry, mellow phase with a smoky and very slow version of “Jet Plane.”
Just when the audience was on the brink of either crying into their cocktails or lulling to sleep, an unexpected, unknown male artist got up and joined the girls on stage, wowing the crowd with his R & B rendition of the Al Green classic, “Let’s Stay Together.”
In a gutsy turn, the three singers proceeded to go into an a cappella version of a Stevie Wonder tune, and managed to pull it off with tight harmonies and unisons that were hit right on the head.
Instrumentals were certainly not just background support. Some of my favourite moments included a perfectly crafted flute solo by Rob Christian, and guitarist Nathan Hiltz and Bassist Ross MacIntyre left no musical thought unexplored during their duo performance.
It’s safe to say the performer that captured everyone’s attention at the point when the night needed a new energy was eighth grader, Emily Elizabeth Steinwell. What I first mistook for pitchiness, was really a deliberate stylistic choice. The girl was so
laid back and cool, one might close their eyes and think they were listening to Billie Holiday being beckoned up to sing one more tune at an old school piano bar, not a pre-teen up way past her bed time. Emily was blessed with a voice that embodies the laid back feel of Norah Jones and the word colouring of Joni Mitchell, and her stage presence was an endearing combination of confident and awkward.
Overall the night came together well, although if I were to do it over again, I would sit closer as the crowd was a bit loud for my listening taste.
- Melissa Pisarzowski
 USS
(Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker)
Johnny B Club, Oshawa, Ontario
Jan. 16, 2009
With a juicer on hand, USS is prepared and ready for anything that awaits them in 2009. Their style described as Bob Marley in a lab coat held through during their performance at Johnny B’s in Oshawa, Ont.
The crowd of Seekers were provided some good ole local  Canadian acts: The Rec Room and The Stables. Props go out to Kris Dickerson (the promoter) for producing such a top-notch show!
The main event of the night, of course, USS were nothing but stellar. Human Kebab, the man...the hype-man, seemed to inject the audience with adrenaline while vocalists Ashley Boo-Schultz kept everyone in a transcendent flow. The show kicked off with the dramatic intro of “2 and 15/16ths” and the rest of the night was history.
It’s hard to believe the Canadian duo, who released their demo and began performing live in the same month, would have their songs on heavy rotation on 102.1 The Edge, and have their first video single “Hollowpoint Sniper Hyperbole” played regularly on MuchMusic and recently were awarded two CASBY awards. USS triumphed over other Canadian greats such as Tokyo Police Club, Bedouin Soundclash and Sam Roberts to win those awards, pretty impressive one might say?
With this much hype just radiating from their EP, Welding the C:/, there are definitely big things to come for USS as their full-length album, Einsteins of Consciousness, debuts early 2009.
- Sean Chin
Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra
“It Was a Very Good Year”
Diesel Playhouse, Toronto
November 23, 2008
The always charming Jaymz Bee didn’t disappoint when putting together his talent for the Royal Jelly Orchestra’s performance of “A Really Good Year.”
With a perfectly eclectic and inspired mix of musicians, the show took you on a journey through different styles and genres of jazz, although much of the evening seemed to be blues inspired.
The evening started with a surprising opening act. The young and superbly versatile Robert Scott on piano went seamlessly from a beautifully crafted original “Winter Song” to the ragtime styling of Jelly Roll Morton, displaying an impeccable sense of time. Scott was soon joined for an impromptu audience request session by the deliciously animated Great Bob Scott who takes the concept of melodic drumming to a whole other level.
The singers ranged from the sophisticated Julie Michaels - a talent who could write the book on placement and use of space - to the surprisingly young Stephanie Welton, who’s clarity and grasp on lyrics transcend far beyond her years. Add the unhindered, in-your- face growl of the always entertaining Big Rude Jake to the mix and you have an earful of diversity.
One could not talk about this show without giving mention to the amazing instrumentalists, who set the ground work for some heavy duty swing. The always spot-on Richard Underhill weaved around the melody and changes effortlessly on tenor sax while Howard Moore found the perfect mix between bright and blue on the trumpet. Music director and pianist Walyen Miki kept the energy up with his driving comping and Artie Roth was unwavering on the bass, despite some comedic heckling from his peers.
Highlights of the evening were June Garber’s flirtatious yet gutsy version of “Birth of the Blues” and Heather Bambrick’s show stopping rendition of “Too Darn Hot.” Bambrick once again manages to display virtuosic pipes while maintaining a sweet and personable stage persona. The highest point was when Christopher Plock, accompanied by Eric St. Laurent on guitar, delivered a captivating version of Stardust in a tribute to Jeff Healey that left tear-stained cheeks in the audience.
- Melissa Pisarzowski
 Sondre Lerche w/ Sylvie Lewis
The Mod Club, Toronto
November 14, 2008
Sondre Lerche’s charismatic personality, good looks and amazing stage presence made him the dude that all the guys want to be and all the girls (and some boys) want to be with.
The opener for the night was Sylvie Lewis. Her sweet songs about love, life and old flames put the crowd in a romantic mood, which may have been a good/bad thing for the Norwegian heartthrob.
Lerche started by apologizing for canceling his last Toronto show and he had come to make amends. He started a singalong with “The Tape,” which was played in a more upbeat acoustic fashion.
“I don’t think your ready for this jelly because this next song is bootylicious,” Lerche said before playing the sugary sweet “She’s Fantastic,” which did not help matters as all the girls continued to scream his praises, along with a few sexual propositions.
Lewis then returned and joined Lerche on stage for a duet of some of his older work from his band days in Faces Down and a duet for the song “Modern Nature.” Lerche continued to poke fun at himself and Lewis, which only made their on stage chemistry much cuter.
He ended the night with the very catchy “Phantom Punch” and “Two Way Monologue.” Lerche exchanged his more boyish tenor vocals for a more upbeat falsetto and ended each song by hitting a very impressive high note.
With Lerche’s new record dropping sometime in 2009, it’ll be interesting to see how many more screaming girls Lerche can attract for his next gig.
-Max Mohenu
Photo by Erin Pehlivan
 Born Ruffians
The Opera House
November 1, 2008
To the shock and awe of their booking agent (according to lead singer/guitarist Luke Lalonde), the Born Ruffians played a sold out show and the ninety minute set was definitely full of little surprises.
As a hometown show and the last gig of their latest leg of touring, the crowd’s support was absolutely pungent. The band had support in mind too, except on a different level; with Mitch DeRosier (bassist) supporting old-school Rod Stewart and Steve Hamelin (drummer) paying homage to Nirvana with their t-shirts, whereas Luke was sporting a plaid shirt to represent all of those lumberjack dreaming indie kids.
Not only did they play most of their repertoire, but they also showcased two new songs; both of which received a warm reception. Mitch even took a break to wish his mom and his friend early happy birthdays in between songs.
The songs themselves had a lot of give and take motion to them between the guitar and bass parts; however, the drumming remained consistent. Luke’s sharp yelpings of a lost beagle puppy at centre-stage were contrasted with Mitch’s overtly charismatic stage presence and string plucking. Before strumming away, Luke tended to tiptoe his fingertips on the neck of his guitar, is if it were a human spine he would only neglect to make sing-a-long gesticulations.
Near the end of the set during “Hummingbird,” cathartic crowd surfing ensued, followed by a two minute on-stage dance party by said surfers. Moshing with the kiddies was not an isolated incident, as even seemingly inappropriate tunes to mosh to, such as “Little Garçon” were deemed bruise-worthy; unprecedented by the looks of the band members’ faces.
The encore was of one of labelmates Grizzly Bear’s songs, but the guise could not last. Born Ruffians left everyone yearning to rough it again with the Toronto’s indie darlings as they are; a fine homecoming indeed.
- Melissa Kim
 B-52s
September 26, 2008
CasinoRama
On September 26th tons of people were heading up to the Casino Rama Entertainment Centre to see a sold out show with the unique and talented B52s. It was an entertaining show to say the least. Everyone was ushered to their seats, but as soon as the lights went down and the first song came on, many fans rushed the stage to get even closer to The B52s. They opened up with the track “Pump” and got the crowd started for the evening. Everyone was dancing up a storm and singing along to every song. The band continued to play a mixture of old and new tracks .Everyone went wild when they played, what we all thought was their last track of the evening, “Love Shack”. The crowd was just about as loud as the band. They said their thanks and walked off stage, but just minutes later, returned and started playing “Planet Claire”. The last song of the evening was, of course, “Rock Lobster”. Everyone knew it was coming, yet freaked out when they started playing it. As soon as the show ended everyone was in high spirits and still singing along to what was a stellar show. They are still rocking it out as hard as they did years ago and all look amazing.
- Danielle Cowie
 The Supersuckers
Saturday September 20, 2008
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
About twenty years into their career, the Supersuckers show zero signs of fatigue. They’ve still got the same rollicking showmanship that has helped them remain one of the more reputable live punk rock bands.
Many have argued that much of punk music is rooted in rockabilly and country, and it was clear from lead singer Eddie Spaghetti’s opening set that these are styles he takes pretty seriously. As seriously as a punk can take anything that is. Spaghetti was accompanied by Supersuckers roadie Jordan Shapiro for a set of old country tracks mixed in with some of the more country-tinged Supersuckers songs. Most of the standards he chose had to do with substance abuse (“Gotta Get Drunk”, “Cocaine Blues”) which is kind of an easy way to get punks on your side. This became quite explicit when the entire joint sang along to his song “Killer Weed”. No matter how sincere he seemed at times during the set, he ended each song with a “CHA-CHA-CHA” as if to suggest it was all a façade. This kind of defines the Supersuckers and their attitude towards genre in general. They aren’t quite country, and they certainly aren’t straight ahead punk music. When they took the stage as a group it became immediately clear that they were quite simply, a force to be reckoned with.
Decked out in sunglasses and cowboy hats, the band came to put on a show, and did not disappoint, tearing through thirty or so songs in just under two hours. Each song was filled with hooks and shredding solos that were of such a high energy that it all kind of blended in together. If you missed one song, it was like missing an episode of a soap opera, you could get right back into it with complete ease.
The Supersuckers are entertainers to the max, and managed to stay interesting past the usual 45 minute sets that are typical of most punk bands. They know what their audience wants and are happy to deliver. They are the perfect party band, catering to each additional drink consumed, and working off the ever more enthusiastic crowd. When in a final effort to differentiate themselves from their peers they informed us there would be no encore, there was no disappointment but rather approval at the dismissal of the phony rock show staple.
- Daniel Demois
 My Bloody Valentine
Kool Haus, Toronto
September 25 2008
My Bloody Valentine put on ninety minutes of relentless guitar drones, deafening drums, an overactive blinding strobe, twenty minutes of white noise that should have shattered all unsuspecting eardrums and the ghostly, melancholic yet strangely beautiful vocals of Bilinda Butcher and Kevin Shields.
Welcome back My Bloody Valentine, and what a return it was. Eighteen years after their peerless release of Loveless and after more then a decade of constant rumours of a never-to-be-seen third album, Shields and Co. returned for a reprisal tour, performing material from both studio albums as well as a number of B-sides. MBV treated us to more then just a performance, it was an experience, as they effortlessly demonstrated that their hiatus hadn’t caused any level of inadequacy to set in and ferment (active solo careers did help).
An ominous atmosphere hung over the venue when upon entering, ear plugs were handed out with a stern warning to wear them for the show was going to be loud. You were first dazed by the wall of noise rushing at you while your senses were further confounded by the strobes that lasted for much of the night. And that was the point for it was all part of the experience to close your eyes and let yourself be whisked away to another space for you didn’t come to see the band, but rather, feel the music.
During the few lulls when ones senses were regained momentarily, one could see the intriguing visuals projected on stage and Shields and Co. persisting in the long held tradition of shoegazing as they gloriously maintained an ambient feeling throughout the night, effortlessly merging one song after another in perfect harmony.
While MBV pounded us into submission and forced us to mutedly accept their experience, there was a brief moment of rebellion where the crowd overcame their oppression and did more then just be absorbed in their headspace. The launch of “Soon” led to a cheer and to the crowd dancing for a few moments. But this subsided quickly and back we went, our external senses quickly numbed again. This Orwellian like experience would reach its apex during their performance of “You Made Me Realise” when the band engaged in a twenty minute white noise session that dropped the pressure inside the venue causing difficulty in breathing, all in creating that precise and intense moment of atmospheric-dreaminess.
There was no encore set. There was no need. It took another few days of recollection to realize that we had just witnessed one of the greatest performances ever, for they didn’t just put on a show, they gave us an ethereal experience.
- Belal Khallad
 The Dandy Warhols
Kool Haus, Toronto
September 13, 2008
The Dandy Warhols have always been one of the more dependable bands in indie rock. While they aren’t always producing great albums, they at least consistently have great singles on each record.
Now, having released their sixth album, …Earth to the Dandy’s…, (another unfortunately weak offering) one would think that a live performance would at least produce a dazzling song lineup, considering the extensive discography they have available to mine, on top of the fact that they are uber-cool and the arguably the demi-gods of the indie scene. Yet… it didn’t work out that way.
Frankly, it was one hell of a dull show. The song lineup was odd, with a number of their much weaker offerings being performed in front of a less-than-sold out Kool Haus. The crowd was loaded with revelers who showed signs of restlessness and weariness as the band indulged in questionable picks such as “Horse Pills” and “Minnesoter”. On top of that, the band didn’t seem very engaged in the actual performance itself as they put on a half-assed show.
It was so boring, that throughout the night, the performance onstage often took second billing to the “disturbances” and odd characters that populated the venue: the “engagement” proposal on stage, the “go fuck yourself” some girl yelled out at the band that Zia McCabe reacted to, the dedicated air-guitarist, and the really-odd short mustached fellow that staggered and wandered aimlessly about the whole night and who most likely found himself in a gutter the next morning.
When they did play their sensations, “We Used to be Friends”, “Bohemian Like You” and “Boys Better”, one did see the inklings of the “once-great” Dandy’s and the crowd showed their appreciation. Alas, those moments were brief. The show wasn’t captivating, interesting or fun, thereby rendering it a long-drawn out performance which precluded an encore set, which was fine by most everyone there. The dullness had already been prolonged too long.
After such a letdown, this reviewer began to wonder if maybe the Dandy Warhols just aren’t that great to begin with. After all, they only have one really outstanding album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia. While they might still have it in them to be great, these days they seem to relish in their recent mediocrity as a kind of inside joke which none of us get. Perhaps they’ve worn their indie crown for too long and a coup d’etat is in order. Perhaps. Or maybe they just suck live.
- Belal Khallad
 Radiohead
Molson Amphitheatre
Friday, August 15th 2008
On August 15th, Radiohead played live at the Molson Amphitheatre. It was an awe-provoking performance that was terrifyingly beautiful.
After the fresh opening act delivered by Grizzly Bear, the crowd turned around and looked up into the sky to see a perfectly-formed rainbow appear right over the venue. Was this just a clever light show to promote their In Rainbows album or proof that God is a fan? No one knows, but it did well to symbolize the divine craft of Radiohead.
 Thom Yorke, Colin and Jonny Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, and Phil Selway led the way with the opening song from their latest album, “15 Step”. From then on in, every beat, guitar riff, electro-whatever-you-call-it was dead-on and better live than on record. Concert-goers were delighted with treats such as “Talk Show Host”, “Wolf at the Door” and all-time favorites like “There There”, “Planet Telex”, “No Surprises” and “Street Spirit”. Radiohead managed to play a wealth of tracks from most of their albums to create a very diverse set-list.
The show however may have disappointed some more of their casual fans, as a few of their classic singles were not played like “Paranoid Android” or “Karma Police”. Still, everyone from the front of the pit to the folks all the way at the back of the lawn (even though they were soaked in rain) had a phenomenal time.
 Sean Chin
Photos by Sean Chin
 The Black Crowes
Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario
Saturday July 12, 2008
The Black Crowes managed to entertain fans for two hours straight with all new material and the crowd didn’t seem to mind. Massey Hall was full of die hard fans that loved anything and everything the Crowes did and seemed familiar with most songs off of their new album Warpaint, the band’s first studio album in seven years.
The fans were on their feet screaming with arms in the air before the band even got to their instruments. The first song “Wounded Bird” with its superior musicianship and dramatic light show instantly satisfied. “Evergreen” “Oh Josephine” “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution” and “Movin On Down The Line” were all crowd pleasers cheered on as if they were classic hits.
Chris Robinson is looking more like a hippie than ever if that is possible, dressed in black with long hair and beard he could have passed for Jesus or John Lennon, but his moves were neither, classic Robinson crow-like dancing/grooving with every note the band played. It’s rare to have a front man that is just as entertaining to watch during long instrumentals as when he is singing. Not to mention the huge blinding rhinestone in the middle of his forehead…
Brother Rich Robinson looked like he was in a different band circa early 90s grunge with jeans and plaid shirt complete with the grunge attitude. The other four band members and two background singers contributed equally to the perfection that was the two hour musical journey. The stage set up was more like a rehearsal space as it seemed most of their gear trunks were on stage with them with 70s rugs at their feet.
Over an hour and 20 minutes went by before anything resembling a Black Crowes hit was played. Overall, however the fans seemed ok with not hearing all the classic Black Crowes material that made them famous.
- Diane Foy
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