I went to the North by Northeast music festival accredited to Zygiella.com. Welcome to my coverage! Over the following five special podcasts you will hear the interviews I conducted with musicians, writers, bloggers, photographers, and others during the festival. In addition you will also hear songs by artists who performed (and a couple who didn't) during the five days of NxNE. Highlights include a new D'Urbervilles song feat. hip hop artists New Slang, brand new tracks by METZ and La Casa Muerte, and as-yet unreleased songs by Burn Planetarium, The Schomberg Fair, and Evening Hymns. All the songs were chosen by the people I talked to. The conversations you'll hear touch on a variety of subjects, including the state of the music industry, the excitement and diversity of the festival, the travails of independent bands, and the music scenes in other cities. My sense from my travels and talks was that this year's NxNE was well programmed, more embracing of a variety of music styles, and felt more like a festival than in previous years. The bands I spoke with were having a good time, the fans were enjoying themselves, and everyone was finding something exciting to go see and hear.
Episode 1: Wednesday (17 June 2009)
My festival started at the launch party at the Berkeley Church on Queen East. I caught up with some friends, met a few new people, and had a couple free beers. Sufficiently tipsy, a friend and I cabbed over to the Drake to see the City Sonic films (really well done), and catch sets by J. J. Ipsen, The D'Urbervilles, Lioness, and Woodhands. I spoke with Tim Bruton and John O'Regan from The D'Urbervilles, Ming Wu, a photoblogger from Ottawa and first-time NxNEr, and Garry Tsaconas, a local photographer and avid show-goer. Featuring songs by The D'Urbervilles ("Worst Case Ontario [feat. New Slang and Green Go]," and Woodhands ("Electric Avenue [Eddy Grant cover]"). Hope you enjoy it!
Photo of John O'Regan performing at the Drake on 17 June 2009 by Garry Tsaconas.
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Stay tuned for the next 4 episodes, covering Thursday afternoon, Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday and Sunday.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Special NxNE podcasts, episode 1.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Indie Music 86 (2-8 July 2009).
Like this list? Join my Facebook group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Subscribe to my weekly podcast (or download the episodes) here, or through iTunes. Or just listen to the latest one, and all the other ones, at Zygiella. Make sure to check the rest of my blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads.
I'm just back from Canada Day festivities at Harbourfront with Chad VanGaalen and Constantines. I did not realize how serious Constantines fans are about loving this band. Awesome! Lots more to do over the next 7 days. I haven't listed anything that's happening as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival. There's a few "shadowcasts" on at Bloor Cinema as part of the Fringe Festival, including "Blue Velvet." The actors and musicians performing in that may be familiar to those of you who frequent local music shows. There are more connections between Fringe and the indie music community: members of Hooded Fang are involved with Just East of Broadway, and I'm told that Andrew Penner from Sunparlour Players (whose CD release show I went to on Friday) has a play being staged, too.
THURSDAY (2 July)
Earsz, Slow Hand Motem, and Lanparty @ Graffitis, 9pm, pwyc.
Cody Elliott (CD release) w/ Jeremy Panda, Bryan Arcand, Kyla Tingly, Beth Moore, and The Tandooris @ Free Times Café, 8:30pm, pwyc.
The Good Mourning Band, Vedette, Heart Of Shark, and Beyond The Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, $5.
'Cho-Tunes feat. Clydesdale, North Amorica, and Fat City @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.
Harm @ 11:40, Strawman @ 10:50, Silvercade @ 10:00, and Dead Etiquette @ 9:10. Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.
City Sirens @ 12:00, The Eatons @ 11:00, Purple Orange @ 10:00, Belle Jars @ 9:00. Lee’s Palace, 8:30pm, $6.
Luke Nicholson @ C’est What, 9:30pm, $6.
Scorpion Management presents Indie Week Fight Night #3 feat. Pavlov’s Dogs Orchestra, Alright Alright, Cody Allen, Remedy Music, Advent Children, and Caitlin Burgess @ Clinton’s Tavern, 8pm, $6.
Ninja Funk Orchestra, The Marksmen, and Yuka @ The Boat, 9pm, $7.
The Break Down (CD release) w/ Street Corner SkanDal @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $7.
The Fugitives w/ Willow Rutherford @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $10. Remember that Drake shows end by 11pm, so get there early.
FRIDAY (3 July)
Rodriguez and Roberto Linares Brown @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 8pm, free. For more information about what’s happening at Harbourfront, see their website.
Boxes & Bags, Kinetic Stereokids, The Wilderness, and The Ostrich Tuning @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $tba.
* Gregory Pepper & his Problems (CD release) w/ Alphabot! @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.
Two Bears (record release) w/ 10,000 Watt Head, Botox Corvette, and Thrashed Genes @ Teranga, 9pm, $5.
The Boom Box Saints presents Muneshine (record release) w/ D-Sisive, Ghettosocks, and Fundament & Rolywra @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5.
Anglicize the Discotheque feat. The Tape Deck Bros, Plove, and The ADHD Theatre @ Rancho Relaxo, 10pm, $5 (or free b4 11pm).
A Mountain Far presents Tonnn, Gift Eaters, Red Hot Daggers, and Creeper @ Siesta Nouveaux, 9pm, $5. All ages. BYOB.
Room Party (DJ night) w/ Gabe Knox and feat. Young Flux @ The Boat, 10pm, $5. The band is on at 11pm.
Recovery Child @ 12:30, Sunlit Ambush @ 11:30, Tenth Planet @ 10:30, and Rockafellers @ 9:30. Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $6.
Loving In the Name Of feat. The Best (cover band) w/ DJs Disappointment, Product Placement, and Strictly Commercial @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 10pm, $8. The Best is made up of indie musicians you may know: Andre Ethier, Max McCabe, Sebastien Grainger, Matt Murphy, and others.
A Self @ 12:30, Rock Ons @ 11:30, People You Know @ 10:30, Machinekind @ 9:30. Lee’s Palace, 9pm, $10.
* Friendlyness & the Human Rights and Treson @ Clinton’s Tavern, 10pm, $10 + non-perishable food item.
SATURDAY (4 July)
* AUX.tv Secret Session feat. Barzin (acoustic) @ TARA (554 Queen St E), 5pm, free.
* Femi Kuti w/ King Sunny Ade @ Harbourfront Centre, 6pm, free.
Hell Yeah Fuck Yeah, Baptized in Blood, Caution Inc @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.
The Bleeders, Bastard Child Death Cult, and Matheson @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, $5.
Late Night Live feat. Picturesound @ Silver Dollar, 10:30pm.
* METZ (7" release), Tropics (cassette release), and Actual Water @ Canadian Corps Legion Hall (201 Niagara), 9pm, $7.
Luke Michielsen w/ Rival Gang Theatre and Luke Nares @ C’est What, 10pm, $7.
KC Roberts @ 12:30, Jay Spectre @ 11:30, Hypogea @ 10:30, and Katie Dutemple & the Staytoughs @ 9:30. Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm. $8.
Music for Hope (benefit for orphans living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa) feat. Lickpenny Loafer and more @ Revival, 7:30pm, $10 donation.
SUNDAY (5 July)
* Wavelength 470 feat. Daniel Daniel and the Deaf-Aids (members of Barons and Lengthy, Brent Randall & his Pinecones, and Foxfire), Deleted Scenes, and Circus School, hosted by Doc Pickles, w/ visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, pwyc.
* Jordaan Mason & the Horse Museum, The Greenbelt Collective, Okay Vancouver Okay, Richard Laviolette, and Sarah Mangle @ The Boatm 9pm, $5?
* Steamboat @ Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm (start), $5. Summer residency.
MONDAY (6 July)
Shoeless Monday feat. Black Mother Pearl @ 11:15, Flash Of Eden @ 10:15, and Assemble Me @ 9:15. Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.
Elvis Mondays feat. tba @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.
Acoustic Showcase feat. Heather Primerano, The Nate Daniels Band, Lisa Michelle, Feb Credidio, Peter James Duo, and Sarah Teitel @ Smiling Buddha, 8pm, $5.
What Seas What Shores and Now Yr Taken @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.
Burn Down the Capital presents Jakob Olausson w/ Sus & Jakob and Ryan Driver @ The Music Gallery, 8pm, $7.
TUESDAY (7 July)
The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. tba @ 11:40, Domenica @ 10:50, Motion Picture Ending @ 10:00, and Witch Ever @ 9:10. Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.
Best of the Open Stage w/ host Jeff Kahl feat. Sean Peever and Katie Regan @ Free Times Café, 8:30pm, pwyc.
Burn Down The Capital presents Metalux, Bill Nace, Gastric Female Reflex, Almost Blue Sunshine, and The Birthday Cakes @ The Boat, 9pm, $8.
Yuka, The Abyss, Omar Lynx, Carmen Elle, and Classy Johnny Massy @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 7pm, $10.
WEDNESDAY (8 July)
PWYC Weds feat. LR82434, Laura Aidanblaise, Lost at Sea, and Jay Sparrow @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.
Weds Go Pop! feat. Pat Robitaille, Mandippal, and Alysha Brillinger @ Supermarket, 9pm, pwyc.
LAUGHstock presents The Great Sabatini, Akroid, and Creeper @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.
Left Side Drive, Alright Alright @ Clinton’s Tavern, 9pm, $5.
* Zeus w/ William Delray & the Sexy Moving Parts, and The Silt @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $7. Zeus is playing every Wed in July.
Stuck In the City presents Coke Bust, Sick Fix, Urban Blight, and Hazardous Waste @ Siesta Nouveaux, 7pm, $10. All ages. BYOB.
* Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Cryptacize, and Mantler @ The Boat, 9pm, $10.
Podcast 45 (2-8 July 2009).
Happy Canada Day! I'm back from NxNE, Tyler is back from illness, we're a little low-energy, but still excited about what's coming up over the next week. Featuring Gregory Pepper & his Problems ("Knives & Guns"), Friendlyness & the Human Rights ("One More Draw"), Barzin ("Stayed In this Place For Too Long"), Lickpenny Loafer ("Bonded"), Zeus ("How Does It Feel"), Casiotone For the Painfully Alone ("Ice Cream Truck").
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NOTE: I am dumb and got the date wrong for the Gregory Pepper show. It's Friday! Not Thursday!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Indie Music 85 (25 June - 1 July 2009).
I'm trying out a different format this week. Let me know if you hate it.
Like this list? Join my Facebook group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Subscribe to my weekly podcast (or download the episodes) here, or through iTunes. Or just listen to the latest one, and all the other ones, at Zygiella. Make sure to check the rest of my blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads.
Last week was all about NxNE. See my posts from the last few days for much more about that. And stay tuned for special NxNE podcasts in the coming weeks. (No regular podcast this week, sorry.)
Tonight (Thursday), Ohbijou releases Beacons at the Opera House w/ Great Bloomers, and Evening Hymns (playing as a 7-piece!). Tickets are $13; worth it. Or else go party with the Miles, the Sweatshop Hop, and others at the Drake, $5 (before midnight). The Drake’s serving until 4am. At Rancho Relaxo, check out The Shotgun Wedding Band, The Natural Shocks, Australia’s The Boy Who Spoke Clouds, and The Quantum Jitters. $6. Ronley Teper & her Lipliners will impress in the Tranzac’s front room, 10pm, pwyc. Clothes Make the Man and Hijack Delta are at the Bovine tonight, $5, while The Key Frames and friends play at El Mocambo, also $5. The Toronto Acoustic Songwriters Collective presents An Acoustic Roots Revue featuring Chris Assaad, Lisa Marie Kruchak, Liam Kearney, Brooke Harris and hosted by Rhythm Nomad at the Cameron House, 9pm, $8. Glory Glory Man United, !ATTENTION!, and
Birmingham are at the Boat, $5.
Tomorrow (Friday), there's the Royal City tribute show at Tranzac, $10, or else head to the Horseshoe for a great lineup: Sunparlour Players (CD release), Hylozoists (vibraphones are sexy, eh?), and Wayne Petti & the Thieves. That's Wayne Petti from Cuff the Duke's new band. This show is also $10, only at the door. Sneaky Dee's has a stacked lineup, including weirdos Pony Da Look, Nifty, and Animal Monster, only $5. At the Silver Dollar (cover unknown, but maybe $6?), you can catch Hurry Hard, Jetset Motel, The Strumbellas, and The Jessica Mitchell Band. Rancho Relaxo is hosting rock bands Poisonous Glass, A Northern Drawl, Christian Zucconi, and Cold Dead Hands ($6). For rock of a different sort, Anagram and Catl (2 sets) are playing at Mitzi’s Sister. Not to be missed, if it’s your thing, $5. The Trauma Tone Festival, also billed as “The Toronto Extreme Music Fest” takes over the wee Rearview Mirror tonight and Saturday. Details here. The Darlings of Chelsea release their new disk at the Velvet Underground with an early show (starting at 9pm) at the Velvet Underground, $8. Jane’s Party kicks off their summer tour at C’est What, $5. Orangutan, Cody Elliott, The Youngest, and Daunting Village are at the Press Club, pwyc.
Start your weekend off with a free, all-ages acoustic set by the usually hyperactive Oh No Forest Fires, 554 Queen St. E, 5pm. Saturday night, there's that show at the Horseshoe for which I’m giving tickets away (Modernboys Moderngirls w/ Everything all the Time, The Balconies, and Gentlemen Husbands, $6). Zunior (“the little digital music store”) celebrates its 5th anniversary by taking over the Tranzac. All the details are here. I may opt for free tonight: Islands, Gentleman Reg, Kids On Tv, and Hooded Fang are all playing as part of Pride, on the South Stage, starting at 8pm. Oh my! (There’s lots more free music all weekend.) LICE and TONNN release their split 12" with friends Ancestors, 10,000 Watt Head, and DJ/MM/YYYY (cute) at the new Poor Alex (772A Dundas St. W, upstairs), 9pm, $5. The Assistants and The Cheap Speakers got a gig at Neutral (part of the last Kensington Station night), $6. Fleece Elves, The Suncapades, and Universe 326 take over Mitzi’s Sister. At Odds With Even, The Boo, Yoshi, and Jay McCaroll are at Smiling Buddha, $5. Just around the corner from where I live, a local group is putting on the Light Up Our Alley Street Festival. Bands performing include Revolution Love, The Sure Things, Gutstrings (The Winks side-project), Sick Friend, Ten Thousand Creatures, and more. It’s free and happening in the alley at Dupont/Spadina.
On Saturday and Sunday the 6th Annual Toronto City Roots Festival takes over the Distillery District, with free music all afternoon and into the evening/night. For more details, click here.
This is outside my usual price range for these posts, but I will let my love for all things Wavelength win me over: Magik Markers w/ Mouthus, Gastric Female Reflex, and Wasted Nymph. This one’s happening outdoors on Saturday, in the Music Gallery courtyard (the church at 197 John St.). Music’s at 9pm, $15 at the door; less in advance, for Music Gallery members, and students. The Music Gallery is also hosting another show as part of their Summer Courtyard Series on Sunday night. Seeing Veda Hille, Christof Migone, and others will set you back $20, or less in advance, for MG members, and students.
Wavelength itself is happening Sunday night, as always: Bombs, Pick A Piper (!), Pace the Stairs, and Ace Kinkaid, all at Sneaky Dee’s starting at 9:30pm, pwyc. Also that night, Burn Down the Capital brings Zs, Child Bite (!), Feuermusik (!), and Talk Normal to the Boat, $8. Steamboat's summer residency at the Dakota Tavern continues tonight, $5, with "special guests Andy Swan and Matt Murphy as well as a mind shattering horn section!" Wow.
I went to my first Elvis Monday this week (I know, finally), and it seems like these free Monday shows are the place to be if you live anywhere near the Drake (and even if you don’t). Mondays are also free at the Horseshoe Tavern.
Tuesday brings The Hoa Hoas, The Zoobombs, Mother Murder, and the Owle Bird to the Silver Dollar, all for $8. High recommended. Check out 4 bands for free at the Horseshoe: Tenn Fold, A Fourth World, Crash Karma, and Bury the Bully. Melissa Bathory releases her new album with help from The Wilderness of Manitoba at the Parkdale Drink, 9pm, $10.
Celebrate Canada’s birthday on Wednesday with Zeus (who impressed me during NxNE) at the Dakota Tavern on Wednesday night. This one’s presumably a $5 cover. (Re)live your punk rock youth at Siesta Nouveaux (Eating Glass, Fortune Teller, Brick, Scarred Love, Homesick, and Double Cheeseburger), 6pm, $10. If you’re feeling more indie, head over to the Drake Underground for The Lovely Killbots, The Paint Movement, and Provincial Parks, $5. Catch the Constantines and Chad VanGaalen at Harbourfront, 8pm, free. At 3pm, Criminal Records hosts Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, free and all ages, of course. A band will be playing on the marquee of the Bloor Cinema at 7:30pm, performing "Blue Velvet," "Love Letters," "Crying," "In Dreams," and "Get Back." For more details click here. There's a million other awesome things happening.
Missed anything? Let me know!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Ticket/CD Giveaway: MBMG, The Balconies, EATT, Gentlemen Husbands @ The Horseshoe, Sat, 27 June.
This is gonna be a quick one. A few local(ish) bands, and one Ottawa band (that Toronto loves) are playing the Horseshoe on Saturday night. The headliners are Modernboys Moderngirls, a garage-y pop-rock group. I saw them play nearly two years ago when they were a large ensemble. They’ve trimmed their size and refined their sound since then, and I’ve heard only good things about their performances. Also on the bill are Everything All the Time, a band that produces chilled-out, groovy dance tracks that are impossible not to move to. Then there’s Ottawa’s The Balconies, another solid pop rock band that’s gotten some well-deserved buzz in this city and elsewhere. Their music is more interesting than I just made it sound, with elements of Britpop, psychedelia, and boy-girl vocals just to mix things up a bit. Finally, Gentleman Husbands, whom I have not yet seen, but—again—I hear good things about their countryish rock. All in all, this will be a night of solid local(ish) bands with some musical variety (including female band members).
Thanks to Audio Blood Media I’ve got two prize packs to give away, each one consisting of a pair of tickets to the show, a copy of the MBMG CD, and The Balconies’ demo disk. To enter send me an email at historyjenATgmailDOTcom with “MBMG” in the subject line, and your full name in the body. Make sure you (and your date) are 19+ and can actually make the Saturday show, of course. Deadline for entering is Friday, 26 June at 11:59pm. Not sure you want in? Have a listen:
Download: Modernboys Moderngirls, “My Baby Says Boy, Don't You Ever Go” (I Might As Well Break It, 2009).
Download: Everything All the Time, “Lazy Days” (Everything All the Time, 2008).
Download: The Balconies, “Battle Royale” (demo, 2008).
Download: Gentlemen Husbands, “Tapanga” (Something Along the Lines of “A Lesson in Unprofessionalism”, 2008).
If you don't win the tickets, you can get copies of the bands' merch at the show, which will cost you but $6. Not a bad way to spend a summer Saturday night.
Fine Print: Modernboys Moderngirls w/ Everything all the Time, The Balconies, and Gentlemen Husbands @ The Horseshoe, Saturday, 27 June, 8:30pm, $6.
My NxNE... final tally.
I managed to see more than 30 bands at this year's festival. For the most part, I stayed for full sets, though I got in late to a small handful of them. Here's the complete rundown, from start to finish:
WEDNESDAY
J. J. Ipsen @ The Drake Hotel (Underground) -- nice, but the wrong setting
The D'Urbervilles @ The Drake Hotel (Underground) -- love these guys
Lioness @ The Drake Hotel (Underground) -- Vanessa Fisher is a great lead
Woodhands @ The Drake Hotel (Underground) -- had me dancing for an hour despite my exhaustion
THURSDAY
Dinosaur Bones (in-store) @ Sunrise Records -- reminded me that I do really like this band
Spiral Beach @ Young-Dundas Square -- fun!
Zeus @ The Courthouse -- really good classic rock with new-indie infusion (to my mind)
Flotilla @ Rancho Relaxo -- charmed and pleasantly surprised me
The Most Serene Republic @ The Courthouse -- I wanted to like this set more than I did
You Say Party! We Say Die! @ El Mocambo (Downstairs) -- really fun, better live than on their records
Green Go @ El Mocambo (Downstairs) -- all the people who left after YSP!WSD! missed out
Zoobombs @ The Silver Dollar Room -- blistering performance
The Schomberg Fair @ Lee's Palace -- fantastic performance, new songs sound great
FRIDAY
Green Go @ Yonge-Dundas Square (side stage) -- had me dancing in the sunshine
Black Hat Brigade @ Yonge-Dundas Square (side stage) -- so many people!
Parlovr @ Supermarket -- I loved their somewhat unpolished sound and great energy
Zeroes @ The Silver Dollar Room -- had some great moments
Dinosaur Bones @ The Horseshoe Tavern -- great, I hope they had people talking afterward
Mika Miko @ Sneaky Dee's -- unmemorable for me, but I don't have much experience with punk rock (and they played for no more than 20 minutes)
The Sadies @ El Mocambo (Downstairs) -- amazing!
These Are Powers @ The Silver Dollar Room -- HOLY HECK, their primal electro dance grooves had me dancing like a maniac
Mark Berube & the Patriotic Few @ Rancho Relaxo -- played until past 4am with a good chunk of people still dancing
SATURDAY
Laura Barrett @ Rolly's Garage -- enchanting, perfect (except for that weird guy who interrupted her set)
Boxes & Bags @ secret/not-so-secret afterparty -- terrible technical troubles, but they got something
Japanther @ secret/not-so-secret afterparty --wow, was not expecting this!
DD/MM/YYYY @ secret/not-so-secret afterparty --I was distracted doing door duties, unfortunately, 'cause this is a great live band
After that I caught snippets of Steamboat and Gravity Wave at another secret/not-so-secret afterparty.
SUNDAY
Candy Coated Killahz @ Yonge-Dundas Square -- unoriginal, but when I turned off my music-snob brain they were pretty fun
Mardeen @ Rancho Relaxo -- really good Canadiana pop-rock, made me happy
Brent Randall & his Pinecones @ Rancho Relaxo -- 60s pop, much fun
Diamond Rings @ The Rivoli -- so much better than the last time I saw him, really solid performance
PS I Love U @ The Rivoli -- my friends have been talking this band up for months, and they are right
Wax Mannequin @ Sneaky Dee's -- great
La Casa Muerte @ Sneaky Dee's -- their energy was infectious, even though they claimed to be really low energy that night
All-in-all, I saw 15 bands that I've seen before, and 16 bands that I hadn't. None of the performances were disappointing, though in a few cases I wanted to like the bands more than I did. The best: These Are Powers. The worst: Candy Coated Killahz. But considering both those bands had me dancing despite my sore feet and general tiredness, I really can't complain. What a great five days of music! I learned a lot about a lot of things, including that I need to get out to see more electro bands. I love them so.
[I went to see Hank & Lily @ The Drake Hotel (Underground) on Monday night, just 'cause I'm nuts.]
I did a bunch of interviews during the festival, so stay tuned for a few special NxNE podcasts with all those plus more than 2 hours of great music!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Done.
I am home and done with NxNE 2009.
Missed Ninjasonik, but saw Candy Coated Killahz. Skipped out on GZA at Yonge & Dundas Square. Something was up at the El Mo, so no Rah Rah for me. But headed to Rancho for Mardeen and Brent Randall & his Pinecones. Then to a busy Rivoli for Diamond Rings (!) and some of PS I Love You. Caught part of Wax Mannequin's set and ended it all with La Casa Muerte, both at Sneaky Dee's. All the bands were good and I really enjoyed myself.
Uh... I need to sleep for 17 hours now.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
My NxNE schedule... Sunday.
Oops. I was exhausted yesterday; 3 days of late-into-the-night show-hopping caught up with me, and I wanted to do nothing except stay home and sleep. Plus, it was raining, dampening my enthusiasm for all things NXNE even more. Making it to Rolly's Garage for the Daps Duo / No Shame afternoon show was important to me, though, and I managed to get myself organized enough to get there for Laura Barrett's lovely set. After dinner at home and a failed attempt at napping, I decided to skip the shows I had planned, and just hit up the afterparties.
I went to two different ones, each with a decidedly different vibe, but both basically put on as a reason for more partying and celebrating some of the great bands that are in town. Boxes & Bags, Japanther (!), and DD/MM/YYYY were the bands I saw at the first place. I lucked into a ride, so choose to skip out on METZ and Spiral Beach (unfortunately, sigh), to head over to the party happening in my neighbourhood. I caught a bit of Gravity Wave and Steamboat, but the point of this party was more about talking to friends and meeting new people. I ended up interviewing Prizzy Prizzy Please in their van, and then getting some breakfast at Vesta Lunch with three friends. No regrets about missing Evening Hymns, The Wooden Sky, Grand Analog, Red Mass, Woodpigeon, The Lovely Feathers, and etc. I would have enjoyed then, I'm sure, but another time.
The festival continues today. Here's what I've got tentatively planned. Again, I'm aiming to see bands I haven't yet seen.
SUNDAY
Ninjasonik @ Y & D Square, 6pm.
Candy Coated Killahz @ Y & D Square, 7pm.
Rah Rah @ El Mo (Down), 9pm.
Labasheeda @ Sneaky Dee's, 9:30pm.
The Gertrudes @ Rivoli, 10pm OR Innes Wilson & His Opposition @ Sneaky Dee’s, 10pm OR Brent Randall & His Pinecones @ Rancho Relaxo, 10pm.
La Casa Muerte @ Sneaky Dee’s, 11pm.
PS I Love You @ Rivoli, 12am OR Bellewoods @ Rancho Relaxo, 12am.
Later... If I'm still feeling festive, I hope I might catch Steamboat and The Beauties @ The Dakota Tavern.
There's also an interesting show happening at the Music Gallery.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
My NxNE schedule... Saturday.
Friday was insane. From start to finish: brunch at Aunties & Uncles, Green Go, interesting conference session, Black Hat Brigade, dinner, annoyed by Little Italy festival, Parlovr, Zeroes, Dinosaur Bones, Mika Miko, The Sadies, These Are Powers, Mark Berube & the Patriotic Few, biking home in the rain, collapse. I got to interview Matthew from i(heart)music, Burn Planetarium, Justin and Bryan from Black Hat Brigade, Sari and Simone from Audio Blood Media, Michael, Zack from The So So Glos, Evan Dickson from chartattack.com, concert promoter Mark Pesci, photographers Pete Nema and Tom Eschenbrenner, and probably other people that I forget right now.
Best band of the festival: These Are Powers. At 1:50am last night, when the Sadies were still playing, I realized I wasn't going to make it (intact, on time) to the Reverb for 84.85 at 2am. I noticed These Are Powers were going on at the Silver Dollar, two minutes from where I was (at the El Mo). Zack had mentioned them to be earlier, and someone else had too. So I went. And they were amazing.
Today it's raining and my feet are killing me. I may hang out at home for a bit then hit up a day show before more shows shows shows afterparties. If I stick to my plan on not seeing bands I've seen before, my options include:
SATURDAY
No Shame / Daps Duo BBQ feat. Ruby Jean & the Thoughtful Bees, Lightmares, Laura Barrett, “Swirling Shores,” Times Neue Roman, and Pick A Piper @ Rolly’s Garage, 1-6pm.
Record Label DIY: Freeing Your Inner Ani DiFranco @ Regency B, 3–4:30pm.
FACTOR Fiction Redux @ Regency A, 3:30–4:30pm.
AfterpartY @ Neutral Lounge, 8pm.
Casey Mecija (Ohbijou) & Evening Hymns @ Whippersnapper Gallery, 9pm. (Ok, seen both before.)
awkward i @ Holy Joe’s, 10pm.
By Divine Right @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 11pm.
Brian Borcherdt @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 12am OR C’Mon @ Lee’s Palace, 12am OR In-Flight Safety @ El Mo (Down), 12am.
Crystal Antlers @ Sneaky Dee’s1, 1am OR The Wooden Sky @ El Mo (Down), 1am (seen 'em before).
The Lovely Feathers @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 2am.
Bloodgroup @ Neutral Lounge, 3am.
I might skip the last few timeslots and head to an afterparty or two. And now I'm off to shower, eat, and take one last look at the schedule to make sure I haven't overlooked anything.
