Sunday, June 08, 2008

Indie Music 39.

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

Last Wednesday I saw The Human Statues and Woodward Company at the Boat. Two very different bands who put on good shows. WWCO was especially interesting. On Thursday I went out to Wrongbar for Boxes & Bags (!!) and Foxfire, and what a fun night that was. Seriously entertaining. On Saturday I danced a bit to the Dress Whites (solid, catchy indie pop-rock) and The Darcys, whom I rather liked though there were some rough spots (for me). It was so hot at Rancho---and the Boat during Goin' Steady---that night. Ouff.

This week(end) the city will be taken over by NxNE. I'm not even going to try to list what's happening, except the associated in-store performances. I hear it's a great festival. See the website (with awkward band schedule) for full information: http://www.nxne.com/. Wristbands are $30 or so. Luminato continues this week. And there's also the Better Reasons Fest at the Tranzac, a pwyc fundraiser series featuring some great local acts. Those shows are listed below. There's a bunch of other stuff to do, so that it's not actually that hard to skip out on NxNE entirely if you so choose.

On this week's podcast, available at http://www.zygiella.com/historyjen and on iTunes as well, we featured songs by Hamilton Trading Co., Jadea Kelly, The Magic, The Pack A.D., Timber Timbre, and Hooded Fang. Take a listen if you're so inclined. We promise more oompff next week . . . it was just too damn hot today.

MONDAY (9 jun)

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Elvis Mondays presents PURRR, zhowndz, Ola Rocks, The Best, Steve Singh, and The People of Canada @ The Drake Underground, 9pm, free.

Shoeless Monday feat. Left For Zero @ 11:15, Chris Miller @ 10:15, and Little Foot Long Foot @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Groovy Mondays feat. Mary Kastle and Christa Couture @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

* Marsupial Mondays presents Hamilton Trading Co. and Anna Linda Siddall @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 8pm, $5.

Michael-Angelo, Alex Woodrow, Samantha Martin, and Alysha Brillinger @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, pwyc.

TUESDAY (10 jun)

Reiner Schwarz ("public practice") w/ Steve Whitehouse & Paul Teglas @ The Gladstone Art Bar, 8pm, pwyc.

Red Dons, The Estranged, and World War I @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. We Are Balboa @ 11:40, Ravens & Chimes @ 10:50, Deep Dark Woods @ 10:00, and David Martel @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free. Could be very good.

Great Aunt Ida, Jane Gowan, Mary Harmer, and Cam Giroux @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Howard Gladstone, Tony Quarrington, Sue & Dwight (w/ Shelley Coopersmith) @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

* Angel Pier, Still Life Still, Key Witness, and Carnival Moon @ The Boat, 8pm, pwyc. Help Elaine from KW and CM celebrate her birthday!

Jadea Kelly (CD release) @ The Dakota Tavern, 9:30pm, $6. Sweet country-folk-pop at a great little venue.

WEDNESDAY (11 jun)

James Murdoch @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. The DGB, Zel'a Hype, and The Cheap Speakers @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc. The CP, at the moment an all-male foursome, promise a set of good indie rock.

Andy Swan, David Como (Sing Leaf), and Rebel Flowers @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Pitter Patter Nights presents Aleks & the Ramps (from Australia) w/ Gravity Wave, Quantum Physique, and Vesper Hours @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Burnitdowns, Single File to Freedom, and Larry & His Flask @ Blue Moon, 9pm, $5.

Alexandra Ribera @ Clinton's, 8pm, $10.

Team Mixed Berries ... JAM! Presents Jammin' for the Cure feat. The General Staff w/ The Dave Ward Band and Ben Sings Songs @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5. Proceeds to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Christina Martin, Shobha, and Matt Charlton @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm.

Tambourine Magazine presents TIMA Showcase feat. Janine Farragher, Russell Leon Band, Sadie May Crash, Spies, Earthtone, and Lori Nuic @ The Annex Wreck Room, 7:30pm, $7. (I don't know the order of performances.)

Centromatic @ 10:30 and The M's @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $9 (adv, $10 door).

THURSDAY (12 jun)

The Vibrants (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 1pm, free.

The Vicious Guns (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 2pm, free.

keepin6 (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 3pm, free.

Sabrina Korva (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 4pm, free.

STAND (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 5pm, free.

David Martel (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 6pm, free.

The John Henrys (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 6pm, free.

Two Hours Traffic (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 7pm, free.

* The Two Koreas (EP release) w/ DJs Jamal and Ian @ The Beaver, 11pm, free. The band plays at midnight. You can pick up a copy of the vinyl for $10.

Chris Cawthray Trio @ The Gladstone Melody Bar, 7pm, free.

Terror Lake, Buckets Of, and Dwarf Star @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

* Out of this Spark presents The Better Reasons Fest feat. Forest City Lovers, The Magic, and Evening Hymns @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, pwyc. Proceeds from the festival will go to "Sketch, a Toronto based organization which creates art making opportunities for young people who live street-involved and homeless or who are considered to be at risk." See http://www.sketch.ca.

The River Pilots w/ Michael Holt @ The Central, 8pm, $6.

The Sherbourne Canons (debut) and Man In White @ Smiling Buddha, 8pm.

Macro Fiesta @ The Unicorn, 9pm.

Homostupids, U.T.I., So Cow, and Never Trust @ The Batcave (393 Margueretta), 7pm, $8. BYOB, but no glass bottles.

FRIDAY (13 jun)

David Martel (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 1pm, free.

Miss Derringer (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 2pm, free.

Triple Cobra (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 3pm, free.

Trigger Effect (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 4pm, free.

This Is Radio Freedom (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 5pm, free.

Fernando Saunders (in-store) @ Sunrise Records, 6pm, free.

Calm Down It's Monday, Old Man Luedecke, Shotgun Jimmie feat. Attack in Black, The Superfantastics, and Mardeen (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 5pm, free.

Hot Springs (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 6:30pm, free.

The Two Koreas (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 7pm, free.

David French, Jordan O'Connor, Nick Fraser, and guests @ The Rex, 6:30pm, pwyc.

The Skeets and Clay Pigeons @ The Gladstone Melody Bar, 7pm, free.

Michelle Hell, John Zytaruk, Collette Savard @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Foolish Things @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, free.

Nite Market @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Fuzzy Logic Recordings presents The Better Reasons Fest feat. Lily Frost, Prarie Cat (backed by the Bicycles), Scraps from Boil Street, Laura Barrett, and Peter Project @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, pwyc. Proceeds from the festival will go to "Sketch, a Toronto based organization which creates art making opportunities for young people who live street-involved and homeless or who are considered to be at risk." See http://www.sketch.ca.

Air Vibrations (interactive DJ night) @ The Gladstone Art Bar, 9pm, free.

Saint Dirt Elementary School @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Slow News Day, Daysleeper, Remote Wonder, and Sylvene @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $6.


SATURDAY (14 jun)

The Nymphets, So Cow, and The Weirdies @ Trash Palace, 2pm (early show).

Monotonix (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 3pm, free.

Mannequin Men (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 4pm, free.

Starvin Hungry (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 5pm, free.

Julie Doiron (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 6pm, free.

The Pack A.D. (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 6pm, free.

* Blocks Blocks Blocks Recording Club presents The Better Reasons Fest feat. Kids on TV, Nif-D, The Phonemes, Tradition, and Matias Rozenberg @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 5pm, pwyc. Proceeds from the festival will go to "Sketch, a Toronto based organization which creates art making opportunities for young people who live street-involved and homeless or who are considered to be at risk." See http://www.sketch.ca. There's also a BBQ starting at 5pm.

Avesta Makhaei @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6pm, pwyc.

Timber Timbre, Jordaan Mason & The Horse Museum, Whatever Jailer, and Hills of Head Waters @ The Oxford Hotel (backyard), 8pm, pwyc.

The Weather Station, Dark Bird, and Antler @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Kasper, Deadbeat Dads, and Diamond Teeth @ Mitzi's Sister, 9:30pm, pwyc.

Owen Steel and The Wayside Ramblers @ The Local, 9pm.

Wintage Records & Tapes presents Slither, Fossils, Roman Pilates, and tba @ Pete's Place (193 Dowling Ave., enter at back), 9:30pm, $6.

A Concert For Sally ( boston terrier rescue ) feat. Julia Set Generator, The Matavaras, and Scobo @ Smiling Buddha, $7.

SUNDAY (15 jun)

Sisters of Sheynville @ The Rex, noon.

Sunday Brunch feat. Clela Errington w/ Jocelyn Barth and Luke Roberts @ Gate 403, noon-3pm, pwyc.

Ivy Mairi, Anne Bourne, and Tornstartssbandht @ St. Andrew by-the-Lake, 4pm, pwyc.

The Backstabbers String Band @ The Gladstone Melody Bar, 5pm, free.

The Travelling Band @ The Gladstone Melody Bar, 8pm, free.

Gordon's Acoustic Living Room @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, free.

* Michael Holt presents I Love Music! feat. African (and Andean) music w/ Waleed Abdulhamid, Tyler Kerr, and The All-White-Afrobeat-Enthusiasts (Todd Porter, David French, Neil Whitford, Chris Banks, Reade Ollivier, and Michael Holt) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

Gather Round feat. Owen Steel w/ Hamilton Trading Co. and David O'Connor @ The Boat, 9pm, pwyc.

* Wavelength 417 feat. $100, Hooded Fang, and Fraser Gielen @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

Les Singes Bleus w/ Katie Murphy @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Anhai and Doug Tielli @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Aaron Allen, The Small City Saints, Andy Swan, and Lunch Meat @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm.

* NxNE After Party feat. Dinosaur Bones, Grand Analog, The Superfantastics, and Hollerado @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5. (Or free with a festival pass.)

2 comments:

geoff said...

Hello Jen,

I just stumbled upon your blog today and i think you would be good for a promotion that I'm working on for a company called Matchstick.

Basically what Matchstick does is put products in the hands of people that are most apt to talk about them, especially online.

The item in question for our current campaign is an mp3 player. You can take the prequalifying survey here, www.matchstick.ca/mp3, and pass it on if you have other friends in the blog community, specifically in Canada (we are based out of Toronto).

If you qualify, you will be receiving the device, and a snazzy one it is.

cheers,
Jeffrey Cheung
www.matchstick.ca

Anonymous said...

Hi Jen
On behalf of indie artists everywhere...THANKS SO MUCH for supporting live music!
Sue
www.sueanddwight.com