Tuesday, March 31, 2009

CD + Ticket Giveaway: The Whitsundays, Pick A Piper, and The Superstitions @ Sneaky Dee’s, 3 Apr.

The Whitsundays, an Edmonton group featuring members of The Faunts, Shout Out Out Out Out, and The Wet Secrets, play lush 60s-inspired psychedelic pop. To my mind they sound like Magnetic Fields, Plants & Animals, and The Beatles all rolled into one. In other words: good stuff. Currently on tour, they stop in at Sneaky Dee’s this Friday along with locals The Superstitions, and Pick A Piper, another group boasting members from other bands (Brad Weber from Caribou, for instance).

Download: “Sorry James” and "It Must Be Me" off The Whitsundays’s s/t full-length (2008).
Download: “Of Sound Mind” by The Superstitions (Honey In the Lion’s Ear, 2008).

Courtesy Pop Echo Records I’ve got a couple CDs to give away, and thanks to No Shame, I’ve got two pairs of tickets to the show to hand out. So that means I’ve got two prize-packs (each consisting of 2 show tix + 1 CD) to distribute! For a chance to get yourself one of these, send me an e-mail at historyjenATgmailDOTcom with “Whitsundays” in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body. Deadline to enter is 11:59am on Thursday, 2 April, and I’ll let you know if you’re a winner shortly thereafter. If you don’t win, you can still head to the show Friday night. Tickets are $8 in advance (from Soundscapes or Rotate This), or $10 at the door. Well worth it. Doors are at 9pm, and The Superstitions go on first.

UPDATE: Congrats to winners Steve and Anamarija.

Monday, March 30, 2009

No listings this week (30 Mar - 5 Apr 2009).

Sorry, I needed the time off to do work. Tyler and I have plans to do the podcast Tuesday evening, and we'll have a bunch of going-out suggestions to tell you about during that show. Good stuff is being planned!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Born Ruffians grow up.

Last Tuesday night I went to see Born Ruffians and Akron/Family at Sneaky Dee's. I bought my ticket to this show months ago, and have been looking forward to it ever since it was announced in mid-January. Born Ruffians was the band I most wanted to see. Their brand of young, fresh pop is just fantastic, and over the course of 2008 they became one of my favourite bands. So, yay, a show at Sneaks without the enthusiastic (read: sweat-soaked, crazy) all-ages crowd that was out in force the last time I saw them play.

Before the show, I'd heard through the rumour-mill that drummer Steve Hamelin had left the band, and Andy Lloyd (not a drummer, people told me) had joined it. What I didn't realize was that a fourth member had been added too, making Born Ruffians a four-piece. The new drummer's name is Ahmed Gallab (Sinkane). So, things were going to be different. And I was excited to see what they guys had put together. The played a full set of songs mostly off their latest album, last year's Red Yellow & Blue, as well as some from their debut EP (Born Ruffians, 2006). But while the songs were familiar---so much so that everyone around me at the front was singing along with Luke Lalonde et al. joyfully---the sound was a little different from what I was used to. Elements of experimentation, varied guitar and bass parts, as well as the addition of Lloyd's keyboard, extra guitar, or bass to the live show caught some fans off-guard. It took some getting used to, but in the end I was thrilled to see and hear how the band is adapting to its new lineup. I was struck by the sense that this was no longer a band of young men with a fresh, new sound, but a more mature-sounding group interested in adding a layer or two to their happy pop anthems. How exciting, I say. And certainly appropriate to this particular mini-tour with the energetic, jammy Akron/Family. The show left me wanting to see Born Ruffians again and again, to watch this band evolve.

I had to leave before the end of Akron/Family's set to catch the subway, but the venue was still packed, the sound was extremely loud, and everyone was having a blast. Luke was on stage with a tambourine, singing, dancing, and playing along with Akron/Family. How fun.

Born Ruffians play next in Toronto on 4 May at the Kool Haus, when they open for Franz Ferdinand. Playing in front of about 2,500 people should be neat. (That's a good story: I guess FF was so impressed with BR when they opened for them at the Lee's Palace show a few months ago that they invited BR to join them a bunch of dates in North America on this major tour.)

[Photo credit.]

Friday, March 27, 2009

SxSW (I wish I had been there!)



Here's a great 10-minute recap film of the sights and sounds of SxSW featuring a bunch of Canadian bands and musicians. It's done by Colin Medley, and originally posted over at the Ampersand. I think you'll love it.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Podcast 32 (26-29 Mar 2009).

Tyler and Jen talk to local promoter Ryan McLaren (ALL CAPS!, Wavelength). Featuring Ryan's song picks, including ones by Wyrd Visions, The Superfantastics, Glissandro 70, Young Widows, Bruce Peninsula, Kidstreet, and Adam & the Amethysts.

Listen at Zygiella
Download the podcast
RSS (subscribe / download this and past podcasts)
iTunes (subscribe)

Hope you enjoy this episode! We'll be back next week with lots more mostly local music you can go see for yourself for $10 or less.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Indie Music 74 (23-29 Mar 2009).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. 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 this blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though this list is not comprehensive. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

MONDAY
(23 mar)

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

Groovy Mondays (open stage) feat. Shawn Crozier @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8pm-midnight, free. Featured performer plays at 10pm.

Shoeless Mondays feat. Junction City Allstars @ 11:15, Da Royal Family @ 10:15, and Morning Fix @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Derek Downham & friends (residency) @ The Press Club, 9pm, free.

Elvis Monday feat. Spiral Beach, Hamilton Trading Co., The Caraways, The Wilderness, Hot Head, and The People Of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Rattlesnake Choir (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, free.

The Pining @ The Beaver, 11pm (start).

Panic Density feat. Pot Luck @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Bryan Arcand (residency) w/ Cody Elliott and Box Full of Cash @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.

Simon @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 8:30pm, $5.

TUESDAY (24 mar)

Henrietta Lacks and The Saint Noir @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, free.

The Torrent w/ DJ Robrrrt @ The Cameron House, $2.50.

nO.I.S.E. @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5:30pm, pwyc.

Paul Linklater & His Murmurers (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 7-9pm, pwyc.

* St. Dirt Elementary School (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Drummers in Exile (weekly event) @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, pwyc ($2-$5).

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. The Champion Heartache @ 11:40, The Change @ 10:50, Urban Preacher @ 10:00, and Cut Throat Britva @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Doug Tielli, Brandon Valdivia & Kyle Brenders, and Sap(e) @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 9pm.

The Family Band and guests @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

The Pink & Black Attack presents The Rusty Trombones and Permanent Bastards @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.

Tumblin' Tuesdays (residency) feat. Lucas Stagg and Tanya Philipovich @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm, pwyc.

Alexandra Ribera & band (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, free.

Mark Segger Sextet @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Legendary Dirtbikers and Unfun @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Ford Pier Vengeance Trio @ The Dakota Tavern, 8pm, $5?

Magnolia w/ tba @ C'est What, 9pm, $5.

Paul Reddick & the Remarkables @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?

Alaniaris @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8. Greek songs.

WEDNESDAY (25 mar)

The Red Eyed Boys (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 6-8pm, pwyc.

High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ Crazy Strings (residency; bluegrass music), 9:30pm, free.

Brodie West @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Escapes, City Sirens, and The Free Press @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

Wednesdays Go Pop! feat. Hello Charlie, Mamabolo, and Alysha Brillinger @ Supermarket, 9pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. The Skirt Chasers, The Quantum Jitters, and The Odysseys @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

* Night Bazaar 3 feat. Mo Jamal / Maneli Jamal, The Tiny Orchestra Trio, and Michael Keith @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc ($5). Sounds excellent.

Ben Kunder & the Careless, Kaleb Hikele, and Elder Sister Plum @ C'est What, 9pm, $5.

The Warped 45s (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, pwyc.

* GUH @ Grafitti's Bay & Grill, 9-11pm, pwyc.

Nifty, Animal Monster, and DJ Ree Raw @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. "A concert to benefit the workshop of Curious Carnivore's next theatre piece, Anechoic."

Rusholme Avenue, Sue & Dwight, and Robin Peacocke @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

NQ Arbuckle @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?

* Wombat Wednesdays feat. Ryan Driver, Jessica Stuart Koto Few, and Muskox @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $6.

Warchild Benefit Fundraiser feat. The Artist Life and others @ The Horshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.

All Night Long w/ Brown Sugar and DJ Lazy Ray @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 10pm, $5.

Automan @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $6.

PiNG presents A SPRUNG SPRiNG featuring Wally Jericho and Ruzan Orkestar @ The Central, 8pm, $6.

Woodward Company @ 11:00, Evil Genius @ 10:10, Ascot Royals @ 9:20, and Apollo Down @ 8:30. Lee's Palace, $7.

Paul Cram Quartet @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Darryl Purvis, Teige Reid, and David Hein @ Clinton's, 8pm, pwyc.

Dance Yourself To Death (CD release) w/ The Switch and Emma McKenna, and DJ Thomas Lechner @ The Rivoli, 9:30pm, $10.

The Way Home (CD release), Farewell Cool Reason, Killing For Friday, Assemble Me, and The Times @ The Kathedral, 6:30, $10. All ages.

THURSDAY (26 mar)

* Bluegrass & Old Time Thursday w/ Makita Hack @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Ancient Chinese Secret (residency) @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.

These Boots, Cheryl Beatty, Elissa Gallai, Marcus Walker @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 8pm, pwyc ($5 sugg).

Live Jazz Thursdays feat. Free Boat Rentals @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Trinket Trance 5 feat. Tripping Hazard, The Micronite Filters, and Clara Engel @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm (start time), pwyc.

* Megan Hamilton (residency) w/ Jimmy Rose @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Christina Maria, Dave Borins, and Mandippal @ Holy Joe's, 8:30pm, $5.

Faith of a Martyr and Breadfan @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $6.

Spoons, SLAVE To The SQUAREwave, and The City Skyscape @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10.

* Horses @ 11:40, Clothes Make the Man @ 10:50, Ashley @ 10:00, and La Casa Muerte @ 9:10. Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $5.

Make Me Young, The Vultures, and more @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $5.

Acoustic Showcase feat. Colin Brady & Rob Elder, Alex Leggett, and Toys R Just @ The Velvet Underground, 8pm, $5.

* Earthroots Fundraiser feat. Brian Borcherdt, Wyrd Visions, and Nordic Nomadic @ The Ossington (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Function Magazine presents Black + White + Rainbow Bright feat. The Little Deaths (live) w/ DJ sets by Dre-Bans, DJ Jon Friis, and DJ Kevin D @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, $5.

Shooter Thursdays feat. Hostage Life and Madcowboys, w/ DJ Adam Kreeft @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

George Grosman Trio (CD release) @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 8pm.

* Sports: The Band (EP release), The Superfantastics, and Rat Tail (Jasmyn Burke) @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

Darrelle London w/ Kendal Thompson @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $6.

Colleen & Paul w/ The Billie Hollies and Jerry Leger @ The Rivoli, 7:30 pm, $7

* L'embuscade, The Darcys, Black Hat Brigade, Cool Dad, and Ulysses & the Siren @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 8pm, $7. Ticket giveaway for this: http://historyjen.blogspot.com/2009/03/ticket-giveaway-darcys-w-lembuscade.h tml.

Huelepega Sound System (CD release) w/ Repercussions and DJ Craig Dunsmuir @ The Boat, 10pm, $8.

People You Know, Grim Preachers, and Street Corner Skandal @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Nick Fraser & Drumheller @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Rock for Humanity presents The Junction, We Are The Take, Gentlemen Husbands, and The Imports @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10 (or $7 w/ canned food). 100% of the door to Street Health.

The Big Bop presents Reset w/ The Knockouts, Wasting Time, Outspoken, High Five Drive, and Rentokill @ Kathedral, 6pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

FRIDAY (27 mar)

The Outlanders @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

* Place Hands, Brides, and Into The Other @ The Press Club, 9pm, $5.

Flammable Friday No. 3 feat. International Turpentine, The Soles, and Tanya Philipovich @ Renaissance Cafe, 9pm, $5?

The Ryan Driver Quartet @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

House of Commons and One Legged Stepchild @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5.

Movement Fridays feat DJ Tweed and The In Crowd (dance party) w/ Curtis Santiago (10pm) and picturesound (9:30pm) @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, $5.

The Warped 45s and Drew Hawkins @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Battle of the Jams II, Round 4 feat. Bluesunderdog, Oral Concentration, Survived the Zombies, Violet, and Via Linez, w/ DJ ear2ear and hosted by Skye Collyer and Adam Ris @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 8pm, $10 (or $8 w/ canned food).

Major Maker @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Young Widows, Burning Love, My Disco, and Ancestors @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10 (adv tix avail.).

TWM presents Skullians, Revolvers, Cursed Arrows, and The Boo @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Tall Guy Short Guy and Mean Tangerine (CD release), w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

The Frotteurs @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $?

Electrick Empire (Toronto debut), Jeffrey Brothers Band, and more @ Rok Boutique, 9pm.

Global Rhythms Monthly Fundraiser feat. Big City Thieves, Rep By Pop, The Drop Joys, Half Past Four, and Gabriel @ Clinton's Tavern, 8pm, $10.

* Run With the Kittens @ 12:00, Chinese Food @ 11:00, Major Grey @ 10:00. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10.

Pale Fire Union and tba @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm, $5.

Rah, Bored Stiff, Bad Choice, In Time, and Catamount @ Annies on Queen, 9pm, $7.

APE @ 12:30, Harm @ 11:30, Freedom Cage @ 10:30, Grace Over Diamonds @ 9:30. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $7.

Backwoods Justice, Mechanical Flowers (EP release), and Matt James @ Bread & Circus, 9pm, $5.

leftover daylight series feat. E.I.L. and aimtoronto Orchestra Workshop @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Alias Dance Project Launch Party feat. Undadogg and DJ Jet @ Concord Cafe, 9pm, $10.

SATURDAY (28 mar)

The Hot Five Jazzmakers (residency) @ C'est What, 3pm (start time), $5.

Bill Colgate & the Urbane Guerillas (residency) @ The Dominion on Queen, 4-7pm, pwyc.

J.P. Mortier and tba @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6:30pm, pwyc ($5).

Country Saturdays feat. Laura Repo @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

* Howie Beck (in-store) @ Soundscapes, 7pm, free.

Live Jazz Saturdays feat. New Clear Trio @ Tequila Bookwork, 9pm, pwyc.

Jason Usher and Alex Ross @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc. Proceeds to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

B'MO Crazy, Katie DuTemple & the Staytoughs, and Ah! La Lettre @ The Cadillac Lounge (Patio), 8pm (early show), $5.

Aural Sects and Last Call @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $?

The Royal Crowns, The Frizzelles, and Ancient Chinese Secret @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7pm.

Grand Trine, Ultrathin, and Magic Cheezies @ Teranga, 9pm, $5.

Mojo Gurus and The John Henrys, followed by Pop Rocks w/ djdwight @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, $5 (or free w/ student ID).

Bruce Peninsula @ 12:00, Sister Suvi @ 11:00, and Takka Takka @ 10:00. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $10 (or $8 adv).

* Bass Lions and John Tielli @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Bird Week, followed by Kensington Station (dance party) @ Neutral, 10pm, $5.

The Calzirians @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

The Ostrich Tuning, Epigram, Romance of Young Tigers, and Thee 9am Social @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6.

Saigon Hookers and Ultraviolence @ Rok Boutique, 9pm.

TWM 37 feat. Broadcast Radio, Mirrorball, Union City, and Jeffrey Pinto @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

The Key Frames and The Pining @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, .

LifeSizeDream (formerly High Deaf) and Fifty Stars Anger, w/ DJ Darrin Pfeiffer @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $6.

Epilepsy Toronto Benefit show feat. tba @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $7.

Themselves w/ Cex @ Sneaky Dee's, 8pm (early show), $7 (adv tix avail.).

Kyle Brenders & Rob Clutton @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

* Stagehands @ 12:30, Sunriser @ 11:30, Cancel Winter @ 10:30, and Great Bloomers @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $8.

* Do It Yourself Music Co. presents HYFY (Hell Yeah Fuck Yeah), The Daily Times, Hollywood Swank, and No Right Turns @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $8.

Gemini 12, Mother Murder, Independent Truckers Union @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm.

The Pigott Brothers (CD release) w/ Sarah Kamin @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $tba.

SUNDAY (29 mar)

Rockin the Cradle feat. Dirty Dishes and Shelby Lamb @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 1pm, pwyc ($5)

Smokey Witt @ Mitzi's Sister, 5-7pm, pwyc.

Hometown Bluegrass feat. Leslie Dawn Knowles @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.

Michael Brennan, Steve Briggs, and Rob Clark (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4-7pm, pwyc.

John Borra & Sam Ferrara (residency) @ The Communist's Daughter, 5pm, pwyc.

Uilebheist - The Emergence of the Troglodyte @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc ($5).

* Wavelength 456 feat. Adam & the Amethysts, Kidstreet, and Rich Girl, w/ DJ Slippers and visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

* Gather Round feat. Hamilton Trading Co., J.J. Ipsen, and Dany Laj @ The Boat, 9pm, pwyc.

Miami Rice @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 10:30pm, pwyc ($5).

The Beauties @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

Orca (CD release) w/ Swords, Vilipend, and Black Faxes @ The Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Luke Nicholson (residency) @ Reservoir Lounge, 9pm, $5.

* Canaille @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $8.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Ticket Giveaway: The Darcys w/ L'embuscade, Black Hat Brigade, more @ WhipperSnapper this Thursday.

Toronto-bred, Halifax-formed, and now Toronto-residing pop-rock band The Darcys are playing this coming Thursday, 26 March, at WhipperSnapper Gallery, an alternative venue in Little Italy. That night The Darcys will be celebrating the release of their cover of Final Fantasy's "The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead." The band's got a loyal following in town, and are working toward releasing a 7" and an LP before 2009 is up. If you're already into The Darcys, well here's your chance to see them again (or for the first time), if you're not in the loop, it's perhaps time to get in the know about their "post-post-rock" sound, with an occasional new-shoegaze pop tune thrown in just to mix things up a bit. These guys put on an energetic live show and come dressed to impress.

Here are all the show details:

* L'embuscade (Montreal), The Darcys, Black Hat Brigade, Cool Dad, and Ulysses & the Siren @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 26 March, 8pm, $7.

Here's the new single, and a track from The Darcys's debut full-length:

Download: "The CN Tower Belongs to the Dead" (Final Fantasy cover, single, 2009).

Download: "I'm A Ship" (Endless Water, 2007). You can hear a lot of what makes The Darcys tick in this great rock track.

Thanks to AudioBlood Media I've got two pairs of tickets to give away for this show. E-mail me at historyjenATgmailDOTcom to enter, with your full name in the body of the message and "The Darcys" in the subject line. Deadline to enter is 11:59pm on Wednesday, 25 March. If you don't win, you can still go to the show, of course. Tickets at the door (well, up the stairs).

Here are The Darcys performing "Strange Fits" for Exclaim! TV:



If you're elsewhere in Canada, The Darcys are probably coming to you this spring and summer. Check out their MySpace for more information.

UPDATE: Congrats to winners Vivian Z. and Brian C. Thanks to all who entered!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

My roommate's back.

Thank goodness. The trouble I've gotten myself into while she's been away . . . not for the internet to know. :-)

Monday, March 16, 2009

Indie Music 73 (16-22 Mar 2009).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. 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 this blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though this list is not comprehensive. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

Canadian Music Fest is over, but as you all know that doesn't mean the music stops. (I think some other people don't realize we have amazing music every night in this city, and for cheap!) Last week I did some hibernating, but still managed to see some quality stuff. The Happiness Project (Charles Spearin's new project) at The Music Gallery was brilliant; nice to see Muskox in that lovely space, too. Saturday I saw a couple new-to-me bands: Eliott Brood (!) and Herman Dune (!), plus Basia Bulat, Jon-Rae Fletcher, and Cuff the Duke, a band I will love always and forever. As you can see, I didn't get out to the festival other than that Saturday Lee's Palace show, but no biggie since I see great bands all the time.

Speaking of great bands, this week's Wombat Wednesday at Tranzac features the aforementioned Muskox, the quiet folk loveliness of The Weather Station, and the mesmerizing The Owle Bird. A great, varied bill. Some touring bands are still in town, picking up gigs the week after Canadian Musicfest; from Ireland, FRED and Walter Mitty & the Realists; Liverpool's Familiar Looking Strangers; and Australia's Forgiven Rival. You've got a couple chances this week to catch Alistair Christl's Swingin' Chandeliers, a fantastic rockabilly act. The Drake Hotel's playing host to good lineups on Wednesday and Thursday. A handful of young bands who've made a name for themselves in the indie scene in the last year are playing at Lee's Palace this Friday (Dinosaur Bones, Oh No Forest Fires, Still Life Still, and Arietta, who've got an album coming out this spring). Local electro-pop dance band Beth in Battle Mode celebrate the release of their second album on Friday at the El Mo. Wavelength promises to be good and very Wavelength: from country to in-sa-ni-ty all on the same bill. Lots more to see and hear . . . check below!

MONDAY
(16 mar)

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

Groovy Mondays (open stage) feat. Dave Borins @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8pm-midnight, free. Featured performer plays at 10pm.

Shoeless Mondays feat. Joey Fiasco @ 11:15, December Flood @ 10:15, and Living With Jane @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Derek Downham & friends (residency) @ The Press Club, 9pm, free.

Elvis Monday feat. Frail Fragment, Pica Pica, Christina Maria, Carmen Elle, Phonebooth Criminals, and The Whole Entire Universe @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Rattlesnake Choir (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 11pm, free.

Panic Density: Creative Music Mondays feat. Alaniaris @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Bryan Arcand (residency) w/ Cody Elliott and Beth Moore @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.

Peter Deiwick and Tristan @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, pwyc?

* Walter Mitty & the Realists @ The Hideout.

TUESDAY (17 mar)

* Paul Linklater & His Murmurers (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 7-9pm, pwyc.

* St. Dirt Elementary School (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Drummers in Exile (weekly event) @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, pwyc ($2-$5).

St. Patrick's Day w/ DJ Saint Patrick and Sister Whiskey @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Plushgun (Brooklyn) live @ MTV (The Masonic Temple, 888 Yonge St.), 5:30pm, free. For free tickets, e-mail liveaudienceATmtvDOTca.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Huron @ 11:40, Stone Angels @ 10:50, Tenn Fold @ 10:00, and Scobo @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

St. Patrick's Day Party feat, The Fast Romantics and Catfish Blues @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm.

Come Get Lucky! A Queer St. Patrick's Day Celebration feat. Chelsea P. Manders, Jamieson M. Eakin, Rex Baunsit, and Rob Davies, with Yehuda Fisher @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, $5/pwyc.

The Pink & Black Attack presents The Class Assassins @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.

Alexandra Ribera & band (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, free.

* I Have Eaten the City, Araz Salek, and Pau Torres @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Luau or Die and The Calrizians @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Alistair Christl & the Swingin' Chandeliers, TanyaCheex (burlesque), OverPower, and SCRAMJET (debut) @ Rearview Mirror, 8pm, $5.

Members of The Beauties play Pogues' tunes and Irish drinking songs @ The Dakota Tavern, 11pm (start), $5. Earlier (7pm), there will be a live mariachi band.

Ultra Violence, Sin Dealer, Walter Mitty & the Realists (Ireland), and Familiar Looking Strangers (Liverpool) @ Rok Boutique, 8pm, $6 (or free before 9pm).

Jane's Party w/ tba @ C'est What, 9pm, $7.

What's He Building In There, The Isosceles Project, and Man With Target @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $7.

TWM presents The United Steel Workers of Montreal, Spookey Ruben, and Ryan Shearing @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

Holger Schoorl w/ Ken Aldcroft and w/ Pete Johnston & Scott Thomson @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Deadwalk, A Distance From, Breaking The Fourth Wall, To Cherish, Caldwell, Beyond The Shadows, The Advocate, and Northland @ Kathedral, 6pm, $10. All ages.

The Johnstones, Street Pharmacy, and The Latency @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 8pm, $10.

WEDNESDAY (18 mar)

The Red Eyed Boys (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 6-8pm, pwyc.

Laura Repo (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Wednesdays Go Pop! feat. Hue, Hello Charlie, and Robyn Dell'Unto @ Supermarket, 8:30pm, pwyc.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Roar & the Wolf, Modes of Transport, and Amber Ladd @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

Rock 'n Roll Pornography w/ DJ Billy Geek and Forgiven Rival (live) @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.

PWYC Weds feat. Glory Glory Man United, Born to Busk, and The Shallow Alps @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ Crazy Strings (bluegrass music), 9:30pm, free.

Big Tobacco & the Pickers @ The Cadillac Lounge, 10pm, pwyc.

The Kate Rogers Band and Andy Stedman @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Warped 45s (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, pwyc.

* GUH @ Grafitti's Bay & Grill, 9-11pm, pwyc.

Decade Of Sleep @ 11:40, Alert The Medic @ 10:50, Tol World @ 10:00, and The Bridge @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

* Bellewoods, A Young Wife, and Julie Fader @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.

Brian Parker @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

Tim Gibbons @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $5.?

* Wombat Wednesdays feat. Muskox, The Weather Station, and The Owle Bird @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8-11pm, $6. How wonderful!

Fundraiser show for Horizon for Youth feat. Extinct or Alive, Yell the Burden, Heart of a Shark, and more @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $10.

* Brent Randall & his Pinecones and Colleen & Paul @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $6.

Benito Band, The Runaway Catholics, and tba @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Dreamers Rok, After Runnymede, and 9 Years @ Clinton's Tavern, 8pm, $5.

Hotboxxx presents Above it All @ 11:00, Little Sunday @ 10:10, Bluespoon @ 9:20, and Dream Aria @ 8:30. Lee's Palace, 8pm, $5.

Ambisonic (debut), Electroluminescent, and John Moore @ Rok Boutique, 8pm.

David Ward and David Hein @ C'est What, 9pm, $6.

Heart of a Shark, Yell The Burden, The Muso Project, and more @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $8.

Rob Clutton: The Cluttertones @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

* FRED, Walter Mitty & the Realists, and Jay Sparrow (acoustic) @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10.

Travis Porter & WEGOTTHEMOVEMENT.COM presents Callahan, Gone Hollywood, Raid For Blood Diamonds, Anneliese, Your Last Sunrise, and Forever Circa @ Kathedral, 7pm, $10. All ages.

Stuck In the City presents Fireworks (CD release) w/ This Time Next Year, Brothers, and Attention @ Siesta Nouveaux, 7pm, $10.

THURSDAY (19 mar)

Bluegrass & Old Time Thursday w/ Dave Lang @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Susan Wylde @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Ancient Chinese Secret (residency) @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.

* GoldenGirls (album release) w/ DJ Asher, TMDP, 84.85, DJ Barletta, and St Mandrew @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Joshua Cockerill w/ Ghostwalk Creek @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm, pwyc.

Modern Jazz Thursdays feat. Free Boat Rentals and Cut by a Triangle @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Shelby Lamb, The Soles, and The Dust Bunnies @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

* Andy Swan, Jennifer Foster, and Dean Drouillard @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Strip and The Ory No'man Too @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $5.

Poisonous Glass and Samantha Martin & the Haggard @ Clinton's Tavern, 9pm, $5.

The Flying Museum Band and The Big City Nights Band @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5. Cover includes copies of both band's new albums.

Darkside presents Night of Terror (bands + movie in the back) feat. Children of Eve and Dancing With Paris, w/ DJ Gorry Lori @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

To Downcast Your Eyes and Matthew Ness @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Rival Boys (CD release), Buckets Of, Bold Saber, and Jasmyn Burke @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

TWM presents The Beautiful Taste, Thrillharmonic, and Needlefoot @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Blank Tape Levy (CD release) @ 11:15, Shoot The Cameraman @ 10:15, and tba @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.

Drunken Moon Sisters and The Dancefloor Refraction @ Rearview Mirror, 9pm, $6.

Randy Rhoads Tribute feat. Blizzard of Oz @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $6.

Easy Tiger presents Wildlife and Christianne Kearns (CD release) @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $6.

* Honky Night In Canada II feat. Sunbear, The Hangovers, and members of Proof of Ghosts, Easy Targets, Lunchmeat, and The Job @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6. Also performing Bob Dylan's "Nashville Skyline" in its entirety.

Cut It Out, Whiskey Trench, and UnFun (ex-Reprobates) @ Annies On Queen, 8pm, $7.

John Moore w/ The Paul Price Band @ Supermarket, 9pm, $7.

Rob Clutton: The Cluttertones @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Ronley Teper's Lipliners (CD release) @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10.

Sweetfire @ 11:30, Reverse Mount Rushmore @ 10:40, Ocean Buried @ 9:50, and Cut Throat Kids @ 9:00. Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $10.

FRIDAY (20 mar)

David Woodhead's Confabulations (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Ancient Chinese Secret (in-store) @ Superfuzz Audio / Electric Standard (1261 Dundas St. W.), 8pm, free. "There will be snacks, refreshments and twinkle lights, 8pm 'till 11pm-ish."

* Alistair Christl & the Swingin' Chandeliers @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Pop Noir (DJ night) w/ Les Gars (live set) @ The Boat, 10pm, $5.

* Donlands & Mortimer and Heartbeat Hotel @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.

* Catl and Bradley Boy (2 sets each) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5. Catl will be playing an acoustic set on No Beat Radio (CIUT, 89.5fm) on Monday at 10pm.

* Beth In Battle Mode presents Hot Science Fair (CD release for BIBM's "Hot Science") w/ The Craft Economy and Tetris Hold 'Em @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 10pm, $5.

Prosad (trance sitar dance party) @ Concord Cafe, 8pm.

BM'O' Crazy, Boxes & Bags, Hush Money, and Sounds Like B.S. @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5. Energetic night!

Adam's God (CD release) @ Neutral Lounge, 9:30pm, $5.

Iron Giant, Dutch Oven, and Bastard Child Death Cult, w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

Pop with Brains 20 feat. Machetes, Alright Alright, The State of Things, Ender Bros., and Clouds (that look like things) @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5. Plus art and comedy, all in support of the CAMH.

The Vive Quebec Libres, Bombs, and Earsz @ Rearview Mirror, 9pm, $5.

The Framework @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9:30pm, $5?

Famous Framus, King Kong Mitch Girio, Dave Gould, and Conrad Sichler a.k.a. The Riot Nrrd @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm.

Toronto DIY Comp Release Vol 2 feat. Rocket Reducers, Glorious Disorder, and Rackshot @ Annies on Queen, 9pm, $7.

Leftover Daylight Series presents Lewis / Segger, Farah / Fisher / Gaucher, and Public Saxophone @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

The Groove Suit and The Bad Guys @ Clinton's, 9pm, $8 (or $5 w/ student ID).

Turn Off The Stars @ 12:30, BigIdeas (CD release) @ 11:30, Parker @ 10:30, and Public @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10.

* Snailhouse w/ Culture Reject @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10.

* Dinosaur Bones @ 12:30, Oh No Forest Fires @ 11:30, Still Life Still @ 10:30, and Arietta @ 9:30 @ Lee's Palace, 9pm, $7. Good local bands that have been increasing their following over the past year... let's see how they take to Lee's!

Refunkulous feat. The Good Rats, King Solomon, Walk Off the Earth, Killer Green, The People of Canada, Suspect, Broken Bricks, The Blunt Truth, and Stoners Lounge @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 6:30pm, $10. All ages.

SATURDAY (21 mar)

The Hot Five Jazzmakers (residency) @ C'est What, 3pm (start time), $5.

Sin City Boys (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4pm, pwyc.

Bill Colgate & the Urbane Guerillas (residency) @ The Dominion on Queen, 4-7pm, pwyc.

Country Saturday feat. Joanne Mackell & the Paradise Rangers @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 6-9pm, free.

Portico @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6:30pm, pwyc.

Howie & Shai w/ Alex Woodrow @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm.

Modern Jazz Saturdays feat. The Griffith Hiltz Trio @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

* JJ Ipsen and Andrew Vincent @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Little Foot Long Foot Website Launch Party feat. My Shaky Jane, Little Foot Long Foot, and The Bible All-Stars @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, $5.

Brighter Brightest and Del Asher, w/ DJ AL911 @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

The Fleece Elves and The Histrionics @ Bread & Circus, 10:30pm, $5. Might check this out.

The Thundermonks, The Phonebooth Criminals, Dangerband, and The Elks @ Concord Cafe, 8pm, $5.

Jacques & the Shaky Boys @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?

Intended Creation, Alison Jane, and Persist @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5.

* Late Night Live feat. The Monitors, Chang-A-Lang, and The Primordials @ The Silver Dollar, 10:30pm, $5.

Sergei & the Soviets, The Jamie G Circus @ Rearview Mirror, 8pm.

Marianne Turner w/ Eve & the Ocean and Aaron Lycett @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $6.

Base War 15 feat. AR, Brock Paper Scissors, Grindhouse, Errol vs DVSN, and Tomi Le Filth @ Z (822 Dundas St. W), 10pm, $7 (or $5 for groups of 3 or more). Dance party.

Left of Zero @ Mod Club Theatre, 11pm (show time), $10 (or free if you're on the guestlist: e-mail leftofzeroATgmailDOTcom).

Stuck In the City presents Coliseum, Black Birds, Slaughterstrike, and Mature Situations @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $10.

CoexisDance (improv music and dance) @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

Red Records presents Bobby Dreadfull w/ Progress Negus and poems by Neil Asgarali @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $10.

* TMW presents Rock Plaza Central @ 12:00, Key Witness (CD release) @ 11:00, and Bahamas @ 10:00. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10 (adv, $12 at the door).

SUNDAY (22 mar)

Wintage Records & Tapes presents D/AA/D, Grifer, Le Rêve mORTEL, Almost Blue Sunshine, and Bonsai Forestry @ The Rearview Mirror, 2pm, $6.

Songwriters Expo hosted by Monique Barry, also feat. Shawna Caspi, Carly & Mark, and Blue Blue Satellite @ The Cadillac Lounge, 4-7pm, pwyc. "There is never a cover for this event, instead we have a PWYC policy. Any amount given results in the automatic entry into the showtime raffle. One lucky winner takes home CDs of all or most of the shows performers."

Michael Brennan, Steve Briggs, and Rob Clark (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4-7pm, pwyc.

John Borra & Sam Ferrara (residency) @ The Communist's Daughter, 5pm, pwyc.

Laura Hubert @ Mitzi's Sister, 5-7pm, pwyc.

The Loneliest Monk @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

* Wavelength 455 feat. Pony Show (members of Oh No Forest Fires and Holy Fuck), Steve McKay, and Richard Laviolette, w/ DJ U-P-G-R-A-Y-E-D-D, and visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc ($5-10).

The Silt @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Luke Nicholson (residency) @ Reservoir Lounge, 9pm, $5.

* Vinyl Tap & TWM present The Leathers, Fire Flower Revue, Eyecon, Anna Sudac @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Jeremy Strachan w/ Jack Vorvis, and w/ Julia Hambleton & Fiona Ryan @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $8.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Podcast 31 (11-15 March 2009).

Recorded at Rancho Relaxo during Showcho 8, with mini-interviews with Ben McLean (Showcho host and organizer), Dan Wolovick (Rancho's booker), Greg from Ottawa band The Urban Aesthetics, and Scott from The Wilderness of Manitoba (and other bands) and organizer of shows at Delaware House. We play songs from bands playing both Canadian Musicfest and non-CMW shows, including Lioness ("Harder They Fall"), Chad VanGaalen ("Willow Tree"), Amos the Transparent ("Greater Than Consequence," off their brand new EP), The Darling DeMaes ("Stomach Ghost"), The Rural Alberta Advantage ("Drain the Blood"), Brides ("Play Glass"), and Japandroids ("Young Hearts Spark Fire").

We're bringing you music from Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal, Guelph, and Vancouver. Should be a good one to tune into!

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iTunes (subscribe)Here's a photo of me, Greg, Ben, and Tyler at Rancho Relaxo, having dinner before Showcho. Photo by Megan Hamilton.

CD Giveaway: Amos the Transparent.

Ottawa's Amos the Transparent's star has been rising since the 2007 release of their full-length, Everything I've Forgotten to Forget. Jonathan Chandler and co. are critical darlings among the indie music set, and gain fans quickly and easily during each and every show they play, at least here in Toronto. I've seen the band perform a handful of times, and they like to keep things fresh: no song is performed ever exactly alike. In the spirit of keeping fans on their toes, the band's releasing a new EP this week, and it's got some nice surprises on it. The band's sound is evolving, and the EP (My, What Big Teeth You Have...) covers a broader swath of indie rock territory than did the album. (That's my take, anyways.)

My current favourite song is "Greater Than Consequence," though last night I was considering changing it to "The M.O.B. Catalogue." "Up, Up, and Away" is totally Amos, if you know what I mean. Mean drumming rock things up on the first track, "This Town," while still keeping things a little familiar. Amos show regulars will welcome the proper release of "Lemons," a song we've been hearing live for a while now. And you will welcome the chance to get a free copy of the new disk! Thanks to the band/Audioblood Media, I've got three copies to give away.

Want one? Send me an e-mail at historyjenATgmailDOTcome with "Amos" in the subject line, and your full name and address in the body. This one's open to Canadian residents. You've got until Sunday night, 15 March, at 11:59pm to get this in to me, and I'll pick random winners! If you're in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Cambridge, or Windsor, Amos the Transparent's got some shows in your town this week. Go see them! Buy their records! Here's a little more enticement.

Download: "Lemons, AKA (BigFishLittlePond)" from My, What Big Teeth You Have... (2009).

Download: "Title Track," from 2007's Everything I've Forgotten to Forget.

More love for the new EP here, here, and here.

Have I mentioned that I love this band? I DO!

UPDATE: I got winners. Congrats to David, Shirley, and Thomas!

No listings this week . . . but here are LOTS of suggestions!

Ah, sorry folks! No listings this week. BUT, the podcast should be up Wednesday afternoon, and we cover much ground on it. Canadian Musicfest is happening Wednesday through Sunday, and if you don't already have a wristband, you can still get one for $50, or a day pass for $25, or you can buy tickets to some of the individual shows through the CMW website, or at the door to many of the shows. Wristbands are the way to go if you plan on seeing multiple things. Check out the full schedule here.

What's not included in that schedule are of course shows that have nothing to do with CMW, and last time I checked the shows at Annies on Queen weren't listed either. There's at least one great show of note at that venue: The Kettle Black, Wax Mannequin, and Pants & Tie play there on Wednesday; $7 cover, or free with wristband, and doors are at 9pm. Times Neue Roman headline a show at Augusta House on Wednesday, too. I heard they were great at Wavelength last Sunday. That show has a $5 cover, 9pm doors, and also features Velvet Trench Vibes, Cale Sampson, and Art of Fresh. Terror Lake's at Smiling Buddha (9pm, $5, with Magic People and Pace the Stairs), and Wombat Wednesdays continue at Tranzac, this week with the aimtoronto orchestra, Alex Lukashevsky, and Muskox (8:30pm, $6). Also at Tranzac (in the Southern Cross Lounge), Michael Holt and Thomas are performing Thursday night (10pm, pwyc). Sounds lovely. Catch Fighter/Lover and Modele at the Boat (9pm, $5) on Thursday too.

On Friday, new venue Jamie's Area (193 Augusta Ave.) hosts Pony Da Look, Huckleberry Friends, and Tamsen & Elliot. That's a $5 cover show. Doors are at 9pm, with bands playing 9:30pm to midnight. Stick around for DJ Daniel Vila afterward. Saturday night at Jamie's Area, catch Slim Twig, Brides, and Broken Tree Fort. Another great bill, same details as the Friday show. In the afternoon of the 14th, at Trash Palace (89B Niagara St.), The Rural Alberta Advantage headlines an all-ages show which also features Dinosaur Bones, Great Bloomers, and Peachcake. This will sell-out . . . unless there's a blizzard, I suppose. Doors are at 1pm, cover is $6, and you can have popcorn while you dance. That night, Trash Palace will be hopping yet again, for a very different kind of show: Uncut and Japandroids. This is an early show, and cheap -- $5, with the bands on at 9pm and 10pm. Also on Saturday night, Megan Hamilton is playing a solo set at Delaware House with some other bands/performers. (This is a house show, but you're invited!) Keep your ears to the wind and you'll probably hear about other house shows and afterparties. With so many bands in town, and so many music lovers (and industry types) wanting to celebrate and party with them, there's bound to be a ton of things on the go.

Finally, Sunday see's Audioblood Media's tea party (for real) at the Boat, featuring Holler, Wild Rose!, Our History of Cowboys, The Paint Movement, Great Lenin's Ghost, and Serb Superb. They'll be art on display, too. Should be a nice chill evening, but not too chill, since some of those bands are pretty high energy! Doors 8:30pm, $5 cover. Over at Sneaky Dee's, Wavelength plays host to Vancouver band Japandroids, playing with We Take Lovers and Full Speed Velocipede. Cover is pwyc as usual, doors 9pm.

And there you have it, my non-CMW suggestions, though please definitely check the festival schedule . . . so many of the bands I rave about all the time are playing!

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Announcing the Pitter Patter Fest (28-31 May 2009).

Just a note to let you all know that my friend Keith Hamilton is organizing a huge 10-city indie music festival, with all shows being pay-what-you-can at the door. The Pitter Patter Fest, now in it's third year, will happen on 28-31 May, and here in Toronto it'll be taking over ALL venues in Kensington Market, among other places. The festival's a great opportunity for both local and touring bands, since Keith can book you to play multiple shows in multiple towns.

For more information about the festival, to apply to play (there's no fee), or to find out how you can volunteer, check out the fest's website. I'll be volunteering some of my time for this!

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Shout out.

This here's a different type of shout out. Instead of bands, I want to salute Colin Medley, the National Post's music videographer. Colin's been a big booster of Canadian music for years, and recently won a Bucky Award for "top fan," voted for by CBCR3 listeners. Well, heck, I totally want that award!

But anyways, now that Colin's based in Toronto full-time, he's been able to film more local bands at local venues. Just last week, I ran into him at both shows I was at. You can get a sense of our week in indie music from the following videos. (They are both available in fancy HD.)

Gentleman Reg @ Soundscapes:



Evening Hymns @ Sneaky Dee's:



Colin also made it out to see Great Bloomers at the Drake, a great young band with a debut full-length coming out soon, who have been impressing me and my friends as of late.



Finally, here's his latest "Soundcheck" vid. for the Post. This one was shot with Ohbijou (and Jeff and Rolf from The Acorn) in the afternoon before their Lee's Palace show back at the end of November. And, guess what? I was at that show too.



For more videos, see Colin's website, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Podcast 30 (4-8 Mar 2009).

Featuring The O'Darling ("You're Directing"), Alphabot! ("Tire Fire"), We Take Lovers ("Evil"), Elastocitizens ("Get Together"), Leif Vollebekk ("Don't Go To Klaksvik"), and Brent Randall & his Pinecones ("Bluebirds, Flowers and Other Things").

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Monday, March 02, 2009

Indie Music 72 (2-8 Mar 2009).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. 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 this blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though this list is not comprehensive. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

In store performances at Soundscapes are a fantastic occasional break from loud midnight sets in small, dark bars. The bright lights, casual atmosphere, and good vibes from the colourful CDs and books and the all-ages crowds make for a wonderful way to spend 45 or so minutes. Last week I saw Gentleman Reg perform in the record store; this and other intimate sets are ones to be remembered. Other than this, I was out of the indie world until Wavelength (great show w/ Hopeful Monster, Pete Samples, and Evening Hymns). I'll be back in it this week!

Celebrate the People of Canada's birthday, and enjoy free food (as always), at tonight's Elvis Monday show at the Drake. I'll be at the Boat on Tuesday night for a Ken Farrell + iPod + Paul Banwatt Gravity Wave trio performance. On Wednesday there are some good lineups and bands playing. This month Muskox's Mike Smith is programming Wombat Wednesdays at Tranzac; I'll be there if I can. The Drake's 5th year anniversary celebrations (and series of free shows) continue this Thursday in the Underground with Bonjay, Young Flux, and DJ Tom Wrecks. Lots more good stuff come Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday... see below for all the details. As usual, I've starred (*) the shows that I think are worth your while. Also, as always, let me know if I'm missing out on something great!

Tyler and I are recording our podcast tonight (assuming all goes as planned). I'll let you know when's it's available on the internet. We've got some special guests planned for later this month!

MONDAY (2 mar)

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

Groovy Mondays feat. Max Cann (performing at 10pm) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8pm-midnight, free.

Shoeless Mondays feat. Tofu Meat @ 11:15, Peaceful Soldier @ 10:15, and Melissa Bel @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Derek Downham & friends (residency) @ The Press Club, 9pm, free.

* Elvis Monday feat. Boxes & Bags, The Whole Entire Universe, Allie Hughes, David Gillespie, Still Life Still, and Luau or Die @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free. Free food at 9:30pm.

Rattlesnake Choir (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, free.

Bryan Arcand (residency) w/ Cody Elliott and Meg Tinmouth @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.

* Clara Engel & Ghost Fetish, Eonbomb, and Jordaan Mason @ Clinton's Tavern, 7:30pm, $5.

Inertia Entertainment presents Psyopus, Titan, and Vilipend @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, $5.

Stellar Waves (Aaron Leaney / Simeon Abbott) and Colin Fisher / Aaron Leaney @ Tequila Bookwork, 9pm (start time), $5.

The Isosceles Project @ 11:00, Symbol @ 10:00, James Macdonald @ 9:15, and Reverse Mount Rushmore @ 8:30. Lee's Palace, 8pm, $6.

Black Art Entertainment presents Rusted Dawn, Aggressor, Hallows Die, Demonthrone, and Fatality @ Sneaky Dee's, 8pm, $8.

TUESDAY (3 mar)

Paul Linklater & His Murmurers (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 7-9pm, pwyc.

* St. Dirt Elementary School (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Drummers in Exile (weekly event) @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, pwyc ($2-$5).

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. The Low Heroes @ 11:40, Moondog Uproar @ 10:50, Frail Fragment @ 10:00, and Distorsis @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

* The Bang Bangs, Damian Rogers (poetry), and Sunbear @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9:30pm, pwyc.

Guy Douchette, Anna Sudac, Anna Merneiks feat. Nora, Shira, and The Tandoories @ Not My Dog, 9pm, pwyc?

Liam Kearney, Olivian McLean, and Rehan Dalal @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc?

SiR (Souls in Rhythm) w/ Zoe Bentley @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8:30pm.

The Pink & Black Attack presents The Blackouts and Freddy Fuckup @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.

Alexandra Ribera & band (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, free.

Great Aunt Ida and Paul Linklater @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

CaMp CoMbO @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Done Me Wrongs and Morgan Doctor (CD release) @ The Dakota Tavern, 8pm.

* Gravity Wave (Ken Farrell + iPod + Paul Banwatt on drums) and You Me & the Machine @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Magnolia and tba @ C'est What, 9pm, $5.

GoodSoundsGood presents blueVenus (full band), Diana Thorpe, and Andy Stedman (full band) @ Supermarket, 9pm, $6.

Dirt Floor (Aaron Lumley / Dan Gaucher) @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

WEDNESDAY (4 mar)

The Red Eyed Boys (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 6-8pm, pwyc.

High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ Crazy Strings (bluegrass music) @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9:30pm, free.

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

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Mackenzie King (formerly Ontario Power Generation), Wank Punter, and Vercity @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

Rock 'n Roll Pornography Relaunch Party w/ DJ Billy Geek and The Suicide Girls @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.

* Wednesdays Go Pop! feat. Mike Evin, Knock Knock Ginger, and Leif Vollebekk @ Supermarket, 9pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. Brothers, Cutthroat Britva, and The Quarry @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

GUH (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9-11pm, pwyc.

* Blacklung Curatorial vol. 1 feat. Jack Vorvis / Jeremy Strachan and Samir Khan @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Warped 45s (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, pwyc.

Erik Bleich, Peter Eastmure, and Elissa Gallai @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, $5/pwyc.

Bella Clava, The Ryde, and Rapture @ Clinton's Tavern, 8pm, $5.

* Slapback Mountain, The O'Darling, and Meredith Jordan @ Concord Cafe, 8:30pm, $5.

A Northern Drawl, The Good Times, and Guitar @ The Velvet Underground, 9pm.

No Official Capacity presents Abyssal Throne, From Ruins, and Drowned in Viscera @ The Reverb, 8pm, $5. All ages.

* Wombat Wednesdays feat. Snowblink, Eric Chenaux, and Isla Craig @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $6. Great lineup. This month's Wombat Wednesdays are programmed by Mike Smith (Muskox).

Nathan Down, Waiting for Grace, and Roman Dane @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $5.

Tyler Yarema w/ Allie Hughes @ C'est What, 9pm, $7.

The Cluttertones @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

THURSDAY (5 mar)

Les Singes Bleus @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Bluegrass & Old Time Thursday w/ Marc Roy @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Ancient Chinese Secret (residency) @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.

Gregory Hoskins, Gary Craig, and George Koller @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

My Flea Circus, Blood Rexdale & the Walls Are Blond, and Kasper @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm, free.

Live Jazz Thursdays feat. Max Senitt Y Sus Amigos (trio) @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

The von Drats and Evil Farm Children @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Words Around the Waist and Thomas @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9:30pm, $5.

Hot Soup feat. Nilan Perera / Susanna Hood, Fullspeed Velocipede, The O'Darling, Mikooshka, and Shunga (w/ dancers Cara Spooner & Amelia Ehrhardt, and projections by Farhad Nargol-O'Neill @ Labspace Studio (2A Pape Ave.), 8pm, $5.

* Drake 5th Anniversary Party feat. Bonjay, Young Flux, and Tom Wrecks @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, free.

Sinister Trailerpark Magin, Sound Asleep, Toys Are Just, and Nagasaki @ The Velvet Underground, 8-11pm, $5.

* Ryerson's Centre for Learning Technologies presents A Concert for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing feat. ill.Gates, Fox Jaws, Treestar, The Dufraines (formerly The Urban Symphony), Hollywood Swank, and And DJ Stephane Vera @ Clinton's Tavern, 8pm, $5 sugg donation. "The will be five Emoti-chairs available for use, so everyone will get a chance to experience what its like to feel music."

The Roman Line, Broken Sons, and DJ Ash @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

Unknown Funk Hero presents The Beat Lounge w/ resident DJs The Vinylkiller and Kato, hosted by Justis (Do Right! Music), and a beat showcase feat. a whole bunch of local beat-makers and producers @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $5.

The Old Ceremony w/ Josh Cockerill @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

* Bellewoods @ 11:40, Rikers @ 10:50, Bellevue @ 10:00, Alphabot (full band debut) @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.

RobotMan w/ Kid Metropolis and Raggedy Angry @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $5.

In the Red, Colin Moore, and Summer of '92 @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $tba.

The Guest Bedroom, Buckets Of, We Take Lovers, and DJ Dwarf Star @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

* One Hit Wonders Night @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7. Bands/performers include B'MO Crazy, Left of Zero, PDF Format, The Cheap Speakers, Recordbreaker, The People of Canada, Doc Pickles, and more.

My World My Cause II, A Night of Music Benefiting Serving Charity’s Soup Kitchen feat. The Rest, Patrick Kennedy, Mandippal, Lisa Swain, and Francis @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 7:30pm, $8 (or $5 w/ canned food).

Nick Fraser & Drumheller @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

FRIDAY (6 mar)

The Curries (cover band) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Brian Carney & mByronic Heroes, Chris Rait, Claire Senko, Matt Rait @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm.

* Out of this Spark presents Kite Hill and Griffin Epstein @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 11pm, pwyc.

Jay Pollock, Vince Clarke, and Charles / Jake / Eric @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm.

No Guff Indie Showcase feat. William Delray and Elk Face w/ Dani Nash @ Clinton's Tavern, 9pm, $5.

The Expos and Gregory Pepper & his Problems @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $5.

Pacific Trash Vortex, Dead Wife, and Magic Cheezies @ Teranga, 9pm, $5.

You Handsome Devil (2 sets) and LLIONS @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $6.

Toronto's Burning Compilation Release Show feat. Urban Blight, U.T.I., Picked On (ex Black Spokes), and Hazardous Waste @ Annies on Queen, 9pm, $7.

Down By The Point Records and TWM present Winter Love In (Hamilton Music Showcase) feat. Cowlick, Matt Paxton, Cam Malcolm & the Owls, and The Abbreviations @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

The Video Dead, Junior Battles, and Fog Of Leprosy, w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

* Room Party (DJ night) feat. Vitaminsforyou (DJ set) and OPOPO (live) @ The Boat, 10pm, $5.

* Bradley Boy w/ Catl @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Confidential Records proudly presents A "Mash-Up" of Musical Flavours feat. Chris Gostling, Karyn Ellis, The Little Deaths, B. Marson, and Chili Banks @ The Rivoli, 8:30pm, $8.

Primary Colors presents Daddy Done Dicked Me Dirty feat. Juiceboxxx, Teengirl Fantasy, Romo Roto, GhostTrashCat, and Nude Photo, w/ visuals/video by Brady Bothwell, and lighting/forts/caverns by J. G. O'Regan @ Rolly's Garage, 9:10pm, $10?

* Rollin' & Scratchin' presents TMDP (album release) w/ R&S DJs, Tricky Carrerra, and DJ Me @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5 (before 11pm).

Chinese Food, Spookey Ruben, and Dirty Penny (video release) @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8pm, $7. To get on the guestlist, e-mail the band at managementATthatsmydirtypennyDOTcom w/ "oolanto supresada nomencada" as the subject line.

* Loving In The Name Of w/ DJs Disappointment, Product Placement, and Strictly Commercial, and The Best (cover band incl. Matt Murphy, Katherine Bates, Alanna Stuart, Allie Hughes, Max McCabe-Lokos, and Simone Schmidt) performing songs by Dolly Parton, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Sly & the Family Stone, and The Rolling Stones @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 10pm.

leftover daylight series presented by Evan Shaw feat. Gaucher / Lumley / Shaw, N, and Rampersaud / Rindone @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

* Kazoo! presents The Cyc (Graphic Novel / Bike Opera performed live) @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $8.

S&S Promotions presents Seasons (debut), Forever Circa, Carl Mudding, Survive to Rise, District, Crosshairs, Razz, The Major Macs, and more @ The Reverb, 6pm, $10.

Elastocitizens @ 11:30, Yuka @ 10:30, and Tiny Danza @ 9:30. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $10.

The Runaway Catholics, The Grim Preachers, Revolvers, The Stormalongs, and Bandana & the Stonecutters @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6.

Second Sight presents An Acoustic Night feat. Justin Morgan, Doug Hell, John Moore, Shawnee Lynne, and Sleepless Nights @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9:30pm, $10.

Jon Davis (CD release) w/ Jadea Kelly @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $10.

SATURDAY (7 mar)

The Hot Five Jazzmakers (residency) @ C'est What, 3pm (start time), $5.

Bill Colgate & the Urbane Guerillas feat. Cam MacInnes (residency) @ The Dominion on Queen, 4-7pm, pwyc.

Soozie Music @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6:30pm, pwyc.

The Main Thing and DJ Double K @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $5.

Andrew Rodriguez @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Sunlit Ambush @ The Edge 102.1 (228 Yonge St.), 9pm, free. All ages.

Free Boat Rentals @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Yawn Temiseva & friends w/ Edo Peled @ The Press Club, 10pm, pwyc.

* Zygiella VII feat. Leif Vollebekk, The Wilderness of Manitoba, and Carnival Moon @ The Old York (167 Niagara St.), 10pm, $5.

Greensplatt, Micho, and Sigrun Stella @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Hill, Lysa Fina & the Boys, Eva Moon, and Machetes @ The Dakota Tavern, 7pm (early show), $5?

John Borra Band @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Tiger Lil w/ The DoneFors @ C'est What, 10pm, $5.

The Nightmares and Rehab For Quitters w/ DJ Darin Pfiffer @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

Nature Moves Faster and Junction Box @ Velvet Underground, $5.

* Clara Engel & Ghost Fetish, Paul Kolinski & Michael Herring, Chris Eakins, and Mekele @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, $6/pwyc.

Ash Lee Blade and Static Lab @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $6.

Fidget, followed by Kensington Station w/ DJ Duncan @ Neutral, 10pm, $6.

* TWM 36 feat. Brent Randall & his Pinecones, B.A. Johnston, The Stables, and Dany Laj @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7.

Late Night Live feat. Gillian Dollar Babies w/ Victor Swift @ The Silver Dollar Room, 10:30pm, $7. "The first annual D.R.E.A.M.S. Benefit Concert."

Dodger w/ Staylefish @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $8 (or $7 plus non-perishable food item donation).

The Rent plays the music of Steve Lacy @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $8.

High Plains Drifter @ 12:00, Dr. Dfunkt @ 11:00, and tba @ 10:00. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $8.

* United Steel Workers of Montreal (CD release) @ 12:00, The Schomberg Fair @ 11:00, and Jon-Rae Fletcher (CD release) @ 10:00. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10.

* Mark Pesci presents AIDS Wolf, US Girls, Thrashed Jeans, and Heaven @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10 (adv tix avail).

SUNDAY (8 mar)

Michael Brennan, Steve Briggs, and Rob Clark (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4-7pm, pwyc.

John Borra & Sam Ferrara (residency) @ The Communist's Daughter, 5pm, pwyc.

White Squirrels Sinnerz @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.

* Marcel Aucoin and Michael Holt present The Piano Salon feat. Carey West (w/ Jeff Wilson, Marcel Aucoin, and others), John Russon (philosophy talk), Jeff Burke, and snacks @ 98 Concord Ave. (home of Carey West and Jeff Wilson), 7pm, pwyc.

* Evalyn Parry and Tiiu @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

* Wavelength 453 feat. Radius & Helena, Times Neue Roman, and Swiss Dice, w/ DJ Michael J. Brown, hosted by Doc Pickles, and visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

Gather Round feat. Hamilton Trading Co., The Beekeepers Society, and The Shadowboxers @ The Boat, 9pm, pwyc.

The Lina Allemano Four @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Mark Pesci presents The Weakends, DCT, and City Sweethearts @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

Jeremy Strachan / Mike Smith, and Strachan / David Sait / Robin Buckley @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $8.