Indie Music 91 (6-12 Aug 2009).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

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.

The SummerWorks festival gets started tonight. Full details are here. I've listed all shows below, too, with [SW] in front of them. I'll be at most the shows, but other good bets (if you're me) are starred (*) below. Sometimes I really with I could be at two or three places at once.

THURSDAY (6 aug)

* The Tom Fun Orchestra (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 6pm, free. All ages.

* The Torrent (CD release) w/ Emma McKenna, VIVIV (Ken Reaume), Southern Charles, and visuals by Philippe Blanchard @ The Painted Lady, 9pm, pwyc. The album will be available for free.

The Pale Horses, Rockyard, and A-collision @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

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

Serving Charity & Gettysburg present Alright Alright, Alter Kakers, and Fidget @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 8:30pm, $5.

ex~po, Great Dane, and Todd Harrison & friends @ Holy Joe's, 9pm, $5.

Toys Are Just (EP release), Broken Bricks, Dwight Schenk, and Needle Foot @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5. Get the EP for another $5.

Apple Pi, Dee Addario, and Major Grey @ The Music Gallery, 7pm, $6.

Erika Werry (CD release) w/ James Chris James @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $6. Get the CD for another $6.

Haggard Feast 2 feat. The Guest Bedroom, Pacific Trash Vortex, Rat Tail, Bag Tag, and DJ Death Adder @ Sneaky Dee's, 9:30pm, $6.

* Wayne Petti & the Thieves w/ Bahamas @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $7?

The Jing Bang Show (EP release) @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $7.

* The Tom Fun Orchestra @ 11pm, The Coast @ 10pm, and Carmen Townsend @ 9pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $8.

Ministry of the Environment (CD release), Jadea Kelly, and Janine Farragher @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, $8.

* [SW] Miracle Fortress w/ Karkwa @ The Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

FRIDAY (7 aug)

Funkadesi @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 8pm, free.

* OOTS Presents VI feat. Princess Century (Maya Postepski), Tirra Lirra, and T H O M A S @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Share (solo) and others @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm.

Vilipend and Titan @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Save for Web (animated GIF show) w/ New Feelings, Actual Water, and Jon McCurley @ Xpace, 8pm, $5.

Chris Velan, The Expos, and Matt York @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $5.

Trainlight, Chasing Aimee, Futures Past, and Chase the Light @ The Rivoli, 9:30pm, $5.

* TWM 47 feat. The Job, Mother Murder, Invasions, and DJ Andy Capp @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Chinese Food, Echo Riot, Ryan Masters, and The Stormalongs @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $6.

Mark Bultin Band @ 12:30pm, Exxxxtra Juicy @ 11:30pm, Citizen Erased @ 10:30pm, and The Runaway Catholics @ 9:30pm. Lee's Palace, $7.

* NoBunny, White Wires, Statues, City Sweethearts, and First Base, w/ DJ Mark Pesci @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $9 (or $7 adv at RT, SS).

* [SW] DD/MM/YYYY w/ Think About Life @ The Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

* The Framework (EP release) w/ Make Your Exit and RIkers @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

SATURDAY (8 aug)

Aux.TV Secret Session feat. Michou and Final Thought (acoustic) @ TARA (554 Queen St. E.), 5pm, free. All ages.

Alex Grantham, Chris Blachford, Lucian Thomas, and Iman Wain @ The Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

* Rival Gang Theatre and Brooke Manning @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm.

Bravestation (CD release), Mad Highway, and Carmen Elle @ The Silver Dollar, 11pm, $5.

Tenth Planet and Nathan Down @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* Pree, A Young Wife, and Daniel Roth & Luke Nares @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $5.

TWM presents Le Bus, Cool Dad, Owel Five, and Corboe @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

J.J. Ipsen @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Human Statues w/ The Free Press and Coco Love Alcorn @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $10.

* [SW] The Got To Get Got w/ Oh No Forest Fires @ The Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

Riot God @ 12:30pm, Latefallen @ 11:30pm, Ultra Violence @ 10:30pm, and Nerve @ 9:30pm. Lee's Palace, $10.

SUNDAY (9 aug)

* Poor Pilgrim Island Show 3 feat. Feuermusik Big Band, $100, Wyrd Visions, Castlemusic, Isla Craig, Bruce Trail, Transcendental Rodeo, N!fty, and The Silt, w/ installations by Yuula Benivolski and Xenia Benivolski @ Toronto Island, 3pm-12am. Here's the map (you'll need it).

Sing-A-Long Sundays, hosted by Steve Singh @ The Drake Hotel (Lounge), 9pm, free. Every week.

The CFL Sessions (CD release) w/ Cameron Murray @ Tranzac, 7:30pm, pwyc.

Marcel Aucoin & Michael Holt present The Piano Salon feat. John Kameel Farah, Dave Bidini (reading), and Erika Werry @ 1164 College St. (Chris Banks' home), 7pm, pwyc. Bring food and drink to share.

* Wavelength 475 feat. Actual Water (members of The Creeping Nobodies and Brides), The Famines, and Boars (members of ICPMABOYC), hosted by Doc Pickles, w/ visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, pwyc ($5-$10 suggested).

* The Beauties (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

* Shotgun Jimmie, Hamilton Trading Co., Horses (7" release), and Dave Schoonderbeek @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Les Bad Guys (residency, 2 sets) w/ Jerry Leger @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

* [SW] Still Life Still w/ Kids On TV @ Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

Starlight Mints @ 10:15pm and JP Inc @ 9pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $10 (or $9 adv).

MONDAY (10 aug)

Elvis Monday feat. In Plain View, Poppyseed, Mercurymen, John Milner You're So Boss, and The Whole Entire Universe @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Shoeless Monday feat. Stokka @ 11:15pm, Death of Me @ 10:15pm, and Snipes @ 9:15pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

The CFL Sessions and Dog is Blue @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

TUESDAY (11 aug)

* Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Burn Planetarium @ 11:50pm, Love Machine @ 11:00pm, Walk Off the Earth @ 10:15pm, Down In Ashes @ 9:30pm, and The Answer @ 8:45pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

The Pink & Black Attack presents Caution Inc. and Ball Harness @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

The Ford Prefects (Fake Prom Band 2004) @ The Embassy, 8pm, free.

The Dead Elm Society of Canada w/ Carmen Elle @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

CaMp CoMbO, as part of Mysterion's East End Burlesque Riot @ Dominion On Queen 500 Queen E., $6.

* [SW] Boys Who Say No w/ Fox Jaws @ Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

"These Black Spaces" by Cory Latkovich @ The Music Gallery, 7pm, $8/pwyc. "Avant garde composer and cellist presents his experimentations in whisper melody, improvisation, and pointilistic music."

WEDNESDAY (12 aug)

* Miwa Gemini w/ Shawn Clarke, Tanya Philipovich, Nich Worby, and 72 South 1st @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm.

Hobson's Choice (EP release) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

* Wednesdays Go Pop! presents Summer Songbirds feat. Wendy Leung, Melissa Dalton, and Lara Martin @ Supermarket, 9pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. The Backbone Beat, Saskatoon Guitar Destroyer, The Natural Shocks, and Jay Sparrow @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Quarry Records presents Paul Anderson, Robyn Dell'Unto, and The Ascot Royals (acoustic) @ Graffiti's, 9:15pm, pwyc.

* Wombat Wednesdays feat. The Magic, The Skeletones Four, Wet Dirt, Justin Chee, and The Meat w/ DJ Daps Duo, comedy by Gene Abella, and Installations by Jesse Foster (Germans) @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 7:30pm, $5.

Blackie Jackett Jr. (country side project with members of Finger Eleven) @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Black On Black @ 11:40pm, The Boo @ 10:50pm, All For Nothing @ 10:00pm, and The Andy Brown @ 9:10pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.

Travis Porter & WeGotTheMovement.com present Callahan, Dancing With Paris, and Dorian Gray @ Sneaky Dee's, 7:30pm, $5.

* [SW] Matthew Barber w/ Claire Jenkins @ Theatre Centre, 10pm, $10 (adv tix avail.). All ages.

Podcast 50 (6-15 Aug 2009).

This week's podcast is all about the music portion of the SummerWorks Festival. Tyler and I talked to Eric Warner, this year's guest music programmer, about all the bands playing and other projects he's involved with. Featuring DD/MM/YYYY ("I'm Still In the Walls"), Still Life Still ("Pastel"), Boys Who Say No ("No I Won't"), Forest City Lovers ("Monsters"), Sunparlour Players ("Battle of '77"), and Germans ("I Am the Teacher").

The Music Series runs 6-15 August, with shows every night except Monday, 10 Aug. All shows are at the Theatre Centre at Queen and Dovercourt, have a 10pm door time, are $10 in advance (or at the door), and audience members of all ages are welcome. See the website for all the lineup details. And see you there!

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Fiftieth podcast!

Review / Giveaway: The Junction's "Another Link In the Chain."

The Junction, a Toronto-based three-piece (with suburban roots), released their second album last week. A great example of danceable Canadian indie pop-rock, Another Link In the Chain will appeal to indie kids as well as commercial radio stations programming for the broader music-listening audience.

This is a group clearly inspired by the rock they grew up with in the 90s and indie rock bands of the 2000s. By bringing these two influences together with a nod to classic Brit-pop, the Junction has crafted a strong rock album that should appeal to indie rock fans as well as audiences looking for something a little more accessible. Expect melodic guitar lines, heavy drumming, clear vocals, and so on. But just when you might think you’ve got the band’s sound pinned-down, screamo-vocals, handclaps, tambourine, and horns come in to shake things up. It all makes for a good outing with enough interest in to keep me from getting bored, but plenty of pop-rock hooks to keep the kids happy.

The first single is the happy, peppy, rock anthem “My Love Was There”—obviously so. It’s sure to get audience members jumping, clapping, and singing along. “And if you hear my song, sing along, sing along. A-La da da....” Fun! I don’t like the fade-out at the end, but that’s probably a wise radio-friendly decision on the band’s part. Other strong pop-rock tunes include “Pick Your Battles,” the slower Brit pop-inspired “Miles in Denial,” “Level with Me,” and “Lonely Road.” “No Road” showcases the band’s rockier side. Not all songs work as well, but nothing completely disappoints. The band has a sound that’s both a little interesting and totally accessible. Catchy and fun, it should translate well in a live setting (though maybe not all those horns).

Download: “My Love Was There” (Another Link In the Chain, 2009)
Video: “My Love Was There”
Download: “Miles in Denial” (Another Link In the Chain, 2009)

The Junction celebrate the album’s release in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern on Thursday, 13 August. Support acts include rockers The Reason and Songs From A Room. Thanks to Audio Blood Media, I’ve got a pair of passes to give away for the show, plus a copy of the new CD. Yipee! If you want in on this, send me an email with “The Junction” in the subject line and your full name in the body. If you win, your name + 1 will be on the guestlist; you’ll be able to pick up your CD at the merch table. This is +19 show. The deadline to enter is 11:59pm on 11 August.

I’m giving away a copy of the album over at NxEW.ca, so if can’t make the show feel free to enter that giveaway!

The Junction have a few shows in southern Ontario coming up:

Aug. 8 @ Rock the Mill, Cambridge
Aug. 13 @ Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto (CD release)
Aug. 15 @ Secret Sessions at TARA, Toronto (5pm, free, all ages)
Aug. 28 @ Call the Office, London
Aug. 29 @ MC/DC Festival, Toronto

[Top photo by David Waldman.]

Shout Out / Review: Jon-Rae Fletcher @ Sneaky Dee's, 26 July.

Last Sunday night I went to Sneaky Dee's as I usually do for the weekly Wavelength series. The bill that night was especially strong and seemingly tailor-made for my tastes: up first, young roots pop-rockers Great Bloomers (whom I've gushed about before); then Montrealers Flotilla (ditto); and finally, country hero Jon-Rae Fletcher, on a summer tour with two of his bandmates. I enjoyed everyone, and was thrilled to see such a large crowd for a Sunday night show in July. But Jon-Rae, whom I'd seen perform back in March at Lee's Palace during Canadian Music Week, completely blew me away.

It's a rare thing for me to see a band and during the course of the set decide that I must own the record they are promoting. I see a lot of bands, and I enjoy most of them. I like the live concert experience and don't listen to a whole lot of music on my off-time. Jon-Rae got to me, though. It took a few songs, but slowly, and then all of a sudden, I started to feel that I was witnessing a true musical genius. (The Lee's Palace gig hadn't left much of an impression on me.) The songs weren't complicated: At one point the trombone player, having to play an unrehearsed song, asked Jon-Rae how it went. The response was, "it's in G. It's the same as all the other ones." But the relatively simple arrangements for voice, guitar, bass, and trombone, or else Jon-Rae solo (voice and guitar), grabbed me in a way few bands have. What a wonderful set. Many of the people in the crowd were singing along, clearly familiar with the songs off his 2008 solo album and the older ones he used to perform with Jon-Rae & the River, a band I never got to see. He seemed a little taken aback by one excited (drunken) female "heckler" who proclaimed her love for him and etc. But most of us retained our composure, and he treated us to an encore after firmly stating that he was done for the night. But heck, this was Wavelength at Sneaky Dee's, where he'd seen some of his favourite shows ever (so he told us---"fuck, it's good to be back at Sneaky Dee's). How could he not?

I didn't have enough cash on me to get a CD, but as soon as I got home, I went and bought it off Zunior. Here are a couple tracks:

Download: "Maria" (Oh, Maria, 2008)
Download: "Downtown" (Oh, Maria, 2008)

My blogger friend Joe's got a superb review of the Friday-night Jon-Rae show at the Imperial Pub, plus a live recording of "Best Of My Time." Seems like the set-list was the same or similar at Sneaks.

Photo credit: Jon-Rae Fletcher @ Lee's Palace in Toronto, March 2009, by Bob Battams.

Review: RAA, Hooded Fang, Wilderness of Manitoba @ The Horseshoe, 30 July.

I'm taking a rare weekend night off from the local music scene. No particular reason: just feeling a little tired and wanting to spend some time by myself. It affords an opportunity to do some organizing, and---as a break from that---tell you about last night.

The Rural Alberta Advantage played at the Horseshoe, to a sold out, jam-packed crowd of friends new and old. It was their "hometown" CD release for Hometowns, the album they put out independently in early 2008, but have now re-released on Saddle Creek, their new US record label. They've been touring the US this summer, after earning a lot of buzz when they opened for Grizzly Bear in a church during SxSW. Their beautiful, exciting record got heard by thousands of new people thanks to eMusic back in November. And the band's been on the up-and-up since then. But us here in Toronto have known we had a treasure for some time. And so, more than 4 months after their last Toronto show, the RAA came back to us.

The night started off appropriately lovely, with the gorgoeous vocal harmonies and instrumentation of a newer Toronto band, The Wilderness of Manitoba. Some of the members of this band had hosted the RAA at their home back in March, and Nils, Amy, and Paul must have liked what they heard then and invited the WOM to perform last night. The band seemed both comfortable and a little nervous about performing in front of so many people on the relatively large Horseshoe stage. Very quickly they created a happy, calm mood with their nature-inspired songs. At moments they reminded me of Fleet Foxes; at others, of Great Lake Swimmers. "Evening" was a set highlight, as was their last song, whose name I don't know. (Sorry, oops.) The mix was a bit off, and the instrument changes between songs took a second or two too long for my tastes, but I chalk that up to a venue like the Horseshoe not being super familiar with their vocal-heavy, acoustic sound, and the band's lack of experience in playing bigger shows. Overall, a pleasing opening set that made them a good number of new fans, no doubt. As I write this I'm listening to their first EP. It's not yet officially out, but those of us at the show got a chance to pick it up. It's great. I may listen to it all night. I look forward to seeing how this band develops.

Next up was Hooded Fang, another local band with a very Canadian name. This group specializes in pop, and came out of nowhere in 2008 to blow the local music scene away with their happy energy and catchy hooks. Not to mention the strong vocals of leads Daniel Lee and Lorna Wright, and good musicianship showcased in their recorded output. Last night the band---whose female members dressed for the celebratory occasion that it was---performed many of the songs off its self-titled EP, as well as some new ones that will presumably appear on their full-length, coming out this fall. A new release from Hooded Fang makes me happy. Unfortunately, the band was rather low-energy last night. Their lack of pep meant they couldn't keep the attention of some of the people up at the front (where I was), and it's really too bad. Perhaps it was nerves, because by the last song a few more of the band members seemed into what they were doing. If they'd had that energy all night, it would have been a fantastic set.

Last up was of course the stars of the evening, the reason why we all paid $13 or more to be there, and why the show sold out even before the first band started playing. The road has done wonders for this always-strong band. I fall in love all over again with the RAA every time I see them, but last night was extra special. Amy Cole's backing vocals were stronger than ever, piercing or blending in with the songs perfectly; Paul Banwatt's inventive, exciting drumming was on better display than ever (helped by a stage set up that had him in a row with his bandmates); and Nils Edenloff's singing was more confident and his banter less awkward (but still endearing). The crowd was jubilant and singing along, and the band was thrilled with the turnout. It was super hot in there, but I didn't really mind. The only negative---other than the drunken few causing a bit of trouble at the front---was that the show wasn't particularly intimate, so we didn't get to hear "Goodnight," a live-only song they perform once in a while, as appropriate. Ah well, I can't have everything.

Oh, RAA, you are amazing. We loved you before, but you looked and sounded completely at home playing for 350 or so people in a way that I did not expect. (Silly me.) What a great way to celebrate your years of hard work and more recent acclaim. It seems a bit strange to me that a band I've seen 15 or so times here in Toronto pretty quickly got much bigger than they were, played a bunch of shows elsewhere, and then came back even better than they were before. And yet there you have it. How exciting.

[Photo credit: Thanks to suckingalemon for the top photo of Nils. There were lots of good photographers at this gig, and a few other local bloggers. Eye and NOW were there, too.]

Indie Music 90 (30 July-5 Aug 2009).

I'm going to see the Rural Alberta Advantage on Thursday at the Horseshoe---with more than 50 of my friends, apparently. This will be their CD release for Hometowns, an album they put out independently in early 2008, but have no re-released properly on Saddle Creek. Supporting acts that night are Hooded Fang and a newer band called The Wilderness of Manitoba, all from right here in Toronto. Promises to be a great night, and will likely be a sold out, so get your ticket soon! Advance tickets are on sale for $12 at Soundscapes, Rotate This, the Horseshoe front bar, or Ticketmaster.

More great concerts at Harbourfront (Island Soul Festival), Yonge-Dundas Square, the Irie Music Festival in Queen's Park...what else?

THURSDAY (30 july)

Toronto Acoustic Songwriters Collective presents An Acoustic Roots Revue Featuring, Matt York, Hear Comes the Cavalry, Lisa-Marie Kruchak, and Rhythm Nomad @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm.

Alex Woodrow and The Peter James Project @ Zemra (778 St. Clair West), 9pm, pwyc.

Les Switch, Airheart, and Crazy Diamond @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

Shitty Limits (UK), Logic Problem, Urban Blight, and School Jerks @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

* Bob Wiseman (vinyl release) - 20th anniversary party of the release of In Her Dream: Bob Wiseman Sings Wrench Tuttle feat. Final Fantasy, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Laura Barret, $100, Great Lake Swimmers, and many others @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 10pm, free. Download the entire album for free.

Halls of Devotion (CD release) w/ Gabe Levine and Dorian & Dorian @ Teranga, 9pm, $5.

The Marksmen and Protocol @ The Trane Studio, 9pm, $5.

* Parlovr, Black Hat Brigade, and Cotton Mouth @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Download: Black Hat Brigade, "Kitchen Party" (Fathers, 2009).

The Main Thing feat. Barbara Mamabolo, DJ Double K (The Parkdale Funk Show) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 10pm, $10.

Diemonds @ 11:40pm, Baptized in Blood @ 10:50pm, Sun Sattelite @ 10:00pm, Forces @ 9:10pm. Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $10.

Download: Diemonds, "Diemoney" (In the Rough, 2008).

Ronley Teper's Lipliners @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Kevin Hearn @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm. $10 (adv).

That's What She Said (CD release) w/ Kid Richards @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $8.

FRIDAY (31 july)

More More More and Dora Alexander @ Global Village Backpackers, 9pm, free.

* The Disraelis and Catl (2 sets) @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $5.

Download: Catl, "Pickup Killed My Ford" (¿Adónde Vas? A Ningún Lado, 2009).
Download: The Disraelis, "Bitter Ash" (Demonstration, 2008).

TWM presents Clydesdale, Isle of Thieves, Social Clash, and Cut Throat Kids @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Ready Steady Go! feat. DJ Smitty Cent, GoldenGirls, and DVAS @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

* Blood Ceremony, Orn, Reverse Mount Rushmore, and Orca @ The Silver Dollar, 9pm, $6.

* T H O M A S, Mantler, Nancy & Co., and The Cedar Strippers @ The Tranzac, 7:30pm, pwyc.

Lina Quesada, The Jessica Stuart Few, and Babalao Stereo Club @ The Poor Alex Theatre (772A Dundas St. W.), 9:30pm, $5.

The Calrizians @ The Painted Lady, 9pm, $10.

Download: The Calrizians, "Hernando's Hideaway" (Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool You, 2007).

Grace over Diamonds @ 12:30pm, Defective by Design @ 11:30pm, House of Commons @ 10:30pm, My Enemy Mind @ 9:30pm. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $8.

Darlings Of Chelsea @ 12:30pm, Bella Clava (CD release) @ 11:30pm, Modified @ 10:45pm, Frail Fragment @ 10:00pm, Left Turn City @ 9:15pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $6.

SATURDAY (1 aug)

Secret Sessions feat. The Framework and Clothes Make The Man, presented by AUX.tv @ TARA (The Audio Recording Academy) 554 Queen St. E., 5 pm, free.

Bruno Capinan, Morgan Doctor, Alex McMaster, and Anita Katakkar @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm.

The Joys w/ Decade of Sleep, Moondog Uproar, and Stone River @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5.

The King Beez and The Weirdies @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm.

Fire Flower Revue, Cougar Bait, and Slowly, Slowly @ The Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5.

* TMW presents Old World Vulture, The Rogue Satellites, Tripping Hazard, and a secret headliner @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Promonium Jesters, Orphan Grinder, and Unicorpse @ The Blue Moon, 9pm, $6.

Brandon Paris Band @ 12:00pm, Weekend Warriors @ 11:00pm, Chasing Arcadia @ 10:00pm. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $8.

* Religious Knives, Heaven, Mean Red Spiders, Kaleidescope City, and Woodward Company @ Silver Dollar, 10:15pm, $10 (or $8 adv).

SUNDAY (2 aug)

Poisonous Glass @ The Hideout, 11pm, free.

Sing-A-Long Sundays, hosted by Steve Singh @ The Draek Hotel (Lounge), 9pm, free. Every week.

Drunkdriver (NYC), Mature Situations, Ultrathin, and Magic Cheezies @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

Wavelength 474 feat. Allie Hughes, Valley of the Shadow of Death, and Ginger & Irene, hosted by Doc Pickles, w/ visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

Lua or Die w/ The Calrizians and Evil Farm Children @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, $5. Surf!

Download: The Calrizians, "Hernando's Hideaway" (Don't Let The Smooth Taste Fool You, 2007).

*Catl w/ The Speaking Tongues @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Download: The Speaking Tongues, "Doctor Doctor" (Wild Sound, 2008).
Download: Catl, "Pickup Killed My Ford" (¿Adónde Vas? A Ningún Lado, 2009).

MONDAY (3 aug)

Elvis Monday feat. Spirit Bear, Whole Entire Universe, Event Horizon, Cadillacs of Men, and others @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Shoeless Monday feat. Dirty Beloved @ 11:15pm, Hellomarx @ 10:15pm, and Creeping Charlie @ 9:15pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Grady Mutzel, Ethan Master (The Hawaiian Ukelele), The Got To Get Got (acoustic) @ Heartbeat (960 Queen St. W.), 7pm, pwyc.

TUESDAY (4 aug)

Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Lesson @ 11:40pm, Pumps @ 10:50pm, Broken Bricks @ 10:00pm, and Violent Kin @ 9:10pm. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

CaMp CoMbO (EP release) @ Mitzi's Sister, 9pm, pwyc.

Download: CaMp CoMbO, "Rock Paper Scissors" (Rock Paper Scissors, 2007).

* Paul Linklater & the Murmurers w/ The Billie Hollies @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm.

WEDNESDAY (5 aug)

Songwriters Showcase feat. Elora Mulligan, Katey Morley, The Silver Speakers, Ian McNamara, Free Man On The Land, and more @ Mullins (917 Kingston Rd), 8:30pm, free.

PWYC Weds feat. The Camel Tones, Danger! Danger!, The Deadly Hopefuls, and Jay Sparrow @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

* Quarry Records presents Kensington Prairie, Shawn Clarke, and Brooke Manning @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm, pwyc.

Sunbear, Damian Rogers, and Greg Keelor @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9pm, pwyc.

* Radiocreek Productions presents Kleenex, An Inventory of Contemporary Ambient, Experimental, Beats, Mash-Makers and Performance feat. Joda Clement, Freida Abtan, TouchBoy, Spain's Most Extravagant Mexican, and Ken Farrell (Gravity Wave) @ The Drake Underground, 7pm-midnight, $4.

Download: Freida Abtan, "The Act of Repetition" (Subtle Movements, 2007).
Download: Gravity Wave, "Buffalo Jump" (Twin Prime Conjecture, 2008).

Doomstar, The O'Darling, and Now Yr Taken @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Download: The O'Darling, "Embroideries" (The O'Darling, 2009).

Hamilton Trading Co., Nick Storring, Nancy & Co., and more @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8:30pm, $5.

Podcast 49 (30 July-6 Aug 2009).

Tyler and I sat down with Scott and Will from The Wilderness of Manitoba in the shed at Delaware House, where they practice, record, and host shows. We talked about their new record, the Rural Alberta Advantage CD release (they are the opening band), the venue they run, and the musical community of which they are a part. Featuring 6 songs by 6 Toronto "The" bands: The Wilderness of Manitoba ("Evening"), The Rural Alberta Advantage ("Dethbridge in Lethbridge"), The Disraelis ("The Bitter Ash"), The Framework ("She Thinks I'm Famous"), The Calrizians ("Hernando's Hideaway"), and The O'Darling ("Embroideries"). Just 'cause it worked out that way.

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I'll post my listings for the next 7 days soon. Check last week's listings for events happening tonight (Wednesday).

I need more music!

You know that I do a weekly podcast that features primarily the music of local bands and performers. Sometimes touring acts that play the smaller venues. I have lots of songs by lots of bands, but I need more! When Tyler and I do the podcast, we aren't always able to stream from MySpace (or similar sites), and sometimes I have to rely on my digital song collection. Some weeks the choices are pretty limited . . . like next week, it's looking like! If if think I need your music---just a song or two is cool---please send it my way at historyjenATgmailDOTcom. I occasionally post mp3s on this blog, too, so let me know if it's cool with you if I do that.

While you're at it, you can send your songs to Justin Beach over at NxEW, for possible inclusion in their weekly mixtapes. His contact info is northbyeastwestATgmailDOTcom

Thanks!

A Horse & His Boy's gear stolen.

London, ON-based band A Horse & His Boy had thousands of dollars worth of gear stolen from them yesterday. They've had to cancel their Toronto show, scheduled for Saturday at the Drake Hotel. That would have been their Toronto debut. The stolen gear includes irreplaceable pre-recorded samples and loops, as well as the following items:

Roland SP-404
Boss SP-303
Behringer Mixer
Boss Digital Reverb RV-5
Electro Harmonix #1 Echo
Microphones, Cables, Adapters, 3 years worth of samples

Also gone are a projector and play station, as well as a SM58 microphone belonging to London show-promoter and musician, Paterson Hodgson. To donate to a fund to help replace the stolen items, click on this PayPal link:



More details about the theft are here.

Indie Music 89 (23-29 July 2009).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

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 weekend started out folky, quickly got groovy-electro-like, moved to noise rock, and over to garage rock, then it was back to folk-pop, some more noise-jam rock, and finally ended with rock 'n' soul. How about you? This weekend and into next week I'm looking forward to lots of things, including brilliant free shows at Harbourfront.

THURSDAY (23 july)

* Diamond Rings and Kat Burns (Forest City Lovers) @ Delaware House, 7pm, pwyc. All ages. Bring BBQables to put on the grill. Afterward, a group will head over to the Wooden Sky rooftop show.

Michael Holt and friends @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Rosewoods, Gavin Slate, and more @ Holy Joe's, 9pm, $5.

Final Thought, Fire Life, Credible Witness, and My October @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Devil Eyes w/ Ancestors and Hurry Hard @ Velvet Underground, 8:45pm, $5.

Jeff the Brotherhood, Bathurst Queens, Teenage X, and Overpower @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $6.

* Burn Down The Capital presents The Shalabi Effect, Cousins Of Reggae, Normal Love, Broken Tree Fort, and Thrashed Genes @ The Boat, 9pm, $8.

* Shelby Lamb (CD release) w/ Sean Macdonald and Ian Woodhouse @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $10 (includes CD).

Download: Shelby Lamb, "Roam" (Tudro, 2009).

The Official Cutting Edge Music Festial Pre-Party feat. William the Conqueror, tba, Monday's Fiction, Awakening State, and Ray Melana @ Supermarket, 8:30pm, $10.

* C. R. Avery, The Undesirables, and Leif Vollebekk @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $10.

FRIDAY (24 july)

* Delhi 2 Dublin @ Yonge & Dundas Square, 8pm, free. All ages.

* Jenn Grant (9:30pm) and Hey Rosetta! (8pm) @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 8pm, free. All ages. Excellent.

The Wet Spots @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $5.

* TWM 45 feat. Wordburglar (CD release), Toolshed, Jesse Dangerously, Peter Project, More or Les, and Fresh Kils (The Les Kils EP release) @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5 (before 10:30pm, $8 after).

* The Paint Movement, Michou, and Andrew Devillers @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $6.

Download: The Paint Movement, "Faults" (Our Eurythmy, 2009).

* Toronto SynthFest 09 Day 1 feat. Cobra Cut (DJ set), Golden Girls, Silly Kissers, Adolf Glitter, and Digits @ The Tranzac, 7:30pm, $7 for one day, $12 for both.

* WreckingBall Entertainment presents Bella Clava, La Casa Muerte, StereoGoesStellar, and The Dress Whites @ Bread & Circus, 9pm, $7.

Download: La Casa Muerte, "All The Wrong Moves" (La Casa Muerte, 2009).

* Clues w/ The Hoa Hoa's, Witchies, Gambletron, and Great Lenin's Ghost @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $7.

Download: Clues, "Remember Severed Head" (Clues, 2009).

* Jon-Rae Fletcher w/ Ryan Driver @ the Imperial Pub, 9pm, $7.

No Borders (dance party) feat. The Superpowers (NYC Afrobeat) w/ Joanna Boromeo @ Supermarket, 10pm, $8.

James Finnerty (CD release) w/ Makita Hack & the Log Rollers @ Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $10.

SATURDAY (25 july)

* Amy Milan (9:30pm) and Gentleman Reg (8pm) @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 8pm, free. All ages. Amazing.

Broken Bricks (CD release) w/ guests @ The Monarch Lounge, 9pm, free. (The band wants you to dress up for this "black tie" event.)

Dog Is Blue w/ Edo @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Download: Dog Is Blue, "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" (Bob Dylan cover; unreleased).

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

Your Heart and Their Shallow Valley @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

A Horse & His Boy, Matt Henderson, and E-Video @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $5. A Horse & His Boy had to cancel their appearance.

Career Suicide, Brutal Knights, Social Circkle, Acid Refluc, and Molested Youth @ The Poor Alex (772 Dundas St. W.), 9pm, $10.

* The Parkas (CD release, final show) w/ Whitebelt Octopus @ The Silver Dollar, 10:30pm, $6.

Download: The Parkas, "Don't Say No" (You Should've Killed Us When You Had The Chance, 2009).

* Toronto SynthFest 09 Day 2 feat. OPOPO, PDF Format, Henrietta Lacks, Guy Dallas, and Alpine Continuum (members of Vowls) @ The Tranzac, 7:30pm, $7 for one day, $12 for both.

Download: PDF Format, "We Shall Eat Krill" (This Is What It Feels Like, 2009).

TWM presents Leonids, Wildlife, and Recordbreaker @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* No Shame presents The Burning Hell, Sports: The Band, and The Pining @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

Download: The Burning Hell, "The Berlin Conference" (Baby, 2009).
Download: Sports: The Band, "Cast Lots" (s/t EP, 2008).

* Quest for Fire, Chylde, Saffron Sect, and Wyrd Visions @ Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $8.

Arise for Order, Affinity, Easy Sleazy, and Fancy Girls Market @ Lee's Palace, 9pm, $10.

* Calvin Johnson w/ Andre Charles Theriault @ Heartbeat (960 Queen St. W.), 8-11pm, $5-$10 sliding scale. All ages.

Primary Colors presents Chinese Stars, Tinsel Teeth, Magic Cheezies, and Brides @ Bread & Circus, 9:30pm, $7.

SUNDAY (26 july)

Youth Crime and The Beestings @ The Rearview Mirror, 3pm, free.

* The Dears @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 3pm, free. All ages.

* Laura Barrett @ Harbourfront Centre (Redpath Stage), 4:30pm, free. All ages.

Download: Laura Barrett, "Robot Ponies" (Earth Sciences, 2008).

* Wavelength afternoon show (part of P.S. Kensington) feat. Lullabye Arkestra, The Guest Bedroom, Cloak'ed Claw, Mindbender, Danger Bay, and Isla Craig @ Augusta Ave., south of College St., 3-7pm, free (weather permitting). All ages.

Download: The Guest Bedroom, "Stranglehold" (Treading Water/Blowing Smoke, 2008).
Download: Isla Craig, "Birds In Flight" (Isla Craig & The Continental Drift, 2009).

* Wavelength 473 feat. Jon-Rae Fletcher (w/ full band), Flotilla, and Great Bloomers, hosted by Doc Pickles, and visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, pwyc ($5-$10 suggested). Great lineup!

Download: Flotilla, "A Thousand Jacobs" (One Hundred Words For Water, 2009).
Download: Great Bloomers, "Speak Of Trouble" (Speak Of Trouble, 2009).

CANCELLED * The Burning Hell, Maybe Smith @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

* Steamboat (3 sets) feat. Andre Ethier and more @ The Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm, $5. This is the last Steamboat Sunday of the summer.

MONDAY (27 july)

* Elvis Monday feat. Kaleidoscope City, Mamabolo, Kalle Mattson, Saskatoon Guitar Destroyer, and The People of Canada @ Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Download: Kalle Mattson, "Hall Of Oats" (Whisper Bee, 2009).

TUESDAY (28 july)

* The Junction (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 6pm, free. All ages.

* Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Songs from a Room, The Grates, Library Voices, and Too Many Sisters @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Download: Library Voices, "Step Off the Map & Float" (Hunting Ghosts & Other Collected Shorts, 2008).

The Octopus Project and Modernboys Moderngirls @ Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $10 (adv tix avail for $8.50). The bands are on at 9pm and 10:15pm.

Download: Modernboys Moderngirls, "My Baby Says Boy, Don't You Ever Go" (I Might As Well Break It, 2009).

The Sarah & Jeff Show w/ Ryan Karam @ Supermarket, 9pm, pwyc.

Shane Koyczan & the Short Story Long @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 7:30pm, $10.

WEDNESDAY (29 july)

* PWYC Weds feat. Buck Starball, The Famines, Your Pretend Boyfriend, and Jay Sparrow @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Creekwater Junkies, The Change, December Flood, and Dovetail Band @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

Les Badguys, Vanessa Legassi, and Wolf J McFarlane @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 7pm, $5.

* Zeus w/ The Golden Dogs @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $7.

Download: Zeus, "I Know" (Something Awesome, 2009).

Treestar w/ A Science Primitive, Time Brings Change, Streetcore, and Freedom Thirty-Five @ The Kathedral, 7pm, $10. All ages.

Podcast 48 (23-29 July 2009).

We talk to Andrew Pulsifer, the organizer of SynthFest 09, happening this Friday and Saturday. Andrew tells us about synths and the variety of genres that can feature synths as a main instrument, we talk about synth bands that we like, and in general about the awesomeness of the Toronto music community. Featuring Shelby Lamb ("I Can't Be Normal"), GoldenGirls ("The Big League"), Wordburglar ("S'up Burg"), Gentleman Reg ("Falling Back"), PDF Format ("God Only Knows"), and Maybe Smith ("More Blood Than Sleep [After B.C.]"). I think I know what a synth is now.

The two-day SynthFest happens 24-25 July at the Tranzac's Main Hall. Tickets are $7 at the door each night, or $12 for both nights. Doors open at 7:30pm, with music starting at 8pm sharp (bands must end up 11pm). These will be fun nights!

DAY 1 feat. Cobra Cut (DJ set), GoldenGirls, Silly Kissers, Adolf Glitter, and Digits (Alt from Europe in Colour).

DAY 2 feat. OPOPO, PDF Format, Henrietta Lacks, Guy Dallas, and Alpine Continuum (members of Vowls).

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I'll post my listings soon. Check last week's listings for events happening tonight (Tuesday) and tommorow.

Shout Out: City Sonic video series.

Last month, as part of NxNE, I went to the launch party for the City Sonic series at the Drake Hotel. This great new music documentary project features Toronto artists and the places that were important to them. Each film is directed by a different person, and taken together, they give a wonderful glimpse into the past and present of Toronto's music scene. I saw 5 films at the Drake, but they've only slowly been making their way to the internet so everyone else can see them. Just out now is the one featuring Brian Borcherdt (from Holy Fuck) and Wavelength / Sneaky Dee's.

Here it is:



I love it. For more video history lessons with Brian Borcherdt, check out Colin Medley's Soundcheck episode.

You can subscribe to the City Sonic Youtube channel to be notified every time a new episode it released. You will want to see them all.

Indie Music 88 (16-22 July 2009).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

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.

There's a lot going on this coming week, and lots more that I haven't listed (of course). If you like punkier stuff, you should look into the Radio Silence Weekend feat. Fucked Up, Women, Vivian Girls, and more. As for me, I took a wee break from shows, but last night lined up for more than 45 minutes outside the Dakota (in the rain) to see Gentleman Reg and Zeus, both of whom really impressed. Zeus is playing a couple more times this month at the Dakota, so be sure to go... but go early. There are some great options for tonight (Thursday), Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and you're best best on Monday and Tuesday are the Drake and the Horseshoe, respectively. Come next Wednesday, I'm recommending Zeus.

Have fun!

THURSDAY (16 july)

Jakob Olausson, Sus & Jakob @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Erin Lang & The Foundlings w/ The Wilderness of Manitoba @ The Magpie, 9pm.

TWM presents Sparkling White, The Stormalongs, and Davey Parker Radio Sound @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Jennifer LFO (CD release) w/ The Films of FFoB and Dirt Farmer @ Supermarket, 9pm, $6.

* La Casa Muerte (10" release), The Pack A.D., Boxes & Bags, and Skullians @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $7.

* Japandroids, The Two Koreas, and Little Girls @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $8.

SUBB, The Corporation, Sound One, and Mean Tangerine @ Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $8.

* Musicworks launch party feat. Muskox, Dafydd Hughes, Misha Glouberman, and Thomas Gill @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 7pm, $10 (includes magazine issue #104, raffle ticket).

* The Darcys (fundraiser show) w/ The Balconies, plus "special performances" by Black Hat Brigade and Boys Who Say No @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. Help The Darcys record their next album.

FRIDAY (17 july)

Rikers, Birthday Boys, and more @ El Mocambo, 10pm, free.

* Out of This Spark Presents V feat. Richard Laviolette & the Hollow Hooves, Gavin Gardner (The Wooden Sky), and Chris Yang @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

* T H O M A S, Brooke Manning, Nancy & Co, and Fraser Gielen @ Delaware House, 9pm, pwyc.

SourVan, Clydesdale, The Svens, and Angela Saini @ Clinton's Tavern, 9pm, $5.

The Volunteers and The Legendary Dirtbikers @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $5.

* Pitter Patter 400 feat. Marienbad, OPOPO, and Operon, w/ DJ Wes Allen @ The Boat, 10pm, $5. Four hundred shows!

TWM presents The Vestaloynes, Fat City, Johnny Sizzle, and The Grim Preachers @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

* Burn Planetarium (EP release) w/ Black Hat Brigade, Boys Who Say No, and Kaleidescope City @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6 (or $10 gets you the EP, too).

WreckingBall Entertainment presents The Withouts, Night Crash Noir, With Lust, and The Vicious Guns @ The Bread & Circus, 9:30pm, $7.

Destined to Decay, APE, Archea, and Mortiforous @ Lee's Palace, 9pm, $7.

No Official Capacity presents Aquila, Odium, Your Last Sunrise, Reborn to Ashes, and tba @ Duffy's Tavern, 8pm, $8.

KEN Mode, Akroid, and Gunnar Rapido @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10.

Calculator & Oral Presentation, D-Sisive, and Bob Wiseman @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $10.

* Deer Tick, Dawes, The Schomberg Fair, and Jerry Leger @ The Horshoe Tavern, 9pm, $12 (adv tix avail for $10.50 + service charge).

SATURDAY (18 july)

* AUX.tv presents The Artist Life (acoustic) @ TARA (554 Queen St. E), 5pm, free. All ages.

J.J. Ipsen @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

* Danger Bay (debut), Boars (debut), and Brutus McKnight @ The Music Gallery (Fellowship Room), 8:30pm, $5. All ages, licensed. New bands feat. Jonny Dovercourt, Alex Durlak, and others.

Jason Paul Johnston (CD release) w/ Terns @ Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm (early show), $5.

TWM 44 feat. Cut Throat Britva, Corduroy, and The Ascot Royals @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* Fjord Rowboat, Flowers of Hell and Clydesdale @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Mixel Pixel, Hush Money, and The Lovely Killbots @ The Silver Dollar Room, 10:30pm, $6.

* These Electric Lives, Sunriser, Clothes Make The Man, Pants & Tie @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $7.

Rival Boys, Bernadette & the North, Skinner, and Ginger & Irene. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $7.

The 3Tards (final show, album release), The Antics, Random Killing, and Maple Street Impressions @ Kathedral, 7pm, $10 (incl. CD). All ages.

Toronto Zombie Walk Fundraiser feat. The Screamagers, The Ralcones, and Skullians @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $7 for zombies/$10 without

SUNDAY (19 july)

* Sing-Along Sundays w/ Steve Singh, Josh Reichmann, Sebastien Grainger, and Noah Mintz @ The Drake Hotel (Lounge), 9pm, free. This is a new weekly event.

* Wavelength 472 feat. Sun RaRaRa, The Meat (Brides side-project), and Culture Reject, hosted by Doc Pickles, and visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, pwyc ($5-$10 suggested).

* Steamboat and guests @ The Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm (start), $5.

The DGB, Cold Dead Hands, and Heather Luckhart @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

MONDAY (20 july)

* Elvis Monday feat. The Lovely Killbots, Mamabolo, Whale Tooth, Surface Days, The Main Thing, and The People of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

TUESDAY (21 july)

* The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Higher Rites, Black Diamond Bay, Library Voices, and Arietta @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free. Go to this! Arietta is on first, at 9:10pm.

* Hank (full band) @ The Magpie, 9pm, free.

Dom De Luca and The Soles @ The Local, 9pm.

ShowchoFest (indoor carnival/variety show) feat. games, puppets (Rock Time), music (Nika Smith and Jet Coaster), badmington, and more @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Basket of Figs, Micah Bates, and Party Time @ The Music Gallery (Fellowship Room), 8pm (start time), $5 (or pwyc).

* Cavaliers! and Amos the Transparent @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $5?

Colin Brady & Rob Elder, Alex Leggett, and Chris Meyers @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $6.

* Thames, The Moth, The Dead Are Those Who Have Died, and Roman Pilates @ The Boat, 9pm, $7.

WEDNESDAY (22 july)

* Julie Fader (band) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 9:30pm, pwyc.

The Isosceles Project, Reverse Mount Rushmore, and Life in Vacuum (Fundraiser) @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Bare Trees Band, The Runaway Catholics, and Nervous Wrecked @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

The Commune presents The Weathervane Songwriters showcase feat. The Whole Entire Universe, Carlo, The Merry Warners, and many more @ Clinton's Tavern, 8:30pm, $6.

Lymbyc Systym, Pace The Stairs, The Easy Targets, and Cobra @ Velvet Underground, 9pm, $7.

* Zeus and Peter Elkas @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $7. I got there at 10:15pm last week and had to wait in line for more than 45 minutes... go early!

Toronto Indie Music Awards feat. Hayley Stark, Metheus Bound, Ill of Day, Saving Fiction, Bella Clava, and FOTY @The Central, 7:30pm, $7.

* Abe Vigoda, Talbot Tagora, and Brides @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10 (adv).

Podcast 47 (16-22 July 2009).

Featuring The Two Koreas ("Withering Heights"), The Wooden Sky ("Oh My God [It Still Means A Lot To Me]"), Marienbad ("Reggie Jackson"), Clothes Make The Man ("Chile"), Culture Reject ("Inside The Cinema"), and Mamabolo ("Project"). Tyler and I talk about my new look, the joys of discovering new music and new genres at shows, and some of the special release events happening this week in the local music world.

Next week we talk about synths.

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A couple other local podcasts to tell you about. A new series of Zunior podcasts has started up, with hosts Paul Watson (Dog Is Blue) and Luther Mallory. The Panic Manual has its latest podcast up. And I already told you about the all-Canadian-music NxEW podcasts/mistapes. Check those out here. We're still your favourite one, right? No?...

Secret Sessions @ TARA.

All summer long there have been some not-to-secret "Secret Sessions" happening on Saturdays at The Audio Recording Academy (554 Queen St. East). Filmed by AUX.tv, and recorded by TARA students, the series has so far featured such notable Toronto acts as The Ghost is Dancing, Great Bloomers, Oh No Forest Fires, Josh Reichmann, Barzin, and Black Hat Brigade. All these acoustic/stripped down sessions are freely downloadable at this website, where you can also watch the AUX footage. There's one more band this month: The Artist Life on 18 July. In August, part two of the series brings two bands to the studio each Saturday afternoon. All sessions (except 29 August) are free, start at 5pm, and are all ages.

August 1
THE FRAMEWORK
CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

August 8
FINAL THOUGHT
MICHOU

August 15
THE JUNCTION
THE MOST SERENE REPUBLIC

August 22
GRAVITY WAVE
ARIETTA

August 29 (8pm. 19+)
THE BOOKS ELUSIVE
THE BALCONIES
MODERNBOYS MODERNGIRLS

As Lowell Sostomi from Great Bloomers noted in an interview during their session, the series afforded them the "opportunity to showcase our songs in a different way." And if you're at all interested in seeing these bands in a rather different setting than they would usually perform in this big city of ours, here's your chance.

Podcast 46 (9-15 July 2009).

Featuring Key Witness ("Overnight"), Wayne Petti ("Moment By Moment"), DD/MM/YYYY ("Infinity Skull Cube"), At Odds With Even ("Plastic Boy"), Chang-A-Lang ("Ruth Was A Communist"), and Dog Is Blue ("Seacaptain"). Plus Tyler and Jen blathering on about stuff, as usual.

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Indie Music 87 (9-15 July 2009).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

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.

On Thursday, there's a strong lineup at the Boat. Three bands from Hamilton take over El Mocambo, including the young Sandman Viper Command, who impressed me a few weeks ago at Pitter Patter Fest. Key Witness headlines a diverse show at Sneaks that night, Guh releases an album, as does Romo Roto, a percussion-heavy duo featuring members of DD/MM/YYYY and Machetes. Finally, Wayne Petti & the Thieves perform their second Toronto show at the Dakota.

The Harbourfront free music schedule is awesome Friday and Saturday. Most of the entertainment is part of the Beats, Breaks, and Culture festival, a great annual event. See the Harbourfront website for all the details, including times for the breakdancing competition and the afternoon edition of hip-hop karaoke. On Friday, there are a couple fun tribute nights (One Hit Wonders at Rancho and Weezer tribute at Sneaks), Bradley Boy celebrates a new album with help from Dakota Tavern friends Catl, Silver Dollar hosts a strong lineup of local(ish) bands, and Picastro performs at a fundraiser at the tiny Press Club.

The biggest show of the week is of course Saturday's Broken Social Scene concert at Harbourfront, totally free and open to all (who get there early enough). This is a replacement show for the cancelled Toronto Island concert of the same date. In addition to what else is on at Harbourfront that night, I'm recommending Chang-A-Lang's CD release, and the free afternoon acoustic performance by Black Hat Brigade. For more free music, check out the Friday night show at Yonge-Dundas Square, or Afrofest, happening in Queen's Park all weekend. The weekend ends with Sunday's Wavelength and Steamboat at the Dakota. For something a little different, you're invited to this month's Piano Salon, featuring Jeremy Strachan.

Next week gets off to a slow start (if your musical tastes are like mine), but come Wednesday there's a couple or three shows that should, between them, satisfy your indie craving.

THURSDAY (9 july)

Rockyard, Apollosdown, The Organ Thieves @ Clinton's Tavern.

Sick Error, Invasions, and Deutsche Banks @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5 (I guess).

* Hank, The World Provider, and Wet Dirt @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Huron w/ Sandman Viper Command and The Sweat @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

* Guh (album release) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-11:30pm, free.

* Key Witness, Videotape, Sick Friend, and LAN Party @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5 (or so).

Raygun Cowboys and Bloodshot Bill @ Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.

* Wayne Petti & the Thieves w/ The Violet Archers @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5 (I guess).

Holy Holy Holy (records) and Primary Colors presents Romo Roto (record release) w/ Disguises, Bleeding (debut), W Overbite, and DJ Longhorne Grille @ Hot Shot Gallery (181 Augusta Ave.), 9:30pm, $10 (includes CD).

Zepplinesque (Led Zeppelin tribute act, 2 sets) @ Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $10.

Jay Bennett (ex-Wilco) Tribute feat. Staggered Crossing and friends @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $10.

FRIDAY (10 july)

* Winter Gloves @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 8pm, free.
* Holy Fuck @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 9:30pm, free.
MixMotion @ Harbourfront Centre (Brigantine Room), 10pm, free.
* Styrofoam Ones @ Harbourfront Centre (Brigantine Room), 11pm, free.
* DD/MM/YYYY @ Harbourfront Centre (Brigantine Room), midnight, free.

At Odds With Even w/ The Unbelievers and The Hormoans @ The Imperial Pub, 9pm, pwyc.

Josie Lalonde & Larry Nusbaum, The Swingin' Pussycats, The Three Bears @ Clinton's Tavern.

One Hit Wonders 2 feat. The Lovely Killbots, Wendy Leung, Matt Bahen, Dancehall Free For All, and many others, covering songs by the Proclaimers, Tripping Daisy, Elastica, Biz Markie, LFO, Right Said Fred, and more @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7.

Weezer Tribute Night @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $7.

The SSRIs and more @ Duffy's Tavern, $10

AUN, Light Of Shipwreck, Women In Tragedy, and Skullbong @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $6.

Ministry of the Environment, Kidstreet, Clouds (That Look Like Things), and inUniform @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6.

* Christie Pits Community Garden Fundraiser feat. Picastro and Cool Dad, w/ DJs Darren Pelcz and Jordan Richie @ The Press Club, 8pm, $5. Up first is a speaker session and discussion. "Proceeds from the event will be used to build raised beds in the garden to make it more accessible for people who have limited mobility, and towards other start-up costs."

Pop With Brains 22 feat. Delinquints, Proof of Ghosts, Night Crash Noir, Dead Sexy Sheila, and Bella Clava @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5. Proceeds go to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

* Bradley Boy (album release) w/ Catl (2 sets each, alternating) @ Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Le Bus (CD release) w/ Dirty Red, Barletta, and Golden Girls (DJ set) @ Augusta House, 10pm, free.

SATURDAY (11 july)

Black Hat Brigade (acoustic), part of the AUX.tv Secret Sessions @ TARA (554 Queen St E), 5pm, free. All ages.

* Parallels @ Harbourfront Centre (Redpath Stage), 7:30pm, free.
* Broken Social Scene @ Harbourfront Centre (Sirius Stage), 8pm, free.
Keys n Krates, TMDP, and Sek & Milano @ Harbourfront Centre (Brigantine Room), 10:30pm, free.

Tripping Hazard, Great Dane, The Micronite Filters, and tba @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Bishop Morocco (live band debut), Josh Reichmann (solo), and DJs Jaime Sin and Mikey Apples @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 10pm, $5.

Subsistance, Machine Gun Dolly, Terminals, and Class War Kids @ Rearview Mirror, 9pm, $5.

* Chang-A-Lang (CD release) w/ Make Me Young, Real Cops, and Danger! Danger! @ The Magpie, 9:30pm, $6 door (or $10 will get you the EP too).

TWM presents Sitcom, Protozoans, Higher Rites, and The Artful Vandelays @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Mark Pesci presents The Rosewood Thieves, Rocket Reducers, and City Sweethearts @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $7.

The Dunes, Future History, Entropy, Sycho Logic, and The Damage @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $8.

SUNDAY (12 july)

Ramblin' Rose w/ Bo Green @ The Press Club, 9pm, pwyc.

Wavelength 471 feat. Sing Leaf and Conconquidore Truidore, hosted by Doc Pickles, visuals by General Chaos @ Sneaky Dee’s, 9pm, pwyc ($5-$10 suggested).

* John Kameel Farah (CD release) w/ Nick Storring, Pau Torres, and c64 @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 8pm, $10 or pwyc.

Marcel Aucoin and Michael Holt present The Piano Salon feat. Jeremy Strachan w/ Robin Buckley, Beth Lawrence (presentation), and Marcel Aucoin @ 15 Bloomfield Ave., 7pm, pwyc. Feel free to bring food and drink to share.

* Steamboat (summer residency) and guests @ The Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm, $5.

MONDAY (13 july)

Elvis Mondays feat. In Plain View, Ravaged by Wolves, Mamabolo, People of Canada, Shobha, and Elyssa @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Stuck In the City presents Hatred Surge, Mammoth Grinder, The Endless Blockade, and U.T.I. @ Siesta Nouveaux, 7pm, $10. All ages. BYOB.

TUESDAY (14 july)

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Jon Gerson, Solitary Sun, Thrillharmonic, and Free Energy @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

WEDNESDAY (15 july)

PWYC Weds fest. Nate Daniels Band, Paint, Jay Sparrow, and Dog is Blue @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Train Light, Bryce Clifford, Gettysburg, and One Divided @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

* THE SSRI's, Soft Copy, and The Divine Nothing @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

* Zeus, Gentleman Reg, and Danielle Duval @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $7.

Special NxNE podcasts, episode 2.

I went to the North by Northeast music festival accredited to Zygiella.com. Welcome to my coverage! In these 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 artist 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 2: Thursday afternoon (18 June 2009)

I got home really late on Wednesday night, but I was keen to get an early afternoon start on the official first day of the festival. I started at the Hyatt Regency, where I picked up my press pass and chatted with Fezz Stenton from Green Go. Then I sat in on the round table discussion featuring a dozen members of the (mainstream) Canadian music industry. I took a breather after that bizarre session to debrief with Leif Vollebekk, Scott Bouwmeester, and Stefan Banjevic. After seeing Dinosaur Bones perform a spirited set at Sunrise Records, I interviewed a couple members of that band, Joe Strutt from Mechanical Forest Sound, and NOW Magazine's Jordan Bimm. Spiral Beach was by then entertaining a good crowd at Yonge-Dundas Square, where I talked to Elvis Mondays' William New and Bo and Brandon from La Casa Muerte. Featuring songs by Green Go ("Brains For Breakfast"), Leif Vollebekk ("Northernmost Eva Maria"), Kids on TV ("Breakdance Hunx"), Parallels ("Reservoir"), Dinosaur Bones ("Life In Trees"), The Swallows ("Glorious"), and La Casa Muerte ("Cut It Out").

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The first episode, covering Wednesday, is here. Stay tuned for the next 3 episodes, covering Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday and Sunday.

Photo of Daniel, Maddy, Dorian, and Airick (Spiral Beach) performing at Yonge-Dundas Square by Ming Wu.

Special NxNE podcasts, episode 1.

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.

Indie Music 86 (2-8 July 2009).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

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!