Ear To The Ground

The Ear To The Ground Festival is looking pretty good from the ad in the new issue[July 2005] of Exclaim![the paper edition] which states that the festival will include Death From Above 1979, Kid Koala, The Hidden Cameras, RJD2, Tricky Woo, The High Dials plus over 40 other acts featured on 3 stages. The shindig goes down at Exhibition Place in Toronto between September 16-18, 2005 and tickets are $40.00. There will be a limited number of early bird passes on sale July 20 through the official festival website. This festival's going to be 'hot' and by the looks of things might be Canada's answer to New York City's CMJ festival, or at least comparable to Pop Montreal. Well, I'm hoping.

One of my favourite bands of the last year Matt Pond PA announced on their website that member Eve Miller(cellist), whose string arrangements were one my favourite things about the band, has left the band. That is really a shame. I've been lucky to have caught them twice live within the last year and I'll miss her string contributions. Matt Pond PA is looking for a replacement who can play both a classical string instrument (cello being ideal of course, but viola or violin will be good too) and keyboards. [link via Bradleys Almanac]

Wilco skipped Toronto this time around on this leg of their current tour, but to ease the pain a bit you can grab a torrent of their June 28/05 show in Montreal. BTW, did anyone go to Wilco's show in Buffalo, NY yesterday? [torrent link from Largehearted Boy]

chartattack speaks to Carl Newman of The New Pornographers who admits that he suffers a bit of band envy towards Broken Social Scene.

Hamilton, ON's View Magazine speaks with New York City's Brazilian Girls who will be performing live in Hamilton at Pepper Jack Cafe on Canada Day. I saw them play last month in Toronto at El Mocambo and they're a really great live band and they have a great celebratory vibe that's perfect for Canada Day. A friend and I are still planning on going to see Feist at Harbourfront on Canada Day but the Brazilian Girls are apparently scheduled to go on at 12:30 am at Pepper Jack Cafe in Hamilton so if Feist ends around 11 pm it is very possible to drive down to Hamilton and catch Brazilian Girls as well.

Allison Outhit(remember now-defunct Halifax band Rebecca West) speaks with The Coast with her insider's look at the Wembley Live Aid show 20 years ago. Yes, a matter of fact she was backstage!

...On a Rebecca West-related note, check out an old concert review I posted on the defunct Sloan-Net mailing list about a Rebecca West show I went to way back in 1996. Anyone remember the now-defunct Toronto live venue, Ultrasound? Although, I'd only been there 2 or 3 times before it closed, it was a cozy little place....Yes, I am old-school.

Have you noticed I've been saying 'defunct' alot?