NXNE Picks (Friday June 17, 2011)

Phew! Yesterday, I hit NXNE hard taking in show starting at 7 pm with Snowblink at The Music Gallery and ending off the night with the 2 am set by Vancouver Motown-influenced indie outfit Chains Of Love at Sneaky Dee's. Slept in until 10 am this morning which it's a good thing I booked off work today. And now we'll do this all over again tonight. Here are my picks for tonight:

8 PM - Persian Rugs @ Silver Dollar

After Toronto indiepop group The Airfields dissolved a few years ago, I thought indiepop in Toronto was pronounced dead, but apparently that's not the case as evidenced by Toronto's Persian Rugs who wave the flag of C86 / Sarah Records-styled indiepop proudly.

Video: Persian Rugs - "Always All" (NYC Popfest @ The Rock Shop, 22.5.11)

Also worth your time: The Most Serene Republic @ The Mod Club

9 PM - Secret Cities @ Wrongbar

This Fargo, North Dakota band plays psychedlic-tinged, chamber pop. Could be worth checking out if I find the crowds at Yonge Dundas Square for the Stars show too daunting.

Video: Secret Cities - "Pink City" (music video)

Also worth your time: Art Brut @ The Mod Club

9:30 PM - Stars @ Yonge Dundas Square

You know 'em and you love 'em. The Montreal indiepo quintet have been around for a little over a decade with their 2004 album Set Yourself On Fire a certifiable classic in the Canadian music canon. The band just released the digital-only The Bedroom Demos, which you probably guessed correctly are the demos of the songs which appeared on the band's 2007 album In Our Bedroom After The War. The Square will be packed and of course there'll be some loser who shouts out prematurely, "play, 'Your Ex-Lover Is Dead".

Video: Stars - "The Night Starts Here" (music video)

10 PM - PUJOL @ Wrongbar

I'll likely be at the Stars show at Yonge Dundas Square for PUJOL (whose full name is Daniel Pujol) who had a 7-inch produced by Jack White last year. PUJOL's garage punk sonics are improved on by his grasp of melody which, in my books, places him a notch above other wailing garage punks.

Video: Pujol - "Black Rabbit" (music video)

Also worth your time: Dirty Beaches @ Lee's Palace, The Vandelles @ Comfort Zone, Indian Handcrafts @ El Mocambo (main floor)

11 PM - Volcano Playground @ Rancho Relaxo

A local Toronto act that I was previously acquainted with, what I've heard from Volcano Playground ranges from blippy electro-pop to more guitar-oriented indie pop. And with both male and female vocals to boot, I do indeed want to check these folks out.

Video: Volcano Playground - "Fill It Up" (live @ The Painted Lady, Toronto on August 31, 2010)

Also worth your time: Braids @ Garrison, Dum Dum Girls @ Lee's Palace, Juliana Barwick @ Wrongbar

Midnight - Crocodiles @ Silver Dollar

Silver Dollar booker Dan Burke's annual tradition during NXNE of booking a band for three nights in a row continues this year with San Diego band Crocodiles, who as per indicated on their Wikipedia page are likened to The Jesus and Mary Chain, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Spacemen 3. How can they go wrong? We'll see, but most accounts I've read of their show last night at the Silver Dollar were a thumbs up.

Video: Crocodiles - "Mirrors" (Studio Session With Insound)

Also worth your time: Freak Owls @ Czehoski, Carolyn Mark @ Dakota Tavern, Matters @ Drake Underground, Olenka and The Autumn Lovers @ Gladstone Ballroom, Swervedriver @ The Great Hall, OFF! @ Horseshoe Tavern, Cults @ Lee's Palace

1 AM - Heavy Cream @ Comfort Zone

This Nashville 3/4 female punk outfit impressed me when I saw them during CMJ in NYC last October. I missed them when they came through Toronto recently during Canadian Musicfest in March so maybe I'll make it up tonight.

Video: Heavy Cream @ Public Assembly, Brooklyn, 23 October 2010

Also worth your time: Rich Aucoin @ Garrison, The Pack A.D. @ Horseshoe Tavern, Superhumanoids @ Lee's Palace, Ty Segall @ Wrongbar

2 AM - Sheezer @ Sneaky Dee's

Fans of this local all-girl quartet totally dig what these girls do but there also seems to be an equal number of people who slag them. Of course this band is an offshoot made up of REAL musicians - Laura Barrett, Dana Snell (The Bicycles), Magali Meagher (The Phonemes), Robin Hatch (Sports: The Band). I've not seen these girls live but have heard some of their Weezer interpretations and if I end up getting down there tonight, I expect it to be loads of fun.

Video: Sheezer - "El Scorcho" (Weezer cover, Souther Souls session)

Also worth your time: Special Guests are scheduled for 918 Bathurst, Bovine Sex Club, El Mocambo (main floor), Garrison, Horseshoe Tavern, and Silver Dollar. Keep checking the Twitter feed.