Review - NXNE (June 15, 2013)

On this fine Canada Day I thought take some time to get up my last slice of NXNE reviews for Saturday June 15. After taking some time out from NXNE for a relaxing afternoon set from Sarah Harmer who was performing as part of Luminato, I had the rest of the day to figure out what I'd do for NXNE. I had some picks for NXNE that night that I was fairly certain I'd try to go to them but I had the rest of the afternoon into the early evening to decide to what to do so with nothing better to do, I went to check out the action at Yonge Dundas Square.


  Moon King: photo by Michael Ligon

I got to Yonge Dundas Square in time to catch Moon King fronted by Maddy Wilde, and Daniel Woodhead who used to be in Toronto indie group Spiral Beach. Where Spiral Beach's lauching point was quirky indie rock that had a conciseness to its instrumentation, Moon King go for a far looser sound, taking elements of punk, shoegaze, and just a tad bit of psychedelia, wrapped up in the energetic reverb-tinged vocals of Woodhead and Wilde. The midday distractions of Yonge Dundas Square prevented me from getting more than a mild appreciation for what the band was doing on stage, but at least what they were doing was interesting. On another note, my thirst beckoned and so I went on a quest to quench it.


  Serena Ryder: photo by Michael Ligon

I had more than a few hours to kill and somehow found myself down on Queen St. near the MuchMusic building where the MMVA's were preparing for their broadcast the day after. Miss Serena Ryder was sound checking, running through a mini-medley of her hits "What I Wouldn't Do" and "Stompa" multiple times. It seemed that it wasn't so much a sound-check as much as the crew and her were trying to get all the camera angles and her marks on the floor right. And by the way, I saw her performance on television the day after and she nailed it. Went to Burger Priest down the street for the first time [thumbs up] and was making my way to the Garrison for the 8 pm set of Toronto band Breeze but the transit gods were not co-operating so instead made my way to Czehoski for the 9 pm set of Swiss singer songwriter Heidi Happy.


  Heidi Happy: photo by Michael Ligon

I know Czehoski has been booked as venue for NXNE for several years now, but it's just the worst as a music venue. It has a small stage at the back of the house with dinner tables and dinner patrons flanking each side of the narrow space that leads to the stage. I watched from the back with a beer I ordered from the bar which seemed like the least awkward thing I could do at the time. Thankfully, it seemed like most of the dinner patrons were trying to be respectful and pay attention to the artist while they actually ate but still the venue just seemed totally wrong. Heidi Happy, I think sensed a bit of distraction at times, but made the most of it with her mostly folk-pop ballads. (She also did an acapella cover of a German-Swiss song that was fun to watch and hear.) Alternating between acoustic and reverb-y electric guitar, she also used a looper quite frequently for rhythms and vocal backing as well as other instruments at times like a mini xylophone. Her overall approach as well as the use of a looper reminded me of Feist. I enjoyed her set although I was a bit disappointed that she wasn't playing with a band since some of the songs of hers I've heard off YouTube definitely sound great fleshed out instrumentally. From what I recall, Heidi Happy has come through town for festival appearances (CMW, NXNE) several times now, so I woudn't be surprised if she makes a return trip in the future.


  Chad Valley: photo by Michael Ligon

I thought I'd shoot over to BLK BOX on the streetcar but hadn't anticipated fire trucks coming down the street and blocking off traffic as well as the streetcar. Fortunately, the traffic delay was only temporary and the streetcar got through and I was off to see UK electro-pop artist Chad Valley at BLK BOX. It's no surprise it's called BLK BOX. It's a room that literally is painted black. Devoid of white light, it was mostly red and maybe some hues of blue illuminating Chad Valley on stage. The brainchild of the project is vocalist / instrumentalist Hugo Manuel. With Manuel behind a bank of keyboards, his soaring vocals (along with his soulful backup singer) helped to propel the vibrant electro-pop rhythms and melodies that reminded a lot of M83. Chad Valley's full-length debut Young Hunger was released in 2012, featuring collaborations with artists like Twin Shadow and Active Child, and something I think I'd like to check out.


  Norman Wong Arts & Crafts Photo Exhibit: photo by Michael Ligon

Fortunately, I was just in the vicinity of the Arts & Crafts Pop Up and decided to pop-in to check out photographer Norman Wong's exhibit. They had a DJ playing and a bar and it would have been a nice chill way to hang out for a bit but there wasn't that many people there which was a shame. Perhaps everyone was down the at the Horseshoe Tavern, if the long lineup was any indication at 11:30 pm trying to get into the venue for Fucked Up's 1:00 am set. I was only swinging by and wasn't planning on catching Fucked Up anyway so I made my way up the street towards Kensington Market to catch my final set of the night as it would turn out.


  Un: photo by Michael Ligon

Having missed seeing their only set during Canadian Musicfest earlier this year, it was fortunate I got to catch Montreal electro-dance duo UN (pronounced like the prefix “un-”, and one of the most impossible names to search on the internet )who were playing the tiny venue Handlebar in Kensington Market. Consisiting of member Kara Keith (whose performed under her own name and with bands like Falconhawk) and Jen Reimer (and according to her website is sound artist and performer based in Montréal known for creating site-specific performances in resonant urban locations), UN specialize in a spunky synth-pop dance tunes with Reimer's solid, almost metronomic, drum beats and Keith's new-wave-ish vocals. They sparked a fair amount of dancing and leg-shaking for those on-hand and fun times were had. Conceived as a solo project for Keith in 2010, but then adding Reimer shortly after, it took the band three years to release their first full-length, the cheekily named UN Titled, earlier this year.(via ALTSOUNDS) The band had recently gone to Calgary for the Sled Island festival but like most of the bands were affected by the flood but did get to play a backyard show while there with some other bands with all proceeds going to flood relief.(via Mixtape Magazine) How good of them. Hope to see them back around these parts some time in the future.

I'd wanted to have caught Mikal Cronin's 1:00 am set at the Silver Dollar but the twitter feed was all a flutter that it was packed and I said to myself, screw that, and headed home. In my mind, I'm picturing that scene from "Lethal Weapon" and Danny Glover's charcacter Murtaugh saying "I'm too old for this shit". Another NXNE is in the books, but I'll probably be back next year.

Photos: NXNE in Toronto (June 15, 2013)

Review - NXNE (June 14, 2013)

Friday night of this year's NXNE was relatively a light one for me as it turned out. I'd already decided that I'd brave the crowds down at Yonge Dundas Square for Canadian singer-songwriter Hayden and headliners The National. Unlike the previous day's weather, this evening was perfect on that note. It was fortuitous that I took a spot near the front, stage left, for Hayden's set when I did as it filled up quickly and only after looking at a few of my crowd shots did I see that the crowd extended all the way back to Yonge St. for The National's set.


  Hayden: photo by Michael Ligon

Starting a little after 7:30 pm,  Hayden took to the stage with a drummer and bass guitarist. His seventh full-length, the Polaris Music Prize long-listed Us Alone was released this past February through Arts and Crafts. Churning through some classics like "Bad As The Seem" and "Trees Lounge" and other older ones, interspersed with a selection from the new album, Hayden alternated between songs from guitar to keyboards. Singer songwriter Lou Canon (his sister in-law in fact) came as a special guest singing and playing keyboards on the song "Blurry Nights" as she does on the studio version on Us Alone, a lovely folk-rock number duet between her and Hayden.  He was at his best on tracks like the poppy "Rainy Saturday" off the new album which showed he still has life left in him. The venue itself was perhaps unforgiving in conveying Hayden's talents when you have thousands of fans waiting for no one else but the headliner, but perhaps Hayden's set converted a few music fans. 


  Matt Berninger: photo by Michael Ligon

As The National's show at the Air Canada Centre (theatre configuration) in December 2011 attested (the largest venue in Toronto they had played up till that point), The National had reached stadium-level status and succeeded. Getting booked to headline a free show at Yonge Dundas Square during NXNE was almost too good to be true and with the very recent release of their sixth studio album Trouble Will Find Me through 4AD,  this show was bound to be special or at least great. And it was. More than any other National show I've seen, this may have perhaps been the funniest I've seen Matt as he jokingly commented on the environment around him especially the Beyonce billboards staring at him from across the Eaton Centre and the Jack Astor patio above and to the side that he jokingly invited everyone after the show for a drink. I'd anticipated the band perhaps playing an hour and a half tops but having started just after 9 pm, the band went almost to 11 pm. It was a fine set list giving attention mostly to their most recent album and their previous one High Violet obviously but with a few nods to the fan faves off of Boxer and Alligator. The band didn't just phone it but seemed to give it as much as they would for any other show. Like Matt has done during previous shows including their show in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre back in December 2011, Matt jumped down into the audience at one point, running through crowd while singing with a wired mic with fans dutifully lifting the mic cord over their heads for Matt in order for it to not get tangled, ending with Matt back up at the front of the stage and the audience adrenalized.


  The National: photo by Michael Ligon

I was hoping for an acapella "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks" to end off the show like they'd done back in December 2011 at the Air Canada Centre but really didn't think they actually do it in this outdoor venue. But lo and behold, they did it, as the entire band, including their horn section, moved towards the front of the stage, the Dessner brothers flanking each side of the lineup and adding some spare guitar. As the band sang acapella to the audience it didn't take long for the audience to join in wholeheartedly, perhaps the loudest audience singalong I think I've ever heard. Any sort of crowd chatter was stopped virtually in its tracks to the point that all you could hear besides the singing was the traffic noise off in the distance. What a wonderful end to a terrific show. That I hadn't checked out any more of the NXNE festival that night was perhaps because everything else would just pale in comparison and so I packed it in and ended on a high note.

Photos: NXNE - The National, Hayden (June 14, 2013)

Review - NXNE (June 12-13, 2013)

NXNE is in the books for another year and it was one of the more spontaneouos ones I've had in years. I bumped into some familiar faces along the way, but didn't seem many of you. It seems, by the looks of others NXNE coverage, we were all checking out different bands which is good in a way as the festival gets a wider scope of coverage because of that. I'd planned on starting my NXNE on Wednesday night with the 9 pm set at the Rivoli by Brooklyn dreampop outfit Heaven but found out at the venue that the group had border troubles and didn't make it in to Canada. That explains why their name had conspicuously vanished from the NXNE website schedule earliery in the day. Part of me wanted to stay for the 11 pm set by the Montreal-based Mozart's Sister, the electro-pop project of Caila Thompson-Hannant, a member of Shapes & Sizes but my impatience / desire to perhaps call it a night got the best of me.


  Rituals: photo by Michael Ligon

However I looked at my NXNE picks for that night and saw that I had a pick for 10 pm that night down Queen St. westbound at The Shop @ Parts and Labour with Toronto group Rituals so I decided to jump onto the streetcar, ride westbound and along the way decide whether I should check out the show at The Shop. I'd come to my senses by the time I reached Parkdale and got off at the stop that was practically right in front of the venue [I had booked the next two days off work and decided to forgo sleep and not waste this opportunity.] My first time at the venue, my first impressions of it was that like the underground, intimate music venue of The Drake Hotel, The Shop @ Parts @ Labour was like an industrial, laid-back version of that. The venue was quickly filling up already. By the crowd reaction, my impression was that Rituals were still relatively new to the scene but the band's brand of music merging post-punk, no-wave and subtle psychedelic tones went over well with the crowd including myself. Music was more textural than melodic although not necessarily void of melody which I think I picked up in the gritty vocals or harmonic guitar tones in a song or two. Generally, they fall within the category of not-necessarily-my-thing-but-interesting-nonetheless and if more adventurous listening is your thing, definitely check them out. The band released a self-titled 7" EP in 2011 and earlier this year their Mesmerized EP as a digital download through their Bandcamp.

I almost packed it in for the night but then was convinced to stay for the next set by Olympia, Washington band Milk Music. Their grungy look, most of the band with long hair and one member with beard definitely fit in line with their sound which I could best describe as Slacker-dom punk, their sound more complex but essentially an extension of grunge and bands like Dinosaur Jr in the 90's. The band rose from the underground in 2009 with a self-titled cassette and then their Beyond Living EP (which got a wider release in 2011) and earlier this year released their full-length debut Cruise Your Illusion [ha ha, wicked title!] through Fat Possum Records. I'm tempted to listen to them but their set, which seemed to meander at times like a band on an extended jam, didn't quite gel for me that night. Oh, and the venue was getting too tightly packed and I had to escape towards the back for a breather. Although, there was a special guest [Tampa art-punks Merchandise] slotted for the midnight set time, I decided to call it a night.


  Old Man Markley: photo by Michael Ligon

Got a later start to the festival the next day but after getting organized, I made my way downtown to Yonge Dundas Square with nothing really better to do. It was punk night at the Square with Southern Californian punk rock veterans Social Distortion scheduled to play later that night. I arrived earlier as Los Angeles punk and bluegrass band Old Man Markley were already into their set. With the weather being uncertain, there wasn't that large of a crowd on hand which probably was a disappointment but the band didn't seem to mind. With male and female vocals, the band's punk tunes were embellished with root-sy elements such as fiddle and sounded enjoyable although certainly were not my thing. In tribute to the deceased singer Tony Sly of Northern California punks No Use For a Name, Old Man Markley played a cover of one of their songs ("The Feel Good Song of The Year") which seemed to go over well with the punks in the audience. Around since 2011, the band released their second album Down Side Up through Fat Wreck Records earlier this year.


  Social Distortion: photo by Michael Ligon

Not that I was ever a huge fan of Social Distortion but a selection of their tunes ("Ball of Chain", "Story of My Life", their cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", "I Was Wrong") and later Mike Ness' first solo album seemed to have infiltrated my music listening back in the 90's, part of it due to the alt-country movement that I'd gained an affection for. Lead singer Mike Ness had been so bad-ass looking back in the 90's with his arm tattoos and greaser haircut, and although his hair is grayer, and was perhaps more dapper this night with his black collared shirt and black fedora he's still as bad-ass as ever. Intermittently raining throughout the half-hour or so I stayed for his set but after Ness and his band played "Story Of My Life", I was satisfied and I took towards Queen St. to catch the streetcar towards the Horseshoe Tavern.


  Carmen Elle of Diana: photo by Michael Ligon

Toronto's Diana were the band I was at the Horseshoe Tavern to see for their 10 pm time slot and as I had expected the place was almost near capacity. That the band's Canadian MusicFest set had alluded to earlier this year, the band are getting more popular by the moment. I started at the back but was fortunate to get closer to the stage off to the side near the merch table to get a better view by the time they got to playing their most excellent electro-soul-pop single "Born Again", vocalist Carmen Elle's smooth vocals floating over a delectable bed of dreamy synths, subtle beats, and voluptuous bass guitar backing, for which the 12-inch vinyl was being sold. A palpable excitement floated throughout the crowd, although it did felt bit scene-ish, but overall it was a good indication of hopefully exciting things to come for the band, most eagerly their full-length debut entitled Perputual Surrender expected to come out on Paper Bag Records on August 20 to which they were recently signed in Canada [the band were signed to indie label Jagjagjuwar in the US.]


  Merchandise: photo by Michael Ligon

Having skipped out on the secret headlining slot of Tampa indie-punks Merchandise at The Shop @ Parts and Labour the night before, I decided to stick around for them following the mass exodus of people after Diana's set. Comfortably full again by the time they took the stage, frontman Carson Cox announced it was birthday and if I recall something along the lines about hoping to get drunk. While the band members histories had roots in the hardcore / punk scene were, Merchandise are less punk and more noisy melodic rock, at times romantic sounding at least to my ears. Post-punk, if you will. The more I think of it they sound like noisier cousins to UK's White Lies. For a first time seeing them, I liked what I heard as did the audience also who wanted an encore if I recall, but didn't get one. Three albums in, the band's most recent full-length is this year's Total Nite released through Iowan indie record label Night People, garnering an 8/10 from Pitchfork.


  Olenka and The Autumn Lovers: photo by Michael Ligon

I could have stuck around at the Horseshoe Tavern for Dan Deacon's set who I've never seen live, but I decided to end the night in a quieter fashion with the midnight set of London, Ontario indie folk group Olenka and The Autumn Lovers over at The Great Hall. Playing to a small but adoring audience, I noticed almost right away that there was less of the Eastern European folk influence in what they were performing and that there was a more prominent rootsy influence that Olenka and her band were focusing on. It seemed like an all-too brief set but nonetheless enjoyable.

Photos: NXNE in Toronto (June 12, 2013)
Photos: NXNE in Toronto (June 13, 2013)

NXNE Picks (June 14-15, 2013)

Here's my picks for NXNE for tonight and tomorrow night. Other than The National show at Yonge Dundas Square tonight [psyching myself for the zoo that it'll most likely be], I'm not sure where I'll actually be today and tomorrow. There's a lot of good or interesting things to choose from but I think I'll just keep things spontaneous this year:

(rushed post again; will try to spice it up with some media links on the fly, so keep checking back.)

FRIDAY JUNE 14, 2013

Beach Day [Hollywood, USA]
Friday, June 14 @ 2:00 PM, Urban Outfitters
(also Saturday June 15 @ 11:00 PM, Handlebar and Sunday June 16 @ 6:30 PM, Kops Records (in-store))
Video: Beach Day - "Beach Day" (music video)

Still Corners [London, UK]
Friday June 14 @ 3:00 PM, Urban Outfitters
(also Friday June 14 @ 10:00 PM, Horseshoe Tavern)
Video: Still Corners - "Berlin Lovers" (music video)

Dusted [Toronto, Ontario]
Friday June 14 @ 4:00 PM, Urban Outfitters
(also Saturday June 15 @ 7:00 PM, St. James Gazebo and Saturday June 15 @ 11:00 PM, Garrison)
Video: Dusted - "Bruises" (live at Open Roof Festival, August 16, 2012)

By Divine Right [Toronto, Ontario]
Friday June 14 @ 7:00 PM, St. James Gazebo
Video: By Divine Right - "Hugger of Trees" (music video)

Hayden [Toronto, Ontario]
Friday June 14 @ 7:30 PM, Yonge Dundas Square
Video: Hayden - "Rainy Saturday" (music video)

The National [Brooklyn, USA]
Friday June 14 @ 9:10 PM, Yonge Dundas Square
Video: The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (music video)

Buke and Gase [Brooklyn, USA]
Friday June 14 @ 11:00 PM, Horseshoe Tavern
Video: Buke and Gas - "General Dome (music video)

The Magic [Guelph, Ontario]
Friday June 14 @ 11:0 PM, BLK BOX
Video: The Magic - "Mr. Hollywood" (live at KazooFest 2012 Guelph, ON)

Sloan [Toronto, Ontario]
Friday June 14 @ 11:00 PM, The Great Hall
Video: Sloan - "The Marquee and The Moon" (live at The Mod Club, June 21 2011)

Super Friendz [Halifax, Nova Scotia]
Friday June 14 @ midnight, The Great Hall
Video: Super Friendz - "Up and Running" (music video)

WHY? [Cincinnati, USA]
Friday June 14 @ midnight, Horseshoe Tavern
Video: WHY? - "Strawberries" (music video)

Foxtrott [Montreal, Quebec]
Friday June 14 @ 2:00 AM, Silver Dollar Room
Video: Foxtrott - "Shields" (live, Session BRBR)

SATURDAY JUNE 15, 2013

Breeze [Toronto, Ontario]
Saturday June 15 @ 8:00 PM, Garrison
Video: Breeze - "Paradise (in a while)" (music video)

Heidi Happy [Lucerne, Switzerland]
Saturday June 15 @ 9:00 PM, Czehoski
Video: Heidi Happy - "Dance With Another" (music video)

Chad Valley [Oxford, UK]
Saturday June 15 @ 10:00 PM, BLK BOX
Saturday June 15 @ midnight, Sidedoor
Video: Chad Valley - "Fall 4 U" [feat. Glasser] (music video)

Majical Cloudz [Montreal, Quebec]
Saturday June 15 @ 10:00 PM, The Arts & Crafts Pop-Up
Saturday June 15 @ midnight, BLK BOX
Video: Majical Cloudz - "Childhood's End" (music video)

Evan Dando [Los Angeles, USA]
Saturday June 15 @ midnight, Rivoli
Video: Evan Dando - "Frying Pan" (live)

Iceage [Copenhagen, Denmark]
Saturday June 15 @ midnight, Horseshoe Tavern
Video: Iceage "Ecstasy" (music video)

Tangiers [Toronto, Ontario]
Saturday June 15 @ midnight, Garrison
Video: Tangiers - "Keep the Living Bodies Warm" (music video)

Heartbeat Hotel [Toronto, Ontario]
Saturday June 15 @ 1:00 AM, Magpie
Video: Heartbeat Hotel - "Fins Of A Shark" (live at Magpie, Toronto for Southern Souls)

Joey Bada$$ [Brooklyn, USA]
Saturday June 15 @ 1:00 AM, Wrongbar
(also Sunday June 16 @ 8:00 PM, Yonge Dundas Square)
Video: Joey Bada$$ - "Waves" (music video)

Fucked Up [Toronto, Ontario]
Saturday June 15 @ 1:00 AM, Horseshoe Tavern
Video: Fucked Up - "Queen of Hearts" (music video)

NXNE Picks (June 12-13, 2013)

This year's NXNE kicks off tonight, and I find myself as usual a combination of unprepared / overwhelmed / ready to throw in the towel and just stay in all weekend. But then I know I would regret it. I've been perusing the schedule only since last night and haven't really had a chance to explore every artist but I've discovered a few interesting curiousities and have stacked the rest of my picks with some vaguely familiar acts I'm not too familiar but would be interestedin checking out, as well as a several I can vouch for personally and wouldn't mind checking out again. My picks below are for tonight and tomorrow only, and I should have my picks for Friday and Saturday up by tomorrow night or early Friday. (I've been typing this post up on the fly so it definitely is rushed but I may perk it up with some media links and blurbs in the near future to make it all nice and pretty, so stay tuned.)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2013

Kashka
Wednesday June 12 @ 7:00 PM, The Arts & Crafts Pop-up
(also Thursday June 13 @ 9:00 PM, Wrongbar)
Video: Kashka - "Vichada" (music video)

Kat Burns of Toronto's indie folk group Forest City Lovers goes electro-pop.

Heaven
Wednesday June 12@ 9:00 PM, Rivoli
Bandcamp: Heaven

Brooklyn dream-pop outfit. Debut album Telepathic Love out in July 2013 through Goodnight Records. Update: They got help up at the border and didn't make it up here.

Heaven For Real
Wednesday June 12@ 9:00 PM, The Boat
Video: Heaven For Real - "Owner" (live at The Coast, February 24 2013)

Halifax three piece playing quirky pop music.

Rituals
Wednesday June 12 @ 10:00 PM, The Shop @ Parts & Labour
Video: Rituals - "Mesmerized" (music video)

Toronto outfit merging post-punk, no-wave and subtle psychedelia with wholly interesting result.

Calexico
Wednesday June 12 @ 10:00 PM, Virgin Mobile Mod Club
Video: Calexico - "Splitter" (music video)

The Arizona-based music veterans have carved out a career of their unique brand of Tex-mex, Americana and indie-rock influences over the course of approaching twenty years now. Their most recent album Algiers was released last September.

Mozart's Sister
Wednesday June 12 @ 11:00 PM, Rivoli
Video: Mozart's Sister - "Don't Leave It To Me" (music video)

Do you like Grimes? Apparently she sounds a lot like Grimes. And people like Grimes I hear. Mozart's Sister is Caila Thompson-Hannant who played in indie outfits like Shapes and Sizes, Miracle Fortress, and Think About Life, and that'd be enough for me to check her out in the future.

After The Smoke
Wednesday June 12 @ 11:05 PM, Wrongbar
Video: After The Smoke - "Come & Leave" (music video)

Alternative hip-hop group out of Tallahassee, Florida.

Special Guest
Wednesday June 12 @ midnight, Garrison

Special Guest
Wednesday June 12 @ midnight, The Shop @ Parts & Labour

Andrew Rodriguez and The Good Bad Kids
Wednesday June 12 @ 1:00 AM, Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton St.)
Video: Andrew Rodriguez - Bring Yourself Up Video

I remember Toronto-based singer Andrew Rodriguez and a past musical project of his entitled Bodega who I thought were cool.

THURSDAY JUNE 13, 2013

Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet Thursday June 13 @ 4:00 PM, Pearson (Terminal One)
Video: Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet - Rover and Rusty (music video)

Legendary, in some circles, instrumental guitar-drums-bass surf rock trio best known for their theme song to Canadiana television classic "The Kids In The Hall".

The Weeknd
Thursday June 13 @ doors 8:00 PM, Virgin Mobile Mod Club
Video: The Weekend - "Wicked Games" (music video)

Abel Tesfaye aka The Weekend blew up over the last few years with the help of some friends like Drake, having released a series of free mixtapes on the internet, of which he compiled and released officially as Trilogy. I wouldn't suspect you would get in to this show (part of the NXNE Lottery Series) easily with a wristband or pass unless you line up early.

Alvvays
Thursday June 13 @ 8:00 PM, The Arts & Crafts Pop-Up
(also Friday June 14 @ 10:00 PM, Silver Dollar Room)
Video: Alvvays - The Marquee Ballroom Grand Opening - 2013

Toronto-based band featuring the east coast's Molly Rankin and ex-Two Hours Traffic and guitarist Alec O'Hanley amongst its members playing some sweet indie-pop. I saw them open for UK's Palma Violets earlier in the year and they played a cool set including a cover of The Primitives "Crash" which is always good in my books. Seems the band have substituted the 'w' in their band name with two 'v' which I guess will make Googling them much easier.

Social Distortion
Thursday June 13 @ 9:00 PM, Yonge Dundas Square
Video: Social Distortion - "I Was Wrong" (music video)

Southern California, Orange County punk rock veterans playing a free show. Hell yeah! The band's career spans three decades [with a few hiatuses, mind you] and are currently working on their eighth studio album.

Chairs
Thursday June 13 @ 10:00 PM, May (876 Dundas St. West)

One of the more interesting discoveries I've made during my NXNE research this year. From the NXNE website, "lo-fi patchwork of acoustic and electric guitars, drum machines, live drums, synths, and samples with a forefront of interesting pop to work behind." Chairs' second full-length album, The Droning of an Insect Wing, was released October 2012.

Diana
Thursday June 13 @ 10:00 PM, Horseshoe Tavern
Video: Diana - "Born Again" (music video)

One of my favourites from this year's Canadian Musicfest, I have a hankering to check out their soulful, electro-pop again although I suspect it may be harder to get into their set I show up a bit earlier.

Braids
Thursday June 13 @ 11:00 PM, Comfort Zone
Video: Braids - Lemonade @ Hillside 2011

Art-rock three-piece from Calgary, now based in Montreal who've heated up the indie music press, garnered a Polaris Prize nomination and are now working on their second full-length. I saw them live in New York City during the CMJ Music Marathon and was impressed.

Couer De Pirate
Thursday June 13 @ 11:00 PM, The Great Hall
Video: Couer De Pirate - "Adieu" (music video)

Francophone singer-songwriter whose real name is Béatrice Martin. Having released two albums and taking time off to have her first child in September of last year, she's currently working on a new English language project.

No Joy
Thursday June 13 @ midnight, BLK BOX
Video: No Joy - "Hawaii" (music video)

Montreal shoegaze duo of Jasmine White-Gluz and Laura Lloyd whose second album entitled Wait To Pleasure was released this past April to critical acclaim.

Olenka and The Autumn Lovers
Thursday June 13 @ midnight, The Great Hall
Video: Olenka & the Autumn Lovers - "Motel Blues" (live at Gladstone Ballroom in Toronto during NXNE 2011)

My absolute favourite discovery of the 2008 edition of NXNE, it's great to see that Olenka and The Autumn Lovers are going on strong with their melange of Eastern European folk, country and roots music. The band released their Hard Times EP in October 2012,

Mikal Cronin
Thursday June 13 @ midnight, Silver Dollar Room
(also Friday June 14 @ midnight, Silver Dollar Room
Saturday June 15 @ 3:20 PM, Bruise Cruise
Saturday June 15 @ 1:00 AM, Silver Dollar Room)
Video: Mikal Cronin - "Change" (music video)

Pitchfork-approved garage pop who's collaborated and has also released an album and a single with Ty Segall. Cronin is this year's pick by Toronto promoter Dan Burke for the headlining three-night stint at the Silver Dollar Room during NXNE.

Del Bel
Thursday June 13 @ 1:00 AM, The Great Hall
(also Saturday June 15 @ midnight, Creatures Creating)
YouTube: Del Bel - "Stirring Bones" (audio only)

Taken from the CBC Music site, Del Bel, "draws players from Do Make Say Think, Bry Webb Band, The Happiness Project, Wayne Petti and the Thieves, L Con, Chrome and the Ice Queen, Kite Hill, Entire Cities, Ohbijou, Sun Parlour Players, Gregory Pepper and his Problems, Ensemble etc etc. Del Bel embodies an eerie cinematic sound infused with darkened soul and surf rock qualities."

doomsquad
Thursday June 13 @ 1:00 AM, Creatures Creating
(also Saturday June 15 @ 1:00 AM, Garrison)
Bandcamp: doomsquad

This Toronto band's Bandcamp is just plain spooky which is just what I'd expect from a band named doomsquad. Just some of the tags that describe their song "Ovoo" on their Bandcamp page include 'experimental', 'forest trance', 'shaman beat', 'atmospheric' and 'downtempo' which are fairly appropo descriptors.

Blue Hawaii
Thursday June 13 @ 1:00 AM, Comfort Zone
YouTube: Blue Hawaii - "Sweet Touch" (audio only)

Braids' frontwoman Raphaelle Standell-Preston takes time out for her own electronic / synth based project with her musical partner Alex Cowan, their duo name intriguingly named Blue Hawaii. I've heard from people in the know that they're really good.

Special Guest
Thursday June 13 @ 2:00 AM, Horseshoe Tavern

NXNE (June 13-14, 2012)

  Purity Ring @ Wrongbar: photo by Michael Ligon

I went a little less hardcore during NXNE this year and yet I'm still late on posting about it. Overall there were some good new artists I'd discovered year this although no one had really grabbed me outright like some artists had in previous years. With that said let's get to it.

Wednesday June 13, 2012
I started off the first day of the festival, Wednesday, first picking up my media pass at the Hyatt Regency and then being drawn to a Q & A happening in the same room, with the crew of the YouTube episodic sensation Epic Meal Time. I'd never seen their videos but it was apparent more than a few fans in the audience. The mandate of the show is sort of a mad-scientist's approach to creating these high-calorie, high-fat, fast-food dishes, and then eating them on camera. The show's founder and spokesman Harley Morenstein was a natural comedian as he fielded questions from the audience. And as I've sampled a video of theirs or two, I can see that they appeal to an audience who are curious and who also find what they do humourous. Behind any chuckles I may have had during the Q & A, in the back of my mind I was thinking, how can they eat all that effin' bacon. I can't fathom seeing them continuing their schtick for more that a few years before they start running into health problems.

Feeling a little guilty that I'd not made it to any of the launch events for the first three issues of local grassroots music publication Static Zine, I made a conscious effort to head over to new vinyl / vintage goods store Of A Kind (on College St. near Dufferin) for a NXNE in-store musical showcase which was also doubling as the launch party for the fourth issue of Static Zine. It was a pretty good turnout as individuals sauntered around socializing, checking out the new issue of Static Zine, browsing the merchandise in the store, and of course checking out the bands playing sets throughout the early evening. I'd only arrived in time for the last band, Vancouver's Indian Wars.

Indian Wars @ Of A Kind (8 pm) ----- As the band quietly set up and then segued into their set, the previously mingling crowd quickly switched gears to taken position and listen to the band. With the lead singer's Bob Dylan-esque vocals, the band excelled with their reverb-filled, at times twang-ified garage rock tunes. Not necessarily innovative, but in its own way it sounded fresher than I'd anticipated. The band's debut full-length Walk Around The Park was released in 2011 through Austria-based Bachelor Records. Although my original intention was to perhaps check out Toronto shoegazers Beliefs at the Drake, I opted instead to skip it (since they were playing the next night) and call it a night.

    Photos: NXNE, Toronto (June 13, 2012)

Thursday June 14, 2012
With original plans to go to Toronto Islands for the free-with-RSVP Jansport Bonfire Sessions featuring Smith Westerns and Dusted following through - the lineup was too long and that I found out it would have gone on later than I expected - I bailed and headed to Yonge Dundas Square to take in some punk rock, food truck goodies (Busters Cove) and some freebies (Candy, ice cream, entry drinks). And then it was off for the night to see some bands.

Beliefs @ El Mocambo (9 pm) ----- Local 4-piece (3 guys, 1 gal) shoegaze outfit Beliefs drew a decent sized early crowd. Purposely muddied vocals, and a slightly sludgier take on the shoegaze genre, perhaps a simplistic description is Dinosaur Jr. meets My Bloody Valentine. The male / female vocals makes them a bit more essential than they'd otherwise be had say it only been male vocals. A good, although not entirely distinct set, but a good start to the night nonetheless.

Hooded Fang @ Horseshoe Tavern (10 pm) ----- Since the last time I'd seen the band live back in August 2009, Toronto's Hooded Fang have gone through a bit of an evolution from it's twee-pop, horn-embellished beginnings to a edgier musical personal. The 2009 version of the band, while having their charms, were like a group of high school musician kids working out their growing pains on stage. A few years later and the band (which seems to have downsized and changed membership a bit) seem more confident and at the same time dropping their twee side for set of edgier influences with echoes of Talking heads, new wave and punk within their sonics. These days even vocalist Daniel Lee has dropped his croon for a singing style that's grittier. It was a nicely packed audience encompassing mostly the young'uns making me feel old, but that aside, it was an enjoyable set.

Grass Widow @ Garrison (11 pm) ----- San Franciscan female post-punk guitar / bass / drums trio Grass Widow whose previous album Past Time was released in 2010 through Kill Rock Stars (and whose most recent album is this year's Internal Logic) are the very essence of what reminds me of the Kill Rock Stars label - a D.I.Y. approach to punk-ified, pop music. It was a pretty healthy crowd on hand, although I wasn't sure whether they were all there for Grass Widow or perhaps were there early to secure a spot for the the buzzier later bands of the night, The Black Belles and The Men, but with each spunky song that the group rattled off, the crowd seemed to be enjoying it. Less girl-group pop than their peers Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and the like, Grass Widow (whose name to me seems apropo) favoured a grittier, not-as-straightforward melodic approach. The band's minimalist approach had its charms and I imagined I'd be far more into it back in the 90's during my American indie rock phase, but otherwsie they were just ok.

Dusted @ El Mocambo (midnight) ----- At this time slot my original plan was to see L.A's Bleached at the Silver Dollar but upon reaching that venue I found another band playing (later finding out that Bleached's set had been moved to 2 am). It was purely spontaneity that I wandered down the street to the El Mocambo and upon finding out that Dusted (a duo that included Holy Fuck's Brian Borchedt) was playing, I decided to check it out. With Brian on drums and vocals and Leon Taheny on drums/,keys the duo's set did quickly establish the group's meat-and-potatoes, gritty, pop sound. One of the sleeper sets of the festival for me, I sauntered into that set not knowing the group but came out a convert. I'll be interested in hearing their just-released debut album Total Dust out now through Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada and Polyvinyl in the US.

Purity Ring @ Wrongbar (1 am) ----- One of the buzzier sets of the night, I'd travelled in the direction of the venue, half-expecting to not get in. Even from the streetcar as it passed the venue, I could see a long lineup. Still, I decided to get off the streetcar and on closer inspection found out that there was a separate lineup for passes, and before I knew it I had bypassed the lineup and was in, but just barely - it was packed to the rafters. The Montreal duo, consisting of Megan James (vocals) and Corin Roddick (instrumentals) seemed to have garnered a lot of attention, recently being signed by 4AD, with the band's debut full-length Shrines set to be released July 24, 2012. So while I could hardly see the band from my vantage point which was towards the back, I was fully engrossed into the duo's scintillating, electro-pop sound guided by the atmospheric vocals of James. Colourful lighting danced against the band's small stage backdrop, illuminating the duo enough at times for me to catch just a glimpse of them. Overall it was a well-received set and I hope to catch the duo live another time.

    Photos: NXNE, Toronto (June 14, 2012)

The Flaming Lips To Headline NXNE Plus Preliminary Lineup Announced

Earlier this week it was announced that The Flaming Lips will be headlining this year's North By Northeast (NXNE) festival with a FREE show at Yonge-Dundas Square on June 16 (a bittersweet announcement since I already have tickets for the Radiohead show at Downsview Park that same night and am already debating whether I should sell the tickets). As well, a preliminary list of other acts have been announced for this year's festival including Bad Religion, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah and Matthew Good who will all be headlining free shows at Yonge-Dundas Square. Chromewaves has done some legwork and posted a preliminary schedule of acts who'll be in town during the festival so that's a good starting point if you want to start planning now. Otherwise for more further official artist announcements, keeping checking here. There seems to be a fair bit of buzz so far on the interwebs about this year's festival (even if most of the acts on the preliminary list are unfamiliar to me) and it's looking to be a good one.