Shad/Thunderheist @ Nathan Phillips Square(31/01/2009); Cuff The Duke @ Lakeside Terrace - Harbourfront(31/01/2009)

I wasn't going to let the frigid temperatures this past Saturday night stop me from taking in a few of the free events happening in Toronto. First up I headed down to Nathan Phillips Square to catch some of the evening WinterCity theatrical performance [a nautical-themed piece] , then sets from Shad and Thunderheist. Shad, with bassist and DJ, performed some cuts off his album "The Old Prince" and even busted out some freestyle acappella style when his DJ was having some technical difficulties. He asked us if we liked '80's music to which the audience cheered then Shad and band dropped into a cut which used The Cure's "Close To Me"'s familiar keyboard arrangement as a backing track. That only went on for about a minute or so before Shad continued with some old-school hip hop sounds.

Shad @ Nathan Phillips Square(Jan 31, 2009): photo by Michael Ligon


Crowd excitement heightened in anticipation for Toronto duo electro-dance-rock duo Thunderheist. Vocalist did her best to get the crowd involved and to dance, if only to stay warm and there were eager ones who were only happy to comply. DJ Graham worked the rhythm tracks on the laptop and did some rudimentary record scratching and at the encouragement of Isis broke out into his funky white boy dance style. Isis invited the audience to stay for the afterparty(a DJ party taking place at the WinterCity Lodge across the way), though as she expressed humourously and as she chuckled, the afterparty would be starting at 9:30. They brought out a drummer for one song though the highlight of the night for me was when the group's all-girl dance crew did some b-girl dancing to several of their songs. Saving the best for last, Thunderheist pulled out "Jerk It" as the audience transformed into a full-out dance party.

Thunderheist @ Nathan Phillips Square(Jan 31, 2009): photo by Michael Ligon


Photos: Thunderheist, Shad @ Nathan Phillips Square (January 31, 2009)

After Thunderheist, I jumped on the subway and travelled down to Harbourfront for CBC Radio 3's live broadcast at the Natrel Rink. Inside Harbourfront's Lakeside Terrace, a few artists were performing. I got too late to catch Toronto's Castlemusic but made it in time for Oshawa's Cuff The Duke. It was a surprisingly light crowd, although it did fill up more respectably by the time Cuff The Duke hit the stage. No new material was played although vocalist Wayne Petti did make reference to the new album. A relatively low-key set of their country-rock tunes, although guitarist Dale Murray displayed some delicious guitar licks. Funniest moments of the night perhaps was when in between songs CBC Radio 3's promo could be heard through the venue's PA, to which Wayne responded that that's a guy they usually kept behind the curtain. Believe me, it was hilarious.

Cuff The Duke @ Lakeside Terrace - Harbourfront(Jan 31, 2009): photo by Michael Ligon


Photos: Cuff The Duke @ Lakeside Terrace - Harbourfront (January 31, 2009)

Beats, Breaks and Culture @ Harbourfront

concert review: Beats, Breaks and Culture @ Harbourfront Centre (Toronto, Ontario), July 4-5, 2008

If this past weekend's fifth annual Beats, Breaks and Culture festival down at Harbourfront proved only one thing it was that its main stage (Sirius Stage) is the antithesis of the physical environment that it really requires. In other words, dance(able) music requires floor space to dance which meant that the Sirius Stage seating was mostly a hinderance to our compulsion to move. But it seems people made due somehow, shuffling their feet within the rows, standing on the seats, or breaking out into anarchy (like during the Crystal Castles show) at the floor space at the left side of the venue. I made it out to the first two days of the festival to catch headliners Ladytron (July 4) and Crystal Castles (July 5) and that calibre of those artists drew the most massive crowds I believe I've ever seen for free Harbourfront shows. If the festival continues to book headliners of that calibre, it'll ensure the festival's success in the future, but it also makes me wonder whether the festival may just outgrow the facilities.

The massive crowds for both Ladytron and Crystal Castles created an atmosphere that was positively electric during both show. With their cool synths, sultry guitar, robust beats, and dead pan yet melodic vocals, Ladytron's show was accompanied by what was likely the biggest stage production I've ever seen at Harbourfront, with the back drop of the stage set up with big neon lights. Even from my vantage point near the back of the crowd, there was still a visceral quality to the whole production. Ending off their encore with "Destroy Everything You Touch" was as fantastic a conclusion to a show than anything I've ever seen. Musically, Toronto duo Crystal Castles (who were backed for the live show by a drummer) had a punkier quality, adding keyboard squelches, blips, and faster beats with the engaging vocal presence of Alice Glass who frequently confronted / immersed herself into the audience at the front of the stage. The stage effects which included disorieting flashing lights at times, added to the glorious ecstasy-pill experience that the Crystal Castles' live experience turned out to be, consistent with what I'd read about past Crystal Castle shows. Alice Glass took occasion it seems to stand on top of the drumkit, including it seems a fall off the drumkit and the drumkit toppling over which brought the set to a abrupt conclusion. But wow what a way to end.

Other acts I caught during the weekend included turntablist duo iNSiDEaMiND, and the social commentary downtempo groove of Lal at the Lakeside Terrace on July 4 as part of Public Transit Recordings 10th anniversary showcase. iNSiDEaMiND put on more of a playful showcase for their turntablist's skills, adding comedic and acting bits[they did a kung fu battle with turntables] to add to the experience. Though I was hoping Toronto's Laura Barrett would be there in person to add her ethereal vocals to the duo's recent track "The Tiniest Spy", it was still interesting to hear her recorded vocals during the band's live performance of the song. I highly regard their downtempo performance at The Music Gallery[complete with psychedelic visual projections on the ceiling] during last year's Nuit Blanche as one of the trippiest performances I've ever seen. But the scene at this year's Beats, Breaks and Culture was more about having fun, and that iNSiDEaMiND and the crowd did.

Lal straddled the line betwen downtempo electronic beats and organic instrumentation balanced nicely with the soulful vocals of vocalist Rosina Kazi. The live performance itself had a no frills visual element so it was thankful that Rosina kept things interesting between songs with some banter including insight into one of their songs touching on the group's South Asianheritage, and if I recall correctly, that South Asians should not be viewed as terrorists. Later on a b-girl came on to the stage to show off some fantastic dance moves.

Prior to Crystal Castles set at the Sirius Stage on July 5, opening the show was Toronto electro-rap duo Thunderheist. Don't let the electrobeats nor the skinny jeans fool you - the rapping is totally old school. A group of female dancers came out onstage a few times to add some flavour to the proceedings, an added bonus which turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining set. Even more fun to see a young dude try to rush the stage only to have security take his ass down forcefully.

Photos from the show: July 4/08 | July 5/08

MySpace: Ladytron
MySpace: iNSiDEaMiND
MySpace: Lal
MySpace: Public Transit Recordings
MySpace: Crystal Castles
MySpace: Thunderheist