Sunday!

For some reason or another all the international bands[the u.s. don't count] ended up on this night.

Miri from Iceland --> http://www.myspace.com/mirimusic

The Star Department from Dublin --> http://www.myspace.com/thestardepartment

Bensh from Vienna --> http://www.myspace.com/benshmusic/music

and Keram from California. --> http://keramsongs.com/

Apparently NXNE had a sense of flow int he festival and ended the week on a rather heartacheingly powerful note. I actually had tears in my eyes during Miri's set. Hauntingly invoking the atmosphere of Iceland in their melodies and whispering guitars :'( even thinking of it strikes a chord.

I heard good things about The Star Department so I was kind of disappointed with their set...Didn't seem to be putting in a lot of effort or energy

Bensh! I was psyched to see them and they delivered! Upbeat synth-laden sweet choppy vocals from Austria. 

and finally as Keram began playing his acoustic and soulfully nostalgic tunes the backstage crew shared drinks and sat down thinking over the past nights. corny but true.

Cheers NXNE 2011, and see you next year :)

Saturday

sorry for the delay! diligence was postponed in the presence of a new kitten! and some extra housemates and general grudging back to work glum.

SO, saturday was from my experience the best day overall at the Elmo for NXNE. The bands' sound was alt rock and the energy was amazing! Evident in the howling vocals, like those of The Copportone's lead singer/guitarist Amanda Zelina.

The night started with the throb of The Schomberg Fair [http://www.myspace.com/theschombergfair]

Was kept ablaze by the men of Harper Blynn [http://www.myspace.com/harperblynn/music]

Carried over by Gentlemen Husbands [http://www.myspace.com/gentlemenhusbands/music]

the speakers almost got blown over by The Coppertone [http://www.myspace.com/494192749]

To be extolled by special guests The Royal Bangs [http://www.myspace.com/royalbangs/music]

and finally finished with a flash by Montreal band Honheehonhee [http://www.myspace.com/honheehonhee]

Let's just say I thought the music would do the talking.

Friday at the NXNE

Fuck Montreal : http://www.myspace.com/255448282
Indian Handcrafts : http://www.myspace.com/indianhandcrafts/music
New France : website currently non retrievable
Rusty : http://www.myspace.com/therockbandrusty
Saint Alvia : http://www.myspace.com/saintalvia/music
The Dum Dum Girls : http://www.myspace.com/dumdumgirls/music

Ah friday. The night most of western society accepts as an equivalent to what sunday was for god. a day of rest and binge-drinking to loud rock music. rock on. Well Rusty was on full display as they played their last show in the venue they used to work in, back in the day the stage wasn't in the former kitchen. And if that wasn't a hell raiser! Let's just say I didn't even try to part the crowd to get to the other side of the bar. Uh-uh. I wouldn't even be able to tell you whether or not there was definite moshing action. But crowdsurfing I saw.

Not knowing who Rusty were and not being the biggest admirer of the style I was confused as to why this stripped down rock music was sooo well received. The last show certainly put a buzz to the set but the popularity in general was striking.

Fuck Montreal was a shoutout from my once dear and near town of Halifax. And post-punk/rock or not, music that comes from Hali sounds like Hali. Which is a good thing, I think.

Following the East Coast troopers were Indian Handcrafts and New France. Metal infused rock lined with psychedelic and punk[for Handcrafts] and melancholic vocals[for New France]. I was particularly impressed with the drummer for New France. Good accent and contrast to the quieter and sombre vocals.

Saint Alvia was more of the pop/punk scene and lifted the atmosphere to a very drunk and Rusty fan-filled audience. The Dum Dum Girls were killer. Personally I could not tear my eyes off the bassist who unlike the other 3's enthused jumping and energetic playing simply swayed to her own pulse the whole show.

PART DOS

...Then came Thursday. A night of, for inexplicable reasons, psychedelic/ambient/low-fi/electro/rock/pop. If that makes any sense...

Brothertiger : http://www.myspace.com/brothertiger
Woodsman : http://www.myspace.com/woodsmanman/music
A Lull : http://www.myspace.com/alullmusic/music
Tape Deck Mountain : http://www.myspace.com/tapedeckmountain/music
Gauntlet Hair : http://www.myspace.com/gauntlethair/music
P.S. I Love You : http://www.myspace.com/psiloveyouband/music

Lots of noise, lots of echoey reverb from drawn out guitar riffs and- well, reverb. This was predictably my kind of night. The noise was louuuuddd and had a lot of power. Standing on the main ground or leaning against the walls especially you could FEEL the soundwaves colliding with your body, and shaking you like a guitar string. Impact, made.

This night I have something to say about everyone. First off, Brothertiger made a shy but wonderful nonetheless performance. My interview with him can be found, oh 2 posts down, or on Gold Soundz here --> http://networkedblogs.com/jz8oI . More so on this site, but a fraction so on Soundz too you can read everything you want to know about my stance on the talented Ohio artist.

Ah, Woodsman. The psychedelic-noise-rock band from Colorado. The whole time they played I was almost unable to get beyond categorizing their sound as drugs, drugs, DRUGS. Which is bad, and stereotypical this is true. But I couldn't help comparing their music to the progress of your average "trip". The constant presence, the gradual increase of speed and momentum, the buildup of noise, the climax-held for an almost saturated time. Then the general ease of pace to a smooth and lethargic finish. Yeah or sex would be another good description come to think of it. I feel obligated to mention and reference my paper comparing Otis Redding's recording of Try a Little Tenderness to that very same sexual diddy. Anyways, I did have a little more to say regarding them, such as their hallow desert wave of sound which is built up and suspended.

The surprising GEM of the evening was A Lull who blew me inside out. Their tribal rhythmic pounding, unbelievable chaotic and frenzied energy and let's not forget the galactic feel created by the bass riffs which plunge you into the abyss. HA. One moment you're just standing there, listening to a band you've never heard and all of a sudden YOU, not the ground, but you start shaking from the powerful rhythmic pounding. so. much. good. If you're into that kind of thing.

Tape Deck Mountain was a hell of a noise maker for a two person band. It was like once they were about to start playing the on switch was flicked and off they went.

Sigh, Gauntlet Hair was "supposed to be" one of the main features of the night, especially with it being the last show of their tour. They sound great....on recordings. That is, they're a very unique and talented group [another one from Colorado] who bring out the heartbeat reverb power rhythms I dig so very much. And I'm sure during the rest of their tour their live shows reflected that...alas this one did not. They were tired from playing another show the same night and fairly drunk. Their soundcheck took 10-20 minutes out of their set and they just weren't put together. Which is a dissapointment but one which could have been worse and it's something you can dismiss for you still have solid gold access to their recordings.

The special and unnanounced guest was P.S. I love you, who had also played another set that night...Which was preeeeety evident in their performance. They tried. But technical difficulties, various levels of inebriation and exhaustion left the crowd with a 20-25 minute set, cutting out half the glory.

NXNE 2011 reviews from Wednesday June 15 to Sunday June 19

wednesday. ah the festival begins for a few locations across the sprawling city of toronto. one of such locales being the venue i was to be at all week, the El Mocambo.

Now I don't know nearly enough Toronto history to classify myself as a local but it is important to note the status of the Elmo. This 2 floor bar/stage place may seem washed out and dingy at first glance but important names have played there, including the Rolling Stones in '77[I may have mentioned this before...x a hundred] and if it's washed out, it's done so by history herself. Downstairs the area has been opened up for a bigger audience space and is charmingly lit by candles and lights held in hung paper/middle eastern styled lanterns. The tables may be wobblier than my comfort level needs but overall the good space is just that, good. It feels nice to be in it and as the Beatles put it, "a splendid time is guaranteed for all."

But enough about the venue. Each night the music seemed to be themed or at least half-frenziedly categorized starting off with an acoustic/alt-country/folk set. This, generally is not my thing. In fact, far from it. But I appreciate, or try to, all music, especially when performed live. It takes talent to be able to pour out your musical soul to a roomfull of strangers and do so earnestly and passionately. Having said that, these musicians did a wonderful job.
Chris Velan : http://www.myspace.com/47133765
Dave Hause : http://www.myspace.com/davehause/music
Chuck Ragan : http://www.myspace.com/chuckragan/music
The Cavaliers : http://www.myspace.com/thecavaliersmusic

That may have sounded campy and cheesy, but there's something about being in the moment that really makes this apparent.
Noteworthy sets included Chuck Ragan who belted a la Springsteen to a surprising amount of people. Unfortunate that Ontario group Cavliers' set was the last to go and hence very under appreciated. Not to mention that the sound settings were set for a much rockier sound than those guys needed.

Good way to start learning the ropes of being a stage hand..not much equipment to handle, but just enough last minute requirements to keep you on the edge of your toes [combining expressions, 2 at a time.]

The Summer of Music!

I have been horrible about writing reviews and keeping this up. But! It's a new month[still baffling] and soo much is going on that I have no excuses to abstain from reporting.

I'm a volunteer for the North By Northeast[NXNE] music festival here in Toronto which is going on from Mon June 13th- Sun June 19th. I'll be helping out as a stage hand at the main floor of the El Mocambo[historic venue where the Rolling Stones played a surprise set in the 70s] Wed June 15-Sun June 19. 6pm-4am every night!
Exciting stuff! This is a great opportunity to see little known bands, either up and coming or those playing in the outskirts of the mainstream machine. Bands on my venue's roster hail from Dublin, Iceland, USA and my current home and native land Canada. There are 27 of them so I won't list them all but I WILL include a link to the NXNE site where all bands playing at all venues can be seen along with descriptions of their sound. The genres are ranging night by night from country and acoustic rock to electro and alternative rock/punk. None of the bands at the mocambo are familiar to me but from a first glance these sound mighty interesting:

-Brothertiger [http://www.myspace.com/brothertiger]
-Harper Blynn [http://www.myspace.com/harperblynn]
-The Star Department [http://www.myspace.com/thestardepartment]
-HONHEEHONHEE [http://www.myspace.com/honheehonhee]
-Bensh [http://www.myspace.com/benshmusic]

The festival isn't only a celebration of music but of film and other interactive conference stuff. ch-ch-ch-check it out!

Sidenote pertaining to this being the summer of music, as I was heading from work to my first stage hand training session I was greeted by a musician samples from his unreleased cd for donations and I'm now the owner of Melodic Yoza's sampler cd for a measly 2.25 donation. His website: www.reverbnation.com/melodicyoza
sounds like: reggae, world music, with some undertones of r&b. Lyrics focusing on daily life problems and nostalgic memories of happier and younger days.

Working in a bakery means morning shifts and weekend shifts which makes it difficult to see shows like the one I will most likely be missing on thursday--> "dance celebration funk gypsy band" @ the Lula Lounge followed by sets from DJ's Medicineman and Nomadica. *shakes fist to air*

Reviews ARE coming up...tyler the creator's Goblin and some highlights from the NXNE of course. Warpaint perhaps...I was planning on reviewing Adele but she's been written to pieces by everyone and the feelings are pretty much mutual so maybe not. Alas, I am missing Cults who are performing at Lee's Palace and for free at Dundas Square but that will not keep me from giving a shout about their album 7".

peace & love.

NXNE -------------------> http://nxne.com <----------------------