I Heart the Music: Your Online Source for Live Music Reviews and Interviews in Toronto!

The Weakerthans need no introduction- they have become a staple in any true Canadian music lovers repertoire. Hailing from Winnipeg, iheartthemusic were able to grab a few minutes with Stephen Carroll to talk about the importance of those Canadian roots in their music.

iheartthemusic: You won artist of the year at the XM Verge Awards in 2008. What did winning that mean to you?

I think it was the extra financials that made a big difference, but also the exposure is so useful and helpful. It’s generally a lot of work to get people’s attention, so anything we can do to do that is really useful for us and makes our lives easier is great. Establishing that relationship with XM was also key because they are the ones that play our music all the time.

iheartthemusic: And I am sure the fact that fans voted for you was great to hear too!

Yeah, and the fans!

iheartthemusic: Who would you have liked to see win artist of the year last year (2009)?

My money was on Joel Plaskett.

iheartthemusic: Album of the year?

Arkells.

iheartthemusic: You guys recorded 2007’s Reunion Tour in a factory I believe. What was that like?

Yeah it’s part of the factory lunchroom. We did it all at night and it was really crazy. We were totally isolated on the outskirts of Winnipeg in February. Living without sunlight for most of the time, because we would be sleeping in the day and going into the studio at 3:30am or 4am, it was a really interesting experience.

iheartthemusic: Would you do it again?

It felt like we had put ourselves in this secluded environment and the last couple of records we have done, we have worked regular hours and been in the city, like really in the city. So this was neat.

iheartthemusic: Where you are from, Winnipeg, seems to be heavily prevalent in all aspects of your music. Is this done on purpose?

Two reasons why that’s happened or two things that are playing into that: one, is probably trying to explain the city to ourselves, understanding it, thinking about it, singing about it and maybe trying to explain it to other people at the same time. And then, there is just the city itself. Winnipeg’s favourite thing about itself is mythologizing itself. That’s a main part of the process in mining all these little pieces of history that only we would have picked up on.

iheartthemusic: Tell me your thoughts on the state of Canadian musicians transcending into other markets. You guys have been able to do that quite successfully and I wanted to know your thoughts on why or how?

It’s not quite the same in the States. Maybe once the awards have more of a national recognition it will help, but I don’t really know. It’s kind of hard to tell. I don’t see it reflected in the US media.

The Weakerthans have just released a live album Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre and concert DVD. All the Canadian content was shot on tour. The Weakerthans play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on May 26th with Bahamas.

photography provided by Sara Collaton

Considering we weren’t able to get into Dan Mangan’s showcase the previous night, we decided to try our luck on the Friday at Courthouse for the Music BC showcase. Adaline was the first to hit the stage that night. Hailing from Vancouver, Adaline is one of those performers that just gets better each time you see her. We caught her playing during an industry performance in the spring of 2009 and left feeling a little confused; not knowing exactly where she fit in. All that has changed in the past year however, as her voice and backing band have matured together to create a sound all their own. Her sound is infectious and mellow- a perfect blend to start the night.

We Are The City are made up of three band members or “composers” (as their bio suggests), however if you were to listen to them blindfolded, you would be convinced that more members were onstage. These guys are literally the manifestation of “go big or go home” as they play their own breed of progressive indie rock “opera” transitioning both their sound and voice from high to low. Opera is actually fitting since lead vocalist Cayne is classically trained on the piano. Stand out favourites were “There Are Very Tiny Beasts in the Ground” which showcased each members’ individual talents. The middle of this song had an incredible instrumental section that allowed them each to rock out on their individual instruments. When we say rock out, we mean it as the band opened their set with  “Morning Song” which had drummer Andy Huculiak taking a stroll around his kit while simultaneously playing.  Yes they are talented, and yes they are young so, no, we will NOT miss them again when they pass through Toronto.

Alright, so enough with the hype that I appear to have been projecting through my last post, but honestly, I am a Dan Mangan fan. I am a Dan Mangan fan who has never seen him perform live. I have to admit, I was worried. I mean I clearly had high hopes going into this and was worried that he wouldn’t measure up. Well, he did. This only proves how amazingly talented this guy is. I don’t really know what to say except that it was awesome. He showcased songs only from his latest album Nice, Nice, Very Nice, which was fine with me since I knew every word to every song. Yes, I am a fan and you will be too if you go see him play or grab his album. Do it….

Dan Mangan returns to Toronto on April 22nd at the Horseshoe.

photography provided by Nancy Kim.

With an audience where only the fans in the front row knew them well enough to sing along, Yukon Blonde was one of those delicious surprises that only a music festival like CMF can serve up on an (almost) otherwise tasteless platter. They captured everybody’s attention faster than you can say “record deal”. Both the roaring crowd and this fresh, 6-piece, Kelowna-grown band were in utter jollification singing and dancing along to the guitar-based, harmonics-infused, feel-good-about-life music. Keep an eye out for these guys….

All hail the front woman! The Balconies: finally an act with a chick leading the dicks! Though they suffered some technical difficulties, some even from rookie mistakes (wonky duct-taped mics, occasionally inaudible vocals, and some missed cues), give them some time to tighten up live, and The Balconies could become ubiquitous. Jacquie Neville who fronts – and demolishes – the rest of this 3-piece pack matches her killer voice with hard as hell baselines, and a mélange of grunge, punk power pop. Throw in some edgy attitude and a little demonic subtext, and The Balconies could corrupt even the sweetest of Susie Q’s. But it is fun music – never serious – making their performance all the more inclusive, and a must-see.

Next up were the boys from The Wooden Sky. Only one or two songs in their entire 9-song set did I actually recognize as being The Wooden Sky that I knew. Gone were the velvety soft melodies and tender-hearted vocals of their latest album, favoured was a performance driven by heavy folk rock. Gavin Gardener began the set outfitted as your typical hipster country bumpkin, only to rip off his glasses and tear away the plaid and carry the rest of the hardcore folk set in a dirty, over-sized beater. Surprisingly lacking in texture, this fast-paced performance of screaming vocals and hard-working instrumentals was nonetheless unapologetic, showcasing an alter-ego, an unfamiliar layer of the band’s meaty musical personality.

Two Hours Traffic held the prime set spot, but didn’t deserve it. Indeed, their wimpy pop sound, their conservative and uninspiring stage presence, their stale riffs and processed arrangements, and Liam Corcoran’s baseless vocals were all a disappointment for a billowing crowd awaiting their arrival. Traffic barely received a quarter of the response that (far lesser known) Yukon Blonde and The Balconies garnered. Re-affirming the age-old argument that there can be a negative correlation between talent and popularity- Two Hours Traffic sucked.

Although the crowd thinned out after Two Hours Traffic, spirits seemed to have lifted once The Junction hit the stage. Though the two bands share some musical characteristics, there are important differences that favour the latter. The Junction has way more edge, harder riffs, and what looks like a genuine desire to be on stage. A definite product of The Strokes/Killers/Kooks musical generation, The Junction perform with a refreshing sense of light-hearted humility. They are nevertheless a little predictable, and their sound a little “been there, done that”, so give the album a good listen before venturing out to their live show.

as reviewed by Brittany Smith

photography provided by Nancy Kim

« Older Entries