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

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

Saturday, March 13th was met with many challenges for anyone looking to jump from venue to venue during CMF. With tons of rain and fierce winds, we were grateful to take refuge at the Rivoli for The Nova Scotia Showcase.

We unknowingly walked into the private party just as Paul Murphy (Wintersleep guitarist & vocalist) graced the stage. The performance featured Paul’s most recent musical endeavor, Postdata. Collaborating with his brother Mike Murphy, Postdata is a culmination of songs inspired by the recent passing of the pair’s grandparents. That said, Murphy gave a somber and subdued performance conveying his message through his powerful voice.

Taking the stage next were The Stanfields. With a blitzkrieg of blue grass, Celtic, heavy metal and rock and roll melodies, the band delivered a performance powered on high octane energy. Playing a combination of old and new tracks (“The Boston States”), they created total anarchy. For audience members new to the band, they were in for a rude awakening if they were standing in what quickly became a crazy mosh pit of Celtic dancing. In attempt to dodge the insanity, I moseyed on over to the other side of the stage where I was greeted by the energetic front man as he jumped into the crowd for his guitar solo. Just when I thought I was safe, a Celtic dancer went down and launched his entire pint onto me. That being said,  it was well worth it! Their debut album comes out in two months on Ground Swell Records.

Transitioning from rock to hip hop, Three Sheet took ownership of the stage. Although difficult to define, this powerful five member band is reminiscent of Black Eyed Peas and Swollen Members. This group knows who they are and with a little work, they should have a label in no time. When you check out Three Sheet, keep in mind that they don’t use samples or synthesized drums. They are a rare combination of strictly beatboxed percussion courtesy of EMC, female vocals courtesy of Vanessa Furlong, O’Quinn’s electric and classical guitar, bass by Kev, and relevant story telling lyrics by band MC Expedyte. Like so many acts seen and heard during CMF, the true brilliance of Three Sheet can really only be realized when you see them live. “At the End of the Day” was a standout track which they delivered with insurmountable passion and intensity.

Stumbling across this showcase turned out to be a serendipitous occasion as i heart the music was introduced to the genius that is Rich Aucoin. Along with Joel Waddell (drums), Erik VanLunen (bass), and Darryl Smith (“other stuff”), Rich had our attention from the get go. There are many moving parts to their set up and watching it brought back memories of panic during school presentations. To their credit, they were faced with a greater challenge; projecting images onto a screen throughout the set. Rich conveyed messages such as “SMILE”, “DANCE”, and “EAT MORE VEGETABLES.” He performed songs from his Personal Publication EP, which was recorded over a year with one microphone and holds more than 25 different instruments. It was written to sync with Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) which he also projected on the screen using hollow neon images. Listen to “It” on their MySpace page and picture the entire crowd kneeling on one knee and subsequently jumping up in unison for the chorus. Everything about this performance was invigorating and inspiring. You can’t help but want to tell everyone you know to stop what they are doing and check this guy out. So please, do yourself a favour and check this guy out! They are back in Toronto on April 24th at Studio City Toronto for Alternative Fashion Week.

as reviewed by Catherine Russell

photography provided by Renee Rodenkirchen

iheartthemusic was pumped when we heard that our beloved favourite, Bend Sinister were kicking off the Friday night showcase at the Horseshoe. With the sea of talented and hard working indie bands our fine country has to offer, penetrating a fan base other than the devout indie scene can be a challenge. This performance proved Bend Sinister has the range and appeal to connect with masses. Unbeknownst to front man Dan Moxon, we were on the scene prior to the band’s sound check.  His calm nature was evident as he gathered his thoughts and prepared his set list prior to the show. Once the band hit the stage they unleashed a collective surge of energy which earned them the unwavering attention of the audience for the duration of the show. Stand out tracks included a new addition to their repertoire “Can’t Change Your Mind” and the better known track “Time Breaks Down”. Dan displayed his impressive vocal range in “It’s the Little Things You Do” and the ever uplifting track “Things will get Better”. Featuring an insane guitar riff by Joseph Blood, they finished off the set with a cover of “Don’t Stop Believing”. Check out their website where they are giving away their music for free! Or better yet, see for yourself next Thursday March 25th at the Rivoli!

Next to hit the stage were CMW veterans, The Dudes. These guys are incredible musicians with a lot of heart-displayed greatly through their lyrics. Notable tracks included the cheeky track “Girl Police” and “Pretty Lies” which, front man Dan Vacon remarked “was on the radio” so don’t hate them. Dan has great performance ability, prefacing all songs with relatable stories. He wrote “Not S’Pose to Call” about his ex which he wrote when they “weren’t cool for a while, especially when I broke up with that bitch.” Yikes. While the subject matter may lead one to expect an aggressive sounding track, it is actually an incredibly catchy tune which showcases the bands southern sound. The Dudes kept the passion going with “Mr.Someone Else” featuring the cowbell, which is arguably the best instrument ever. Another highlight included “Ghosts We’re Buried On” which Vacon wrote about his grandfather. We were fortunate to catch up with these likable dudes before the show. Look out for the interview later next week.

It was refreshing to hear the female voice of Antonia Freybe-Smith (Vocals/Keys) when Jets Overhead hit the stage.  Simply put, Antonia brought this performance from good to great. They started things off with an incredibly unified performance of “Sun, Sun, Sun”. It was uplifting, inspiring and memorable, attributes which can only truly be recognized when hearing this song live. With the bar set high, they kept the quality going for the entire set. The bands introspective vibe shone through in their performance of “No Nations”, “Heading For Nowhere” and most notably “Where Did You Go” which marked another exceptional performance. “Where Did You Go” is an absolutely beautiful song, I suggest going to listen to it right now.

Next on the roster was Melissa Auf der Mar; to say the vibe changed drastically would be an understatement. It felt as if we were teleported into the early 1990’s. I suppose this makes sense considering Auf der Mar toured with The Smashing Pumpkins for their 2000 tour and was Hole’s bassist for five years. While there is no denying her talent, it felt like we were in a different decade. It’s a shame her solo career didn’t start earlier. That said, she rocked the Horseshoe. No complaints here. The only thing missing from this performance was pyrotechnics.

Hot Hot Heat hit the stage next and brought us back to 2010. These guys played an amazing set showcasing great new material and the better known tracks “Middle of Nowhere” and “Talk To Me Dance With Me”. Having just signed to Dine Alone records, (which picked up the CMW award last Thursday for Best Canadian Independent Label) their collective energy was palpable.  At the end of the set, Steve Bays (vocals and keyboards) gave a shout out to the couple making out during the whole show. That was funny. Look out for their new album Future Breeds which comes out in June.  

as reviewed by Catherine Russell

photography provided by Mike Palmer

« Older Entries

Newer Entries »