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

If you’ve ever seen Syntonics do their thing, you know what they’re all about – grimy beats, mean vocals and an emphatic stage presence. Well, think of the 84.85 as their scuzzy little brother – the one that tagged along whenever you and your friends took to the streets and learned how to roll with the older crowd. That’s Cass and Jay – fresh rhymes, dirty beats and an uncanny ability to rock any party. While Toronto’s freshest newlyweds are off honeymooning, they’ve got an eager duo ready to hold down the Intellegenix fort.

84.85 didn’t hesitate in taking the stage after bass heavy sets from local DJs TTBombaman (you seriously need check these two out). Starting off with their “Billy Jean”-influenced “40 and a Fistfight,” they continued strong, demanding everyone’s hands to be shoved in the air. While Cass jumped in the crowd to give a more up-close-and-personal delivery of his fast-paced lyrics, Jay handled the decks, supplying a non-stop array of hard-hitting jams. Blazing through favorites like “100 Bad Habits,” “Don’t Worry” and “Breakin’ My Back” (a finishing track that would make any performer going on after re-think their setlist), they gave the crowd exactly what they wanted – a chance to lose their shit to the sounds of two guys who know exactly what they would want to hear if they were on the dance floor instead of on stage. That’s the kind of attitude that will propel 84.85 into the limelight.

Nothing should come in the way of these two becoming your new favorite act; they’ve studied the best and understand what it takes for them to man the stage and have a crowd eat out of their hands. If you haven’t experienced an 84.85 party, you should remedy that because you won’t fully understand until you’re face-to-face with Toronto’s best live duo and are reciting lyrics that you only wish you knew.

NOW Magazine has caught wind of these talented young cats and nabbed them to join their NXNE showcase on Friday, June 18th @ Reverb. Do yourselves a favor and go check them out… you’ll thank us later.