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

Canadian Music Week is probably one of my favourite times of the year and as such, I wanted to make sure that those of you that were not able to see everything could digest some of the shots we took while there. So here are some AMAZING shots from CMW 2010:

Ah, the Constantines. This was one of those performances that was incredible to see so close. I was stuck right in the photography pit for their entire set and got to just sit back and enjoy while my photographer, Mike Palmer, took the creative reigns. We caught bassist Dallas Wehrle do this and then play behind his back. UNREAL!

Great Lake Swimmers are SO talented however, their sound just didn’t fit the upbeat nature of the event.

Plants and Animals: stole the night!

The first time I saw The Rural Alberta Advantage play live was in the basement of a trashy film store. My, my how times have changed! This group even picked up an award that night. They rocked it!

Since releasing their latest album Blood, Guts, Bruises, Cuts last summer, The Dudes have been dealt a couple of shady hands, most notably enduring a plethora of injuries. iheartthemusic sat down with them to see just how things are looking (up) these days.

iheartthemusic: I take it you guys are quite accident prone- between broken collar bones and broken moustaches, this past year has been a crazy one for you guys! Tell me, what has been the worst?

Dan: I guess I think mine is worse, but he [points to Scott]  would say his moustache pains were worse.

Scott: [laughs] Well you suffered through pain but I lost my identity! What do you [looks at Dan] think is worse?

Dan: Ya, you’re right. I guess it’s the price you pay when you choose to live the lifestyle we do.

iheartthemusic: Such a great lineup of artists this week [CMW]. Who are you looking forward to checking out?

Dan: Bend Sinister is really great

Bob: Look, I’ve got the T on here

iheartthemusic: I noticed you are giving away a free track on your website. Do you feel that that is a necessary thing to do in today’s dwindling industry?

Dan: Well they [fans] are going to get it anyway. We don’t mind, we have been giving music away forever. I mean the weird thing now is not giving it away.

Scott: You’re in la la land if you think everyone is going to buy it.

iheartthemusic: “Had Enough of it” is a great track on the album with a great guest spot by Lisa Lobsinger (Broken Social Scene). How did you guys hook up?

Dan: Ah, well Lisa is an old Calgary girl and we chilled years ago. We actually tried to release that song like maybe five years ago and it just sort of took that long to get it all together and get it out.

iheartthemusic: Did you write it together?

Dan: No, it’s just that she has the very best voice in Canadian music. We asked her if she wanted to do it with us and she said yes and that was rad. All she wanted in return was one of those bathroom placards (boy or girl) in return. So if you ever see one, just rip it off.

iheartthemusic: [laughs] Tell us what the writing process is like for you guys.

Dan: I write most of the words and then we collaborate.

Scott: Getting loaded in the basement (laughs).

iheartthemusic: When you do sit down to write, do you keep mass appeal in mind?

Dan: I don’t know. It kind of feels more channeled, like the song was already there.

Scott: Definitely not, no mass appeal. We just want music that sounds good.

iheartthemusic: Is there anything you are trying to achieve tonight, i.e.catch the attention of anyone in particular?

Scott: There are some Australians scouting for this festival that is happening in the summer. We can just hope that somebody shows up tonight (laughs).

iheartthemusic: The Dudes, as a band name, has existed since 1996, but the members have changed around right?

Dan: Bob and I have been friends since high school, we were just wee children and now we have achieved our dreams. [laughs]

iheartthemusic: What has been the biggest struggle so far?

Scott: Driving across Canada is probably the hardest part. It is fucking huge!

iheartthemusic: Who is the driver?

Scott: I am.

iheartthemusic: [laughs] Well that explains why you don’t like it! Tell us what your favourite games are to play in the car.

Bob: The alphabet game but that gets old pretty quick.

Scott: Have you ever played Cow/Horse? Crazy good game. [laughs] “cow horse cow horse”, but you know these are all games that come after you go fucking insane being on the road [laughs].

iheartthemusic: Every band has that moment when they realize they are starting to gain momentum and that they must be doing something right. Tell us what that moment has been for you.

Dan: Well I think we have had that feeling from the beginning. It’s like every little bit counts.

iheartthemusic: So I guess you could sum it up as a sequence of mini achievements along the way?

All: Yeah definitely.

iheartthemusic: What are your goals as a band?

Dan: Just to keep doing it.

Scott: You know even if you were to win a Juno or whatever you can still go down the toilet.

Dan: We don’t want to go into the toilet that’s all (laughs). I don’t care where we are until then.

iheartthemusic: Anything you want to say to the i heart the music readers?

Scott: Come to our show, we’d love to show you a good time!

We wish this hard working band the best of luck. Considering the chain of events they endured subsequent to the release of their album, hopefully they will choose their next album name more wisely

interviewed by Catherine Russell

photography provided by Mike Palmer

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

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