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

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