'Sup In March?

Short answer: Tons and Canadian Music Fest

Long Answer: Go to my blog for the latest postings of what I would do if I were you for the month of March. It's a rather lengthy post since I also feature my pics for the Canadian Music Fest as well as what I am planning on doing on those days.

Podcast 29 (25 Feb-1 Mar 2009).

In this edition of the podcast, we talk too much, and we play The Golden Dogs ("Birdsong"), Megan Hamilton & the Volunteer Canola ("Prophecy"), Hollerado ("Americanarama"), Nice Cat ("Dirty Socks"), The D'Urbervilles ("Dragnet"), and No Bunny ("Give It To Me").

I think Tyler took out the part where he confused The Diableros and The D'Urbervilles. He's no fun, that one.

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Listings are up!

Check this week's going out guide here.

Blitzen Trapper w/ Alela Diane @ The Horseshoe Tavern Feb. 21.2009.

(Blitzen Trapper ft. bizzaro Dirk Nowitzki and bizzaro Seth Rogan)

... had a fun time at the Horseshoe last night at the Blitzen Trapper/Alela Diane show. It was, as you may be able to tell, ridiculously hot both on and off the stage.

The full post w/ live mp3s here... the live version of "Big Black Bird" is really awesome...

CONTEST: Still Life Still, The D'Urbervilles and The Paint Movement @ The Silver Dollar

Three of the most enthusiastic bands in town are playing The Silver Dollar on Friday February 27th and I sincerely want you to be there.

Still Life Still is a spasmodic amalgamation of feedback and distortion mixed in with the melodic sound of collective chaos whose live show is incendiary.

The D'Urbervilles are an instantly likable band whose intense new wave sound is sure to satisfy any post-punk 80's loving appetite.

And The Paint Movement is the triumphant jazzy brass rock comeback that we've all unknowingly been waiting for.

Seeing all three of these together on the same stage is going to be ... wait for it ... epic! The cost for the show is only $6, but it can be free if you enter my contest. I've got two tickets to this Friday's show to giveaway and all of the reviews, downloads and rules can be found at my blog: It's Not The Band I Hate, It's Their Fans.

Gracing the Stage.

My friend and fellow listings compiler and local music fan Steve Fisher has a new(ish) website. He's put together two fantastic evenings on Friday and Saturday to celebrate the launch of the website, and showcase some of the talent he's enjoyed over the past several years. [Check out Gracing the Stage.]

Steve started his Gracing the Stage weekly updates back in 2002, and has been doing so "pretty consistently" since 2004. At first a page posted to a Ryerson residence bulletin, then a small e-mailed newsletter, Steve new sends his update to a subscriber list of 1,000 people. The newsletter includes suggestions for all things performing arts, at an affordable price: live music, theatre, comedy, dance, and film. See the latest list here. An avid show-goer---catch him 5 or 6 nights a week supporting live comedy, theatre, music, or at the movies---Steve's gotta be the most knowledgeable person in this city when it comes to what's on, what's good, and who's working on what. His specialty is what's affordable and almost always local. For special events, like the Fringe, Steve puts together capsule reviews to help his subscribers navigate a dense schedule. It was thus only a matter of time before the e-mailed newsletter turned into a website with near-daily posts about the performing arts in Toronto. [Photo of Steve by Dahlia Katz.]

This weekend help celebrate the website's launch and enjoy top-notch local performers at Kensington Market's Bread & Circus (on Friday) and Bloor West's Comedy Bar (Saturday). Tickets for both nights are $12 in advance at their respective venues and Soundscapes (572 College St.), or $15 @ the door. The shows are fundraisers for the website. Here's who you'll get to see:

FRIDAY (20 feb)

gracingthestage.ca Launch Party Night 1 feat. Entire Cities, 10,000 to Flight, Gravity Wave, Tonka & Puma, The Williamson Playboys, Levi MacDougall, Maylee Todd, Convergence Theatre, and Carnegie Hall, with hosts Iron Cobra @ Bread & Circus (299 Augusta Ave), 8pm doors, 9pm showtime.

Entire Cities headline the Friday night show at Bread & Circus. Also performing are Gravity Wave, who I have still yet to see in its latest incarnation (Ken Farrell likes to mix things up), bass-drums duo Tonka & Puma (AKA April and Dan from Hooded Fang), and the hilarious Williamson Playboys.

Download: Entire Cities' "Cop Song" (Deep River, 2008).

Download: Gravity Wave's "Buffalo Jump" (Twin Prime Conjecture, 2008).

Watch: The Williamson Playboys perform "Hindenburg."

SATURDAY (21 feb)

gracingthestage.ca Launch Party Night 2 feat. Maylee & Slippers’ Sweatshop Hop, Pat Thornton, Peter Katz, Kathleen Phillips, The Remainders, Jehan Khoorshed, Melissa D'Agostino, Makesi Arthur, hosts the Flirts (Kurt Smeaton & Alana Johnston) @ Comedy Bar (945 Bloor St. W.), 8pm doors, 9pm showtime.

Saturday is less music-focused, but there are a couple singer-songwriters on the bill, followed by the Sweatshop Hop, an insane workout show requiring audience participation. Jehan Khoorshed is an Ottawa singer-songwriter, and longtime friend of Steve's. He doesn't play outside his hometown very often, but has a new record he'd love to share with more people. Peter Katz comes highly recommended by Steve. A "masterful performer," says Steve, catch him here before his major headlining show at Hugh's Room in April.

Download: "These Are The Days" off Peter Katz's 2007 release, More Nights.

Download: Jehan Khoorshed's "Jodessa" (s/t, 2008).

Watch: Sweathop Hop video.

Pick of the Week #7: Ohbijou - Swift Feet for Troubling Times

The fact that Ohbijou is awesome, I suspect, is not exactly breaking news around here. But to the readers of AWmusic it may be, so there's that... and, well, they're releasing a new album, Beacons, in a little over a month... not exactly a timely post, but its not like I'm getting paid to do this...

The executive summary:
If you like Stars (without the electronic business) or Feist (with a strings behind her) then its an absolute lock that you'll like Ohbijou.

And the text of the post at Burgeoning Metropolis.

Jenn Grant / Kevin Hearn @ The Mod Club (Feb 12, 2009)

Jenn Grant @ The Mod Club(Feb 12, 2009): photo by Michael Ligon


I have my review now up of the Jenn Grant / Kevin Hearn show at The Mod Club which took place February 12, 2009. Or go straight to the photos.

Free Download: Vacuity "At The Command Of The Blanket Sky"

The album that took spot #4 of my Top 10 Albums of 2008 was At The Command Of The Blanket Sky by a relatively unknown band called Vacuity. The album is now available for free download.

Free Download: Vacuity "At The Command Of The Blanket Sky"

Pick of the Week #6: The Darcys

... I guess my invite got lost in the mail... nobody invited me to the blogger convention....

This week's pick: The Darcys.

The take home message:
The Darcys and their album Endless Water are Toronto's answer to Montreal's Plants and Animals Parc Avenue. I'm not sure the album really captures how good they were/are live, but its certainly worth your time...

Where were you, Rob?

Soundscapes was blogger central Tuesday evening for the Hylozoists in-store performance. Frank and Bob were there with their cameras, Paul filmed a few songs for Zunior TV, and even Mike showed up . . . albeit an hour late. Look for reviews and various kinds of film footage in the next few days. I, of course, did not bring my camera. But suffice to say that Hylozoists = love. Instrumental indie rock/classical!

Check out my blog for more information and a couple Hylozoists's downloads.

My week in shows + free .mp3s.

My latest "shout out" post is now up on my blog. I've cheated and combined it with a post going over some of the great stuff I took in last week. So, bonus: read about my adventures and download the soundtrack at the same time! Best set of last week was Diamond Rings at the Boat on Sunday. All the details about this and everything else I did are here.

Listings + podcast now up!

Hey everyone, I've got my listings up for this week here, and click here for all the details about this week's special Wavelength-themed podcast with guest Doc Pickles.

Free music!

I've got an occasional series on my blog called "shout out." In these posts I write a little something about a band I like, including good albums and shows I've been to. I don't have time to write proper, full-length reviews of all the shows I attend or all the great albums I hear, so this series allows me to share goodness with you. And perhaps the best part (for you) is that I post mp3s for download, so you can sample the goodness for yourself over and over again, if you so desire.

My latest "shout out" features Whale Tooth, Timber Timbre, and The O'Darling. Check it out, and download the songs, here. Enjoy! You'll find a link to my other shout outs on my blog, too.

Podcast 27 (5-8 Feb 2009).

The 27th Zygiella podcast is now available on the internet for your listening and dancing-in-your-kitchen (or whatever) pleasure.

Featuring Winter Gloves ("Factories"), Vitaminsforyou ("B4U"), Forest City Lovers ("Two Hearts"), Whale Tooth ("Clever"), The Primordials ("Shout, Shake, & Go"), and Key Witness ("First Wave [unmastered]").

Lots of good music. The Whale Tooth track comes off their new EP, to be released at Sneaky Dee's on Saturday. And the Key Witness song will be featured on their upcoming album, with a 21 March release date. (And hence why I have an unmastered copy to share with you.)

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Indie Music 68 (2-8 Feb 2009).

The list is up at my blog. Cheers!