Green Go are an amazing band from Guelph who specialize in hyperactive sweat fueled electro pop that will literally force you to dance like a fiend.
Featuring Black Hat Brigade ("Zombie City Shake"), Beth In Battle Mode ("A Little-Known Fact"), The Ghost Is Dancing ("Battles On"), Emma-Lee ("Never Just A Dream"), and T H O M A S ("Feels Delight").
For more great Canadian music, there's a new music-only (no talking!) podcast put together by the incredible Justin Beach, who runs the NxEW music blog, among many other projects. His first digital "mixtape" is now up, and the second one---with a whole lot of great tracks---will go up later this week. All the music is artist- and label-approved as free to enjoy and share with everyone, everywhere.
For some reason it took me a long time to get around to seeing Beth In Battle Mode perform. Once I did, I kicked myself for not partying with them sooner! Their indie synth pop is just so catchy and danceable, and they've got stage presence and energy that match the songs perfectly. (Plus: attractive musicians!) The band has a new album out---Hot Science---and they're headlining a show this Friday, 24 April, at the Silver Dollar, a great spot for them. Opening are The Hey Now and Clouds (that look like things). It's been too many months since I last saw this band, and this bill also featuring two local acts I have yet to see (but have heard good things about) at a venue I rather like. That is pretty hard to beat. Here's to hoping I can persuade a few of you to join me at the show... with free tickets and some freebie downloads just to get you in the mood!
OK, I know that I just had a contest featuring Shout Out Out Out Out, but it was so successful that I figured I try it again. This one is even better!
My favourite pairing, Woodhands, is back in Toronto, headlining a show this Friday at the Phoenix (!). Paul Banwatt and Dan Werb haven't given Toronto too much love since their sold-out CD release show last spring at Wrongbar. But after playing a whole lot of shows elsewhere in Canada, south of the border, and in Asia, it's about time they headline again in the town of their founding.
This is a short note to say that the lineup for the Pitter Patter Music Festival (28-31 May) is up on this website. There are shows in 9 Ontario cities, from Belleville and Brantford to Lindsay and London. Most of the venues hosting the festival are in Toronto, including all the regular live music spaces in Kensington Market. Some stellar bands are playing, as well as a whole lot of bands that have yet to make it onto my radar. And this is exactly the point of the festival: a pay-what-you-can affair that prides itself on helping young bands get exposure in the big city and elsewhere. The whole thing is carefully curated---and the bands chosen based musical merit---so that shows makes sense as whole experiences.
We've apparently gone completely giveaway 'loco' here at the Toronto Music Blog Collective!!
Megan Hamilton's new CD is called See Your Midnight Breath In The Shipyard and it will be released across Canada on April 4th. I think it's really freakin' good! She is having a CD release show at The Rivoli on Thursday April 9th with comedienne Kathleen Phillips and Olenka and the Autumn Lovers.
Shout Out Out Out Out is an artsy fartsy progressive dance rock electro type band from Vancouver who are well known for their incendiary live show. Their new album Reintegration Time is pretty dang good and I've actually got two copies of it to give away to those who are in a position to get down with their funky selves.
