Most Fun Ever…Canadian Music Week 2011

14 Mar 2011

Alas, the week-long incredible music festival (gong show?) known as Canadian Music Week has come to an end and what better time than now to reflect on the good, the bad and the mind blowing. The lovely ladies of Pink Mafia joined forces and took the city by storm to bring you the very best of the week. It was was non-stop amazing live music, great people and a lot of nights way past our bedtimes. Shouts out to the staff/volunteers/every soul that made this week possible, your hard work is much appreciated. Canadian Music Week, you’re the best!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 9th

Rouge @ The Gladstone Hotel- Words & photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver

When I originally attended the Proud FM showcase, I had no intention of reviewing Rouge.  However, something happened while I was there.  This all girl 3-piece began playing their bubbly electro-pop and it was so infectious that I couldn’t help but grow over the course of their 30-minute set to love it more & more.  Even as they were experiencing some technical difficulties, they took it all in stride and commanded the stage with such style, grace and presence.  For me, I got a very Katie Stelmanis vibe from them, which is nothing but absolutely wonderful.  Given that these girls played an earlier timeslot (9:30PM) and had an entire room moving, goes to show that they have a bright future ahead of them.

Creature @ The Gladstone Hotel- Words & photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
I have had the opportunity to see Creature a couple times now and each time I’ve really enjoyed them. One of the very first times was at a NXNE showcase at the ElMocombo.  This Montreal group always plays very fun and energetic pop songs, so I knew I was in for quite the show.  But something was different from every time I had seen them.  As the group launched into their set, the two leads (Kim Ho and Lisa Ivy) seemed over-the-top and almost disingenuous.  As they were trying to make group interactions, it seemed like it was just part of the whole stage “show” rather than part of what they felt like they wanted to do.  Also, it seemed like their sound had evolved into the annoying bratty cousin of the Scissor Sisters.  Which sucks because I love the Scissor Sisters.  Overall, this performance made me hit the “Do Not Like” button for them.   So sad.

Gentleman Reg @ The Gladstone Hotel - Words & photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
Sometimes I think Toronto doesn’t know what it has because we’re currently sleeping on a legend.  His name is Gentleman Reg.  All throughout the night, he was wandering around The Gladstone selling merchandise and interacting with fans.  I was so sad to see that when he finally when on, the room was nearly empty.  I felt like we had been invited to Reg’s own private listening party.  It was raw and real and honest.  He opened up by saying something along the lines of, “You can buy my merch at the back, I’d really like to make rent.”  Then mentioned he would also liked to get signed.  His set was filled with intensity and maturity.  My highlight (and my friend Cody from The Little Red Umbrella as well) — when he dedicated Stevie Nick’s “Wild Hearts” to him.  As I said on Twitter that night, GIVE THIS MAN A RECORD DEAL!

Mother Mother @ The Phoenix- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

My week got off to a rough start but with rain boots and umbrella in check, I headed over to the Phoenix for some Mother Mother who’s new album EUREKA is out March 15th. Rococode and Whale Tooth(who were joined by Scott Farmer from the Russian Futurists) were both fantastic. It could have been a combination of the wasted dude behind me falling asleep and using my back as a pillow and the music of Birds of Tokyo leading up to Mother Mother but I wasn’t totally blown away, although everyone else seemed to be eating it up.

THURSDAY MARCH 10th

Cadence Weapon @ The Opera House- Words by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
I have been diggin on Cadence Weapon for a bit now. So getting the opportunity to see him live, I jumped on it. He had a really great swagger on stage, mentioning that he wasn’t used to playing for an all ages crowd & relied mostly on newer material, such as tracks like “Come on James Brown” and “Jukebox”. The tracks themselves were danceable and had amazing beats. Cadence though seemed under impressed with the audience telling everyone to “dance and act like they were at a hip hop show”. Once he said that, it seemed to garner a reaction with the crowd as everyone got to moving. However, I did hear someone in the audience near me say that Cadence’s performance sucked. Well, sorry you didn’t like it bro. Sucks to be you. Seems like you’re the only one.

Behind Sapphire @ Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music - Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

After a solid 8 hours I was up and at them for some interviews, panels and brunch with Buck 65. Ok, well it was more Richard Terfry sitting at the table beside me, but still. I made my way over to the Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music for some really cool living room sessions. Hands & Teeth, Paper Lions, Allie Hughs, Rich Aucoin, The Wilderness of Manitoba all took turns throughout the week but it was Behind Sapphire’s awe-inspiring raw performance that stole my heart.

The Balconies @ Sonic Boom- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

Next stop: Sonic Boom who seemingly booked every single incredible band for their in-store series. They did a nice job of mixing genres and giving a perfect little taste of each artist. James Vincent McMorrow, Sandman Viper Command, Bombay Bicycle Club, Dinosaur Bones, Humans, Pkew Pkew Pkew, to name a few, shared the three-day bill with J Mascis and provided you with a better way to kill time between shows than having a smoke. The Balconies rocked that basement hard and while Jacquie Neville admitted they hadn’t played in a while you’d never be able to tell.

Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose @ Sneaky Dee’s - Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

The Audio Blood showcase started on a sweet note with Charlotte Cornfield then Huron, Sandman Viper Command and Teenage Kicks kicked (ha!) the night into overdrive. My socks were officially knocked off by Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose though. I began my obsession with Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose after seeing them at the Juno Decade party for the 90s and even though they were the house band they totally stole the show. These are musicians who love being musicians and their energy fills the room until it swells. They pulled out all the stops with a Harry Nilsson cover and a horn section that somehow made their incredible sounding music even more incredible.

Yukon Blonde @ The Great Hall- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

I didn’t plan on leaving the previously mentioned showcase because the bands were all so amazing and it was a great crowd of people, but I’m glad I dipped to see Yukon Blonderemind me why I love music so much. I can’t say I’m in love with the venue only because it always sounds so muted to me but they played through a great set. My favourite moment was when Jeff Innes asked for the vocal assistance of Jacquie Neville (The Balconies) Mike Denby (Make Your Exit) and Lowell Sostomi (The Great Bloomers)  on ‘Fire’. Amazing.

FRIDAY MARCH 9th

Audio Blood Party @ Toronto Underground Cinema- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

Because they throw the best parties in Toronto, we headed over to the Toronto Underground Cinema for the Audio Blood day party. As if the sheer joy of watching their mega ultra roster of bands alone wasn’t enough, we got to wash it all down with some St-Ambrose brew and snack on band-flavoured chips courtesy of The Galley. Yes, BAND flavoured. Dinosaur Bones have never tasted so good! The space was awesome, and so were the bands: Dinosaur Bones, Brett Caswell & The Marquee Rose, The Balconies, Sandman Viper Command, who’s videos were also being shown on the big screen. Neato!

Girl @ Revival- Words and photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
When these guys walked out onto stage, the first thing I noticed were the matching suits and RayBans.  All I could think was “Oh dear God, this is going to be terrible”.  In fact, it wasn’t.  What I ended up getting was entertained by four guys from Montreal who were playing very catchy indie pop.  As I was telling a friend of mine later, it reminded me of The Killers.  He said that was a terrible comparison.  But I pleaded, “No – remember The Killers first album and how catchy and wonderful it was.  How you just wanted to sing along with every song.”  That’s the kind of Killers stuff I’m referring to.  For playing to an almost empty room, they took it all in stride, playing for the audience.  With supreme confidence and a great sound, these boys should do well.

Gabby Young @ Revival - Words and Photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver

I think one of the biggest highlight and surprises of the week for me (personally) was Gabby Young.  Playing at the early time slot of 8:00PM, hardly anyone was in the room.  She came out onto stage with her vibrant red hair, a jacket made up of gigantic puff balls and told those in the audience to come a little bit closer.  I honestly had no idea what to expect, as I hadn’t heard of her before.  But as soon as she started singing, I completely blown away.  She had so much range and so much energy.  Her brassy attitude reminded me of one part Amy Winehouse, a little bit Regina Spector and a whole lot Kate Bush.  Just brilliant.  Promoting her new album, “We’re All In This Together” — she began singing a song of the same name and dedicating it to Japan.  She is definitely one of the artists to watch in 2011.

Maylee Todd and Pegwee Power @ Revival – Words and Photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver

Maylee Todd is the most adorable performer you ever did see.  So I hopped at the chance to see her and her band perform and was not disappointed.  Armed with her strap-on harp, leopard print jump suit and with her band each all colour coordinated, they started off their set sultry and jazzy.  Her vocal range is killer and her band accompanied her so well on each song, making each journey seem dream like. Beautiful performance.

The Pack A.D. @ The Bovine Sex Club- Words and Photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
I have seen The Pack A.D. three times now and I have never been disappointed.  You would think that with only two people in the group, they wouldn’t be able to achieve the loud and heavy sound that most full bands would.  But let me tell you this, this Vancouver duo of Becky Black and Maya Miller assault your eardrums in the best possible way with blues driven, serious rock & roll.  The two have such a way on stage (it reminds me of Jack and Meg White of the White Stripes) with their playful banter and how they say, “Should we play this song?” and they just know exactly what the other is thinking.  They are heading back into the studio soon to record a new album, so if you have a chance see them live soon.

Berlin Brides @ The Painted Lady- Words and Photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver
I had been recommended this group by a friend of mine.  So I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I thought I’d check them out.  It seemed like they had a bit of a following to begin with, which was awesome.  The songs themselves seemed alright.  Sometimes they sang in French, but 80% of the time in English.  But it seemed like their show (all in all) needed a bit of fine-tuning.  The girls in the group seemed super enthusiastic but at times, the show seemed a little lacking.  It could have also had to do that the stage they were on was teeny tiny.

Middle Brother @ The Opera House- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

The only show I was truly bummed about missing was J Mascis with Kurt Vile and James Vincent McMorrow as I’ve heard through the twittersphere it was intense, but the decision was made to stay and hang with Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit’s super group Middle Brotherinstead. They were joined by the rad-ass Jonny Corndawg who was celebrating his birthday. I thought this show was going to be a revue but the awkward breaks in the night with no real changes on stage tripped me up a bit. It was still exactly what good ol’ American rock n’ roll should be.

The Meligrove Band @ Sneaky Dee’s- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

How does such a talented band that works so hard still seemingly go unnoticed? Ugh! I’m just going to continue to give their documentary to everyone I know for birthdays/anniversarys/bar mitzvahs. It’s their loss and our gain because we can continue to have these little moments with them in small venues where everyone is havin’ a time. Meligrove packed the room and literally every single person was singing, dancing then to end the set jumping and shouting along with ‘Ages and Stages’. As if that wasn’t enough awesome, Make Your Exit took the stage after and continued the love-fest with the crowd and had everyone signing along to ‘Leave This Town’. I woke up the next morning with blown eardrums and no voice.

SATURDAY MARCH 12th

The Zoobombs @ The Baitshop- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

After a quick chat with Shad, we headed over to The Baitshop (which is easily one of the best spaces in Toronto) for the Scion + Musebox day party with Russian Futurists, Dinosaur Bones, Diemonds and show-stealers The Zoobombs. Holy hell! Despite the tragic events over the week in their homebase Japan, they came out like pros and slapped the crowd in the face with their super-charged funk/psych style rock n’ roll. We had such an awesome time at the show that we caught them again later that night for an even better set at The Comfort Zone. Seriously, Zoobombs, you’re the best!

Diemonds @ The Baitshop- Words and Photos by Amanda (Ama) Scriver

Diemonds are a staple in the Toronto metal (glam metal) scene.  It’s no wonder either because they put on a hard rocking show.

The Indies @ The Royal York Hotel- Words by Kate Masewich photos by Courtney Lee Yip

Awards shows aren’t really my thing but I was curious to see what it was all about. The sandwiches were delicious. But seriously though, the acoustics in the Ontario Room were tight and each artist had stunning digital visuals. Hannah Geroges got the short end of the stick with a shortened set, but at least I got to watch the talented singer/songwriter do her thing at all.

Everyone and their mother was talking about seeing Bombay Bicycle Clubduring the week for their first North American performance and since I didn’t make it in time to Lee’s for the Dine Alone showcase the night before I was super stoked to see them (Even if it was at a MuchMusic video dance party). They absolutely didn’t disappoint and I’m quite sure that they’re the reason my temporary horrible mood disappeared. So, thanks guys for being so amazing!

Hollerado looked like they were ready to play dodgeball but instead celebrated Dean’s birthday with a high-energy, crowd adorning performance. They nabbed the Favourite Video of the Year award for the too good video ‘Americanarama’.

Shadtook home the award for Favourite Urban Artist of the Year and a little piece of everyone’s heart with his easy charm and brilliance. I really wanted to leave and see Neon Windbreaker at El Mocambo but there was a rumor that Janelle Monae was going to come to the stage via tightrope…she didn’t because that actually would have been ridiculous, but she was spot on as always. Unfortunately I couldn’t see a thing as the room was packed and the world’s tallest men were having a convention in front of me, but she sounded fantastic.

Janelle Monae photograph courtesy of Kayely Luftig

SUNDAY MARCH 13th

Bathurst @ Parts & Labour – Words and photos by Courtney Lee Yip

I didn’t think it was possible to still be alive at this time in the game, but my broken body was hauled over to glamtown/Parkdale to see a nice quiet band from the burbs who played an easygoing acoustic set. KIDDING! Bathurst was LOUD and AMAZING. A blend of pop-punk that encapsulates what it means to be writing in CAPS LOCK! YES!

Modernboys Moderngirls @ Hard Luck Bar – Words and photos by Courtney Lee Yip

We’ve been meaning to see these Toronto studs for ages and we finally got our chance last night. Truly no better way to end this week’s hellrace festivities than with the more than enjoyable set by Modernboys Moderngirls. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and describe them through showing you their album cover from their album I Might as Well Break it.

Kind of a cop out for a writer, but bear with me here. MBMG: Heavy 50′s influenced rock and roll with soul, that makes you want to get it on and dance/drive right off a cliff into adrenaline-filled oblivion. Am I right fellow jivers?