You would think by the end of a 30 date US/Canada tour a musician would be a little run down, a little tired, and maybe wearing yesterday’s clothes. But for the last stop on their Nights Fall tour both Detroit’s Mayer Hawthorne with his backing band the Country and Montreal’s Chromeo looked like they’d but on their best and were still full of enough energy to bring the Sound Academy crowd up and then bring it back down, nice and low.

Deftones, May 3, 2011, Sound Academy, Toronto.

There’s nothing like a Deftones show to bring out my inner fanboy. Fifteen years, thousands of listening hours, and 5 or 6 shows have taken none of the lustre off even their earliest material for me. I still get the same kick out of every new release or tour they book as when they were new.

When I ask myself why my love for this band endures when it fizzles out for so many others, the first answer that comes to mind is that their finger has never slipped from the pulse of my fanboy heart. Well that, and THEY’RE FUCKING AWESOME LIVE!!!!

For me, the mark of a great live band comes down to their setlist. Rather than just sticking to the hits, they mine their entire catalogue. Drawing mainly from the Diamond Eyes, White Pony, and Adrenaline discs, the nights set was a smorgasbord of fan favorites and gems, complete with a rousing performance of The Passenger with Greg Puciato from Dillinger Escape Plan sharing vocal duties. An added bonus this tour was the addition of film loops being projected onto the backdrop throughout their set. A very nice touch.

What keeps me going to see them more than anything else is the unbridled passion and gusto they inject into every show. With a career spanning almost 20 years now, Chino still sings even the earliest material with the same urgency and barely contained desperation as he did 15 years ago when I first saw them. No small feat after performing songs several thousand times over.

Given the deafening roar that followed every song, it’s clear that I’m not the only one who noticed. I <3 you Deftones.

Review by Cain Arsenault
Photos by Joanna Young

Classified is a hella nice guy. He came to our Juno’s event at the Majestic in St. John’s last year and made a real impression. Being fellow east coaster’s, we totally caught his vibe. In any case, when we thought of the Juno’s this year, we thought of him, even though his show on the 26th at Sound Academy has nothing to do with them. We asked him to take the 20 Qs anyway.

1. What is your dream of happiness?

The life I live right now. I’m good….

2. Blonde or Brunette? brunette.

The wife would kill me if I said blonde.

3. What is the quality you like most in a person?

Honestly and sense of humor

4. What do you fear most?

A T-rex

5. 808s or 909s?

808′s

6. What’s your biggest regret?

Not signing Justin Bieber

7. What’s your fav bar or club in the world?

Curly’s pub and grub

8. What’s the one thing you can’t live without?

Oxygen

9. What are the 3 musicians dead or alive you’d like to see perform?

Beatles, with full band,., Nate Dogg, Jay Z

10. What is your favorite decade in music?

90′s.. all day baby..

11. If you had to choose, would you rather go blind or deaf and why?

deaf… if I was blind I trip on things too much

12. How old is too old?

101

13. Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

In enfield, still making music.. chasing my daughters boyfriends around with my ninja sword.

14. Who’s your hero?

Jim Cuddy

15. What’s your favourite colour?

Black

16. What song could you live without ever hearing again?

Too many to name…. Black Eyed Peas. “Time of My Life” whatever it’s called..

17. Metallica or Madonna?

Metallica

18. What’s your most hated vice?

Akon

19. Who is the most tragic figure in history?

Not sure what this means.?

20. What are the top three live shows you’ve seen in your life?

Busta Rhymes, Blackmoon, Keys N Crates SXSW.

Day 5 of NXNE promised to be a massive fun night at the Sound Academy with Key ‘n Krates, Kidstreet, and headliner Girl Talk.

Gregg Gillis (stage name Girl Talk) is a laptop artist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who specializes in sample based remixes, by using at least a dozen elements from any song you can think of, to create a new one. I got to speak with Gregg before his show about his music and his not so new obsession with collecting Air Jordans. You can find my interview on Embrace’s site coming soon.

Keys ‘n Krates:

Kidstreet:

After a quick introduction and Girl Talk chanting, in a grey hoodie and sweatband Gregg steered away from the chit chat and let his mashups do the talking. Gregg plunges right away into a various selection of cuts from “Night Ripper” and “Feed the Animals” and getting people to come on stage to party with him and his toilet paper throwing sidekicks. There was plenty of new samples thrown into the mix to keep his mashups fresh, hearing songs from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Major Lazer, Phoenix etc.

The night was sweaty, dance-filled and very exhausting. I think I was a little bit over dressed for that night and decided to wear the most uncomfortable (but cute) heels ever. I’ve never been to a Girl Talk show before and didn’t know what to expect. I chose style before comfort and it was clearly a big no-no. While I was at the side of the stage complaining about how much my feet hurt, I watched the crowds jammed right into each other, elbows flying, and the temperature go sky high as the Sound Academy got ridiculously sweaty. Everything looked so much fun as there were big beach balls bouncing around, confetti everywhere and people crowd surfing etc I was kicking myself for the stupid heels decision.

They were rappers, they were DJs, they were remixers, and now they have a full album to keep you footloose and fancy free, Holy Ghost! have risen from making drainpipe- sporting hipsters dance in New York to all over the continent and then some Check the myspace for the duos mad remixes of Phoenix, MGMT, Friendly Fires, and their own boomdiggy shit. In the mean  time Holy Ghost!’s (and they damn well earned that exclamation point) Nicholas Millhiser and Alexander Frankel took some time off to answer PinkMafia’s 20 Q.

1. What is your
dream of happiness?
Alex: Big studio, in corsica
Nick: Yeah, DFA Corsica HQ on the rocks

2. Blonde or Brunette?
Alex: Brunette
Nick: Brunette for sure

3. What is the quality you like most in a man?
Alex: Not being a dick
Nick: Being worse looking and less charming than me

4. What do you fear most?
Alex: Fear itself
Nick: Embarassing my friends

5. 808s or 909s?
Alex: 707′s, also like the latin percussion model, 727!
Nick: Simmons!

6. What’s your biggest regret?
Alex: There are a lot
Nick: Yeah, there are a couple but they are not exactly for a light hearted interview. It would just bum you out.

7. What’s your fav bar or club in the world?
Alex: Subclub! Glasgow!
Nick: Ditto

8. What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Alex: Coffee.
Nick: Beer

9. What are the 3 musicians dead or alive you’d like to see perform?
Alex: Talking Heads at their Rome concerts, Larry Levan any night, MJ.
Nick: Double ditto

10. What is your favorite decade in music?
Alex: 1977-84
Nick: Alex is killing it with his answers. Triple ditto!

11. If you had to choose, would you rather go blind or deaf and why?
Blind, I could still work.
Nick: I’ll say deaf so alex and I could engage in mad-cap antics ala Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in “See No Evil/Hear No Evil.”

12. How old is too old?
Alex: Its never too late
Nick: I’m feeling it now. The kids…are coming up…from behind…

13. Where do you see yourself in 15 years?
Alex: Not far from where I am
Nick: Literally. I’d be happy in this very apartment, though hopefully (1) I will own it (2) I will have renovated the kitchen and (3) not be painfully alone.

14. Who’s your hero?

Alex: Make that super hero: Jerry Fuchs.

Nick: From the first time I saw saw him I thought he was the best drummer I’d ever seen but ever since he passed away I’ve spent a lot of time studying his playing and he was actually even better than I thought. I really, really miss him.

15. What’s your favourite colour?
Alex: Red
Nick: Dude! We’re so in touch with each other! Mine is totally red too!

16. What song could you live without ever hearing again?
Alex: your so gay by Katy Perry.
Nick: That fucking reggaeton song the bodega below my apartment has been blasting for the past 4 years.

17. Metallica or Madonna?
Nick: Madonna
Nick: Metallica

18. What’s your most hated vice?
Alex: Cigarettes and taxis
Nick: Good Humor Oreo ice cream bars. I love cigarettes, that’s the problem.

19. Who is the most tragic figure in history?
Alex/Nick: We’re all tragic

20. What are the top three live shows you’ve seen in your life?
Alex: I leave this to Nick
Nick: Jay-Z’s Fade To Black concert at the The Garden. That’s it.

Holy Ghost! Are playing in Toronto at the  Koolhaus May 25th with LCD Soundsystem CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

At Pink Mafia it is very clear that I get dibbs on anything Diplo/ Major Lazer/ Mad Decent related. So here’s my second rundown of another Major Lazer shindig.

First off, big up to Embrace and TheJons for putting together another epic digital party at the Sound Academy. The last couple of parties I’ve been to have been nothing but good times. They’re you know, ones of those “Yeah, I was SO there!” kind of parties you’ll gush to your friends after you recover from that major hangover the next morning, of course.

My night started off with Jess, her friends Ashlee and Rob picking me up from home and driving to the Sound Academy. There’s no way you’ll catch me taking public transportation there. I have no patience with fighting for cabs at the end of the night and making that long walk down the road in heels I can’t even walk in.

Arrived around 11pm and the place was still slowly filling in. We hung out in the Dubstep room for a bit and the crowd was 90% girls. I’ve been to a few dub parties before and most of the time I find myself being one of the only chicks there. Dubstep is sitting quite comfortably in the city as I find more of the city’s electro/dance enthusiasts are liking it. The sounds combining of garage, jungle, 2-step, and a whole lotta bass… who wouldn’t enjoy it?

We missed most of Sinden’s set coming out of the dubstep room. The crowd began to chant “MAAAJJAAHH! LAAAAAZZZAAAHH!” and before you knew it, dressed in a sharp suit Diplo got the kids going nuts. Now, I’ve seen Major Lazer before and basically knew what I was gunna get:
Diplo sweating through a suit: Check
Switch M.I.A.: Check
Two half naked dancers: Check
Skerrit Bwoy + Ladder: Check
Lots of dry humping: Check, check, and check!

Diplo played nearly every track from “Guns Don’t Kill People Lazers Do” with deep bassy dub followed by shotgun rhythms, continued with some hip hop and dancehall samples, that you know like intertwine with lover’s rock and other island styles… then throwing in Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” and of course Damian Marley’s “Welcome to Jamrock”…can’t describe what I really want to say but if you were there, you know that I mean.

At one point during the show Diplo threw a towel on to the crowd. I was right up against the stage taking pictures and it so happened to fell right in front of me. Some girl tried to grab it from me and I was all like oh hell no, that’s MINE and yanked it back. Throughout the night the towel had become a part of my outfit.

Ah, yes. How can I not mention the Skerrit Bwoy’s famous jump from a ladder on to your crotch trick. I don’t know why I didn’t volunteered for one of Skerrit’s antics. I was running on free Redbull the entire night!

This girl’s life isn’t going to get any better than this. Most fun ever.

Whoooaaaa. And shout out to the  zombie chicks, especially the girl with the Major Lazer arm.

The set wasn’t too long and before I knew it, it was over. I was hoping to the heavenly gods that Wes was going to throw in some sort of Bounce Music in the Major Lazer mix. I asked him why he didn’t play bounce music and simply put it out as ”Not at a Major Lazer show. That’s more of a Diplo kind of show.” Pfft, I knew that silly me. Later that night before he left, Wes squeezed my arm and said: “I’ll be playing bounce stuff for you when I’m back”. Worrrd, that’s in July. TimeFest? I think so. Toronto, get ready for that one.

The crowd was a lot bigger, from the last time I saw them and much more fun too. Here’s a wrapup of our favourite “Major” do’s in the crowd:

Whoever said “White girls can’t dance” hasn’t met Ashlee yet.

Gothic Lady Gaga over here stretches to impress.

Rihanna x 4 ( post-Kanye squared + pre-Kanye squared) – Amber Rose

It’s getting hot at this point and this ice cream sandwich is melting on the dancefloor.

Similarities attract.

Photos: Jessica McCauley

Do’s ft: Melania Fedyna

Because they just can’t stay away, Vampire Weekend once more played Toronto last night. In a decided move from indie to mainstream, the venue took a serious upgrade to the size of Sound Academy. My disdain for all ages shows aside, they rocked the house.

I had previously seen this band play at smaller venues and had slight trepidation about their ability to cater to a large crowd. Such concerns were unfounded. Front man Ezra Koenig showed Toronto some love, making mention of their frequency in this town. The commentary was otherwise sparse, and the band delved into song after song pulling the crowd in whatsoever direction they chose.  New favourites off album Contra got voices raised. The sing-along attempt at “Diplomat’s Son” was humorously bad, a great deal of muddled lyrics as few knew the actual words, yet all chirped in to the familiar chorus.”Taxi” slowed the movement down, the kind of beat that begs for a joint and a bonfire. “Oxford Comma”, likely their finest track, was met with thunderous cheers. For this track I elected to move to the front of the crowd. Ah, and here is why I can enjoy all ages shows, tossing 16 year olds out the way is no big thing. Glad I did, but my legs are now sore.

I’m a staunched hater of the clichéd encore, we know you’re coming back until the lights go up. Come on Vampire Weekend, do you really need the validation of cheering fans to grace us with your last 3 songs? We all paid to be here, clearly we like you just fine.

Regardless, the encore was the perfect cap to the night. “Horchata” and “Walcott” left us on an upbeat high.  Admittedly, the cloud of weed looming over the crowd might have also left us high. There was a whole world of eyes closed and gentle swaying as Ezra crooned.  For me Vampire Weekend will always be summer music, best played on yachts and at cabins. Rich kids singing about being rich, stricken with butler emergencies and Louis Vuitton plights. This is music I can get behind.  Now the mad exodus and scramble for cabs post-show at Sound Academy? Not so much.

Words: Darien Campbell

So, if you aren’t into much of the live stuff that CMF is holding, we’re going to show you exactly what you need to go to club wise.

Wednesday March 10:

Check out CFCF at the Eyeweekly showcase down at the Roosevelt Room, along with Parallels and Styrofoam Ones.

Click here for a CFCF mix of Fabio Lendrum’s “Trouble”.

Nadastrom will be at Cobra this night too, and of course with an extended 4am license.

Thursday March 11:

RJD2 will be performing at Mod Club, which is going to be a definite good time. He’ll be on stage at 11pm. We did an interview with him, remember? Well if you don’t, check it out then see him live. Click here for interview.

At the Social there’s going to be a wicked event with Trouble & Bass DJs: The Captain and Star Eyes, alongside locals and some secret guest no one knows about.
Check out our interview with Trouble & Bass’ Star Eyes that will be up March 11th.

The Drake will also be hosting a late night event with Samiyam, of course with a 4am license. Check it out here.

Friday March 12:

There is going to be a crazy party at Mod Club, featuring Simian Mobile Disco on the Friday. Click here for facebook event.

Down on Queen West, Wrongbar is hosting an extended 4am license party- with performances by Vitaminsforyou, Ultragamma, Nasty Nav and more. You know that’s going to be a crazy night. Check out the facebook event here.

We asked Ultragamma the same stuff we asked the bands:

Of all the festivals you’ve played, which one was your favourite and why?
I think based solely on the experience I enjoyed playing last years
Jazz Fest the most. It was myself and Bombaman playing a b2b set to
headline at the Social. The vibe was excellent, the diversity in the
programming was great, and Mike and I were in pure terrorism modes,
which made for some… interesting times!

2.Who are you looking forward to seeing at this year’s Canadian Music Fest the most?
SAMIYAM for sure. Completely mind-blowing tunes every time, total
paradigm-shifting steez.

Saturday March 13:

Sound Academy will be having the Redbull 3style event, featuring A-Trak , Klever, Scratch Bastid, and of course the nation wide champs to face off for Canadian deck dominance. Doors at 9pm.

Note* Pink Mafia has a very limited guest list for this event. Click here for guestlist.

Tommie Sunshine, Arthur Baker, Barletta and more will all the at Cobra this night. This event definitely has a 4am license.

Check out this great remix of Barletta’s “Whisper” by Tommie Sunshine, click here.

At Wrongbar, Classixx, Azari and III will all be performing. Another event with a 4am license.

Saturday’s gonna be a hard one to get through. So much good stuff all over the city!

To me, the GZA can do absolutely no harm.  But I’m not going to lie.  I was a little more than aggravated by his ‘late’ appearance at Monday nights show @ the Sound Academy. I mean, for a show where doors opened at 8PM and the “show” was suppose to begin at 10PM.  Going on at 11:45PM is a little bit obscene.

Regardless, Skratch Bastid opened up the show and got the crowd warmed up for what was a long evening.  I’m shocked at how diverse this crowd was – punk rock kids, snowboard/skateboard kids & genuine hip-hop heads.

Bastid was killing it and spinning so many solid ass jams, like “Get It Together” by Beastie Boys and a whole mash up of Busta Rhymes tracks, but it definitely felt like he was holding a lot back. He got me up sweating it out and busting out my best Barbadian ass shake.  This didn’t feel like any ol’ hip-hop show & this felt like a damn near rave, complete with strobe lights, which nearly killed me (I’m epileptic). But I busted my best moves on the dancefloor.  Before Skratch Bastid was done, he said he couldn’t finish off with Wu-Tang because that would be “disrespectful”.  I basically wanted to tell him to fuck off.  This was a GZA show.  Everyone is EXPECTING YOU to play Wu-Tang. Asshole.

While awaiting the Genius to come on everyone threw their WU signs in the air and began chanting “GZA”.  Just when we thought GZA was going to take the stage, some other dude(s) take the stage to tell us that GZA is in the back getting blunted out & we should support Haiti.  While I thought it was excellent he told us to support Haiti, I really wanna know when the real show is going to begin. Then this motley crew of ‘dudes’ began to rap.  I still have no idea who they were.  Yup, I’m clueless but I’m almost positive I wasn’t the only one.  As boredom began to set in and the hours were creepin’ by – finally, the GZA came on.

So was he worth the wait?  They don’t call him the Genius for nothing.  This man is so underrated and under appreciated by so many. GZA made the Wu-Tang and continues to amazing today. He played for an hour & a half from 11:45PM, making this the Monday night party to be at.  But let’s be for real, most people can’t stay out that late on Monday nights. Unforch GZA, we can’t all get blunted & stay up late.  It’s unfortunate how many people I saw leaving when I did.  I can only imagine if this was a Friday or Saturday night how many people would have been wilding out.  Note to GZA: Come back on a weekend.

Everyone is talking about the last 10 years like it’s 2011. But it’s only been 9 people. Way to jump that gun. We decided to just do a year end review and save the decade junk till we get into another one. Like for next year.

Here’s our illustrious panel:

BEST ALBUM:

The only commonality we have is that no one thought there was a best album this year, however no one had a hard time coming up with a collection. And based on a lot of math equations, here’s what was good in 2009.

Jay-Z:  The BluePrint 3 + Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

We agree unanimously that Jay deserves a spot, but that this album is our least favourite in the epic saga that is the Jiggaman’s career, and we think Phoenix’s latest is the best of theirs. Phoenix may be the only group in the world that you can’t put on a mixtape since one track seems to never be quite enough.

Others we loved: It’s Blitz: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Fame Monster: Lady Gaga, Animal Collective: Merriweather Post-Pavillion, Major Lazer: Guns Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do, Gossip: Music For Men, one half of Sasha Fierce only, and Judy Garland: Live At Carnegie Hall.

BEST TRACK:

We’re all feeling pop music for this one. Major Lazer, Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas got top ranks. I’m gonna have to break this three way and say “I Got A Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas is the top track, love it or hate, we all turned that shit up when it came one the radio.

Others we loved: When I Grow Up–Fever Ray, Gimme Sympathy-Metric, Sweet Disposition-The Temper Trap, Islands (Nosaj Thing Remix)-The xx, Drumming Song-Florence + The Machine, Bulletproof–La Roux, and a little tranny we all know and love named Beyonce for Single Ladies.

BEST PARTY (THIS IS A TORONTO CATEGORY)

I have to say, I’m a little disappointed in the bloggers for picking a lot of obvious and shit choices. Our parties aside, the best that this group of jerks could come up with was Drake 5th Anniversary (easy kill), Vice Magazine’s 15th Anniversary (easiest kill) and that dreadful Aoki party in the Bay Station Underground.

So here it is: The best parties of 2009 were: DJ AM @ This Is London, It was a great night with all the right people enjoying a beautiful space usually crawling with brawlers and skanks. Everyone danced until 2AM and AM really truly set that place a flame. Fake Blood (with our boy Barletta) @ Wrongbar: It was the best show of NxNE and even the owner had to sneak his own friends in the back door. And finally, RIP Randomland, you were fun while you lasted.

BEST CONCERT:

Not one of us over lapped in this category. So the best of’s are: Dead Weather secret show @ The Hoseshoe, Gossip & MEN @ The Opera House, Peaches & Amanda Blank @ The Phoenix, Fritz Helder & The Phantoms Platinum edition party @ Redbull HQ, Steam Whistle’s Unigned @ Sound Academy with Goldengirls, Creature, The Carps, and Woodhands, Bif Naked @ Mod Club, and The Hostage Life CD Release Party/Final Show Ever @ Sneaky Dee’s.

But the absolute best concert moment goes to Siobhan who saw GZA play with King Khan @ Dundas Square during NXNE. She watched from the media pit and shook his hand after.

BEST FASHION STATEMENTS:

2009 was a year of gothic black, big shoulders and impossibly skinny jeans paired with some serious heels. Shoes got good this year. They’re investment pieces after all. Not for nothing, but I predicted it all in my 2009 Prediction piece last lear. The standouts for our crew of not-exactly-fashion-bloggers were: Zooey Deschanel for Oliver Peoples, men’s ankle high tailored dress pants and dress shoes, they can be worn with or without socks and they’re still genius. A certain someone from Winnipeg voted that Canada’s Next Top Model, Meaghan Waller (a Winnipeg native) was the best thing and Vanessa V who has been chatting our faces off about Top Shop for months, is happy that that shit is finally here in North America (she went to NYC for the opening, she’s that crasssy).

We are making one mention of WORST IN FASHION Siobhan is so truly disgusted with Jeggings, that she insisted on a category just for them. Using my Beyonce tranny metre for all things trendy I rate them a like. Here’s my theory: if Beyonce’s wearing it, the rend is ovah, BUT if she looks good in it, then I know I’ll look better. Beyonce looks good in jeggings, which means this trend is gone and if you’re smaller than a size 14 it is guaranteed to look better on you.

BEST MOVIE

Apparently there are only 4 movies we all agree on: Coco: Avant Chanel, UP, The Hangover and 500 Days of Summer. Honourable mentions: The Carter Documentary and The Cove.

BEST SHOW

Since there were only four TV shows on the TV this year, all four take the cake: Mad Men, Modern Family, Glee and True Blood. Personally, I like Law & Order re-runs, but no one wants my opinion!

Finally Mr. Sun graced us with his presence this weekend, so what better way to show our appreciation than hittin’ the streets and clubs of our lovely city? Here’s our weekend roundup.

RIP RANDOMLAND @ MOD CLUB–Friday August 14, 2009

First up on the weekend tour was RIP Randomland. As y’all may know, Randomland Fridays @ Circa is no more, sad I know (moment of silence). So in true Randomland rando-ness fashion, they had one last rumble at The Mod Club. . Beach balls, bubbles galore, balloons, lazers…rave.

Despite feelin’ a lil bummed ’cause the curtain was closing and I wanted to cut some rug, but for some reason I wasn’t feelin’ the vibe. Between the beach balls bein’ spiked at my head and the very young boisterous people acting a fool, it just wasn’t workin for me. Don’t get me wrong with a DJ lineup like Vaneska, Andy Ayres and other hot locals, I busted a groove, but I sure didn’t burn any holes in the floor. RIP Randomland left me wantin’ more, partin’ is such sweet sorrow.–Pinkie

RAEKWON @ SOUND ACADEMY-Saturday August 15, 2009

Let’s keep it moving a beautiful Saturday night @ Sound Academy for some real Hip-Hop with Raekwon the Chef of the Wu-Tang Clan.

From the second Raekwon touched the stage and C.R.E.A.M started flooding the air everybody just started goin’ mad. The Chef served up a buffet of classic Wu bangers and we were hungry we ate up every line spittin’ rhyme after rhyme. The crowd flow was so tight that Raekwon had to stop and say “Shit! Toronto…y’all kno’ your ish fa real.”

For the real Hip-Hop heads it was great we were reminded that it “Can It All Be So Simple” when we’re in this “Cold World”.

Of course you kno’ Raekwon took a moment to recognize one of the Wu’s fallen soldiers Ol’ Dirty Bastard–with a full breakdown of  the anthem “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”.  Remember y’all beware of Incarcerated Scarfaces!!!–Pinkie

MASQUERADE PARTY @ WRONGBAR–Saturday August 15, 2009

Isis Salem and Marc Smith’s b’days celebrated with a masquerade. DJs wer awesome (Violca, MANSION, Babri & Mitch from Teazedale and PSDO!NMFO). It was another fam night at Wrongbar. The irony is that the “Wrong-Bar” can’t seem to make one “wrong” move. Ha, here’s some pics.

HONEY JAM @ MOD CLUB–Sunday August 16, 2009

It was fantastic and these women I listed above will definitely be with in the game for a long time.–Natalie Lisa Johnson

Here’s 5 chicks on mics

Janelle Monique

Tamla-Mai

Lynzie Kent

Jaclyn Kenyon

Eve and the Ocean

What’s poppin’ next weekend?

Let us know.

A live music festival. An after hours rager. A DJ’s personal playground. Wrap all that into one and you’ve got yourself a sweaty dance party known as the annual Time Festival. Toronto hosts numerous music fests throughout the year, but none compare to the unique lineup of Time. Local djs and acts, as well and widely accredited artists like Crystal Castles and Rye Rye all came together to play this all-nighter, harboring an eclectic mix of crowd who know what’s up. With all those factors, you can’t help but get a decent recipe for a great party and potential for petty trouble.

This year’s festival was held July 25th, indoors at The Sound Academy vs. 2008′s August Sunnyside Pavillion setting. Crystal Castles tore up the main stage with their noisy noise and flashing lights, but if you weren’t into that, there were 3 other stages to chose from.

As always, Barletta controlled his room with a twist of a knob and press of a button. Among his followers, Toronto’s Meech with whom I caught up with to ask a few pressing questions:

1. Who are you looking forward to seeing tonight?
Barletta!

2. What was the last good thing you read or posted on Twitter?
That Nav was killing it in the main room tonight.

3. Who do you think is the most underrated artist of 2009?
Barletta, he’s going to be the same or bigger than Deadmau5!

Barletta doing what he does best.

Trying to interview A-Trak, I slyly maneuvered my way onto stage post-set to see if he’d take 3 seconds out of his life for me. He declined. It’s not like I was asking him to take his cap off, come on!

Mario J finished off the night on the main stage and the evening ended around 5:45am, music stopped and the leftovers shuffling out the door into 6am sunlight.

Knee socks beat cleavage, DUH!

Words and Photos by Melania Fedyna

This week, my always accurate Facebook horoscope informed me that I would reacquaint myself with an old hobby and realize how much I missed it. Whether that “old hobby” was attending concerts or listening to a Lily Allen album, either way, it turned out to be true.

Wednesday night marked Lily Allen’s 2-year return to Toronto, down to the month. And may I say, it was a triumphant one. Toronto town was her final stop on the month-long tour in support of her sophomore album It’s Not Me, It’s You.

I first saw Lily perform in April 2007 to a relatively more subdued crowd at The Phoenix, but that intimate show paled in comparison to what I witnessed this year at the monstrous Sound Academy. Playing to a sold-out crowd approximately 10 million times the size of The Phoenix, everyone was much livelier and more eager to to be in attendance.

The show started right on schedule, as a trim, short-haired Lily bopped out in an oversized hoodie and high tops, with a tight black dress underneath that required the use of Spanx.

Lily played an hour and 15 minute set, singing every song off the new album, including a few from her first Alright, Still (Everything’s Wonderful, LDN, Littlest Things, Smile), and Oh My God, her collaboration with pal Mark Ronson. It was like being at a sing-alone, with everyone enthusiastically karaoke-ing “fuck you very much” along with Lily, as per requested.

I felt really good after this performance. Nothing cleanses your soul like yelling “fuck you” at the top of your lungs with no repercussions.

From my immediate surroundings, I determined the all ages crowd to be older than I had originally expected. I thought I’d be the lonely loner standing in a corner by myself amidst a sea of 8-12 year olds, but situated by the bar, there were only 20-somethings. I overheard a girl beside me say Lily’s track “22” was about her, in regards to a song about society’s view of a girl’s life being over by age 30. So to sum it up, I felt young.

I went to the show expecting a nice, mellow performance, but what I got was a high-energy, electro-infused spectacle, which included the melody of Kid Cudi’s Day ‘N’ Nite meshing into a cover of Britney Spears’ single Womanizer. It was the last song of the night, and by this point I was sold. This was just icing on the cake.

If you weren’t a fan of Lily’s before, you certainly walked out in awe of her stage presence and energy, if not the skill of drinking 3+ beers and smoking cigarettes during a set. Hey, some artists get wasted before the show, why not have fun on stage?

You can’t help but smile while watching her perform, be it because of her quirky lyrics or bubbly personality and random banter. The show started off on a slower note, but kicked up middle to end, and I was definitely not bored.

Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head opened up the show. I only saw them play about 2 ½ songs, but they seemed like a really cool, live band. Lily brought them out on stage at the end of the show and proceeded to playfully punch them. Evidence below.

(‘Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head’, and a multitude of others.)

Some people were apparently influenced by this, because a fight broke out in the parking lot, post-show. I witnessed one perpetrator getting slammed to the ground by two security guards as I passed by. Who brawls at a Lily Allen concert? Good job, guys.

Since this was Lily’s final show, appropriately, a celebration was held backstage. Later that night, Lily hit up her Twitter to inform us of an ice-cream fight that cost her 2 grand! That’s how it’s done, party people.

Lily Allen is an avid Twitter-er (Tweeter?), and has been hiding tickets before each gig, then posting clues on her account as to where they can be found. I was lurking “twatter” from home and came to the conclusion that 2 sets were hidden around the U of T campus. Did anyone participate in the pre-show Twitter ticket scavenger hunt? Dish and details, please!

She also updated with a slam at the always kind Perez Hilton, a big fuck you at him for reporting her incompetence of getting through a tour. Lily Allen said she has not read one bad review of her shows, and this one will not change that.

Rock on, Lilz!

Honorable mentions: All the large ‘n’ in charge folk who insist on standing in front of me at concerts. I got stuck behind a gentleman who was busy showing his buddy a photo on his iPhone of a lingerie-clad women taking a pic of herself. I was apparently also located in a high-traffic area, because I was constantly being moved over to make way for beer-wielding folk and frustrated bathroom goers. Oh, the sacrifices.

Words and Photos by Melania Fedyna