March 11, 2009 21:03
All shows are 19+ unless otherwise stated. Admission to Canadian Musicfest events with festival wristband (unless stated otherwise) or by paying listed cover charge; All admissions subject to venue capacity. Advance tickets and $50 5-day wristbands or $25 single-day wristbands can be purchased through www.canadianmusicfest.com or Ticketmaster, 416-870-8000, www.ticketmaster.ca.
ALL ARTIST BIOS WRITTEN AND PROVIDED BY CMF. SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE; CHECK WWW.CANADIANMUSICFEST.COM FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION.
[Thursday Schedule] [Friday Schedule] [Saturday Schedule] [Sunday Schedule]
Thursday, March 12 ANNEX WRECKROOM9pm – The Light Division Their debut album, Oh, So Close, pulls in musical elements from both the dark and bright side of emotion.
10pm – Benefit of a Doubt A pop/rock quartet with hook-filled songs that will stick in your head for days. The band looks forward to bringing its energy to the stage.
11pm – The Parlotones They rose to the forefront of South African music in 2006 when they licensed their song “Beautiful” for a Fujifilm commercial.
Midnight – Crash Parallel Drawing comparisons to artists such as Coldplay and Counting Crows, their debut album combines strong melodies and intimate lyrics.
1am – Morning Electric Their music as sounds like “Motown fucked classic rock on the first date and had a psychedelic baby.”
BLACK BETTYplug (MUSIC) Presents The Next Real Wave
9pm – Cantinero They write lovingly crafted alt/folk-pop, with witty, incisive and coolly melodramatic songs.
10pm – KaiserCartel “The sweetest, most genuine indie rock band to come out of Brooklyn in a long while.” — CMJ.com
11pm – Birds Of Wales This toe-tapping folk-rock outfit are ready to make waves across Canada and the world in 2009.
Midnight – Bend Sinister Rock’s the easy word for what Bend Sinister play.
1am – Lucie Idlout An artist of Inuit heritage, Idlout’s second disc, Swagger, showcases her gravelly growl and vocal prowess.
BOVINE SEX CLUB9pm – Carmen & Camille They combine power ballads and soaring vocal harmonies, drawing influences from across the board.
10pm – Your Favorite Enemies Named one of the top five bands to watch out for in 2008 by Billboard, the band have already sold 60,000 copies of their second album.
11pm – Turbowolf They are building an electronic noise temple above the crumbled pillars of rock music.
Midnight – Callahan A six-piece epic rock band, Callahan are about to embark on their eighth national tour in the last two years.
1am – Cactus’s With influences from XTC and The Pixies to Converge, Cactus’s offer an intense and lyrically smart brand of music.
2am – Machetes The love child conceived by Siouxsie Sioux, Love and Rockets, Iggy Pop and Black Sabbath.
BREAD AND CIRCUSJadel Rebel Entertainment
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
7:45pm – Janine Farragher An indie-pop/folk-rock artist with a silky-smooth voice and songs that are irresistibly catchy.
8:30pm – James Sawyer As a songwriter, painting an honest picture is all you need.
9:15pm – Steph Fraser Singer-songwriter in the acoustic blues/pop vein.
10pm – SoKey Compared to Soundgarden and Nirvana, with crunching guitar riffs.
10:45pm – The Randalls They have classic rock virtues while creating a unique sound.
11:30pm – Four Pistols Attitude, youth and swagger make Four Pistols the genuine rock ’n’ roll experience.
12:15pm – Betty Shyne From Neil Young to Alice in Chains, their influences inform music that resonates with many tastes.
CADILLAC LOUNGE9pm – Andy Stedman Raised on British ’60s bands, Elvis, Motown and The Eagles, his songs are cheeky, insightful and bittersweet.
10pm – Agpak Mum
11pm – Captains See March 11, Rancho Relaxo, 11:25pm.
Midnight – My Jerusalem Includes members of Twilight Singers, Great Northern, Bishop Allen, Polyphonic Spree and St. Vincent.
1am – The Rosie Jones Band With influences ranging from country to punk, they remain an authentic dark horse in Toronto.
CAMERON HOUSE10pm – Tanya Davis A poet with the ability to write poignant lyrics and catchy melodies.
11pm – Caracol A blend of American folk and rocksteady with a singer-songwriter and a vintage ’50s feel. Nominated for a 2009 Juno for Francophone Album of the Year.
Midnight – Alejandra Ribera Ribera’s eclectic writing style encompasses jazz ballads, Mexican folk tunes and original alt-pop.
1am – Kate Rogers Band After a stint singing with The Coast, Rogers’ new album Beauregard doesn’t lose sight of her folk roots.
CENTRAL9pm – The River Phoenix This Danish band pen emotive, charismatic rock that reminds you how engaging intelligent music can be.
10pm – Vanderpark Frontman Stully and string slinger H.K.M.W. belt soaring harmonies, woven around fist-pumping grooves.
11pm – Striving Vines Fast-paced rock, irresistible melodies and outstanding vocals characterize this Danish rock band.
Midnight – The Hunting Horns Roots-rock with just the right tinge of impassioned fervour. They excel at forging their own distinct brand of slow-burning Canadian Gothic.
1am – Code Pie A raucous marching band from Montreal, playing pop-rock at its most idealistic and fun.
CIRCA (MAIN ROOM)Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
DJ Law This award-winning DJ keeps up to date with style and technology.
grunge/metal/pop band characterized by unique pop hooks. Heavy and technical.
1am – Easy Sleezy Influenced by Guns N’ Roses, Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots, they deliver a bone-crushing performance.
THE HIDEOUTMusic From Ireland showcase
8pm – Grand Pocket Orchestra You’ve got your dark times and you’ve got your happy times. They’re somewhere in the middle.
9pm – Halves They blend acoustic and electronic instruments. “Cosmic beauty that few others can reach.” — Hot Press.
10pm – Heathers From Dublin, meet Ellie (vocals) and Louise (guitar and vocals), who describe their music on MySpace as melodramatic popular song/acoustic.
11pm – Hooray For Humans A brazen pop outfit, flirting with everything from post-rock to new-wave to electro.
Midnight – Fred “Upbeat Irish rock from Ireland served with a smile. Possibly my favorite discovery at CMJ.” — The Limewire.
1am – Giveamanakick Two Limerick boys, ear-shattering guitars, coronary-inducing drums and a self-deprecating sense of humour.
2am - The Minutes This Dublin trio have toured with the likes of Albert Hammond Jr. and The Pigeon Detectives.
3am – The Waxbills A seamless blend of riff-grabbing theatrics with inspired feel-good euphoria. Vintage grit with ’70s pop.
HOLY JOE’SScene Magazine
9pm – Justin Plet Influenced by Jim Cuddy and Coldplay, Plet writes: “…a by-product of broken hearts and having to say goodbye.”
10pm – Pilgrim Propelled by fluid melodies, thick textures and driving rhythms, Pilgrim embody modern alternative rock.
11pm – Cordcalling “Mix punk, psych, grunge and Goth over the course of three tracks.” — Dave Clarke, SCENE.
Midnight – Redinger A hard-rock power-trio with soulful vocals, haunting lyrics, catchy guitar riffs and a driving bottom end.
1am – elworthy Swelling electric hooks, deep, driving bass and commanding percussion, defining a unique alt-rock sound.
HORSESHOE TAVERNAnnual CHARTATTACK
H-SHOE Showcase
8:30pm – The Lovely Feathers They have played with Tokyo Police Club and The Most Serene Republic, and on MTV Live.
9:20pm – $100 If Simone Schmidt’s tales of love gone wrong don’t grab you by the heartstrings and unclog the waterworks, Stew Crookes’ careening pedal steel will.
10:10pm – Women Produced by Chad VanGaalen, their self-titled album touches upon the Velvet Underground and The Zombies.
11:10pm – Gentlemen Reg This Toronto songwriter has just released his Arts & Crafts debut, Jet Black, his fourth overall full-length.
12:10am – Chad VanGaalen A notorious homebody with a knack for music that is beautiful and undeniably genuine.
1:10am – Quest For Fire “[Their] debut could be the rallying point to unite aged Hendrix hippies and new-school Dead Meadow bong-loaders alike.” — Stuart Berman, EYE WEEKLY
2:10am – Delinquints A clever mix of early 1980s Southern California punk and the anthemic FM hard rock of the same era.
3:10am – Dean Lickyer They are comprised of a charismatic frontman and hard-rock guitar blasts reminiscent of The Who.
KATHEDRAL9pm – The Bleeders This Auckland hardcore band have released the gold-selling As Sweet As Sin and a ferocious self-titled follow-up.
10pm – The ROMAN LINE
11pm – Left Spine Down Described as cyberpunk, an adrenaline-packed blend of electronics, guitars and anthemic vocals.
Midnight – SNFU The history of punk in Canada, let alone the world, can’t be told without the mention of the 4 letters SNFU.
LEE’S PALACE9pm – We Are The Take This harmony-heavy pop-rock band recorded an album with producer David Bottrill (Silverchair, Tool).
10pm – The Novaks Their second album is waiting on mixing, which would move along much faster if the guys would put the glass down for a minute. Come to a show, they rock.
11pm – The Waking Eyes Winners of Best Group at CMW’s The Indies in 2005, they are still rocking hard and have been confirmed for Edgefest this June.
Midnight – Matt Mays & El Torpedo They returned with Terminal Romance, which was recorded in England with producer Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy).
LULA LOUNGELimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8:30pm – Beautiful Nubia A blend of traditional Yoruba rhythms with original lyrics. “Nigeria’s King of Melody” — National Mirror-Nigeria
MOD CLUBLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
All Ages.
8pm –
9pm – Will Currie And The Country French See March 11, Mod Club, 9pm.
10pm – Sloan See March 11, Mod Club.
NEUTRAL LOUNGE9pm – The Beautiful Taste Convulsive art-rock, tiny electronic aggressive details and experimental poetry giving happiness.
10pm – Little Foot Long Foot “Like you’re trudging through a dusty southern town with a guitar strapped to your back and a revolver sitting on your hip.” — The National Post
11pm – Venus Flytrap A “wall of sound” reminisecent of Motorpsycho, Sonic Youth and dEUS.
Midnight – Herod Layne Brazilian post-rock. Influences include Pink Floyd, Mogwai, Sonic Youth.
1am – The Printing Press Vaguely folky, vaguely rockish and vaguely poppy, and influenced by Queen and The Beatles.
OPERA HOUSETravis Porter and CMF Present
Limited wristbands/passes accepted. All Ages.
6:50pm – Straight Reads The Line A hardcore must-see for any new-metal maniac. There is something crazy in the water in Stoney Creek. Gotta get some.
7:40pm – Impending Doom These grindcore devotees’ instrumental prowess is apparent, and the vocals come alive with retribution.
8:30pm – As Blood Runs Black This menacing, full-throttle, guttural metal band is not for the faint of heart or delicate of ears.
9:30pm – The Acacia Strain are a metalcore/deathcore band based in Massachusetts and are signed to Prosthetic Records.
10:30 – Bleeding Through Blending classic death metal, symphonic black metal and the angry energy and DIY spirit of hardcore.
POOR ALEX9pm – Eccodek 2009 Juno nominees and 2007 Favourite World Artist (CMAs), Eccodek bring a dubwise blend to their global electronica.
10pm – Marco Calliari may be Quebecois, but he has never strayed from his Italian roots. Incorporates reggae, ska and Italian tarantella.
11pm – The McDades 2007 Juno Award winners punching through the walls of tradition, The McDades make Celtic-rooted music.
Midnight – Dr. Draw His musical style brings together classical violin, jazz-rock fusion, folk and pop into a riveting masala.
RANCHO RELAXO9pm – We See Lights See March 11, Horseshoe Tavern, 11:45pm.
10pm – 6 Day Riot The group’s repertoire is divided between boisterous sing/stomp/dance-alongs and more pensive numbers.
11pm – Megan Hamilton & The Volunteer Canola Eclectic, arty folk-rock with interesting modern and traditional sounds.
Midnight – The Details ”As Coldplay is to England, The Details are to Canada.” — E Vibe
1am – The Caraways A collaboration between Laura, a songwriter and singer, and John, ex-Weakerthans bassist. Has moments of alt-rock, folk-rock, pop-punk, and alt-country.
REVERBRoadrunner Records
10pm – Bleeker Ridge This band create heavy songs while still being able to lay back with a more melodic feel. Their debut album was produced by Darius Szczepiniak.
10:45pm – Dommin This quartet invite everyone to join them in the dark introspection that goes hand in hand with heartbreak. 11:30pm – Port Amoral A melodic metal band best described as a unique blend of Iron Maiden and Rise Against, with infectious melodies and blistering guitar work.
REVIVAL8pm – 12 “One of the great undiscovered talents of the Caribbean.” — Joan Armatrading.
9pm – Sean Jones Sensuous melodies, heartwrenching lyrics with a voice and face so sweet they can make the angels weep.
10pm – Blue King Brown This nine-piece urban-roots-music band create cross-generational grooves and a socially conscious sound.
11pm – The Dirty Heads Amazing hip-hop, reggae, acoustic vibe. These guys from California are seasoned in the art of touring.
Midnight – Mishka His new album, Above The Bones, combines socially conscious lyrics, seductive vocals and hypnotic reggae.
REX HOTELLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
6:30pm – Kevin Quain A musician, playwright and barfly. Best known as leader of the “garage jazz cabaret noir” ensemble The Mad Bastards.
9:30pm –Julie Mahendran Combining pop, jazz and funk in fresh new ways, her latest album, Lovelight, showcases her powerful sound.
RIVOLICoalition Entertainment
8pm – Incura This quintet go from metal to opera; from pure notes floating like a messenger from an art-rock acid dream, to roaring noise.
9pm – Afternoon Zero A melodic rock band fronted by Chris Molella, combining straight-up rock with uplifting, catchy pop choruses.
10pm – Cure Gravity With hypnotic riffs and vocals, this band are elevating the smoke-stack suburbs with an unorthodox new rock style.
11pm – Hail The Villain produce a toxic and infectious sound. It’s every adrenaline junkie’s fantasy and every conservative parent’s worst nightmare.
Midnight – Special Guest
1am – Inward Eye See March 11, Tattoo Rock Parlour, 11:30pm.
ROK BOUTIQUE9pm – Acres Of Lions See Horseshoe Tavern, March 11, 11pm.
10pm – Dekadens blend sounds and feelings together, taking a bite out of punk and indie and mixing in electro just for the hell of it.
11pm – The Cunninghams Their sound gets fans in a tizzy, with gyrating women and hopping men belting out lyrics alongside them.
Midnight – A Kid Hereafter The stylistic variety of Queen basted in frantic tempos and melodies of NoFX and the wit of They Might Be Giants.
1am – Black Drawing Chalks is the kind of music that you make when you are 20 years old, when everything is just fine, when you just need money for beer and want to try to pick up as many girls as possible.
ROYAL YORK HOTEL (LIBRARY BAR)8pm – Michelle Madeira A Top 32 Canadian Idol contestant, Madeira has graced stages with Regis Philbin and Suzy McNeil.
8:45pm – Amelie Lefebvre This bold francophone performer bridges sounds between sassy cabaret and fresh acoustic melodies.
9:30pm – Sara Haze At CMW 2008, this singer-songwriter/pianist performed with Grammy winner Glen Ballard.
10:15pm – Kelly Cha Cha hosts a TV show, produces a radio show on China Radio International and writes and records music.
11pm – Ingrid Olava “Hands down, this was one of my top three favorite performances I saw at CMJ. There’s something so soothing about Olava’s music.” — CMJ
11:45pm – Lesley Pike The production and musicianship on her album Blink provide the perfect setting for her lyric-driven pop songs.
12:30am – Anna Neale A singer-songwriter playing ‘sex folk’ (as it was dubbed by the Canadian press) with gutsy vocals.
1:15am – Rob Szabo A tireless touring troubadour and acclaimed songwriter. Compared to “prime Costello.” — EYE WEEKLY
SILVER DOLLARNeXT at CMW
8pm – The Warped 45s This roots-rock outfit blend melancholy and joy, anger and honesty in songs that have already won them dedicated fans.
9pm – Ketch Harbour Wolves At the intersection of The National, The Arcade Fire and Leonard Cohen, KHW range from episodes of hook-driven emotional energy to moments of cathartic stillness.
10pm – Jetset Motel “Classic alt-country and rock ’n’ roll, recommended for fans of Wilco, Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo.” — Left Hip.
11pm – The Easy Targets A very young, show-stealingToronto buzz band. Radio in the UK and Germany are already climbing on board.
Midnight – Invasions A journalist: “Invasions are definitely authentic.... Their raunchy vocal rasp coupled with their guitar rock assault whipped the already enthusiastic crowd into a frenzy.”
1am – Zuku would want to be known for their heavier songs, the lighter-by-comparison “The Wave Washes Away” is a smash hit.
2AM - Mother Murder Incorporating each member’s individual tastes, Mother Murder is an aphorism for garage rock played with soul.
SNEAKY DEE’S9pm – THE REST
10pm – SUNRISER
11pm – CANCEL WINTER
Midnight – FINAL FLASh
1Am – STILL LIFE STILL
SOUND ACADEMYAll Ages.
8pm – My Darkest Days have shared a stage with Three Days Grace, Theory of a Deadman, Papa Roach, Default, State of Shock and many more.
8:50pm – Mobile Their latest album, Tales from the City, is characterized by its urgency — a sense of songs let off a chain, unburdened of the pressure of expectation,
9:50pm – Default This melodic rock band have sold more than a million records and are known for their hits “Wasting My Time” and “Deny.”
11:05pm – Hinder This Oklahoma City fivesome are dedicated to bringing back the days when sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll weren’t dirty words.
SUPERMARKET100.5 The Peak FM, Music BC & The Georgia Straight Present
9pm – Mani Khaira His music bridges the gap between modern introspective pop and dancefloor–filling rave-up.
10pm – We Are The City Piano arrangements flow into guttural guitars and the grand heartbeat of the drums, as the vocals slink into gruff howls.
11pm – Mother Mother have an original approach to pop/rock music, a beautifully bent portrait of vocal harmony and clever, offbeat lyricism.
Midnight – Dan Mangan “This folk singer sings with the soul of Woody Guthrie — if Woody Guthrie had listened to Godspeed You! Black Emperor.” — NME
1am – The Painted Birds With captivating melodies, they tackle issues such as hatred, fear, the dead and perversion.
TATTOO ROCK PARLOURThe Agency Group Presents
8pm – Bleeker Ridge See March 12, Reverb, 10pm.
9pm – Jet Lag Gemini Their knack for blending more abrasive bands’ energy with pop hooks and hair-raising guitar solos has won them many fans.
10pm – Fully Loaded The band’s brand of edgy, melodic, straight-ahead rock has made them one of Vancouver’s most popular independent bands.
11pm – Soul Side In This band from Red Deer, AB recorded their album with award-winning producers/engineers Garth Richardson and Ben Kaplan.
Midnight – State Of Shock These hunky West Coast rockers have a massive, great hit with “Money, Honey.” Their live show will blow you away.
TRANE STUDIOLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8pm – NEeMA is a traveller of the world and has an undeniable talent to communicate her journey through her very truthful yet uplifting songs.
9pm – Ramon Cespedes is an eclectic, bilingual singer-songwriter. His influences range from Thelonious Monk to Richie Havens.
10pm – holyblueghost Like RL Burnside channeled through Albert Ayler, holyblueghost rise from the ashes of a music that once delivered death, lust, danger and transformation and now wants only to be loved.
11pm – rinsethealgorythm This jazz ensemble takes a modern approach to the idea that jazz was the original dance music.
Midnight – Susana Sandoval
VELVET UNDERGROUND8pm – Konqistador deliver a blend of the avant garde, eastern European industrialism, Baltic and Black Sea folklore and Middle Eastern history.
9pm – Purrr Sonically abrasive, infectious rock, trance-trip-metal mash defines the playing field on which this band launches its “Riot Grrr” assault.
10pm – Flowers of Hell are a transatlantic rock orchestra made up of 16 or so experimental, independent musicians. They create wordless pieces that explore the meeting points of classical and blues-based music.
WRONGBARTremendous Records/Last Gang Records/Ideal Friends – CMW Party!
With The EH! Team (DJing between sets)
9pm – Plushgun While writing a song on his acoustic guitar, Daniel Ingala thought: “What if I added synths to this?” The project soon spread from one fan to another and Plushgun was born.
9:45pm – The Framework Voted one of the top five bands at NXNE 2008. Placed 3rd in the Virgin Festival Road to V contest.
10:30pm – APlotAgainstMe blend ambient rock and punk with guitars that invade your senses and vocals always invoking a singalong.
11:15pm – Keys N Krates DJs Jr. Flo, Matisse and Adam Tune formed KNK to collectively reinterpret and breathe new life into music.
Midnight – The Wong Boys Wong Boys. Bad boys, beautiful boys, nasty boys, cool boys, loverboys. Bad boys from Denmark. Check it out.
12:45am – Team Canada DJs have quickly established themselves as Canada’s top club remixers and party DJs. Party Hard!
Friday, March 13BOVINE SEX CLUB9pm – Shelter with Thieves A powerful, intriguing slab of modern-day rock music. Turn-on-a-dime arrangements with an astute ability to deliver the full fury of an electric alt-rock outfit.
10pm – Crash Kelly is the soulchild of Sean Kelly, a session musician who has toured and recorded with the biggest names in Canadian music.
11pm – Voodoo Bunny Infamous T.O. guitarist Steve Scarlet (Drunkula, The Sinisters) leads this Blondie meets Hellacopters–esque four-piece.
Midnight – GrimSkunk Formed in 1988, they combine punk, rock, progressive and world music. Their style is self-described as “world punk.”
1am – Black Drawing Chalks See March 12, Rok Boutique, 1am.
2am – Dead and Divine Jumping away from cliché metal bands, Dead and Divine have created another lyrical masterpiece with The Fanciful.
BLACK BETTY8pm – KO KOPCHES
9pm – VINCE VACCARO
10pm – GEORGE LEACH
11pm – YOUR FAVORITE ENEMIES
BREAD AND CIRCUS8:30pm – Zachary Stevenson Zach has recently performed in Vancouver’s hit production of Urinetown and in Toronto’s revival of Hair.
9:30pm – Elise Legrow Lead singer of Toronto-based pop/rock band Whale Tooth, Elise LeGrow’s solo work reflects her love of classic jazz singers.
10:45pm – Soulstir Ian Dudgeon’s songwriting is intellectual yet tangible — using songwriting to provoke thought, change and challenge.
11:15pm – Amanda LeBlanc A winsome performer with a unique sound, she unites the control of a classical singer with a mellow, sweet tone.
11:40pm – This is Picture
12:15am – CORDUROY This band have shifted from an acoustic feel to a darker wall of sound awash with distorted guitars and jazz-inspired drums.
CADILLAC LOUNGE9pm – Chiwawa are a pop-rock-electronic-experimental duo where Garbage meet Morcheeba and The Kills, then party with PJ Harvey.
10pm – Casual Projects With a reputation in Australia for their high-energy show, Casual Projects combine the best of soul, hip-hop and rock.
11pm – Two Foot Falls Something I Said is the band’s first album. Since its release they have been featured in Alan Cross’ EXPLOREMUSIC.CA indie podcast.
Midnight – Redeye Empire The band rocked out on some dates with Fishbone recently. Redeye Empire sum up their genre as reggae-rock-surf.
1am – Organic Funk They combine the energy of rock and the rhythms of classic funk and reggae.
CAMERON HOUSE10pm – Daniel McKenzie From his piano and voice comes a soulful blend of classic pop music and acoustic rock — a raw, captivating sound.
11pm – Hannah Georgas Hannah opens up her heart and soul with her music and seizes those pure moments you only wish you could describe. Midnight – Heathers See The Hideout, March 12, 10pm.
1am – After Runnymede Their live performance can range from solo/acoustic, to a full-blown multimedia production.
CENTRAL9pm – Mañana “Mañana’s music triggers things in your head and deep inside, in your heart… it sends you on a far-away trip, yet never leaves you alone.” — Markus Kavka, MTV Germany
10pm – Angil & Hiddentracks Few other French artists are able to caper about various musical possibilities, from hip-hop to Charlie Haden, from indie-pop to new folk, and remain natural and credible.” — Jean Daniel Beauvallet
11pm – Cancel Winter distill heartbreak into electric guitars, drums and electronic blips punctuated by vocals that tell us love is bad.
Midnight – Seven Influenced by Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division, Norway’s Seven mix female vocals with new-wave, post-punk rock.
1am – The Liptonians Piano-driven, horn-laden pop tunes. Guitars feeding back through rock ’n’ roll grooves. Folk songs, wrapped up in noise.
C’EST WHAT9pm – Emma-Lee See March 12, Glenn Gould Studio.
10pm – Tin Star Orphans “By set’s end their bittersweet melodies and soaring choruses had the patrons tipping their hats in appreciation!” — The Varsity
11pm – Fred See March 12, The Hideout, Midnight.
CIRCA (BALLROOM)Urbanology Magazine presents
8pm – Promise Talib Kweli has called Promise’s work “fly… mad heartfelt and inspirational.” He fuses raw lyrical intensity with R&B, soul and old-school sounds together over a hip-hop vibe.
8:50pm – 4DZ Societiez Known for their amazing stage presence, 4DZ blows the crowds away, gets them on their feet and makes them think!
9:40pm – Kizzy frames bold lyrics with a fiery flow. A gusty persona and consistent rhymes give this female MC the credibility to excel in the rap game.
10:30pm – E.O.S. E.O.S.’s diverse taste in music allows them to create their own sound, a fusion of hip-hop, pop, rock and R&B.
Red Bull Thre3 StyleLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
12:30am – Mat the Alien, Skratch Bastid, Team Canada DJs (eight turntable set)
CIRCA (MAIN ROOM)Red Bull Thre3 Style
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
Red Bull Thre3 Style Contest
9pm – Eh Team! DJs
10pm – Red Bull Thre3 Style Contest
12:30am – Neil Armstrong After being tapped by Jay-Z in 2008 to be his official World Tour DJ, Neil was catapulted into the highest-regarded hip-hop tour on the planet. And he held it down.
1am – A-Trak In 2004 Kanye West hired A-Trak as his official tour DJ. He’s also produced tracks for Kid Sister and did a string of remixes.
2am – Jokers of the Scene
CLINTON’S TAVERN(weewerk) showcase
9pm – Lucky Fonz III is deeply rooted in American song traditions. His songs have earned him a following among indie and roots fans.
10pm – H-Burns “If you want to drink a bottle of red wine, smoke some French cigarettes and stare at a sunset whilst wrestling with a bout of melancholia, this is the perfect soundtrack.” — www.americana.co.uk
11pm – Barzin Notes to an Absent Lover balances the introspection of Barzin’s earlier work with uptempo orchestral arrangements. The lyrics detail universal themes of sorrow, regret and anger.
Midnight – Proof of Ghosts “An eclectic mix that that moves from folk to alt.country to full-on guitar assault.... “ — Scott Bryson, ChartAttack
1am – Canteen Knockout Their alt-country is beautifully crafted yet high-energy, inspired by long journeys along the road less travelled.
DRAKE LOUNGE10pm – DJ Dougie Boom He started DJing at 18, and has played on the same bill with such talents as Arthur Baker, Crystal Castles and Mark Ronson.
DRAKE UNDERGROUND2am – DJ Sega I just want people to hear my music and feel whatever bad situation they’re in either doesn’t exist or won’t be a problem for long.
EL MOCAMBOSL Feldman & Associates showcase
8pm – Sierra Noble This young and mesmerizing singer/songwriter and fiddle virtuoso’s breadth of material and accomplishment is stunning.
9pm – Will Currie & The Country French See March 11, Mod Club, 9pm.
10pm – The Spleen
11pm – Shiloh With the smash hit “A Girl Like Me” playing all over the world, feisty 15-year-old pop/punker Shiloh brings her powerful show to CMW.
Midnight – Colin Munroe The singer-songwriter and producer signed with Dallas Austin’s Rowdy Records. His Unsung Hero mixtape is out now.
1am – The Johnstones These ska-punk gangstas have been tearing up stages and making guys wonder where their girlfriends are.
GIBSON SHOWROOMLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
7:30pm – The Latency BC cuties fusing edge with mainstream melodies. They will make you notice their blistering riffs and soaring melodies.
GLADSTONE BALLROOMThe EYE WEEKLY 3-Way Throwdown
9pm – Hooded Fang They jangle the blues away with a heart-on-sleeve approach to summer pop tunes, from piano foot-stompers to synth-pop.
10pm – Teen Anger A sound that’s equal parts bluesy swagger and punishingly distorted punk.
11pm – Japandroids One guitar, one set of drums, and two vocalizers. Japandroids are a two-piece band trying to sound like a five-piece band.
Midnight – Josh Reichmann Oracle Band A five piece band incorporating heavy saxophone, Stevie Wonder-meets-The Stooges keyboards, soul-style drumming and thick roots bass.
1am – The Best/Loving In the Name Of
GLOBAL VILLAGE BACKPACKERS9pm – Vijay Kishore A beguiling mix of knife-edge Jeff Buckley, mournful Radiohead and the bluesy adlib of Nina Simone.
11pm – Darya Her songs are a blend of alternative and classic rock with a traditional backdrop of Middle Eastern–inspired vocals and stories.
Midnight – Sparky Quano It’s a solo band! All sounds are made by one guitar. Very unique and original.
1am – Blue Spoon That acoustic, rocky, pubs-pints-mates-and-4am-singalong kind of music. It’s the kind of music that makes you feel like home.
GRAFFITI’S9:30pm – Live How You Live Carm Milioto’s new project, Live How You Live, is a journey and a state of mind. The music is a fresh, clean sound with overtones of funk and blues — it is reminiscent of comfort and is emotionally charged and delivered.
10:30pm – Jeff Pinto Sounding at times like Bowie, Neutral Milk Hotel, Beach Boys, Velvet Underground and T-Rex, he fuses his disparate influences into a modern sound.
11:30 – Ian Philp
12:30 – Too Many Sisters Stephen Stanley (Lowest of the Low) and vocalist/violinist Carla MacNeil create an East Village alterna-folk sound.
THE GREAT HALLCanadian Music Week and Yarlowe Group Artist Management present a Global Music Showcase in support of Amnesty International
7:45pm – Brenda MacIntrye “Her powerful and heartfelt voice, choosing songs that fit the moment. So natural and inviting! “ — Jill Hewlett
8:20pm – Dylan Murray Along with rock and folk influences, Dylan Murray has been particularly touched by reggae music.
9:05pm – ROAM are a collaborative acoustic duo that have emerged from a 10-year musical relationship between Lisa Patterson and Alex McMaster. They revel in the space for vocal and instrument resonance and dialogue, creating a raw and intimate sound.
9:50pm – Cassius Khan He is the only professional Indian classical artist in the world who can play tabla and sing ghazals simultaneously.
10:45pm – Beyond The Pale This acoustic roots fusion ensemble‘s genre-defying sound is inspired by influences from Balkan, klezmer, gypsy and Romanian music to bluegrass, jazz, reggae and funk.
11:45pm – Blurred Vision Take a journey through the unique and exotic world-rock sounds of this potentially groundbreaking group.
HARD ROCK LIVE9pm – Becky Abbott Abbott’s three-octave range and god-given talent for all-out rock ’n’ roll are what sets her apart.
10pm – Simon Collins Son of Phil Collins, this Vancouver musician/songwriter/producer has found his voice with his release U-CATASTROPHE.
11pm – The Honeys A four-piece rock band from Shanghai, with songs ranging from heavy riffs to ballads, and singer Yu Tian’s irresistible charisma.
Midnight – MENEW Their sound combines influences that range from contemporary greats to classic British rock. The band recently appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman.
1am – Wank Punter Grinding out solid rock music, the band’s explosive shows involve sexy ladies, hilarious visual props and outrageous costumes.
THE HIDEOUTNetwork Europe Presents
10pm – Heike has the Giggles A band from Ravenna, Italy. In 2008 Heike Has The Giggles entered and won several local contests as well as the Italia Wave Love Festival Competition.
11pm – Team William
Midnight – Spirits Two accomplished frontmen and multi-instrumentalists — a self-contained duo comfortably channelling The Clash, The Cure, U2 and Hall and Oates.
1am – Final Flash This emerging quintet are rapidly making waves with their unique brand of psychedelic folk-rock. The band are recording their debut CD, with Jace Lasek (Besnard Lakes) producing.
2am – Minority
HOLY JOE’S9pm – The Strange They have toured the U.K twice, playing the Cavern Club in Liverpool and The Edinburgh Festival. The band are currently working on their debut LP.
10pm - CASSIM & BARBARIA This “subtropicalist indie troubadour” feeds on krautrock, noise pop and soul music.
11pm – Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon This multi-instrumentalist/songwriter has been a member of The Guthries and The Heavy Blinkers. Her musicianship has been featured on over 45 albums (Joel Plaskett, The Russian Futurists).
Midnight – Blue Rabbit Haunting melodies and meticulously crafted lyrics are sung in three-part harmony over driving drums, Celtic harp and cello.
1am – Drive Faster “Their music is just like their personality: friendly and upbeat.” — Andréanne Sasseville, SIRIUS Satellite Radio.
HORSESHOE TAVERNAnnual CHARTATTACK H-SHOE Showcase
8:30pm – Dinosaur Bones “Combining anglo romanticism with a distinctly North American (okay, New York) urbanity. Darkly sophisticated stuff.” — Chromewaves
9:20pm – Daniel Wesley His sound is reminiscent of roots, reggae and rock, and his single “Ooo Ohh,” was Vancouver’s most requested song in ’07.
10:10pm – The Bicycles These sugar-charged popsters’ new album is called Oh No It’s Love. They make your head spin and your hearts quicken.
11:10pm – Human Highway With a sound reminiscent of ’50s/’60s soul and doo-wop, Jim Guthrie and Nick Thorburn have written an instant classic.
12:10am – Handsome Furs They juxtapose cold, metronomic, electronic beats with jagged, dissonant and frail, broken or breaking guitars.
1:10am – Hot Panda Britpop, gypsy swing, opera solos, lo-fi jangle, glammy keyboards and “melodies that will be impossible to dislodge from your temporal cortex.” — ChartAttack
2:10am – The Schomberg Fair They fuse the soul and spirit of the deep blues with the frenetic energy of the birth of punk.
3:10am – Black Hat Brigade Their music ranges from drunken art-rock sea shanties to moments of quiet contemplation to percussive assaults.
KATHEDRALHarvard Broadcasting and X92.9 presents
9pm – Team Building Thoughtful ambient rock under several coatings of guitar, vibraphone, keys and frontman Bradley Amundson’s hushed vocals.
10pm - Madcowboys They create hit-you-in-the-face, insightful socio-political punk, heavy on the grit and fatty on the fast and loud.
11pm – Ten Second Epic Their single “Life Times” was added into heavy rotation at MuchMusic and has been widely embraced by radio nationwide.
Midnight – The Fast Romantics They’ve had two top 10 radio singles in Calgary and have played with Stone Temple Pilots, Flaming Lips and more.
KOOL HAUSLimited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
9pm – We Are Wolves See March 12, El Mocambo, 11pm.
10pm – Bloc Party Inspired by Joy Division, Gang of Four and The Cure, these top-charting art-punkers Bloc Party mix angular sonics with pop.
LEE’S PALACE9pm – The Latebirds They’ve played with Wilco and Patti Smith, and can switch from rock to country and from power-pop to punk.
10pm – Laganza They are a high-energy rock, reggae and blues band. Laganza’s 2008 release, It’s Only Life, has found an enthusiastic audience.
11pm – White Cowbell Oklahoma “Everybody’s favourite chainsaw-toting, T-shirt soaking, rock ‘n’ roll explosion.” — Uptown
Midnight – Supersuckers The Supersuckers will kick your ass live. Self-proclaimed as the Greatest Rock Band in the World.
LULA LOUNGELimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8pm –The Café Ole They join the exotic and passionate music of Spanish flamenco with the artistry of North American jazz.
10pm – Cimarron Cuban vocalist/guitarist/bandleader Luis Mario Ochoa formed Cimarrónm a group of Canadian and Latin jazz players in Toronto.
MOD CLUBSIRIUS Songwriters Café
7pm – Arkells Traditional blues hooks mixed with rock-heavy riffs, with a hint of soul on the side. From the strum of the first chord, the music ignites into a fury of addictive and muscular cadence.
7:35pm – Serena Ryder Pure raw amazing talent and a three-octave range have earned her great success and genuine accolades early in her roots, folk, adult-contemporary music career.
8:10pm – Sass Jordan See Royal York Hotel (Canadian Room), March 13, 12:30pm.
8:45pm – Tom Cochrane Juno winner Cochrane is best-known for his hit songs “Life Is a Highway,” “Boy Inside The Man” and “Big League.”
9:20pm – Burton Cummings The former lead singer for The Guess Who recently released his first solo album of new material in 18 years, Above The Ground.
NEUTRAL LOUNGE8pm – Amelie Lefebvre See Royal York Hotel (Library Bar), March 12, 8:45pm.
9pm – Sunshine State Musical therapy for vocalist Aleza and guitarist/producer James Bryan. Influenced range from bossa nova to New Order.
OPERA HOUSEWarped Tour Kick-Off Party
Limited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
7:45pm – I Am Committing A Sin The band possess equal parts propulsive spontaneity and aggressive energy and yet offer endless charm in melody and rhythmic quality.
8:15pm – Circuit for the Blackout Hailing from Hamilton, they join bands on the scene such as Alexisonfire, Silverstein and Billy Talent.
8:55pm – Kingdoms A rare technicality combined with crushing heaviness and hooks that will be stuck in your head for days.
9:45pm – Dead and Divine Jumping away from cliché metal bands in their scene, they have created another lyrical masterpiece with The Fanciful.
10:40pm – Silverstein They sold over 300,000 CDs from word-of-mouth and non-stop tours that saw them crisscrossing the globe.
PHOENIX CONCERT THEATREATG Presents
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
10pm – Jon Lajoie “An Internet sensation and hero to college boys (and, yes, girls).... with such anthems as ‘High As F*ck,’ and the almost-tame “Everyday Normal Guy.’” — Karen Bliss, aol.ca.
POOR ALEXLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8:30pm – Cathy-Anne McClintock Her inspirational songs, acoustic instrumentation and stylized vocal delivery create a fresh sound, while reflecting her past folk/bluegrass influences.
9:20pm – The Abrams Brothers They are a teenage bluegrass/country band from Kingston. 10:10pm – Jaydee Bixby See March 13, Royal York Hotel (Canadian Room).
11pm – Jo Hikk Performing shows from Canada to Kandahar, Jo Hikk are known for their great vocal sound, energy and playful antics.
Midnight – Shane Yellowbird A rising country star with top 10 radio hits, a top-selling record and major awards and nominations to his credit.
1am – Bryce Pallister This classically trained singer has been performing country music for many years. He’s set to release his debut solo album, Ready to Go, in early 2009.
RANCHO RELAXO9pm – Mothers Fathers With a sound often described as U2 meets The Beatles, Mothers Fathers’ music evokes images and emotions that feel distinctly unique yet strangely familiar.
10pm – Sprengjuhöllin With their catchy songs, energetic vocals and outstanding yet conventional lyrics, Sprengjuhöllin are one of the most popular and distinctive bands in Iceland.
11pm – Black Diamond Bay Former Dears members Patrick Krief and George Donoso III have a sound often compared to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and, of course, The Dears.
Midnight – Black Hat Brigade See March 13, Horseshoe Tavern, 3:10am.
1am – Amos The Transparent “Tracks that resonate with pop crystals, soothing tinkles and melancholy vocals.” — Exclaim.ca
REVERBBunk Rock
8:30pm – Dog Bus
9:15pm – The New Cities With a new EP recorded with Montreal producer Steve Nadeau (Vénus 3), they have become a familiar name in Toronto.
10:15pm – One Second 2 Late As daunting as the title of their debut CD, World Time Bomb, may sound, one glimpse of the cartoon bomb on the cover and you’ll realize the dichotomy.
11:15pm – Ashes If you can picture a sexy female lead singer fronting Zeppelin and the Crue, with a hint of blues and a whole lotta volume...
12:15am – Parklane A five-piece melodic alternative rock band from South Africa. The band have enjoyed success with two number one hits on the national radio station 5FM.
REVIVALREMG and CMF Present
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
9pm – Laurell With the release of her EP, fears aside, Vancouver’s sweetest singer/songwriter has a unique blend of acoustic, pop and jazz.
10pm – Sara Haze See March 12, Royal York Hotel (Library Bar), 9:30pm.
11pm – Jamesking mix part soul, part pop, a generous splash of R&B, with just a dash of funk. Midnight – Ivana Santilli Santilli’s latest album features soul, boogie, pop, and ballads, and is reminiscent of the classic dance albums of the ’80s — when pop music was not merely a genre.
REX HOTELLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
4pm – Hogtown Syncopators A five-piece band who play traditional jazz, swing and jump. With two guitars, violin, stand-up bass and a drum, they play lively jazz from a time when jazz was fun.
6:30pm – Victor Bateman This bassist, vocalist and composer has a long list of credits include recording and performing with a number of jazz, folk and blues acts, such as Ashley MacIsaac, Big Sugar, Sylvia Tyson and The Good Brothers.
9:45pm – D.M.B.Q. Touted as one of Canada’s most gifted jazz pianists and composers, David Braid is a Juno Award winner, National Jazz Award recipient and has performed in festivals around the world.
RIVOLITMKO Lawyers
8pm – Billy The Kid When Raine Maida contacted her in 2007, she couldn’t have predicted that she would soon work with Garth Hudson, Stan Behrens and Randy Cooke in a single year.
9pm – Alysha Brillinger The music of this soulful 20-year-old singer/songwriter takes her blues and reggae influences and creates what she likes to call “Roots, Pop, Reggae.”
10pm – Ladies of the Canyon take you from candy sweet folk-pop one minute to heart-wrenching country the next. Expect haunting harmonies, devilish beats and ivories and cold steel strings.
11pm – Incura See The Rivoli, March 11, 8pm.
Midnight – Chris Caddell With Caddell’s powerful voice and mastery of the guitar, expect a hard-hitting mix of blues, funk, rock and soul.
1am – Soul Side In See Tattoo Rock Parlour, March 12, 11pm.
ROK BOUTIQUE9pm – Molloy Their dirty-minded angular electro-pop-rock brings together Peaches, AC/DC, Television and Duran Duran’s hair.
10pm – ok city ok This Japanese/American hybrid trio deal in repeated three-minute blasts of blurred indie-rock perfection.
Midnight – Prodigal Suns Combining bittersweet groove-rock with in-your-face guitar riffs creating passionate songs that pump adrenaline.
1am – Townline A four-piece Americana phenomenon that celebrate the true tradition of rock ’n’ roll in both their music and attitude.
ROYAL YORK HOTEL (CANADIAN ROOM)12:30pm – The 12th Annual Canadian Radio Music Awards
Presented by the Canadian
Association of Broadcasters
Hosted by Sass Jordan
Canadian Idol judge and rocker Sass Jordan will make us a believer. Performing old gems and new songs from Get What You Give.
Featuring performances by:
Lights “I make music with a computer and a couple sweet synths,” Lights writes in her bio. Last year, she scored four songs in Old Navy ads.
Age Of Daze Repertoire ranging from passionate ballads to hard-driving guitar numbers. Each song stands on its own as a potential single.
Jaydee Bixby This country singer was the runner-up on Canadian Idol season five. He is a charismatic wunderkind whose voice belies his boyish looks.
Crystal Shawanda CMT documented her rise to fame in the series Crystal: Living the Dream. “I’m a citizen of both the US and Canada, though I was born in Ontario and grew up on a reservation called Wikwemikong on Manitoulin Island,” she says.
Justin Hines Hines copes with the rare genetic joint condition Larsen Syndrome that keeps him wheelchair bound, but that has nothing to do with his musical prowess, as a singer and songwriter.
Kreesha Turner Her debut album, Passion, is an eclectic blend of soulful, jazzy, pop-infused R&B.
Crash Parallel See Tattoo Rock Parlour, March 12, midnight.
ROYAL YORK HOTEL (LIBRARY BAR)Astral Media Radio and Canadian Music Week present: 16th Annual National Songwriting Competition
Hosted by Andy Kim The successful singer-songwriter has penned such classics as “Sugar, Sugar” and “Rock Me Gently.”
Featuring performances by: Andrew Hunter, Jeffery Straker, John Antoniuk, My Sister Ocean, Seven Days, Stephanie Mainville, Taylor Demetrioff, The Insiders, The Latency, Tigerbomb, Watters Brothers, Zoo Lion.
10:15pm – Amanda Rheaume See Hard Rock Live, March 12, 11pm.
11pm – Ariana Gillis She has a musical message that’s a fusion of everything in between the old and the new, the profound, the sad and the joyful.
11:45pm – Mary Simon While she embraces drum loops, electronics and other experimentation, Simon never strays too far from her acoustic core.
12:30am – Max Morgan Morgan is ready to unleash spirited pop-rock on his debut album, Interrupting the Silence.
1:15am - Hannah Georgas See March 13, Cameron House, 11pm.
SILVER DOLLARPopMontreal/NeXT-at-CMW
8pm – Little Scream Since her recent stage debut, Montreal performer Little Scream has been described as “unsettling”, “otherworldly” and “raw”.
9pm – People You Know Within the first couple of months of forming, this female guitar-pop trio performed at Toronto PRIDE 2008 and at a KickBax battle, where they were awarded first place.
10pm – The Darling DeMaes Intricate arrangements jump from section to section with ease. A complex simplicity permeates their music, piloted by songwriter Erik Virtanen’s unique storytelling.
11pm – The Superstitions Hopped-up girl group, kicked-in-the-shins country, broken-down-amp rock ’n’ roll. The way music should sound — as if the people playing it have a gun to their heads.
Midnight – The Mark Inside They have a relatively purist approach to their craft. They employ a bare minimum of audio trickery and write, play and record a fluid and urgent brand of rock ’n’ roll.
1am – The D’urbervilles Their finished collection of sensitive yet street-tough songs is titled We Are The Hunters. It was released to critical acclaim.
2am – The Ghost Is Dancing This Toronto band have gained the reputation as one of the most exciting live bands around. Glowing reviews in SPIN, Chart, Exclaim!. Favourites at campus radio.
3am – Radius & Helena They weave together musical representations of science fiction. Their songs are concerned with polemical themes of machine vs man, life and death, love and apathy.
SNEAKY DEE’S9pm – The Junction Their self-titled full-length is a masterful rock offering. The sound, vibe and direction is cohesive yet proudly all over the place.
10pm – The Reason A five-piece rock band from Hamilton who are about to release their third full-length studio album this summer.
11pm – Hollerado An acid and piñata party at a country bar.
Midnight – Priestess “Montreal’s Priestess build upon the fury of AC/DC and Black Sabbath for their own new-millennium headbanger blend of ’70s Camaro rock.” — All Music Guide
SOUND ACADEMYLimited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
8:30pm – Rebel Emergency “Before we got into the reggae sound, we were pretty much a rock band like Pearl Jam or Queens of the Stone Age kind of stuff.” — frontman Roddy Soul.
9:25pm – Down With Webster They are seven guys who do a whole lot: horn sections, grand pianos, drum solos, huge electric guitars, dirty bass lines, dope rhymes, killer vocals. Pop hits, rocked-out headbangers, hip-hop anthems, you name it, these kids have it locked!
10:30pm – illScarlett After self-releasing a series of EPs, the band signed with Sony and worked with producer Matthew Wilder (No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom). The results are the fist pumping punk/pop/reggae jams of All Day With It.
SUPERMARKETYYZ Records and Tremendous Records Present: Rollin’ and Scratchin’ Showcase
10pm – We Are Standard This electronic rock band have a brand new album produced by Andy Gill of Gang Of Four (Futureheads, Rumble Strips) and tonnes of concerts under their belt.
11pm – KIDSTREET
Midnight – The Wong Boys See Wrongbar, March 12, midnight.
1am – TMDP Local synth duo TMDP are taking the dance world by storm with their self-titled debut. “They deserve plenty of credit for using classic electro sounds in 2009 and for not trying to bash your skull in with them.” — EYE WEEKLY
+ Rollin’ and Scratchin’ DJs Created for those who love music, dancing and everything fun, minus the seemingly prerequisite pretention.
TATTOO ROCK PARLOURWind-Up Records Presents
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
8:30pm – Blacky Jackett This is the alt-country side project from James Black and Rick Jackett, of multi-platinum rock band Finger Eleven.
9:30pm –The Februarys This very cool alternative pop-rock band just landed five coveted dates opening for Plain White Ts in Canada.
TRANE STUDIOLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8pm – Pedro Menendez Ensemble Pedro Menendez is a brilliant Argentinian composer and virtuous multi-instrumentalist. His music is a blend of Argentine folk, contemporary classical and jazz.
9pm – EOL Trio Imagine if Radiohead jammed with Herbie Hancock? This threesome pepper their jazz compositions with a heady blend of disparate sounds, which work above and below the waist.
10pm - The Spins From mellow pop hooks to feral swirls of distortion and hitchhiking off-kilter synth melodies, their songs chart an intimate unknown.
11pm – OPERATION JAZZ Andy Williams is to the Canadian freestyle scene what Jazzanova are in Berlin. He has joined forces with Moonstarr and works with many DJs and musicians.
TRANZACNew Found Frequency and The
Australian Music Office present Sounds Australia
9pm – An Horse Like revolutionaries, Kate Cooper and Damon Cox took to the streets with their indie-rock songs.
10pm – The Fumes This riveting two-piece were the opening act for the Queens Of The Stone Age tour of Australia 2008.
11pm – Amy Vee My songs have always begun in the same place… one girl, one guitar, one thought process. I want to give others the feeling I get from hearing music at its purest.
Midnight – 8 Ball Aitken Contemporary honk, stomp, Australian swamp tunes; original whoop ‘n’ hollerin’, good-time anthems. Foot-stomping fun!
VELVET UNDERGROUND8pm – Prestorika People who listen to melodic metal, speed metal and thrash will love the music.
8:55pm – Dead Sexy Sheila Hendrix wanted a baby with Johnny Thunders and grew it in a test tube until Iggy Pop could carry it in his womb and the infant’s first words were “Sister Ray.”
9:45pm – Anvil Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner formed this metal band in 1978, debuting in 1981 with Hard ‘N’ Heavy.
WRONGBARFontana North & MapleMusic Recordings
9:45pm – Plushgun See March 12, Wrongbar, 9pm.
10:45pm – GREEN GO A mash-up of synths, drums, bass and guitar. On MySpace, the band have listed their music as electro, disco house and punk.
11:45pm – Grand Analog A raw collective of record collectors, musicians and beat junkies make a beautiful mess of rap ‘n’ roll, dub and soul.
12:45am – Candy Coated Killahz With gritty rhymes and bouncy pop hooks, they skilfully pull together hip-hop, electro-pop and dance anthems. They describe their sound as “a dance-off between 2Unlimited and M.I.A., refereed by a naughty saw-synth.”
1:45am – OPOPO built their performance around driving beats and otherworldly tones. The four members develop each other’s ideas
2:45am –The Hood Internet DJs ABX and STV SLV knock out live mixes of the mash-ups and refixes they cook up for www.thehoodinternet.com, where all tracks can be downloaded gratis.
Saturday, March 14BOVINE SEX CLUBGasoline Magazine / Underground Operations Present
9pm – Unbelievers The summer of 2006 gave birth to this fresh, upbeat, old-school punk band. After a few member changes, the band set out to save music with some good old punk ’n’ roll.
10pm – Sinkin’ Ships Hardcore punk and western swing. Oh yeah, count me in!
11pm – Hell Yeah Fuck Yeah A furious brand of high-voltage, punk-infused rock ’n’ roll. Their members are well-versed in bullshit and disappointment.
Midnight – Farewell to Freeway By calling their music “hard melodic rock with metal influences” and titling their Victory Records debut Definitions, the band have warned those who would try to make them into something they’re not.
1am – The Artist Life A cred-oozing pop-punk band featuring a high-school English teacher, a Nickelodean TV star, four long-time friends and former members of a grocery list of defining bands.
2am – Songs From A Room See March 11, Tattoo Rock Parlour, 10:30pm.
BREAD AND CIRCUS8pm – We See Lights See March 11, Horseshoe Tavern, 11:45pm.
9pm – Sofia Talvik Soft, airy and graceful, Sweden’s sweet Sofia Talvik sings of love and heartbreak, as well as a healthy dose of anecdotal stories from her own life.
10pm – Ingrid Olava See Royal York Hotel (Library Bar), March 12, 11pm.
11pm – The Human Statues
Midnight – Abbey Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker The Star) and Sofia Silva make cool, sweet pop-rock highlighting both their vocals.
1am – 6 Day Riot See Rancho Relaxo, March 12, 10pm.
CADILLAC LOUNGE9pm – Jerry Leger Leger writes songs that interrogate the trials, tribulations, stories and emotions that are part and parcel of everyday life.
10pm – Familiar Looking Strangers Acclaimed rock ’n’ roll alt country band Familiar Looking Strangers are three cheeky Scouse lads and two extravagant Spaniards with one mission: to produce a mind-blowing sound.
11pm – George Westerholm and The Rowdymen Their music is described as “killer country” with passion-fuelled songs of love and loss (and the occasional reverb-drenched instrumental thrown in for good measure).
Midnight – Hey Negrita Described as a twisted cross between Johnny Cash and the Rolling Stones, Hey Negrita blend raw Americana with old-school British rock ‘n’ roll to create a unique brew of transatlantic music.
1am – The Von Drats No one has seen anything quite like the Von Drats. Their live shows are a creepy and intense display of rowdy instrumental surf and high-octane garage rock.
CAMERON HOUSE10pm – Dinah Thorpe Her beats have induced fevers in dance clubs, while her silvery voice and sweet melodies have brought tears to folk clubs. 11pm – duYun Propelled by genre-defying, her approach to music has always aimed to be visceral, to evoke a sense of corporeality distilled from a stripped-down spirituality.
Midnight – Lonely China Day See Rancho Relaxo, March 11, 9:40pm.
1am – Vowls Inspired by krautrock bands from the ’60s and ’70s, they create music that is as much for the limbs as it is for the synapses.
CENTRAL9pm – Julie Fader Fader has lent her voice as a back-up performer to Great Lake Swimmers, Sarah Harmer and Chad VanGaalen. Her own songs speak of love, love lost, honest thought and imagination.
10pm – Laura Borealis Described as “Like Neil Young and Linda Rondstadt singing at the same time,” Borealis is a veteran of the Canadian underground’s underground.
11pm – Said The Shark One Canadian and four Danes who sing, stomp, shout, bang metal rings, break drum kits and play orchestral bells along with guitars, bass and drums.
Midnight – Oceanship Already featured on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic and Alan Cross’s Exploremusic.ca, this male/female duo create piano-driven thought-rock filled with epic highs and lows, steeped in nostalgia and sophistication.
1am – Skibunny From John Peel faves to globetrotting DJs turned prolific remixers, Mark and Tanya have come full circle to present their live band. Dark electronic pop with uplifting heart.
CIRCA (BALLROOM)7pm – MAGNOLIUS The chemistry between the two MCs throughout their album, Ode To Hyde, is unparalleled. Shan and Derek’s nimble wordplay is juxtaposed against the eclectic concoctions of the main producer, Mike Denheyer.
8pm – Binary Audio Misfits The fruit of a meeting on MySpace between the French rock group Expérience (Toulouse) and the Texan hip-hop crew The Word Association (San Marcos).
9pm – Team Rezofficial A family of three MCs and two producers brought together by their love of real hip-hop. Team Rezofficial is back with a new record The World and Everything In It.
10pm – wordPEOPLE With flows so sick like broken sinks in infirmaries, MC apeX flexes verbally while the band jams perfectly; singer Missy Cam marries melody, mood and soul so fervently that lazy folks dance with a real sense of urgency.
CIRCA (SKYY CINEMA ROOM)Arthur Baker is a legendary writer/producer/remixer/engineer/programmer. From “Planet Rock” to U2, his contributions are too lengthy to list.
Jackie McCloy The remaining first-generation DJs are few and far between, but Jackie is one of them! He’s packed dance floors since 1971, and four decades later, still promotes the newest dance tracks as director of the New York Music Pool.
Mike Rizzo You can hear Mike on XM Radio/BPM 81, Music Choice, Pulse 87.7FM in New York, WBZCFM in New Jersey and on AOL Radio. His remixes are on PromoOnly, X-Mix and ERG-Dance.
CLINTON’S TAVERN9pm – Mercedes Rose is where pop/punk, reggae, funk and heavy meal unwillingly mash together and come out as nothing but awesome.
10pm – Simplifires “They have the potency and vertigo to make a party of any stadium.” — Rolling Stone
11pm – Secret Suburbia Fusing electronica with pop sensibilities and the punch of rock ’n’ roll has gotten Secret Suburbia stirring up interest world-wide for their unique, hypnotic brand of music.
Midnight – Gentleman Husbands
1am – Futures Past They draw from all sides of the musical spectrum, resulting in a sound that is heavy and aggressive with a strong pop sensibility.
DRAKE UNDERGROUNDPop Montreal Presents
9pm – Geraldine and the China Twain An indescribable deconstruction of pop clichés.
10pm – Parlovr The band started with the intention of blowing amps and streamlining pop melodies, bringing back the power-trio of the ’90s with an off-the-wall twist.
11pm – Dog Day Two girls and two boys that inspire so much energy by their songs that when they are finished playing, our ears are on fire.
Midnight – Automelodi Blurring the boundaries between electronics and live instruments, they are producer Xavier Paradis’ main project.
1am – CFCF Well known for his deft remixes and weekly internet show on Viva Radio, Montreal producer and DJ CFCF creates layers of sound using fuzzy lo-fi keys and Kraftwerkian efficiency.
More Proof Presents
2:30am – Your Boy Brian Part of the More Proof collective, this DJ is known for seamlessly mixing genres and always getting crowds moving.
EL MOCAMBOSoundproof Magazine presents
9pm – The Miles Drawing from the sounds of surf-rock, new-wave and rockabilly, but charged with the hard attitude of ’70s punk and electro.
10pm – Library Voices A 10-piece pop collective — their songs play out like an AM radio jingle, mixing the best of the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and today.
11pm – Young Rival are an uncompromising slice of garage-rock, with reverb-soaked vocals that channel the haze of a late night-turned-morning.
Midnight – Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears While they are a pop band, the Brooklyn-based quintet mix psychedelia, classic rock, indie and prog into their sonic stew.
GLOBAL VILLAGE BACKPACKERS9pm – Allie Hughes With training in musical theatre and a background in classical piano, Hughes’ sound is unique, a sort of melodramatic pop often compared to Regina Spektor and Kate Bush.
10pm – Jen Lane “A strong talent, Jen has hit a depth in her songwriting that people twice her age struggle to find. Her many talents also include a truly lovely voice.” — Sheila Coles, CBC Radio 1.
11pm – Corey Norris Coming from a heavy rock background, Norris felt something was missing. He found his new voice, coaxed out by something he had by his side all along — an acoustic guitar.
Midnight – Lucky Fonz III See Clinton’s Tavern, March 13, 9:30pm.
1am – Mike Celia A blend of acoustic guitar, sandpaper vocals and personal lyrics that speak of love, life and the struggles in between.
GRAFFITI’S9:30pm – Rob Szabo See Royal York Hotel (Library Bar), March 12, 1:15am.
10:30pm – Alun Piggins An anti-folk/rock troubadour, a musical disciple of Howlin’ Wolf and Crazy Horse, honing a blend of post-punk folk.
11:30pm – Drew Smith Pure emotional reception and creativity, Smith’s swooning vocals and deep blue melodies command a loud response.
12:30am – Too Many Sisters See March 13, Graffiti’s, 12:30am.
HARD ROCK LIVE9pm – The Johnnys Three-minute sermons of jet-fuelled rock ‘n’ roll. Cheeky lyrics and anthemic choruses, mixing ’60s garage rock, classic punk and the original wave of ’50s rock ‘n’ roll.
10pm – DiggingRoots By blending roots, blues and reggae with acoustics come songs about empowerment, identity, culture and freedom.
11pm – Floor Thirteen Fronted by Jeremy Koz (a finalist in 2006’s Canadian Idol and top 30 for Rockstar: INXS), the band’s hard-rockin’ sound has drawn comparisons to AC/DC and Wolfmother.
Midnight – The Fumes See The Tranzac, March 13, 10pm.
1am – The Apollo Effect Winners of Season One’s Great Canadian Band Challenge. Presented by my30seconds.com
THE HIDEOUT9pm – The Prefect Having won $45,000 in the Live 88.5 Big Money Shot contest, the group that The Ottawa Citizen dubbed “The Ferocious Foursome” have been living up to its reputation.
10pm – Capsula Garage rock for the 21st century with nods to The Velvet Underground, The Stones, Stooges, Suicide, Spaceman 3 and Sonic Youth. 11pm – Say When Explosive, upbeat rock. Sounds like Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World. One of the hardest-working unsigned bands.
Midnight – The Marble Index Love-child of The Jam and The Jesus & Mary Chain. One of Canada’s underrated stars whose best is yet to come.
1am – Opus Road This underground alt-rock five-piece went electric with a sound reminiscent of the Tragically Hip, My Morning Jacket and Pearl Jam.
HOLY JOE’S9pm – Poet In Process The combination of shrilled and ripped guitars with the delicacy and softness of the melodies, invites the voice to create captivating and violent melodies.
10pm - The Gift A new sound with bits of Broadway and a symphony remixed. Their live performance is electrifying. led by sultry Sonia Tav.
11pm – The Guys Known for their unique sound, their animated appearances and live shows. Each track on LIVE THE PARTY could be on pop radio.
Midnight – Seven See The Central, March 13, midnight.
1am – Robotanists Their indie-cinematic sound fuses post-classic rock pop bravado a la ELO, with bedroom intimacy in the realm of Beach House.
HORSESHOE TAVERNAnnual CHARTATTACK H-SHOE Showcase
8:30pm – The Hundreds and Thousands This band paint an unapologetic picture of life interrupted and rediscovered. Ian LeFeuvre’s voice shines through with a message of hope.
9:20pm – Rebekah Higgs blazed the folk-electronic scene with a spectacular self-titled debut album. It would be easy to compare her to artists like Feist, but her voice (at once an “old soul” creak and a childlike breathiness) is purely her own.
10:10pm – Young Galaxy Brooding guitar licks and floral harmonies collide with rapt shoegazer choruses that transcend to an anthemic pastoral.
11:10pm – Two Hours Traffic With four releases under their belts, this critic’s choice band are back in the studio with Joel Plaskett, ready to create another masterpiece.
12:10am – The Golden Dogs This band shall be huge, it’s only a matter of time. Well-known for their must-see, celebratory, powerful live shows.
1:10am – Hexes and Ohs The story of this electro-pop duo begins with a pair of high-school sweethearts and spans years of musical projects. 2:10am – Vancougar Four women, who play half pop, half garage-rock, “all girl,” as they say.
3:10am – Dave Marsh and True Love Rules From rockabilly sauciness through country lament, their recordings cover a lot of musical ground.
KATHEDRALParagon Showcase
9pm – ItsJustSmith Known for their fusion of electric and acoustic sounds, their creative dissection of rock, blues and reggae has seen them defined as “a hard working band with their own style.”
9:40pm – Ashley What style of music do they play? Take a whole lotta pop, toss in a pinch of bop, stir in a little punk, and shake it up real good.
10:20pm – Docile Emotionally driven hard-rock music with thoughtful lyrics melded with tight, precise melodies has earned them kudos.
11pm –The Randalls See Bread And Circus, March 12, 10:45pm.
11:40pm – West Memphis Suicide This quartet of tattooed, hard-blues playin’ amplifier assassins take pride in giving audiences a bashing, in-your-face set with a Grady-meets-Pantera vibe.
12:20am – Alternate End A hard-edged mixture of heavy riffs, psychedelic experimentation, progressive structure and mesmerizing melody.
KOOL HAUSLimited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
9pm – Holy Fuck mimic modern electronic music without using modern fail-safes like laptops and programmed backing tracks... and of course to make people freak out and smash stuff.
10pm – Bloc Party See March 13, Kool Haus, 10pm.
LEE’S PALACEBillions presents
9pm – Jon-Rae Fletcher Born the son of a preacher, he sang in his church’s choir by day and fell in love with the music of Kurt Cobain at night.
9:45pm – Herman Dune This legendary anti-folk band have already shared the stage with Arcade Fire, Kimya Dawson and Of Montreal.
10:45pm – Basia Bulat Her rare talent, rich voice and gorgeously simple melodies attracted Rough Trade to release Oh My Darling in Europe and Japan two months before it came out in Canada.
11:45pm – Elliott Brood Music with wandering melodies, driven by rusty guitars and aching vocals that waltz around charming piano lines, while ukuleles and banjos sway to and fro.
12:45am – Cuff The Duke Full of gritty alt.country, their newest recording, Sidelines of the City, is the band’s finest, most confident effort to date.
MOD CLUBRMS Concerts and CMF present
6:30pm –The Week That Was See March 12, Gladstone Hotel, 11pm.
7:30pm – HOTTUB Co-co Machete, Loli Pop, Ambr33zy, Jay-sonic and Funky Finger create punk crunk funk.
8:30pm – The Ting Tings represent the pure heart of British pop. Driven by personality, unstoppable momentum and the love of great pop music.
NEUTRAL LOUNGE9pm – Tejay Fiery, sensual, beautiful and fierce, young Tonya Tejay Montague has become the hottest female vocalist in Barbados. Her debut album Summer Kisses has been released locally and in Japan.
10pm – Green Splat Toronto-based duo [C] and [D]. Their performances are described as “sporting a mean club-noir sheen.”
11pm – The Assistants Inspired, melodic jangle-rock. Sparkling rock in a classic sense. The latest release Fiction is a contagious glam-rock stomp.
OPERA HOUSEJust Entertainment and CMF Present
Limited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
9pm – DJ Shortcut with Bozack Morris
DJ Shortcut always breaks down his hip-hop sets with undeniable turntable skills. Bozack Morris can be heard every Monday on Toronto’s CHRY 105.5, hosting Backroad Radio.
9:45pm – One on One Bboy Battle with Tricky Troublez from the F.A.M
10:15pm – Fresh Kils with DJ iRate
10:30pm – King Jus One of the most prolific MCs in Canadian hip-hop, he has been dubbed “tha great talk slinga” by his peers.
10:35pm – The Wildcore
10:45pm – Alex Dimez with Sporadic In his short career, Dimez has shared the stage with heavy hitters like Pharoahe Monch and Public Enemy.
10:55pm – Eternia Juno-nominated and widely considered one of Canada’s foremost lyricists, Eternia continues to carry the torch for hip-hop aficionados who crave... s’ more.
11:05pm – So Sick Social Club They represent the voice for the tormented, psychologically impaired and those born into wretched misfortune. 11:15pm – Riviera Regime Riviera Regime is the rap duo of Klee Magor a.k.a. Sleazebag, and Benny Brahmz a.k.a. The Drifter.
11:30pm – NECRO reached legendary status by dropping non-stop consistent hardcore albums on his own label, Psycho+Logical-Records.
12:45am – Great Scott, Dj O-nonymous
POOR ALEXProud FM Presents
9pm – Parvati Whether she is writing, producing, programming or maximizing the use of her five-octave, expressive voice, Parvati is at home submerged in music.
10pm – Gavin Bradley A solo artist himself, Bradley also scored a Billboard Dance Hot Plate for his remix of Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like A Bird,” a Best R&B Juno for work on Jacksoul’s Sleepless album, and No. 1 hit with Serena Ryder’s “Calling To Say.”
11pm – Empire Isis brings new meaning to “world music” by breaking down the musical barriers and fusing hip-hop and reggae into a pop format.
Midnight – Will-W. brings a brand of unapologetic dance-pop fun in a scene that often frowns upon it. Fab magazine listed his single “Gettin’ 2 Know U” as 2008’s Best Single By a Local Artist.
RANCHO RELAXO9pm – Peachcake These electro poppers got their first sign of success when some dude made a song just to poke fun at them, but Peachcake are definitely getting the last laugh.
10pm – Whale Tooth Their sound is rooted in a love of pop done the way it’s supposed to be, with strong vocals, energy that will make you dance and harmonies that will stick in your head.
11pm – Les Handclaps Holding fast to their strong ’50s and ’60s influences, they explore pop melodies and contemporary rhythms, reinvigorating this music with an electronic treatment.
Midnight – Modernboys Moderngirls One of the most exciting up-and-coming garage soul rock ’n’ roll acts in Toronto.
1am – Mercy, the Sexton are leading a new wave of East Coast pop. Their sound is fresh, built upon an affection for new-wave and ’70s punk.
REVERBExclaim! Presents: the Songstresses of Six Shooter Records
9pm – Moriarty A voice drunk on honey, a double bass, suitcase drums, acoustic and electric guitars and a harmonica, their music floats between folk, country, blues and cabaret set somewhere around Dallas in the 1930s, the Russian Taïga and Paris.
10pm – Wendy McNeill Originally from the Prairies of Canada, McNeill is a fan of underdogs, strange cats and brave hearts. These characters are often the centerpieces of her songs.
11pm – Amelia Curran If pissed off, lonely, feeling sorry for yourself and missing your home had a soundtrack, it would be written by Amelia Curran.
Midnight – Jenn Grant From her debut, Orchestra for the Moon, she earned several East Coast Music Award nominations. Her songs have a familiarity that connects with the roots of music.
1am – Melissa McClelland On her latest studio album, McClelland redefines her sound, blending her rootsy influences with pop and jazz undertones to create the perfect countrypolitan blend.
REX HOTELLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
3:30pm –The Toronto Jazz Orchestra An 18-piece big band made up of recent graduates from Toronto’s top university and college jazz programs. The Toronto Jazz Orchestra seeks to educate, entertain and increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of jazz.
7pm – Justin Bacchus Gemini Award–winning singer Justin Bacchus has performed with Joe Sealy, Jackie Richardson and Matt Dusk. With his unique funk-soul sound, he hopes to compile his current original material for release in 2009.
9:45pm – Catalyst Jeff King is a Juno Award-winning saxophonist who performs all over Canada, the US and internationally. His new band, Catalyst, features Luis Deniz, David Braid/Robi Botos, Rich Brown and Joel Haynes.
RIVOLIMusic Nova Scotia
Invite only
6pm – Andrew Hunter One of the top up-and-coming acts on the East Coast, this trio have been making waves with their high-energy alt.rock.
6:25pm – Christina Martin Merging country flourishes with cinematic folk, Martin’s songwriting, plots vulnerability against her strong vocals.
6:50pm – Ryan MacGrath brings an elegance and poise unheard of in East Coast music. His songs rise like street symphonies with their tales of love’s mysteries revealed.
7:15pm – Amelia Curran See Reverb, March 14, 11pm.
7:40pm – Jon McKiel A songwriter from Halifax. Jon’s new album, The Nature of Things, was released by Wednesday Records in February.
8:10pm – Jimmy Rankin With four ECMA and Juno Songwriter Of The Year awards for various chart-topping hits, Rankin creates a masterstroke of alt.country, adult-contemporary and rock-flavoured arrangements depicting his life, emotions and observations with resonating finesse.
THE TIKI STRIKES BACK9pm – Share Acoustic folk arrangements over lo-fi experimental sampler beats and sound effects. Creating quite a stir in the East Coast.
10pm – Alert the Medic With their powerful rhythm section, aggressive guitars and honest songwriting, check out this captivating rock act.
11pm – Dave Marsh and True Love Rules See March 14, Horseshoe Tavern, 3:10am.
Midnight – Sprengjuhöllin See March 13, Rancho Relaxo, 10pm.
ROK BOUTIQUE9pm – Dean Lickyer See March 12, Horseshoe Tavern, 3:10am.
10pm – Rubicks “Rubicks fantastic ability to synthesize the pop pout of Blondie, the chilled machine thrum of Goldfrapp and the rock sensibilities of the Pixies into one late night, last-dance swirl of cheap lipstick and perfume” - NME
11pm – Walter Mitty and the Realists Irish winners of Indie Week Canada, they possess an uncompromising sound, delivered with an uncontained semi-psychotic live energy.
Midnight – Basia Lyjak A straight-up rock chick whose explosive vocals and catchy tunes evoke an era when performing came from the heart and gut.
1am – Bella Clava From the mean streets of Thunder Bay, listening to their music may cause Restless Leg Syndrome. Bring your go-go boots.
ROYAL YORK HOTEL (CANADIAN ROOM) Limited wristbands/passes accepted. All ages.
7:30pm – The 9th Annual
Independent Music Awards
Hosted by Jeff Leake
Featuring:
Hey Rosetta This six-piece group, including a violinist and cellist, worked with Hawksley Workman on their latest album, which packs more grit while allowing the band’s infectious energy and vulnerability to flow freely.
Jon Lajoie See March 13, Phoenix Concert Theatre, 10pm.
Anvil See Velvet Underground, March 13, 9:45pm.
The Midway State The Midway State are known for their blend of rock, piano and soulful vocals.
Beast An experimental union between the powerful voice of Beatrice Bonifassi and the dirty beats of Jean-Phi Goncalves. They combine soul, rap, electro, rock and jazz.
Arkells See March 13, Mod Club, 7pm.
Gaz Whelan (DJing) Gaz Whelan is a co-founding member and co-writer of Happy Mondays. DJing since the early ’90s, Gaz got the bug at Manchester’s legendary Hacienda club.
With headline concert performances from:
USS Fronted by master craftsman Ash Boo-Schultz and turntablist hype-man extraordinaire Human Kebab, this duo demonstrate a remarkable proficiency for erupting dancefloors.
Crystal Castles We are crystal castles. We are 1 boy and 1 girl. We are named after She-Ra’s home. We play rough.
ROYAL YORK HOTEL (LIBRARY BAR)8pm – ANDREW AUSTIN
8:45pm – Christopher Charles The heartfelt melodies and soul-searching lyrics are instantly recognizable as the classic struggle of man vs self.
9:30pm – Chere Francoise See March 12, Global Village Backpackers, Midnight.
10:15pm – Steph Fraser See Bovine Sex Club, March 15, 9:15pm.
11pm – Max Morgan See March 13, Royal York Hotel (Library Bar), 12:30am.
11:45pm – Jordan Galland
12:30am – Anabelle Chvostek
1:15am – Sean Jones See March 12,
Revival, 9pm.
SILVER DOLLARToronto Blues Society Presents
6:30pm – Daddy Long Legs Gritty electrified blues, mashing together riff-based garage rock, ’60s-era rhythm and blues, and the jump and shuffle of the West Coast and Chicago sounds.
7:30pm – Treasa Levasseur An exceptionally gifted singer-songwriter whose second album is a rich, satisfying amalgam of soul, blues and R&B.
8:30pm – Rachelle van Zanten “A raw mélange of blues, folk, Americana and serious guitar-shredding rivaling Lucinda Williams and Susan Tedeschi, with riffs that recall ‘70s rock.” — Relix
9:30pm – Son Roberts Band Fresh new energy and a current sense of storytelling in blues-infused grooves. Something distinct and original.
NeXT/OpticalSounds-at-CMW
11pm – Picturesound Driven by the magic of the British invasion and fueled by the high-energy rock anthem melodies of the late ‘80s Madchester scene, they capture a truly infectious sound.
Midnight – The Hoa Hoa’s “A psychedelic fog ... soothing and captivating while still driving with an unrelenting ferocity.” — ChartAttack
1am – Beekeepers Society “We have video projections, a rotating mannequin and a shiny xylophone.”
2am – The Disraelis Formed in 2006, they are one of the most consistent acts within the Toronto psych/shoegaze scene.
3am – Give Us The Daggers Born out of wedlock from an Iggy Pop/Keith Richards love affair. Nurtured by pirates, bikers and other degenerates. Raise your whiskey and smoke your stuff, the Daggers say: let us do it!
SNEAKY DEE’SLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8:50pm – Baptized in Blood Combine lightning fast riffs and “guitarmonies” with in-your-face vocals and mix a little Gothenburg style of metal with the classic anthemic sound of the ‘80s.
9:40pm – A Textbook Tragedy combine aggressive and technical metal with grassroots hardcore energy and dual-layered vocals.
10:30pm – Forgiven Rival Anchored in the aggression of bands like Killswitch Engage while channeling the pop sensibility of Story of the Year and Cartel, they have drawn international audiences.
11:30pm – Sights & Sounds This eclectic group came together in 2006 and had a crazy instant musical rapport. They are about to release their debut CD, produced by Devin Townsend.
12:30pm – The Holly Springs Disaster took what they knew and went with it, taking their unrelenting aural and visual assault across Canada multiple times, clobbering crowds left and right.
SOUND ACADEMYAll ages.
7:30pm – Age Of Daze See Royal York Hotel (Canadian Room), March 13, 12:30pm.
8:20pm – Rev Theory “Hell Yeah,” on Rev Theory’s triumphant new CD, Light it Up, is destined to be a concert call to action that will raise the roofs off every building these rockers play.
9:30pm – Papa Roach Papa Roach’s fifth studio album, Metamorphosis, is a call to arms. The multi-platinum, Grammy nominated Northern California quartet have created a bold, belligerent and bloody statement, a gritty, raw, relevant album.
11pm – Buckcherry Reinvigorated by the success of 2006’s platinum album 15, the hard-rockin’ California quintet return with Black Butterfly, a 12-song set that strides forward with confidence.
SUPERMARKETDo Right! and Exclaim! present
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
9pm – Heidi Happy Straight outta Lucerne, Priska Zemp (a.k.a. Heidi Happy) is Switzerland’s tastiest export since Emmenthal.
9:45pm – Abdominal and The Obliques Rapper Abdominal was tired of jumping up and down onstage so he could be heard over the loud beats, so he assembled a band, The Obliques. Make that two guys playing hand drums and a guitar, but he likes saying he has a band.
10:30pm – Valery Gore The curiosity, trepidation and victory of discovery are wrapped in a heavy dose of danceable rhythms and humour. Her words and music force you to gear down and feel.
11pm – Do Right Soundsystem (featuring DJ John Kong & Circle Research)
Take two hip-hop aficionados who live, eat and breathe music and you get Circle Research. Toronto DJ, producer and promoter John Kong spins a cornucopia of funk, soul, hip-hop and disco.
TRANE STUDIOLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
8pm – Ashtar Ron Allen with
Gurpreet Chana A jazz innovator, Ron Allen is an extraordinary technician with stunning beauty and subtlety on whatever instrument he plays. He has become a Master of Indian music.
TRANZACNew Found Frequency and The Australian Music Office present Sounds Australia
9pm – Mason Rack Q-Song award winners The Mason Rack Band were dubbed “the best new blues/roots act ever seen” at the Toyota National Gympie Music Muster.
10pm – The Morning After Girls The Morning After Girls have managed to celebrate the feeling of aloneness by creating an album that is simply an exploration of the very things which makes each one of us truly unique, truly apart from the next, purely, alone.
11pm – Travis Caudle Described by Western Australia’s iconic 78 Records as “penning heartfelt songs that rise from simple, catchy beginnings until they are soaring, stadium-worthy epics.”
Midnight – Loene Carmen sounds as if she’s from a lost world where lyric-driven, post-folk blues and art-rock are tangled in medieval chains.
VELVET UNDERGROUND8pm – The North This country-stained rock ’n’ roll band take pride in the fact that their music is not easily pigeonholed.
9pm – Receivers “The bewitching power of Emilie Marzinotto’s dispassionate croon and the spacious arrangements is hard to deny.” — Jordan Zivitz, Montreal Gazette
10pm – The Hey Now Their hit machine rolls out songs with good melodies, rocking beats and lyrics that’ll make you think. It’s fun rock ’n’ roll, the way it should be.
WRONGBARLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
Mat The Alien
Shit La Merde It means Shit the Shit and it is. DJs who offer indie-rock favourites, old-school electro, hip-hop and dance-punk grooves. Expect to hear anything from LCD Soundsystem to vintage Michael Jackson.
Nasty Nav While co-owning Play De Record, running his Nastymix label and DJing constantly, he’s also developed Wrongbar into a success story. And he’s spot on when it comes to booking the vanguard of the underground,
Beni Former member of the DJ/producer group Riot In Belgium and member of Bang Gang DJs, Beni’s latest single ‘My Love Sees You,’ was released on French tastemaker label Kitsune.
Sunday, March 16HORSESHOE TAVERNLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
9pm – The Screwed
10:15pm – Los Mondo Bongo Featuring members of The Mescaleros, The Alarm, Simple Minds and Gary Numan’s band, Los Mondo Bongo have got serious rock pedigree.
DJ Ray Gange spinning between sets DJ Ray Gange’s self-penned bio reads: punk/reggae DJ, poet, artist, former punk-rock royalty, sex god and influencer of the minds of the young, now just another down-at-heel artist in a London garret.
PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRELive Nation presents
Limited wristbands/passes accepted.
Hollowboy In January 2009, the UK’s Rock Sound magazine voted them 2nd in the “Best Unsigned Band” category of their 2008 Readers Poll. The band have been recording with Rhys Fulber.
Mindless Self Indulgence Known for their manic live performances, these New Yorkers are an inflammatory band who have been mixing punk-rock and driving electronic music since 1997.
RANCHO RELAXOLimited wristbands/passes accepted.
9:45pm – Said the Shark See March 14, Central, 11pm.
10:30pm – Walter Mitty & the
Realists See March 14, Rok Boutique, 11pm.
11:20pm – Make Your Exit “Rock goodness full of driving guitars, catchy melodies, high-energy and a jazz-tinted feel.” — Lonely Vagabond
12:10am – Acres of Lions See Horseshoe Tavern, March 11, 11pm.