'Sup In May?

The months of May and June are absolutely jam packed with non-music related events that it's going to be quite difficult for me to get to many shows. My weekends for the most part, are shot. However, there are still several possibilities and if I make it out to even a portion of these, I'll be rather contented.

Regrettably, I haven't been to a TWM show for a couple of months but I've got two that are very strong possibilities. This Friday, May 2nd shows an excellent lineup of very unknown but promising young acts. The Job, Invasions and Lionids all sound great on their respective myspace pages and I think this'll be an outstanding show. Diamond Teeth cap off the evening. I've seen them before and they're tons 'o fun. $6.

Also, this month marks the one year anniversary of TWM shows at Rancho Relaxo. To commemorate this amazing feat, Dan Wolovick is hosting not one, not two, but yes, three days of unbelievable lineups. The dates for these are May 8th, 9th and 10th. You can found out all of the details about these shows on the Rancho myspace page, but huzzah, it looks like I'll at least be able to make it to day 2, which features three of my favorite bands, (and one more that could certainly become such, except I don't really know them that well.) The one that I don't know that well is Coast Guard, but they definitely intrigue me. The other three bands you've heard me rant about ad nauseum, and I will continue to do so until you get the point! They are Amos The Transparent, Fox Jaws and Beth In Battle Mode. It can't help but be one outstanding show! All three of the TWM Anniversary shows are only $10, and you get a special mixCD featuring 15 of the best and most exciting acts to grace the Rancho Relaxo stage. The cost is $7 without the CD.

In-Store Performances are all the fad these days, and there are some interesting ones coming up in May, but the only one that I plan on attending is the irreplaceable Aimee Mann at Sonic Boom on Friday May 9th. She's in town promoting her new album @#%&! Smilers, which drops on June 3rd. As much as I love her, I still have never seen her live, and seeing her in this intimate setting has me filled with teenage anticipation. This is especially true since her next "real" Toronto appearance is on August 28th at Kool Haus. I don't do Kool Haus. Anymore. So I must be at this show, see? I'm guessing that this is going to be a pretty big deal so if you're as interested as I am, I'd get there early. She's on at 6:30, I believe.

Download: Aimee Mann's Thirty One Today mp3


On Friday May 16th, British Sea Power come to Toronto to play Lee's Palace in support of the most obvious CD title ever, Do You Like Rock Music? The backlog of CD's that I'm supposed to be listening to is ginormous, so I haven't let this CD sink in as much as I would like it to, but so far, so good. Opening for them are The Rosebuds and Jeffrey Lewis. The show is $15.

Download: British Sea Power's Waving Flags mp3


The very next day on Saturday May 17th has Two Hours Traffic at Lee's as well. I've almost seen these guys approximately 800 times, but actually seen them none times. To be honest, it doesn't look too promising for this time also, but as of right now, I don't have anything else going on that day, so who knows? They're playing with We Are The Take, another band in my personal "800 almost" category. Mardeen are also playing. They're in my "never heard of" category. $8.

Download: Two Way Traffic's Stuck For The Summer mp3


Hello Operator has just released The Breaks, which offers more of their impressively accurate Cars influenced new wave style. I saw them at last year's NXNE at, quite frankly, they killed. They're playing for free at The Horseshoe on Tuesday May 20th as part of Edge 102's Nu Music Nite. The other bands on the bill are Craig Smith & the Saints, The iSpies and Harm.

UPDATE: For those that go back into these archives, I just realized that there was one more show that I plan on attending that I originally forgot to mention in this post. Friday May 23rd has Cardiff's Los Campesinos! playing at Lee's Palace. I salivated over their EP, but have not gotten around to taking in the full length Hold On Now, Youngster... yet but this is a rare occasion where there is no doubt in my mind that it is a fun CD. They're just too good. I promise to listen to it before the show though. Apparently Jeffrey Lewis is opening this one too, but with his backup band The Jitters.

Download: Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s) mp3


Finally, have you heard M83's Saturday = Youth CD yet? Did you like the Pretty In Pink soundtrack? Anthony Gonzales nails that sound so perfectly that you should definitely run down your hallway, pull a Judd Nelson by throwing your fist to the air and head on down to The Mod Club with me on Friday May 30th, as he brings his 80's throwback sound to T.O. I love this CD so much that I'll be posting an actual CD review sometime in the near future, but in the meantime, listen to the songs on myspace or follow the link to his video for Graveyard Girl below. $15.

Video: M83's Graveyard Girl on youtube.

Here are three other shows that I would go to if I could but I can't so I won't but you should cuz they're good.

Sun May 11th - El Perro Del Mar w/Lykke Li @ Mod Club. $15.
Sat May 24th - Laura Veirs w/Liam Finn @ El Mocambo. $10.
Fri May 30 & Sat May 31 - Golden Dogs @ Horseshoe $13.