Racoon Wedding / The Schomberg Fair / Black Hat Brigade @ The Garrison

I went to a life altering show last night, and I'm going to another one tonight, so I figured that I'd better get off of my round rump and review last week's excellent show at The Garrison before the backlog gets too ridiculous to handle.

The promotional teaming of two of the city's finest, namely Dan Wolovick of TWM fame, and Tyler Wade of Zygiella fame, couldn't help but boast a lineup that would satisfy the need of every local music loving hipster in town. This was my first time checking out the latest venue addition to the ever burgeoning Ossington / Dundas strip and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the place. The sound was decent, the stage was nice and high, and although the attendance had apparently reached capacity levels, it didn't feel that way as there was plenty of room to move around. It was probably the reddest place ever, which meant that my pictures didn't turn out as great as I would've liked, but otherwise it was still a pretty cool place. I was not able to stick around right to the end of the show, which meant that I would have to catch Germans' 90's indie rock sound at a future date, but I certainly enjoyed the three bands that I did get to see.

Local favorites Black Hat Brigade were the first band to play the evening and apparently they were sporting a slightly smaller band member count than when I had seen them last, all the way back in march during Canadian Music Week. What is interesting is the fact that the difference was hardly noticeable to me. The band still sounded great, and in many ways their compatibility with one another seemed more focused and assured. They can't help but be a bit quirky, since this is their whole dynamic, from the complex and structured arrangements to the spit and growl of their gruff vocalizations. But it seems that this time around they set aside a smidgen of that quirkiness and replaced with a little more old fashioned rockiness, and I have to say that the slight shift served them well. There were even a few moments where the audience was borderline head banging, particularly one really hilarious tall guy who seems to pop up at every Black Hat Brigade show and given the fact that this event was taking place at the tail end of the month dubbed Movember, the jumping, dancing audience looked like an action sequence out of a really bad 70's cop show. But in a good way.

Photos: My red shots of Black Hat Brigade @ The Garrison are on flickr
Myspace: Black Hat Brigade

I was shocked to discover that I hadn't been out to see The Schomberg Fair since October of 2008, even though their album Gospel has been in fairly regular rotation over the last few months. They've been touring their brains out lately in support of that album, and it's amazing to see the results of all of that experience. They were tighter than tight, as they blasted their particular style of cowpunked raunchabilly speed gospel at an alarming pace; one that left me exhausted by the time they were done. The amazing contrast between their onstage persona and their offstage amicable, down to earth demeanor is a thrill to witness in action. The set was composed of the usual blend of old time standards and original numbers, and Nathan Sidon's deep baritone was intoxicating, as was Pete Garthside's impeccable drumming and Matt Bahen's lightning fast, yet precise banjo work. They are definitely a band that will continue to rise with more exposure and I want nothing more than to see them gain the success that they deserve.

Photos: My red shots of The Schomberg Fair @ The Garrison is on flickr.
Myspace: The Schomberg Fair

Personally, I have never witnessed the celebratory matrimonial joining of two raccoons, squirrels, aardvarks or any wildlife creature, but I can only assume that the event would be touching, jubilant and likely a little bit nutty. And if this is the case, then The Racoon Wedding's moniker could not possibly be more accurate (with the possible exception of spelling 'raccoon' properly) since their show was all of those things and more. Admittedly, I went into the show mentally equipped with nothing more than the buzz that I had been reading about them since I had still never gotten around to actually listening to their music. The fact that I've been listening to their Gather Gather Bones Rattle Rattle Truth CD fairly regularly since the show is a testament to how good they actually were. If I remember correctly, there were about 9 people on stage, including a keyboardist, a trumpet player and two background singers, and at times their music was sort of like the comic book version of Bruce Peninsula, with their beautiful sounding choirs coming across as a little bit less inspiring, but quite a lot more fun. The band ran into complications pretty quickly when the lead singer / guitarist broke a couple of strings partway through the first number, and without a backup plan, the scurry for another guitar held up the proceedings by quite a few minutes. Once things got going though, the band more than made up for it with an energetic set that was an eclectic mix of folk, country and crazy chamber pop. The fact that the band looked like they were having a blast onstage was also quite endearing, and literally every single thing that the keyboard player did and said made me laugh. Although there were occasional moments that showcased how young and inexperienced they still are, they're definitely a band that's worth keeping an eye on.

Photos: My red shots of Racoon Wedding are up on flickr
Myspace: Racoon Wedding

Interesting update: As I mentioned, I was too tired to stick around for the evening's final act, and decided that I'd just wait to catch Germans at some later date. I'm typing the final part of this post upon returning home from seeing Handsome Furs at Lee's Palace and guess who was their opening act: that's right! More on that later...

The Craft Economy, Karma Controllers, The Dress Whites w/The People of Canada @ Rancho Relaxo

It's hard to believe that the Two Way Monologues Showcase has already reached #19, but here we are, ready to enter adulthood, as Friday night showcased one of the Rancho Relaxo's most eclectic lineups yet.

This time I'll start at night's end and work my way back. The last time that I saw The Craft Economy was back in December when I was incredibly enthused about checking out Amos The Transparent and the excitement from having seen them must have overshadowed any memory I have of these guys. I remember liking them, but that's about it. Apparently, they have only played one other show since that performance and, with very little time to jam, one might wonder how solid this one was going to be. No need to worry.

This was one major broohaha of a party, as the band turned up the mega-fun and blasted out a spazzy set of new wave energy. Once again, I definitely heard a major B-52's influence, and the chemistry between vocalists Linda Lu and Kostaki reminded me of an indie rock version of the Wil Ferrell and Cheri Oteri cheerleader skit on SNL. The Rancho was a sweat heap of tangled neurosis that night, and the way those two were jumping around with such hyperactive zeal made me wonder how they kept themselves from passing out. I loved it! All the songs sounded great, but one of the most memorable performances of the night was The Kissing Song, which Kostaki declared to be the shortest song ever. Not true, but he was the undisputed king of exaggeration that night, from his dance moves to his facial expressions to his between song banter, he, as well as the rest of the band, did not let up for a minute.

Photos: The Craft Economy @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Myspace: The Craft Economy
Download: The Kissing Song mp3


I've been really enjoying Karma Controllers' Sirens CD, and I've been wanting to catch a live show for quite some time, but due to circumstances, I've been unable to. So, it was quite a treat to finally get around to seeing them play.

First off, it should be noted that Helen Kuan's voice is flawless. I really appreciate that she never oversings, which shows a maturity that some vocalists who have been around for a long time have failed to display. It's a unique contrast to Jack Jamieson's slightly harsher vocal delivery, making for a perfect complement. The band seems to draw just as much influence from boy/girl bands like Stars and Young Galaxy, as it does from past and modern day troubadours like Brian Setzer and Johnny Favourite. This was their first time performing with a live drummer, and when listening to the first few songs of their set, I wondered how they ever survived without him. The drums really were the backbone of this performance. However, there was a moment where the band's chemistry was lost for a little bit, making for a slightly awkward attempt at completing that particular song. Still, minor setback aside, I appreciated that they forged their way through it, and then followed up with the strongest song of the night. Good on ya Karma Controllers!!!

Photos: Karma Controllers @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Myspace: Karma Controllers
Download: Whisper Sister mp3


Filling in for The Hots, was Toronto's (by way of Montreal) The Dress Whites. The band had recently moved to our city after having made it big in their hometown, with the intention making it in both markets. They're an incredibly busy group of guys, moonlighting in The Maydays as well as several other projects. They usually play a very straightforward style of classic pop music, along the lines of The Odds or early Fountains of Wayne. This was a bit of a different night for them however, since their drummer was apparently sick in bed with the flu. Not having a drummer, the band decided that they would perform an acoustic set of mostly country covers as well as a few originals. If this was to be a montage of Garth and Shania songs I would have ran out of there kicking and screaming, but this set was all about authenticity, and man, did they ever sound good! They included covers of songs by George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Gram Parsons, including one of my favourite songs of all time, Hickory Wind. It was absolutely breathtaking, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that I could have listened to them all night.

Photos: The Dress Whites @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr.
Myspace: The Dress Whites

As an added treat, the first act of the night was The People Of Canada (aka Alexander James Squire.) Alexander and his ukulele was on a quest to perform at as many different clubs as he could throughout the course of one weekend. Basically he was performing these 10 minute impromptu sets all over the place, and filming them as part of a documentary project about the experience. His songs were quirky and wacky and very very short, and I thought it was a gut wrenching way to begin the evening.

Photos: The People Of Canada @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr.
(The lighting was really bad and I was too far away to get a decent shot with my crappy point and shoot so I did a little bit of a Warhol-like photo editing job so that the shots could at least look semi-cool. I'm not sure that it worked though.)
Myspace: The People Of Canada
Download: Life mp3

TWM-Fest Day 2 featuring Coast Guard, Amos the Transparent, Fox Jaws and Beth In Battle Mode

I hope TWM Fest days 1 & 3 were as successful as day 2 was because it could only be described as rousing! This is the way to celebrate such a successful series of local indie talent and Friday night just confirmed that all of the best music is still to be found right here in the city of Toronto. Even though my two favorite acts of the night were technically exported from slightly outside of the city but still….

The openers of the night were Coast Guard, an indie pop gem consisting of Dennis Keough (drums), Justin Mahoney (bass), Jimmy Rose (guitar, synths), and Rhiannon Thomas (vocals, guitar). Their music has a slight east coast edge to it and reminds me a bit of Thrush Hermit, only with female vocals. It’s unassuming and pleasant enough but I can’t say that it really grabbed my attention as much as I would’ve liked it to. However, this criticism should be tempered with the fact that I actually ran into a whole whack of friends at this show and spent the better part of the Coast Guard’s set catching up with them. So the band didn’t really have my undivided attention.

Photos: My shots of Coast Guard @ Rancho Relaxo are on flickr.
Myspace: Coast Guard

Ottawa’s Amos the Transparent were up next and the last time I saw them was also here at Rancho and their slightly inebriated presentation was one of the most entertaining shows of the year. I was speaking with Jonathan Chandler before the show and he was mentioning that he was dealing with a little bit of a strange sinus thing and they were making the drive back to Ottawa that evening. That meant minimal drinky drinky. That gives the band an A for responsibility and an obviously more reserved performance than last time. But if a band can play a tight show while under the influence, than just imagine how tight they are when performing sober. And they were tight and sounding as great as usual. It was cool that the band was willing to play this small venue considering the significant amount of exposure that they’ve been receiving as of late. The fans were all there, and the interaction between the band and the crowd gave me that warm and cuddly feeling, like a giant indie rock hug. They mentioned that they'll be returning to the city for NXNE, and that they're performance is going to quite the extravaganza. Whether or not this means a show with their original significantly larger line up I don't know, but colour me intrigued.

Photos: My pics of Amos the Transparent @ Rancho Relaxo are on flickr.
Myspace: Amos The Transaprent

The stellar Amos performance left Fox Jaws’ Carleigh Aikins remarking “How am I supposed to follow that?!?” Well she needn’t have worried because I think Friday night’s show was they’re best performance to date. How does she do that thing with her voice? It was there in all of its raspy glory. My friend and local musician Haley Zalesky said it best when she exclaimed “That voice! I want it!” I noticed that they seem to be introducing more and more new material at each show, and this performance didn’t feature as many songs from Goodbye Doris as I would’ve liked. Still, unless you’re someone like Queens of the Stone Age (who incidentally were playing a surprise intimate show at the El Mocambo just up the street) a band only has a minimal allotment of time and Fox Jaws clearly wanted to feature as much new music as possible. And that’s all good because the songs sound awesome. I obviously don’t know the names of these new tunes but there was one about dancing or something (lol) and the last song of the night in particular made me all eager with anticipation for the new album. Another thing to look forward to is the fact that, I believe they’re going to be recording their next album with Nevado Records. That’s the label that recorded Bass Lions latest, which so far contains the best production I’ve heard all year. So there is no reason that the upcoming Fox Jaws CD should not be the greatest thing that I’ve ever heard. Ever. No pressure.

Photos: My pics of Fox Jaws @ Rancho Relaxo are on flickr. (Compared to the last two times that I saw them, these ones actually turned out pretty good.)
Myspace: Fox Jaws

I was so tired at this point that there should be a new word to describe how exhausted I was because words like ‘tired’, ‘exhausted’ and ‘fried’ just don’t cut it. However, I’ve been wanting to see Beth In Battle Mode since I reviewed Technical Know-How last year and darned if I was going to miss them again! So I figured, I’ll catch a couple of songs, take a few crappy pictures and call it a day. Well c’mon! That just can’t be done at a show as fun as the show that BIBM puts on. The self proclaimed world's premier garage-prog-disco power trio put on a show that was every bit as fun as one would expect from such a crazy tag, Andrew Ennals is the most entertaining synth player I’ve seen since watching Good Rockin’ Tonite in the 80’s and every band member was more than happy to mug for the various cameras of the night. David Gilgan was pounding the drums like a madman and Edward Mahen’s voice was here in all of its Loverboy-ish charm. (I hope he doesn’t mind that I keep comparing him to Loverboy but I’m sorry, the voice constantly conjures up images of a red spandex clad Mike Reno. But in a good way. If that’s even possible.) Finally, the ultimate proof that I was thoroughly enjoying this show was the fact that the band was even making my usually stoic booty shake and that rarely ever happens. Although, apparently it’s debatable as to whether or not what I do can actually be called dancing. Thanks for crushing my self esteem Jen. Just kidding. My ego is actually still as huge as ever.

Photos: My shots of Beth In Battle Mode @ Rancho Relaxo are on flickr.
Myspace: Beth In Battle Mode

Two Way Monologues One Year Anniversary

The Two Way Monologues Showcases at Rancho Relaxo have been my greatest source for learning all about what's new and exciting in local indie rock. It's through these shows that I've been introduced to some of my favorite acts such as Fox Jaws, Entire Cities, Deadbeat Dads and Schomberg Fair. I've also seen many of my other faves grow and flourish by means of these shows; acts like Tin Bangs, Amos The Transparent and Oh No Forest Fires. Sadly, this year circumstances have prevented me from attending as many of these shows as I did last year, but from what I've heard, they're as entertaining and as strong as ever. Dan Wolovick has his ear firmly pressed to the indie ground and he will no doubt continue to expose more great artists to a wider audience by means of the TWM Showcase.

To celebrate one year of providing such fine entertainment, the TWM Mixtape Volume 1 CD has been released and it is chock full of some of the greatest bands to have performed on the Rancho Relaxo stage over the past year. I've been listening to it pretty much non-stop over the past week, and there isn't a dud track to be found on it. Starting tonight, TWM is showcasing the first of three evenings to commemorate this remarkable achievement. The lineups are all gold, and although I'd love to attend them all, it looks like I'm only going to be able to make it to day 2, tomorrow night's show. Thankfully, that's the day that looks like it was tailor made for yours truly since three of the four acts have received rave reviews on this blog. Anyways, here are the lineups:

Thursday May 8th - Key Witness, Five Blank Pages, Numbers & Figures and The Eatons.
Friday May 9th - Beth In Battle Mode, Fox Jaws, Amos The Transparent and Coast Guard.
Saturday May 10th - Tin Bangs, Schomberg Fair, Mark Berube and Cheap Speakers.

All these shows are $10 with a CD, or $7 without. But seriously, get the CD.

I'm a little too lazy to post mp3's today, but go to the various band myspace pages and you'll find a whole slew of downloadable toonage or better yet, GO TO THE SHOWS AND GET THE CD! IT'S AWESOME!!!!