CMF Day 3: Dinosaur Bones, Daniel Wesley, The Bicycles, Black Diamond Bay, Black Hat Brigade, Amos The Transparent

Friday night of Canadian Music Fest was an enjoyable mix of bands that I've seen several times before, and others that I have meant to see but due to circumstances, never did.

Most of my music loving friends were shocked to hear that I had still never gotten around to seeing Dinosaur Bones perform. Along with Still Life Still, they are currently the most well supported act in the city, and to say that my expectations were high is no mere exaggeration. I do quite enjoy their four song EP, although not in any sort of mind blowing way. Add to that the fact that extreme gushing from an indie loving fanbase automatically causes me to cop a little extra 'tude, and you've got a blogger who is not going to ease into hipster euphoria without putting up a bit of a fight. Thankfully, a couple of songs into the night, the gloves were down, and I was able to settle in and enjoy the show. It's easy to see what people like about Dinosaur Bones. Although the songs themselves settle into a territory that is somewhat dark and brooding, the band performs with a fervent enthusiasm that encourages the audience to stop looking at their shoes and pay attention. If I have one small critique, it would be that a couple of the songs seemed to end just as they were getting interesting. I do recognize that CMF places a bit of a time restraint on sets, but the sophisticated nature of their songs are such that, with a little bit of musical adventure, they could be downright epic. Still it was an impressive set that gave off a pretty cool downtown vibe (whatever that means.)

Photos: My Dinosaur Bones @ The Horseshoe pics are up on flickr.
Myspace: Dinosaur Bones

I wasn't at all familiar with the next act, but since White Rock's Daniel Wesley was sandwiched in-between a couple of bands that I was dying to see, it was obviously easier to just stick around and check out his stuff. Daniel Wesley is both the band name and the lead singer's name, and their music comes from a blues based bar band territory that also incorporates a touch of reggae and ska. In terms of strict musical abilities, these guys have mad skillz, being a very tight and structured sort of band. In terms of sound, well, they remind me a lot of Jack Johnson. If you like Jack Johnson, you're going to like these guys. Personally, I can only take Jack in small doses and, although it was a solid performance, it probably isn't the type of thing I'm going to be spending a lot of time with. Still, if we're strictly speaking in terms of overall talent, they may have been the best band I saw the whole festival. Respect.

Photos: My pics of Daniel Wesley @ The Horseshoe are on flickr
Myspace: Daniel Wesley

For an album that didn't quite make my year end 'best of' in 2008, The Bicycles' Oh No It's Love is becoming one of my most listened to albums of this year, so far. The songs are such enjoyable blasts of upbeat hooky power pop that it's impossible not to succumb to their immediate charms. Believe it or not, I hadn't yet seen these guys live either, so I was really looking forward to this. Their happy time bubblegum vibe translates well to the live stage, and their giddy stage presence is all kinds of cute. They all took turns on lead vocals, and they seemed to be having a fantastic time on stage. It turns out that this was a good time to catch them, because apparently, they are going to be taking an extended (possibly permanent) hiatus. I didn't realize this beforehand, so all of the subtle hints (ahem) were actually lost on me. Things like, the vocalist asking if The Handsome Furs are looking for another member, as well as a person in the audience yelling out, "don't break up!" actually weren't enough to clue me in to the situation at hand. Still, it appears that the rumours are true, which is too bad, because they're a really great band that I would've liked to see again sometime.

Photos: The Bicycles at The Horseshoe on flickr.
Myspace: The Bicycles

At that point I probably made some Handsome Furs fan very happy as I decreased The Horseshoe overflow by one, and headed on down to Rancho Relaxo so as to enjoy some high quality music but with a significantly smaller crowd. Or so I thought.

I arrived at Rancho just as Black Diamond Bay was starting into their set, and the place was absolutely packed! I had never seen Rancho like this before. In fact, mere minutes after I entered, people were being turned away at the door due to lack of room. Initially, I didn't intend on seeing Patrick Krief's band perform since I was going to use the walk from Horseshoe to Rancho as an opportunity to grab a slice of pizza or something. I'm glad I chose hunger pains instead.

I've seen Patrick Krief perform enough times to know what to expect and, in their case, this is a good thing. If you've been hesitating on seeing them, I cannot recommend enough that you just go ahead and do so. Even if you've sampled their music and have come to the conclusion that it's really not your thing, their live show is a separate entity unto itself. When Patrick jumps into the audience wailing away on that wicked white Strat of his, it is easily one of the most intoxicating live music moments that I consistently have the pleasure of experiencing. It should also be mentioned that, even though I have a tendency to single out Krief in my reviews, it is the unparalleled chemistry of the entire band, that allows them to reach such legendary levels of exaltation.

Photos: Black Diamond Bay @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr.
Myspace: Black Diamond Bay

Black Hat Brigade was the third band of the evening that everybody thinks I've seen before, but I actually hadn't. They play the same kind of late 70's artsy post punk style that Wolf Parade tries to emulate, but to be honest, I think that I like Black Hat Brigade even better. Actually, I'm going to go ahead and make an even bolder statement here and admit that, although the vocals remind me quite a bit of Isaac Brock, I actually find them less irritating than the Modest Mouse frontman. Flame me all you want, but it's true. They put on a very good show that had them moving back and forth between swirling percussion heavy epics to eclectic synth heavy dance songs. The best moment was during their last song when they incorporated a dead-on rendition of Television's Marquee Moon that would have even impressed Tom Verlaine himself. It took me a long time to finally see them, but they certainly appear to have honed their craft nicely.

Photos: Black Hat Brigade @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr.
Myspace: Black Hat Brigade

And finally, I ended the night by seeing Amos The Transparent for the third time this year. Are you getting tired of me talking about them yet? You can read this year's previous reviews over here and here, but basically I'll just repeat a sentence that I've already stated a couple of times before, that is, that this was probably their best performance to date. Yes, they just keep getting better. They played a lot of songs from the new EP My, What Big Teeth You Have, which was released to the public for the first time at this show. Also notable, was seeing Mark Hyne take over on lead vocals for one of the songs, and doing such a great job. It's become very clear that Toronto has been bitten by the Amos bug and overall, the band was feeding heavily off of the crowd's rabid enthusiasm. Jonathan once again expressed his love of Toronto, and they all voiced appreciation for the support from our city. I'm curious to know if the band is having a similar reception elsewhere, because if they are, then I should definitely be hearing more about them than just blog buzz. I hope that this new EP garners them even more publicity.

Photos: Amos The Transparent @ Rancho Relaxo on flickr
Myspace: Amos The Transparent

Bearsuit Publishing Presents Black Diamond Bay, Lily Frost, Mardeen & Emma-Lee

Toronto based music publishing company Bearsuit Publishing has been working hard to provide an affordable high quality music catalogue for television, film and commercial use. In order to commemorate the one year anniversary, The Drake Underground hosted an evening of awesome music on Wednesday night. The lineup was as eclectic as it was enjoyable and I'm glad to have been there to be introduced to some solid acts, as well as returning to see one of my favourites. As I often do, I'll start at night's end and work backwards.

The last time that I saw Patrick Krief perform was just under a year ago, and ever since that electrifying performance, I knew that I had to see him again. Of course, a lot has happened since then. He no longer divides his time between this band and The Dears, since the latter has moved on to become simply the husband and wife duo of Murray and Natalia, (with others playing along.) Also, Krief has made his band sound much more solidified by giving them a name of their own. From here on in, they shall be referred to as Black Diamond Bay, presumably named after the Bob Dylan song. I received their self titled CD during NXNE, and although I'll admit that I found it to be a little bit sprawling at first, it's continuing to grow on me more and more with every listen. That having been said, I still consider his live show to be an entity unto its own.

It gets a bit tiring to see the Jimi Hendrix name drop in almost every article about Patrick, but the similarities are undeniable. The guitar becomes an extension of the man himself, as he wails away with grand precision. The highlight for me was during the last song when he walked into the crowd and let the guitar do the talking (or screaming), which understandably worked the crowd into an unmitigated frenzy. I could watch him ignite the axe for hours, and although it left me exhausted, this was an exhaustion tempered with complete satisfaction.

Photos: Black Diamond Bay @ The Drake Undreground on flickr
Myspace: Black Diamond Bay
Video: Amazing footage of his guitar playing on youtube

One thing that I will never understand is the person who puts down some of his/her hard earned cash to purchase a ticket for something that is clearly labeled as being a live music performance, who then proceeds to spend the evening talking really loudly to his/her friends instead of listening to the music that he/she paid to see. If I remember correctly, there are other places where you can go to talk where you don't even have to pay for a ticket to get in. Why not go there?

Although the majority of people standing closer to the stage were paying rapt attention to Lily Frost's amazing vocals, she unfortunately was in the position of having to compete with the rising vocal din of the people closer to the bar. Sadly, they were the ones missing out, because Lily Frost put on a really good performance. Her style is a little bit difficult to pigeonhole, although she certainly has a bit of an eccentric lounge pop chanteuse persona going on. I found it remarkable that, although the back room chatter was irritating me, she seemed to take it all in stride, even making the occasional quip that was most likely lost on the talkers, but highly amusing to the rest of us. Her strength of course, was in her music, and I found her songs to be very well structured and original, straddling a beautiful line between perfect pop and old style folksy-jazz.

Photos: Lily Frost @ The Drake Underground on flickr
Myspace: Lily Frost
Video: Enchantment on youtube

So far, Nova Scotia's Mardeen is one of the buzz bands from this year's V-Fest and after seeing them perform on Wednesday night, I can understand why. They were definitely the most straight forward rock band of the night. The hooks are there and so are the melodies, making them an instantly likable and recognizable band. I found myself singing along to the chorus's with great ease, even though this was my very first exposure to their music. When you listen to as much music as I do, you sometimes long for some sort of gimmick to grasp your attention. However, on the other hand, there are some bands that have that strong ability to craft a perfect pop song without needing to rely on the need to stray too far outside of the box. That pretty much sums up Mardeen for me. They may not be the type of band that I'll need to listen to every day, but for those times that I do pull out their work, it'll always be enjoyable. Onstage, they exude a contagious vigor that will surely continue to win over the audiences that they perform for, which makes them a band to definitely look out for in the next few years.

Photos: Mardeen @ The Drake Underground on flickr.
Myspace: Mardeen

I've actually been mildly familiar with Emma-Lee for a couple of years now and I remember when I first discovered her on myspace, I was immediately drawn in by her sultry vocal stylings. She was the opener on Wednesday night and although I wouldn't say that her songs broke any bold new ground or anything, she still presented herself as an excellent singer-songwriter who just happens to have an amazing voice as well. The fact is that she could probably get by on that voice alone, singing the standards that we've heard a billion times before and marketing herself as another in a long line of adult contemporary jazz singers. The fact that she chooses to write her own songs and present them in her own unique style is a real testament to her integrity and talent. I really enjoyed her set, which featured several songs from her latest release entitled Never Just A Dream. Also, to keep things interesting, she performed a jazzed up cover of Corey Hart's Sunglasses At Night, which sounded great, even if her tongue was planted firmly in cheek.

Photos: Emma-Lee @ The Drake Underground on flickr.
Myspace: Emma-Lee

Krief w/ Obviously Five Believers and Schomberg Fair @ Rancho Relaxo

There are good guitarists and there are great guitarists. The Dears' Patrick Krief is one of the great ones. He released his solo EP, brilliantly entitled "Take It Or Leave" earlier this year and he's been frequently showcasing it live ever since. On the album, he does it all himself, but on stage he is in full band mode with Roberto Piccioni (keyboards), Andre Bendahan (bass), and George Donoso III (drums). The CD is a very personal affair, that shows that, if anything, The Dears are really his side project, not the other way around, as some may believe. I had heard that his live show is really something to behold, and boy, is that an understatement. Watching him play, transported me back to the days of watching Hendrix or Zappa wail away on the axe. (Of course I've never actually been to one of those shows. C'mon, I'm not THAT old!) You can however, and should, add Patrick Krief to the list of heavily underrated guitarists like Jay Farrar or J. Mascis, because his playing goes far beyond the sonic noodling of some of the other so-called greats. When he solos, his playing is filled with precision and discretion. In other words, they do not simply come off sounding like a solo simply for the sake of soloing. Every solo feels like a composition within itself, and that is incredibly impressive to witness onstage.

Patrick Krief has two dates at The Rivoli in Toronto on December 7th and 8th.

Photos: Krief live at Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: Worries Are Over mp3
Myspace: Krief
Video: For a sampling of what this guy is capable of, watch this. Holy Mackinaw!
Purchase: Take It Or Leave here.

I don't want to start any rumors, but I'm pretty sure that the guys in Schomberg Fair may have shot a man in Reno, and if they did, it was simply just to watch him die. If you recognize that reference, than going to see Schomberg Fair should definitely be put on your to-do list. With the spirit and attitude of a young Johnny Cash, these guys ripped through a set of hard livin' and thrashy country punk that smacks with even a slight hint of rockabilly. Their sound is classic rock 'n raunch, and you would be hard-pressed not to become a country convert after hearing them play. I really appreciate the dynamic between lead vocalist Matt Bahen's raspy throat aerobics and bassist Nathan Sidon's deep 'close your eyes and you swear it's Johnny Cash himself' baritone. Add to that Jake Stewart's 'anything but subtle' skin pounding, and you've got yourself a true genuine roots rock sensation.

Schomberg Fair have several dates in the near future but their Toronto appearances are at Tiger Bar on November 8th and The Horseshoe on December 29th.

Photos: Schomberg Fair @ Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: John The Revelator mp3 / Some Things Never Change mp3
Myspace: Schomberg Fair

I've mentioned before my weakness for all things 60's. Obviously Five Believers are one of my new weaknesses. Their love for the psychedelic sixties is apparent in that their sound does not simply pay homage, but it actually sounds like we may have transported back to that era while listening to them. They opened the night off with a very enthusiastic set, that got the crowd enveloped in a frenzied shake-fest. I could probably compare them to a hundred different bands, but you likely already know the sound that I'm talking about. Basically I think that they would have made a splash on Ed Sullivan, before getting kicked off for not giving in to Eddy's standards. They're the type of band that I would imagine always puts on a great show and I'd love to see them play a place like The Mod Club next time, since I really feel that their music would be ideal in that setting.

Obviously Five Believers will be performing at Mitzi's Sister in Toronto on November 15th.

Photos: Obviously Five Believers @ Rancho Relaxo flickr
Download: Darling Of The Underground mp3 / Song For When We Die mp3
Myspace: Obviously Five Believers
You can purchase their CD on their myspace page as well, or simply e-mail them if you live in the city at obviously.five.believers@gmail.com