Joanna Newsom w/Kevin Barker @ The Phoenix

My love for the music of Joanna Newsom has been well documented on this here blog, and her latest 3-disc extravaganza Have One On Me has been no exception. When I started listening to the record, there was a part of me that was a little bit perturbed at the fact that she has somewhat normalized her voice a little bit, feeling as if she was sort of giving in to all of the haters who didn't like the high pitched squeak that accompanied her last two albums. The words "acquired taste" followed defenders of her like the plague, but I have to say that personally, I never needed that period of adjustment. From the first time I heard her I remember thinking that this girl has something that I've never heard before, both in terms of musical expression and of course, in her vocals as well. The Milk Eyed Mender was an album that I enjoyed thoroughly, and Ys, well, that's just simply one of my favourite albums ever. The current album however, while supposedly more accessible, actually did take a few extra listens for me to appreciate, as the uncanny vocal similarities to Kate Bush just had me going back and listening to her again, which forced me to make comparisons, which led to thoughts like, "there may be many impersonators, but there's only one Kate Bush."

While I still maintain the accuracy of that statement, Joanna Newsom's album has grown on me, to the point where I enjoy it almost as much as her other two, and the internal build up in enthusiasm as the day of her show at The Phoenix was approaching had me feeling some definite high levels of anticipation. Yes, even with all of the shows that I see, I can still get pretty excited about them from time to time, and this was certainly one of those times.

This show, of course, was right smack dab in the middle of an especially rainy Canadian Music Week, which meant that I had already done enough running around and getting wet, so I tried to time it so that I would show up right at door time and I could just stroll in, while still being early enough to get up nice and close to the front. Well, my timing was off a bit, and I did end up standing in the windy cold rain for pretty close to a half hour, which didn't make me particularly giddy. Still, I was in and I was decently close to the front, so overall things weren't too bad.

The opening act was Kevin Barker, the guitarist for a pretty decent alt-country band called Vetiver, and a man who has worked with Devendra Banhart, Vashti Bunyan and Antony and the Johnsons. His set was quite subdued yet enjoyable, and he showed great respect for the fact that people were here to see Newsom by keeping it relatively brief, even quipping that like us, he can't wait till he gets off the stage as well. He played four or five mildly jammy numbers that would run the gamut of song structure with pop sensibilities and lead into slightly longer folk tinged expressive pieces, that would straddle that fine line between progressive construction and free form expression. It was all rather enjoyable, but after waiting in the rain for half an hour, I was really getting antsy waiting for Newsom to take the stage.

Photos: Kevin Barker @ The Phoenix (March 13th, 2010) on flickr
Myspace: Kevin Barker

When she finally did (after 20 more minutes of waiting), she looked simply stunning as she waved at the audience and then sat down at the piano to perform a perfect rendition of album opener Easy, with her voice impressively flawless. Accompanying her on stage were five others, sitting up front to stages left and right, playing all of the elaborate pieces on guitar, violins, trumpet, drums, flute and banjo. Joanna was in the unfortunate position of having to keep her set brief, since The Phoenix hosts a dance party on Saturday nights, which meant that when it came to setlists, she had to choose wisely, probably not an easy thing to do when you're promoting an album that runs over two hours in length. Still, I'd have to say that she did quite well, including my favourite songs from the new album (Soft As Chalk and the title track), as well as some older favourites (Inflammatory Writ, The Book of Right-On from Milk Eyed Mender, and Emily from Ys.) Another surprise was how down-to-earth and normal she seemed, which for me, seemed to run contrary to the distinguished nature of her music. There was a moment during The Book of Right-On where she forgot the lyrics, and the look on her face was priceless as she asked if anybody knew the words. There was another funny moment when she needed to tune her harp, which apparently isn't as straight forward as tuning a guitar, when she allowed her drummer Neil Morgan to banter with the audience to bide some time, where he told lame (yet endearing) jokes and fielded several questions about his own career, which made for an entertaining distraction. Still, the highlights were, of course, the music, and I swear that there was even a moment during In California where I felt myself feeling a little verklempt, which really sums up the effect that her music has on those who get it. And when you're used to hearing peers (and anonymous blog commenters) talk about how much they hate her, there's something very comforting about being in a room of 1000+ people, standing so quietly that you could literally hear a pin drop, taking in the beautiful expressions that can only come from the pairing of a mythical harp and Newsom's magical voice.

This show was already reviewed by many, including The National Post, The Globe and Mail, Chromewaves, Chart Magazine, Exclaim and there's no doubt that For The Records will have his review up shortly also.

There's also plenty of great video footage from the show up on ANewCanadian's youtube channel.

Photos: Joanna Newsom @ The Phoenix (March 13th, 2010) on flickr
Myspace: Joanna Newsom

The Cribs / Adam Green / The Dead Trees @ The Phoenix

I'm not much of a celebrity stalker type of guy and I'm definitely not the type of person who dishes out cash to see someone just because I think he's cool. But there are always exceptions to the rule and Johnny Marr is one of those exceptions. The dude gets around and when I heard that his latest band of entry was U.K.'s The Cribs, and that said band would be at The Phoenix this month, I have to admit that I turned into a bit of a fangirl and scooped me up some tickets right away. The opportunity to see the epitome of cool at such a (relatively) intimate venue was just too tempting to pass up.

Before I could gaze longingly at Marr however, there were a couple of openers to get through and the first one wasn't half bad. The Dead Trees are a rock 'n roll band from Portland, Oregon who released their first EP independently before signing to Milan Records for the release of their upcoming full length that will be entitled King Of Rosa. Their simple yet hooky mixture of jangle pop and alt-country is sure to call to mind any one of a slew of early 90's references, from Teenage Fanclub to The Lemonheads and although the sound is far from innovative, it's still rather enjoyable. It was refreshing to see a band that seems completely devoid of gimmicks and flash and still, some very tight musicianship made their sound rather exciting.

Photos: My pics of The Dead Trees @ The Phoenix are on flickr
Myspace: The Dead Trees
Download: Shelter mp3

From the gimmick-less to a man that oozes gimmickry, former Moldy Peach Adam Green is a guy who has managed to create a name for himself based on his spasmodic live persona. Is he crazy? Yes. Energetic? Definitely. Hilarious? For sure. Particularly good? erm....

For a brief moment when The Dead Trees took to the stage again, I wondered if perhaps Green was held up at the border and we were going to be treated to a second set. It became apparent rather quickly though that they were simply acting as his backup band for the night when suddenly out of nowhere Green bounded onto that stage with unbridled energy looking like a poorly drawn caricature of Julian Casablancas whilst ripping off every embarrassing dance move that Adam Ant had unfortunately subjected the world to during 1985's Live Aid. As he strutted across the stage decked out in tight jeans and a leather jacket that revealed just a little more midriff than I was personally comfortable with, it was hard not to laugh at his shtick, and perhaps that was what he was going for. The crowd seemed to be eating it up, and he was likewise feeding off of it also, as he jumped into the crowd for a couple of songs, attempting a good old fashioned surf and sing. The songs were the basic nonsensical slices of novelty that he has become known for, and if you are a fan, than you no doubt had a good time. Me? Not so much.

Photos: My pics of Adam Green @ The Phoenix are on flickr
Myspace: Adam Green
Download: Morning After Midnight mp3

And then came The Cribs. When the three piece version of the band emerged onto the scene with their self-titled debut back in 2004, they instantly fell into the "like" but not "love" category for me. There was just such a massive invasion of like minded bands emerging from the U.K. at the time that they all sort of ran into each other for me, musically speaking. Also, they all seemed to follow a pattern of releasing a pretty solid debut, and then following it up with a slew of copycat albums that failed to rejuvenate any initial interest that I may have had, to the point that I would just generally grow indifferent by the third or fourth album. Now that having been said, The Cribs did seem to have a greater sense of melody than some of the others, and Hey Scenesters! from their second album The New Fellas is a rock anthem if I've ever heard one. And although I haven't listened to all of their current release yet, entitled Ignore The Ignorant, what I've heard is pretty solid. Still, I'm not too cool to admit that if not for the aforementioned Johnny Marr factor, I probably wouldn't have dished out the $19.50 to go and see them. Thankfully, it ended up being worth every penny.

When the band took to the stage, there was a definite aire of confidence that I have a feeling was there even before Marr joined the group. While it's true that his guitar work adds a certain level of atmosphere to their sound, I wouldn't say that he was the group's star by any means. What made their show so impressive was the fact that they really did work well together as one cohesive unit, with Gary and Ryan Jarmin taking turns as lead vocalists, and drummer Ross Jarmin busting out all of the usual rock drummer moves that we've come to expect from high energy rock bands such as theirs. Although it was those high energy numbers such as the newer We Were Aborted and Emasculate Me and of course the classic Hey Scenesters! that really got the crowd going, I was more taken by some of the artsier performances. One of those, for example, was Be Safe, a song from their 3rd album Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever, which is basically a spoken word piece featuring Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth, who could be seen on a large projection screen behind the band, while they played the musical accompaniment. I also really enjoyed set closer City Of Bugs, which was an opportunity to showcase Marr's ringing guitar work, which really added a layer of depth that sounded hypnotic live. I also appreciate that the band went to the effort of making the last song count, so that there was no need to go through the cheesy ritual of soliciting cheers for an encore, which is something that I've grown admittedly weary of, and of which the band didn't bother doing.

The show really helped me to appreciate why the band is considered to be the U.K.'s biggest cult band as they displayed all of the energetic stage presence that has become synonymous with the music from that area, while maintaining a sense of melodious adventure that seems to be lacking amongst many of their contemporaries.

Photos: My pics of The Cribs @ The Phoenix are up on flickr
Myspace: The Cribs
Download: We Were Aborted mp3

The fact that the whole show was over by 11:45 would usually mean that I could graciously hit the hay at a relatively early hour, and enjoy the events of the following day completely free of the typical day-after-concert, non-alcoholic hangover. But I had made a promise to one of the most intriguing up and coming bands in the Toronto area that I wouldn't be missing their show if it was at all possible. So, this early end time meant that I had one more stop to make before turning in for the night.

...to be continued...

'Sup In December: Ten Picks

Wow, these months are whipping by pretty wicked fast these days and it seems like I just posted one of these not that long ago. But here we are, the last month of '09 and today the weather is feeling pretty December-y and it's making me tired. I went to a great show on Saturday night that I look forward to telling you about, and if I don't fall asleep I'll be checking out another one tonight but in the meantime here are my picks for the month of December. Don't expect me to be as wordy as usual though. Pretty tired.

For more detailed listings, as usual, go check out Stillepost, Zoilus and Jen's Weekly List (of shows under $10)

1. The Hoa Hoa's / The Disraelis / Action Makes / Your 33 Black Angels @ Silver Dollar
(Friday December 4th; Cost: $6)

OK, I realize that I've been pushing The Hoa Hoa's pretty heavily lately, but their show last month completely blew my mind, and the fact that their name hasn't been circulating as much as some other acts literally keeps me awake at night. So their CD release show at the Dollar is mandatory if you like music as much as I do. And to sweeten the pot, locals psychedelics The Disraelis and Action Makes are also on the bill. But the major drawing action is Your 33 Black Angels from NYC, whom I've heard are so unbelievable that you literally won't believe it! Go to this show. Do it! Oh, Hoa Hoa's are also playing a free instore at Sonic Boom on the same day at 6pm. Do that also! [Myspaces: The Hoa Hoa's; The Disraelis; Action Makes; Your 33 Black Angels]

2. Grant Hart @ The Horseshoe
(Monday December 14th; Cost: $10.50)

Although most people name drop Bob Mould when engaging in conversations about Hüsker Dü, I've always been partial to the works of Grant Hart. He's currently touring in promotion of his first solo album in ten years entitled Hot Wax, which I still have to take the time to listen to. A couple of his previous albums though, namely Intolerance (1989) and Good News For Modern Man (1999) are a couple of albums that I enjoy very much. Should be legendary! [Myspace: Grant Hart]

3. Zero 7 @ The Phoenix
(Thursday December 3rd; Cost: $30)

I don't know why, but Zero 7 is one of those bands that I sheepishly admit to liking, even though I really shouldn't. They're just so calming and incredible and I'll bet they're absolutely otherworldly to see live. I'd imagine that the sound at The Phoenix would be perfect for their type of music. Like the last band, I've yet to hear their current release Yeah Ghost, but apparently it follows along the lines of 2006's brilliant The Garden. While it's true that Sia Furler isn't joining them on this tour, I've read that jazz vocalist Eska Mtungwazi is a revelation, and from what I've sampled, I don't doubt it. [Myspace: Zero 7]

4. The Sadies @ The Horseshoe
(Thursday December 31st; Cost: $20)

OK, here we are, broken record time: The Sadies are the best live band in Toronto. The Sadies play New Years Eve at The Horseshoe every year. The Sadies are ALWAYS perfect. 'Nuff said. [Myspace: The Sadies]

5. W.S Wallcott's Rabbits Foot Minstrel Revue: A Tribute To The Band @ The Boat
(Thursday December 10th; Cost: $5)

As we all know, the music of The Band is timeless, and for five bucks, this would be a pretty hard show to justify passing up. The number of talented musicians taking part is staggering. The list includes members of Born Ruffians, Cuff The Duke, Ohbijou, Jason Collett, The Golden Dogs, Zeus, Steamboat and more. Yes. [Myspace: The Band]

6. Handsome Furs @ Lee's Palace
(Saturday December 5th; Cost: $15)

Husband and wife electro-punk disco pop? How can you go wrong? My interest in this band has been more of mild curiosity as opposed to rabid enthusiasm, but many of my friends have never forgiven me for ducking out on The Handsome Furs (pictured above) at this year's CMW back in March, so it looks like I'll be making up for that this month. [Myspace: Handsome Furs]

7. Do Make Say Think / Charles Spearin's Happiness Project @ Enwave Theatre
(Sat. Dec 12th & Sun. Dec 13th; Cost: $16)

I have very mixed feelings about the bands that Arts & Crafts have been signing as of late, but when the crop of originals put out something new, it always makes for substantial listening. Instrumental post-rockers Do Make Say Think are celebrating the release of their 6th full length entitled Other Truths at the Queens Quay venue, along with this highly ambitious side project from BSS-er Charles Spearin. [Myspaces: Do Make Say Think; Charles Spearin's Happiness Project]

8. Spiral Beach / Boys Who Say No / Heartbeat Hotel / Romo Roto @ The Garrison
(Saturday December 19th; Cost: $12)

I finally got to check out the city's newest live venue on Saturday night, and I was surprised at how much I liked this incredibly red venue. I've also been seriously itching to see Spiral Beach again, as they are certainly one of my favorite live acts in the city. This is their last show of the year, and although I'm not familiar with all of their supporters, Boys Who Say No are almost as much fun as they are. (OK, they're nowhere near as much fun, but they are still pretty fun, in their own way) [Myspaces: Spiral Beach; Boys Who Say No; Heartbeat Hotel; Romo Roto]

9. Bellewoods / Raised by Swans / Old World Vulture / Cheap Speakers @ Horseshoe
(Friday December 11th; Cost: $8)

After a brief hibernation, Raised By Swans are celebrating the release of their new CD called No Ghostless Place at another TWM showcase, this time at The Horseshoe. All of the supporters are great, including TWM faves Cheap Speakers, spacey proggers Old World Vulture and classic folk rock with Bellewoods. Variety ensues... [Myspaces: Bellewoods; Raised By Swans; Old World Vulture; Cheap Speakers]

10. Hey Rosetta / Julie Fader / La Strada @ The Horseshoe
(Fri. Dec 4th & Sat. Dec 5th; Cost: $15)

I still maintain that Hey Rosetta's Into Your Lungs is one of the most solid releases of last year, and the one time that I saw them live is still a show that I thnk back to often. For a good solid performance, this Newfoundland band is pretty much a sure thing, as far as I'm concerned. [Myspaces: Hey Rosetta; Julie Fader; La Strada]

Honorable Mentions:
Only a couple of honorable mentions this time around. Female folk duo Dala (who's latest album Everyone Is Someone is actually much better than I expected it to be) is playing Hugh's Room (Dec 17, $12); The Skydiggers are playing two nights at The Horseshoe (Dec 18th & 19th, $20); Patrick Watson is at Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Dec 12, $25) and Friendly Rich and the Lollipop People are at The Tranzac (Dec 5th, $10). A show that would have definitely made my top ten is Friendly Fires with The xx at The Phoenix on Dec 2nd but the show is completely sold out and I didn't get a ticket so I decided that there was no real need to mention it in the top ten. My friends think Friendly Fires is the bomb (I think they're alright) but The xx have released one of the best albums of the year and it would've been great to see them. They're back in April at the Kool Haus (ugh) with Hot Chip so we'll see.

Where I'll Be:
December is chill out time for me, so I don't think that I'll be going to too much this month (didn't I say that last month?) but I'm 99 percent sure that I'll be at the Handsome Furs show and I'm planning on seeing The Hoa Hoa's at Silver Dollar because I want to see them as often as possible. Everything else is a "we'll see how I feel on the day of" situtation, but I'm pretty determined to not do much so, once again, we'll see. Dress warm peoples.

The Weakerthans, Constantines and Waking Eyes @ The Phoenix

Ahhh, The Weakerthans. Most of you readers are well aware that seeing this Canadian treasure live has really been a long time coming and I'm glad to say that the wait is finally over. So was it worth it? Answer: a resounding yes! But let's start from the start...

The Waking Eyes put on a show that was not all that dissimilar to the one that I saw at Lee's Palace in March. The variety contained in their recorded material allows them to showcase their many layers on the live stage as well. The musicianship of this band is so incredibly adept that things continue to keep moving at a steady clip, while their creativity continues to shine through. Rusty Matyas and Matt Peters proved themselves to be very captivating frontmen, as they switched off instruments regularly throughout the set. Meanwhile, Steve Senkiw is obviously a more than capable drummer. Once again though, I wholeheartedly maintain that Joey Penner is a bass player extraordinaire and the greatest selling point of the band. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes this guy impossible to ignore onstage, other than the fact that he's just a wizard of a bassist. Of course the entire band is solid, and even though the two acts to follow are regarded as a couple of Canada's best, The Waking Eyes easily held their own.

Photos: The Waking Eyes @ The Phoenix on flickr
Myspace: The Waking Eyes

Constantines have been declared by many to be the best live rock act that Canada has to offer. When I saw them perform at Toronto Island several years ago, I was pretty much ready to jump on that bandwagon myself. Well, absence makes the heart grow fonder as they say, and I was really looking forward to catching their live show again. There is no doubt that this band is an absolute powerhouse on stage; a rock 'n roll assault that makes you exhausted just looking at them. However, I've consistently felt that each successive album that they've released has showcased a band quickly running out of ideas, and unfortunately this was reflected in their live show also. For the most part, it was the older numbers that sounded great, while the newer ones just kinda lagged for me. The show opened strong enough, particularly when they pulled out Young Offenders, which was the second song of the night. The song's immediacy was rampant, coming across as if they had written it only yesterday. The show ended even stronger, beginning with Nightime/Anytime (It's Alright) and Justice, both from their first two albums. This was followed by a ripping version of Shine A Light, also from the second album of the same name and they ended their set with an explosive chorus of Do What You Can Do from Kensington Heights. If the show was limited to these five or six performances, it would have been insane. My problem was with the weak part in the middle. They played for nearly an hour, and I'm afraid that great energy cannot override mundane material, and sadly, the mind couldn't help but wander throughout the middle portion of the show. Personally, I was finding it very difficult to match their enthusiasm as each song started to sound the same. I've scanned the internet to try to find another poor review of a Constantines live show and I couldn't, so I'm willing to acknowledge that this is obviously more personal opinion than anything else. However, as a semi-jaded concert goer who remarkably still has the ability to be impressed often, I'm afraid this show only half did it for me. I will say that Bryan Webb does have an amazing voice though.

Photos: Constantines @ The Phoenix on flickr
Myspace: Constantines

All of my concerns with Constantines set can apply in an opposite way to The Weakerthans. In comparison to the two bands that preceded them, energy and power are not two words that you'll read in any live review about our favourite Winnipegers. The comment has been made that when it comes to seeing The Weakerthans live, you may as well just stay home and listen to the records. I suppose that in many ways, this is a valid point. However, one cannot underestimate the power of the material. The Weakerthans are a true Canadian treaure for a reason. They've written some of the greatest lyrics in Can-Rock history, and Aside is one of my favourite songs of all time. Anywhere. So on the strength of the songs alone, there was no way that this show was not going to be anything short of overwhelmingly pleasurable. It's true, their show does not come with any flashes of light, or acrobatics performed by the Cirque de Soleil, but when you're showcasing songs like Left And Leaving, Virtue The Cat and Reconstruction Site, gimmicks no longer become necessary. John K. Samson simply walks on stage, smiles and performs the songs, and from what I could judge by the audience's reaction, nothing else was needed. Speaking about audience reaction, let's talk a little bit about the audience. This was another one in a series of dreaded all ages shows that I've been attending recently, and I wouldn't be me if I didn't moan a little bit about how much I hate all ages shows. If you're not interested in another self indulgent rant, feel free to skip ahead to paragraph three.

As far as all ages shows go, this was not the worst one that I've been to. Unlike the Born Ruffians show I attended last year, or the Broken Social Scene show that I attended shortly thereafter, or The Hives show prior to that, for the most part the young 'uns managed not to get all up in my peace, so I was pretty grateful for that. Still, I could've easily done without the gaggle of horribly tone deaf female teenster singalongs that accompanied every single syllable emanating from Samson's mouth that night. If you want everyone to listen to your overwhelmingly bad prepubescent cackle, then go and form your own band and see if you can sell out three nights at the Phoenix on your own. Basically I doubt it, what with your voices sucking and everything. (Oooh, that was offside 'eh? Hehe, I'm a jerk sometimes...)

And now back to our regularly scheduled review. Some of my favourite moments, besides hearing Aside, came during the encore, which began with Samson returning to the stage solo, and performing One Great City! Admittedly there was something slightly sinister about a crowd screaming "I Hate Winnipeg!" at the top of their lungs, but you couldn't wipe the smile off of my face if you tried. One fan had been screaming for My Favourite Chords since the show began, so one can only imagine the elation he must have felt when they pulled that one out and performed it in such a beautifully introspective way. And finally, their Casio heavy rendition of Anchorless was amazing, with only the drummer being unequipped with the instrument. Samson claimed that they were not planning on doing this song and it was only by request that they pulled it out, but they seem to have been doing it all tour, so I'm not sure if I believe him. Either way, it sounded great.

The Weakerthans will always be the definition of a perfect band to me. The combination of marvelously poetic lyricism, hooky melodies and warmly endearing stage presence is what makes them truly great, and hopefully the opportunity I've had to finally catch their live show will not simply end here.

Photos: The Weakerthans @ The Phoenix on flickr
Myspace: The Weakerthans

'Sup in April

Let's get right into it...

The Weakerthans (pictured above) are playing three shows at The Phoenix starting tonight (March 31st.) After years of unintentional neglect, I will be attending show #2 on Wednesday April 1st. This show is sure to be wicked awesome since joining them will be The Constantines (whom I've seen: amazing!) and The Waking Eyes (whom I've also seen: amazing!) the first two shows are sold out but I believe there are still some seats available for for the April 2nd show. $25. [Myspace: The Weakerthans; The Constantines; The Waking Eyes]

I was already prepared to see In-Flight Safety at The Horseshoe Tavern on Friday April 3rd, but now sweetening the pot is the fact that Oh No Forest Fires are one of the bands that are opening for them. I'm actually more excited about that since I haven't seen them for a while and they're one of my faves here in the city. Birthday Boys are also on the bill. Tix are $10 and In-Flight Safety are also doing an in-store at Criminal Records. Not sure of the exact time, although their website says 2-4pm. [Myspace: In-Flight Safety; Birthday Boys; Oh No Forest Fires]

A couple of the first bands that I ever blogged about are playing Bookman's Nu Music night at The Horseshoe on Tuesday April 7th. Fire Hydrant have a definite alt-rock style that is pretty easy to enjoy. Playing earlier on in the evening is Beautiful Nothing from Burlington. Their brand of dissonant high energy post punk is a far cry from what I'm listening to regularly these days, but this band holds a special place for me since they were one of those bands that got me looking into the indie music scene in the first place. Should be a good show. Also on the bill is Bombing Neverland and Dream Awake. Free. [Myspace: Fire Hydrant; Bombing Neverland; Beautiful Nothing; Dream Awake]

The Paint Movement are having a CD release party at The Rivoli on Friday April 10th with Fox Jaws, Make Your Exit and Provincial Parks. Great lineup! $8. [Myspace: The Paint Movement; Fox Jaws; Make Your Exit; Provincial Parks]

I am bummed to be missing Neko Case at Trinity St. Paul's on Friday April 17th and Saturday April 18th. Both shows are sold out but I wasn't able to attend anyways. Sucks. Just venting, that's all. [Myspace: Neko Case]

Local elctro dance sensation Woodhands are playing The Phoenix on Friday April 17th for $10. [Myspace: Woodhands]

As silly and out of place as this may sound, I actually think that I'm going to be seeing The Presidents of The United States of America at Lee's Palace on Tuesday April 21st. I know, I know, how old am I right? $20.50. [Myspace: The President of the USA]

Steve's boy Justin Townes Earle is playing The Horseshoe on Wednesday April 22nd in support of Midnight At The Movies which I should seriously get around to listening to. Tickets are $12.50. [Myspace: Justin Townes Earle]

Newfoundland's Hey Rosetta are bringing their triumphant stadium rock to Lee's Palace on Friday April 24th for $10. [Myspace: Hey Rosetta]

Bat For Lashes are awesome and they will be playing The Mod Club on Saturday April 25th for $15. 'Nuff said. [Myspace: Bat For Lashes]

It looks like I will likely be at Lee's Palace on Saturday April 25th to get my dance on with Shout Out Out Out Out who are in town to support their latest offering Reintegration Time which I've been listening to quite frequently lately. $15. [Myspace: Shout Out Out Out Out]

Noah and the Whale provide Lee's Palace with some of their eclectic indie folk stylings on Monday April 27th. $12.50. [Myspace: Noah and the Whale]

You certainly don't want to miss Elvis Perkins at The Horseshoe on Wednesday April 29th since he always does a solid show. $15. [Myspace: Elvis Perkins]

The Dears are playing The Mod Club on Thursday April 30th and tix are only $20. [Myspace: The Dears]

Also on Thursday April 30th is the amazing combination of John Doe and The Sadies at The Horseshoe. I've seen this amalgamation before and if you're able to attend, I cannot recommend them enough. $17.50 and it will be spectacular!! [Myspace: John Doe & The Sadies]

Weakerthans photo by Dan Moni.

'Sup In February

Usually the winter months result in a bit of a live show drought here in the city, but February is actually looking pretty jam packed as far as I can tell. I'm not sure how many of these I'm going to be able to attend, but the possibilities are certainly enough to make me drool.

Wednesday February 4th is the first show that I'll be attending for sure, with my tickets sitting comfortably atop the shelf. Gary Louris and Mark Olson (pictured above) have finally settled their differences and will be performing songs from their new album Ready For The Flood, which was just released last Tuesday. I haven't heard it yet, but my sources (what sources?) say that this is not a Jayhawks reunion album, but a stripped down, laid back and casual affair, which helps to understand the logic behind having a seated show at The Mod Club. The fact that Louris sheepishly name drops Simon & Garfunkel in a recent interview for Now Magazine leads me to believe that the harmonies are going to be all kinds of uplifting. I'm thoroughly looking forward to this show. $22.50 [Myspace: Ready For The Flood]

Also on Wednesday February 4th, Bruce Peninsula are going to be playing a free in-store set at Soundscapes. They'll be back again on Sunday February 22nd to play the Polish Combatants Hall. The tickets for that are $10 adv/ $12 at the door. By the way, I finally got around to listening to A Mountain Is A Mouth. In a word, life-altering! [Myspace: Bruce Peninsula]

I will also be at Rancho Relaxo on Thursday February 5th to see Portland's Robert Bouchard as The Robot Ate Me. That's a pretty impressive draw. He'll be playing with Braxton Clover and Your Volunteer. The most exciting thing about the bill for me though, is seeing Ryland's touring partner Emperor X from Jacksonville, Fl. I just naturally assumed that I would never get to see him perform. See? Never say never. $6. [Myspaces: The Robot Ate Me, Braxton Clover, Your Volunteer]

For those who can't get enough of the 60's grage rock sound, I highly recommend checking out The Primordials at The Mod Club on Saturday February 7th. RSVP the band to get on the guest list. Free. [Myspace: The Primordials]

Also on Saturday February 7th is the Whale Tooth EP release show at Rancho Relaxo. The vocal abilites of Elise Legrow have to be experienced to be appreciated. Also on the bill are Green Go (whom I've heard a lot of good things about) and The Balconies. Tix are $10 w/EP, or $7 without. [Myspaces: Whale Tooth, Green Go, The Balconies]

The Hylozoists are doing the free in-store thang at Soundscapes on Tuesday February 10th. Free. [Myspace: The Hylozoists]

Thursday February 12th marks the third time Amos The Transparent will have played Toronto since the year began. This time they're at the Tattoo Rock Parlour with Birds Of Wales. Cost: TBA [Myspaces: Amos the Transparent, Birds Of Wales]

Also on Thursday February 12th is an early show at The Mod Club featuring Jenn Grant and Kevin Hearn. Tix are $14. [Myspaces: Jenn Grant, Kevin Hearn]

The Von Bondies are on tour to promote their Love, Hate and Then There's You release, which is out on February 3rd. They are playing The Horseshoe on Friday February 13th for $10. [Myspace: The Von Bondies]

Saturday February the 14th is absolutely loaded with stuff I'd like to do, although it looks like I'm probably doing none of these. First off, we've got a massive show at the Polish Combatants Hall featuring $100, Brides, Hooded Fang, The Luyas and The Element Choir. This is part of the much lauded Wavelength series and it's PWYC ($10 recommended) [Myspaces: $100, Brides, Hooded Fang, The Luyas, The Element Choir]

Also on Saturday February 14th, we've got the little band from Barrie that currently serves as my musical crush of high school proportions, Fox Jaws. They are playing El Mocambo. Cost: TBA [Myspace: Fox Jaws]

And also on Saturday February 14th, Toronto welcomes the return of the coolest band in the whole world, The Planet Smashers at the Opera House. They are playing with The Creepshow and The Snips and the tix are $13.50 adv. [Myspaces: The Planet Smashers, The Creepshow, The Snips]

Tuesday February 17th has the wild and crazy Antony and the Johnsons at Queen Elizabeth Theatre for $37. [Myspace: Antony and the Johnsons]

On Wednesday February 18th, I might finally get ther chance to see Olenka and the Autumn Lovers again, when they play The Tranzac. I'm definitely due. Cost: TBA [ Myspace: Olenka and the Autumn Lovers]

I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing Blitzen Trapper again when they play The Horseshoe on Saturday February 21st. The last time I saw them, they were in the unfortunate position ofhaving Fleet Foxes for them. This time they have Alela Diane opening, another artist who is also on the cusp of busting out. Should be a good show though. $10.50 adv/ $12 door [Myspace: Blitzen Trapper, Alela Diane]

Also on Saturday February 21, that cute little pop singing do-it-yourself-er sensation Lights is playing The Phoenix. Tix are $15. [Myspace: Lights]

Besides the aforementioned Bruce Peninsula show, Sunday February 22nd is showcasing a few other exciting bills in our fair city. First of all, Rural Alberta Advantage is playing a Wavelength show at Sneaky Dee's. PWYC. [Myspace: Rural Alberta Advantage]

Also, Ben Kweller is in town promoting Changing Horses which comes out on February 3rd. He is playing Sunday February 22nd at The Mod Club for $25. [Myspace: Ben Kweller]

On Tuesday February 24th, Arts & Crafts melodramatic popster Gentlemen Reg plays a free in-store at Soundscapes. [Myspace: Gentlemen Reg]

Jon Langford (formerly of the Mekons and the Waco Brothers) is playing The Horseshoe on Friday February 27th with The Sadies as his backing band. Tix are $12.50adv/ $14 door. [Myspace: Jon Langford]

And finally, there's a pretty awesome show at The Horseshoe on Saturday February 28th featuring the stadium rock sound of The Coast, the jangle rock goodness of The Diableros and the spazzy wondermint of Oh No Forest Fires. Tix are $10.50 adv/ $12 door [Myspaces: The Coast, The Diableros, Oh No Forest Fires]