Luke Doucet—The Horseshoe
The West Coast twanger-turned-T.O. troubadour delivered a solid set to kick off NXNE, proving why he’s a favourite of music scribes everywhere. Yeah, he’s been playing the same songs off his year-old Aloha, Manitoba solo debut forever, but they took on new life when backed by Blue Rodeo’s Bazil Donovan on bass and Paul Brennan on drums. Despite the sparse crowd (just try getting a T.O. crowd out at 9 p.m., NXNE or not), Doucet always gives it his all, and his gift for a well-turned phrase, plus the fact he’s one of the best guitarists in the country, make a killer combination. — TS
The Carnations—Lee’s Palace
These locals seem to get better every time I see them. The foursome play the Rock and Roll so well, you’d have to be Shakira not to like them. They’re the musical equivalent of your first unexpected grope—you certainly didn’t think you’d be manhandled like that, but you enjoyed every blessed minute of it and it’s definitely something you’ll tell all your friends about. – RC
Grimskunk—Lee’s Palace
What to say about these fine young fellows from Montreal that hasn’t been said before by their hordes of adoring fans in the hardcore community? How ’bout something like: there’s nothing finer than seeing a keyboardist tool out his anger in high-flying fits of vocal rage. When it comes to I-like-it-loud-music, the ultimate sign of homage to the band is not throwing the horns but inserting the earplugs. Thank you, Grimskunk, for once again bringing me that much closer to an auditory blackout while smiling and screaming along. —RC
Oh Susanna—The Horseshoe
The Queen of Torch Country can do no wrong in this town, and the place was accordingly packed for her first local show in a while after extensive touring in the U.K. Supported by a full band that included NXNE man-about-town Bazil Donovan and like-minded singer-songwriter Jim Bryson, Suzie’s voice soared above it all, one of the few that really shone through the venue’s sound system. Looking like a cowboy librarian in her denim skirt and trademark glasses, Oh Susanna showed what months of touring can do for a performer with her much-improved stage presence. Factor in the surprisingly heavy full-band sound (damn, they were loud!), and it all adds up to one thing—Oh Susanna ain’t no “folksinger” any more.—TS
Cy Scobie—B-Side
Bonus points to recent U of T music grad Cy Scobie (Todor Kobakov) for showing up for his early NXNE slot—as expected, his three-piece electronic soundscapes combo (don’t call it a “band”) played to a near-empty venue. Too bad, because the classically-trained pianist is making some of the most interesting ambient music on the local electro scene these days. Good to see him branching out into harder, more beat-oriented textures, and a flautist lent a nice melodic touch, but the act really needs a vocalist or some kind of frontperson to maintain the crowd’s attention. —TS
The Mooney Suzukis—The Horseshoe
The Mooneys are one of the few bands that can effortlessly shuck off a Toronto crowd’s politeness and complacency. These four notorious New Yoke-ahs were sweating in their all-black attire, drilling into us in verse-chorus-verse intervals. And we, as obedient fans, lapped it up. Highlights of the night include the glory hog lead guitarist, for his ability to climb all over the equipment while getting his riffs and licks down uninterrupted. —RC
