Music festivals can be exhausting. But it’s a good kind of tired.
Take last week’s North by Northeast (NXNE) festival. With nearly 400 bands playing at 25 local clubs over three nights, that’s an awful lot of music to take in. While this year’s lineup initially seemed disappointing, littered with many of the same acts that had played Canadian Music Week last March, the balmy nights had revellers packing nearly every venue along Queen St. W. and beyond.
Everyone has their own approach as to what to see at NXNE, but sometimes it’s just easiest-and often most rewarding-to check in with local artists, from fresh-faced newcomers to scene veterans, who are making things happen in their own backyard.
THURSDAY, June 9
The Most Serene Republic -The Reverb, 10 pm
Even a good party has its awkward moments. Their appearance at the crammed NOW Magazine showcase was supposed to be the big coming-out bash for Milton sextet The Most Serene Republic, newest signees to indie success story Arts & Crafts (home to Broken Social Scene and its various splinter acts), but technical problems and a bad case of nerves put a bit of a damper on the celebrations.
Even before they took the stage, the MSR kids (they’re barely out of high school) appeared completely frazzled, and once they did start playing, their instruments just wouldn’t cooperate.
Lanky frontman Adrian Jewett bantered with the crowd and broke into an delightful impromptu rendition of Coldplay’s “Trouble” during a long lull when guitar problems brought the set to a standstill, but subsequent keyboard issues and difficulty triggering a sample during another song threw a wrench into what was otherwise a high-energy performance by the talented crew.
As yet another rising large collective, MSR is already being compared to the likes of Canadian indie heroes Broken Social Scene and The Arcade Fire, but their youthful take on oddball alt-pop is encouragingly unique and fresh.
When things did work and all six members-including three guitarists, a keyboardist and an unbelievably ferocious drummer-locked into an ecstatic swirl of sound, you got the sense that there are very big things to come for these indie-rock fledglings.-TS
FRIDAY, June 10
Cities in Dust -The Gladstone, 8 pm
If you wanted to start your night of NXNE show-hopping with a smart post-punk kick in the ass, then the Gladstone was the place to be. Despite lacking a label or even a record, Hamilton’s Cities in Dust seem destined to go places, already popping up on sweet bills supporting Magneta Lane and C’Mon.
From the start of their powerful set, CiD frontman Zach Frank assumed his trademark stance (reminiscent of Cedric from At The Drive-In), and was belting out jarring lyrics with the zeal of a post-apocalyptic preacher. For an early set time, there was a decent crowd on hand to catch the Cities’ frantic madness. While taking a stroll though the ranks of the converted during set standout “Beautiful,” Frank climatically smashed his blue plastic tambourine so hard into the Gladstone’s floor that bits of plastic and metal went flying-the largest, jagged part just missing the face of Uncut guitarist Ian Worang (wouldn’t that have been ironic!).
By the time the sweat-soaked quartet capped off their dance-punk assault, the crowd appeared primed and ready for a packed night of rock and roll indulgence.-JB
Priya Thomas-Club OV’s, 10 pm
Thanks to the last-minute closing of punk club The 360 last week, all the showcases scheduled for that venue were moved to Club OV’s, a beer hall that time forgot out in the far reaches of Parkdale. Artists grumbled there would be next to no walk-in traffic at the rescheduled venue, as opposed to The 360’s prime location on the Queen W. club strip.
But the show must go on, and if the true mark of a professional is to just get on with it, then Toronto singer/songwriter Priya Thomas scores full marks for playing to a half-empty room as if it was a packed house twice the size.
Stalking the stage, the tiny bleached-blond dynamo growled like PJ Harvey, ably backed by a trio who translated her alt-pop instincts into something a little heavier. While nearly all the songs seemed to be in the same driving tempo, many of the hooky new tracks from her forthcoming record You and Me Against the World Baby seemed ready-made for radio.
Perhaps Thomas, who is far more acclaimed in the UK than she is here at home, will finally get the recognition she deserves once the album is released later this summer.-TS
Debaser -Club OV’s, 11 pm
The band may be named after a Pixies’ song, but rising young local indie-rockers Debaser take their cues from the dark, angular sounds of the 80s, minus the synths. Singer Luke Higginson’s distinctive wail adds to the moodiness of Debaser’s anthemic rock songs, which are anchored by a killer rhythm section [Disclosure: Associate Arts editor Jordan Bimm is the bassist half of said rockin’ rhythm section].
The lyrics still need work, and the band needs to learn that not every song has to be an epic statement. But any group that can nicely pull off a Joy Division cover (“Transmission”) has got to be doing something right.
By the time Higginson dedicated aptly-named set closer “So Long” to The 360, Debaser had managed to fill Club OV’s dancefloor with their loyal local following. The quartet of old school chums has been together for a few years now under various band names, but their dynamic NXNE set showed that they’ve gelled into a tight unit that deserves to find a wider audience when their debut album is completed in the fall.-TS
Put the Rifle Down -Club 279, 1 am
When electro-rock trio Put the Rifle Down hit the stage at Club 279 on Friday night, all eyes were on the empty space in front of the stage. It wasn’t going to last. The three have a reputation for seamlessly turning a nodding rock crowd into a sweaty dance party with their pop-riddled synth parts and distorted bass lines.
Bridging the gap between rock and dance, PtRD make great use of technology, but are also smart to employ drummer Anthony Bruno to play an explosive live kit laced with drum triggers, instead of resorting to a drum machine. Sounding like a cross between New Order and later electro Radiohead, PtRD exude a sincere and honest energy that prevents them from falling in with the lame likes of other synth-driven acts like The Killers and The Bravery (no one in PtRD wears mascara!).
Splitting their set between new material, fan favourites off their indie EP Two Sides Stare and Smile, and a crowd-pleasing cover of “Born Slippy” by Underworld, Put the Rifle Down got the receptive crowd at Club 279 on their feet and dancing halfway through their first number. At the end of their set the boys were rewarded by a loud chant for “one more song!” which led to a spirited encore. Mission accomplished.-JB
SATURDAY, June 11
Andrew Spice-Art Bar @ The Gladstone, 10 pm
Singer-songwriter Andrew Spice was determined to share his quiet and thoughtful songs come hell, high water, or the bleeding noise of Queen West karaoke drunkards belting out the chorus to “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” from next door. After all, he didn’t fly 942 miles from Winnipeg to have his NXNE ruined by the Proclaimers.
Spice fought back, keeping his casual cool and cracking wise about the situation. When things finally got back on track, Spice called on secret weapon Jordan Kern (guitarist for Emm Gryner, who produced Spice’s recently re-released Pretty Demons debut) to back up his sensitive piano ballads with bass and guitar.
Despite the circumstances, Spice looked at home in the cozy (and packed) Art Bar, busting out a wicked cover of Whiskeytown’s “Choked Up” towards the end of his set. Though Spice has more in common with Rufus Wainwright than Ryan Adams, it seemed ridiculously over-polite when he asked permission to swear. Just belt it out, already!-JB
Michie Mee -Drake Hotel, 1 am
In another casualty of The 360 shutdown, one of the few hip-hop showcases at NXNE was moved to the swanky front lounge of the Drake Hotel, which could have been an overcrowded disaster with all the preening hipsters packed into the bar for Saturday-night drinks.
“Where has she been?” was the refrain throughout the bar as Toronto hip-hop icon Michie Mee’s late-night set approached. The multi-talented musician has long been tapped to be Canada’s great hope for a rap breakthrough, but recent forays into acting meant that she hadn’t been seen on a local stage in some time.
Backed by a squad of dancers in matching outfits, the diminutive rapper blazed through a set of reggae and dancehall-infused numbers, switching between a sing-songy flow and a harder-edged delivery. With lyrics inspired by her upbringing (“I was born in Jamaica but made in Canada!”) and black empowerment, instead of the typical bling-and-babes clichés, Michie managed to lift the spirits and energy of a crowd exhausted after three long days of NXNE-no mean feat in itself.
She closed her set by saying she’s in the studio working on new material. Hopefully she’ll get around to releasing some of it soon, because we need to hear more from this hip-hop pioneer.-TS
