The past Thursday through Saturday saw the annual North by Northeast music festival plaster itself across the city. For these three nights 450 bands from near and far took over 40 of Toronto’s best-known venues for Canada’s largest live-music pub crawl. Despite some organizational issues this year, like the clusterfuck that was media registration, the hastily designed festival directory, and a number of show lineups that were shuffled at the last minute-case in point: Montreal’s Duchess Says were listed as playing Saturday night, the one problem was that no one in the band had actually agreed the play the show-this year’s NXNE still managed to impress, but only thanks to the (mostly) high caliber of bands involved. One smart move NXNE made this year was to broker a truce with local booking legend Dan Burke. In years past Burke has run his own festival, NeXT, out of the Silver Dollar and Comfort Zone in competition to NXNE. But this year saw Burke’s always-solid lineup brought under the NXNE umbrella, giving festival patrons the chance to see bands like No Dynamics, Handsome Furs, Bicycles, Action Makes, and Soundtrack of Our Lives. Another surprise was a secret 3 a.m. guest performance by Canadian country-rock icons Blue Rodeo Thursday night at Lee’s Palace, a venue which, like a host of other festival mainstays, took advantage of special extended liquor licenses. Even with the bungled administration, this year’s NXNE was as memorable as ever. Here’s our breakdown of what rocked and what flopped at this years fest.
Thursday June 7
The Disraelis – The Silver Dollar, 9 p.m.
At this show, local Brit-psych-inspired trio The Disraelis confirmed their status as one of my favourite Toronto bands. Each song channeled dark waves of Joy Division and New Order but with a simple drums-bass-guitar setup-no synths in sight. Also present (mainly in the rhythm section) were dreamy flashes of shoegazers My Bloody Valentine and Ride, while guitarist Colin Belfast showed more affinity with the chiming melodies of Johnny Marr, Bernard Sumner and early U2. On stage, bassist and vocalist Cameron hid behind a pair of Ray Ban shades and sneered when he hit a few wrong notes, while drummer Dave Barnes rocked out with his head down and added an energetic presence to the otherwise static stage. But The Disraelis aren’t about antics or stage moves, they’re about playing canyon-filling riffs that ring in your ears for days after the show.-JB
Rating: VVVV
The Miles – The Silver Dollar, 10 p.m.
Indie rock youngsters The Miles look like they wouldn’t have made it past the Silver Dollar’s bouncer on any night other than their festival showcase, but once they started playing they sounded more together than most bands five or ten years their senior. Launching into their set, the tight trio kinda sounded like a more exuberant Franz Ferdinand. While their second song “Murder” got people on their feet, their third got the crowd-which included fellow whippersnappers Maddie Wilde and Daniel Woodhead of Spiral Beach-really shaking a tail. This particular number featured a full stop at the end of each verse, a pretty ballsy move that’s usually avoided by musicians for being a sure-fire momentum killer. But with four clicks of drummer Steven Foster’s sticks, the chorus dropped like a bomb of pure disco-pop bliss. Guitarist Alex Laurence was great fun to watch onstage-dude rocked out so hard he lost his glasses mid-set. Hopefully these kids have good fake IDs so they can continue building on their oodles of potential.-JB
Rating: VVVv
The Ghost is Dancing – Sneaky Dee’s, 11 p.m.
The Ghost is Dancing could have be described as boyishly charming, if there weren’t so many girls in the band. The group’s eight or nine members perform with a childlike wide-eyed awe that is clearly derived from nothing more than the sounds they are making. From opener “The Darkest Spark” to the set’s closing chords, singer Jamie Matechuck’s simple and catchy melodies, magnified by a cacophonous backing band, induced the crowd to a state approaching innocent ecstasy. In the shoebox-like atmosphere of Sneaky Dee’s it was often hard to tell exactly what the individual sounds were, with accordions, violins and keyboards often submerged by other instruments, but their collective effect and the sheer joyous energy of the performers were more than enough to get the crowd dancing and shouting along to the band’s polyphonic refrains.-BS
Rating: VVVv
The Mark Inside – The Drake Underground, 12 a.m.
Despite just putting out a 7″ on Davy Love’s sharp new Magnificent Sevens label, The Mark Inside are still sitting on a mountain of unreleased gold since their debut Static/Crash got them signed to MapleMusic back in 2004. Taking the stage after the relatively tame Woodpigeon, TMI ripped into some of that musical stash. Known for delivering eardrum-shattering garage-rock riffs, their first song was relatively more subtle and really benefited from a wicked bass change about halfway through. Following a funky Gang of Four-inspired song, singer Chris Levoir did his usual tour through the audience, guitar in hand, eyes glazed over, screaming at the top of his lungs, where he was accosted by a swarm of amateur and pro photographers whose flash bulbs and digital viewfinders lit up the area considerably. At one point Levoir asked if the crowd had any requests, but calls for hidden gem “Inside: These Apparent Things” were shot down by drummer Geordie Dynes. The highlight of this set was “Questions,” a song about frustration and stagnation that raises the real question: why hasn’t this song been properly released? Get on it, MapleMusic!-JB
Rating: VVVV
Automatic – The Kathedral, 1 a.m.
There’s something sort of sad, but kind of hilarious about watching an inherently bombastic, egotistical band play to less than 20 people. Local Motley wannabes Automatic had all the right ingredients for a monster cock-rock set, except an audience and a time machine back to 1985 when people actually liked this lowbrow bullshit. The predominantly male audience didn’t seem to mind-or maybe they didn’t notice-that all of Automatic’s songs sound pretty much the same. However the five dudes at the front did look a little uneasy when lead singer, and Val Kilmer look-alike, Jon Doe kept thrusting his crotch in their faces and pointing to his dick to emphasize lyrical gems like “We need to get the fuck out of here.” Yes, Automatic, yes you do.-JB
Rating: Vv
Low Level Flight – The Horseshoe, 2 a.m.
Pity ex-Canadian Idol champ Ryan Malcolm. His 2 a.m. showcase at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern was about to start and there were maybe 30 people scattered through the cavernous venue. It’s impossible to say exactly when, but at some point over the last two years Malcolm decided to quit the Ross Petty family musical circuit to start dressing up like a softcore, Hot Topic emo-goth teenager. From these mountains of cred he forged Low Level Flight, a nu-alt-rock band that’s five guys onstage, but only a trio in their promo photos (what a tightly knit bunch they are!). The only thing worse than watching Malcolm’s embarrassing and directionless drift into black eyeliner, spiky hair and skinny jeans is listening to LLF’s songs. Besides the fact that they all belong on 102.1 The Edge circa 1999, they really don’t bring anything new or exciting to the table. They just kinda rip off past mainstream radio rock hits while dumping a pastiche of trends du jour (synths, stomping kicks, disco hi-hats) on top. For instance, the verse from “Change For Me” is just a rip-off of Treble Charger’s “American Psycho.” So pity Ryan Malcolm, but don’t excuse him. Prediction: this flight crashes shortly after takeoff.-JB
Rating: V
Friday June 8
Awesome Color – The Phoenix, 7 p.m.
“We’re bringing you freedom in the form of flapjacks!” declared Awesome Color bassist Michael Troutman. He was referring to the improvised kitchen setup on stage right, where a girl was doling out freshly fried blueberry pancakes-with real maple syrup! Culinary stunts aside, the power trio from southeastern Michigan lived up to their name, kicking out some massive MC5 flavoured jams to the delight of the initially modest audience. Drummer Allison Busch, who looked about 16 years old, bashed the shit out of his poor drum kit while singer and guitarist Derek Stanton alternated between reserved verses and choruses punctuated by screaming vocals and/or dirty guitar licks. By the end of their set the Phoenix had filled up considerably, and their last two songs were met with well-deserved applause.-JB
Rating: VVV
Uncut – The Phoenix, 8 p.m.
By the time Uncut took the stage, the Phoenix was near or at capacity. The local quartet, who draw inspiration from both the post-punk and shoegazer camps, set themselves up in a straight line at the front of the stage. Drummer Jon Drew and bassist Derek Tokar set up near the centre of the stage, and were flanked on either side by guitarists Sam Goldberg and Ian Worang. Uncut started things off with “Kiss Me” from their latest release, Modern Currencies. The song was strong but suffered slightly as the band worked to get their stage levels right. Things got better with “Breaking Glass,” which benefited from a screamier chorus. Their third song “The Night Can See” featured Tokar on vocals and cemented a pattern in which no band member sung two songs in a row. The set’s climax came when Uncut exhumed their first single “Understanding the New Violence,” which came off as undeniably incredible. Maybe it’s just cause they’ve played it so much longer than the rest of the songs in their set, but “Understanding” hit a separate level of intensity, and the audience loved it. That being said, the rest of their set, including current and more complex hits “Hideaway” and “Dark Horse,” was also top notch.-JB
Rating: VVVV
Dinosaur Jr – The Phoenix, 9 p.m.
As alt-rock legends Dinosaur Jr made their way onstage, audience members were abuzz over the reunion of estranged bandmates singer/guitarist J Mascis and bassist Lou Barlow. Tension had always been high between the two, and in 1988 Barlow was famously kicked out of the band. After the first song, Mascis complained that the stage lights were too bright and ask the lighting tech to bring everything down. “Wait!” protested Barlow, “I need to be able to see myself play!” But other than that brief exchange, the band-rounded out by original drummer Emmett “Murph” Murphy-was in fine, amicable form, unleashing classic tracks “Little Furry Things” and “Freak Scene” at a blistering volume. Despite being nearly 20 years old, Dinosaur Jr’s songs-which showcase Mascis’s trademark bendy-and-melodic guitar work-still sound as fresh as the day they were recorded. The doped up audience-pot smoke was everywhere!-just about lost their shit when the band launched into fan-favourite “Feel the Pain,” the perfect example of the band’s style: hopeless lyrics coupled with distinctly hopeful and catchy melodies. But the highlight of the concert was definitely the encore. The trio re-emerged with a scruffy-looking dude at centre stage. “Hi, I’m Rick, a contest winner,” the dude said. “I won a contest to sing a song about all the friends I’ve lost.” It then became apparent that this was no contest winner but Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene (clad in a kick-ass Constantines tee), who had twice provided backups for J Mascis last summer. With Drew at the helm, the quartet played “The Wagon” to thunderous applause, while BSS drummer Justin Peroff lurked backstage snapping photos for his Facebook profile.-JB
Rating: VVVVV
Action Makes – The Silver Dollar, 12 a.m.
Good on Dan Burke for giving Action Makes an awesome timeslot at his NeXT-meets-NXNE showcase. Taking the stage right before Sweden’s Soundtrack of Our Lives, the local garage rockers-who have one of the best band names in the city-were ready to rock the large crowd at the Silver Dollar. The early high point in their set was seeing Adam Allett from The Easy Targets play harmonica on “Charley and CFF,” a macabre soul/county number about some dude who snaps, kills a sheriff with a single barreled shot gun, and locks his family in a tool shed. All through their set Burke reveled in his booking choice, showing everyone in the Dollar how dancing to rock music should be done. The band wrapped up their set with crowd favourite “Pleasant Hymn II,” which fans all know as the song with the infamous (and awesome) chorus lyric: “I’m jerking off in the cemetery!” A marvelous addition to Davy Love’s burgeoning Magnificent Sevens family, watch out for a full-length from these promising lads sometime in the near future.-JB
Rating: VVVV
Handsome Furs – The Comfort Zone, 12 a.m.
There might not be a more incongruous looking pair in Canadian rock as the Handsome Furs. In front of a capacity crowd at the Comfort Zone, Alexei Perry stood behind her drum machine looking like a graceful Egyptian priestess while fiancé Dan Boeckner thrashed about like some kind of injured post-punk scarecrow. Their visual incompatibility is reflected in the sounds they make, with Perry twiddling knobs to produce electronic beats and Boeckner laying waste with the kind of guitar hooks that put his other band-Wolf Parade-all over the indie rock map. For the most part, the pairing worked amazingly and sounded like no one else could-the repetitive pounding of the drum machine behind grizzled yelps and clanging guitar melodies made for many arresting moments that sounded jagged and empty at the same time. But there was a sense among the crowd that the duo just couldn’t coax enough spontaneous energy out of the drum machine to push the set over the edge.-BS
Rating: VVVV
Saturday June 9
Brown Brigade – The El Mocambo, 9 p.m.
Dave “Brownsound” Baksh’s new band Brown Brigade had 100 points when I showed up at the El Mo. Here’s what they did with them. Starting to play to an empty room: -10 pts. Forcing an otherwise talented dude to sing the opening track, but then spend the rest of the set banging inaudibly on a bongo: -12 pts. Sounding like a cross between Buckcherry and a shittier version of Alexisonfire: -20 pts. Making token (and extremely fucking safe) political-ish remarks without providing any real insight: -22 pts. Then singing a song about how much you like barbecue: -27 pts. Not realizing that having the word “brown” in your name makes everyone subconsciously think of shit: -20pts. Quitting an internationally successful pop-punk outfit to front a local nu-metal band: -30 pts. What does that add up to? Sum: -41.-JB
Rating: VV
Germans – The Boat, 1 a.m.
Toronto six-piece Germans took the stage at the Boat to a capacity crowd rapt in anticipation. Hot off the release of their acclaimed debut Cape Fear, Germans have been building a strong local buzz in the past few years. The band kicked things off with “No Job,” which felt a little sloppy (especially in the timing of the staccato picking), but got by on kinetic energetic alone. The rest of the set included songs “I’m the Teacher” and “Tiger Vacuum Bottle,” which showcased their affinity for early 90’s bands like Archers of Loaf and Built to Spill. Throughout their set, all the Germans revolved between various instruments: drums, bass, keys, drum pad, guitar, auxiliary percussion, and even a laptop got attention from almost every member at least once. They may not have been the tightest band at NXNE, but they were one of the catchiest, and probably the sweatiest. -JB
Rating: VVVV
The Bicycles – The Silver Dollar, 2 a.m.
Clad in matching shirts with large “B”s on them, the Bicycles might have been mistaken for a rag-tag bunch of Boston Bruins in the drunken blur that was the after-hours party at The Silver Dollar. But once they began playing it was obvious that this band was better suited for cheering than checking. Sporting sugary-sweet shout-along vocals and a cute and cuddly demeanor, The Bicycles had the boozy audience lapping up their unique brand of quirky feel-good pop. Adding to the happy melee were guitarist Andrew Scott and sometimes bass player Andy Lloyd, blasting away on trumpets at different points in the set. It was, as drummer Dana Snell pointed out, a great way to cap off the festival.-JB
Rating: VVVV
