NXNE: Reigning Terror

It was after a healthy round of beer infused softball that I made my way home, showered, changed, swung by Ben's for a drink and finally slunk my way into Lee's on a Friday night.

I arrived just as We are Scientists were taking to the stage. While not really my style, I did actually enjoy their catchy indie pop a fair bit (maybe it was the air, maybe it was the beer). And, though they may have taken it a bit overboard, their stage banter was some of the most hilarious band interactions I'd heard in ages - often the good sign of a band that understands their role less as 'artists' and more as 'entertainers' - which these guys did very well.

Then... we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Jordan, I love you... but lordy how we waited.

After a ridiculously long setup, Jordan Cook took the stage joined by Joseph Braley and the mysterious Stitch: a man who spent the bulk of the set playing bass on a 4 string guitar through an octaver. This was my umpteenth bazillion time seeing Cook, but the first time under his Reignwolf project. You could tell the guys had been on the road a fair bit - seasoned veterans of the stage they seamlessly rocked their way around a tangled mess of chords, pedals and drums. Cook's playing had never been more ferocious and in-your-face.

However, this wasn't my favourite performance yet. What Jordan brought to the stage in intensity and swagger, he lost a bit in technicality. Perhaps what hurt the most was knowing what this young Sasquatch was capable of after seeing him tear paint off the walls so many times, and yet only being allowed a glimpse into that world. Don't get me wrong, Reignwolf was mind blowing and one hell of an experience... it just left me wanting more.

Though I guess that's not a bad thing, is it?

-I tear through the fields of the souls that you never did touch

NXNE: Here for a Good Time

I'm old now. I'm busy with work. I love music, but I've become picky and jaded with time. But fine... I still do a bit of NXNE this year. However, not for the conference's sake, but for the bands... for the music.

Even if it means I'm paying $15 a venue to see the bands that I could see for $5 on any other night since I'm refusing to brand myself with a bracelet.

I digress... while a tame night from my perspective (and by comparison to my previous NXNE outings), the sound emanating from the bands I saw was anything but tame.

After basically drooling all over The Blue Stone's album last fall and coming just short of proposing to them, it became a damnable shame that I would miss every TO show they had for the longest time due to work, travel or some other asinine thing. However, finally, I was able to descend upon the Windsor duo at the Hard Luck bar.  I'll get the negatives out of the way first - the evening's sound guy was apparently a deaf man mid-seizure and I was sad to see the guys only play 1 or 2 songs from the album which I coveted so. HOWEVER, for a 2 piece, these guys still churned out a solid set of groovy, sexy-infused, heavy blues tracks that had an early night, sober Toronto crowd still nodding their heads in elated satisfaction.

Immediately following, Little Foot Long Foot took the stage. While once again pushing through sound tech issues, it was good to hear how LFLF's sound had evolved since the edition of Jeff Heisholt on the keys. I had some initial concerns about the new lineup, however, it's just taking time for the new 3 piece to find their sound together, write together and evolve together.

However, my evening was made when I sprinted up to Lee's to see the inaugeral show of Sir Blurton's new project, Public Animal. An unholy combination of C'Mon, Tricky Woo, Bella Clava and the Lying Cheats - Public Animal may have become my favourite new band within about 3 minutes of having my eardrums pounded by a wall of sound.  I won't say anymore - just go see them tonight at the Bovine at 1am.

-May my ears ring forever

Orchestral Ice

After thwarting the month of May's nefarious plans to kill me, I find myself trying to return my life to some sense of normalcy. The first step in this process is always, and will always be, music. It started with a healthy dose of listening and now I'm back to trying to write again.

It is therefore appropriate that today, I write about an artist who carried me a lot through the past couple of months. I began listening to Icelander, Olafur Arnalds, back at the start of April, however, it's only now that I'm able to return the favour and share the love with you.

Arnalrds is part of a new movement of mixing together traditional orchestral instruments - strings, pianos, etc. - with electronic loops and ambient sounds. It sounds like it could be massively disastrous, however, he pulls it off with a grace and elegance that make his songs euphoric listening experiences. He rise to indie fame through online collaborations and distribution has made him a name in both the pop and classical circles and earned him a few opportunities to have his songs played with full orchestral accompaniment.



-Beat my vestigial heart to hurt my vestigial brain

Today, I really needed this

Perhaps one of my favourite things about music, if not the best thing about music, it it's ability to transform human emotion in a heartbeat. No matter what the situation, no matter what the context, no matter how I'm feeling, I'm always amazed by how quickly a song can change everything and make my day 1000 times better, or at least more understandable, tolerable and manageable.

Today was one of those days... and this was one of those songs.



-You keep talking 'bout all your sticks and stones and broken bones and words that you keep sayin

Winning the Internet

Every now and then, one finds a video so strangely wonderful, that one simply must sit back a moment, appreciate it's creator and applaud proudly at said creator for winning the internet.

*slow clap for The Avalanches*

-Ain't gonna stop until the day grows long, got my hands tied tight and this feeling all wrong