You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.
Gig of the week:
Optical Sounds' Psych Pop Vol. 2 Release Party (feat. B-17 / Tess Parks / The BB Guns / The Auras / Prince Ness / Sun Stone Revolvers / Mimico / The Disraelis) / The Great Hall 2014-03-15 (Saturday) [FB event]
A musician friend I ran into the other day made the offhand comment how good this long, cold winter was for guys like him — extra time to write/rehearse/record, creative work taking place away from the stages and bars. Well, it's been a bit like that for Optical Sounds in the past while, with fewer big parties, but a lot of activity taking place behind the scenes. Proof of that can be found in the smokin' new compilation of the label's bands and fellow travellers. As the weather heats up, expect to see/hear more from a lot of these folks — and like a promise of spring's creative blooming that's just around the corner, the seeds of the OS community's flower flowers will gather at The Great Hall on Saturday night for a massive banger. Not to be missed!
This week's noteworthy shows:
New Music 101 (feat. Soundstreams and Spectrum Music) / Elizabeth Beeton Auditorium – Toronto Reference Library 2014-03-10 (Monday – free!) [FB event]
Aurochs / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-11 (Tuesday – early!)
Audiopollination #16.1 (feat. Nicole Rampasaud performing duets and trios with Emilio Guim and Chris Wallace / Arnd Jugensen and Alvaro Giron / Wade Whittaker and Steve Lederman / Colin Fisher) / Array Space 2014-03-11 (Tuesday) [FB event]
Jennifer Foster (Shawn William Clarke) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-12 (Wednesday – early) [FB event]
Colin Fisher & Mike Gennaro (Matthew "Doc" Dunn) / Musideum 2014-03-12 (Wednesday) [FB event]
Hands & Teeth ["Before The Light" Release Show] (Amos The Transparent / Blonde Elvis) / The Dakota Tavern 2014-03-12 (Wednesday) [FB event]
Audiopollination #16.2 (feat. 6 heads / Glen Hall/David Sait /Ted Phillips / Gil Delindro) / Array Space 2014-03-13 (Thursday) [FB event]
Zones [album release!] (Lido Pimienta / Mimico / Mas Aya) / Izakaya Sushi House 2014-03-13 (Thursday) [FB event]
Emergents III (feat. FAWN / Michael Vincent) / The Music Gallery 2014-03-14 (Friday) [more info]
Cuff the Duke (Trish Robb / Beams) / The Horseshoe Tavern 2014-03-14 (Friday) [FB event]
Afrofest's Black History Month Concert Series (feat. Resolutionaries Marimba Band) / The Gladstone Hotel 2014-03-15 (Saturday – free!) [more info]
catl (Beams / Young Running) / 3030 2014-03-15 (Saturday – free!) [FB event]
Crosss (Soupcans / Special Noise / Ketamines) / Smiling Buddha 2014-03-15 (Saturday) [FB event]
Alaniaris / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-16 (Sunday – 3 p.m. matinée show)
Diane Roblin and Two Ninety Two [feat. Joe Sorbara, Kyle Brenders, Howard Spring and special guest Scott Thomson) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-16 (Sunday – early!)
Add these to your calendar:
The Big Sound / Adelaide Hall 2014-03-21 (Friday) [FB event]
DUST ["the quietest big band in the known world" – first night of a new residency on the third Friday of every month!] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-21 (Friday)
Astral Gunk [record release!] (The Beverleys / DAS RAD / Teen Tits Wild Wives) / The Imperial Pub 2014-03-21 (Friday) [FB event]
Musica Reflecta + Love Nation: Continuous Events ["oscillating between chamber music premieres and solo improvisations, the night will feature new works and performances by some of Toronto's most adventurous composers and improvisers including: Jason Doell, Nick Storring, Thomas Gill, Ryan Driver and more."] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2014-03-22 (Saturday) [FB event]
Petra Glynt (Ice Cream / VCR / secret guest) / CineCycle 2014-03-28 (Friday) [FB event]
Make Some Noise Series (feat. PUP) / Toronto Public Library – Yorkville Branch 2014-03-29 (Saturday – free/all ages/early!) [FB event]
Crosswires (feat. Not a Total Gadjo / Walk North / Ugly School) / Handlebar 2014-03-30 (Sunday) [FB event]
Wavelength 593 (feat. Picastro [Record Release!] / Magali Meagher [early show] / Paul Schedlich [late show]) / CineCycle 2014-04-09 (Wednesday) [FB event]
HellShovel (Mexican Slang) / The Garrison 2014-04-09 (Wednesday) [FB event]
The Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble: Nicole Lizée's Behind the Sound of Music [world premiere!] / Conservatory Theatre 2014-04-10 (Thursday – free!) [more info]
Reel Cod Records presents Cod Bless Fest (feat. Mimico / Sexy Merlin / Moonwood) / Comfort Zone 2014-04-10 (Thursday) [FB event]
Crosswires (feat. Clara Engel ["Ashes & Tangerines" tape release!] / Totenbaum Träger / BABEL) / handlebar 2014-04-27 (Sunday) [FB event]
Posts
This is a review of the Op Sounds show I posted on one of the dj's blogs on music between friends
ReplyDeletefucking TERRIBLE show!
old ‘FACES’, and they were all cunts
i forgot how much white culture sucks in that it’s neurotic and cold, and detached
the sound was TERRIBLE, the great hall was too big, the vibe was cold, aloof and NO ONE DANCED. The usual mod cunts were ponces, and the bands were BAAAAAAAAAD…….like it was their first shows ever bad. It was insufferable. My brother and i left after 3/4 bands.
the Djs selections were so bloody off the mark, and the fidelity of the venue/trk. to trk was not considered in the least to create a pulse/vibe/mood – anything! — again, NO ONE DANCED!….no one talked…..3ft of space around each cluster of 2/3 people – pure pure pure white party. A real shock after going to party’s where people get together to dance, commune, and worship sound. Bands and their songcraft/soundwork was def not where it’s at – not that sounding old-skool is bad, but antiquated ideas of what sound can do/should be/ were very tightly confined/limitedby these writers A real real BORING shame VERY far from psych, pop aspects or no.
Very unpleasant would never go to anything stinking of the old mod guard again – you dodged a bullet if you didn’t go, mang!
ps – even my DJ brother, who’d never been to this type off stuff was like……..’whoa, what a fucked up vibe man! Are these people serious?!’ and i was like….yeah, this is the perpetual grade 8 mindset of former britpoppers, sadly who I’ve had the misfortune of growing up and partying around. Def. not my NORMAL anymore, so to see it again……blech.
totally totally disappointed. want to write Robert/Optical Sounds and tell him