Recording: Jane Inc

Artist: Jane Inc

Song: An Ordinary Thing

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), July 14, 2024.

Jane Inc - An Ordinary Thing

Guest-hosting Ayal Senior's monthly, I was searching for a performer that I'd like to see more of in a "Tranzac" context — and after some pondering, it seemed obvious that Carlyn Bezic was a perfect candidate. Although often seen performing as a guitar hero or bass monsta, her recent work as Jane Inc has dared to soften the edges a bit and get a little personal, songwriting-wise, so it suited the material to bring it to a stripped down/sitting down context. Accompanied by Edwin de Goeij on keys, the songs (and some sterling fingerpicking on acoustic guitar) really stood out, epecially on some newer, more experimental pieces that will surely gain some extra layers in studio versions.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Ayal Senior & Friends will be back at The Tranzac on Sunday (August 11th) with the man himself back in charge and playing with Kurt Newman, alongside sets from David Sait, The Sympathetic String Band, and Nick Flanagan.]

Recording: Holy Oak Family Singers

Artist: Carlyn Bezic with Joseph Shabason + Danika Vandersteen & Aiya McNee + Madelyn Kirby & Luke Robinson + Luke Kuplowsky & co.

Songs: Stay Loose + Steel Rail Blues + Saturday Clothes + A Lesson in Love [Gordon Lightfoor covers]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Holy Oak Family Singers present), June 7, 2023.

Carlyn Bezic with Joseph Shabason - Stay Loose

Danika Vandersteen & Aiya McNee - Steel Rail Blues

Madelyn Kirby & Luke Robinson - Saturday Clothes

Luke Kuplowsky & Co. - A Lesson in Love

This gathering of the Holy Oak Family Singers was themed as a tribute to recently-passed icon Gordon Lightfoot, a songwriter with whom this loose collective has a longstanding connection. Once more "later Gord" (especially East of Midnight) was tackled with as much zeal as the more well-known early material, though for this show the more elaborate backing band was replaced by a stripped-down rotating crew of musicians.

[This month's HOFS timeslot — which is tonight (July 5th) — will instead see Luke Kuplowsky joined by Felicity Williams, Anh Phung, Josh Cole, and Alex Lukashevsky for two sets of his own songs + poetry interpretations.]

Recording: Ice Cream

Artist: Ice Cream

Song: Peanut Butter

Recorded at Artscape Daniels Spectrum (Venus Fest), September 30, 2017.

Ice Cream - Peanut Butter

The idea of a "feminist music festival" might bring to mind an earnest folkie gathering, maybe off in a forest somewhere, but this first annual event was nothing like that, using inclusive and intersectional ideals as guideposts to programming a day of wide-ranging musics. The brainchild of local musician Aerin Fogel, Venus Fest was an ambitious undertaking, presenting a dozen performances in Daniels Spectrum's spacious multi-purpose Regent Park digs. And it all came together quite wonderfully, highlighting a diverse slate of mostly local musicians and incorporating flourishes like Vanessa Rieger's live-mixed visuals. With this first festival completed, there's a new "sessions" series starting up, and lots of energy to build on the positive vibes this day released.

Getting a second chance to hear Ice Cream's second-phase songbook, I was struck not only with the hooks and the grooves (this one sticks to the roof of your mouth like, well, y'know...) but with the duo's fed-up lyrical standpoint — they might be plastic, but they're sure as hell not empty vessels for the male gaze.

[The Venus Fest sessions series begins tonight (November 2nd) at the Gladstone Hotel, presenting sets from Tasseomancy and Dorothea Paas. Ice Cream will be opening things up at Whimm's album release party at The Baby G on Friday, November 17th.]

Recording: Ice Cream

Artist: Ice Cream

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Longboat Hall (Camp Wavelength – Night 2), August 19, 2017.

Ice Cream - unknown

Since 2009, the summer Wavelength festival has been a highlight of the season, slowing down the hectic "festival experience" to an Island pace and making the whole thing as much about the vibe and the location as the (always well-curated) music. When this spring's floods shut the Island down, there was a ripple of apprehension from many quarters at the loss of favourite summer hangs, culminating in the festival decamping to the mainland. The WL crew did an excellent job in emulating the festival experience in the outdoor/daytime portion, but it was harder to feel the same sense of relaxation and freedom in a bar.

I hadn't checked in much with Ice Cream over the past year since the release of their Love, Ice Cream album. That made it especially pleasing to hear a set packed with new songs, some of which is switching the old material's icy distance for some more hands-on emotions. This extended groover of a set-closer sees Carlyn Bezic putting down her guitar to take over synth duties while Amanda Crist steps up to be the frontwoman/vocalist — and there's more where that came from.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Ice Cream

Artist: Ice Cream

Song: Plastic

Recorded at The Great Hall's BLK BOX (Long Winter 4.4), February 19, 2016.

Ice Cream - Plastic

It'd been a few seasons since I'd seen this cold-blooded electropop duo. In a nod to practicality, I was sad to note they'd retired the boombox that was previously used as a source of some of their beats — but I was glad to note some new songs alongside old faves like this one (how long will we have to wait for that album?). The room filled in as sets in the rooms upstairs finished and this built up to a satisfactory dance party — right up 'til the on-stage power blew near set's end. (Not sure if it's connected to all the much-needed work being done at the Great Hall, but that was the second time I saw that happen at this show.)

[This season's Long Winter will conclude over two nights at The Great Hall on March 18th and 19th, 2016.]

Recording: Darlene Shrugg

Artist: Darlene Shrugg

Songs: Some Weird Sin [Iggy Pop cover] + National Security^*

Recorded at Mercury Social Club, July 17, 2015.

Darlene Shrugg - Some Weird Sin

Darlene Shrugg - National Security

Mercury Social Club, a new venture from the former proprietors of Saving Gigi has the potential to be another asset in the emerging cultural district on Geary Av. if it can be rescued from what sounds like an ongoing bureaucratic quagmire. In the meantime, it's being used as an occasional special event space, and in its current semi-refinished state, it feels something like hanging around in a reclaimed rec hall. A fairly wide space, there's a likeable amount of elbow room with a rough-hewn make-do charm. The sound's a little rough still at this point, and the room got hot like a sauna as the crowd built up, but I'm hoping there'll be a chance for this to become a regularly-functioning space.

Fresh out of the recording studio cutting some tracks with Ben Cook, Darlene Shrugg were already preparing for their appearance at next year's Polaris gala. Rocking a set of heavy glam gems (single "Freedom Comes In A Plastic Card" was even aired twice to start and end the set) with swaggering confidence, this many-headed beast was working with focused determination. Besides the Iggy Pop title essayed here by Max "Slim Twig" Turnbull and Meg "U.S. Girls" Remy, the latter song comes with lead vox from Ice Cream's Amanda Crist. The sound on this recording's a little ragged, given the venue's limitations, and Carlyn Bezic breaks a guitar string during the Iggy tune, but driven on by Simone T-B's drums, these feel pretty satisfactory.

^* This title is an educated guess and subject to confirmation.

Recording: Darlene Shrugg

Artist: Darlene Shrugg

Song: Freedom Comes in a Plastic Card^*

Recorded at Comfort Zone ("All Toronto's Parties 2"), May 24, 2014.

Darlene Shrugg - Freedom Comes in a Plastic Card

Full review to follow. The first ATP show brought together bands selected by five different live music purveyors in a cool mix'n'match marathon. Upping the ante, the night-time portion follow-up brought a full line-up of recombinant bands (some of them special one-offs) to create a completely unique night. (It should also be noted that this also served as Wavelength's 600th show. Congratulations Wavelength!)

Although the night's headliner fit right into the mandate of combined forces, Darlene Shrugg is indeed an ongoing, working project. Formed from the ashes of Tropics, this sees that duo's Slim Twig and Simone T-B joined with U.S. Girls' Meg Remy as well as Ice Cream's Amanda Crist and Carlyn Bezic. The result didn't particularly sound like any of those groups, instead emerging a a fuzz-heavy proto-hardrock Detroit stomp — intense and chaotic but convincingly held together by its own internal logic. And then melting your face off.

You can also check out some more pictures from the day on the MFS facebook page.

^* Thanks to Jesse for passing the title to this one along.

Recording: Blonde Elvis

Artist: Blonde Elvis

Song: Girls of Israel

Recorded at The Silver Dollar Room, January 3, 2014.

Blonde Elvis - Girls of Israel

Full review to follow. Boasting a reshuffled lineup with Planet Creature's Kristina Koski joining the fold on keybs and flute, Jesse James Laderoute has laid down his guitar to go full frontman. Cranking the fey up to eleven, it felt for a moment here as if his Pulp cover set had never ended.

Recording: Ice Cream

Artist: Ice Cream

Song: Fired Up

Recorded at Double Double Land (Silent Shout), December 9, 2013.

Ice Cream - Fired Up

Full review to follow. The best set at this Monday night Silent Shout came from openers Ice Cream, making just their second live appearance. The duo exuded more cool confidence on the stage this time around (right in line with their brand of icy electro-funk) and promised that some of the recordings they've been making with Ben Cook will be hitting the internet soon.

Recording: Ice Cream

Artist: Ice Cream

Song: Cool Water

Recorded at Double Double Land, November 7, 2013.

Ice Cream - Cool Water

Full review to follow. An auspicious debut gig for this duo of Amanda Crist (Huckleberry Friends) and Carlyn Bezic (Blonde Elvis), melding Vanity 6-style minimalist electro-funk with a postpunk (in the way that, say, Young Marble Giants were postpunk) edge. Put on your makeup, pull up your go-go boots and dance — I mean, who doesn't like ice cream?

Recording: Young Mother

Artist: Young Mother

Song: This Is Hardcore [Pulp cover]

Recorded at The Silver Dollar Room ("Death to T.O. 3"), October 31, 2013.

Young Mother - This Is Hardcore

Full review to follow. Now in its third year (perhaps long enough to call it a Hallowe'en tradition!) Death to T.O. filled the Silver Dollar and Comfort Zone with a non-stop night of music — no less than thirteen bands doing mini cover sets in full costume. Jesse James Laderoute looked to be embodying Jarvis Cocker with full method immersion, while the band was joined by Carlyn Bezic (of Laderoute's other band Blonde Elvis) on guitar.

Recording: Blonde Elvis

Artist: Blonde Elvis

Song: A Year of Silence

Recorded at The Great Hall: BLK BOX (Wavelength THIRTEEN – Night 2), February 15, 2013.

Blonde Elvis - A Year of Silence

My quick notes for this set can be found here.