sandro.jpg

Group of Sixxx and friends at Rancho Relaxo


There's something to be said about a newly formed band's first show. Typically, the venue's small, the crowd filled with familiar faces and the door staffed by a band member's girlfriend. You share a table with an acquaintance, drink a bottled beer (the beer tap's broken) and take it all in. Such was the scene last night at Rancho Relaxo, where I saw the Group of Sixxx put an interesting theory into practice for their first public performance.

Formed by six individuals split between Toronto and Montreal, their music is composed collaboratively by shuttling the nascent pieces via snail mail to each member until the songs are finished. Think Postal Service meets Do Make Say Think or a group of electronic-minded musicians with lots of stamps playing traditional instruments with a post-rock bent.

Having said all this, my attempt to arrive inconspicuously and fashionably late back-fired as I entered to the left of the stage and into the crowd's line-of-sight during the band's last number. Rancho Relaxo is a little awkward that way and my timing is bad.

I did manage to see supporting acts Polmo Polpo and Yara round out the night though.
Sandro Perri (Polmo Polpo) played a challenging, improvised set of sounds generated by working an Echoplex, harmonica, lap steel and effects pedals simultaneously.
Yara, another local talent, concluded the bill with her smooth mixture of crooning and drum-and-bass inflected rhythms.

If you are to take anything of value from this post, remember: don't be afraid to check out a new band, just be sure to arrive early.


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Music

50 essential live music venues in Toronto where you need to see a concert at least once

Toronto concert venue needs to raise almost $3M to pay for its new home

Drake makes surprise appearance at 21 Savage concert in Toronto

There's a free all-ages music festival in Toronto next month

Toronto hotel prices during Taylor Swift's concert run are totally out of control

Third incident brings police to Drake's Toronto mansion yet again

Police respond to second incident at Drake's Toronto mansion in two days

Ticketmaster crashes for Canadians during Live Nation $25 concert sale