Live music picks for WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23 through TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23 / HEARTBEAT HOTEL / DRAKE HOTEL UNDERGROUND / 1150 QUEEN ST W / FREE / 19+
WILLIAM NEW's Elvis Monday series moves to a Wednesday this week, with a featured performance by HEARTBEAT HOTEL a new group whose mind-melting psychedelia points to the future of Toronto's underground music scene. Don't miss THE PEOPLE OF CANADA's opening set!
www.myspace.com/heartbeathotelwilleatyoutoo
www.myspace.com/thepeopleofcanada

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24 / KIDS ON TV AND DIAMOND RINGS / GLADSTONE HOTEL / 1214 QUEEN ST W / 19+
Toronto party-starters KIDS ON TV have been putting on fun, '80s-electro-influenced shows that mix fashion, performance art and music for years now, releasing their new "Shape Shifting Mutants" EP on the Blocks Recording Club with a double bill featuring D'URBERVILLES frontman John O'Regan as his new-romantic alter-ego DIAMOND RINGS.
www.myspace.com/kidsontv
www.myspace.com/diamondringsmusic

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26 and SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27 / THE HOLD STEADY / LEE'S / 529 BLOOR ST W / $2.50 / 19+
THE HOLD STEADY are quickly becoming one of the strongest contenders on the indie circuit to break through into the mainstream, with a sound that owes more to the classic rock of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and BOB DYLAN than the obscure art-rock favored by many of their Brooklyn peers. Catch them now before they return to T.O. as arena-sized pop/rock hitmakers!
www.myspace.com/theholdsteady

Live music picks for WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 through TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16 / A HAWK AND A HACKSAW / DRAKE HOTEL UNDERGROUND / 1150 QUEEN ST W / $12.50 / 19+
New Mexico's A HAWK AND A HACKSAW combine contemporary indie-folk with traditional eastern european music, and have found a devoted following with fans of similarly-minded artists such as THE DIRTY PROJECTORS and former tourmates BEIRUT. The combination of Balkan melodies with string-laden arrangements makes for a spine-tingling, enthralling live show.
www.myspace.com/ahawkandahacksaw

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18 / NO SHAME 100 with GREEN GO, RUBY COAST, PICK A PIPER and SKELETONES FOUR / HORSEHOE TAVERN / 370 QUEEN ST W / $10 / 19+
Lauren Schreiber's No Shame concerts are incredible opportunities for new bands to branch out into Toronto's music community, with a fun, open-minded aesthetic that embraces all the various styles and sounds the city has to offer. Now celebrating its 100th show, No Shame brings together indie favourites GREEN GO and Aurora, ON's RUBY COAST with with newcomers such as psych-rockers PICK A PIPER and SKELETONES FOUR.
www.myspace.com/greengomusic
www.myspace.com/rubycoast
www.myspace.com/pickapiper
www.myspace.com/theskeletonesfour

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18 / BENGA / MOD CLUB THEATRE / 722 COLLEGE ST / $15 / 19+
The dubstep movement is quickly becoming one of the defining new genres of electronic music for this decade, combining spacey dub reggae rhythms with stark electrobeats and wobbly bass, slowly evolving out of the UK grime and garage music scenes over the past eight years. The sound is already spreading to Toronto with local artists such as BOMBAMAN, so take the opportunity to catch one of the originators of the sound as London, England's BENGA takes the stage.
www.myspace.com/bengabeats

Live music picks for WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2 through TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2009

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2 / MOTORHEAD / SOUND ACADEMY / 11 POLSON ST / $39 / 19+
To many it seems like MOTORHEAD might outlast rock n' roll itself; iconic frontman Lemmy simply won't stop recording and touring, having kept up at a blistering pace since the group's inception in 1975 and penning some of hard rock's greatest songs, including "Ace Of Spades".
www.myspace.com/motorhead

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2 / KARDINAL OFFISHALL / BANDSHELL PARK AT THE CNE / $15 / ALL AGES / 7:30PM
After label reps ended up pulling the plug on what was supposed to be his big break in 2003, Scarborough-born rapper KARDINAL OFFISHALL has experienced a miraculous comeback thanks to a collaboration with AKON on the single "Dangerous", which reached #5 on the US BIllboard Chart.
www.myspace.com/kardinaloffishall

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3 / WAX MANNEQUIN / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 370 QUEEN ST W / $8 / 19+
Eccentric Hamiton rock oddity WAX MANNEQUIN releases his new album "Saxon" with an all-new backing band, showing off the bizarre stage antics and lyrical absurdities that he has made his calling card. This from a man who occasionally dedicates a portion of his live show to collaborative meowing with the audience!
www.myspace.com/waxmannequin

Live music picks for WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26 through TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2009

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26 / EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME and THE MAGIC / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 370 QUEEN ST W / $5 / 19+
EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME's huge multi-keyboard setup and fun, danceable electro-pop tunes have made them a standout on the local club circuit, and with Guelph's sensational indie-soul crew THE MAGIC opening, this is sure to be a great night.
www.myspace.com/everythingallthetimeband
www.myspace.com/themagiclove

THURSDAY AUGUST 27 / COOL KIDS / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR ST W / $22 / 19+
Mid-west rap duo THE COOL KIDS bring hip-hop back to its roots as fun, irreverent party music, rocking retro-bling gold chains and oversized sunglasses that appeal to a new, post-"gangsta" crowd.
www.myspace.com/thecoolkids

THURSDAY AUGUST 27 / REBEL EMERGENCY / MOD CLUB / 722 COLLEGE ST / $15 / ALL AGES
The group formerly know as PANIC AND THE REBEL EMERGENCY has lost its founding member and frontman Tony Panic, but have emerged stronger and even more committed to spreading their message of peace, love and respect to the world through a blend of rock, reggae and ska music.
www.myspace.com/rebelemergencymusic

Photo: "On his high horse" by eudaimon, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for THURSDAY AUGUST 20, 2009
... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar

MUSIC | Tabla Co-Lab: Prita Chhabra Album Release
Tabla Co-lab presents a night of fantastic live music celebrating the release of Montreal-based South Asian singing sensation Prita Chhabra's debut album "Spread The Word", with additional performances by percussionist Gurpreet Chana "The Tabla Guy", Canadian-Iranian rap star Imaan Faith, and Toronto Dub DJ crew Version Xcursion.
Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar, 1214 Queen St W / FREE / 10pm

WORKSHOPS | Master Magician Daniel Garcia
David Blaine-approved master magician Daniel Garcia reveals a few of his tricks at this fun, interactive workshop and lecture. Expect slight-of-hand, comedy and pure astonishment, as he shares the wealth of knowledge he has learned in a lifetime of making magic happen before the eyes of thousands. Limited seating availabe.
Yonge & Eglinton Public Library, 40 Orchard View Blvd / $20 advance, $25 door / 6:30pm

PARTIES | Quick Fix: Live Painting with Bowman and Skratch Bastid
The Drake Hotel plays host to local artist Bowman, who drops by to work on a new painting in a live session for all to witness. At the end of the night the piece will be given away, so slip in your bid to take it home! Spinning all night long, world-class Montreal DJ Skratch Bastid returns to the Drake for a summer-style House Party that will have all three floors shaking.
Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St W / 19+

Live music picks for WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 through TUESDAY AUGUST 25, 2009

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 / WOMBAT WEDNESDAYS ft I AM ROBOT AND PROUD / TRANZAC CLUB (MAIN ROOM) / 292 BRUNSWICK AVE / $5 / ALL AGES
The Tranzac's Wombat Wednesday series continues to spotlight some of the brightest sparks in downtown Toronto's music scene, with guest curator THOM GILL assembling a fantastic lineup of local bands including the fuzzy feel-good electronica of I AM ROBOT AND PROUD as well as indie-pop groups CIRCUS SCHOOL, GINGER & IRENE, GRAVITY WAVE and RADIUS & HELENA, with DJ MATT BLAIR of Everyone's A DJ holding it down.
www.myspace.com/iamrobotandproud
www.myspace.com/gingerandirene
www.myspace.com/gravywave
www.myspace.com/radiushelena

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 / DO MAKE SAY THINK / POLISH COMBATANTS HALL / 206 BEVERLY ST / $22 / ALL AGES
The kick-off party for the ninth annual Bicycle Film Festival, which brings together Toronto's music, film and art communities in a celebration of all things two-wheeled and motorless, features a rare performance by hometown heroes DO MAKE SAY THINK, who helped define the atmospheric post-rock sound popularized by bands like EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY and MOGWAI over the past decade.
www.myspace.com/domakesaythink

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 / CAROLYN MARK / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 370 QUEEN ST W / $8 / 19+
Alt-country singer/songwriter CAROLYN MARK's home in Victoria, BC is the centre of a whirlwind community of musicians and artists, collaborating and carousing in a similar fashion to Toronto's own Bellwoods House. Having performed for years alongside friends such as NEKO CASE and the GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS, Carolyn's reputation for hosting the best party in town is well-deserved.
www.myspace.com/carolynmark