Miracle Fortress is making the headlines. EYE Magazine's Helen Spitzer recently tried to find the motives for lead performer/creator Graham Van Pelt's solo-gone-quartet project. After a short while of listening to their debut Five Roses, you can tell there's a heart-to-heart connection happening. There are lyrics that come off as selfless and warm. Prior to Five Roses, Van Pelt made a 5-track EP entitled Watery Grave which didn't seem to focus on the joyous, or euphoric, feeling which has been so well received over the past month by many new listeners. However, the EP is filled with thriving beats and blood-rushing gold. If you can find it, particularly at his shows, pick up a copy before it's too late.

Miracle Fortress play The Whippersnapper Gallery tonight with Montag and the art of Jack Dylan will be posted from end-to-end of the long-neck venue.

To Recap:

Who: Miracle Fortress / Montag / the art of Jack Dylan
When: Saturday, June 23rd @ 7pm (bands begin at 9.30pm)
Where: The Whippersnapper Gallery (587A College St.)
How Much: $10 (Rotate This / Soundscapes)

So here's what's weird: I show mad respect to Montreal bands on Blog TO. Sound weird? Controversial? Am I breaking any rules? Stop me if I am! They must put something in the water over in Montreal because they're churning out amazing bands like they were giving away candy. Plants and Animals are the next big interest that are slowly (but surely) growing out of Quebec, and you can see them at The Tiger Bar tonight as part of NO SHAME.

The trio hails from the heart of Montreal and sport a soft-prog/classic-rock style comparable to a light-hearted Akron/Family. They have songs to carry you adrift, or others to send you down the highway at a decent cruising speed. Newly acquired to Secret City Records (Miracle Fortress and Patrick Watson), Plants and Animals have been working on their debut record for 3 years and it's finally done. Lots of hard work went into it and from what I've heard from the record, it was well worth the wait to hear the finishing touches.

Other bands performing tonight as part of NO SHAME are Toronto's Proof of Ghosts, Ghost Hands and Slim Twig. You most likely have to enter via the College St. Diner (414 College St.).

To recap:

Who: Plants and Animals / Proof of Ghosts / Ghost Hands / Slim Twig
When: Thursday, June 21st @ 9pm
Where: The Tiger Bar (414 College St. - downstairs)
How Much: $5

From left to right: We're Marching On, Born Ruffians, Junior Boys & Young Rival

While the bustling business of Toronto's clubs, venues and hot spots were being overrun with the work week's members for NXNE (and not for NXNE), one show was powerfully magnetizing people into the Mod Club on Friday night. Leading the bill were Hamilton's representative for Domino Records, Junior Boys, Midland, Ontario's (now, and for quite a good while, Toronto's) Born Ruffians, classic-rock/indie troupe Young Rival (formerly The Ride Theory), and one of the most epic bands you will ever see, We're Marching On.

Photos:
We're Marching On, Born Ruffians, Junior Boys & Young Rival

North-by-North-East always brings you ups and downs. Ups because you get to go crazy/nuts over an act that's going to make you ask for a clean pair of shorts (Handsome Furs, Creature, Champion, Thunderheist). Downs because some bands just leaving you handing when they seem promising enough....on paper.

Photos:
Camouflage Nights
The Ghost is Dancing

The good weather brings along great music which you can bathe in. You can bathe in the sun, the rain, or even the rare sun-shower! I think the lot of us are looking forward to that big change from wintery times and snow in our eyes. Tonight, that weather change begins with Montreal side-project gone AMAZING, Miracle Fortress, local psych-powers of epic proportions, We're Marching On, and Thornhill fusion rockers, Atlas Eyes.

On a special note, tonight is Miracle Fortress' CD release party for their debut record, Five Roses. The show is at The Boat and the damage is $7 at the door.

While We're Marching On are a parade on their own, Miracle Fortress are definitely creating a ruckus with ease. However, that didn't mean the debut record was created with the same kind of ease.

As part of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC), a worldwide charitable imitative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America Foundation, a new ad campaign has sprung up in the hopes of getting the public to focus their attention on the continuing issue of Beast Cancer. Local music/miscellaneous film director, Sara St.Onge, recently put together a commercial as part of the FTBC campaign which tells you to be aware of Breast Cancer and support by wearing a shirt with a unique insignia on it on May 25th.

For more information on FTBC, click here.

For more information on the director, Sara St. Onge, click here.