After a two year split, the boys from Sailboats Are White decided to play nice and get back together. Known on the Southern Ontario circuit as a fairly messy party band, they split up in 2007 after recording the follow up album to 2006's Turbo, Turbo II. Also to their credit, they recorded a split 7" with Louisville metal band Lords. Despite the earlier break-up, the guys decided to get back together after settling grievances and putting the past behind them like the open sea.

The band played Tuesday night at the El Mocambo.

Cuff The Duke played the first of two nights at the Horseshoe tavern last night in support of their new album Way Down Here, released last month.

I wasn't really planning on going to the show last night, but lo and behold, I ended up in attendance anyway. Extenuating circumstances aside, I wasn't so into their last album Sidelines of the City, and I had no idea so many people still really liked Cuff. But, against my expectations, I had a pretty good time.

Built To Spill return from Idaho to remind all us now grown up indie kids that they're still our favourite from the sometimes misguided and modestly overlooked era of alt music in the 90's. They've just released a new album and booked two nights at Lee's Palace.

As amazing as the newer stuff is, Built To Spill are a definitive 1990's indie rock band (as much as any band can be "indie" in this day and age). When the Mac commercial guy starts being referred to as 'indie', I question the usefulness and accuracy of the whole description.

But Doug Martsch and company have such a finely honed sound that even now they surpass most of their contemporaries. They've been incredibly apt at describing the isolation and beautiful insanity that a lot kids feel in general, and that a lot of their fans thus grew up with.

Thee Oh Sees have been around for about 12 years, have made something like 9 albums, and they're absolutely intoxicating. I will personally come to your house and play you their newest album "Help" if you don't believe me. I'm not kidding. I'm not religious, but if there IS a heaven, I want them on repeat when I get up there until a few saints start a cover band called 'Poison Finger' (Track 12 off The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending the Night In).

On tour with Thee Oh Sees are The Fresh & Only's, also from San Francisco. Toronto's own Teen Anger and Detroit's Gardens were also part of this spectacle. This concert was a top contender for best show of the year, in my books at least.

Jay Reatard is awesome. He's a Southern-bred punk king replete with his own label, Shattered Records, which is host to some of the best up-and-coming and already amazing bands. Last night, the tour to support the label came to the Reverb to show Toronto what the Southern States are all about.

The show had five of my current favorite bands all piled into one night; Useless Eaters (Memphis) with Jay on bass (killer!), Box Elders (Nebraska), Hunx & His Punx (San Francisco), Nobunny (Oakland), and Jay Reatard (Memphis).

Last night, it was all about the glitter. Whether it was the new Toronto it-boy, Diamond Rings, or the mostly naked Kids On TV, everything sparkled. The Gladstone was indeed the best venue for this specific show to take place because of those lovely bay windows. Go big or go home.

Being familiar with Kids On TV, I couldn't wait to check out the visual elements of their show. And they didn't disappoint: three of the four band members went pant-less and had painted faces. At one point, they even busted out the wolf masks!

Needless to say, this was one giant dance party from start to finish.