Tuesday, June 18, 2013Partly Cloudy 18°C
Music

Overheard at NXNE 2013

Posted by Lori Steuart / June 18, 2013

NXNE 2013Stumbling around late on any given night, you're bound to hear some ridiculous things. During the week-long NXNE festival, though, there is a whole other breed of conversation you'll have the pleasure of overhearing. While there have already been some mid-fest compilations of great overheard lines ("You're like Bob Dylan with a uterus"), we've rounded up the top tweets and our (sadly) personal experiences for your reading pleasure. Some of it features sex, some of it features music, but much of it features beer-addled brains and loose tongues.

Read More »

Music

The National headline NXNE at Yonge-Dundas Square

Posted by Adam Brady / June 17, 2013

The National Live TorontoMatt Berninger, frontman of The National, gestured at the H&M billboard across Yonge-Dundas Square while introducing a song. "This," he said gravely," is for Beyonce."

On Friday night, as part of NXNE's free concert series, The National played a long set in the packed square. Lit by neon billboards, they opened with "I Should Live In Salt," the lead track from their new album Trouble Will Find Me, and then proceeded to just rip through a well-curated 90-minute set. There was a great balance between old and new tracks, something that the more seasoned fans of the band in the crowd appreciated, I'm sure.

Read More »

Music

This Week in Music: Riot Fest returns to Fort York, David Bowie AGO-bound, Atlas Genius at the Opera House

Posted by Bryan Smith / June 17, 2013

Atlas GeniusThis Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto.

Read More »

Music

A total bummer interview with Japandroids

Posted by Lori Steuart / June 16, 2013

JapandroidsAs NXNE excitement dies down, you might be inches away from death yourself. You're going to need to pull yourself together though, pals: Japandroids are in town this Monday night, and they know you have the strength to push through (Tuesday sounds like a good day to call in sick). Speaking of calling in, Japandroids were a little mopey during our phone chat.

I could tell it was going to be a fun and democratic interview with noisy and anthemic garage rock duo Japandroids - because there was only one phone between the two of them, David Prowse would start the interview and pass it on to Brian King for the second half. Just ten minutes in, Prowse had already apologized for bumming me out, and commented on how this was a "total bummer interview." How did my conversation with a couple of the nicest Vancouverites go down in flames? Read on, dear reader, and find out.

Read More »

Music

Are Cellphone NXNE 2013's most charming boy band?

Posted by Eric Boshart / June 13, 2013

CellphoneIf you're as sick of whack slow music as I am Cellphone offers good reception. It's fast, it's eerie, it's cool, it's now, and most importantly, it sure gets your head boppin'.

I recently chatted with the fearsome foursome over email to get some insight to this can of nuts called "Cellphone." Be warned they are a beast with four heads: I asked them separately a series of questions that ended up highlighting each unique personality. Mike: the Party Dude. Alex: cool but rude. Jay: builds machines (brain) and Eric: a giant rat (jk).
Using these unique responses I was able to use my trained writing ability to present a cohesive yet individual Q & A with Toronto's Cellphone.

Read More »

Music

Mates of State host Postal Service reunion at the ACC

Posted by Eric Boshart / June 13, 2013

Mates of State10 years after the release of The Postal Service's seminal Give Up, I was able to fufill one of my biggest live music dreams: seeing Mates of State play three times. But they were only the opening band at The Air Canada Centre on Monday and I was there to see The Postal Service, even if it was under the guise of seeing the beloved duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, the geniuses behind pop masterpieces Like U Crazy, For the Actor, Whiner's Bio, My Only Offer, Palomino, Blue and Gold Print... ah hell let's face it, there's way too many to list.

Read More »

Other Cities: Montreal