No Joy

This Week in Music: Join the Music Advisory Council, Fin, Lemon Bucket, Blackalicious, Healing Power Bazaar

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

Apply to join the Toronto Music Industry Advisory Council
If you've been watching this whole 4479 coalition thing wondering "what exactly will this do for me and my favourite Toronto bands," here's a chance to get involved. The City of Toronto is soliciting applications for membership on the Toronto Music Industry Advisory Council, "a team of music sector leaders who will help the City shape its strategies and plans for the years ahead." You'd better hurry - interviews are scheduled for the week of December 9th. Learn how to apply to be a member of the council on the City of Toronto's website. If you don't apply you can't really complain too much about this stuff later, can you.

New Toronto music videos

Fin's grossout, girl-centric new video for "Anin" puts Toronto's mainstream experimental pop scene to shame. Shot in NYC using a FLIR infrared camera (the technology used in drones and surveillance) with dance duo FlucT, girls puke hot and cold liquids into each others' mouth, fight a pitbull, recreate La Pieta, write graffiti, climb fences, you know.

Local filmmaker Justin Friesen has released his award-winning short documentary about Toronto "Balkan-Klezmer-Gypsy-Punk Super Party Band" The Lemon Bucket Orkestra online for the first time. Watch Let's Make Lemonade on Youtube.

Here's a new video of The Soupcans drinking sparkle juice (gore warning).

Doomsquad (Hand Drawn Dracula) have released a video for droney hi-fi pop track "Ovoo" featuring mysterious, woodsy visuals.

Hot ticket

Blackalicious / Adelaide Hall / December 7 / 9pm / $25

I'll let our rap writer Markit take this one on - "Hailing from Sacramento, California, this duo of DJ/producer Chief Xcel and rapper Gift of Gab have been pleasing underground heads for almost two decades. Their music has always been uplifting and positive and the lyrics have been complex, woven with incredible wordplay. Their new EP Sun Giver, which is supposed to drop later this year, will be their first release since 2005. Come through to hear the old and check the new. One of the most active local hip hop acts, Philly Moves, will be opening up the evening."

More concerts this week:

  • Montreal noise pop band No Joy hit the Garrison Friday, December 6th. Also on the bill are HSY and Beliefs. Tickets are priced as $10.50 which includes a week of walking around with your hair in your face as you try to emulate these rockers - look out for traffic.
  • The Cult, one of the most influential and controversial post punk bands ever to swagger out of the UK, play the Danforth Music Hall on Saturday, December 7th. It'll cost you $34.50-$54.50.
  • So-called god of German techno Paul Kalkbrenner coming through Toronto this weekend, and you can win tickets to his December 7th show at The Phoenix here (entry deadline is Tuesday Dec 3rd at midnight).

Local hot ticket

Healing Power Bazaar / Friday, Dec 6 / Tranzac (292 Brunswick Ave) / 1pm-8pm + 10pm-late
Don't let this one get lost in the huge weekend for Toronto craft shows that's coming up - The Healing Power Festival Showcase & Bazaar will be the only event to combine a full on line up of mystery performers with a daytime market. In the afternoon you can find crafts, art, music, clothes, jewelry, food, sparklies and nick-nacks in the Southern Cross and Tiki Rooms. There will be tarot readings, too. After 10pm, mystery artists affiliated with Healing Power Records will perform. Tip - wear the brightest colours you own. Check out the vendor line up on Facebook.

More local gigs:

  • On Wednesday, December 4th at The Great Hall, #ProjectLiftPHA will host an auction/concert to raise money for hardest hit areas in central Philippines. Performers will include Maylee Todd's solo electronic project Maloo, Casey Mecija & Jenny Mecija (formerly of Ohbijou) and more.
  • Peterborough's Garbageface will bring doom rap to the Coffin Factory (89 Niagara St.) on Thursday, December 5th. He'll be joined by Elms, Cosi e Cosi, and the Holy Gasp. Full disclosure or whatever, I think I'm DJing this noise. $6 or pywc.
  • Toronto noise rockers Neon Windbreaker play Sneaky Dee's on Friday, December 6th. Visit ScionSessions.ca for the chance to win a ticket to the show (there are 200 tickets available) but make sure you do it before December 3rd (aka tomorrow) at 5pm.

Recently announced concerts

What we got up to last week

Photo by Lydo Elise Le


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