Tucked away in the back of the Rivoli, I stood waiting for the girls to perform. The girls, Carmen and Camille, are two Canadians from Vancouver who have been writing their own songs since they were five. And let me tell you something: they are not five years old anymore.

The show was running a bit late, and I wondered if I could go outside quickly. I was told that we were "just waiting for Jane". I said okay, and left the back area to find myself face-to-face with Gene Simmons. Ohhhh. GENE not JANE.

It was showtime.

Toronto indie pop legend Spookey Ruben is back! After relocating to LA for years to work on various music projects, Spookey has returned to Toronto with a new record called Mechanical Royalty (Hi-Hat Recordings). It's a concept album about a kingdom of robots who are attacked by the humans who originally created them because they possess a magnetic force that keeps harmony in society that the humans want back for themselves. In case it's not yet obvious - it's a prog rock record. Spookey releases Mechanical Royalty this Thursday at the Horseshoe.

Ah, the East coast of Canada. Producing some of the best talent that this country has ever seen. But as much as I would like to, I'm not going to keep talking about Rita MacNeil.

Hailing from St. John's, Newfoundland, Hey Rosetta! is just beginning to make their mark on the rest of the country. After finishing up a few dates with Two Hours Traffic, and a couple with the Stars, they are now opening for Hawksley Workman until they head to Australia.

But it was in the down under of the Horseshoe Tavern, that I sat down with Tim Baker (vocals, guitar, piano) to talk about everything that I wanted to talk about.

Classic (and I mean really classic) hip-hop and electro heads can rejoice in the fact that Brooklyn based synth pioneers Newcleus are swinging by Wrongbar this Saturday to throw down a set as part of ACTIVATOR, DMONEY's bi-monthly showcase dedicated to 70's and 80's RnB, early electro and hip-hop, funk/boogie and the music it has inspired.

First, let's rewind some 30 years. It began in 1977 as a group of teenagers throwing one-off DIY parties under the DJ collective Jam On Productions. As punk was exploding across the pond and just starting to take foot in New York City, this group was pumping out breaks and beats, later leading to the breakdancing craze. In 1981 four core members, Cozmo D, Lady E, Chilly B and Niqué D, decided to create a recording group and their sounds soon became underground classics in night clubs around the world. Jam On Revenge (The Wikki-Wikki Song) (audio below) was the first single released n 1983, and it is still being sampled and mashed up today. They had also established themselves as one of the first self-contained Hip-Hop bands, playing all of the instruments themselves live.

Now let's fast track to today. This Toronto show is one of only a few the band are playing, and actually the first time they have ever played here, or anywhere in Canada.

"Joe? I thought I recognized the name."

Damn right she recognized the name. I may not be famous -yet- but I did go to high school with Vanessa Fisher. Then, I realized that I also went to high school with the other two members of Lioness, Ronnie Morris (who was not present) and Jeff Sheven. High school reunion!

And what high school reunion is complete without drinks? So there we were. Sitting at Harry's Char Broil and Grill in Parkdale, enjoying $2.50 Labatt 50s, talking about who kept in touch with who, when suddenly it hit me.

We should probably talk about Lioness.

What's Your Story? features the different characters that roam the streets of Toronto. Every Monday and Thursday, a new person shares their story, likes and dislikes about the city, a little secret and more.