Music
Vampire Weekend show no signs of slowing down
"This is a great centre," Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig mused mid-set to a packed house Thurday night at the Sony Centre, where the band energetically zipped through a well-constructed set that culled material from their three album-deep catalog. Flanked by decapitated neo-classical columns and a mystical mirror that flashed with cheeky images of Beethoven and gaudy chandeliers in front of a vibrant floral backdrop, the crowd of urbane youths, bros, mums and kids testified accordingly, dancing in the aisles, singing and generally cutting loose to the irresistibly catchy vibes the Vampires were throwing down. Music
TV, film, music combine for launch of Toronto art party
TV Party was born when filmmaker Doug Nayler saw a gap between Toronto's many niche art scenes. Inspired by the recent Long Winter music and art series, he came up with a simple idea to bring the city's artists together: short collaborations between musicians and film makers based on the dead technology of clunky TVs sets and pre-internet television broadcasts. Music
This Week in Music: NXNE lineup additions, The Shins and Fall Out Boy at the Sound Academy
This Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto. Music
Killers' drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. steals the show
Drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr., backed up by his band The Killers, was on fire last Wednesday night. Rock's most exciting drummer was in full form with his trademark enthusiasm and vigour proving that arena rock can still be viable and entertaining.With a big sly smile and hearty wave Vannucci Jr. took the stage with his fellow "Killers" immediately launching into the band's breakout hit "Mr. Brightside" with house lights on. This, no doubt, was a statement, mostly likely crafted by Vannucci Jr. himself, that The Killers needn't employ theatricality to entertain the cordial audience filling the ACC.
Music
Electric Island turns on for Victoria Day techno party
The Toronto Island has had a long history of music festivals, from Toronto's first Love Ins with the Mariposa folk Festival in the late 60s to most recently Virgin Music Fest in 2009, but the island's been relatively quiet since. By some strokes of luck and organization, Electric Island was born as a four part summer music series, perhaps dreamt up by the city's tourism board, to compete with Montreal's Picnic Electronique? Regardless, Platform events has stepped up to the plate along with Embrace, and Footwork night club to bring Toronto's techno-heads a Victoria day to remember with a handful of locals and the larger than life Seth Troxler. Platform's Jeremy K is here to tell us all about it.
Music
Noise legends Oxbow say if you don't like it, stay home
Interviewing Oxbow was one of the most intense things I've done in recent memory. Even knowing the back story of the group, I was unprepared for how fierce, how sharp, and how full of fire these artists are.Oxbow formed in 1989 and have never been interested in settling on a genre. In over two decades they've only released six full length records: a search for perfection that defies the demands of modern hype as much as their sound itself. Vocalist Eugene Robinson collages blues freak outs, guttural Birthday Party-esque gothic swagger and spoken word muttering over music that rises and falls between minimalist avant jazz to roaring, aggressive hardcore, metal, and noise - and everything imaginable in between.


