Toronto Metblogs » Music

Check Out Saint Dirt Elementary School

swoononeone — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:40:48 +0000

Pleased to hear a track from Saint Dirt Elementary School on this month’s Zunior Music Sampler. Saint Dirt Elementary School are an interesting mix of lap steel and jazz best seen and heard live at the cozy Tranzac club. Their latest release, Ice Cream Man Dreams, is a solid album.

As always Zunior is a great place to get quality independent Canadian Music via download. A lot of out of print releases are available often at higher resolution than iTunes and cost less! Toronto bands and labels are well represented but it never hurts to browse and discover others. The monthly sampler is a great way to start!

Saint Dirt Elementary School @ The Tranzac
292 Brunswick Avenue
Tuesday August 18th
$5 or PWYC

Short Of The Record But Not Of Greatness

swoononeone — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 15:14:46 +0000

Yesterday afternoon’s Guinness Book of World Records attempt at largest guitar ensemble attempt was astounding. In 2007 Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany brought together 1,802 guitarists to play Smoke on the Water. Neil Young’s Helpless was to be The Great Canadian Tune to rally Toronto guitarists and beat the record. We were close. “Just” 1,623 made it! While just shy of the record seeing a city block wrapped with a line up of guitar players was pretty cool.

Francis And The Lights – A Hat Trick Of Shows

swoononeone — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:54:57 +0000

New York City’s Francis and the Lights are rounding out their third of three shows in three nights at Drake Hotel. Kanye called them “a mix between Prince and Phil Collins”. If you haven’t heard A MODERN PROMISE or STRIKING Friday night is a great time to find out what they can do for your dancing shoes.

Francis and the Lights @ The Underground – Drake Hotel
Friday May 15, 2009
1150 Queen Street West
8PM
$10

Tunes At The Tranzac

swoononeone — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:16:43 +0000

The Tranzac always has a warm and cozy vibe. Looking forward to checking out a great double bill tomorrow (Sunday). Muskox and Jeremy Strachan (Gus is due back from Montreal so perhaps Feuermusik will be playing too?).

The Tranzac continues to be a hidden gem. Easy on the soul and the wallet with great music and cheap or PWYC shows.

Muskox and Jeremy Strachan
Tranzac – 292 Brunswick Avenue
Sunday April 26th at 10pm
Pay what you can!

Record Store Day – Tomorrow!

swoononeone — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:38:23 +0000

April 18, 2009 is Record Store Day! What is Record Store Day? It was originally conceived by Chris Brown, and founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave and Brian Poehner as a celebration of the unique culture surrounding independently owned record stores. A day meant to celebrate the few, true local record stores. The one’s that don’t merely pander to the payola and fickle tastes of corporate types “trying to move units”. These are the stores which promote local shows (even host them), sell a variety of great music vinyl as well as CD, and are types of businesses that enhance to the community (both the music community and the ones they inhabit).

Several venues in Toronto are part of the action including Soundscapes, Sonic Boom, Penguin Music and Criminal Records. You can expect the usual greatness from these epic Toronto independent record stores as usual. Tomorrow there will be some treats too. Sale items? Live performances? Local musician apparences? Special Limited Editions up for grabs? Perhaps all the above!

Record Store Day
April 18, 2009
Many participating Independent Stores Internationally and Toronto including…

Criminal Records
493 Queen Street West

Penguin Music
256-A Queen St W. (downstairs)

Sonic Boom
512 Bloor St. W

Soundscapes
572 College Street

Billy Bob’s Joaquin Phoenix Moment

swoononeone — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:57:00 +0000

It was unfortunate to see Billy Bob Thorton’s meltdown play out on Q. In a strange parallel to Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman Billy Bob was offended by host Jian Ghomeshi references to his other work (both on the screen and his screenwriting talents). Unlike Letterman, Jian Ghomeshi was not belittling or condescending. He well recognized the Billy Bob’s catalog of music to date. Jian was rightly impressed and inquisitive about the Boxmasters output in such a short time together. The resulting meltdown was shocking and disappointing to say the least.

Jian Ghomeshi remains one of CBC jewels. His show Q remains one of the best programs/podcasts CBC offers up Canada and the world. Hopefully Billy Bob Thornton and Boxmasters, recover from this public pouting fit. As an artist, actor and writer Billy Bob Thornton is exceptional despite this behaviour.

Well the dust has settled. Boxmasters play Massey Hall again tonight (April 9th) in support of Willie Nelson.

WILLIE NELSON with special guests Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters and Ray Price
Massey Hall
April 9, 2009 7:30 PM
$125.00 – $59.50

Place Hands @ The Press Club – TONIGHT

swoononeone — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:49:39 +0000

Place Hands are back! After taking a break to start a family and work on other projects Place Hands are returning to the stage tonight at the Press Club. They will be joined by Brides and Into The Other. A great way to rawk into the weekend.

PLACE HANDS with BRIDES and INTO THE OTHER
@ THE PRESS CLUB – 850 Dundas St. West
$5

Julie Doiron at the Horshoe Tavern – TONIGHT

swoononeone — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:00:34 +0000

Julie Doiron’s latest album, I CAN WONDER WHAT YOU DID WITH YOUR DAY, came out this past Tuesday. I’m quite impressed. Caught a sneak peak in Hamilton last night but tonight’s show will be just as great based on the lineup. $100 will also be playing. It will be a real treat to hear great vocalists like Simone of $100 and Julie play at the Horseshoe.

Julie Doiron singing at Pepperjacks in Hamilton last night. Julie stops in Toronto tonight and plays with $100 and Rick White at the Horseshoe Tavern.

Somewhere There – Somewhere To Go This Sunday?

swoononeone — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 23:40:30 +0000

Sunday has always been a great day to relax. Wavelength is always a go to “night out” (and it’s usually PWYC!!!) but this weekend is special.

Jeremy Strachan mixes it up with Mike Smith of Muskox. This should make for an exciting blend. The warm cozy space Somewhere There is the host for this guitar/banjo duo followed by group set. Somewhere There continues to bring out some of the best and brightest from Toronto’s improvised music scene and host daily shows (except Monday nights).

MARCH 8 at SOMEWHERE THERE
340 Dufferin Street (One block south of Queen – enter from Melbourne Ave)

Jeremy Strachan / Mike Smith duo – 6pm (early show)
(minimal banjo/guitar duets)

Plus a second set featuring David Sait (guzheng), Robin Buckley (percussion), Jeremy Strachan (etc)

$8 cover

Tonight – EVERLEA At The Mod Club

swoononeone — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:35:08 +0000

Kingston’s Everlea are in Toronto tonight. I was first introduced to them through their work with amazing photographer Brooks Reynolds on WE ARE SLEEPING GIANTS.

A Brooks Reynolds still from WE ARE SLEEPING GIANTS, a collaboration with Kingston band Everlea.

Everlea
Tuesday February 3, 2009
at Mod Club (722 College Street)
w/ Secondhand Serenade + Meg and Dia
Cost: $20