The Useless Wooden Toys skateboard artclock benefit show for Skate4Cancer at Adrift in 2007.

The online Adrift Archive continues, and the show Saturday is fast approaching. Nike SB and Adrift are presenting a photo showcase celebrating Adrift Skateshop’s first four years of skateboarding, art shows, and live music. Looking forward to seeing images from Ryan Allan, Canice Leung, Andrew Norton, and David Waldman. Toronto photographers past and present and only a few who are contributing images.

The Adrift Archive
November 29th
7-11pm
116 Spadina Avenue

Joel Thibodeau of Death Vessel at Lee's Palace.

The Sea and Cake were a band with a mission at Lee's Palace Nov. 14th.

Glad I was able to catch The Sea and Cake last night. They are truly an amazing band and a must see live. The opening act was interesting as well.

Joel Thibodeau’s Death Vessel was impressive. His solo acoustic set peppered with his silvery voice got things off to a great start. Great to see the “return of the acoustic” with Iron and Wine, City and Colour and others moving this style of music back into the limelight.

Next up were The Sea and Cake. I was interested to see them play again. Last year’s Everybody, an album made after a four year break, was quickly followed by their latest, Car Alarm. The Sea and Cake wasted no time getting back into the studio after last year’s CD and tour. Good thing! I’ve seen The Sea and Cake a few times now but they appeared like a band on a mission and an even tighter unit. Hoping they continue to ride the momentum! They cranked out some gems from their latest album. I was most taken with tracks performed from their earlier material infused with a serious drive. A solid set and sweet encore were barely enough to appease the packed crowd at Lee’s Palace. Ring the alarm indeed.

If you aren’t already barging the My Bloody Valentine show tonight at Kool Haus you may want to catch Place Hands at the Press Club. A more modestly priced show for sure and you can “support” the local scene at the same time. An interesting Toronto mix to be sure. Psychadelic noise pop from THE PINK NOISE, shoegazer/garage from PIRATE/ROCK and the post hardcore of PLACE HANDS.

PLACE HANDS – with The Pink Noise and Pirate/Rock
The Press Club
850 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5R 3B7
Canada

Only $5…

Friday night a party to celebrate the release of the latest issue of COLOR Magazine hits 751. The doors open around 9pm and music will be provided by DJ JUBE and THEY LIVE.

COLOR Mag 6.4 – Release Party
Friday September 26th
751 Queen St. West
Doors Open at 9pm
Music by DJ Jube and They Live

The venue has changed but they are still coming to Toronto. My Bloody Valentine are playing at Kool Haus (instead of Ricoh Coliseum this Thursday). No worries all tickets for the Ricoh Coliseum show will be honoured at Kool Haus. Door and show times have been pushed back by 30 minutes to better accommodate the fans.

My Bloody Valentine were a shelved project for the more than 10 years until last summer. A total treat for faithful fans since many dates on this “reunion” tour have been completely sold out and this is one of their few Canadian dates. Rumours are that they have nearly an albums worth of new material but they likely wont play it just yet. No worries their catalogue has many treasures for sure. Loveless is a classic and still critically acclaimed after 17 years. As the Guardian’s John Moore can attest My Bloody Valentine are a band you FEEL live.

Bring your earplugs and prepare for the wall of sound!!!

My Bloody Valentine
Kool Haus, Toronto, ON
Thu, Sep 25, 2008
Doors open at 7:30 – 8pm

Tickets Available at all TICKETMASTER locations or by phone 416-870-8000
Rotate This, Sonic Temple or www.livenation.com

The close of the Labour Day weekend is always a sad time. It means the end of The Ex, marks the beginning of school for so many, and acts as a reminder that Fall is on the way. Glad I made it back to The Ex this year though. It’s been quite awhile.

Rain or shine, nostalgia and good entertainment won me over again. While my dentist is probably cautiously cheering my love for cotton candy there were other treats abound. A wide variety of music from Silverstein to Blood Sweat & Tears front man David Clayton-Thomas had fans of all ages (and tastes) in good spirits. The carnival games are fun to play and watch too. My personal MVP was the dude rocking freestyle rhymes over drum and bass pictured here. You were definitely repping the EX large!

Fun fur fedoras and freestyle rhymes. A serious crowd pleaser at work at The EX.

Well if your life is seriously lacking in oversized stuffed animals you must be in the depths of depression. The Ex doesn’t return until August 2009. No, no…it’s OK to start counting down the days.

Moody Motorcycle - new CD on Secret City Records.

Human Highway’s CD came out about a week ago. Happy to see that iTunes has already featured one of their singles for free this week. I’ve always liked Jim Gutherie‘s projects and Human Highway doesn’t dissapoint.

WoW! Don Cabellero were in town last night at Lee’s Palace promoting their new CD, Punkgasm. Baltimore’s Ponytail got things off to punchy start.

This was the first I’ve heard of Ponytail but I’m sure to look for more. To say that they were experimental or math rock wouldn’t do them justice. Their vocals and sound are hard to place. They played a heated set that even Don Cab fanned out on but soon the headliners hit the stage.

Don Cab brought out a couple of teddy bears but this was only a small peace offering. They proceeded to onslaught Toronto with their form of mathrock and banter. Mel Gibson, Freedom, Secrets… Damon Che’s rants can be just as humourous as the SCTV character the band is named after. Weighing more on the last two CD’s (Punkgasm and World Class Listening Problem) Don Cab more than reproduced their albums on stage. So glad I was able to see them play again.

Both Ponytail and Don Cabellero play again in Hamilton at the Casbah tonight if you missed out on the fun last night…

Don Cabellero delivers a Punkgasm at Lee's Palace Aug 26th.

Whoa, are the stars in perfect alignment or something. Tonight brings together an interesting collection of indie, post-punk, and jazz at Teranga. Teranga is a Senegalese restaurant, if you don’t already know, and just one of many interesting spots to catch a bite and great music in the Kensington Market.

Aug 8, 2008 8:00 PM
Teranga African Bar and Restaurant
159 Augusta Avenue
Cost : $5
With Feuermusik, Metz, A History Of, and Place Hands

   Toronto Island’s weather turned ugly Saturday.  What originally appeared to be a cooler sunny day soon changed.  Much of the qualifying runs were laid out on the skateboard and wakeboard courses and then it happened.  A fierce afternoon thunderstorm started and many took shelter. The quick and the lucky scattered to pavilions around Toronto Island, others bolted straight to the ferry docks.  Some however were not so lucky.

Not everyone had the piece of mind not to hide under trees or lucky enough to be away from some of the metal fences.  At least two people were struck by lightening, one right across from the booth where Silverstein were signing autographs.  Thanks to the Emergency staff on hand as well as the Police and Fire boats dispatched to the island everyone was OK and the event was able to continue.

A few hours later you could hardly image how bad the weather had been moments before.  Barring the drenched pavement and grass of course.  Everyone had to make the most of it.

Classified dusted off the crowd and kicked things off on the main stage once the rain subsided.  Silverstein were awesome and powered through a shortened but intense set.  Hot Water Music were also a treat to see live.  The good weather whether held out into the early evening and RZA and GZA gave the masses a long awaited and stacked set, just fashionably late.

So glad that the sun came back, even if the puddles were far from gone.  Wasn’t keen on mud sliding/diving, just thankful no puddles or muddy sinkholes claimed my footwear.  Tomorrow is another day.  Hoping WETstock ended Saturday and Wakestock continues where it left off…