It’s been a while, but the following finally begins my account of the second day at Sappyfest 2008.  For a description of the festival’s first day click here.

Laura and I awoke in our tent after a late evening of solid concert watching and debauchery.  We were camped out behind a massive house that was being rented by students. They’d been nice enough to accommodate The Burning Hell and Bruce Peninsula in their living room while also allowing as many tents out back as the grass could hold.

Only a few minutes walk from the city centre, we took our time and grabbed breakfast at the Bridge St. Cafe just outside the Sappyfest tent.  It wasn’t cheap, but the coffee was great and the sandwhiches were even better.  We opted for a leisurely start, as it was sure to be another full day of solid musical performances.

Personally, I was excited to see Richard Laviolette. He was among the musicians travelling east with The Burning Hell, so I’d gotten the chance to get acquainted with him and his phenomenal songs over the week.  Not only is he an excellent performer—able to stun a room armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar and unapologetic sincerity—but I don’t think I’ve met a kinder, more infectiously amicable person.  In both those regards seeing him perform was always a pleasure.  Also, like Wax Mannequin, he’s got a new album in the works and I for one am salivating in anticipation of it.  Look out for “Funeral Song”—seriously, it is simply amazing.

Speaking of The Burning Hell, while the second day of Sappyfest had been full of great performances, I’m confident in saying that my friends from Peterborough really kicked things up a notch.  Sure, the fact that I’d been on the road with them reveals an obvious bias, but there was a palpable change in atmosphere after their performance—as though the bar had just been raised.

Garnering instant attention by teasing a cover of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”, The Burning Hell quickly dove into “I Love The Things That People Make” and never looked back. By the end of the set they were accompanied by Bucky’s didgeridoo, as well as the banjo of Kim Barlow.  Director, artist and one of Sappyfest’s organizers, Jon Claytor himself, shook Mathias’ hand afterward, asserting that the band had made his day.

Of course, the rest of the bands more than rose to the challenge. Katie Stelmanis and company pounded through an intense set that showcased strong vocals and excellent percussion followed in stark contrast by the amicable poise of Old Man Luedecke. The latter seemed to really get the crowd going. In fact, the huge audience reaction during “I Quit My Job” was one of the highlights of the festival for many, as the lone banjo player brought the crowd to its knees, getting all the recognition he deserved.

Chad VanGaalen and Attack in Black followed suit and the crowd’s energy never dissipated.  Coming from Toronto, a city renowned for its lackluster audiences, this really was a refreshing experience.  Of course, both acts merited all the fervour.  VanGaalen combined hilarious banter (at one point refering to himself as just another douche-bag now that he has an iPod) with a rousing performance and Attack in Black (whom I’d seen before opening for the Constantines, but hadn’t known much about then) left me eagerly searching the merch booth for a copy of Curve of the Earth, their latest full-length.  The two then joined forces (among others) for a spirited rendition of “Cinnamon Girl” which brought the tent to a close for the night.

—

Here’s Old Man Luedecke performing the crowd-favourite “I Quit My Job”:

MP3: Old Man Luedecke - I Quit My Job (buy the album here)

MP3: The Burning Hell - I Love the Things That People Make (buy the album here)

Check back tomorrow for the hijinks and performances that made up the rest of Sappyfest day 2 and keep an eye on Zunior.tv for constant updates of footage from the festival.

Well, it has taken me long enough, but I’ve finally started to get my Sappyfest photos and footage organized.  For maximum ease of posting I’m going to separate my coverage into a writeup per day of the New Brunswick music festival.  Of course, there’s no way I can possibly give a comprehensive synopsis of every band’s set—not to mention all the antics in and around them. Instead I’ll give a brief rundown of some of my favourite moments and then let the photos, stills and video clips speak for themselves.

We pulled in to Sackville, New Brunswick at around 4pm on Friday, August 1, just in time to figure out where we were setting up camp before the music started. Shotgun Jimmie got things off to a fun start, his amicable demeanor and banter making him the perfect choice to kick things off.  Of course, it’s likely no surprise that it was Wax Mannequin who was the first to really grab my attention.

Sure,  I’d seen Wax perform every night that week (as he was one of the acts touring with The Burning Hell, with whom I was tagging along), but, if you ask me, watching the Hamilton, Ontario troupadour perform never gets old.  In fact, having spent time with him over the week prior (about which I’ll write more later) had served to humanize Wax Mannequin’s trademark intensity, adding a sympathetic layer to his set. Not to mention that his new material is arguably some of the best I’ve heard—look out for a new Wax Mannequin album in the fall and prepare yourself for the excellence inherent in songs like “End of Me” and “Running.”

Afterwards Toronto’s $100 played to rampant enthusiasm from the other performers and the always enjoyable Jim Bryson entertained the crowd as much with his between song stories as with the tunes themselves. In fact, the only downside to an otherwise excellent evening of music was the sporadic rainfall, but even that couldn’t dampen the mood.

Closing out the main stage for the evening was Bruce Peninsula, a band I’d never had the pleasure of checking out, but one that came highly recommended from John Tielli (I couldn’t help but introduce myself to him, as Clark’s album The Woods is a favourite of mine).  Featuring an explosive choir of powerful female vocals singing rootsy traditional numbers with a raucous kick, they were definitely a sight to behold and a band I’ll gladly make an effort to see again—reminiscent of a more sizable Sunparlour Players.

Following the closure of the main tent the party moved inside to two separate venues. I opted to head to the Vogue Theatre for The Acorn and Julie Doiron, both of whom I’d seen previously, but neither being something I’d pass up given the opportunity. All told their sets were as enjoyable as to be expected and the theatre provided an amicable and warm atmosphere. The only drawback was that the venue itself was so damn comfortable and perfectly climate controlled that it was hard to stay awake! Seriously, half-sleeping heads bobbing lethargically in states of near slumber could be seen in all directions to no fault of the excellent performances going on.

Julie Doiron - I Woke Myself Up

Of course, the evening didn’t stop when the music ended, but I’ll save the debaucherous post-concert antics for a more detailed post a little later on. In the meantime here’s a video of Bruce Peninsula performing “Shanty Song”:

Stay tuned over the next few days for photos and footage from the rest of Sappyfest!

It’s not often that I do a post that is entirely dedicated to soliciting a single show, but this is a special occasion.  Henry Svec has just announced that he’ll be doing a final show as The Boy from ET, about whom you can read here,  at The Tranzac on Wednesday, August 13.

You can bet that I’ll be there, as not only are the songs on The Boy from ET’s Lives the Part great, but the storytelling concept is one that definitely lends itself to a live setting.

Those of you unfamiliar with the concept, here’s a brief attempt at an explanation: Henry Svec (Peter Mansbridge and the CBCs) plays the role of actor Henry Thomas (Elliott in ET) and crafts songs and stories that tell the fictional life of the actor after his big film role. It’s a creative undertaking to say the least, and I’ve heard that the real life Henry Thomas is none-too-happy about the idea, which makes it all the more daring.

Here’s the official blurb on the show from the man himself:

Join us for the 11th annual guest lecture series hosted by the U of T Dramatic Society. This year, professor Ajay Mehra will guide you in and around the craft of legendary Canadian actor, Henry Thomas.

Mr. Thomas has also agreed to give a special performance of his latest work, “The CFL Sessions,” a series of musical monologues written and recorded by Canadian football stars in the 70s. Henry stumbled upon tapes of the sessions in the CFL Hall of Fame on a recent vacation with his girlfriend to Hamilton. The songs explore archaic themes such as discipline, self-sacrifice, commitment, and sincerity. It is not common for guests of the series to perform entire works, so this is indeed a special treat.

The event is free for U of T Dramatic Society Lecture Series members, $7 for non-members. Doors open at 8:00. It’s on Wednesday, August 13, in the Tranzac’s Main Hall.

The Society is a bit nervous about having rented, this time, such a big space, so please come out! And spread the word.

—

The Boy from ET - A Stompin’ Tom Cover

The Boy from ET - In Quebec

Hear more at The Boy from ET’s Myspace page or grab a digital copy of Lives the Part here.

Date: July 19, 2008
Venue: The Tranzac

The Tranzac open house was a show I’d been looking forward to for quite some time.  Not only did it feature WHK stalwarts and one of my favourite live bands, The Burning Hell, but it also saw The Fembots taking to the stage—something that hasn’t happened for a while in Hogtown. Add to that two other rooms full of a rotating cast of acts that included the likes of Jenny Omnichord and Tusks and it was obvious that this was going to be a event worth attending.

All told, it didn’t disappoint, though I was a bit surprised that more people didn’t come out. I suppose it could have simply been  a case of the large main room making the crowd look smaller than it actually was, as the other rooms were consistently full.  Granted, ample space in from the of the stage just made it easier for a handful of people to dance during The Burning Hell’s set (check out “Last Will and Testament” as filmed for Zunior.tv here).

As for The Fembots, they were clearly men on a mission, as banter was kept to a minimum to allow for a lengthy set that intermingled songs from their previous 3 releases with brand new material.  In fact, turns out that Weewerk Records will be releasing their upcomng album, Calling Out,  on Sept. 16. This is great news if you ask me, as I was a big fan of their past output, especially 2003’s Small Town Murder Scene.

In the meantime, here are The Fembots performing “Broken and Blue” live at the Tranzac:

The Fembots - Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist

The Fembots will be back in the fall (at the Music Gallery, but the date escapes me) and The Burning Hell’s next Toronto date is Aug 15. at Rancho Relaxo.

Date: June 25, 2008
Venue: Soundscapes

Soundscapes in-stores really are a beautiful thing. I’ve been to more than my fair share and have caught excellent performances by heralded Canadian outfits as well as the odd highly sought-after international act.  That said, none have been quite as unique as the performance by Toronto’s own Feuermusik from a few weeks ago.

Showing up with an assortment of buckets and a couple woodwinds, the experimental/jazz duo delivered an empassioned five-song set as eager onlookers filled the store.

Being someone with a very limited budget and no room for a proper drum kit (I just gave away 2 floor toms and a kick drum due to lack of space) it was especially encouraging to see just how expertly Gus Weinkauf was able to pound away on three upturned buckets (he was sitting on a fourth). Don’t worry, I’m not about to start banging around on pots and pans in my apartment (I don’t have room for buckets either…), but it was refreshing to see someone make a DIY approach work so damn well.  In fact, the last time I’d seen someone playing a bucket it was a homeless guy on Yonge street who would sing a song about you for a quarter…

Of course, don’t let that take away from the expert woodwinds of Jeremy Strachan. In fact, I left the gig half-tempted to get out my old alto saxophone that hasn’t been touched since the eighth grade.

That said, you can check out the entire set for yourself, as it was filmed for Zunior.tv. To start you off, here’s Feuermusik performing “Full of Grace”:

Head to Zunior.tv to catch the rest of the set on video. In the meantime, here’s the very same tune performed above, as taken from Feuermusik’s recently released sophomore album, No Contest (about which I previously mused here):

Feuermusik - Full of Grace

Hear more at the band’s Myspace page or grab digital copies of both their albums from Zunior.

Where to start? There’s just so much good stuff going on in July that it’s hard to wrap my head around it all. Of course, thanks to the efforts of Jen—the ever-diligent concert-goer who seems to be everywhere at once—I don’t need to worry about compiling listings, as she’s done all the work for me. Check out her blog or Myspace page for more details and while you’re at it, why not sign up for her Google group and keep in the loop with more events in the world of local indie music than I can even fathom?

So, while Jen’s got us covered for the smaller scale local stuff, a quick look at the listings at Rotate This and Soundscapes reveal even more goodies. A few non-Canadian shows that strike me right off the bat are TV On the Radio at The Phoenix on July 2 (a bit too pricey for me, but I saw them years back at the Horseshoe and they were pretty damn awesome) and Bon Iver at Lee’s Palace on July 22 (much more reasonable and someone whom I highly recommend after having seen him at Soundscapes a few months back).

Those of you looking for something a little more raucous would be wise to check out King Khan and the Shrines during their two-night stint at The Horseshoe on July 23 & 24—Speaking of which, the recently released quasi-best-of collection, The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines, is definitely worth a listen if you like scrappy and cocksure rock ‘n’ roll.

Of course, for my money it’s all about July 19, as not only is Andre Ethier at The Horseshoe, but The Tranzac is playing host to a mouth-watering lineup for it’s open house—check this out: Fembots, Castlemusic, The Burning Hell, Jenny Omnichord, Great Aunt Ida and Tusks among many others! Hot damn you better believe I’ll be there with video/photo gear in tow.

Round that all out with the supreme triptych of Miracle Fortress, Ruby Coast and Think About Life at Sneaky Dee’s on July 26 and you really can’t go wrong this month.

—

King Khan and the Shrines - Torture

Finally, while it’s a bit early, there’s one more thing I’d like to mention, as it’s for a good cause: Aug. 1 at The Opera House you can catch The Coldplayers (a Coldplay tribute-band) in support of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Canada. Check out ticket info here and help raise some money for charity!

Another day and more NXNE. Don’t worry, this is the last installment of my coverage this year—and it ended with a Swedish bang.

Lethargic after the herculean day of shows (and booze) that was last Friday, I took my sweet time leaving the ol’ basement apartment on Saturday. Unfortunately that was my first mistake, as places like the Horseshoe and Rivoli were lined up down the block by the time I made my way to Queen West. My second mistake was not having a backup location in mind—not to mention leaving my schedule at home. Thankfully, there was a buzz on the street that the Silver Dollar was the unsung place to be that night anyway (in fact, it was George Stroumboulopoulous who urged my friends and I to head over there).

We made it just in time to grab a tipple and catch The Luyas. The Montreal band have garnered some well deserved buzz for their debut, Faker Death, and exhibited the characteristic endearing awkwardness of a humble indie band—in fact, front-woman Jessie Stein evoked favourable comparisons to the on-stage charm of Jenny Omnichord. In the end though, it was their crescendoing arrangements, complete with bells, thundering drums and pedal-modified horns that won me over for good.

The Luyas - Dumbblood

Next up was Toronto’s own Slim Twig,who recently released his debut full-length, Derelict Dialect. Mustachioed and clad in some of the tightest pants around (I swear his legs were the size of most people’s arms, but I digress…), he took to the stage backed by a merry band of like pranksters. The end result was much more cocksure and flamboyant than The Luyas, but the upbeat set had no problem winning over the packed house.

Slim Twig - Birthing and Birthing

Speaking of a packed house, when it was time for highly tauted Oholics to hit the stage movement in the Silver Dollar was definitely limited. I’d never heard of the Swedish band before a few hours prior to their set, but they were the main reason we had ended up there and it became clear why pretty much instantly.

Having played the Silver Dollar on all 3 of the NXNE filled nights last week, The Oholics were a force on stage. Case in point, lanky front-man, Christoffer Rydeståhl, danced throughout the set as though perpetually on a Stairmaster and sitar/electronics player, Anders Thunarf, stirred up the crowd nicely with some frantic tambourine work. The overall sound was somewhat of a cross between Spoon and Soundtrack of Our Lives (a member of whom produces the band).

Overall this was definitely one of the most enjoyable sets I’d seen over NXNE (second only to Amos the Transparent)—Hell, I bought a CD copy of The Oholics’ latest EP, Baby Blue Eyes, which says a lot for a guy who usually sticks strictly to digital or vinyl.

As usual, there’s video of all three sets forthcoming on Zunior.tv, but for now here’s The Oholics performing “Wasted Youth” from the aforementioned Baby Blue Eyes EP:

The Oholics - Step Inside Your Mind

Incidentally, did anyone else find Chart’s report cards for The Oholics gigs from the two previous nights a bit (re: ridiculously) disparate? I mean, from a 90 to a 55 in one night!?! If you ask me, Thursday’s report card is pretty spot on (and they are written by two separate reviewers), but check out the over-the-top ripping that is the Friday assessment— “awful blues bar rock” ?

I wouldn’t normally care that much, but when someone asserts that:

“…most of the crowd was either drunk or believed they were supposed to like this group because Burke booked them for three nights”

and repeatedly infers that I would have to have been intoxicated in order to enjoy this band I can’t help but get my back up a little.

I guess The Oholics could have been excellent on Thursday, but absolutely horrible on Friday (which is the gig the reviewer is bashing), but I certainly wasn’t “hammered” when I saw them the following night and they sounded great to me. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time I haven’t seen eye to eye with Chart over a show (though this time it is admittedly about two different nights, but the criticism is too damningly harsh to be caused by a simple case of an off performance). I suppose I’m just a lowly blogger, so what do I know…

…actually, screw that—I know damn well that I enjoyed this show.

Look out, here comes a long one. I really can’t help it though, as Friday itself was a long one last week—definitely the most lengthy of my NXNE shenanigans. In fact, it was about 12 or so total hours worth of concert-going goodness (with a small meal break).

Things kicked off early at the annual Kelp/Saved By Vinyl BBQ at Global Village Backpackers, which featured a myriad of great indie bands starting at 12pm and going until the evening.

There’s no possible way that I can recap the entire BBQ here, so I’ll give you some highlights:

First off, I have a newfound respect for BBQ opener, Lorrie Matheson, who got things off to a great start. Admittedly, I never cared for the Calgary stalwart’s earlier releases, but his latest, In Vein, resonated a little more with me than the rest and this 12:30pm performance definitely made me want to delve deeper (I confessed as much to him directly afterwards).

Lorrie Matheson - Don’t Let This Living Kill You Now

The BBQ also gave me a chance to check out The Summerlad, who I had missed the night before at the Boat. They weren’t doing their epic rock-opera (which makes up 3 of the four sides of their latest LP, City of Noise—check out the previously featured title track here), but definitely had a unique and diverse sound nonetheless.

Saskatoon’s Ultimate Power Duo were also a rockin’ site to behold. Counter-intuitively playing as a trio, the group laid it down as frenetically and hard as humanly possible. It’s always impressive to watch people who play as though their balls are on the line.

Of course, while there were many other entertaining moments amidst the occasional free beer, excellent hamburgers (seriously, they were great), and sets from the likes of The Violet Archers, HILOTRONS and Camp Radio, if you ask me it never gets any more awe-inspiring than Rhume.

Fronted by Kelp-founder, Jon Bartlett, Rhume’s appearance at these BBQs is always a climactic moment. Last year Jon came out in tight white boxers and wellingtons, but this time around he took it to another level. Inspired by the fact that it was Friday the 13th, the already large and slightly menacing Bartlett burst on to the scene in full slasher gear—not to mention roller skates. I know Jen wasn’t all that taken by the affair, but I was sitting beside her filming in glee the entire time (they also opened with one of my favourite Rhume tunes—about killing ants).

Speaking of which, while I’m still working on uploading footage from most of that afternoon’s performances for Zunior.tv, here’s Rhume performing the aforementioned “Empoisonne la Fourmilière” from their excellent 2002 release, Jeu de Puissance:

Rhume - Empoisonne la Fourmilière

After a relaxing stop at a local pub for dinner, it was back to the venues as my friends and I met at Clinton’s in time for The Superfantastics. Always amicable, the Halifax duo never fail to impress. That said, seeing as I’ve discussed them at length prior (during CMW, here and here), I’ll let the video do the talking.

Here are The Superfantastics performing “Glitter” from their acclaimed full-length debut, Pop-Up Book (click the still below to take you to Zunior.tv—the page was having trouble handling 3 videos):

The Superfantastics - Vantastic

I couldn’t stick around to chat after the short set though, as there was a fire under my ass to catch Shotgun Jimmie across town immediately afterwards. Performing at Harlem, an interesting and narrow venue that I’d never been to before, the band—comprised of Jimmie himself backed by Attack In Black, no less—arrived late and made haste to get things going.

I’ve mentioned before that Jimmie was my high school president and, while neither of us have much of a recollection of each other from those formative years, I’ve been meaning to catch him during one of his trips to Toronto for some time now. An excellent songwriter, he also proved to be right at home on stage, crackin’ wise between songs and just generally exuding a veteran flare. Of course, it helps when you have a critically acclaimed band backing you (Attack In Black made the long list for the 2008 Polaris Prize, for those of you keeping track).

All told, the set was short and sweet, with the odd and ever-changing stage lighting casting the entire thing in an appropriately effervescent light. If there’s one complaint that I’ve got, aside from wishing for a longer set, it would be that no credit was given to Chad Van Gaalen after they played his “Clinically Dead,” but that’s a minor gripe that didn’t hurt my enjoyment of the show one bit.

Here’s Shotgun Jimmie ft. Attack In Black performing “Water Touched My Face” from Attack in Black’s heralded 2008 album, The Curve of the Earth (again, click the still below and a new page will open with the video):

Shotgun Jimmie - Bedhead

Thus ended a lengthy day of excellent shows from which more video is to come. Tomorrow I’ll get around to wrapping up my NXNE coverage with details from the most blundering and serendipitous night of all three.

As you can imagine, last week was a busy one. Between checking out Sebastien Grainger at the Horseshoe on Tuesday night (which I’ll get to in the coming days) and NXNE on the weekend there was a lot to see and do in Toronto. Did I see everyone I wanted? Not even close. Did I catch some great sets by bands I’d never seen before? Definitely. In that regard I consider the event a resounding success—no matter how unorganized I was.

Case in point, Thursday saw me erroneously running around without a plan of action, like an indie fan with my head cut off overwhelmed by the myriad of excellent venue options. In the end I settled on The Supermarket, as a friend of mine was going to be there and it would give me an opportunity to see Amos the Transparent, a band that I’ve been far less enthusiastic about than others (i (heart) music and Chromewaves, for instance), but have wanted to give the benefit of the doubt—more on that later.

First though, Toronto’s own Cancel Winter took to the stage. Getting around to seeing these guys had been a long time coming for me, as I’ve met a few of them before and a concert-going friend of mine is a huge fan.

All told, the 5-piece proved to be purveyors of some very catchy hooks and just enough edge to keep them to the left of pop. It was also clear that Cancel Winter is an outfit that is comfortable on stage and would definitely merit seeing again during a more full-length set.

Once again, I was caught without my camera, but given my new gig taking video for Zunior.tv, here’s footage of Cancel Winter performing “The Starting Block” from Liestillnow: (the video has been taken down at the band’s request—see the comment below).

Of course, as enjoyable as Cancel Winter was, it was my curiosity surrounding Ottawa’s Amos the Transparent that really drew me to the Supermarket in the first place. That said, allow me to preface any further synopsis with the following admission of blindness: i (heart) music, this one’s for you—Matthew, I have finally seen the error of my apathetic ways.

Simply put, Amos the Transparent was awesome. Amicable, unpretentious and just plain fun, the Ottawa band was a flurry of hand-claps, smiles and harmonies that left me wanting to run home and spend the rest of NXNE listening to their recorded output.

On paper the band is just a handful of guys, but in this case the addition of sassy backup vocalists, horns and keys ballooned their lineup to a healthy 8 members. The result was a rambunctious and intricate performance that was nothing short of stirring.

Check out Amos the Transparent performing “It’s a Beautiful Life” from Everything I’ve Forgotten to Forget:

Amos the Transparent - Title Track

I left the Supermarket at midnight with every intention of hitting the Rivoli in time for Two-Hours Traffic. Unfortunately it seemed that a capacity crowd’s worth of people got there a little earlier—by the time I got in you could barely get through the door, let alone take some video. Of course, during NXNE you can’t walk five feet without hitting another band, so all was not lost. In my case the alternate act turned out to be The Micronite Filters performing at the Black Bull down the street.

I hadn’t had a chance to crack the Oshawa/Bowmanville band’s brand new sophomore release, Rocket from Infinity, just yet, but I figured the gig would be a fine situation for a night cap and some good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll.

As expected, The Micronite Filters seemed very capable of delivering some serious riffage. Unfortunately, the Black Bull itself proved to be a lackluster and awkward venue—in fact, the sound-guy himself went nuts after being accused of being a crackhead (by another crackhead, no less) and the police had to be called. In that regard, the band themselves get a pass on this one, as two cracked-out weirdoes in one night is more than enough of an ordeal, let alone when they happen to be arguing over which one exhibits more crackheadedness.

No footage from this show just yet (stay tuned to Zunior.tv in the coming days though, as it’ll be there soon).

Broke like me? I don’t know about you, but with NXNE starting up in a couple of days I can hear my wallet cringing. Fear not, worried penny pinchers, for free concerts abound this week in venues large and small.

As usual, Criminal Records and Sonic Boom will be clearing their aisles to make room for some excellent free shows. Here’s how they break down so far:

Thursday, June 12

The John Henrys - 7pm, Criminal Records

Two Hours Traffic - 7pm, Sonic Boom

Friday, June 13

Shotgun Jimmy ft. Attack In Black - 5pm, Criminal Records
Calm Down It’s Monday - 5:30pm
Old Man Luedecke - 6pm
The Superfantastics - 6:30pm
Mardeen - 7pm

The Two Koreas - 7pm, Sonic Boom

Saturday, June 14

Monotonix - 3pm, Sonic Boom
Mannequin Men - 4pm
Starvin Hungry - 5pm

The Pack A.D. - 6pm, Criminal Records

Of course, for my money (or lack thereof), the free Kelp/Saved By Vinyl BBQ at Global Village Backpackers Hostel on Friday, June 13 is the way to go. Things kick off at noon and don’t stop until the early evening, making it the perfect primer for a long night of concert tomfoolery. Not to mention that it’s got an awesome lineup, including the likes of The Violet Archers and HILOTRONS.

Looking for something a little bigger? A good number of parks and open spaces in Toronto are also playing host to free outdoor gigs throughout the festival. Yonge and Dundas Square in particular has a hell of a lot going on, including performances by Teenage Head, Ladyhawk and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

Check out the full NXNE schedule for more, but don’t let an empty wallet keep you from enjoying NXNE this year!

—

The Two Koreas - Withering Heights

The Pack A.D. - All Damn Day Long