Planet of Sound: Great Gigs, Great Bands, and David Bowie Enters His Golden Years

One of my New Year's Resolutions was to see more concerts this year. I seemed to have slacked off going to live shows in 2006, but the next 3 months will see a number of my favourite bands roll through Toronto, most of whom I haven't seen play yet but have a reputation for excellent live shows. The March 24th weekend is especially sweet:

Bloc Party - March 25th at the Kool Haus (don't think tix are on sale yet)
The Roots - Saturday March 24th at the Kool Haus with Zaki

THE M#**$#*$*ING ROOTS!! YEEEAAAHHH BOY! And they're not at the godforsaken Docks venue this time out. I know The Roots have a rep for having some hit and miss live shows, but when they are on, they are on. Anyone who is on the fence about this gig, go watch Dave Chappelle's Block Party and watch them turn that mutha out. Seriously wicked band. I didn't realize until watch Block Party that ?uestlove, the drummer, is the music arranger and the frontman of the band. Sort of blew away the preconcieved notion that only singers and lead guitarists could be frontmen. Plus, local songstress Zaki Ibrahim is the opener! Check out Zaki's myspace page for a treat as she is bound to be a global diva.

TV on the Radio play Kool Haus on Sunday, March 4, 2007. Tickets are on sale now, and I'd snap them up quick. Their album Return to Cookie Mountain topped quite a lot of Top 10 album lists on the web and in print. Pitchfork review of Return to Cookie Mountain (rating: 9.1)

The Toronto Wintercity festival has a great line-up of Canadian talent for free over two weekends at Nathan Phillips Square. Names to see include some hella-good live performers: Sloan, The New Pornographers, Elliott Brood, Oh Susanna. Check the site for times. The one band you may find a pleasant surprise, and I mean that as a compliment, is Elliott Brood. The sound can only be described as Death-Country, banjo playing, floor stomping, "WHoo Hoo!" inducing good times.

Not a single Broken Social Scene bandmember or side-project on the Wintercity bill. I image most of them are working on their own albums. The most prominent BBS-related gig would be with Apostle of Hustle aka Andrew Whiteman. Andrew plays guitar in BSS and has style that is very prominent on BSS releases. He also was the guitarist for The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, a mainstay of the Toronto music scene in the late 80s-early 90s. His new album is National Anthem of Nowhere and is out February 6, 2007. Andrew is playing a 4 gig stay at The Rivoli, playing Wednesdays for 4 weeks at The Rivoli: Wed, Jan 24, Jan 31, Feb 7 and Feb 15.

I'm relieved that the gigs I want to see aren't at Ricoh Colliseum or The Docks. My dislike of those venues periodically overrides my desire to see a band I like.

And last, but by no means least, +nurse plays The Bovine Sex Club on Thursday, February 8th. Friend of this blog may recognize BrokenEngine as a member of the band. Every time he invites me out to a gig or a birthday, I seem to be moving on that exact night. The gig at O'Grady's Bar on College? Moving out of my apartment the next morning. His birthday at The Gladstone? Moving out of the housesitting gig the next morning. I don't plan on moving in on a Friday morning in February, so I hope to make it out this time.

Whew that's a lot of shows, and a lot of bands I've always wanted to see but haven't had the chance yet. Now if only Tom Waits, David Bowie, Radiohead , or Interpol were hitting the road this month. Man, how awesome would that show be with all of them on the same bill?

By the way: David Bowie turned 60 this week. 60! The fact that he lived past the 1970s is remarkable enough, but I hope I look as half as good at 40 as David Bowie does at 60. Now Iggy Pop turns 60 in April, but he looks about 105. Mind you, he still the most badass, hard rocking, lean mean lizard-skinned sex machine 105 year old out there.

myspace pages:

Apostle of Hustle
TV On The Radio
The Roots
Bloc Party
Zaki Ibrahim
Sloan
Elliott Brood
The New Pornographers
Oh Susanna
+nurse

the2scoops