NXNE 2009 - Saturday Night

Oh Canada, what a country to have such talent in it. Gone to bed, happy and with new list of bands you should listen to more often. Like these fine folks who make such wonderful music, from the lush harmonies of Woodpigeon's to Novillero's infectious energy to the pop-bomb of awesome that is Said The Whale:


Woodpigeon (Calgary, AB)

Novillero (Winnipeg, MB)

Said The Whale (Vancouver, BC)

NXNE - Outlaws & Gunslingers Showcase

Checking in from the NXNE festival - some shots on the go from the Outlaws & Gunslingers Showcase at Lee's Palace. Full write-up and pictures after the fest ends.

Royal Wood

Jim Cuddy & Oh Susanna

Jenn Grant sharing the love

Luke Doucet and Justin Rutledge

2009 NXNE Music Festival - Find the amazing

There's a moment where your standing in some dimly lit club with no air conditioning, packed in with a crowd, wondering what you're doing there. Then the band shambles onto the stage, hit those first notes, and you know you're going to want to hear this music for the rest of your life. That moment happens again and again at NXNE.

The Coast performing at The Horseshoe NXNE 2008

NXNE is a music festival designed to get bands exposure to audiences and media, with dozens of venues all over Toronto playing host to hundreds of bands. And all you need is one $50 wristband to grant you access to the whole festival, with most venues having event liquor licenses that will keep the drinks flowing until 4am.

Created with flickr slideshow.
My pictures from NXNE 2008 (link to Flickr)

Last year I took in the festival over 3 nights in Toronto. 3 hot, sticky, at times wet nights. And it was all fantastic. I managed to only see 8 bands (I was aiming for at least a dozen), but every band I saw gave a fantastic performances that won me over: The Coast, The Wet Secrets, The Great Lake Swimmers, Laura Barrett, Royal Wood, The Two Koreas, The High Dials, The D'Ubervilles. I've bought albums from every one of these bands after I got hooked at NXNE and I look forward to the next time I get to see them play.

You have a few ways to go with the festival:

• Pick out a number of bands spread across town, dashing from venue to venue and hope to avoid any line-ups. Make some back-up choices just in case the venue hits capacity.
  

• Show up at venues without checking out the line-up and get surprised by bands getting by on talent without any expectations.
  


• Pick one of the stellar showcases, go early and plant yourself there for the entire night.

This year I'm going with option 3. Asides from planning to see some great bands, my not-so-secret goal is to work on my concert photography hobby, get some exposure, and build a portfolio for when I start applying for media passes.

Here's what my schedule looks like:

Wednesday is the kick-off, and already I'm pulled in 2 directions.

The Arts & Crafts label is hosting a night one of two night celebration at The Courthouse. The Wednesday night line-up is a launch party for the new book This Book Is Broken: A Broken Social Scene Story. The bands are all some connection to Broken Social Scene:

Apostle of Hustle /Jason Collett /Years / Charles Spearin's Happiness Project

And special guest headliner, which judging from the line-up is most likely Broken Social Scene

Across town, City Sonic is hosting the official NXNE Gala after-party at The Drake. City Sonic is producing short films about musicians and their connections to the places where they first played. They'll be screening 5 of the short films at The Drake that night, with a hot dance music line-up:

WOODHANDS | LIONESS | THE D'URBERVILLES | J.J. IPSEN

The Thursday night Arts & Crafts party is non-Broken Social Scene bands

Most Serene Republic /Still Life Still / Timber Timbre / Zeus

With a surprise guest headliner, which could be anyone from Metric (in town for Edgefest?) to Modest Mouse really. Most likely it's a band on the Arts & Crafts roster.


I'm parking myself at the outstanding Six Shooter Records/Starfish Entertainment Starfish presentations OUTLAWS & GUNSLINGERS SHOWCASE at Lee's Palace on Thursday, June 19 @ 8pm. The line-up has all the makings of a helluva good time, with a roots-rock-country flavour. And beer. And a poster suitable for framing.

8:00 pm: The Swallows
9:00 pm: Jim Cuddy, Royal Wood, Oh Susanna
10:00 pm: Kevin Hearn, Jenn Grant, Jason Plumb
11:00 pm: Luke Doucet, Justin Rutledge, NQ Arbuckle
12:00 am: Skydiggers
1:00 am: Surprise Guests

My Friday plans are loose, but I'm thinking the Paquin Entertainment showcase at The Dakota Tavern has a great line-up that suits the venue.

Couer De Pirate / The Coast / Deep Dark Woods / $100 / Hooded Fang / Mark Berube / The Beauties

Finally, Saturday is a long haul. I'm planning to hit the Six Shooter Back Lot BBQ in the afternoon. It's 2pm - 6pm in the lot behind their store at 1118 Queen Street East. These folks put on a great party every year, this time in cahoots with Steamwhistle Brewing and Damzels in Distress. Music all afternoon with hosts NQ Arbuckle, other guest spots include performances by Rose Cousins, Royal Wood, Jenn Grant, Michael Rault, Jason Plumb, Victoria Hume, Martin Tielli, Luke Doucet, Justin Rutledge, and The Beauties, plus the grand opening of Beth Hamill's photography exhibit, Rock Paper Pixels. Beth's blog and pictures have been a favourite of mine for ages and I can only aspire to be that good one day. It's a good day to celebrate

As the sun goes down, I'll duck in to the ever-popular CBC Radio 3 Showcase at The Horseshoe Tavern will be a hot and sweaty affair with:
Woodpigeon / DD/MM/YYYY / Ruby Coast / Jason Collett /Hot Panda / Lovely Feathers

Let me know some of your picks for the festival or hit me on Twitter while you're out and you have a hot tip.

NXNE Night One - Coasting on a Quick March

There's this feeling - it's when you wander a song or a band for the first time, and you somehow know you're going to be a fan of that band for the rest of your life (or at least until they get full of themselves, make a pretentious half-assed album, and in-fighting pulls them apart). That feeling is a rush, euphoric and empowering all at once. And I love that at the NXNE music festival, I get a shot at feeling that sensation more than once.

NXNE is one of my favourite festivals of the year. It's not as big as SXSW, but it's a great time in Toronto - hit as many bars and see as many bands you can see in 3 days. Throw in some sleep deprivation, unpredictable weather, a 4am last call at some venues thanks to event licensing, and the fact that apparently no concert venue in Toronto has air conditioning, and it makes for some fun times.

You have a couple hundred bands in town at dozens of venues in the city. Each band has about 40 minutes to play, and if you start late, you don't usually get to make up the time. Most of these bands are looking to make a name for themselves - either on independant labels or looking to get picked up. You pick some must see bands and take a chance on some you've never heard of. You decide to camp at one venue or you hop cabs and streetcars to hit several stops in one night. And all this excitement available with the purchase of a $29 NXNE wristband for 3-days (or $19 for a one day pass).

My Thursday night stop was the always reliable Legendary Horseshoe Tavern on Queen Street. A bottle of 50 and fresh batteries in the camera, and I was set.

The Coast @ The Horseshoe Tavern
NXNE Festival
Thursday, June 12, 2008

First up from Toronto - The Coast (myspace). I hadn't really heard of them, but they were really impressive. They had a relatively early 9pm slot, but after the first couple songs, the room was starting to get packed and the screaming and cheering started. The songs were catchy pop-rocks of hooks and harmonies, love lost and found. Singer Ben Spurr worked up a sweat, much to the pleasure of the girls in the front of the stage, and 3 guitars worked together to put a smile on your face - call it joy rock if you will. They had that infectious stage presence that makes you want to root for them to succeed. With this much energy and some really good songs, I can easily say I look forward to seeing more from them as they build a fanbase - I'm already hoping a Lee's Palace gig is in their future. "Tightrope" in particular had a great sing along chorus that you could pump your fists in the air to.

The Coast @ The Horseshoe Tavern (credit by the2scoops)

The Wet Secrets @ The Horseshoe Tavern
NXNE Festival
Thursday, June 12, 2008

How could I pass on a garage rock-party band dressed in marching band uniforms? It's The Wet Secrets (myspace) from Edmonton with a killer set of tunes composed of one part sly lyrics, and another part kick-ass rock with a side of brass. This is one bad-ass marching band with a thumping bass guitar/drum beat with big brass.

The Wet Secrets are from Edmonton and everyone seems to have another gigs - Lyle Bell (lead singer, bass) plays in Whitey Houston and Shout Out Out Out, drummer Trevor Anderson's a filmmaker and festival producer; trumpet and tuba player Kim Rackel and trombonist Donna Ball run Capital City Burlesque; and keyboardist Doug Organ runs a record label and plays in jazz bands. With busy schedules and logistics (you ever try to fly a marching band on Air Canada?), that makes The Wet Secrets appearance a rare live show.

The Wet Secrets @ The Horseshoe Tavern (credit - the2scoops)

And damned if they didn't deliver. They took to the stage in band uniforms, but one couldn't help notice the hint of rock and roll flirtation - maybe it was the red lighting giving a sense of danger and menace to the atmosphere. Maybe it was the 6-inch platform boots the ladies in the brass section were wearing. Guess I'll never know.

Now just because they wear band uniforms that you're seeing some novelty band - these players are no joke. Not even with a keyboardist with the last name Organ. Which is like a boy named Jeeves - you're sort of pre-dispositioned to a calling. But these guys rocked out with some loud fuzz guitar and a some clever song tunes like "Grow Your Own F*cking Mustache You Asshole" and "It's Hard to Meet Somebody (Living As A Disembodied Head"). The tunes had an aggressive surf-rock vibe in places, and the crowd was grooving to the beat.


Pictures -
NXNE Night 1 by the2scoops @ Flickr

Recommended Listening:
The Wet Secrets "Rock Fantasy" - available at Zunior Digital Music Store -MP3s/No DRM
The Coast "Expatriate" - available at Zunior - MP3s/No DRM and iTunes

Links:
The Coast - Official Band Site
MySpace - The Coast
CBC Radio 3/New Music Canada - The Coast

The Wet Secrets - Official Band Site
MySpace - The Wet Secrets
CBC Radio 3/New Music Canada - The Wet Secrets
NOW Magazine // Music // Music Feature // The Wet Secrets

NXNE Music Festival - Fun For All Ages

(picture by Rock//Paper//Pixels)

Six Shooter Records
NXNE Backlot BBQ
Toronto
June 14, 2008

That would be Sal, son of Suzie Ungerleider aka Oh Susanna, jamming on his white fender strat.

I'll start posting my NXNE weekend reviews Tuesday morning.