Sloan, Rural Alberta Advantage, Ohbijou, Bonjay @ The Great Hall, Toronto (December 21, 2011)

  Sloan @ The Great Hall: photo by Michael Ligon

Update [December 25/2011, 1:38 am]: Review now up. Merry Christmas! Now have to wrap some presents

Thinking back to 1995 when Sloan headlined CFNY 102.1 FM's Edgefest 3 festival at Molson Ampitheatre, billed as their farewell performance, Sloan had called it quits. Their most recent album at the time had been their second full-length Twice Removed, released a year prior in 1994, and arguably to the some was the band's finest album. But a year after Edgefest 3, the band reunited to release their third full-length, 1996's Once Chord To Another, and as they say the rest is history, with the band continuing to this day as one of Canada's most respected musical outfits. It was "Once Chord To Another" which Sloan chose to play front-to-back for Toronto charity COUNTERfit (an Ontario Ministry of Health and City of Toronto funded injection drug harm reduction program) at a show at The Great Hall organized by Toronto band Fucked Up. The promise of such a performance was more than a tantalizing factor for many who snapped up tickets for the sold out event. And as a bonus, the opening bands lineup was none too shabby itself, with an all Toronto supporting acts lineup featuring Bonjay, Ohbijou, and The Rural Alberta Advantage.

Electro-dancehall duo Bonjay featuring dynamite vocalist Alanna Stuart and programmer extraordinaire Ian “Pho” Swain were definitely the odd man out on the bill and did their best to warm up the small yet devoted early attendees. I'd caught about half the set as I myself had been running late. I chose to hang back during the remainder of their set which may have worked to my advantage as the beats and vocals sounded superb from where I was standing. As soon as their set was over, I made my way to the merch table and ended up purchasing one of the limited edition show posters and then I ducked out of the venue to put said poster in my car before returning about 20 minutes later.

It's been a number of years since I've seen live nor paid attention to Toronto's Ohbijou. I was always a fan of the band's melancholy, string-laden, indie-pop sound but as a live entity had usually been disappointed with their laid-back stage presence. Now on album number three with this year's released Metal Meets, which I still have yet to hear although I'm assuming they were playing songs off of at The Great Hall, it seems the band is flexing a little more muscle these days. With the Mecija sisters, vocalist Casey and violinst Jenny, both wearing black (Casey wearing a black hooded cloak even), I'd swear the band had gone goth, and even they haven't they're definitely heavier, hence the album title Metal Meets perhaps. The band seems to strike their instruments harder, and play louder, Casey even going-into guitar-face and strumming her guitar furiously at times. Ohbijou still maintain their recognizable melancholy pop sound but this time with more oomph, and it's working wonders for them.

Since the release of their first full-length "Hometowns" in 2008, Toronto's The Rural Alberta Advantage have gradually been achieving a most fervent fanbase within Toronto, Canada and beyond. RAA were a band who'd in their early days regularly played shows at the tiny Embassy in Toronto but more recently have been headlining at midsized Toronto venue, Phoenix Concert Theatre. It'd been a few years since I'd seen RAA live when they played the third stage at 2009's Virgin Festival Toronto, the same year that American indie label rereleased their debut album Hometowns. Earlier this year, the band released their second album Departing which by my own procrastination had never gotten around to picking up. Given this gap in my RAA experience, it was nice to again see the band live. If you're familiar with the band's propulsive acoustic sound based around drums, keys, and acoustic guitar, then yes, not much has changed but that is a good thing. The band played a bit more ragged than usual ["Edmonton" in particular, seemed a bit more sped up and less rigid than on record] but overall reminded me why they're one of the best current bands in Toronto.

Beginning with Fucked Up's Damian Abraham announcing Sloan on to the stage, a la the beginning of One Chord To Another ("Will you please… welcome to the stage… SLOAN!"), the band erupted into lead off track "The Good In Everyone" and proceeded to play the entire album front to back. Second track "Nothing Left to Make Me Want to Stay", never a single but which should have been in my opinion, remains one of my favourite tracks on the album and I was singing along to much of it. You could feel the crowd energy surge on the punky "G Turns to D" and later on the urgent "Anyone Who's Anyone" (whose lyrics "Everyone who's played a part, We're all together now, Everyone who's played a part, stand and take a bow" sounded so appropriate that night). Other highlights included the three person horn section on "Everything You've Dong Wrong" and "Take The Bench", the former also benefiting from the crowd singalong. The Jay Ferguson-sung "The Lines You Amend" also garnered a favourable reaction from the crowd and a further crowd singalong. I cannot remember if I'd ever heard "Can't Face Up" live but regardless of guitar flub during the Patrick's solo which he freely admitted, hearing it that night was like listening to if for the first time, and when Patrick belted out the chorus it was sublime.

While the occasion of the night was to play One Chord To Another, the encore was a treat unto itself. Kicking off with one of my faves from Twice Removed, "Snowsuit Sound", then Fucked Up's Damian come on to stage perform a punky / hardcore number which I did not recognize which had Damian and Chris vocally playing one another then lead to some physical horseplay between the two. The next song "500 Up"(from their debut Smeared) was a pure joy to hear regardless of the mic problems that plagued drummer Andrew Scott's vocal parts. The piece de resistance to the encore and the night was the surprise appearance by Toronto's own Leslie Feist, who played added guitar for what was an energetic rendition of the band's song "She Means What She Says". Wow. What started out as Sloan agreeing to play a special charity show turned out for me in coming full circle with the band; the show revived, at least temporarily, the pure euphoric rush I once had for them. I guess that is what we call nostaligia but damn it sure feels good. After all, they are a band that has a song called "If It Feels Good Do It". Thanking the crowd at the end, Chris remarked that they came to Toronto as a Halifax band, but more and more are feeling like a Toronto one. And this another reason why Toronto is one of the best cities in the world.

Photos: Sloan, Rural Alberta Advantage, Ohbijou, Bonjay @ The Great Hall, Toronto (December 21, 2011)
MySpace: Bonjay
MySpace: Ohbijou
MySpace: Rural Alberta Advantage
MySpace: Sloan

Sloan @ Echo Beach, Toronto (August 5, 2011)

Sloan @ Echo Beach: photo by Michael Ligon


Sloan @ Echo Beach: photo by Michael Ligon

Sloan once were fashionable - for about a year, maybe two. They were right on board with the alt-rock movement of the early 1990's when Nirvana and Sonic Youth were bringing the indie and 'punk' music to the forefront of the music industry. But since their second album, 1994's "Twice Removed", the band have gone the decidedly unfashionable route for the last seventeen years playing out their pop and classic rock influences. Over the band's twenty year career, they've released ten full-lengths, two EP's and a live album and have solidly established themselves, I think, as one of Canada's all-time best bands.

The band played a free show at Echo Beach in Toronto at the beginning of August. The classics of course were what the fans were obviously there for and Sloan eased their way into the set with a trio of songs from their most recent album "The Double Cross" before giving the fans what they wanted, starting with their very first single 'Underwhelmed'. Funny thing is that over the course of the last 15-20 years (holy shit I'm feeling old), I'd thought I'd grown out of the noisy, messiness of their first album "Smeared" but since the show have reconnected with its discordant, pop melodies.

The rest of the set was a mixture of their greatest hits/singles, more songs from "The Double Cross" and a few curve-balls such as the vocally reconfigured version of 'C'mon, C'mon (We're Gonna Get It Started)', as well as 'Sinking Ships' both from their album "Navy Blues". The main set ended quite exuberantly with enthusiastic renditions of 'Everything You've Done Wrong' (with a horn section) and 'Who Taught You To Live Like That?'. For the encore, fan favourites 'The Other Man' and 'Money City Maniacs' were included but the pièce de résistance was the band's ode to the venue and well to Toronto's Martha and the Muffins by performing an excellent, albeit, ragged cover of "Echo Beach" featuring second opening band Modern Superstitions' Nyssa on vocals. A fine set all around from a band who have been and who will no doubt remain my favourite Canadian band of all time.

The setlist.

For my whole photo set, check out the link below:

Photos: Sloan @ Echo Beach, Toronto (August 5, 2011)

Sloan @ Sonic Boom, Toronto (April 17, 2010)

  Sloan @ Sonic Boom: photo by Michael Ligon

Last Saturday was Record Store Day and in celebration of that I took to the streets of Toronto with no real itinerary in mind other than to go to a few record stores and perhaps to take in an instore session or two. I made it out to Rotate This, Criminal Records and Soundscapes in that order picking up the alternate version of Pavement's "Quarantine The Past", the vinyl of the new Goldfrapp album "Head First" and the Ted Leo & the Pharmacists' 7-inch containing two unreleased tracks, "The Oldest House" b/w "North Coast". Subsequently, I'd also checked out BMV Books where I managed to snag a used copy of the vinyl of The Arcade Fire's "Funeral" as well as scoring a bunch of issues of comic "Optic Nerve" [btw, I only need the first issue to complete the series], and then went to Sunrise Records. For the rest of the afternoon, I ended up checking out a few other non-music-related stores and killing some time. Ultimately, a decision had to be made whether to head to Criminal Records for 7 pm for a surprise instore by The Tallest Man On Earth or go straight to Sonic Boom for Sloan who were headlining the store's Record Store Day festivities at 8 pm and in the end I chose the Canadian boys.

Rather than play in the basement of Sonic Boom were the instore performances were usually held, a stage had been set up on the main floor about half way back into the store. For some reason, I'd manage not to notice the stage on the main floor and instead headed downstairs where it was surprisingly sparse. It was only because of applause that I'd heard from the main floor that something indeed was happening upstairs, and then it occurred to me that maybe I should head upstairs. And indeed that's where Sloan would be playing. First, though MC of the day Pink Eyes from Fucked Up (with I believe his baby boy in a sling on his stomach) concluded his duties of the day by handing out a few more raffle prizes and then Sonic Boom owner Jeff Barber said a few thank-you's and introduced Sloan.

Over the last several years I've seen Sloan in venues big and small, having seen the band live three times in 2009 including at Mississauga's Library Square, the main stage at Virgin Festival at Molson Ampitheatre, and an Argos tail-gate party stage setup outside of Air Canada Centre. Going back to 2007 they played a stage at Nathan Phillips Square as part of Toronto's WinterCity Festival. Sonic Boom was the most intimate setting yet and the guys used the opportunity to play songs that they rarely and or had never played live. The set list was culled entirely from a few of their recent digital-only releases including 2010's "B Sides Win: extras, bonus tracks and b-sides 1992-2008" and 2009's "Hit and Run" EP. Except for set-opener "Laying Blame", I didn't recognize anything else but it was obvious that some of their rarities were just as strong as their singles or album cuts. The analogy that Jay Ferguson drew of the band's rarities setlist, some of which the band had never played live, was like the band had studied for an exam and were about to take the test was a humourous comment but then listening to the band subsquentently play, one could tell how tight of band they still are compared to the slacker, indie-rock band they began as almost twenty years ago. It's understandeable that the band is in retrospective mode at the moment, but I'm looking forward to whatever their next album brings.

Don't fret if you missed Sloan this time as they'll be back in June to play Yonge Dundas Square, on a date TBD, as part of this year's NxNE.

Photos: Sloan @ Sonic Boom, Toronto (April 17, 2010)
MySpace: Sloan

Sloan @ Coca-Cola Zero Fans First Tailgate Party outside Air Canada Centre (September 16, 2009)

The 'big' show no doubt was U2 at Rogers Centre that night but a few hours prior to Bono and company taking the stage, Sloan were outside Air Canada Centre playing the Coca-Cola Zero Fans First Tailgate Party. Sloan and hockey - how Canadian is that? Ok, so I don't watch hockey and I wasn't trying to score free tickets to the pre-season Leafs vs. Bruins game (which the Leafs ended up losing), but rather there just to see Sloan play. Still, in celebrating the occasion it was funny to hear drummer Andrew Scott speak in an abrupt hockey-coach voice and tell the fellas, "ok, we got to step it up". Seems Chris Murphy's had at least semi-recovered from his recent injuries, back playing bass at least part of the set, although he'd relegated himself to tambourine and background vox for "Everything You've Done Wrong" and at one point sat out a song which I believe was during one of Andrew's songs. Still with Chris not entirely healed I'm assuming, keyboardist Gregory MacDonald and drummer Taylor Knox (to take over Chris' occasional drumming duties) were still along for the ride since the last time I'd seen them play with Sloan at the Virgin Festival at the end of August.

It seems as both Sloan and their fans have gotten older, Sloan's shows have become mellower. They're no longer the snotty kids they were back in Halifax in 1991 (by my vague recollections of their earliest interview appearances on Much Music back in the early 90's) even if Chris Murphy seemed like the same likable smart-ass he's always been. Sloan still rocked as they pulled out a bevy of hits like "Everything You've Done Wrong", "The Lines You Amend", "People Of The Sky" and "Money City Maniacs". They haven't approached full-on "dad rock" just yet". But in the literal sense of those words "dad" and "rock", the band brought out two young children, a boy and girl, who I presume were the children of someone in the band(I think they're Andrew's kids) to shake some toy maracas and provide some handclaps for their last few songs. Like the funny uncle, Chris Murphy pretended to unknowingly back into the boy while he was playing bass which had the boy in giggles and then proclaimed jokingly to the crowd that their next song "The Other Man" wasn't for kids, and that the kids should get off the stage which they didn't. A strange but ultimately unique and enjoyable ending to any Sloan show I've ever seen as guitarist Patrick Pentland positioned the mic lower for the children as they took turns, with their unlimited youthful abandon, shouting into it. Future rock stars in the making.

Photos: Sloan @ Coca-Cola Zero Fans First Tailgate Party outside Air Canada Centre (September 16, 2009)
MySpace: Sloan

Sloan @ Mississauga Civic Centre (Canada Day - July 1, 2009)

Jay Ferguson of Sloan @ Mississauga Civic Centre: photo by Michael Ligon


Mississauga's been upping the ante lately with some decent concerts for example having lined up Sam Roberts and Kathleen Edwards for the Mississauga Waterfront Festival that happened in June and lining up Tokyo Police Club for a free show at Mississauga Civic Centre on July 24. This past Canada Day at Mississauga Civic Centre featured headliners Sloan, playing Mississauga for the first time. Though perhaps most in attendance were there for the fireworks later that night, there were definitely some Sloan fans in the house ("Sloaaannnn"). There were some funny comedy bits from MC and Mississauga resident Mike Bullard - I'd thought he was sort of hit and miss when he had his late night talk show, but I thought he was funny this night. After some delays with Sloan's sound check and Mr. Bullard fulfilling his MC duties hilariously (saying the boys had just left Halifax airport and were now on their way), he finally introduced the band, saying how great they were the several times they appeared on his talk show, then introduced the four members one by one. The performance itself didn't surpass any of their previous shows I've seen - it was fairly routine with drummer Andrew Scott and bassist Chris Murphy exchanging duties at one point in order for Andrew sing lead vocals on 'People Of The Sky'(and other tunes) and Chris Murphy as defacto frontman getting the crowd to participate(either singalong or clapping) at just the right moments during certain songs. What it boiled down to was that they have such a great catalogue of songs that it's terrific to hear one song after the next. Fan favourites like 'Penpals', 'Everything You've Done Wrong', 'People of They Sky', 'The Lines You Amend', 'The Good In Everyone', 'The Other Man', 'Money City Maniacs' bookended the set list with the middle section featuring more recent material from "Never Hear The End of It" and "Parallel Play", albums I'm almost embarrassed to say I haven't spent much time with (although after that show I hope to make time for). I remember a time when Sloan used to be my favourite band although in recent years I've lost touch with them. But for them to play my hometown finally[it only took 18 years], it wasn't hard to remember why they used to be my favourite band.

Photos: Sloan & fireworks @ Mississauga Civic Centre (Canada Day - July 1, 2009)

MySpace: Sloan

Torn Blue Foam Coach

Sometimes all it takes to discovering a favourite new band is to stay up late and watch the late-night talk shows. New Sub Pop signees Grand Archives made their debut television appearance yesterday on Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson performing an energetically poppy version of "Torn Blue Foam Coach". It was first time hearing them, and they're a wonderful discovery. I may just check 'em out live when they come to Toronto for a show at El Mocambo on June 6. Full dates over at their MySpace. And now their performance yesterday:

Video: Grand Archives - "Torn Blue Foam Coach" (live on Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson - April 30, 2008)

video link courtesy of Bona Fide Darling

Raleigh, North Carolina's Annuals are at the Drake Underground on June 16, tickets $15. The band's newest EP "Wet Zoo" was recently released. Check out the video for 'Sore' from the EP:

Video: Annuals - "Sore" (music video)

Jill Barber stops in at Harbourfront Centre on June 27 and 28 as part of the Banff Lake Louise Tourism sponsored 'A Rocky Mountain High' weekend event.

Beth Orton will be at Danforth Music Hall on July 8, tickets $29.50. Her last album "Comfort of Strangers" came out in 2006 and I've heard of no news of new material, but she did a brief solo acoustic tour in the US in March, so I wonder if she'll be going that route for the Toronto show.

Newest Vice Records signees Berlin's King Khan And The Shrines have two shows lined up at the Horseshoe Tavern on July 23 and 24, tickets $15, 8 pm doors the first night and tickets $10, 9 pm doors the second night. I don't know why the ticket price is different for each night but that's what rootmeansquare says.

Lycanthropy brings news that new blog-hyped act Does It Offend You, Yeah? will hit Toronto for a show at Drake Underground on August 4. They remind me of a collision between dance-punk and electronica - I'm sure the kids'll love 'em. Check out a music video:

Video: Does It Offend You, Yeah - "We Are Rockstars" (music video)

Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands points to new Shins. Ok, it's The Shins performing on a children's show, specifically Nickelodeon Jr.'s live-action music series for kids, Yo Gabba Gabba! The song's called "It's Okay, Try Again" and as kids songs goes, it's a fun little ditty. For convenience check out the YouTube vid below(which'll air on Nickolodeon in the future):

Video: The Shins - "It's Okay, Try Again" (on 'Yo Gabba Gabba')

Stereogum's got the goods on the new Sloan album "Parallel Play"[due out June 10]. Stereogum also has an mp3 of the song "I'm Not A Kid Anymore" from the new album available for download. Thanks to Stereogum for pointing to a stream of the album:

Stream: Sloan - "Paralell Play" (album)

Calgary's Sled Island Festival gets even better with the addition of grab bag full of worthy acts including Broken Social Scene, Tegan and Sara, Grizzly Bear, Yo La Tengo, and Okkervil River among others. Check out the news over at Chartattack. Broken Social Scene is playing Sled Island AND Montreal's Osheaga Festival, which makes me wonder if they're ramping up for more Canadian dates including a hometown show.

Soundscapes

Of no doubt interest to some of you regarding the upcoming Canadian Music Week festival, the Paquin Entertainment showcase at the Rivoli on March 6 will feature Julie Doiron at 9 pm and Jenn Grant and The Night Painters at 10 pm. If you don't catch Jenn that day you can catch her at the same venue on March 8 at 10 pm as part of the Music Nova Scotia showcase. Also, the venerable Murderecords label will relaunch with a showcase of it's own during CMW at Supermarket with Will Currie And The Country French at 9:20 PM, Pony Da Look at 10:20 PM, Meligrove Band at 11:20 PM, and of course label founders Sloan at 12:20 pm - tickets $12 in advance and $15 at the door(although I would not hold my breath for tickets at the door).

As Mike Feuerstack aka Snailhouse gets ready to release the newest Snailhouse album "Lies On The Prize" (which if I interpret correctly the current news item at his website that he's found a label to release the new album) he's lined up some select east coast gigs for March and April which will culminate in Toronto for a show(with Toronto's Sandro Perri) at the Tranzac on April 30. I'm assuming that some of the songs streaming at his MySpace listed as 'unreleased' will be included on the new album.

BlogTO interviews Soundscapes founder Greg Davis about the store's popularity with discriminating music lovers.

NME reports that several artists have been lined up for a series of gigs organised by iTunes live. The gigs will take place from February 21 to March 2 at AIR Studios, Lyndhurst Hall, London and will feature artists playing acoustic collaborations with selected guests. Check NME for the full lineup info but more excitingly look forward for the recordings to be available for purchase from iTunes in the future. (via Pitchfork)

To fill out the rest of this post, I thought I'd link to some choice musical YouTube finds as of late:

Basia Bulat performs a live cover of Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You In The End" in Chicago at Schubas on February 7, 2008. You can watch the video below. Just a reminder that she returns for a local show at Lee's Palace, along with Amos The Transparent, and Katie Stelmanis on March 29:

Video: Basia Bulat - "True Love Will Find You In The End" (live Daniel Johston cover at Schubas in Chicago - Feb 7, 2008)

Goldfrapp performs "A&E" live on UK television on Feb 16, 2008. Watch the video below:

Video: Goldfrapp - "A&E" (live on UK TV - Feb 16, 2008)

I was watching The Hour this evening. Host George Stromboloupolous is hosting The Hour from London, England all this week and reminded viewers that the Brit Awards will be broadcast on CBC television in Canada this Thursday and he offers his personal choice for British Single of the year which British residents can vote for. Strombo's pick for British single of the year(of the top five listed) is Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse and their cover of The Zutons' "Valerie". Sure, it's the only single of the five listed I'm actually familiar with(although I'm pretty sure I've heard that Mika song) but it's a damn fine choice nonetheless and it was one of my favourite songs of 2007. Gives me an excuse to link to the music video below which I hadn't seen until today:

Video: Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse - "Valerie"(Zutons cover - music video)

ps. Seriously, I'm becoming addicted to The Hour. Arguably the best thing on Canadian television at the moment.