Diarrhea Planet at the Horseshoe Tavern
April 3, 2015
No April Fool’s, last night’s Toronto debut with Diarrhea Planet was one of my live highlights of the year to date! If the mere mention of the name makes you turn your head in disgust,…
Tycho at the Danforth Music Hall
March 31, 2015
Photographs by Sarah Rix. Almost exactly a year ago I checked out a band unfamiliar to my ears at the Hoxton. Sacramento’s Tycho, the brainchild of Scott Hansen managed to pack out the small venue…
Torche, Nothing, Wrong at Lee’s Palace
March 23, 2015
Hailing from Miami, FL, Torche have been producing consistently thrilling melodic metal since 2005. Their recently released fourth album Restarter is the best thing I’ve heard so far this year. Officially this was my first…
Swans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre
February 22, 2015
Photographs by Andreas Babiolakis. New York’s Swans thirteenth album To Be Kind was my pick for album of the year for 2014. While not for everyone, the noisy Americans have been on a roll since reactivating…
Father John Misty, Guy Blakeslee at The Danforth Music Hall
February 20, 2015
Photographs by Sarah Rix. I forgot how entertaining and how much I enjoy Father John Misty as a performer, but quickly remembered when he took the stage at a very packed Danforth Music Hall on Wednesday Feb…
The New Pornographers, Operators at The Danforth Music Hall
February 7, 2015
Photographs by Fernando Paiz. Vancouver’s The New Pornographers returned to Toronto for a sold out show at the Danforth Music Hall on February 5, in support of last year’s Brill Bruisers. The band was last in town…
Ben Howard at Massey Hall
February 3, 2015
Photographs by Neil Van. I can’t say I’ve ever heard a single recording from English singer-songwriter Ben Howard. I have “seen” him once before though. He drew one of the larger and more fanatical crowds…
Zola Jesus at The Horseshoe Tavern
January 24, 2015
Photographs by Agah Bahari. Zola Jesus’ recently released fifth album Taiga drew some unwarranted criticism for being too pop, and whitewashing the unique out of the gothic-cinematic electronic act from Wisconsin. Revolving around Nika Roza…
London Grammar, Until The Ribbon Breaks at Sound Academy
January 23, 2015
Photographs by Fernando Paiz. When Interpol mistakenly let it out that the Sound Academy was closing, a collective cheer erupted from Toronto gig-goers. Alas, the venue is only being shuttered temporarily for renovations in order…