Loopsy Dazy @ Rancho Relaxo

White Eyes @ Silver Dollar

Axis of Conversation @ Bread & Circus

Secrettes @ Rancho Relaxo

Babe @ Rancho Relaxo

Honheehonhee @ El Mocambo Downstairs

R @ El Random Band @ El Mocambo Upstairs

Once again, I am ridiculously late with my photo posts.  Better late than never, here are my shots from NXNE 2011:

Grounders @ Rancho Relaxo

MBMG @ El Mocambo Upstairs

Language Arts @ El Mocambo Upstairs

Action Makes @ Silver Dollar

Volcano Playground @ Rancho Relaxo

Little City @ Bread & Circus

Dum Dum Girls @ El Mocambo Downstairs

Black Void @ Rancho Relaxo

The final night of CMF was a bit mellower than the rest.  I hopped between Rancho Relaxo and Bread & Circus for some low-key sets.

The evening started off with Smugshot.  Nothing too remarkable here and the stage presence was quite limited.  The drumming was competent but repetitive and there was likewise nothing particularly impressive about the guitar work.  The song writing on the other hand is quite good, and she is really at her best when it’s just her and an acoustic guitar at the microphone.

 Smugshot @ Rancho Relaxo - March 13, 2011

I went over to Bread & Circus next to catch Katie Goes to Tokyo.  Once again a Scandinavian band with a cute lead singer, surprise surprise.

The songs are definitely too rooted in the pop genre for my tastes.  However, when she pulls out a guitar and belts out a tune she has some decent energy.  That being said, none of the melodies except one really stuck in my head.

 Katie Goes to Tokyo @ Bread & Circus - March 13, 2011

I returned to Rancho Relaxo for the Danger Bees set.  They put on a solid keyboard driven Indie rock sound.  And although the physical performance was quite dull, musically they have a hell of a presence.  None of the songs were particularly memorable, but there is no denying that this is a tight band.

Danger Bees @ Rancho Relaxo - March 13, 2011

I ventured back to Bread & Circus for Little City. This is a solid band that blends a number of instruments nicely.  The vocal work and general energy are definitely tight, my only criticism being that the country twang elements sometimes detracted from their sound.

Little City @ Bread & Circus - March 13, 2011

The last band of the evening for me was Crimes in Paris which featured some very big sound and a ton of energy—so much so that they blew an amp during their performance.

Crimes in Paris @ Rancho Relaxo - March 13, 2011

My expectations for spending an evening at the Canadian Room in the Royal York were rather low, after all how could there be a decent show inside a hotel? This is the prime reason why I have never attended the Indies in the past.  However, I couldn’t resist catching Janelle Monae so I finally gave in.

Notwithstanding the fact that the Canadian Room is essentially a big conference room, the set up was actually rather good.  That being said, the venue was quite crowded which is why my photos for this night are not particularly tight. Still, they were certainly better than expected given my distance and the fact that I was using a 50 mm lens.

The highlights of the evening were Hannah Georgas, The Bombay Bicycle Club and of course the lovely Janelle Monae.

I arrived just in time to catch Desperate Union who put on a reliably solid set—though for my tastes they were a little to conventional and hard-edged.

Hannah Georgas came on next and it surprised me that I enjoyed her set as much as I did.  Her sound is definitely not what usually draws me in—on first impression she is a little too saccharine for my tastes.  However, upon closer inspection she has the ability to transcend her genre much like Lisa Hannigan.  Georgas’ melodies have an inherent way of burrowing into your head, with the solid drum work hammering in what would otherwise be excessively airy tunes.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that she is an energetic performer and has some solid pipes:

Hannah Georgas @ The Indies - March 12, 2011

Bombay Bicycle Club was up next.  They featured solid melodies accented by tight guitar riffs.  In terms of their sound, this was definitely one of the better bands I caught all festival although the energy level of their live performance certainly leaves room for improvement.  But, it’s difficult to deny that their songs are just so damn tight and it is the solid guitar work and the vocal micro trembling that really kicks them into gear.  They reminded me of a mellower and more melodic version of Placebo.

Bombay Bicycle Club @ The Indies - March 12, 2011

I’ve checked out Hollerado in smaller venues in the past and they always put on a solid show.  They certainly have enough energy to spare to be able to throw a little to Bombay Bicycle Club and still have enough left over to contribute to Japan’s current energy crisis—I think Menno Versteeg spent just about the same amount of time in the air as he did on stage.

Despite their energy, I was definitely impressed more by prior shows. The songs, while executed with gusto seemed a little tired for some reason. The hooks simply didn’t engage me as much as they had in the past.

Hollerado @ The Indies - March 12, 2011

And now for something completely different; Shad came on stage next as the buffer between the Klanishly white Indie scene and Janelle Monae.

While it is refreshing to listen to Hip Hop lyrics that aren’t self-aggrandizing or an add for expensive champagne, the socially conscious lyrics are at times a little naive.  There is a bit in “Live Forever” that goes: “Dog what if we went to school for possession instead of jail.”  This may be a nice sentiment, but it’s a little disconnected from the reality in urban centres where there are a lot of 16 yr olds who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot each other because of an errant glance taken the wrong way—an after-school program isn’t going to cut it.

Also, the basic back beats aren’t particularly innovative and I cannot remember a single memorable rhythm or melody in his songs.  That being said, the guitar work at the tail end of the set was a nice bridge for genre-mixing and there is no denying that Shad can turn a phrase.

Shad @ The Indies - March 12, 2011

The evening ended with Janelle Monae and all I can say is that Monae can certainly entertain.  She puts on an elaborate show with costumes and plenty of tongue-in-cheek dramatics without coming off as overly produced.

Janelle Monae is also a master at blending genres, switching seamlessly from R & B and Motown to upbeat jazz and oldie jazz vocals, topping it all off with old school rock that is layered with soul elements. And, there is no denying that this woman has an amazing vocal range and that she can dance like no one else out there.

Janelle Monae @ The Indies - March 12, 2011

As anticipated, I stayed at Sneaky Dee’s all night on Friday—and Musebox put on a killer line-up, courtesy of Bobby Kimberley as his last act before moving on to other endeavours.

Once I got over the realization that the brilliant chicken fajitas at Sneaks cost $22 (the outrageous price had previously been hidden by my alcohol purchases), I settled in to enjoy the music.

The highlights for this evening were Bravestation and Paper Lions.  The former dazzled the crowd with their phenomenally layered sound that infuses electro-percussion work into terrifically melodic pieces.  The latter hailed with a more conventional classic rock sound, but they put on a hell of an energetic show and they featured some of the most impressive guitar work that I caught all week.  More commentary to follow on all the bands:

Christien Summers @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

Bravestation @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

Allie Hughes @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

Paper Lions @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

Meligrove Band @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

Make Your Exit @ Sneaky Dee’s - March 11, 2011

No surprise here but the weather on Thursday was absolutely miserable—which made it all the more fortuitous that my plans for the evening involved hopping between floors at El Mocambo.

The absolute stand-out acts of the evening were Familia from Vancouver and My Little Cheap Dictaphone from Montreal.  The former featured the amazing vocal talents of Tamarah Umlah, and the band’s ability to pull in R & B elements in crafting some truly memorable melodies.  The latter featured what I would describe as a monster rock version of Tom Waits with all the jazz elements and somewhat less raspy vocals, and with a purposefully farcical ghoulishness.  More commentaries about all the bands to follow:

Familia @ El Mocambo - March 10, 2011

Birds of Tokyo @ El Mocambo - March 10, 2011

Some Community @ El Mocambo - March 10, 2011

Parlotones @ El Mocambo - March 10, 2011

My Little Cheap Dictaphone @ El Mocambo - March 10, 2011

CMF went off nicely, notwithstanding that it happened to correspond with the start of my 42 day stretch of non-drinking (absolutely NOT lent related).  All I can say is that cranberry sodas and virgin Cesars have treated me well so far.  And, on the bright side, despite getting only 5 hours of sleep throughout CMF, I actually felt pretty good in the mornings.

To the photographs then, here are some highlights from Day 1 (commentary will follow):

Cardinal Chase @ El Mocambo - March 9. 2011

Go for the Eyes @ Rancho Relaxo - March 9, 2011

Courage My Love @ El Mocambo - March 9, 2011

Ryan Warner & The Moonlight Ride @ Rancho Relaxo - March 9, 2011

Alright, I spent six hours online sampling bands to come up with my anticipated schedule for CMF.  I thought I would share this effort for the benefit of many—assuming anyone trusts my judgment of course.  In the alternative, if any of you want to avoid running into me this is a fantastic way of knowing where NOT to go (come on, I know there’s at least one of you out there, I have annoyed quite a few audience members in the past).

I will begin with an explanation of the motives behind the selection criteria.  In past years I made the mistake of doing too much venue hopping.  The result was that the travel time made it a little too hectic to absorb all of the bands and purchase any notable albums.  There are also the inevitable line-ups where it becomes impossible to get into random shows.

To the selection criteria then: first, I am trying to limit venue hopping as much as possible, and when I do hop, the places are close to each other.  It should generally take no longer than 5 minutes to walk between venues.  Second (and closely related to the first point), I am therefore judging my selections more in terms of the whole line-up rather than just the particular bands.  I know I am missing some great isolated sets around the city.  That being said there isn’t a single band on my list that doesn’t pique my interest, even if the band is solidly in a genre that I know little about.  Third, I am making an effort to throw in some foreign (or at least non-local) bands, the more foreign the better, but never for the sheer sake of it.  Lastly, my musical tastes generally focus on originality and co-mingling of musical genres.  I don’t like pointless thrashing, I don’t like pure country, I don’t like obvious rock, and I generally don’t like pure folk.  Female vocalists are a bonus.  As such, the bands on my list will generally be a little bit different and they will always have decent vocal work.  Highlighted in bold are some strong suggestions.

To my humble schedule:

Wednesday Night

 9:00 pm     Lordy Lordy @ Rancho Relaxo (hereinafter “Rancho”)

10:00 pm    Go for the Eyes @ Rancho

10:30 pm    Courage my Love @ El Mocambo Upstairs (hereinafter “ElMo Up”)

11:00 pm    Ryan Wagner @ Rancho

12:00 am    Alcoholic Faith Mission @ Rancho

Thursday

 9:00 pm     Familia @ ElMo Up

9:30 pm     Birds of Tokyo @ ElMo Down

10:00 pm    Some Community @ ElMo Up

10:30 pm    Parlotones @ ElMo Down

11:30 pm    Amos the Transparent @ ElMo Down

12:30 am    Wildlife @ ElMo Down

Friday

 8:00 pm     Nash @ Sneaky Dee’s (hereinafter “Sneaks”)

9:00 pm     Christien Summers @ Sneaks

10:00 pm    Bravestation @ Sneaks

11:00 pm    Allie Hughes @ Sneaks

12:00 am    Paper Lions @ Sneaks

1:00 am     Meligrove Band @ Sneaks

2:00 am     Make Your Exit @ Sneaks

3:00 am     Dvas (Electronica) @ Sneaks

               or  Static in the Stars (solid Rock) @ Hideout

Saturday

 8:00 pm     Desperate Union @ Fairmont Canadian Room (hereinafter “Canadian”)

8:20 pm     Hannah Georgas @ Canadian

8:50 pm     Bombay Bicycle Club @ Canadian

9:30 pm     Hollerado @ Canadian

10:05 pm    Chad @ Canadian

**11:00 pm    Janelle Monae @ Canadian**

12:00 am    Madrid (Electronica) @ ElMo Under

                or Golden Dogs (Alt. Rock) @ Rivoli

1:00 am     Kidstreet @ ElMo Under

2:00 am     Humans @ ElMo Under

3:00 am    Arowbe @ ElMo Under

Sunday

 9:00 pm     Smugshot @ Rancho

10:00 pm    Danger Bees @ Rancho

11:00 pm    Crimes in Paris @ Rancho

And those are my selections.  Excuse any typos, as you can see from posting time, cutting it dangerously close to missing the first show.

Drunk people do all sorts of interesting things.  Some people drunk-dial ex-girlfriends, others get sentimental; I apparently file trademark applications.

Yes, one drunken evening in March of last year, I decided to register “Urban Hermit” as a trademark with the Canadian Office of Intellectual Property.  Believe it or not, this can be done in the comfort of your own home with nothing more than a computer, an internet connection, and a credit card.  Less than one hour later and $250 poorer, my application was filed.

There were some snags along the way and I had to submit some amended paperwork but today I received my official Approval Notice.

You’re all on notice!

The Canadian Music Fest line-up was announced last week and I must say that I bought my tickets to the Indies on the first day they were available.  Why?  Two words: Janelle Monáe.  More about her later.

Here are some of the highlights for me:

Mother Mother: Wednesday March 9 @ the Phoenix.

A few years ago I checked out Mother Mother when they played a late night set at the Brigantine Room.  This was about a year before their debut album was professionally recorded and released.  At that that point they were selling a charming version of the album that was recorded in their living room.  I was so impressed by the band that I saw them again the following night at Sneaky Dee’s, and then a third time the following night at Smiling Buddha. 

I will say that I found their following album, “O My Heart” to be a bit disappointing, and I wasn’t too happy about a performance I saw at Lee’s Palace in October of 2008.  Simply put, they lost the charming small band element and energy that I loved from their earlier shows.  That being said, last year I caught a free acoustic performance at the Toronto Institute for the Enjoyment of Music which charmed my pants off once again, so I am willing to give them another shot. 

Bombay Bicycle Club w/ Dinosaur Bones:  March 11 @ Lee’s Palace

I can’t say I’ve ever seen Bombay Bicycle Club live before, but their shit sounds tight.  Also, I’ve caught Dinosaur Bones a dozen times now around town and the fellows never disappoint; they deliver some high-energy charismatic rock that will have you dancing.

The Indies w/ JANELLE MONAE, Hollerado & Bombay Bicycle Club:  March 12 @ Fairmont Canadian Room

I’ve saved the best for last: Janelle Monáe.  I’ve been meaning to see this woman live for the last year, more so after a good friend from NYC who knows his shit told me he was highly impressed by her live performance.  

What can I say about Janelle  Monáe?  The melodies and rhythms are absolutely engaging, punctuated nicely by some strong brass work.  That woman can also dance like nobody I’ve ever seen before, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s absolutely stunning with those enormous eyes.  What is more astonishing is that she can pull off an energetic piece like “Tightrope” and the next minute she can deliver the sweetest version of Chaplin’s “Smile” that you’ve ever heard.  If you’ve never checked her out, do so:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwnefUaKCbc&feature=player_detailpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-NpATPAa08&feature=player_detailpage