Toronto Unplugged

In an overall slumping time for record sales, Coldplay has shown that it can still be done – you just need to be a global musical power.
Since this album’s launch it seems to be available for purchase everywhere – at the cash of the pharmacy, grocery store, coffee shop…etc. This is smart, but also a luxury that only the biggest bands have. The marketing costs a fortune but…
This marks the first time since March 2005 that the Billboard 200 was led by a 700,000-plus sum in consecutive weeks. The last occasion happened when 50 Cent’s “The …read more

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Rebel Emergency is an innovative band from Toronto whose sound is an eclectic mix of Rock, Reggae and Ska that is undeniable in both its energy and originality.
Check them out tonight at Black Betty – doors at 8pm
The show is free through the Inside Edge – click here for details

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The order for the Edgefest ‘08 main stage has been announced, and it is as follows:
Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS)

Attack in Black

Ashes Divide
The Bravery

Sam Roberts Band
Stone Temple Pilots

Linkin Park
 
Edgefest will take place at Downsview Park on Saturday July 12th.
For more details, check out The Edge 

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Pre-prepped journalism…sometimes will bite you in the ass.  I was pretty pumped for the Peter Hook show, so I decided to throw two posts yesterday on the blog.  I posted them late Monday night to run Tuesday, because I knew I would be away from my computer for most of the day.  i was in the car listening to The Edge when I heard Bookie say, “it’s official, the Peter Hook show has been canceled”
Bollocks.  Sitting in my car…away from a computer…knowing that I couldn’t change the posts.  Ah well.
Bummer about the show.  I know a lot of people that …read more

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It somewhat of Peter Hook/Joy Division week in Toronto this week with Hook playing The Sound Academy on Friday (the 27th).
If you are not familiar with Joy Division (and New Order) this is a good week to explore this incredibly influential band. Joy Division became the first band in the post-punk movement by later emphasizing not anger and energy but mood and expression.
Here are steps to discovering Joy Division…
Pick up and listen to Joy Division’s 1979 debut album Unknown Pleasures. Allmusic.com describes the album as, “the ten songs inside, quite simply, are stone-cold landmarks, the whole …read more

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A great throw back/nostalgic show this week.  Peter Hook will be playing The Sound Academy on June 27th at 9pm.
Hook was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them throughout their career until his departure in 2007.
Hook has also recorded an album with Revenge (One True Passion) and two albums with Monaco (Music For Pleasure and Monaco) as bassist, keyboardist and lead vocalist.
There are some bands that simply resonate with a generation and …read more

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I have always supported musicians with spending my money on their concerts – the ticket, often a t-shirt and occasionally an impulse buy of the album at the show.  In this digital music age, I discover music online and for the music/bands that I really dig, I support them financially when they roll into town – often dragging friends with me.
Although CD’s now contain features that digital downloads do not (bonus tracks, video footage…etc), CD sales are still fading while touring and number of shows are up.
There was a great article in The New York Times today talking about this …read more

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World Class Jazz Music is flooding the streets of Toronto
The main stage concert series within the Festival (Toronto Star Stage) at Nathan Phillips Square features top musicians this week including:
June 23rd:  Oliver Jones Trio @ 8PM
June 24th:  James Hunter | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ 8PM
June 25th:  Cyrus Chestnut Trio | Blind Boys of Alabama @ 8PM
June 26th:  Salute to Jazz at the Philharmonic w Hargrove, Gambarini, D’Rivera, Malone @ 8PM
June 27th:  John Abercrombie Organ Trio | Mike Stern Trio | John Scofield Trio @ 8PM
June 28th:  Arturo Sandoval | Hilario Duran Trio @ 8PM
June 29th:  Toby Foyeh & …read more

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The Toronto Jazz Festival is in full swing throughout the city.
The renowned jazz event in Toronto and takes place in June and July. Unlike the Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival, most of the events are indoors and located throughout the downtown core. Formerly known as the DuMaurier Jazz Festival until the ban on tobacco advertising by the federal government forced the need for a new sponsor. Today, the festival is now sponsored by TD Canada Trust and has since dropped the word “Downtown” from its title.
For a complete listing of shows and venues – check out the Toronto Jazz …read more

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The movement of online record sales has taken traditional retailers back to the drawing board in trying to figure out how to increase traffic and sales in stores.
HMV – Canada’s largest retailer – is introducing a range of new “entertainment” products that moves away from its traditional focus on music. Throughout HMV’s new ‘reinvented’ stores one will notice the new additions of books, cellphones, iPods and MP3 players.
Toronto’s Bloor Street West HMV store launched their new look store yesterday with live tunes from Sam Roberts and Billy Bragg.

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