Toronto Unplugged

Secret Broadcast have won the Road to V contest.  As the top vote getters in the contest, the band will play Virgin Festival on Sunday September 7th and an exclusive after party.  Gibson will hook the band up with a tour bus for touring around Toronto and a whack of Gibson gear.
Secret Broadcast formed in early 2006 after Matt Lightstone moved from Toronto to Calgary and met Bryan Craig and John de Jesus. Together they started writing songs that combined elements of rock, funk, pop and old-school punk which garnered them an eclectic mix of comparisons such as The Rapture, …read more

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A band forms.
They play in a basement.
They play a few bars.
Word spreads that they’re pretty good.
They play some bigger bars.
They go on tour hitting a few cities in the province.
Word spreads that they’re better than good.
They play a few bigger shows.
They play the States.
They try their hand at a tour overseas.
“There’s a reason why Toronto’s the Coast are leaving in October to do an extensive tour of the UK which will be followed by another tour of the States and Canada and that is because they have the ability to combine sadness and longing with a solid music backdrop and …read more

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Drawing on diverse backgrounds, Vampire Weekend experiments and explores the intersections of the things they love: African guitar music, the Western classical canon, hazy memories of summers in Cape Cod, winters in Upper Manhattan, reggaeton and everything else that would become part of Vampire Weekend.
Vampire Weekend returns to Toronto – their last visit being a much hyped packed house at the Horseshoe Tavern. As part of the Rogers Picnic, Vampire Weekend will take the stage at 4pm – after Dizzee Rascal and just before Animal Collective.
Already featured on many lists of who to watch for in 2008, Vampire …read more

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Newmarket Ontario’s Tokyo Police Club will hit the stage tomorrow at Rogers Picnic right before Cat Power and right after Vampire Weekend. It’s a solid line up.
About Tokyo Police Club…
Tokyo Police Club have taken all the good bits from Indie Rock in the past decade and put their own unique spin on things to create a sound that has catapulted them into the international spotlight. Since their formation in 2005, the band has played numerous festivals including key performances at Lollapalooza, Coachella, Glastonbury, and Reading and have recently been featured on the Tonight Show with David Letterman. …read more

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The first band to kick off Rogers Picnic on Sunday will be GTA’s own The Carps.
Here is a little about the funky, rockin’, R&B duo…
Scarborough-based The Carps thrive on ingenuity with an attractive blend of rock, funk, electronic and hip-hop. Wielding a disheveled bass, a wonky synthesizer, and hard-hitting drums, the duo steer raw emotion into a palatable and progressive direction while never leaving their mindless self-indulgent Punk Rock days far behind. The Carps recently released their sophomore EP titled “Waves and Shambles”.
Have a listen…

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Rogers Picnic is this Sunday at Toronto’s Historic Fort York.
Toronto Unplugged will randomly preview the line-up all week….we’re just starting with our favorite. And yes, they spell their name with a ‘U’…you’re goddamn right.
City and Colour is the solo project of Dallas Green, the dulcet voice of Platinum and Juno award winning Alexisonfire. Consistently selling out every venue across Canada and performing around the world (including legendary festivals such as Soundwave, Reading, Leeds, V-Fest) City and Colour’s debut album “Sometimes” achieved Platinum certification in 2006 and recent release “Bring Me Your Love” has already achieved Gold certification. City …read more

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It’s a huge Saturday in the city tonight.  Months back, when tickets were going on sale, you would have had some big choices to make…here they are:
Joel Plaskett Emergency will be opening for Great Big Sea at the Molson Amphitheater
7:30 pm, $39.50-$59.50
The Black Crowes is playing Massey Hall w Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
This will be a solid, solid show.  Send in your reviews.
Massey Hall, $49.50-$59.50
New Music | Spur of the moment pics…
Catl, Bradley Boy @ The Dakota 10 pm, $5
Shortwave, The Giant Baby, Slave to the Squarewave @ The Rivoli, 8 pm

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The Polaris Music Prize is a music award annually given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit, regardless of genre, sales, or record label.
The award was established in 2006 and includes a C$20,000 cash prize. The Polaris Music Prize is modelled after the Mercury Music Prize, which is handed to the best British or Irish album over the past year. The award is sponsored by Rogers, Sirius Satellite Radio, Radio Starmaker Fund, and the Canadian Recording Industry Association, and the ceremony is broadcast live on CBC Radio 3.
This year’s short list for the prize includes albums …read more

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Facebook lurking helped me (re) find Five Star Trailer Park.  I saw an alert that a mate had joined their group and I went back and listened to them again, because I remembered digging their sound when they were featured on CBC Radio 3 back in February.  A very cool indie rock pop band from our fair city. 
Their sound is a vibrant mix of softer sounds and lyrics with rock riffs and strong vocals.  Comparisons have ranged from Ryan Adams to Foo Fighters.
Formed in 2004, Five Star Trailer Park is no stranger to big shows, and its past accolades are plenty. The …read more

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The Fringe is Toronto ’s largest theatre festival.
In 2008 Toronto’s Fringe Festival will host over 800 artists from Ontario, Canada and around the world, with over 135 unique productions in more than 25 venues.
Productions range from dramas to musical extravaganzas to improv and take place in local theatres as well as in unusual spots: playgrounds, parking lots and more. The festival also hosts a beer tent, two outdoor patios and a free nightly Cabaret.
unjuried, unexpected, unforgettable
Music wise, there are some solid acts (free of charge) at the Fringe Club, 292 Brunswick. There’s something different every night, including a special …read more

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