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

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

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 concert from Major Maker on Saturday, July 12.

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This track from Brendan Canning ‘Hit The Wall‘ was the first single from Canning’s solo album titled Something For All Of Us. The album was released on May 5, 2008 and was available as a free download on the Arts & Crafts website.

The song is a smooth yet funky track with Canning’s power-pop trait rocking through. With the first real days of summer coming around the corner, this is a patio track. Enjoy.

Brendan Canning is a founding member of Broken Social Scene and a veteran indie rock performer who has been a member of various notable bands includingBy Divine Right, Blurtonia, Valley of the Giants and hHead.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

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The Worst Pop Band Ever – With influences ranging from Radiohead to Miles Davis, Bjork to Brad Mehldau, TWPBE is a Toronto-based group that tries to amicably reconcile their love of improvisational music with pop.
Rex @ 12AM

Revival Dear – As a roots rock band from Toronto, Revival Dear has found a way to pay homage to the past and herald in the future at the same time. Somewhere between the Band and Fleetwood Mac.
**This will be a great gig**
Cadillac Lounge @ 12 Midnight

Emily Weedon & Delta – Recommended if you love Dolly Parton. Emily Weedon & Delta have honed a sharp shit-kickin alt country show that is sure to get boots moving, asses out of seats and potentially even get you laid.Lead singer Emily Weedon works the pipes, guitar and piano while channeling the greats of girl country. Recently out of the studio with producer Moe Berg.
Black Bull @ 1AM

Ladyhawk evokes the devilish sounds of Goats Head Soup guitars and the honey-slides and howling of Neil Young in his darkest hours.
Horseshoe @ 2AM

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Run With The Kittens – Ripping some musical styles from the past, some from the future, this foursome is hell bent on showing people a good time with a repertoire ranging from darkly witty Dylan-esque tunes to stompers worthy of Motorhead.
Holy Joe’s @ 11PM

The Two Koreas – Like soggy cigarette butts in melting snow banks, Toronto’s preeminent practitioners of jangular electric beat muszik re-emerge from a winter of considerable discontent to release the new “Sessions EP.”
El Mocambo Down @ 11PM

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

It began in 1996 and was patterned on the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Each year, three-dozen music venues host hundreds of bands from Canada, the United States and all over the world. Each music venue hosts five bands a night (9 p.m. onward), and the majority of the venues are grouped along downtown Toronto’s Queen St. West, College St. West, and the Bloor St. Annex.

The music conference at NXNE runs for three days at the Holiday Inn on King Hotel which serves as Festival HQ. NXNE delegates, panelists and bands playing the festival are able to participate in discussions, songwriter round tables, keynotes, demo listening and peer critiquing, legal clinics and the very helpful peer mentor sessions. The NXNE conference panels are held Friday and Saturday, and aim to foster a professional environment where musicians, artists and music industry reps can network and share ideas within their field.

This year’s line-up is solid to say the least. Perhaps the most anticipated gig will take place on closing night at the Kool Haus where My Morning Jacket will play the evening of June 16th.

My Morning Jacket’s new album Evil Urges will be released on June 10th – just before the start of NXNE. MMJ frontman Jim James says this about the album,

“There’s a theme of moral confusion that runs through the whole record,” says Jim James, explaining the title of the band’s new album, Evil Urges. “The world today is such a confused place. Things that people think are good values are obviously twisted, but there are other things considered evil that obviously aren’t. There is real evil out there, but Evil Urges is about how all of these things that you’ve been told are evil really aren’t, unless they’re actually hurting something or somebody.”

Alongside My Morning jacket at NXNE is a slew of incredible Canadian bands including: Moneen, The Stills, We Are The Take, The Coast, Spiral Beach, Ladyhawk (at the Shoe – sure to be a killer gig) and many more.

For the entire Festival lineup, visit the NXNE Band Schedule

Image Credit: Newscom

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

Silverstein, illScarlett, Cancer Bats, Teenage Head and the Black Lungs are set to rock the 13th annual S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival on Sunday, June 29th 2008. The renowned all-ages, one-day music festival will feature 151 performers at 13 venues and 16 stages across downtown St. Catharines.

S.C.E.N.E. Music Festival (St. Catharines Event for New Music Entertainment) spotlights the best and brightest of the independent music scene, presenting an eclectic roster to thousands of music fans. From intimate clubs to large outdoor venues, the S.C.E.N.E. Festival is dedicated to bringing the fans and the bands together for one hell of a day! From ska to funk, metal to punk and all points in between, this event truly captures and celebrates the spirit of independent music.

Advance tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 21st online at Ticketmaster.ca and MapleMusic.com, and at numerous locations throughout Southern Ontario.

Hard ticket sales locations and other festival information is available at www.scenemusicfestival.com

Image Credit:  SCENE Music Festival 

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

The band just returned from an 8 week tour zig zagging across North America. Throughout the tour we would get random updates through msn, Facebook and email. Cameron’s Brewing is a big fan of the band and threw in some sponsorship for the tour. Upon the band’s return this video surfaced on Cameron’s blog.

Press play on the bottom left play button to check out this sweet video. Stay tuned for more pictures and video.

Check out Hello Operator for a tour stop near you.

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

His most recent release, A Good Enough Day, is an ancient sonnet spun into twelve reasons as to why you should become a romantic, blending modern elements, forthright lyrics and haunting strings with love, life and death.

Having shared the stage with folks like My Morning Jacket, Serena Ryder and Sarah Harmer close to home, Royal packs his suitcase and begins his courtship with the rest of Canada when he heads west with Sarah Slean.

Royal Wood is taking on a big coast to coast tour with Ontario dates:

OTTAWA, ON: Bronson Centre, May 22 w/Sarah Slean
TORONTO, ON: Danforth Music Hall, May 23 w/Sarah Slean
KITCHENER, ON: The Gig Theatre, May 24 w/Sarah Slean

“Wood is on his way to establishing himself alongside the Canadian royalty of artists such as Sexsmith and Wainwright.” — Exclaim! Magazine

Post from: Toronto Unplugged

It took a blogger in Austin Texas during SXSW to introduce me to The Cliks.  Finding out I was from Toronto, the lead blogger for Austin Sound Check indicated that one of her favorite bands was from our humble abode – a band called The Cliks who ’sound a bit like early Pretenders.’

The Cliks are known for their blazing, uncompromising live performances.  Their brand of rock is a throwback to what is fresh again.   In this same breath,The Cliks will be opening  for The Cult at The Sound academy tonight (April 12).
Late ticket pickups can be sought after here.

The Cliks latest album Snakehouse is in stores now.

Image Credit:  The Cliks

Post from: Toronto Unplugged