Toronto Unplugged

The globally successful and popular Virgin Festival will rear it’s commercial head and try its hand in Calgary on the June 21 & 22 weekend.The lineup is quite strong: Stone Temple Pilots and The Tragically Hip will headline, but it is the supporting acts that are generating all the chatter.
Here is a snap shot of the meat and potatoes…
The Flaming Lips, City and Colour, Matthew Good, Stars, New Pornographers, Constantines, Face to Face, Attack in Black, The Dudes, Said the Whale, The Spades, The Whitsundays, Ten Second Epic and quite a few more.
One day passes go for $75 and …read more

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Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island’s Two Hours Traffic is a band that you will likely hear blasting out speakers – depending on what circles you find yourself in.  The brand of ‘Anthemic Pandemic’ powerpop is prefect for this season – the bridge between winter slumps and patio season.  Their upbeat sound is sure to bring joy to your journey from A to B.
Two Hours Traffic is a Canadian indie rock band who chose their title after a line in the prologue to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Although often described as the band that Halifax guitarist Joel Plaskett took “under his wing”, …read more

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The first Sunday of the year. Well, the first Sunday where the sun is out and for the first time in a long time I’m actually looking forward to going outside and doing something.
And for this special occasion, I feel I need to add a touch of spring to my iPod.
Here is what’s on deck…
First heard Hello Blue Roses climbing the chart on the CBC’s R3 30. Their MySpace page seems to be at a standstill because they only have one track added on there and it is very different from their chart friendly standout: Shadow Falls
Vancouver’s …read more

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Rock Plaza Central quickly emerged from a local Indie favorite to a major Indie draw.
The band is playing a few Ontario gigs – including Toronto @ Sneaky Dee’s on April 10th – before heading to Montreal and then Vermont.
Their 2007 album Are We Not Horses received impressive reviews from major credentials like Rolling Stone “Stars in Waiting”, Pitchfork “Truly something to be joyful about”, and Exclaim “A masterpiece”.
The Gig: Rock Plaza Central will be at Sneaky Dee’s on April 10th with Jetplanes of Abraham
Have a listen to one of our favorite Rock Plaza Central ballads: Anthem for the already …read more

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(Image Credit: Run With The Kittens)
While driving home the other night I heard the Run With The Kittens interview on the Edge with Barry Taylor. As many of you know, I’ve been a Kittens fan for quite a while. Their weekly Tuesday night residency at the Cameron House is always worth checking out. Last summer they played the Toronto Beer Fest and Cameron’s Brewing 10th Anniversary Party. Quite simply, the band puts on a show…regardless of how many people there are in the audience.
Lead singer Nate Mills has the rocks to wail not matter what …read more

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Toronto Unplugged congratulates The Lowest of the Low on a legendary musical career and a well deserved induction.
Lowest of the Low will be inducted into the Indies Hall of Fame tonight as part of the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. “The Indies” celebrate outstanding achievement in sound recording and live performance.
The Lowest of the Lowwere a Canadian alternative rock group in the early 1990s. Although they never broke through to the mainstream, they were one of the most influential bands on the Canadian alternative music scene.
Formed by Ron Hawkins, Stephen Stanley and David Alexander, the band was originally known as …read more

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What you need to know:
Equipped with a keytar, boy and girl vocals, and live pounding drums, Woodhands is dirty electronic pop music. They are interested in emotional, sweaty dance floors and making you dance til you have sex or cry.
Woodhands started in a basement in Montreal, moved to Europe, and is now making love to Toronto and its environs.
Where you’ll find them during CMW: Drake Underground
When: FRIDAY March 7th, 2008 @ 12:45 AM

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What you need to know:
University of Toronto undergrad Daniel Gray will be playing the late night time slot at the Library tonight. Drawing on 60’s pop, rock and folk music as well as a lot of modern Indie rock, Daniel Gray has crafted a very soothing, catchy and cool vibe for our city. Daniel’s sound is acoustic-based jangly folk-rock dipped in an electric edge with the occasional dab of strings, glockenspiels, weird synth sounds and various other random instruments. Accompanying these instrumentations you’ll find lyrics that are, well…lyrical.
Where you’ll find him during CMW: Library Bar (inside …read more

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Toronto Unplugged will profile individual bands and artists that are worth checking out during Canadian Music Week, but here is a snapshot of of some great line-ups at solid venues.
If you’re looking for One Stop Shopping…look no further.
Thursday March 6
Live at Lee’s Palace: JASON COLLETT (CD Release Party), BIRDS OF WALES, REBEKAH HIGGS,
9 pm, $18
Live at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: PLANTS AND ANIMALS, THE ACORN, KATIE STELMANIS, DOG DAY, IMMACULATE MACHINE
8:30 pm, $10
Friday March 7th
Live from the Drake Hotel (let’s hope CMW strips away the pretentiousness): WOODHANDS, TROPICS, WINTER GLOVES, LAURA BARRETT, HUCKLEBERRY FRIENDS, SLIM TWIG
9 pm, $5 …read more

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Hello Operator has emerged as a band ready to break out in a big way. At the front end of a North American tour, the band will be playing the Opera House on March 6th as part of Canadian Music Week before heading out for the rest of the tour.
Hello Operator were called a “newsmaker” in Macleans magazine, and listed as “one of 12 bands to watch out for” by Canoe.ca Their video for Chasing Satellites has been in regular rotation on Much Music and Much Loud since November 2007.
Influenced by the likes of the Cars, Costello …read more

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