Toronto Unplugged

Interested in seeing Run With The Kittens at some random gigs outside of the GTA?
I just got this email from the band…gotta love their emails.  Enjoy.
(from Kittens) We have some out of town gigs in the next couple weeks:
1. Papa’s Billiards Sat March 1 – Peterborough
This is a smaller venue so we plan on getting really wasted. There will be a really high chance of experiencing regrettable behavior and possibly nudity.
2. Jimmy Jazz Fri March 7 – Guelph
If you haven’t been to one of our legendary monthly Guelph gigs, come check it out. It’s a …read more

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I remember the Ongoing History of New Music with Alan Cross addressing this issue once. Why do certain songs get stuck in your head? Is it the vibe, the personal connection, or a specific mix of melody and hook? Regardless of the formula or tags given, they take over the mind and hold on for the long haul…sometimes years.
Here are some tracks that I’ve found myself singing and thought, “I haven’t heard that songs for ages, why the hell am I singing _____…”
I haven’t heard this song in years, but I find myself belting it out in …read more

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Homegrown band Blue Rodeo is on stage at Massey Hall during its Small Miracles tour. Blue Rodeo recently released its 11th full length album of the same name.
The performance is expected to include songs from the new album as well as some of the band’s classic repertoire.
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto. They have been signed with Warner Music Canada since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987. Blue Rodeo is one of the most successful and well known contemporary Canadian bands, having released 11 studio albums, one live album, …read more

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It’s no mystery that when musicians and bands find themselves gigging in Toronto on the same day or weekend, they often find time to share a few cocktails or crash an impromptu party.
This might be one of the most random line ups in Toronto…especially for a Monday. How’s this for a mix of artists in the city? Put the following folk in the same room…sit back and observe.
Crystal Castles, Pilot Priest, Mikey Apples @ Wrongbar
George Clinton & Parliament – Funkadelic @ Phoenix, $42.50
Spice Girls @ Air Canada Centre $69.50-$119.50
James Blunt, Sara Bereilles @ Sony (Hummingbird) Centre, $32.15-$50.15
Jane …read more

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Toronto Unplugged needs your help….
We’ve been charged with creating a list of bands/musicians/artists to watch in 2008 – those who we think will break the scene.
We have our personal favorites, but we want to hear from you.  Who are you following as of late?  Who have you seen lately that blew you away?   Is there a release that you can’t stop playing?
There will be a good number of Toronto/Canadian bands that will rise through this year and (with your help) we will list them here.
The list will be posted in roughly two weeks – with links to each artist/band …read more

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CBC Radio 3 is always on top on what is breaking in Canadian Music.  This week’s NMC features local Toronto band Five Star Trailer Park.
Five Star Trailer Park are an emerging band from Toronto’s vibrant independent music scene.  Drawing comparison’s to bands as varied as the Foo Fighters and Ryan Adams, this sextet is reputed for songs crafted with beauty and tension.
The band is taking up residency at legendary brew pub C’est What on Tuesday nights for the month of March.
Standout Track:  On the Drive Home

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Holiday Monday…Family Day.
Here are some clips of tracks that had our ear this past week.
The Kooks performed at the MOD Club this past Monday. Straight from (my favorite music site on the web) La Blogotheque’s Take Away Shows is a great clip of The Kooks playing on the street in Paris.

Listening to Plants and Animals this week before the launch of their album this week.

Luke Doucet put on an excellent show at the Starlight in Waterloo this past week. Here is an old clip of an acoustic performance…

Happy Family Day.

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Plants and Animals are breaking out.  The Montreal trio are less than a week away from launching their highly anticipated release Parc Avenue.   The band has been at it a while – they have been playing as a band since 2000 and have been in the process of this albumfor over two years.
“It’s like an aged whisky or something,” laughs Spicer. “It’s been percolating and developing for a long time to get to the point where now it’s just simple and delicious,”
says band member Warren C Spicer to Ben Rayner of the Toronto Star.
The band has been getting hype for …read more

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Decent week this week for shows in Toronto…and it all starts tonight…yes, a Sunday.
Xavier Rudd sings to the sold out crowd at the Danforth Music Hall tonight. Vampire Weekend play a hyped up ’show of the year’ at the Horseshoe Tavern.
The Kooks are at the Mod Club on Monday, The Bravery rock out the Opera House on Tuesday, Andrew W.K. will explode at the Sound Academy on Thursday and Thrice is at the Kool Haus on Friday.
The Kooks are at the Mod Club on Monday, The Bravery rock out the Opera House on Tuesday, on Thursday Andrew W.K. will …read more

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I’m hoping there is some debate on this one, because I’ve heard tons of good and bad rants on this next venue.
Lee’s Palace is Lee’s Palace, it’s that simple.
Lee’s is a legendary concert venue in Toronto. The place is dark, it sometimes smells, the acoustics can be a bit high on the treble and the servers are a notch down from pleasant. But this is one of my favorite venues in the city. All of the above make up the character of Lee’s Palace. I thoroughly enjoy the sight lines, the acoustics, the intimacy and the …read more

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