When thinking outside the box just isn't enough
The Canadian music community can be pretty close-knit. For instance, did you know that Phil Shearing, singer/guitarist from Paddle to the Sea, once had Hollerado play on his lawn while on tour. He passed a hat around while his friend gave them smores. This is just one example the comradery of Canadian bands, helping each […]
Terra Lightfoot (no relation to Gordon Lightfoot) performed as part of the Sonic Unyon CMW showcase on Saturday night at Cherry Cola’s. Lightfoot is playing as part of a trio these days, and the band led by this musical powerhouse lit the place up, performing many new songs which will be featured on an album […]
The bar was full to capacity two hours before they hit the stage. So full I couldn’t risk losing my spot near the front to get a drink at the bar for fear that I’d never make it back again. And so, drier than a nun during mass, I took in what turned out to […]
Oh Susanna is a veteran in the Canadian music scene by now, but this was my first time seeing her perform. I knew she was a prolific songwriter, excelling at story-telling tunes, but I had no idea how talented she really is until her CMW set. Or how deep her roots within the scene go. […]
Dinner Belles are a country folk group based in the Hamilton area. Performing as a six-piece band for their CMW set (guitars, bass, drums, mandolin and keyboards), they ended up playing a more electric set than usual due to technical difficulties with the pick-up in one of the acoustic guitars. It worked well, since it […]
The Tallest Tree are an indie group from Dundas, Ontario and it took me most of their set before I realized that the two young ladies are actually Dawn and Marra, who have performed around the GTA for the past few years including at the Hamilton Music Awards. Joined by a rhythm section in The […]
Julian Taylor wrote and toured for years with Staggered Crossing, and yet found that despite working hard and constantly touring, there was just not enough profit in that side of the business. [I will resist the urge to go on a tirade about how almost no one wants to pay for original music anymore, and […]
Spencer Burton is a country-infused folk musician when performing under the moniker Grey Kingdom. He and his backing band played a set of mellow beauties at the Dakota Tavern for CMW on Thursday night. Burton, born in Hamilton, Ontario, was raised in Kelowna, B.C., and then became a resident in the Welland, ON music scene […]
Recently I had the pleasure of catching Mo Kenney’s showcase at the Great Hall in Toronto. I had a moment to chat with the lovely young songstress after the show about what she’s been doing and what she has coming up. 1) You seem to have come a long way in a short time, having […]
After two years covering Canadian Music Week, I’m tempted to say that Montrealers do it better. Either it’s the way they play music or the way they throw parties. Here are my thoughts on this year’s M for Montreal showcase at Canadian Music week. The great thing about music festivals is that people are fighting […]
It’s official! The Forget the box team is at CMW and there’s no way back. Personally, it’s my first year attending this event and the least I can say is that I wasn’t prepared for such an intense weekend. The whole city is turned upside down. Bars are closing at 4am, people from everywhere are gathering together, every single venue in the city has at least four bands playing every night and, of course, everybody is on a beer diet. Here’s the report of my first Canadian Music Week night…
One thing I remember about last year in Toronto was all the amazing metal and punk shows I randomly came across during Canadian Music Week. Here’s the guide to this year’s CMW for those of you who like it loud, fast and distorted…
“What a long, strange trip it’s been” sang the The Grateful Dead. Little did they know that the iconic song Truckin’ would perfectly described my trip to Toronto for Canadian Music Week. There were some disappointments, and there were some eventful surprises, and then, there were the not so “eventful” things that happened–shameful, very shameful […]
As I age I notice my diminished hearing–and the sacrifice I make to my auditory system every time I go to shows. There are plenty of items I have brought to shows in the past which I didn’t need, like a jar of honey (don’t ask) or window wipers I had just stolen off a car. But I have never, ever once, thought to bring the most appropriate item: ear plugs…
Unlike a lot of my fellow Montrealers, I enjoy being in Toronto. So when asked, I was more than happy to be a part of the team that went to cover Canadian music week for Forget the Box. As much as I love festivals I have to admit I’m a cranky little girl without my sleep, so I thoroughly enjoyed dozing off in the car ride back to Montreal on Sunday as the FTB gang listened to all the great new music we’d collected. After what felt like the longest shower of my life and a full night’s sleep for the first time in four days, I feel energized and ready to share hopefully a more detailed and coherent account for you of my time at CMW Film Fest…
There were a lot of surprises at CMW, and like I’ve said, the best way (I think) to find a band is to stumble upon them. Meet Racoon Bandit, an east coast gem that will no doubt win you over with their killer, energy packed, live-in-the-moment performance. Racoon Bandit, a PEI based folk/country sounding group, made up of four perfectly honest and modest gentlemen, played at the Dakota right after Alcoholic Faith Mission. Wow. I can’t believe how easily…
