This Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto. IN THE NEWS Yonge-Dundas Square celebrates 10 years with concert series It's hard to believe that Yonge-Dundas Square , the central hub of downtown Toronto, was officially opened 10 years ago this year. To celebrate this milestone, a free outdoor concert series will run, starting tonight (the 27th) and running weekly until October. The concert series is actually comprised of two [...]
From the minute Phish walked off the stage at Madison Square Garden early in the morning on the first day of 2013, fans have been clamoring for information on where the band would play next. Today, after nearly two and a half months of speculation, the HT faves have finally revealed their plan for Summer Tour 2013. Phish will embark on a month-long tour that kicks off with a rare outdoor show in Maine at the Bangor Waterfront Pavilion and ends on August 5th at the [...]
On Thursday night, Gotye proved that he's much more than somebody that you used to know by demonstrating his talents--singing, drumming, playing a multitude of instruments, and entertaining the undersold Molson Amphitheatre crowd. If you've only heard the one song, you're missing out--Gotye's Making Mirrors album is full of lush arrangements and intricate instrumentals, and some of them are even as hummable as his breakthrough hit. Live, the songs translated well on the big stage, buoyed by a bevy of animated projections that can be described as a trippy [...]
While Gotye's ubiquitous hit "Somebody That I Used To Know" has made him something of a big deal in the pop world, I've largely avoided digging any deeper into his catalogue. It's not that I actively dislike him or anything, I think the guy's alright. I've just never bothered to invetigate any further than that one song. While he makes music that's popular enough to merit an interpretation by the cast of Glee , he still manages to keep his stuff fairly interesting and sophisticated sonically. More importantly, he has great taste in opening acts. Sure, I was mildly [...]
In my ever expanding quest to experience shows of all genres and sizes this summer, I decided to go see the Motley Crue/Kiss double header at the Molson Amphitheatre last night. You could say it was my first ever classic rock show. I have had about five straight late nights in a row now, so constructing some kind of narrative or cohesive review is out the window at this point, go read a book if you want a story. Here are some of my observations: - Black shirts everywhere! I did not get the memo. Me [...]
Kelly Clarkson and The Fray made their one and only Canadian stop on their 2012 Summer Tour last night at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre : co-headlining the concert, the artists played a double bill's worth of hit songs, which left the audience happily satisfied. First up was The Fray. Promoting their third studio album, Scars & Stories , the Colorado-based band humbly took to the stage with a set of old favourites peppered with their latest songs. Although some say The Fray's music risks mid-tempo and mid-volume mediocrity, when [...]
I feel like I'm coming off of an acid trip--or maybe just waking up from a dream filled with neon, glow sticks, life-size pink teddy bears and many, many zebras. And this was no regular dream: it was a party rock dream. LMFAO filled the Molson Amphitheatre with bright lights, heavy bass, and heaps of confetti. Although SkyBlu, one half of the sexy duo, was kept on the sidelines due to an injury resulting from an oversize package (all you Cosmo readers know what I'm really talking about, am I right?), his [...]
After some "manly pampering" , boy band sensation One Direction was ready to take the stage in Toronto. The fearsome fivesome opened with "Na Na Na" — or at least we think they did. It was nearly impossible to hear Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson over the roar of 16,000 screaming 1D fans at the Molson Amphitheatre. The recently animated group's set also included an acoustic pop medley that wove together Black Eyed Peas ’ "I Gotta Feeling", [...]
BLIND PILOT ANNOUNCES SUMMER TOUR HEADLINE SHOWS AT WEBSTER HALL IN NYC, THE FILLMORE IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND THE FONDA THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES FESTIVAL APPEARANCES AT BONNAROO, NEWPORT FOLK, AND OTHERS, PLUS DATES SUPPORTING THE SHINS AND DAVE MATTHEWS BAND “We Are The Tide blooms agreeably from start to finish…these guys make remarkably sturdy, gorgeous songs.”—NPR Portland, Oregon-based band Blind Pilot, following two sold-out national tours in support of their sophomore album, We Are The Tide, will continue to tour relentlessly this summer, making festival stops at Sasquatch!, Bonnaroo, Newport [...]
Back in 2009, I greeted the news that Blink 182 was touring again with surprise and excitement. I was glad that I finally had the chance to see a band that I should have seen years ago. For me, Blink was the band that first got me into music, so the chance to finally see them live was tantalizing to say the least. The guys came out strong, opening with "Feeling This," which erased any doubt I had that maybe the show wouldn't live up to expectations. From that point on, I knew the rest of [...]
Photograph by Danny Clinch UPDATE: This contest is now closed, the winner has been notified by email. Codes and Keys marks a new chapter for Death Cab for Cutie, mostly due to Ben Gibbard being happy for a change. Being married to Zooey Deschanel may help with that. As the title suggests, the album makes more use of keyboards and studio experimentation than their previous Narrow Stairs. The band previewed Codes at a relatively intimate show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto this past May, and they [...]
Photograph by Danny Clinch UPDATE: This contest is now closed, the winner has been notified by email. Codes and Keys marks a new chapter for Death Cab for Cutie, mostly due to Ben Gibbard being happy for a change. Being married to Zooey Deschanel may help with that. As the title suggests, the album makes more use of keyboards and studio experimentation than their previous Narrow Stairs. The band previewed Codes at a relatively intimate show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto this past May, and they [...]
In the span of 1 year The Black Keys ' live shows have become, to quote Austin Powers, “ Tight like a Tiger ”. On top of that the release of their sixth album has catapulted to international stardom. The Black Keys saw moderate fame up until 2010, with their signature modern blues grit. However, I think they got to the point that I think most artists get to after a decade of almost cracking the popular music nut and enlisted pop wizards producers like Danger Mouse to write a best selling album called Brothers . [...]
It's easy to picture The Black Keys tearing up sweat-inducing Toronto venues like The Garrison or The Horseshoe or Lee's Palace, but on Thursday night, the duo transformed the Molson Amphitheatre into a hot and sticky blues fest. With Dan Auerbach's guitar turned way up and Patrick Carney looking mean as ever on drums, the Black Keys played with ear-ringing, foot-stomping intent at Toronto's most summer-worthy venue. Though the group has risen to fame thanks to their critically acclaimed record, Brothers , their brief set was well mixed with songs both old and new. [...]
Ryan Russell Who: Death Cab For Cutie What: Bellingham, Washington's favourite sons, indie rock archetypes gone major league, the band fronted by that guy who just barely got to Zooey Deschanel before you did - you know, DEATH CAB. Why: There was no way their super - well, relatively - intimate club show at The Phoenix back in May just ahead of the release of Codes & Keys was going to satisfy fan demand, and so now they're back at [...]
The forthcoming Virgin Festival in Ontario has announced a venue change. The festival was originally set to take place at Burl's Creek but will not take place at the Molson Amphitheatre . The two-day bash is still set to take place in Toronto on August 29 & 30. For more information go to virginfestival.ca/ontario .
I've said it once and I'll say it again, seeing Radiohead live today is the closest you're going to get to an experience like seeing The Beatles play live in the 60s. Over a decade after their genre-defining, post-modern masterpiece OK Computer , the band is just as important now as they ever were, and debatably the most important band of the last 15 years. With the most recent release of the cryptically beautiful In Rainbows , they are still prepared to both melt your mind and your heart with [...]
And another artist whom I've waited all my life to see can now get crossed off that list. Sunday night marked a historical night in the concert going life of yours truly, as I finally got around to seeing R.E.M. in concert. The show was nothing short of spectacular and although I could (and will) make all of the typical long time fan type of complaints, there were still enough surprises to keep me as entertained as a little girl. First off the band opened with These Days from Life's Rich Pageant , [...]
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