Wolves on Parade

April has been a pretty busy month thus far...and I'm pretty sure it's going to stay that way. Makes time FLYYYYYYYY. Last Wednesday was the Wolf Parade concert at the Phoenix. As you can see below we were all prepared with the essentials: Starbucks, a full tank of gas, snacks and some good music.

At the show we started talking to this girl named Becky I think. She goes to lots of shows too and we suggested music and even sampled some on her iPhone. We Are Wolves opened, and they were okay. Another Montreal based band. I think I've come to the realization that in most cases (not all the time, see exceptions like Temper Trap, Local Natives, Cut Copy, etc) I enjoy a show more when I know the artists work fairly well. I like to sing along, what can I say? We didn't stay for the encore because we were pretty tired from the show the night before, but at least the crowd wasn't annoying :)

We Are Wolves

Wolf Parade

Wolf Parade

What's Your MUSE?

So for my third concert of 2010 (I know I feel so behind...) I went to the ACC to see Muse supported by the Silversun Pickups on March 8th. Unfortunately the concert started at 7pm which in my opinion is stupid but who really cares what I think right? So we missed most of the Pickups set, arriving at 7:45pm.

What I did see of them I liked though. Our seats were at the back, but that gave us an awesome view of the light show (one of the best I've seen) and the set which was also very innovative. The band played on three moving pillars that raised and lowered as well as spinned, giving everyone a great view. I wasn't as familiar with their catalogue of music but I liked what I heard. They are SUPER talented.

On the way home we sat in lots of traffic but we didn't mid becasue it was such a beautiful night out - March has had AMAZING weather, breaking a lot of records!

Mumford & Sons

For my second show of 2010 I was delighted to see the British act Mumford & Sons yet again. I had first seen them in 2008 when my sister convinced me to go to a show. These guys are great - and hot! They had a great time and I love when bands are having as much fun as me. It's like we're in it together. I knew the show was sold out, but like at 7:30pm (doors were at 8pm) there was already a line up of over 100 people - something I've never seen at Lee's Palace before. The crowd was obviously excited.

A local Toronto band, The Sunparlour Players, did a pretty impressive two man show. At first I thought I was going to be disappointed, but I wasn't. They had an indie, country, folk, rock vibe - but doing it all in black suits.

Mumford played a great set, with some new tracks and all the "old favourites". They were surprised that people knew the words to their songs - but of course we do. They joked around with us and told jokes and were just overall cute and perfect. For their encore they dd one of the songs unplugged - literally. Marcus played the drums for some songs and the others he played guitar - showing his talent as a musician. The crowd called Ted a wanker, somewhat of an inside joke it seemed. There were two nice girls in front of us (in our usual spot actually) who we chatted with before and after sets who were really nice and told us more about the collective that Mumford is apart of. Oh and you can't forget the old guy near us who was slightly inebriated yelling at everyone that he couldn't see.

Top 5 Songs of January

Life Magazine - Cold Cave

I've read about this band in a lot of music mags lately, I think they're going to be a bid deal. I really hope they tour soon because I'd love to see them (oh sorry they are touring North America, just not Canada). I love the repetitive like kids keyboard sound. It's definitely a toe thumper. The girl voice echoing so that you can't understand her is perfection.

U + Me - Dan Black

It was a toss up but I went with this track from France (love that). This track has a Tiga or Mika feel. It's like indie tance techno music. Similar to Esser. Enough comparisons? More props to this guy cus his US tour is 6 dates, which are NYC, Montreal, Toronto and LA. Hells yeah.

Donde Esta La Playa - The Walkmen

The Walkmen are by no means new, but this song off their last CD You & Me released in 2008 gets me. I recently discovered it though and I couldn't help but fall in love with Hamilton Leithauser's voice all over again. Gotta love those NYC bands.

One Life Stand - Hot Chip

Love, love, love this song. I can't wait to see them in concert this April. I know they will put on a wicked light show and it will be really loud. I love blasting this in the car on the way to work...

Blue Light (Engineers Anti Gravity Mix)- Bloc Party

OMG just listen to this song. I heard it on YouTube, someone had used it in a Chuck and Blair video. Like I listened to it on repeat for 3 days. I get immediate ideas in my head for videos. Totally should be on GG btw.

Casimir Pulaski Day

I want to listen to this song (by Sufjan Stevens) driving down an open road in an old convertible. That's just the image I get. This song will get you.

The Concerts of 2009

So below (in chronological order) are the concerts I attended in 2009.

-The Killers (M83) at the ACC

-The Virgins (Anya Marina) at El Mocambo

-Bloc Party (Holy F**k) at the Kool Haus

-Lady Gaga (The White Tie Affair, Chester French, Cinema Bizzare) at Elements

-White Lies (Friendly Fires, The Soft Pack) at Lee’s Palace

-Death Cab For Cutie (The Cold War Kids, Ra Ra Riot) at Sound Academy

-Metric (Holy F**k) at the Mod Club

-Peter Bjorn and John (Chairlift) at the Phoenix

-Kings of Leon (The Walkman) at the ACC

-Franz Ferdinand (The Born Ruffians) at the Kool Haus

-Keane (Matt Kearney, The Helio Project) at Sound Academy

-Phoenix (Amazing Baby) at the Phoenix

-No Doubt (Paramore, Bedouin Soundclash) at the ACC

-Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Amanda Blank) at the Kool Haus

-Friendly Fires (Madrid) at Lee’s Palace

-Our Lady Peace (Will Currie & The Country French) at Elements

-In Living Colour @ Jimmy Fallon

-White Lies (Violens) at Webster Hall

-White Lies (Heaven) at the Phoenix

-Airborne Toxic Effect (The Henry Clay People) at the Phoenix

-Temper Trap (We Are The Take) at Horseshoe Tavern

-The Blue Man Group at the Kitchener Auditorium

-Peter Bjorn and John (El Perro Del Mar) at the Phoenix

-Edward Sharpe & The Magnificent Zeros (Local Natives, Fools Gold) at El Mocambo

-The Pretty Faces (Born to Busk, Mained Long Lions) at Rancho Relaxo

-The Big Pink (Crystal Antlers, Revolvers) at Lee’s Palace

-Friendly Fires (The XX) at the Phoenix

ON A SIDE NOTE: Does anyone else find it weird writing 2010? I miss the double zeros for some reason, it's harder to type, write and look at. Maybe I'm just special.

Top 5 Songs of December

Meet Me Half Way - Black Eyed Peas

I think I first heard this song (I don't listen to the radio sorry) when they performed it on SNL. They did like a slowed down version that I really liked. There's something catchy about it even though it's not a party anthem song. Wil.I.Am just seems to make things sound good. I don't even hate Fergie in this one.

Empire State of Mind - Jay Z (ft. Alicia Keys)

Okay I know I know, another mainstream song. But after my recent trip to NYC I love all things New York. Also as my friend Amy says "It's such an inspiring and motivating song" (I'm not sure if that's an exact quote, so don't sue me). My friend Tania says it makes her want to be from New York. They also featured it in Gossip Girl this week (like duh they wouldn't).

Ambling Alp - Yeasayer

I think I heard this song 4 times (on satellite radio) on a recent trip to Toronto to see my friends the Pretty Faces play a show. I've always like Yeasayer and this song is no different. It has the same random lyrics and crazy sounds mixed with a rhythmic beat. It's another one I try to sing along to and probably am getting totally wrong.

Let Me In - El Perro Del Mar

So this song isn't "new" but I had gotten it before we saw this Swedish act perform with PBJ last month and hadn't really listen to it much. After seeing them I decided to give it a try again. I now appreciate the simplicity of it. It's different - they are Swedish after all. It has a drifty very Urban Outfitters feel.

Boneless - Notwist

Okay so I thought for so long he was saying "homeless" instead of "boneless". Why? I have no idea since it doesn't sound ANYTHING like homeless. I love how he draws out the word and the little high whistle thing mixed with the like dirty drum machine sound (in the remix version I have). The original track is good to, a good driving song for roadtrips or a song to ponder life by.

Chicago Girls

So I came across this song somewhere...it's kind of funny and catchy. I've never been to Chicago but I'm assuming it's fairly accurate?

Chicago Girls (The XX)- James Dean http://www.mediafire.com/?zdt5mhz5wnu

Top 5 Songs of November

Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Yes I will admit I like Lady G. Her new song took awhile to grow on me but now I like it. It sounds cool like this or unplugged on her piano too. Not really sure who would WANT a bad romance, but the song is catchy.

Love Long Distance - Gossip

This song reminds me of a roller rink...oh maybe because I saw the video. I really like the lead singer's voice. It does sound similar to their song Heavy Cross...maybe that's why I like it.

Deadbeat Summer - Neon Indian

This song reminds me of something in an 80's video game.

You've Got the Love (XX Remix) - Florence and the Machine

I just love this song. I love the XX. The end.

Airplanes - Local Natives

I have to give props (who says that?) to my sister since she had the song first. I found out about them and saw them all in one day. They opened in Toronto for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. I really liked them. This song is good and so is Sun Hands.

White Lies - Rounds 2 and 3

So as part of my trip to NYC we decided to include a concert. Well it just so worked out that White Lies (one of my favourite bands) was playing back to back shows in Manhattan and then in Toronto. So we scheduled our trip around that. It was cool to see the difference in the crowds. At Webster Hall in New York the crowd was more mature, maybe 25-45, and they were pretty chill. The band played a straight set no encore. Then in Toronto at the Phoenix (which was an early show) the crowd was much more rowdy - mosh pit? crowd surfing? fist fits? and definitely younger. People were getting on the stage and the band thought we were nuts. They said as much at the end. Here's a shot from the New York show of Harry and his shiny guitar...

Top 5 Songs of October

So not all of these are new, some are older but rediscovered:

Wait - Alexi Murdoch

You may recognize this from the movie Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudoplph. If you haven;t seen this movie yet my only question for you is: Why? Anyways this song is amazing - if you are in a reflective kind of sad mood I'm pretty sure you will cry.

Horchata - Vampire Weekend

I finally took the 2 seconds it takes to find out what Horchata is. It's the name for several kinds of traditional beverages, made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley or tigernuts. Sounds gross. Nevertheless, the song is good.

Animal (Crookers remix) - Miike Snow

Yes this song was on Gossip Girl but that wasn't the first time I heard it. It's kinda jungle sounding but not so much that it's annoying (at least in my opinion). I particularly like this version. If you like this one try Plastic Jungle - I love driving to that one.

Velvet - The Big Pink

This has 90's feel mixed with a melodic space-y-ness that will probably be used in a car commercial.

Moth's Wings - Passion Pit

This has a harpsichord thing happening at the beginning and it's fun to TRY and sing-a-long to.

OLP @ Elements

Last week Amy, Steph and I went to see Our Lady Peace at Elements Nightclub in Kitchener. They were performing for Conestoga College's frosh week. After finally figuring out the ticket logistics (which turned out to be unnecessary) we got in the venue as close the front as possible, which was pretty close. The set was good, played a lot of their older repertoire and got the audience singing along. at one point Raine made his way to the bar and drank some girl's beer. The opening band was from Waterloo, Will Currie and the Country French. They put on a set of folky indie pop. The guys (and one girl) were really nice, we had a chance to chat with them after the show. We talked about recipe swapping and meeting bands, about where they went to school and the drunk guy Ryan that decided to stand with us.

This is Dan MacPherson of Will Currie and the Country French (he looked like Alex from Franz Ferdinand to us)

OLP playing their set

A blurry one of Raine on the bar

The XX

I wonder if they put their hands together outside a club with those black x's that bouncers put on your hands for people underaged...Well I don't know why they are called The XX, but they are and they are good. The xx are a band from from south west London and formed in 2005 when they were just 16 years old! The four band members met at the same school Hot Chip attended. They even produced their own album which is pretty cool. My friend Amy and I have this thing were randomly all the things we really like are connected - here's another example, they toured with The Big Pink who we also like and are going to see this fall. Their sound is really cool. To me it seems more mature than their 20 years...like chill and kinda sad at times. I also love who it bounces between guy/girl singing...kinda like The Stars, but a different sound for sure. All their stuff is good but my current favourites are : Infinity, Basic Space, Shelter and Islands. Okay forget it I like them ALL. Can't wait to see them in December...

Very 90's vibe in their style don't you think?

Kiss of Life

So if you haven't heard this band you NEED to. Like really. No do it now. I'm waiting. Okay now that your life has changed I can continue. 'Jump In The Pool' was the first song I heard from this British trio back in early 2008. I was immediately in love. Later that year the band was featured on Gossip Girl. In March I saw them on NME double bill at Lee's Palace with fellow Brits White Lies (also life changing band). Ed, Edd and Jack are really chill, cool guys. Ed's dancing is also a sight that cannot be missed. At the first show we talked to Ed after the show and he took a
picture with us.

After the first show at Lee's Palace, Toronto ON on March 31, 2009

At the show we just went to August 10th we talked to all the guys and they signed our t-shirts. Ed was sick (he said it was from alcohol poisoning from Lollapalooza even though he told the audience he thought he had Swine Flu, jokingly of course) . To say I was ecstatic when I found out they had another show in December at the Phoenix is putting it mildly. Edd had hinted at it when we talked to him before the show (yes we were first in line and thus had this opportunity as he was leaving rehersals to go get Ed from the hotel). I can't wait for December to get my dance on again :)

Friendly Fires performing at Lee's Palace, Toronto on August 10, 2009

Home

So my friends and I are LOVING this song 'Home' by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. We first heard it on Sirius XM Radio. It's such a cute song, love the duet feel between Alex Ebert and the girl (?). Here is a picture of them playing an acoustic set in London a few days ago. They definitely have a very hippy trippy look going on. They are touring but sadly no Canadian stops :(