Thursday, June 14, 2012
JangBang Presents: Unofficial NXNE Day Party
Thursday afternoon meant the addition of day parties to the festival. While most were not NXNE official, they were still all part of the festival experience. I hit up JangBang to catch some of their unofficial daytime showcase, which included good music and Korean tacos. And if you’re not sure what Korean tacos are, just know that they’re delicious and give them a try.
Army Girls, comprised of Carmen Elle (vocals, guitar) and Andy Smith (drums), kicked off the day and I immediately learned that Elle is a great performer. He voice is outstanding, but she works the stage in a way that is both endearing and entertaining. Their garage pop tunes are catchy but still have enough grit to give them an edge. I must say that I immediately became a fan.
The two-piece is relatively new, but you can find their debut EP Close To The Bone on their Bandcamp. Or you can order their limited edition, hand-made CD here. While this was a relatively short set and not in a typical show environment, Army Girls remains one of my highlights of the festival.
We had seen Cold Warps the night before, but I couldn’t resist sticking around JangBang to see more of them. There’s nothing like a little quick, high-energy garage powerpop early in the day. While the band sounds a little heavier and more punk-tinged live, the songs are incredibly catchy, with vocalist Paul Hammond moving around on the makeshift stage into the crowd numerous times.
After seeing them in the dark and dingy Shop in the basement of Parts & Labour, it was a bit of a different experience seeing the band lit by natural light. While the turnout didn’t lead to a sweaty mosh pit, I did recognize some “dancers” from the night before. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t resist a double dose of Cold Warps.
Rooftop Riot (Audio Blood & Bonsound)
While a last-minute location change pushed back the schedule a bit, it didn’t look like the turnout for this Audio Blood party was affected at all. With free Steam Whistle, free Vitamin Water, $3 haircuts and 7 bands to see, it’s pretty hard to resist this kind of a party. The party ended up taking place on the roof of a nightclub on College St., which probably turned out to be a better location than the original loft. That sounds like an all-around win to me.
Hue was the first band I was able to catch, though I’ll be honest and admit that I walked in with just two songs left in their set. I must say that their pop tunes go well with sunny skies and I wish I had gotten there earlier to catch the whole set.
Halifax’s The Town Heroes took the stage after Hue. I was quite impressed by the duo, as Mike Ryan has quite a fantastic voice that drummer Bruce Gillis complements well. 2-pieces these days seem to either be a little heavier or Black Keys-like, but The Town Heroes’ alt-rock sound is nothing like either.
“Slag Heaps”, for which a video was released in February, is just such a likeable song. Their album Birds and Fear was released in 2010 and I seem to wonder how I didn’t notice The Town Heroes until now. If this band hasn’t gotten your attention yet, you can stream (and purchase) the album on their Bandcamp. I highly recommend you do so.
NXNE Showcase Presented by Analogue Gallery & Slapback Media
beekeeper wasn’t even on the official bill for NXNE but Brandi Sidoryk (bass, vocals) and Luke Cyca (drums) were in the city as part of Sidney York. Frontman Devon Lougheed actually flew to Toronto to join his bandmates just to play this daytime show. With this in mind, I knew I had to see the band in the city this time around. Hailing from Vancouver, beekeeper is quirky, with their unusual time signatures and silly banter, but, quite simply, this powerpop/math-rock trio is oodles of fun… and talented to boot.
Although the band has been on my radar for quite some time, this was my first time seeing the band, and beekeeper turned out to be one of my favourites of the festival. Unfortunately, with Lougheed busy as a guitarist with Hey Ocean! and Sidoryk and Cyca busy with Sidney York, it looks like the band won’t be back in Toronto until late in the year or early next year. In the meantime, you can stream their latest Take Me Back (To The Place) 7” or their debut full-length on their Bandcamp. I also hear they’re working on a follow-up record, so there’s plenty to look forward to.
Montreal’s HONHEEHONHEE has turned into one of those bands I make an effort to see whenever they’re in the city. They’re pretty hard to resist, with their group vocals that make everyone want to sing along, and all around fun performance. The guys share lead vocal duty, with Greg Halpin taking the reins more often than not, and the guitar and bass change hands a few times during the set.
While “A. is for Animal” may always be the crowd favourite, considering it was their first single, “We Only Go” is likely my personal favourite. It’s just too hard to resist shouting “Whoa-oh, Whoa-oh, hey hey” along with the band. If you missed HONHEEHONHEE at the festival, they seem to play in Toronto often enough. In the meantime, you can steam/purchase their debut album Shouts on their Bandcamp.
Quite simply, Neon Windbreaker is loud. Even when they tried to turn everything down, the band was still quite loud. Volume aside, the band certainly puts on an interesting show. Eric Warner maintains an intense look in his eyes and almost confronts the crowd by getting in some people’s faces while screaming vocals, while bassist Pat McCormack shows off his flexibility on stage (see photos).
As their set was approaching the end, the band was told they only had time for one more song. Since all they had left to play were 3 one-minute songs, the band decided to play 2 of their one-minute songs back to back seamlessly to use the time. Clever!
It was late in the afternoon when Modernboys Moderngirls took the stage. Frontman Akira Alemany knows how to work the stage, though he had bassist Juan Carlos Rivas to contend with, as he found his way to get into the crowd to rock out. With the newest member Milan Schramek adding some extra layers on guitar, I think I most enjoyed his work on the harmonica.
While they didn’t close out showcase, Modernboys Moderngirls was a highlight for the day, as they were playing host for the whole event. The 4-piece (formerly a 3-piece) has seemed to settle into their new dynamic quite well. In fact, I was more impressed with this set compared to their CMW set that I caught, as felt the band was a little tighter. Or perhaps it was playing at a more ideal time. Or maybe it was even the sunshine. With a new album on the way, I hope to see Modernboys Moderngirls continue to get tighter.
Topanga closed out this daytime showcase. I left halfway through the set to start checking out some NXNE night showcases, but I did manage to catch a new song before heading out. Frontman Stefan Babcock seemed a little hesitant while introducing this song, perhaps because it’s a little heavier than their other tunes, but it still maintains enough of that catchy vibe to not lose their identity. The buzz around this Toronto band seems to continue to build and it looks like this new song will be released soon. Look out! | CL
buying shots for bands 
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