Saturday, May 10, 2014 Goodnight, Sunrise – Quad Rock Spin Class @ Quad East Hardcore spinners and first-timers (myself included) collided at Quad East for Goodnight, Sunrise’s second annual rock and roll spin class. With instructor Michelene at the front of the class, the band provided a high energy workout soundtrack. It got sweaty – […]

Date of show: April 25, 2014 Toronto-based Teenage Kicks celebrated the release of their debut full-length album, Spoils of Youth, to a lively crowd at the Horseshoe Tavern. Since Teenage Kicks formed 4 years ago, the band has always had a special quality – perhaps it’s frontman Peter van Helvoort’s raw, enthralling vocals, or perhaps […]

Date of show: February 8, 2014 Written by: Chiara DiAngelo It was a packed Horseshoe by the time Vancouver’s The Belle Game graced the stage. The first heavy strands of blanketed baroque beauty from the quintet echoed through the hushed crowd before frontwoman Andrea Lo (vocals) picked up the tambourine, breaking the spell momentarily before […]

Date of show: November 29, 2013 Written by: Chiara DiAngelo Led by swaggering frontman Matthew Angus, Toronto-based Fast Romantics had a redesigned lineup since last we saw them, welcoming two former Australians, Shane O’Keeffe (guitar) and Lauren Heron (keys), who threw some lovely accents into the mix of spirited backing vocals. The band’s new album […]

Date of show: August 27, 2013 Written by: Chiara DiAngelo The Wild Feathers Nashville, Tennessee’s The Wild Feathers were celebrating the recent release of their debut self-titled album. Playing jazzed up rock and roll combined with Southern Comfort-soaked Americana, the five-piece channeled the spirit of the traditional Southwest as they drenched the audience with the […]

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 The Darcys – 9pm @ Arts & Crafts Pop Up Bailiff – 10pm @ Horseshoe Tavern Reuben and the Dark – 11pm @ Horseshoe Tavern Grounders – 12am @ Horseshoe Tavern The Damn Truth – 1am @ Horseshoe Tavern

Date of show: May 25, 2013 Written by: Chiara DiAngelo Poor Young Things were celebrating the release of their debut full-length album The Heart. The Head. The End., which dropped earlier that week. Having lived in Toronto for the past couple of years now, there was eager excitement from the packed “hometown” crowd to hear […]

Date of show: April 16, 2013 Shot of choice: tequila Written by: Chiara DiAngelo Always a fan of checking out Nu Music Nites at The Horseshoe, on this occasion we were there specifically to see Houndmouth. The Indiana band made quite the impression on us when they opened for Dry the River last Fall and […]

Saturday, March 23, 2013 No Sinner – 9:20 @ Horseshoe Tavern No Sinner is a Vancouver-based blues rock band fronted by Colleen Rennison. Rennison is full of energy and her whiskey-soaked vocals were enough to hold my attention. However, she competes with guitarist Eric Campbell for attention from the crowd, as Campbell seemed apt to […]

Thursday, March 21, 2013 Hunger Hush – 7pm @ The Central Getting an early start to the night was Calgary’s Hunger Hush. A younger band comprised of Steve Wirzba (vocals, guitar), Alastair Pollock (keys, trumpet, vocals), Andrew Smale (bass) and Ben Tan (drums), their sweet-sounding indie rock and bubbly pop hooks provided a cheerful dancey […]