Canadian Music Week - Part Two

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
KEVIN LLOYD

It’s only day two of the (five day long) festival and already our bodies have adjusted to being out all night, sleeping all day and grabbing snacks when we can. Tonight there’s no-one on early that we particularly want to see but the beer is calling - so we dutifully head out into the rain and make our way to the Silver Dollar.

This is the probably the nicest venue we’ve been to so far and most definitely the cleanest. While the first band set up we grab a beer, and then another as they piss about trying to scrounge a lead they should have bought with them.

Grounders play alternative indie rock with an experimental edge. I don’t have a problem with experimentation, but while they're busy working out how many different sounds and ideas they could throw into the mix they seem to have forgot the most important ingredient – a good tune! The music is incoherent and lacks hooks, and though there’s a small number at the front clearly enjoying the gig, they appear to be either pissed or friends of the band.

GROUNDERS

Next up is another local band Heartbeat Hotel. They describe themselves as psychedelic rock which is quite exciting as there’s nothing like good psychedelic rock. Sadly as the band launch into their set, it quickly becomes clear that this is nothing like good psychedelic rock; where psychedelic rock should soar, Heartbeat Hotel sound lumpen.

Disappointed, we make a quick exit and head across the road to El Mocambo where My Little Cheap Dictaphone are performing tonight. At their best they play lush orchestral melodramatic pop mixed with a dark twist (imagine the soundtrack to a David Lynch directed Tales Of The Unexpected). At their worst they sound a bit like Coldplay, but I'm a big fan and this is one of the few gigs I pre-planned to attend.


MY LITTLE CHEAP DICTAPHONE

As they start their set the audience is surprisingly small and reticent, but that doesn’t stop the dapper Belgians giving it their all. With heaps of confidence (or Gaelic arrogance) they play through Tales of a Tragic Genius, a concept album loosely based around the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, with energy, rock posturing and attitude - a fantastically mesmerising and intense performance.

There’s been a lot of buzz about local band Zeus who are playing the Horseshoe Tavern so we head over to see what all the fuss is about. The Horseshoe Tavern is one of Toronto’s liveliest venues and tonight it’s rammed. As we grab a pint the band takes the stage and we attempt to get near the front.


ZEUS

The four guys that make up Zeus play classic 70’s pop rock and remind me of 10cc. A multi-talented bunch, three of the four take turns with lead vocals and, when not on lead, harmonised backing vocals. As if that wasn’t enough they also swap between bass, lead guitars and keys as they rip through a fantastic set. The crowd are going crazy; singing along, whooping, yelping and cheering at every opportunity and, for the first time we’ve seen, dancing!

All images are the copyright of Kevin Lloyd Photography - click HERE for more.
www.punkrockistnichttot.com