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By: Gemma Mastroianni Mac Demarco was the perfect show for a cool Fall evening at Echo Beach in Toronto last night. It was a smaller crowd for Echo Beach, but it made for an intimate setting for the show which many could appreciate. He opened the show with “On The Level” from his most recent album, Here Comes The Cowboy. The crowd was grooving and Demarco and his band were evidently feeling it too as they grooved and danced to the track. Mac explained to us that he woke up not feeling so great, but was now feeling better. He broke his guitar last-night and had to use a rental (pictured above.) Many cigarettes were had throughout the set, but who is really surprised? It’s a vibe at this point. At one point, a fan threw a sandwich for Mac. He investigated the sandwich and discovered it was a Turkey sandwich. He had a couple of bites, enjoyed the moment, and whispered “Delicious” into the mic before continuing the set. He played a variety of tracks from all of his albums including “Cooking Up Something Good,” “Choo Choo,” “Ode to Viceroy,” “Rock and Roll Nightclub,” “My Kind of Woman,” and so much more. If I had to pick, “Still Beating” was definitely my favourite performance. It was slowed down and re-constructed (as he did with a few other tracks) and he really took his time with this one. His vocals were exceptional, as he did a few extended vocal solo’s. Out of the four times I’ve seen Mac live, I’d say this was the most impressive performance. He was open and honest with the crowd about how he had been feeling that day, took the time to bond with the audience, and was evidently taking his time through each song, taking the time to actually feel each song. As mentioned earlier many songs were re-constructed which made for an even more eye-catching performance. Thanks Mac, see you next time!

By: Amanda McMillan Meleina Duterte, aka Jay Som, has a wisdom and a nuanced talent beyond her 25 years, which is something we hear yet again on her third album (in three years!), Anak Ko. With this album in particular, she fits in nicely amongst her contemporaries like Mitski, girlpool, Waxahatchee, and Chastity Belt (which makes sense, given that Annie Truscott is featured on the album). Her alt rock sensibilities are in all the right places, which is a helluva feat for someone who has recorded and produced all her own albums. In comparison to her first two albums, Anak Ko very much feels more mature, more nuanced, with more room to breathe. As a stand alone album, it evokes a sense of self-discovery, exploration, and curiosity. If that doesn’t sum up what it’s like to be 25, then I don’t know what does. One of the most outstanding track is “Peace Out.” From that very first note, it’s wrought with an angst and a heaviness that comes from a break up. As she sings “No hard, no hard feelings” you can feel the duality of that statement being both insincere and desperately wanting to mean it. Its muted chord progression allows for the vocals to pull us in, and while in particularly tender moods, even relive our own heartbreak. However, from the beginning of “If You Want It,” its catchy guitar riff and vibey bass line feels like we’re listening in on that particularly special moment in songwriting and composing where you play something by accident and turn it into a real song. About halfway through the track, the distorted guitar solo feels a touch gratuitous, but that bass line really holds it down and keeps the song from spinning off into space. However, the fun little synth moment that comes in later keeps the song from feeling too repetitive and adds some of Jay Som’s flare. Songs like “Superbike,” “Devotion,” and “Get Well” take guitar nods from 90s pop rock, 80s New Wave, and country respectively. It becomes clear from the onset of this album that Jay Som’s influences are wide, and play a unique role in her songwriting. There is a thread that weaves its way through each song, connective tissue that keeps the album from feeling too all over the place, however what’s going to serve Jay Som in the future is narrowing in on what makes her stand out, beyond her pure musical capability. This album is melancholy, but unlike Mitski, it never makes me cry. It has soft moments such as “Tenderness.” It’s not so much that there is something missing, but rather that this is an artist we’re hearing evolve with every album. This is an artist who is honing her craft. Her instincts are in all the right places, and the more she pushes, the more she creates, and the more she continues to open up her process, the better she’s going to get.

Written by: Michael Del Vecchio Photographed by: Dakota Arsenault Birds of Bellwoods kicked off their Canadian tour at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern to a sold-out crowd. Before the show, I sat down with Adrian Morningstar and Chris Blades, two members of the band, to talk with them about their music and what the band has been been up to lately. Listen below: After the doors opened, people flooded in around the tables, the bar counter and the checkerboard tiles near the stage. Dim light beamed on the crowd and everyone collected for the opening act. Rachel Romu The crowd cheered for Rachel Romu’s relatable, upbeat, angsty, yet fun music. She covered issues with society and relationships, getting the crowd thinking about their own shared experiences with what the songs were about. Finger-picked guitar melodies and R&B-esque drumpad rhythms plucked and pulsed through the tavern. Romu’s vocals were clear and full of emotion, guiding people through her stories and experiences. After a few songs, Romu sheathed her guitar and drew the microphone from the stand. She moved and danced on stage, bringing the tavern’s energy even higher. During her song, “Forget This,” the crowd joined Romu in shouting out the chorus refrain. Onstage and offstage, every step through the set was taken together. Romu took time to thank the tavern and the crowd, while hyping them up for Dakota Mill and Birds of Bellwoods. “My name is Rachel Romu, and I’m fucking pumped to be here.” After Romu’s set finished, in the time before the next act started, Stevie and Chris from Birds of Bellwoods came up to the mic. The crowd cheered, then listened. Stevie explained the situation about their friend fighting stage 3 breast cancer, the donation jar on the merch table, and what it meant to the band. When the show was over, the band posted to social media that people at the show had donated $341.70 into the jar, telling them they all rocked for it. Dakota Mill There was no shortage of excitement in the crowd for the next band. People in the audience wore shirts sporting the Dakota Mill logo, and there was a lot of excited shouting between friends and strangers. When the five-piece ensemble took the stage, the crowd popped off cheers and applause and hollers. The frontman sported a wide-brimmed hat, slick lyrics and an arsenal of indie guitar riffs. The bass player seemed to have a nonstop smile, and the crowd ate up the dynamic performance. Throughout the set, chunks of the crowd moved back and forth from the front of the stage to the bar counter for drinks, like red blood cells pumping in and out of the tavern’s heart. Dakota Mill played a solid set, and the crowd and singer had a great back-and-forth relationship that drew the audience closer to the stage. Birds of Bellwoods Getting to the front of the crowd meant slinking through a sea of tightly-packed, moving bodies that danced and held their arms up to the music. Back near the bar and tables, people stood up the seats for a better view. Everyone wanted a good look at the band, and for good reason. These guys held nothing back during the set: jumping around the stage, shouting with the audience – the singer even crowd surfed. The bass solo during “Roll Your Stone” received the most applause I’ve ever seen a crowd give a bassist. The band writes lines and lyrics so enthralling that sometimes it just can’t be helped, and you just have to join and sing along. Even through the high-caliber energy of the set, Bellwoods remains a finely-tuned machine. They were able to capture the tone and feel of their more folk/east coast-inspired ballads as well, always guiding the crowd through the emotional range of the set. At the end of the night, the members bowed to the crowd. The Horseshoe Tavern was Birds of Bellwoods’ first show in their tour of about 30 Canadian appearances, and their only one in Toronto. If you have the means, check them out to support great music, great people and a great cause. Stay updated on the bands here: instagram.com/rachelromu/ instagram.com/dakotamillmusic/ instagram.com/birdsbellwoods/ Find out when Birds of Bellwoods is coming near you: birdsofbellwoods.com/shows

By: Dakota Arsenault The 2019 Polaris Music Prize that celebrates the best Canadian Album occurred on September 16th, but it was a bit different this time around. Gone were the snappy video tributes with talking heads, lengthy performer introductions by artists peers singing their praises, comedy monologues that poke fun of the people in the room, or even Dwayne Gretzky being the house band. The gala has long run too late into the night, exacerbating the patience of those watching online and patrons and guests in the crowd. Alternatively, host Raina Douris, formerly of CBC now of NPR, did a brief introduction for each band, a land acknowledgment and let the nominated performances do the talking. PUP kicked off the show managing to cram in three songs in an explosion of energy and noise from their nominated record “Morbid Stuff”, setting the tone for a raucous evening. The band performed looking like the traditional punk brats they are, but afterwards changed into attire that would make them look like they worked in a business casual office as opposed to a mosh-pit. Nine of the ten nominated acts performed, which was a new high for me since I have been attending since 2014. Typically some of the acts are on tour and as a result cannot attend, but the lone holdout was Jessie Reyez, who was in attendance and couldn’t perform due to an injury (she had the lone video tribute of the night). I personally made the mistake of believing that this year’s crop of nominees were slightly below average as a whole compared to previous years, but seeing them live helped contextualize their music and made me appreciate even the acts I wasn’t very high on. Highlights included Shad bringing out the 2017 winner Lido Pimenta to perform their song “Magic from A Short Story About a War.” Haviah Mighty brought out her sister Omega Mighty for “Wishy Washy” from her album 13th Floor. Haviah Mighty’s performance came fifth in the night and was the first one to get a standing ovation, a preview of what was to come later one. Dominque Fils-Aimé showed off her powerhouse pipes showing both the gentler and groovier sides of “Stay Tuned!” Snotty Nose Rez Kids got the closing slot of the night, being introduced as only the third act to be short listed two years in a row (a feat shared with Weaves and Drake) to perform songs from Trapline. The duo, Young D and Yung Trybez, jumped around the stage and their DJ, DJ Kookum, sprayed confetti on the crowd. After breezing through the nine fantastic performances, it was time to announce the winner. The time honoured tradition of the previous years winner revealing the new winner was followed through, with Jeremy Dutcher coming on stage with “The Envelope” (another relic that is long gone from is the giant novelty check). Dutcher first asked all the nominated artists to stand up, allowing the crowd to properly acknowledge all ten acts together. He then asked the family, team members and friends of the artists to also stand up letting them know that without their love, support and encouragement none of the nominated records would have been possible. Jeremy Dutcher revealed Brampton’s own Haviah Mighty as the winner of the 2019 Polaris Music Prize for her stunning album 13thFloor. The win served as the first pure hip-hop record to win, as previously Kaytranda’s win in 2016 came the closest for the genre with his blend of electronica and a multitude of other styles. Haviah Mighty talked about making music for years but for the first time in her life made a record that was truly hers, covering subject matters that were important to her. When she performed earlier in the night, she got a standing ovation, and seeing the love and admiration she got when her name was revealed was even louder. While I was taking photos near the front of the stage, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, who featured Haviah’s group The Sorority on their album, erupted into chaos. A Tribe Called Red’s 2oolman who helped produce the record was in attendance was beaming afterwards. Jeremy Dutcher stared in awe watching the young woman give her impassioned speech (made up on the spot since she thought she had no chance of winning). The win capped off a terrific evening celebrating the best music from Canada with a very deserving winner. Now excuse me, I need to keep listening to all the great new music coming out in order to be prepared for next year’s gala.

By: Kevin Brown In support of his new EP, “Saudade”, Woodbridge Ontario’s Chris LaRocca took to the stage at the Mod Club Wednesday night with fellow Toronto artists, Kiana and Ejji Smith providing opening sets. Ejji Smith Kiana Chris LaRocca

By: Tressa Mastroianni It’s been three years since alternative pop artist BANKS, otherwise known as Jillian Rose Banks, has released an album. It has also been two years since she’s been on tour however, BANKS released her third studio album in July 2019 entitled “III” and kicked the III Tour off at REBEL in downtown Toronto. She certainly came back with power and captivation on the commencement of this tour. BANKS put on a great performance, hitting impressive notes to perfectly executing the choreography. This was a show well-suited to the fan base from the lyrics to the electronic-pop elements, as well as the fitting contemporary-jazz choreography.She certainly tapered her performance to everyone who feels they’ve been mistreated, stepped on and unappreciated. Every note she hit, and every dance move her and the back up dancers made was filled with empowerment and healing. I left this performance wondering ‘Who hurt you’? But also ‘I’m glad they did because…what a great performance’. BANKS announced during the show that she’s been working on the album and the “movements” for the show for two years. You can certainly see the work she’s been doing in the entirety of the performance as it was perfectly wrapped together. This is an alternative pop performer I can see in larger venues or arenas based on this well-rounded performance. From time to time during the performance, the lights, choreography and lyrics tended to remind me of Ariana Grande. I would have liked to hear a few more songs from BANKS’ first two studio albums, though this was the tour for her new album so I can’t be too harsh on that. Although I felt this was a complete performance, I would say that some of BANKS songs can tend to sound redundant and so this might leave one feeling a bit dull and underwhelmed during the performance, as I did at times. For a true BANKS fan who knows all the lyrics and really feels them, I’d say there were no shortcomings. Lights/Backdrop: 7/10 Stage Presence: 9/10 Captivation: 7/10 Overall Performance: 7.5/10

Photographed by: Valentina Caballero Bob Moses and Phantogram performed a double headlining show at The Danforth Music Hall last Friday. Bob Moses is an impressive live show. Most would assume, when listening to recordings, that it would be a DJ-style live show however, it is five people doing it all live. Although the mix was ever so slightly off (the drums were too loud), it was still incredibly impressive. They sure know how to hype up a crowd and make smooth transitions. Then came Phantogram. The moody duo began the show with plenty of fog, as they gazed into eachother’s eyes while opening the show with “News Today.” They’ve come a long way, originally being a duo and now performing so in sync with their full-band. It is truly an entertaining show filled with a variety of light sequences, songs that will make you want to dance, and trippy visuals. Singer, Sarah Barthel, explained that the past three years have been absolute hell for her. She opened up to the crowd and shared that her sister committed suicide and it hasn’t gotten easier for her. She made it known that she encourages those struggling to get help, as we all deserve to be here.

Written by: Gemma Mastroianni Photographed by: Gemma Mastroianni and Jared Burke I sat down with Metric’s lead guitarist, James Shaw, at Osheaga this year. The Canadian music legends were taking the Coors Light Mountain stage at 6:15 p.m. (which they absolutely killed), and I got to hang out a few hours before and chat all things Metric, guitar pedals, and streaming. This was Shaw’s eighth time at Osheaga, being one of his favourite festivals. He admires playing in Montréal to begin with as he generally loves the city, appreciates the side by side stage setup, and believes that Osheaga has a great vibe and energy overall. Metric’s most recent album, ‘Art of Doubt’, dropped this past September. Stylistically, they wanted to revisit an older version of their sound, and collaberate it with their newer releases. He described the earlier days as “scrappy, wirey” and “rough around the edges.” He went on to explain that over the years thing became more produced and intrically arranged including more synthesizers with a broader palette. In order to get this sound, the band felt as though hiring an outside producer was the way to go so that Shaw could strictly focus on playing guitar. “I didn’t really want to have too much of a critical ear in the process. I just wanted to create and not be judgemental of myself, or primarily anyone else in the band. Giving that role to somebody else really helped accomplish that.” I wanted to dive a bit more into the technicalities of their old and new sound that he described so intricately. We could’ve gotten super in depth and technical, but we kept the conversation to guitar pedals. In the past, Shaw used a Boss OC-3 pedal, which goes for approximately $49.00. He said that he never turned it off, “I’d have to drive all the way down and the level control was my volume, and that’d be my basic tone. Now, there’s a lot of things to create that basic tone.” Nowadays, Shaw said he uses lot’s of H9’s, which he said is “very underrated.” He explained that people understand that it does so many things but are afraid of it because of how complex it can be to coordinate. “You have to go deep with it and program on an App or computer, and it’s kind of daunting for people. Once you get in it just sounds so good, and so maluable.” As for the overall progression of the Indie Rock scene, Shaw is unsure of how things will evolve. As things have become much more synthesized and electronic over the years, it was something that people could see coming. “When we started, Emily was playing with a bunch of circuits at the front of the stage, like an analogue mono-synth. People in the indie rock scene thought it had to go, like it wasn’t White Stripes or garagey enough for people. It was a synth from the 80’s and not like a piggyback amp from the 50s, which was way more on trend at that time.” He explained that around that time, synths progressively became more popular but now, it feels as though this has all been explored, in a good way, “There doesn’t need to be a huge resurgence of something because everyones using everything. There’s Indie bands using ableton, and there are DJ’s using banjos, so where do you go from there?” One thing that Metric ensures is that they take listening to their fans very seriously, which is how they have grown succesfuly with their audience, “There has to be a conversation and care for what they want out of us.” Although they do deeply care about what their fans want, he did explain that it has to be a combination of what they want, along with what the band is feeling because true fans want to see them do exactly what they want to do. Shaw is inspired by careers such as Neil Young, Johny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. He explained to me that there were low points in their careers, yet they continued to be successful because of their dedicated fanbase. “I’m kind of becoming more fascinated with artists that somehow have an amazing beginning of their career, middle, and amazing end. For an artist like Tame Impala, they’re still in the begining, they haven’t even entered the middle. I feel like for us, were just now entering the middle, and it’s going to be a long interesting road for the middle.”

Shot and written by: Gemma Mastroianni When I found out I was attending Osheaga this year, I truly couldn’t be more stoked. When I found out just days before that I’d be interviewing one of my favourite artists Kurt Vile, I was even more excited. As much as I wanted to attend his show in Toronto at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre the night before, I was on a road trip to Montreal so I was unable. With that being said, Vile had just woken up from the evening on his tour-bus right before we began chatting. Vile said he was excited and ready to play Osheaga, as he knew they would be better than last-time. I was confused hearing this, thinking back to when I saw him four years ago in Oro-Medonte at another festival- in fact it was one of my favourite sets, and one that I still rave to my friends about to this day. Sure, there wasn’t much banter or smoke and mirrors but, the vibe was exactly what it needed it to be. A mid afternoon in the summer with some chilled out Indie Rock. I remember being amazed at the consistency of the band as they played “Wakin on a Pretty Day.” Vile explained that the last performance was good but they were lacking experience and were still trying to figure it out. He went on to say, “I don’t drink anymore and that helps me perform better. Back then, I was definitely drinking plenty,” he continued, “It was fun and it was worth it. No apologies.” Vile has been touring plenty over the past couple of years. Following his release with Courtney Barnett, ‘Lotta Sea Lice,”and ‘Bottle It In’ that were released in October 2018, he’s certainly had his hands full. I was curious how he copes with such a busy touring schedule. “It took a lot to figure it out. I used to be more unhealthy. It’s a constant battle really, getting like sleep or, not partying too much. I do Ayurveda which is like natural herbs and things that help. I try to get as much sleep as possible.” Ayurveda is a traditional Hindu system of medicine that is based on idea of balance in bodily systems and utilizes diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing. When we chatted about the new album, Vile said he was most pleased with the title track, ‘Bottle It In.” He drove from the desert in LA after playing at Stagecoach to record the track. It was spontaneous and candid, which is how he describes the album as a whole. As his earlier tracks are a bit more psychedelic, he also considers this a nice merger of AM/FM Rock while implementing the psychedelic style back into it. These days, he can be found listening to lots of new music such as Chris Cohen, Big Thief, Alice Hardy, and even Miley Cyrus, who he describes as his favourite Popstar. “I met her at Primavera recently and Liz Fair (who was like a God to me in my teens) and I hadn’t met her yet and were label-mates. Me and Liz fair were equally just waiting to meet Miley Cyrus like fangirls and then it happened, and it was amazing.” He likes her new releases such as ‘Mothers Daughter’ and “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.” “I respect Miley a lot. She’s pretty outrageous, but she’s with the time. She’s in her element.” He also respects Billie Eilish, and mentioned how her mom is a fan of his. Nardwuar even gifted Eilish a Kurt Vile record in a recent interview: In terms of what you can expect for new music from Vile, things are always evolving in his perspective. Although he couldn’t fully define what was next, just know it’ll be great.

By: Kevin Brown Friday night at the Velvet Underground featured an all Toronto lineup, headlined by the energetic hard rock outfit DEAR-GOD, formerly known as Crack Baby. The wide variety of genres that Toronto has to offer was on full display with the opening sets from Legendofshiloh, TyriqueOrDie and Native Other ranging from alternative to house infused hip-hop. Check out photos below.

By: Kevin Brown Toronto artists Enoch Ncube and David May, also known as MONEYPHONE, played the Drake Underground last Wednesday night in support of their new EP “Assembly” and 2018 release “Athletes”. The duo delivered their experimental pop set with the help from fellow Toronto-based artist Jonah Yano, who also opened the night playing songs off his debut project “nervous”. Check out photos from the night below.