Toronto-grown 4-piece band BLANKS define themselves as post-punk which is hard to argue with but the night, starting 8 o’clock sharp, had a bit of a retro vibe. Like the mid-90s high school movies, it’s the kind of music Kat Stratford would’ve listened to in 10 Things I Hate About You, a theme that counted through to the end of this day. The BLANKS put on a clean 20 minute set setting fairly high expectations for performance and sound. Their newest track “If you fall” is now out on Spotify.

Natalie Lynn, The Rivoli

Indie-pop-rock, modern and nostalgic is how Lynn is described in her bio and following the 90s vibes of the night, she fit the bill well. Hailing from Nova Scotia, Natalie Lynn recently settled in Toronto and was happy to play the Riverfest Showcase. Her debut single “One” is a great example of that and was brought to life on stage with an acoustic guitar and her impressively mighty voice that may have taken the room by surprise. This small crowd was really into the set, cheering up Lynn and her band from up close.

Harlequin Gold, Cameron House

A dynamic female duo from Vancouver, Harlequin Gold are sisters Elle and Avery O’Brien. Walking into the Cameron House the sound of their set was upbeat and welcoming. Their music is infectiously catchy and easy to listen to undoubtedly created by their perfectly harmonized voices as can be heard in “Youth.” Technically, they were not actually on the CMW bill for this day but they did play a set at Lee’s Palace, another staple venue, on Saturday night so we’re going to go ahead and consider it a match. Self-titled debut EP dropping later this summer.

Gone Sugar Die, Horseshoe Tavern

Continuing the night at the Horseshoe for The King Khan & BBQ Show up next were Gone Sugar Die, a pop-indie duo from LA/Vancouver. This was the duo’s first time in Toronto and were visibly excited to be here. Patrick McWilliams and Mike Hindert make music to dance to and have that played back LA vibe to them reminiscent of street performers in Venice Beach, and don’t take this the wrong way, many of those are Juilliard graduates practicing their acts. The duo played a handful of upbeat tracks including a cover of the Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated” to a slowly tiring audience trying to find a second wind.

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For this CMW Tasha was opening for no one other than Azealia Banks – a promising evening, to say the least. The night was off to a slow start and started at what Tasha described as “basically noon on a Wednesday” (aka 8 pm). By the time Tasha stepped out, or rather ran out, on stage less than half of the venue was filled but she made sure to thank everyone for coming out. Dressed in bright neon, which seems to be a big part of her brand these days, this Amazon opened the set with a classic: “My Level.” A  hype track with some pretty heavy and dark beats, the kinda tune that will shake the dance floor. She went through a few tracks, old and new, from “That Ain’t You” to “Picasso Leaning.” Everyone got to participate for “Prayer” – ‘When you hear what’s the prayer you put two gun fingers in the air and go brap brap brap … that’s the prayer.’ Her clean rhymes and sharp lyrics were, unfortunately, not at their best this evening, which can be attributed to the sound in the venue: the bass was drowning her voice out and the half-empty room was eating it all up.

And then we went on a break. Like a classy lady, Azealia Banks was nearly an hour late to start her set. Some people were enjoying each other’s company, some were blankly staring into space, others were having photos and Snapchat shoots and dancing in stilettos. Finally, the queen of the night came out on stage, loud, furious, rapping, with her own wind and her own wine. A few tracks into the set the dance floor filled producing a healthy cloud of marijuana. To mix things up Azealia sang a cappella and talked about her brief relationship with Canada (Montreal and wine). A couple of people got escorted out of the room for smoking as Azealia carried on. The crowd managed to regain some energy eventually, particularly for the encore performance of “Liquorice” and “1991,” but the overall set, suffering from the same issues as Tasha the Amazon was rough around the edges. Azealia herself did not bring much wisdom to the stage either, whether on purpose or some other reason she simply worked through her set keeping the controversial voice and opinions to herself. Perhaps we all expected a little more, or maybe it was just the slow wait that drained the passion out.

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The evening showcased Del, Amaka Queenette, Haf n’ haf, and Denver Haylee. The venue has a dark teenage bedroom or garage vibe with records with handwritten labels stapled to the wall. The performers were all local, young talent, pulling songs from the lifespan of their repertoire, granted most of them don’t have pockets filled with songs so filling 45 minutes of stage time can be challenging.

The night kicked off with Del, a Nigerian-Canadian artist who works to blend cultures and sounds from across the world. Del started rapping at the age of 14 and has a couple of releases behind his belt: debut EP Glen Road, 2016 and Songs About Her, 2018. Del puts a lot of effort into his lyrics which carry well in a live performance with good annunciation and smooth vocals.

Amaka Queenette [cover image], next on stage, describes her lyrics as “unrushed and thoughtful” aiming to evoke feelings of “nostalgia and sentimentality.” Her performance was strong and inviting, engaging the small audience into a light conversation without too much effort. Amaka worked through her Vacant EP and a few extras before giving the stage up for the next performer, Haf n’ haf.

Joshua Bourgouin D’Aguiar, aka Haf n’ haf, is a Toronto-West End-bred hip hop artist. Looking at his bio, Haf n’ haf has been trying to build his presence for a while: “countless talent shows, showcases, radio shows, house parties, and local events, independently recorded 4 full-length original projects, among many other creative endeavors.” He recently released a 5-track collaborative EP, Haf Pack of Woods (cue audience claps) and has an LP dropping this summer. The small venue was lightly filled and as Haf pointed out it was mostly friends and family. The few ‘strangers’ were ambitiously singing along, dancing, and shouting out encouraging words. A few tracks into the set he invited Lincoln Woods on stage to drop some rhymes. Woods, wearing a loose Hudson Bay button-up and a blonde mustache, is not your typical image of a rapper but the audience was pleasantly surprised with his sharp and clean lyricism, a contrast to Haf’s “laidback cadence.”

Toronto-based R&B/Soul artist Denver Haylee was last on the bill to close out the opening night. Accompanied by two backup singers and four band members, Denver stood her ground barefoot in the center of the stage, playing with her mermaid-inspired outfit. With a gentle, rehearsed voice she announced that all songs are written by “yours truly.” This proud grand prize winner of the Honey Jam Canada 2018 Programme carried herself like a queen throughout the set. In her own words (or the words of her publicist) Denver’s upcoming EP, The Elements of Love (also coming this summer), “highlights instances of affection, peace, compassion, and mercy throughout intimate relationships while celebrating the ability that men have to love passionately.” That theme was threaded through her CMW set and stories she shared between songs while calling the audience to join her mission love and compassion.

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Kaydee at Tattoo Queen West: A local rapper coming from nowhere other than Mississauga – which we’ve noticed over the last couple years is a home base to many of Toronto’s wordsmiths. Born as Kwesi Williams, Kaydee was introduced to hip hop as a kid by his older brother. He recently released a 21-track album called The Transition, featuring arms-length artists like BKS members JAI.R and WXLA.

We walked into the show just as Williams hit the stage at the half-filled Tattoo. It was immediately clear that Kaydee has a lot of passion for what he does and for his community. His hard-hitting lyrical rapping style lives on much better in a live show, there is something about his voice that does not translate as impressive on record, though that could be the fault of a budget production. Working the stage from side to side with occasional melodic back up singers, Kaydee quickly gained respect of that stiff audience, inviting them to join him on stage near the end. This kid is a golden child, in his mama’s words, and he’s living up to it. Let’s wait and see who he grows up to be as an artist.

Xavier Rudd & The United Nations at The Opera House: Whether you’re sipping a glass of merlot or standing in the balcony at a Xavier Rudd & The United Nations show, you can expect similar results: a drop in blood pressure and increased affection for the strangers around you. Front man Rudd, (who would probably prefer to be referred to as Xavier) lit-up The Opera House stage with his eight-piece band, The United Nations, as part of CMW’s spotlight on Australia. Barefoot, tanned, and grinning from ear-to-ear, Xavier and the band, which among others included two back-up singers, a wooden flutist, and a warrior keyboardist, delivered a reggae-fused rock set that showcased the group’s 2015 album release, Nanna. Playing off the album’s symphonic sound, it truly felt like a live jam session around a bonfire. It definitely delivered Xavier’s feel good message of one love.

HolloH at Parts & Labour: A Toronto based DJ/producer duo, blending heavy beats, deep house and hard-hitting techno. Having gained attention from the likes of Skream and Basement Jaxx, HolloH have already appeared on last year’s TIME Festival bill and will  undoubtedly be someone you’ll stand in line to see in the near future. Their CMW showcase, however, wasn’t the best environment. Having just hosted a Vice party, Parts & Labour emptied out before HolloH got on stage. There must have been all of ten people in the club and lets be frank, thats a couple dozen too few to make a dance party happen, though the music warranted the potential for a solid sweaty one. We’ll make an effort to find them the next time the boys come out to play live.

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Milk & Bone at The Great Hall: This adorable Montreal duo are more than a pair of pretty faces; they’ve got a big electronic groove that radiates throughout their performances, just as it did at The Great Hall set at CMW. Peddling dreamy vocals backed by heavily synthesized beats, Camille and Laurence, who recently released their debut album Little Mourning, opened the Osheaga 10^th Year Anniversary Party. Looking a lot more like sisters than just friends, these young women presented serious vocal power and a quiet stage presence that was both endearing and impressive. While they’re just getting started, expect to hear these two on a dream-pop electronic station near you with the likes of Young Galaxy, Purity Ring, and Grimes (Canadian power!).

K.I.D at The Great Hall: Another Osheaga anniversary showcase, these three are a force of 90s pop. The sound is reminiscent of No Doubt and The Cardigans. The band consists of Kara Lane, lead vocals, her brother Bobby MoonBeam, synth and vocals, and Alex Biro on drums. For this show the band was also joined by a rather eccentric guitar player, who may have just brought back the turtle neck plus dad jeans combo back to life. K.I.D is an acronym for Kids In Despair and whatever their despair is, it seems like a good inspiration for music. We were pleasantly surprised and heavily entertained by the stories and synchronized dance moves. The music itself took us back to high school and well, there is definitely nothing wrong with that.

Verbal Jint & Illionaire at Revival Bar: Here’s what I learned from CMW’s K-Pop Night Out: 1. Covers of Western music make-up a large portion of South Korean popular music and 2. The fans go nuts for it.

Performing at a laser-lit Revival Bar, the line-up of rising Korean talent, which included rappers Verbal Jint, Dok2 and The Quiett from independent label ILLIONAIRE RECORDS, seemed understandably ecstatic to be playing. While these musicians have each accrued a dedicated Korean fan base, playing at a festival that is dedicated primarily to Canadian music had the potential for empty rooms. Luckily, the venue was packed and the crowd happily screamed/sang along with just about every lyric, getting extra loud for a beat drop. Although these artists were similar in sound, Verbal Jint seemed to bring a softer, more R&B focused approach, while Dok2 and The Quiett stuck to strictly spitting Korean rhymes (mixed with a little English). Despite my own language barrier, the crowd’s energy was palpable and this showcase proved to be not only intriguing, but a lesson in culture.

Ivory Hours at The Dakota Tavern: Prior to seeing the Ivory Hours live, I had a bit of an idea of what to expect. Based on the band’s brightly coloured, pop-indie music videos that feature dancing, tons of denim, and a pretty great time, I was sure that their CMW set would be enjoyable. And you know what? I wasn’t disappointed. Based out of London, Ontario, and fronted by Luke Roes, the three-piece band performed peppy tracks off their EPs, Mary and Two Keys, that kept the crowd moving along with the band’s high-energy performance. Playing to a half-filled Dakota Tavern, they delivered a show that, though at times sounded a bit strained, was overall heartfelt and well received.

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Vogue Dots at the Rivoli: A charming producer duo from Halifax, Babette Hayward and Tynan Dunfield were the first on the Saturday night’s bill at the Rivoli. The room was already partially occupied from a private party as the CMW attendees wandered in. Hayward and Dunfield were facing each other for most of the show complementing each others compositions vocally and on keys. The duo have recently released their Mauka EP which was a lovely combination of melancholic vocals with dark electronic noise smoothed out by nocturnal overtones, equally well presented in a live performance. In retrospect, Vogue Dotes are a band you should take your date to dance a little or hide in a dark corner, whatever your level of PDA is.

LYON at the Drake Underground: After playing a well received show at the MOD Club on Friday night, Lauren Malyon, aka LYON, played a surprise show at the Drake Underground with a smaller band. With a limited, but solid repertoire of synth-pop tracks Malyon has already been noticed by media but is yet to find her inevitable big break.

Wolf Saga at the Drake Underground: The first time I heard Wolf Saga was a track called “You Are Hear Now.” It was shared with me by a friend and made a rather inspirational morning walk to work. A solo project of Johnny Saga, Wolf Saga has been compared to M83 and Phoenix and that resemblance is very noticeable both live as well as on record. Saga performed by himself and while at times it did feel like he barely had enough hands to make the sound happen, his ability to multitask and the fired-up fan club made the show a fun and memorable one.

HUMANS at The Great Hall: West Coast duo made up of Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq. HUMANS are a combination of indie-pop lyrics and electronic beats accented by a variety of drums, a set of notes that illustrates experience and skill. Having toured across North America’s major festivals, Slade and Ricq definitely know how to impress a crowd. Illuminated by a blow up honey comb mountain (not sure exactly what it was but let’s call it that), the show was a promise of an intense dance party, but due to some venue restrictions the dance floor was partially filled with a scattered crowd while a big number of fans were pouting on the balcony where all of the wristbands were exiled to. Watch out for these two, we bet their big break is just around the corner.

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Clairmont The Second at Tattoo: I don’t really know what “the X factor” means, but I do know that, at just 17-years-old, Toronto’s Clairmont The Second is an artist (not rapper, as he cleared-up) who’s got a whole lot of chutzpah and talent going on. Spitting his own verses on his own beats, the lanky teen took command of the stage as part of CMW’s The Known Unknown presentation, also featuring JAHKOY and GoldLink. It’s not easy being the opener, tasked with warming-up the crowd, but whether the venue was populated with his fans or first-time listeners, it didn’t really matter; there’s likely not much that could rattle this young man’s confidence. Clairmont’s home-grown lyrics about nose rings, public transit, and Adventure Time may be green, but they’re heartfelt and sprouting roots that, in time, have the potential to grow deeper. Stay tuned.

Stu Larsen at The Rivoli: Australian folk singer, Stu Larsen, may have stolen a few tricks from the pied piper. Strumming songs that lulled The Rivoli crowd away from Queen Street’s busy CMW hum, Larsen’s serene vocals – not unlike James Taylor’s – were captivating. Quite frankly, I could’ve listened to him all night. Decked out in a trademark messenger cap over his long, golden locks, he was joined by Natsuki Kurai, a musician who just might be the David Blaine of harmonicas. During one song, Kurai created an incredible harmonica beat that bounced between a train and an electric guitar. I looked, but couldn’t find any signs that he is, in fact, a robot, which might better explain this man’s harmonic speed and agility. A pair that were a real treat to watch, especially with a cold beer in hand.

FIDLAR at The Horseshoe: I’ve never seen a mosh pit break out at The Horseshoe, but that all changed during FIDLAR’s highly anticipated CMW set. An acronym for “Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk”, this Los Angeles-based skate punk band had its rowdy crowd swinging from beams and throwing drinks two songs in. These guys are fun. And loud. And don’t take life too seriously. Although their in-your-face delivery isn’t for everyone, this band knows how to unleash an electric riff and create a real, palpable reaction in their fans. Like, you can smell it. With songs that range from topics like booze to bills to weed and rehab, their frenetic performance kept the whole place lit, from start to finish. Showcasing a variety of new songs, these guys gave the testosterone-fuelled room exactly what they came for: a show where they could release their inhibitions and dive head-first into a sea of beer and sweat.

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One of the biggest bills of the evening was Låpsley (Holly Lapsley Fletcher) with special guests at The Drake Underground. This electronic singer-songwriter from Britain’s Merseyside, packed a solid, dedicated crowd. Many were obviously established fans, singing along to the soothing sounds of Fletcher’s melodic voice. Her classical upbringing shows mostly in the depth of her voice and keyboards, the way in which these elements cross into contemporary is seamless and careful. Just as on Understudy EP , her live show is smooth and well produced, gently treading around high notes.

A few blocks over Syzzors, Montreal-based dream pop trio, were starting up their set at The Smiling Buddha. Syzzors’ sound picks up from a multitude of genres from pop/rock to electronic with some folk notes in the background, underwriting the digital base. With the first beat it became clear that the lead vocalist, Raphaëlle Chouinard, is the glowing core of the band. With a self-described “dark, sexy vibe”, Chouinard powered through a couple tracks before introducing the band to the crowd. It was also quite clear she was aware of her worth and spotlight, commenting on other band member’s incompetence and snapping at them to catch up, Chouinard came off as a bit of a tomboy diva. So while the performance was undeniably worth to stay for, Chouinard’s “chop chop” attitude towards the rest of the band deserves a slap on the wrist.

photos by Marcin Barciak

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Melbourne-based musician, Yeo, makes big, bright, electro-pop with an ambient touch. Last year’s hazy single, “Girl”, and his new song, the infectious “Kobe”, have helped generate more than a little Internet buzz around his synth-y anthems. Quip recently caught up with him during his CMW showcase to talk about his musical background and his forthcoming EP.

Eric Smale: What made you first start playing music? Have you been doing it for a long time?

Yeo: Yeah, I’ve been doing it for about nine, ten years now, which is a really big number in my head (laughs). But I started because – I was kind of just mucking around with it, and I was always naturally good at music, but didn’t know what to do with it. I finally put together some stuff that was completely mine, and then it got played on national radio in Australia, and that kind of gave me the confidence to keep going, you know what I mean?

ES: Was there a specific artist or album growing up that made you initially want to start doing your own stuff?

Y: Obviously, as you grow up listening to music, you think you like things or you genuinely like things, and they kind of mold your sensibilities. But after a while, when you reach a particular stage, there’s one guy or a band who comes by and knocks you off your feet. That guy was Pharrell. And this was old Pharrell – I mean, I like the stuff he’s doing now, but the stuff he was doing back in N.E.R.D., that was my jam, that was what I liked, and I tried to copy him a lot. Then he copied me. I released a song called ‘Girl’ and then he put – (laughs) no, I’m not going to claim that.

ES: Your music draws from many different genres and sounds, but it still fits into a pop format. What is it about pop music that you find so compelling?

Y: I like how accessible pop forms are to the general public. You can still be very intelligent, deep and meaningful within pop. And that’s what I try to do, basically. There’s some stuff that I like that is not accessible, like noisecore, bands like Atari Teenage Riot, stuff that you wouldn’t show to your kids or whatever, because it’s quite obscene. They wouldn’t get it. And I listen to all that because I like it and I’m a musician. But I think music is not only for musicians, it’s for everyone to share, and that’s why I like pop music.

ES: Do you consider yourself more of a songwriter or producer? Or are those categories too blurry to separate now?

Y: They’re the same these days. Everyone’s doing it too, everybody’s producing their own stuff, recording it in their bedrooms or in their garages and then putting it out, just by themselves. And that’s how I work too. I just kind of do it as I go, song by song, I don’t try to put an album together, it’s just one at a time, until I’m happy with it, say I’m finished, then keep moving.

ES: Can you tell us anything about your forthcoming EP?

Y: Yes! I can. There’s four tracks on it and two of them are already out. It’s all along the same lines of this cinematic, ’80s, dance anthem kinda thing that’s going on, really atmospheric. It should be dropping later this year, hopefully not too late. And I can’t wait to put it out. There’s a limited edition vinyl release of it as well, really limited, that we’ve handmade ourselves and done all together, but it’ll also be available digitally, so keep your ears and eyes out for that.

ES: What one song, written by someone else, do you wish you could call your own?

Y: There’s this song by a Californian guy called Blake Mills, it’s called “It’ll All Work Out”. It’s an alt-folk tune, it’s not electronic dance, but I have a – I’m wearing a Gillian Welch shirt now, because I’m a big country and folk fan, and I wish I wrote that song. It’s all about [the idea that] everything’s going to be fine. There’s so much bullshit going on right now, but everything’s gonna be okay. And he talks through all of the stuff in his life that’s troubling him, but he convinces himself that everything’s going to be okay, and I think that’s so special. I wish I had the ability to put that kind of insight into a song.

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Mooch, St. John’s, at Rancho Relaxo

Mooch, a trio from St. John’s, Newfoundland, played a riotous, sweaty set at Rancho Relaxo’s CMW showcase. The band, comprised of Nifty, Crafty, and Shifty, play the kind of sludgy, loud grunge that would have been right at home in an opening slot for Mudhoney or Dinosaur Jr. Their music ventures into that space between punk and metal, with overdriven, ragged tunes meant to be played at top volume. Occasionally, their songs would twist and turn with a swagger reminiscent of a cruder version of ’60s rock bands like Cream or Led Zeppelin. But it’s the simplicity and un-self-conscious nature of songs like “My Own” that makes Mooch endearing, at least as a live band. It doesn’t hurt that the band are clearly having fun on stage, which goes a long way in a booze-soaked club to getting people to let go and join in the abandon.

No Age, Los Angeles, at the MOD Club

Next up was L.A. art-punk duo No Age, playing at the MOD Club to a surprisingly thin crowd (due in large part to scheduling conflicts, no doubt). Nonetheless, the band hit the stage with little fanfare and gave an honest, sweltering performance drenched in cacophony. It’s actually incredible, the sheer amount of noise and sound that comes from these two guys on stage. While the drummer / singer Dean Allen Spunt seems largely responsible for holding down a minimal, pounding beat (and shouting out the songs’ deceptively-tuneful hooks), it’s really the guitarist, Randy Randall, who takes the credit for their signature clouds of sonic detritus, with layers and layers of seething, frothing guitar noise under any given song’s main riff or progression.

Much less overtly experimental live than on record, their set pulled from across their three Sub Pop records, with a slight emphasis on the lo-fi abstraction of new album, An Object, and the more streamlined, shoegaze-meets-punk sound of their breakthrough album Nouns. Songs from the new record like ‘C’mon Stimmung’ and ‘Lock Box’ were reduced to their rawest elements, with walls of feedback and noise bubbling up only for brief passages. Older tracks like ‘Teen Creeps’ and ‘Brain Burner’ retained their original spirit, intense noise-punk songs relentless in their abandon.

It’s true that some of their more experimental, layered stuff sounds considerably less textured live, just because it’s so loud and hard to parse the different layers. But that’s part of the charm and what makes No Age a punk band at heart, despite their artsier inclinations: there’s a kind of bliss to be found in the sheer volume and density of sound coming from Randall’s side of the stage, literal walls of distortion and abrasive noise loops that are virtually impossible to sort through. And just as the brief blast of one song dissipates, another begins.

Port Juvee, Calgary, at Dakota Tavern

Calgary garage band Port Juvee played a spirited late-night set at the Dakota Tavern, showcasing their brand of catchy, Strokes-esque guitar rock. With dry, angular beats, propulsive basslines and scrappily melodic guitars, Port Juvee make music that strikes a delicate balance between hook-driven rock and raw, composed garage punk. Their short set delivered songs that could either place them on boutique indie rock lists or land them on mainstream radio, or, as seems to be the case with ubiquitous crossover bands like The Killers and Metric, both in due time.

Little Dragon, Gothenburg Sweden, at the Kool Haus

On the other side the kids gathered for the Indies. It was obvious the younger crowd was there for Born Ruffians and The Hidden while everyone over 23, quite frankly most of the room, patiently waited for the Little Dragon set.

Standing in the spotlight in her kimono inspired crisp green dress Yukimi Nagano started off the showcase with some low-key tracks putting the audience into an awe-filled sway. Fairly quickly the band moved into the newer, faster, more aggressive tracks from the newly released Nabuma Rubberband album. “Klapp Klapp” immediately set the crowd in motion. While Nagano was pacing the stage, Fredrik Wallin, Håkan Wirenstrand, Erik Bodin (not your typical electronic music looking crew) dropped the weight of the world on the Kool House.

Little Dragon are a band that make dance music, a-typical to the dance music genre, it’s not the kind of stuff you’d hear in a club, only the kool house parties (no pun intended). They seemed to have already achieved their greatness, the performance is removed, emotionless, almost mechanical, though it could just be Nagano’s personality.

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Quilt, Boston, at The Great Hall

Boston-based band, Quilt, kicked off Friday’s CMW proceedings at The Great Hall. The band plays Byrds-esque, psychedelic folk rock complete with four-part harmonies and duelling guitars. Their set was captivating right from the first note, a flange-y wash of guitars shimmering over a light, propulsive rhythm section.

Unlike the more song-oriented scope of their most recent album, Held in Splendor, Quilt’s live set was expansive, allowing the relatively condensed album tracks to blow out past their structures into noisier, more improvised territory. And the guitar interplay between Anna Fox Rochinski and Shane Butler is where Quilt’s unique musical identity really flourishes; in a live setting, at least, the bright, major-chord progressions and harmonized vocals of Quilt’s songs become more a vehicle for these dynamic, minimalist jams. But this isn’t to say that their songs lack character at all; rather, the band uses their sweet, whimsical excursions into ’60s psychedelia as a jumping off point for these wonderfully loose and dynamic instrumental moments. The band put on a great show and maintained a communal presence and synchronicity (despite their songs’ abrupt shifts in tempo and groove), throughout their hypnotic performance.

Woods, Brooklyn, at The Great Hall

When Brooklyn-based experimental folk band, Woods, took to the stage, it was immediately clear that this is not the same band that recorded such lo-fi, haunted albums as Songs of Shame (2009) and At Echo Lake (2010). As shown on their last couple of records, and new album With Light and With Love in particular, Woods have stepped out of the shadows of their murky, homespun sound and moved into a clearer and cleaner register.

Their set focused largely on the streamlined, Beatles-meets-R.E.M. folk pop of the new album, eschewing the experimentalism of their past for a grander, more robust presentation. Their current lineup, which has singer/guitarist Jeremy Earl joined by a four piece band (drums, organ, lead guitar and bass), felt like a well-oiled machine, running through songs from the band’s increasingly solid catalogue like veterans. From “Cali in a Cup” to new single “Leaves Like Glass” and late-set highlight, “With Light and With Love”, Woods demonstrated that they can pull off jangly, tuneful indie pop as well as anyone.

Operators,  Montreal, at The Silver Dollar Room

The anticipation and energy was electric for Operators, the new synth-punk project from indie fixture, Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits). With no recordings available yet (they recently finished a record in Montreal with Arcade Fire producer Howard Bilerman) and virtually no label promotion to speak of, their three-night residency at the super-small Silver Dollar felt like a chance to experience something rare and potentially huge.

Picking up more or less where the electro-rock supergroup Divine Fits left off (drummer, Sam Brown holds down the groove in both), Operators is an invigorating take on aggressive, synthetic pop music. Unlike so much modern electronic music, Operators forego the onstage laptop to create angular, ecstatic dance music with real instruments in real time, with Boeckner and fellow knob-twiddler Devojka hunched over a tangled array of analog synths, samplers and sequencers, both dancing to Brown’s processed beats. As a concert experience, it was the polar opposite of the EDM tent, laptop-and-laser spectacle – a sweaty future-punk show that lived up to Boeckner’s description of Fugazi meets New Order.

The songs are unmistakably Boeckner’s though, nervy and brash and catchy, but they skew towards some of the most vital, immediate, hook-laden music he’s made so far. And after Japandroids came on stage to join Boeckner for a cover of Wolf Parade’s “This Heart’s on Fire”, it was all over as quick as it began. Consider it a taste of good things to come. [Bottom image]

ASTR, New York, at Tattoo

ASTR are a New York based, electronic pop/R&B duo. Earlier in the week BROODS gave ASTR on-stage props and Tattoo proved to be one of the busiest venues for CMW, but these two have got some serious bad bitches fan-base. Zoe, the singer, danced across the stage whipping her ponytail, her petite girlish figure in a crop top. ASTR brings together some soft, lyrical pop sounds underlined by hard hitting electronic beats with an occasional R&B verse, making it really hard not to get hooked on their music. These two are a pair to watch.

ODESZA, Seattle, at Tattoo

Since the day ODESZA released Summer’s Gone, Quip has had a crush on the band. When it comes to seeing bands you have a musical crush on live, it’s hit or miss. The high expectations, the girlish excitement, all of that can come crashing down when the band is not as thrilling live as you imagined them to be.

But this was not the case. The dance floor at Tattoo was packed wall to wall, already hyped up by ASTR. “We’re gonna play some weird shit for you guys” alluded Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight and dove into their clean-cut beats. By the third track you could hear the murmur going through the room, the sweaty, dancing crowd is trying to figure out who these dudes are, while Mills and Knight drum their synchronized drums.

Having played nearly their entire repertoire of music with a two-track encore way over the expected one hour set, the band seems to have won some hearts. This might be the day Toronto will finally start appreciating ODESZA.

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