Here are some of Quip’s favourite artists from this year’s CMW:

Childlike

Toronto native, Childlike, a.k.a. Stella Lucia Enriquez-Azzopardi, offered up a whimsical performance that showcased both her music and charisma at The Cameron House’s cozy backspace. Backed by a three-piece band, (including her father on drums), Enriquez-Azzopardi brought serious energy to a highly personal performance underscored by impassioned songs about breakups – both platonic and romantic. She’s also a Pilates instructor, so she’s got energy to spare. Enriquez-Azzopardi invited the crowd in by sharing personal anecdotes about each song, and a bit about creating music during the pandemic. Enriquez-Azzopardi’s vocals are powerful but gentle with an emotive quality reminiscent of Tei Shi. While Childlike is just getting started, she’s one to keep an eye on as her music matures.

Nia Nadurata

Toronto’s Nia Nadurata, a singer-songwriter who took the stage solo – although noting she’s usually backed by a band – sparkled at Lee’s Palace’s CMW set. Nadurata has a serious stage presence and a crystal-clear voice that, in tandem with her guitar, captivated the crowd and seamlessly navigated technical issues that plagued each set throughout the night. Given Nadurata’s poise, it was surprising to hear that she released her first song only a year ago. Sharing tracks that included “I think I like your girlfriend” and “Boo Hoo”, we’ll be keeping our eyes on Nadurata’s next steps.

Laye

Montreal’s alt-pop Laye rounded out the night at Lee’s Palace following a solid line-up that drew a growing crowd. Sweet and melodic, with an energy akin to Lana Del Rey meets Fairuza Balk, Laye was backed by a three-person band, whom she also shouted out as top-notch Toronto producers.  Her voice is sweet and rich, highlighted by songs including “I saw God” and a tearjerker about a past relationship framed around Toronto – the city that Laye explained is also synonymous with her ex-lover. A haunting, devastating ode to the past; an essence that Laye seems to weave its way through each of her songs.

Terminator X and Easy Mo Bee showcase

With two heavy hitters back to back El Mocambo was a major throwback for three solid hours of performances. Terminator X, probably best known for his tenure in Public Enemy, reminded us all how fun vinyl can be. Mixing and scratching old-school hip-hop, pop, and even some rock memorabilia X got the room warmed up for the headliner, Easy Mo Bee. Easy Mo Bee is a legendary music producer who worked with the likes of Big Daddy Kane and Miles Davis, and today brings all of those top-notch old-school hip-hop tracks back to life through DJ sets.

The Wilderness

An indie rock sextet from Kingston, Ontario, this group brought a high-energy set to the Cameron House. Tightly packed on this small stage they performed their hearts out, playing of off each other like brothers with that “boys will be boys” kind of energy. The Wilderness songs are lyrically heavy, loud, and catchy, and it is easy to see them go a distance in this musical world.

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A weekday evening at the Rivoli introduced us to Cameron Philip and Dallas. Philip took the stage first playing to a fairly crowded room, his style of rap carries a nod to the spoken word and takes advantage of technology quite a bit. Certain parts of songs felt like conversations with Siri, in that storytelling kind of way. Philip worked through his most popular songs, including “Control” which scored over a million plays on Spotify, and shared a rather intimate story about his senior cat at the end, which definitely got the attention of the audience. Note, his t-shirt says “The future is male contraception” in case it is hard to read the last line.

Dallas, on the other hand, is dancefloor-ready melodic pop. Some of Dallas’ tracks are quite electronic, “Outerspace” for example, has the potential for becoming a summer anthem. Here latest release “R.I.P,” on the other hand, takes me back to that mid-2000s girl power indie undertones. Dallas brought an interesting range to CMW and we are looking forward to what she comes up with next. 

Jared Anthony performed an alternative pop-rock showcase at The Wheatsheaf. His musical style is a blend of pop, rock, alternative, and even some melodic hip hop. This range of influences created a showcase similar to Dallas, ranging from indie rock forward songs like “Old Ways” and “Over My Head” to tracks like “Photograph” and “Change” that fall in line with a recognizable Toronto hip hop sound.

Deeper into the week Bar Cathedral was packed for EverythingOShauN, accompanied by DJ XP. Born to immigrant parents of Nigerian and Jamaican descent EverythingOShauN embraces his roots and blends those influences with the Toronto sound. The two of them had continual banter throughout the set, setting up songs with short stories and discussions. The crowd was popping and were very engaged for “ALA BEKE” by the artist’s request, chanting along with the track.

Pop queen Domanique Grant was the poster child for this year’s CMW so expectations were high but she definitely stole the show. EverythingOShauN’s performance was followed by a brief break emptying out the dance floor but a couple of tracks in Grant, accompanied by a drummer and a string instrument (baroque pochette?) got people back up and moving. Everyone is happy to be out, IRL. Grant maybe be new but she already has impressive accolades (collaborations with Grammy Award artists, Buzzfeed’s Top 20 Artists To Watch, etc) what makes her stand out, aside from the teal hair, of course, is passion and authenticity. She was nervous but eventually, the crowd energy powered her up. Grant shared personal stories about her family (“723”) and relationships (“Undressing”) before playing the songs and even got a couple of people to dance with her for “Airbrush”.

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The Dirty Nil shared a very engaging performance, leaning in to make contact with the fans, sharing toys with the crowd (foam finger), and kick-camping around the stage. Tokyo Police Club, taking the stage shortly after, brought similar energy to the room playing off of each other, dancing, and chatting with the audience.

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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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Alternative/pop band, VALLEY, was a highlight of the week, playing a Wednesday show at the Horseshoe Tavern. The Toronto-based group, comprised of four members, already have two EPs under their belt, with rumours of a third album to come. The Horseshoe offered a cozy atmosphere for their performance, with a full, enthusiastic crowd. Offering up a range of catchy songs, most notably “Say” and “You” off their second EP, This Room is White, VALLEY is fun, upbeat and heavily reminiscent of one of their personal influences, Walk the Moon. A great set overall.

Lysistrata

Part of the Bonsound Presents CMW showcase, Lysistrata played a Thursday set at Kensington Market’s Supermarket. Bringing forth a burst of energy early in the evening, the three-piece band from Saintes, France are, as they put it, “inspired by the screaming energy of youth”. Facing each other on stage, each young member was armed with a microphone, and let ‘er rip with songs that blurred the line between screams and melodies; a vibrational experience for both the ears and internal organs. This band stood out for its distinct sound, and despite a thin crowd, managed to make an impression. For a sonic explosion, check these guys out.

Good Kid

Making a return to CMW, Toronto’s very own Good Kid took to the Monarch Tavern for a heartfelt set amongst a friendly crowd. Comprised of five computer programmers-turned-musicians, the energetic show felt like an intimate concert between friends – a common experience while watching this group live. Taking inspiration from early 2000s bands like Bloc Party and The Strokes, Good Kid is a feel-good group that makes the audience feel like they’re part of a big, old jam. Highlights of their set included the track “Atlas” and murmurs of a coming new EP.

Dusted  

Taking on the Garrison for a late-night show as part of the Royal Mountain Records Showcase was indie rock band, Dusted. A product of core members Brian Borcherdt — also known for his role in the electronica band, Holy Fuck — and Leon Taheny, the group also includes other rotating members like Wintersleep’s Loel Campbell. Established in 2012 with the launch of its debut album “Total Dust”, the band has since released a follow-up album, “Blackout Summer”. Offering a gentle sound that at times felt almost lethargic, like a heavy dream, the band sounded strongest through tracks off their latest album, notably “Dead Eyes”. This band is worth checking out live.

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The shared energy between the pair is enough to energize a football stadium let a lone the small room at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. For over an hour the duo went through their favourite originals including “It’s Alright,“ “Forever,” and even “Yea Yeah,“ a handful of samples and remixes and even a “Happy Birthday” (all free 10 seconds of it).

“Get your asses up front so we can start this motherfucking party” yelled out Kim, urging everyone to get closer to the front and shortly after to split into two sides of the room, “this is known as the walls of Kim’s vagina” and now when you hear: “surprise motherfucker you need to charge into each other” – and charge people did!

As people took turns surfing way to the stage Matt and Kim took turns dancing on the drum kit, which notably, looks like it’s made from solid steel. I would have liked to be there when it was purchased: “Get up on it Kim, if it can hold you do jumping jacks we’re buying it!” But I digress.

The duo had high expectations for this show, it is their last show of the tour and all, but just as one would expect the crowd did not disappoint, “Best fucking show on tour” Kim pointed out. Every time Matt or Kim spoke half of the room broke into a cheerful storm, raising their arms in the air to snag a t-shirt, throw a balloon, grab a handful of confetti, or hold someone up on their way to the stage. There was also that girl who flashes us all a few times: “…and this nice lady just flashed her gorgeous ass titties” noted Kim,  “But it really doesn’t matter what size your titties are, they’re gorgeous all around!”

And now some parting advice from Matt & Kim: use a condom, “safe sex everyone ‘cause you know, no unwanted pregnancies” – enjoy CMW, friends, and make sure to listen to Almost Everyday, it just might be your summer anthem.

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TOBi hails from Brampton, which to his surprise got a whole lot of hollas from the crowd. TOBi looked sharp on stage – cool hat, cool sweater, and a stellar band.

His lyrics are equally sharp: “I just want a queen / I could hold forever / Go on strolls together / Stay out late, get drunk as f*ck and then / Go home together / Grow together.” His delivery is soundly better in person – not to say that the record is of lesser quality, but the live set had something extra special about it.

One of those special things might be the short stories and commentary he shares between tracks, and another could be the fact that he wrote a song dedicated to beer – and not just any beer: Sapporo. He brought it with him, drank it on stage, and then sang a song to it.

After a short break, California’s Xavier Omär took the stage with a strong, evocative start. “Toronto, I’m excited to be here. I heard there are a lot of grown women out there, I wrote this song about them.” And you guessed it, he sang “Grown Woman,” which wrapped up with a mad and beautifully in-sync singalong with the crowd.

Much like TOBi earlier in the night, Omär told stories between tracks. A lot of these stories were tense, emotional, about acceptance or lack thereof, and of course, love. A particularly stirring speech was followed by a particularly stirring song: “Afraid,” which he said he doesn’t like to perform, considering its revelatory content.

The crowd loved it – they loved every bit of it and were not shy to express their appriciation.

photos by Erik Shaw

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Down the street at Velvet Underground a more upbeat audience begun to gather for Unlike Pluto. An air of confusion seemed to envelope the room as people tried to figure out when Unlike Pluto would come out. Not without a healthy delay L.A. DJ and producer, real name Armond Arabshahi, took the dark smokey stage. Over an hour-long set, Pluto took the crowd on a world tour with his original tracks, such as“Worst In Me” and cross-genre remixes from Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” TLC’s “No Scrubs” to heavy industrial house. Taking the Friday into the dark, rave infused night Pluto got everyone on the dance-floor. While happy music may not be his favorite kind he definitely knows how to bring joy to an inebriated crowd.

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The orchestral six-piece indie band Groenland, also Montreal natives and members of the Bonsound family, were a delight to behold. Delivering catchy, colorful tunes that ranged between playful and melancholic, they created a harmonious energy that quickly spread. Fronted by the strong, sultry voice of lead vocalist, Sabrina Halde, complemented by ambient instrumentals including a violin and melodica, both the band and audience were grooving from the first verse, particularly with staccato tracks off their 2016 album, A Wider Space. Très bon!

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