For the evening the band added two additional keyboardists, a grand piano, a string section, and horns, among other additional live instruments, to the set. What is typically a quartet came to life as a full, interpretive orchestra on the Massey Hall stage. Occasionally joined by River Tiber and Charlotte Day Wilson, while Alexander Sowinski was sharing stories about their collective experiences and love for this city. The interaction really made this show a personal one, despite the fact that people could not dance or participate much otherwise (having to be sitting down all night and all).

The band played songs from their most recent release, IV, and Sour Soul, some more popular covers. Charlotte Day Wilson played “Work,” “In Your Eyes,” and shared a brand new track about falling in love, while River Tiber touched on his more emotional songs such as “Acid Test.” Both performers generally perform with a much smaller band so having the enhanced BadBadNoGood gave a whole new dimension to their songs. A big surprise came unexpectedly when BadBadNoGood brought out Jay Electronica on stage for “Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)” with no introduction. A few tracks after the show wrapped up with an engaging instrumental set and an interpretive dance by Sowinski.

The friendship, passion, and sheer musical dedication were an ongoing theme this evening. The set was, needless to say, a memorable one, for every single sold-out ticket that walked through the door.

Images courtesy of Red Bull.

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Following our interview with Jackson from Big Wild last week, we had the opportunity to catch his show at the Garrison, accompanied by the super talented and up-and-coming star Chet Porter.

Toronto was the first stop for Porter and the show went off without a hitch. The duo complimented each other wonderfully and Porter’s chill/tropical-like vibes were the perfect introduction to Jackson’s soulful yet upbeat set.

As people started to roll in, local talent Porter warmed the crowd up with lullaby-like beats and chill vibrations. You could tell he was comfortable right away, and kicking off his first tour with Big Wild in his hometown seemed like a calming, confidence-building experience for him.

Porter went on to play some original beats, also throwing in some crowd-pleasing Bieber remixes. Everything flowed just as it should and he seemed very in tune with his hometown crowd.

Coming in with a fresh new set, lighting, visuals, and of course new music, Big Wild opened his set with some great vibes and colorful lights (think 70s meets 90s). The rest of the evening had a very underground feel to it, like you were at an exclusive show. It’s always nice to know you are a part of something big that isn’t big yet, like everyone outside the four walls of the Garrison had no idea what they were missing.

The crowd was holding on to Jackson’s every beat and not one person came out of the trance until he said goodnight. Mixing way-back tracks with new beats like “Snakehips” and playing live music was a powerful combination. This tour is sure to set Jackson apart from others in the genre, and we are really looking forward to what’s next for both artists.

Make sure to check out their next stop here.

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A highly enthusiastic line up began to gather outside of the venue a few minutes before the official door time. By 9 p.m. The Opera House was full with people popping in and out for “fresh air” breaks before fighting their way back to the stage to reclaim their space in the pit. Early arrival enthusiasm aside, the audience was pretty laid back, bopping and occasionally singing along.

The stage, on the other hand, was on fire through and through. Starting with ShaqIsDope’s killer performance representing the 6th, the rest just kept getting hotter and hotter. KEITA JUMA, another local, came in with a more serious set of tracks while Nasty Nigel’s last minute drop-in was a pleasant surprise, and a much more hyper performance, especially when he dropped into the mosh pit for a track. Wrapping up the night, Ty Dolla $ign ruined the room with his high energy show and heavy beats, as he was losing layers of clothing one by one – the energy was rising through the roof. It seems appropriate to share the evening through a closeup lens.

photos by Erik Shaw

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This past weekend, the newly revamped venue Velvet Underground hosted Virginia rapper/singer GoldLink. With a new album out And After That, We Didn’t Talk that has gained recognition from artists and fans around the world, this was a show not to miss. Said to “bridge the gap between hip hop and dance,” GoldLink tests traditional boundaries of music and brings a fresh new sound to the stage. There is also something to be said about his fan base, who set the expectation for the night, which was surpassed and raised.

Opening the show were DJ’s Gravez and McCallaman. Although there were some minor issues with the sound, the energy in the venue never wavered and both artists were able to hype the crowd and prepare them for an unforgettable night. The sound paralleled the vibe perfectly, playing hits from the newly released Kendrick mixtape, Rihanna, and of course our hometown hero Drake. Both DJ’s were on point with their mixes and it was a seemingly flawless transition into GoldLink’s set.

The most refreshing part of the evening was witnessing upcoming talent having such a strong following. GoldLink knows the importance of his audience and the connection between him and his fans was undeniable. The vibe was so organic; it was almost like the crowd was letting everyone in on their secret. Similar to when The Weeknd first started and you knew how great he was going to be, but you didn’t want anyone else to know. The minute GoldLink took the stage, the energy increased and the show started. Opening with his hit “Bedtime Story,” GoldLink went on to mix old hits like J Lo’s “Get Right,” notes from Kanye’s new The Life of Pablo album and of course newer tracks like “Spectrum,” “When I Die” and “Dance On Me.” His energy could be mistaken for hype, but his clean sound and fresh beats matched his enthusiasm perfectly.

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Both fresh with new albums, Painted Palms dropped their sophomore album Horizons in September and Small Black released Best Blues on October 16th. The two bands, though each with a distinct sound, are a perfect match for a small venue tour.

Admittedly, Small Black has a bigger and more dedicated following, but it’s safe to say that if you like one you will like the other – which proved to be the case last Sunday.

Painted Palms were first on the bill and began their show promptly at 9 p.m. to a half-full bar. Their humble attitude and upbeat opening quickly gathered the audience close to the stage. Horizons is a mesh of ’60s psych-pop, ’80s synths and minimalistic hypnotic vibes, the album overall was a very cohesive piece which is exactly how the show came together – smooth and simple.

After a slight delay Small Black took the stage. Best Blues soaked in a lot of positive criticism when it first dropped and some not so pleasant: “How’s the sound?” inquires Josh Kolenik, “Pretty good for something that got reviewed as emo soft surf huh?”  The crowd keeps on bopping and dancing, no one seems to have notices Kolenik’s bitter outburst.

Small Black have had a pretty tight following since their inception and this album seemed to have not only reinforced their fan base, but expanded it. Their hazy synth-pop is approachable and catchy and if the album is listened throughout, in order, you’ll begin to notice the narrative of the story (the story about the woman in the cover photo).

Live, Small Black are upbeat and engaging; lighting up the audience from the front to the back with small fires. These fans are not going anywhere, no need to hang on to negative reviews.

photos by Eric Shaw

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The evening started on a high note, with an electric performance by Prince Rama, a two-piece, “now age,” psych-dance band out of Brooklyn. Prince Rama are sisters Taraka and Nimai Larson and, without a doubt, bring their wildly creative imagination to all of their apocalyptic performances. The Larsons have literary touched the audience – crowd-surfing, dancing with them, feeling out strangers faces and petting young boys’ cheeks. In a nutshell Prince Rama are magnetic, it is impossible to look away and not dance to their Top Ten Hits of the End of the World, their sixth pseudo-compilation album. As an opener for Dan Deacon, they made perfect sense.

After a brief break and a fairly secretive stage set up, the curtain dropped, reveling Deacon’s gear and a colorful patchwork backdrop. As a man gifted with the skill of conversation, Deacon began the show with an anxiety cleanse, we breathed in each other’s worries and turned them into “cool beans” – the opposite of anxiety. And so it began.

Halfway into the first track, the ground begun to shiver to the sounds of Gliss Riffer. The room was fairly quickly divided into halves; for dance competitions, contests and, a first one for me, an English stream of high fives during which balloons began to rain down onto the crowd. Cool beans – check. A few songs into the show, the background dropped revealing a two-peace band, guitar and drums, seamlessly joining into Dan Deacon’s cheerful performance. Having seen Deacon a few times over the years, the band was definitely a new, refreshing touch.

If you’ve never seen Deacon before, a stream of “what the fuck” thoughts might pass through your head throughout the night, but if this isn’t your first Deacon experience, you know you’re in for something special. The man is a mad genius and he will turn your frown upside down.

photos by Samuel Engelking

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With respect and admiration from his fellow artists, Trago was able to tour the world doing what he loves and exploring his own sound. Mixing disco, synth funk, soul, hip-hop, and jazz, Trago hopes to create something for his fans that is new and satisfying. With all of his successes, Trago also founded the Voyage Direct label in 2010. Business-savvy and musically talented, it is no wonder he looks like he is on top of the world.

Seeing Trago at Electric Island confirmed that there are still artists who want to push boundaries and truly make their fans happy. His smile really said it all. With the perfect setting and the perfect crowd, there was no way Trago would disappoint. As soon as his music hits you, your whole vibe changes. From tropical beats to funk, Trago knew how to keep it fresh.

With the fifth anniversary of his label coming up and the release of his single “Hidden Heart Of Gold” and “Only Believe,” Trago has a lot to celebrate. If you ever have the chance to see Trago perform, don’t hesitate in going.

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Arriving to a patiently waiting audience who kept their composure throughout the set, BRAIDS wasted no time in launching right into their third album, Deep in the Iris. Front woman Raphaelle Standell-Preston exercised her vocals in a haunting, melancholic delivery that was impressive in both range and volume. Mixing staccato percussions with swift melodies, the group’s looping, synthetic beats were strong, though at times overpowering Standell-Preston’s gentle lyrics. Standing-out with hits that included “Taste” and “Miniskirt”, BRAIDS delivered an introspective show juxtaposed against the clamour of The Horseshoe’s front bar crowd.

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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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