With NxNE showcasing 450 bands over three days, trying to choose which ones need checking out is easier said than done.
Where's My Caffeine?
So, here I am, Friday afternoon and trying to get ready for the next onslaught of musical delight that is the NxNE Festival in downtown Toronto. And what a first day Thursday turned out to be - a wonderful surprise for the opening act at the first venue I visited; a band with a toy fetish; the bizarre sight of seeing a performing act being told to come back to the venue when the crowd had died down; and all this before 10:00pm!
So, here's just a slight taster of day one of this year's NxNE. There will be more in-depth features on the standout artists, but for now (and since it's as much as my addled brain can handle!), here's my snippet of Thursday's shows.
The Horseshoe Tavern
If you've already read my review of Mark Wilson's appearance at the Horseshoe, you'll know how impressed I was with this guy. Still just a baby in musical age, his set was one of those rare occasions where you witness something pretty special. Beautiful songs, heartfelt performance and a great sound, it was a good way to kick things off for my festival this year.
He was followed by a band called Future Clouds and Radar - a psychedelic experimental outfit who adorned the stage with little toys (one of which was actually a small piano in disguise!). With a 70's theme running through both their sound and look, they're an acquired taste that may be better off with a new vocalist, at least live.
The most bizarre sight of the night came when I trooped off to the Rivoli to catch We Are The Take, only to be met by a line-up from hell. If this wasn't bad enough, Craig from the band turned up to be let in, only for the doorman to say it was too busy inside and he'd have to come back at 10:00pm when he was due onstage. What?!? Hopefully Craig got in and the show went ahead, as I decided to go somewhere where the organisation was better - which was anywhere but the Rivoli last night!
The El Mocambo
While my mood was slightly down following the fiasco that was the Rivoli, it was lifted considerably by the set I caught at the El Mocambo, from Swedish indie rockers Last Days Of April. A three-piece outfit that brought to mind cult band Placebo, they had a wonderfully fresh sound and a genuine love of playing. With a sound that made a mockery of there only being three members, they brought the good times back to your trusty scribe.
Lee's Palace
After a quick sojourn at The Wrecking Club to check out Flatliners (which was a mistake - I thought they were the band Flatlined, a completely different style of music!), it was on to Lee's Palace, a grimy but cool venue, to finish the day off. First up was Jim Bryson, who was quite possibly the happiest and friendliest artist all day. Playing good old-fashioned two-step folk rock, Bryson had the crowd cheering along to songs like Sleeping In Toronto and Somewhere Else and was a definite gem to listen to.
Next up was local singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge, with his mellow blend of Americana bringing to mind post-Eagles Don Henley, and who had an absolute star of a lead guitarist who was quite possibly the least hip performer all day - but man could he play!
The night, however, belonged to Ron Sexsmith, one of Toronto's much-loved sons and one who's made the transition from indie label to major without losing any of his soul. With tracks such as For The Driver and Some Dusty Things, Sexsmith has that uncanny knack of knowing exactly what sweet spot to hit every time. If you've never seen him live, do so the first opportunity you get!
Home...
So that was my first day at this year's NxNE. There were some bands I wanted to see but just couldn't get to - but such is the nature of this beast. And, straggling home at 2:30am, I don't think I could have taken much more. Well, at least not until tonight, that is...
See you tomorrow!!!
