Rating: NNNNN
The Annex Wreckroom
Basia Lyjak She’s a singer/songwriter from Toronto who’s been performing for the last 10 years, crafting her brand of 80s-meets-90s-meets-the-future rock. 8 pm.
Elias According to Spin.com, Elias ‘succeed in making that kind of pulsating, loud rock that the Mars Volta or Radiohead might approve of in equal terms.’ 9 pm.
Groove Bros. Incredible beats and the musical strength of Outkast with a live show that’s reminiscent of the Beastie Boys circa 1995. 10 pm.
Black Bull
The Northern Whiskey Syndicate They got props from No Depression magazine, who said they were ‘proletariat, candid, whimsical, raw and roaming.’ Good storytelling gauranteed. 9 pm.
Stoned Grace This quartet’ll smack your face off with equal parts modernized classic, prog-rock, old-school R&B and funk. 10 pm.
Pontiak Made up of three brothers writing in a cabin studio in the moutains of Virginia, Pontiak are like Gainsbourg and Waits hanging with the Constantines. 11 pm.
The Machines This ain’t yer daddy’s rock band! Well, it kinda is, with the obvious comparisons to the Kinks and the Jam, but hell, that’s still pretty cool shit. Midnight.
Oh! The Pretty Things Dual guitar attacks, catchy melodies and a standing drummer only add to the crazy energy these young whippersnappers bring to their show. 1 am.
The Boat
Terror Lake They’ve basically combined murky swamp-rock reverb with dance-inducing rhythms. Take yourself back on a teen field trip deep within the hollows of a lonely wilderness. 9 pm.
Dead Love Triangles Brantford’s DLT merge the rustic, unpredictable spirit of bands like the Deadly Snakes with balls-out teenage party tactics and dangerously high levels of energy. 10 pm.
The Coast Toronto-based indie band delivers upbeat shimmering pop music that can get folks dancing without a single disco hi-hat. 11 pm.
The D’Urbervilles The D’Urbervilles are a super-nice bunch of guys from Oshawa who play good old-fashioned indie rock. Thay also have a good band name. Midnight.
Germans germans party. germans love. germans fight. germans steal. germans break. germans laugh. germans push. germans cheat. germans hug. germans rule! 1 am.
Bovine Sex Club
Hostile Takeover Tight-knit post-punk balancing melody and dissonance. Hostile Takeover are unique in their range of influences and songwriting skills. 9 pm.
Domenica This female-fronted hard rock/metal band uses explosive metal riffage, pop sensibilities and heavy, pounding rhythms. For fans of Rammstein. 10 pm.
Saigon Hookers These guys are loud, gritty, lewd and perpetually on overdrive, with both a guttural attack and lush, unforgettable melodies. 11 pm.
Stone Deaf Tokyo-based Japanese three-piece rock band released their first album in November 2005. Midnight.
Starvin Hungry Their sound is full of loud, messy, sweaty and aggressive punk ‘n’ roll with nods to the Stooges and New York Dolls. 1 am.
C’est What
The Old Ceremony Lush, literate rock from Chapel Hill with dark but accessible songcraft. Good for your ears if you like the Beatles and Tom Waits. 9 pm.
Schooner They’re partly responsible for North Carolina’s musical renaissance, and they make music with the sturdiness of Guided by Voices. 10 pm.
Trophy After holing up in a small Toronto townhouse for the best part of a year, Trophy have emerged with a debut album of finely crafted songs brimming with melody-driven storytelling that is both a study in contrast and a celebration of subtlety. 11 pm.
Nerv They’re an indie rock band from Mexico that plays melancholic music that often climaxes in a chaotic swirl of angst-driven metallic pathos. Midnight.
Public Public is an Ottawa-based quintet with countless shows to their credit. Other than that, they prefer to keep a low profile. 1 am.
Cadillac Lounge
Reels This alt-country foursome play ‘thick layers of intricate sound levelled by simple, sweet three-part harmonies shared by all members,’ according to The Coast. 9 pm.
Five Star Homeless FSH have a distinct brand of music that employs the traditional sounds of country, bluegrass and rockabilly, with a primary focus on storytelling. 10 pm.
Tacoma Hellfarm Tragedy Guelph-based folk-rock quartet inspired by both the classics and experimental simplicity. Think Neil Young, Yo La Tengo and Wilco. 11 pm.
Les Kilt Les Kilt fix squeaky chairs: those that squeak like rock ‘n’ roll and those that squeak contemplatively and quietly. Midnight.
Chris Colepaugh and the Cosmic Crew CC & the CC are all about hard, ass-kickin’ Southern jams. They’ve toured a bunch, won some awards and are quite fond of rocking your pants off till you air-guitar with glee. 1 am.
Cameron House
Andrea Revel Andrea Revel marries folk roots with light electronics and atmospherics to create intoxicating music that will convince even the staunchest traditionalist. 9 pm.
Ford Pier Celebrated for his ‘perfect pitch, a seven-octave vocal range and the ability to score a symphony orchestra,’ he’s really good, too. 10 pm.
Wendy McNeill Dark, twisted tales using looped vocals and the accordion create, according to the Globe and Mail, ‘sharp-edged songs like dispatches from a post-rock cabaret.’ 11 pm.
Shane Alexander Currently on tour opening for Seal, L.A.-based solo artist Alexander has also toured with Jewel and the King’s daughter, Lisa Marie. Midnight.
Chris Staig Roots-rock songwriter Staig draws his influences together cohesively through affecting love songs and melody. And his name sounds kinda tough, too. 1 am.
Clinton’s
Rallycar They have an unabashed love for all things pop/grunge and are big supporters of mosh pits and crowd surfing. 9 pm.
The Outside They sound like the Pumpkins and don’t mind being unapologetically loud and full of groove, to which their brash melodies and off-kilter rhythms attest. 10 pm.
Tallships These five have infused their songs with a sense of melody and energy often lacking in the genre today. 11 pm.
infighter They’ve won some fame for their energetic shows and ‘anthemic sound’ that draws comparisons to Joy Division, the Cure and the Smiths. Midnight.
BLOOD RED SUN With solid production behind their music (same guy that did Yo La Tengo, CYHSY), alternative rock quartet Blood Red Sun are at once radio-friendly and challenging. 1 am.
Comfort Zone
z’Howndz This pack of misfits adhere to the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll philosophy. 9 pm.
Holoscene Drawing together a wide variety of influences from experimental to industrial to ambient, they’ve carved out a unique and hypnotic sound all their own. 10 pm.
The Brown Hornets Newcastle-based manic explosion of gospel, soul and rock ‘n’ roll. Their video and album drop this July. 11 pm.
Throbbing Purple Montreal masterwork of sleazy garage rock featuring ex-members of Subhumans, the 222s, 39 Steps, SCUM and Pillbox NYC. Midnight.
Grimskunk GrimSkunk have proven themselves unstoppable by exerting a ferocious blend of ‘hybrid rock.’ 1 am.
The Dakota Tavern
Ox Dope-soaked, derelict and wired, Ox give a nod to the Velvet Underground crossed with Bruce Springsteen. 9 pm.
$outhpaw $outhpaw play from the heart and are infuenced by everyone from the Jayhawks to Uncle Tupelo, from Skynrd and Hank Sr. to Johnny Cash. 10 pm.
Fox Jaws Once upon a time they were known as Doris Day, but now the Barrie-based band is here to melt some faces and steal some hearts. 11 pm.
Captain Tractor Prairie-based Captain Tractor have combined everything into an unmistakable, completely original sound kinda like folk-pop-Celtic-punk-rock. Midnight.
Entire Cities From gratuitously confusing time signatures to simple hooks in their glorious train wreck of a live show, Entire Cities are for those who take their music with lots of fun. 1 am.
The Drake Hotel
Khiasma From Brazil to India, West Africa to Caribbean Islands, Luanda to Montreal, it’s an urban and world music dancing soundclash! 9 pm.
Bonjay Remixing for Diplo, loving Neneh Cherry and loved by Fader magazine, Bonjay are so close to dropping musical bombs all over your brain that you should be scared. 10 pm.
Thunderheist Damn! This band has so many dirty, sexy-as-all-fuck beats and equally arousing vocals that you will probably start feeling all tingly in your pink parts. 11 pm.
Yo Majesty Yo Majesty is the new breed of hiphop, in that their influences and sound go so much further than you’d expect. Midnight.
Lesbians on Ecstacy Queer culture hipsters LOE take inspiration from their fave folk and punk bands and turn all that passion into something completely new and danceable. 1 am.
El Mocambo Upstairs
Pascale Picard From the hint of a smile to the darkest fury or the deepest melancholy…. 9 pm.
BLOODSHOT BILL Blood Shot Bill sounds like one cool-ass mutherfucker. He’s also a greasy Canadian who has played all over Europe and North America. 10 pm.
Chocolat Chocolat’s offerings can only be described as sweet, dark and rich, and studies have shown that many women prefer chocolat to sex. 11 pm.
The Sunday Sinners ‘Heart-busting lead vocals and Oh Yeah backups riding the crest of chunk-a-chunk guitar riffs, all beating along to a rockin’ R&B rhythm!’ Midnight.
Royal Mountain Band The Royal Mountain Band were born out of discontent with the music of their time. 1 am.
El Mocambo
+nurse Think Radiohead and Interpol playing euchre against U2 and Coldplay. They’re ALL cheating, and eventually someone pulls a knife. Drama and tragedy ensue. 8 pm.
Brown Brigade With influences that include funk, old-school hiphop, metal and rock, Brown Brigade have a special blend that will put you on your ass. For realz. 9 pm.
The Central Nervous System They think they’re aliens or something. And (gasp!) they really like David Bowie. 10 pm.
Bionic According to Kerrang magazine, they sound like ‘Queens of the Stone Age buttfucking the Hellacopters with Bad Religion clapping along.’ 11 pm.
Icarus Line Highly volatile and threatening chaos wherever they play, Icarus Line put on live shows that are frenetic poundings flavoured like Refused and ATDI. Midnight.
The Midway State It starts with simple acoustic guitar, a pen, a pad and passion. 1 am.
the exchanges Intelligent, primal, rip-yer-face-off power rock for the masses. 2 am.
Free Times Cafe
Smokey Witt Witt plays pure country music — all acoustic, no drums, just his voice and strummin’ hand to do the deed. 8 pm.
Caleb Sweazy As honest as you can get, Sweazy’s endearing mix of country, blues and rock leaves lots of room for twang and a soulful delivery. 9 pm.
blueVenus Vancouver’s WE weekly recognized them at New Music West 2007, so it’s no surprise that blueVenus are regarded as a noteworthy live act. 10 pm.
Ana Miura She loves to connect with her audiences intimately through story and song, and Ottawa’s 89.9 called her voice ‘one of the best, most haunting in music today.’ 11 pm.
Chris Volpe Volpe’s sound combines fingerpicking on guitar and vocal stylings that land somewhere between Gillian Welch and a young Paul Simon. Midnight.
Gladstone Hotel
King Sunshine King Sunshine is a 9-piece band with synths, pounding drums and percussion and lots of groovy bass. 9 pm.
The Souljazz Orchestra They combine jazz, funk and African and Latin music while touching on politics and spirituality, and they get love from dudes like BBC’s Gilles Peterson. 10 pm.
Masia One (M1 Academy) Eloquent emcee getting lots of attention and helping to sculpt hip-hop with her innovative approach. Inspired by Miles Davis and John Coltrane. 11 pm.
Tanya Morgan The name is actually a pseudonym for a group of three MCs you’ll dig if you’re into Little Brother. Real hiphop. Midnight.
Nouveau Riche Seamlessly bending genres and moving through different styles like hiphop and rock, Nouveau Riche always remain accessible and hella catchy. 1 am.
The Hideout
Amy Honey Honey explores those tried and true everyday themes of urban psychosis, alienation, reckless abandon, Canadiana and death. 9 pm.
Jean Caffeine She plays a hybrid of alt-country, singer/songwriter and alterna-rock chick stuff, and she’s been called ‘Brenda Lee meets Patti Smith.’ 10 pm.
Hojas Rojas Often described as Wilco meets the Flaming Lips, this four-piece band from Minneapolis adds wry humour, heartfelt lyrics and real pop sensibilities. 11 pm.
AA Sound System Their formula is full of intricate guitar lines, phased-out electronics and subtle sampling that give contemporary edge to a vintage sound. Midnight.
Blackloud Bio not available. 1 am.
Holy Joe’s
Stuporhero Their pop formula has plenty of goodness for fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, Mates of State and Guided by Voices. 9 pm.
She Keeps Bees They’re full of sweet and tasty twang, and singer Larrabee’s got a deep and soulful voice far removed from big-city life. Sweet like honey. 10 pm.
OttO Vector 80s synth junkies who recruited kindred spirits for live revelry. 11 pm.
The Details Driving guitars, catchy melodies, soaring harmonies, electronic programming and glockenspiel all wrapped up in three-and-a-half-minute pop songs. Midnight.
Idiots! Strong songwriting and crafted melodies from this mesh of vocals, electric bass, guitar, synthesizers and drum loops. 1 am.
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
The United Steel Workers of Montreal Bio not available. 9 pm.
Ohbijou ‘Soft and loud. Sweet and sour. Boys and girls. Together and broken… Sometimes violins, sometimes organs. Ohbijou play music to swell your heart.’ 10 pm.
Sebastien Grainger The former drummer/singer of Death from Above 1979 brings together a new group of friends for a garage-pop celebration. 11 pm.
You Say Party! We Say Die! If you hear Vancouver’s YSP!WSD! and don’t feel like you have to dance and sing along, you’re probably either deaf or dead. Midnight.
In-Flight Safety They released a debut full-length, toured nationaly as well as in Ireland, won three East Coast Music Awards, got a Juno nomination and suffered a van burglary. 1 am.
Two Hours Traffic Out of Charlottetown comes one of Canada’s best young bands, comprised of four chemistry students who play exciting rock music. 2 am.
Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse
Hollerado Hollerado grew up on the same street in a small town in Ontario, and you didn’t. So there! 9 pm.
The Last Days of April 10 pm.
Soundtrack of Our Lives Sweden’s Soundtrack of Our Lives have released some truly remarkable music over the last 12 years, ranging from cinematic and theatrical to neo-psychedelic. 11 pm.
Kathedral
The Beasts of Eden A four-piece indie-rock band out of Brooklyn who claim to have, oftenly, packed shows because of their high-energy. 9 pm.
secret broadcast With catchy melodic hooks, energy and intense dynamics, this Calgary three-piece offers ‘Strokes-inspired guitar melodies and frenetic, hi-hat-heavy dance beats.’ 10 pm.
Man in Gray Often compared to Sonic Youth and Mission of Burma, MIG play noisy, whip-smart indie rock full of contrasting guitars, pounding drums and dynamic vocals. 11 pm.
Kid Metropolis This Toronto group cite conceptual heavyweights like the Beatles, Roger Waters and Radiohead among their influences. Midnight.
Turn Off the Stars Atmospheric rock at its finest, an impressive sonic landscape in which soaring guitars and haunting vocals collide to produce infectious melodies. 1 am.
Lee’s Palace
The High Violets Inspired by Galaxie 500 and My Bloody Valentine, they walk gracefully between celestial guitar rumblings, danceable electro undertones and gentler pop. 9 pm.
Strata If you like Finger 11, you will probably like these guys. 10 pm.
Tara Slone Her sometimes gritty, sometimes angelic, classically honed voice has made her one of contemporary rock’s most inimitable performers. 11 pm.
Great Northern They play bright, unexpectedly contrasting pop songs with layered melodies and string flourishes. Achingly beautiful and definitely worth checking out. Midnight.
Urge Overkill Bio not available. 1 am.
The NOW Lounge
Jonathan Seet Wry humour and an eye for the sublime delivered by an existentialist torch. 8 pm.
Anhai Like a deep woodsy marriage between Mary Margaret O’Hara and an Inuit throat singer, Anhai is beautiful and fierce. 9 pm.
Jonathan Seet 10 pm.
Mr. Quibble With an instrumental barrage of epic proportions, Mr. Quibble rock a fusion of vintage hiphop and future sounds. 11 pm.
Rancho Relaxo
Beth in Battle Mode The band can’t even agree on what they sound like, but try envisioning something like garage-prog-disco or a cross between Abba and Sabbath. 9 pm.
THE VANDELLES They take the old-school rock and roll your parents used to listen to and run it through screaming, blown-out amplifiers. 10 pm.
LONGWAYDOWN They’re a heavy-hitting hard rock band with a distinct blend of groove and soaring vocal melodies and a mesmerizing live show. 11 pm.
The Matavaras Their songs are influenced by the Band and Big Star, and sound warm with well-crafted melodies. Midnight.
6ixty 8ights Combining soothing harmonies and savage guitars, the 6ixty8ights’ carnivalesque rock has a theatricality and urgency all its own. 1 am.
Reverb
Thomas Lunch ‘Thoughtful, rich in irony and full of real-life messages that will often leave you feeling disturbed, comforted, puzzled but yet connected.’ 9 pm.
spacekitti Avant-garde artist Dart’s unique guitar style is similar to Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Pink Floyd, while her haunting voice has been compared to Kate Bush. 10 pm.
fjord rowboat Fjord Rowboat cite influences like My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver and they recorded recently with Andy Magoffin of the Two Minute Miracles. 11 pm.
The Cush Amongst many other styles, the band have added slow-core and alt-country influences to their already richly textured sound. Midnight.
Just Jinjer As the biggest-selling rock band in South African history, Just Jinjer have shared stages and toured internationally with U2, Counting Crows and Def Leppard. 1 am.
Rivoli
Charlemagne Charlemagne say of themselves that they’re ‘an unassuming indie band’ and that they play rock and roll. So assume away! 9 pm.
Frankie Whyte & the Dead Idols Like the face-melting fires of hell chasing you through a labyrinth of razor blades and rabid flying monkeys, Frankie Whyte & the Dead Idols will fuck you up. 10 pm.
Hello Operator They just toured with Hilary Duff. Can any of you say you just toured with the Duffster? No? Didn’t think so. They sound like the Ramones, too! 11 pm.
Justin Nozuka This Queens-born kid is only 17, but he’s been writing and playing for four years already and he’s even got his first album in the can. Kids these days…. Midnight.
Neverending White Lights Pompous yet cinematic and highly emotional, NWL is a concept project from writer/producer Daniel Victor, who collaborates with sissy douches like City and Colour. 1 am.
Rockwood – Rock
Untitled R&B/soul trio dedicated to making music that soothes and moves you. And they warn they’re about to take the world by storm. 8 pm.
D.O. Record-setting rapper D.O. is in the Guinness 2007 book for longest freestyle ever, and XXL Magazine calls him the ‘true freestyle king.’ 9 pm.
Tona Tona’s tireless work ethic has garnered him the unofficial title of Toronto’s rawest and most talented MC, currently with the banger Dial Tone. 10 pm.
Cory Lee She had a popular song called The Naughty Song, but don’t feel too bad if you’ve never heard it. She’s also kind of sassy, but in a safe way. 11 pm.
Rochester aka Juice With two stage names that literally have nothing in common with each other, Rochester aka Juice has emerged as one of the leaders of the new wave of ‘Toronto-based rap talent’! Midnight.
Dru After creating a phenomenal buzz with their debut single, You’ll Never Find, Dru are now ready to conquer the music industry. 1 am.
Rockwood – Wood
Club!nvited If you go to this show, you will probably hear God speaking to you. Seriously. 11 pm.
Savannah
DALA Formed by two friends in high school, Dala quickly made a name for themselves and signed a major-label deal. And they’re awfully cute, too! 9 pm.
colum regan Hailing from the UK, Regan has been called ‘a sensational talent’ and is considered one of the brightest and most original songwriters out this year. 10 pm.
Cat Jahnke Award-winning performer whose album, None Of Those Things, has been released. 11 pm.
The Weather Station An indie sensibility gives TWS a unique, haunting sound that is both heartbreakingly simple and melodically complex. Midnight.
The Free Press Currently working with producer Rick Hutt, who says they have ‘the mesmerizing charm of a new U2.’ 1 am.
Silver Dollar
A Certain Symmetry An eclectic lineup of musicians who are always seeking out new forms of musical expression and creativity. 8 pm.
The Carps Toronto punk rock waging war with R&B. Their EP, The Young & Passionate Days Of Carpedia, was recorded in Philly. 9 pm.
Nif-D Since there’s little to no info about these guys, we’ll have to assume that they’re the musical equivalent of finding a really nice pair of pants marked down 80 per cent. 10 pm.
Put the Rifle Down Formed by childhood friends, their electronic-inspired pop music features songs designed for dancing with sing-along choruses. 11 pm.
No Dynamics Toronto’s No Dynamics are brash, violently loud and waiting to assault you with distortion and a highly fashionable hipster attitude and swagger. 1 am.
Old Soul’s Infinite Night Party w/ DJ Pancho Vila Obviously some kind of party of infinite proportions. Duh. 2 am.
Sneaky Dee’s
General Miggs According to Looserecord.com, ‘General Miggs is the best band you’ve never heard of.’ Kinda like the Decemberists. 9 pm.
The Outfit Their frenzied, polyrhythmic rock sound is inspired by their fondness for booze and their crazy-short attention span. 10 pm.
The Vibrants Giving the organ-driven soul of early Charlatans the jumping swagger the Stones used to muster in a heartbeat. 11 pm.
The Diodes The legendary punk band returns for its first live shows in 30 years with the original 1977 band lineup. Don’t be a tool and miss their only North American appearance. Midnight.
Million Dollar Marxists Since forming in 2001, Ottawa’s MDM have done everything in their power to keep the fires of punk rock ‘n’ roll burning bright. 1 am.
Supermarket
Christopher Rees Winner of best male solo artist at the Welsh Music Awards offers compelling vocal theatrics and spectral blues communion. 9 pm.
The Rum Circus Raw rock ‘n’ roll, murderous blues and cinematic writing straight from the heart of London, Newcastle and Serbia. 10 pm.
The Neutrinos Twisted guitar with alt/art/punk/blues leanings and raucous, theatrical live performances. Like a female Nick Cave fronting QOTSA. 11 pm.
Armies of You Formed in late 2006, Armies of You have found success quickly, having already won best unsigned band on XFM Manchester Radio. Midnight.
Maxfield Bio not available. 1 am.
Yonge Dundas Square
Burning Boyz If you say you can find something cooler than a band made up of three seven-year-olds and an eight-year-old who sound like Zepp and AC/DC, you’re probably lying. Noon.
Charlemagne Charlemagne say of themselves that they’re ‘an unassuming indie band’ and that they play rock and roll. So assume away! 1 pm.
The Kill Devil Hills This multi-award-winning Aussie band dances between rockabilly and deliciously dark and intense music. 2 pm.
The Diodes The legendary punk band returns for its first live shows in 30 years with the original 1977 band lineup. Don’t be a tool and miss their only North American appearance. 3 pm.
C’Mon Fierce rock ‘n’ roll machine with sweaty dirty-denim gusto flies a freak flag in the face the soulless. 4 pm.
The Pinker Tones The New York Times called them ‘jaw-dropping,’ and they mix shit up with an impressive variety of beats, funk, lounge and electronica. Sweet as hell. 5 pm.
God Made Me Funky They’re a funky live ensemble out of Toronto composed of musicians ranging from trained jazz artists to street-schooled hiphop and R&B vocalists. 6 pm.
