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Music

Band bios : Thursday, June 7

Rating: NNNNN


Acoustic Stage NXNE Conference @ Holiday Inn

Big Strides England’s Big Strides have opened up for the likes of Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys and are rumoured to be big in Japan. Noon.

Ladyfingers He channels Tom Waits and Cab Calloway in his punked-up take on Sun Studio rock ‘n’ roll. 1 pm.

Jean Caffeine She plays a hybrid of alt-country, singer/songwriter and alterna-rock chick stuff. 2 pm.

Royal Wood This talented multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter has just come back from a tour with Sarah Harmer. 3 pm.

The Vibrants They summon the organ-driven soul of early Charlatans and the jumping swagger the Stones. 4 pm.

The Annex Wreckroom

Ceremonial Snips They rock out like NOFX but with blazing horns, and their music is kind of like a neverending party. 8 pm.

The Decay Punk rock with elements of hardcore that will smash your teeth and brains. 9 pm.

The Little Millionaires TLM write music that sounds like the Bronx. Consider them loud and aggro punk ‘n’ roll. 10 pm.

The Flatliners The Flatliners play punk rock and reggae that make you want to dance and punch. 11 pm.

Hostage Life They’ve taken the punk rock sensibility of the Clash and Stiff Little Fingers and made it theirs. Midnight.

The Art Bar

daphne darling Fresh and eclectic, Darling’s music has been described as a mashup of rock, country and R&B. 9 pm.

Christa Couture ‘A formidable talent armed with a haunting voice and a quick-witted, poignant turn of phrase.’ 10 pm.

NLX She calls herself ‘Trent Reznor with tits.’ 11 pm.

Randall Spear Compared to Dylan and Cohen, Spear is a critically acclaimed songwriter. Midnight

Stacy Burke Independent-minded Burke’s a young singer/songwriter with a knack for playing heartfelt compositions. 1 am.

Black Bull

The Kiss and Tells Not much for poseur rock bullshit, they play a catchy mix of dance party R&B and punk. 9 pm.

bigbabyernie Take Stevie Wonder, James Brown and the Beatles, add an extra dash of originality and you’ve got BBE. 10 pm.

Pat the White Band Totally immodest blues rock that sounds like Warren Haynes. 11 pm.

The Matt Truman Ego Trip A mix of the British Invasion with Motown for an explosive live set. Midnight.

Brad Monk and the Union Band This Toronto singer/songwriter delivers classic storytelling with wonderful hooks and punches. 1 am.

The Boat

Mother Mother They’re label mates with Metric, playing postmodern pop that defies formula. 9 pm.

Les Breastfeeders They tour a lot, have a cool name, and wherever they go, people like them. 10 pm.

Pride Tiger East Vancouver boogie rock with catchy riffs, feel-good rhythms and anthemic melodies. 11 pm.

Abdominal You will love this quirky little rascal because he’s also a wizard who can enchant your brain. Midnight.

Champion Juno-nominated DJ Champion and his band have created an electrifying live experience. 1 am.

Bovine Sex Club

Diemonds Classic rock and 80s hair metal done by a bunch of downtown hipster wannabes. 9 pm.

Inamere Somewhere deep in the dark forests of sensitive post-hardcore and whatever the hell Incubus sound like now. 10 pm.

The Saint Alvia Cartel Superstar alleycats from Grade and BoysNightOut comin’ at ya like bullets outta gangland. 11 pm.

ZUKU These guys are loud and thrashy and like beating up sad little emo kids. Big, wet and visceral. Midnight.

Attack in Black They mix up hardcore and elements of metal, the end result being something that will make your ears bleed. 1 am.

Last Days of April Stockholm’s LDOA mix inventive arrangements and bittersweet, pained melodies with impressive instrumentation featuring lotsa piano and strings. 2 am.

C’est What

Uncle Seth Their mix of pop, rock, acoustic folk and a smattering of pretty melodies is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. 9 pm.

grand:pm According to Chart Attack, they’re a ‘four-piece rock outfit serving up energetic new wave with a nod to the 80s.’ 10 pm.

Valery Gore Piano-pop songwriter inspired by Tori Amos and Bjork. 11 pm.

Nadine Medawar Her music can be described as penetrating. Her lyrics question us. Her message inspires us. Midnight.

Ghostwalk Creek An earthy, bare-bones approach to American music, inspired as much by Townes Van Zandt as by the Band. 1 am.

Cadillac Lounge

Sean Patrick McGraw McGraw plays radio-friendly new country with smatterings of rock ‘n’ roll. He kinda looks like Dwight Yoakam, too! 9 pm.

Annie Keating The Village Voice said she’s ‘a wise mix of Lucinda Williams’s songwriting, Gillian Welch’s guitar and a vocal style all her own.’ 10 pm.

Lou Rose Taking a cue from folk and old-time country music, Rose is inspired by Johnny Cash and the Carter Family. 11 pm.

Nudie and the Turks In the classic style of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, these guys play pure, unadulterated neo-honky-tonk. Midnight.

Pappy Johns Band Made up of blues artists from the Six Nations Reservation, this Juno-nominated band play music inspired by their native roots. 1 am.

Cameron House

Dirt Farmer This songwriting duo have garnered critical acclaim from those who are down with their pop songwriting. 9 pm.

volcanoless in canada Their highly energetic and passionate performances showcase dance jams with folk and punk. 10 pm.

Matthew de Zoete From simple ballads to pop revelries, de Zoete and band marry beauty with exploration. 11 pm.

Angela Harris Folks thought Harris was crazy for packin’ up and moving from BC to Nashville. She wasn’t, and as it turns out, she’s terrific. Midnight.

Anna Neale Her unique brand of acoustic rock garnered much acclaim at SXSW and NEMO. 1 am.

Clinton’s

WhosArmy With atmospheric guitars and impressive drumming, WhosArmy call their songs ‘dangerously catchy.’ 9 pm.

Dr. Draw He’s has been called ‘a bit classical, a bit electro-pop.’ And he made Jon Bon Jovi quiver — possibly with his violin. 10 pm.

Ketch Harbour Wolves KHW pride themselves on their explosive live shows, songwriting ability and rich lyricism. 11 pm.

ACROBAT They seem more concerned about writing good songs rather than being all cool and shit, which is cool and shit. Midnight.

Mad Young Darlings Music so ominously seductive it’ll leave you clutching your chest. 1 am.

Crosstown

Staylefish Attention, fans of Sublime: Staylefish are your new saviours. Attention, fans of Sublime: Maybe it’s time to get over it…. 9 pm.

Pablo Discobar As Australia’s premier original soul/funk outfit, Pablo Discobar maintains a focus on fresh breaks, beats and groove. 10 pm.

Claws of Paradise Riff-centric, horn-laced rock ‘n’ roll with equal parts non-stop energy and mad musical skills. 11 pm.

Vanderpark Spontaneous, original and energetic like Dave Matthews and Maroon 5. Midnight.

Chameleon Project They fuse together jazz, breaks, dub, jungle, techno and more. Wonderfully heady music. 1 am.

The Dakota Tavern

Kim Koren ‘This Dundas-born country rocker has a voice that could melt butter,’ according to the Hamilton Spectator. 9 pm.

Hayley Taylor Lyrically compelling and melodically affecting for fans of Bright Eyes. 10 pm.

13ghosts Hipster website Pitchforkmedia.com says their music ‘encompasses an impressive breadth of styles and sounds.’ 11 pm.

Parkas Music soaked in country pathos and gospel menace with one of Canada’s most formidable soul singers. Midnight.

The Knifings A unique blend of garage rock, punk, rockabilly and outlaw country with modern-day fables. 1 am.

The Drake Hotel

Hunter Valentine Driving, relentlessly hooky pop shot through with bass lines and melodies. 9 pm.

Five Blank Pages Indie pop rock act with an oversized heart and three-part harmonies. Think Weakerthans, Pedro the Lion and Death Cab for Cutie. 10 pm.

woodpigeon With music as glittery and morose as fresh snow on sidewalks under a full moon, this supergroup of Calgarians play orchestral pop. 11 pm.

The Mark Inside A driven, pulsating concoction of blues jams and edgy, primal punk-rock. Hot dang! Midnight.

Uberko Uberko play a kind of dance-inducing, high-octane electronic music with big, anthemic melodies. 1 am.

El Mocambo

Faber Drive They basically sound like middle-of-the-road pop rock with lots of angst. 9 pm.

Last Days of April Stockholm’s LDOA mix inventive arrangements and bittersweet, pained melodies with impressive instrumentation featuring lotsa piano and strings. 10 pm.

the exchanges Intelligent, primal, rip-yer-face-off power rock for the masses. 11 pm.

Brant Bjork and the Bros Made up of former members of the mighty and pounding Kyuss, BB & TB are straight-up 70s rock with lots of groove and psychedelia. Midnight.

C’Mon Fierce rock ‘n’ roll machine with sweaty dirty-denim gusto flies a freak flag in the face the soulless. 1 am.

Free Times Cafe

Terry Hart This acoustic musician plays peaceful, soul-stirring instrumentals that bring to mind Bruce Cockburn. 8 pm.

Joshua Heard Park A barefoot, lyrically driven performer, Heard delivers poignant, heartfelt songs. 9 pm.

Ali Eskandarian Influenced by varied bands and musicians, he plays something along the lines of edgy alt-country. 10 pm.

Ian Shaul In performances that range from frantic to subdued and visceral, Shaul makes music that’s equal parts Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. 11 pm.

Kristin Sweetland Her commanding voice is accompanied by a very distinctive guitar style that blends folk, roots, jazz, classical and flamenco. Midnight.

Gladstone Hotel

porkbelly futures If you’re into classic roots rock like the Band, then-Porkbelly-Futures should do you good. 9 pm.

Hey Ocean! They continue to awe audiences thanks to their sheer talent, charismatic songwriting and undeniable live energy. 10 pm.

Elizabeth Shepherd Trio Elizabeth Shepherd is too busy for all this bio nonsense. But she has a MySpace account. And she plays jazz. 11 pm.

Royal Wood This talented multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter has been honing his craft since his early teens, and he’s just come back from a tour with Sarah Harmer. Midnight.

Grand Analog Grand Analog’s music is a beautiful mess of rap ‘n’ roll dub and soul. 1 am.

Harlem

Horton the Irrelevant & August the Creep With a unique drawl, the music is a blend of buoyant beats and dark, reflective compositions. 9 pm.

Atherton Having started out at high school coffee houses and local parties, this MC kicks out high-concept lyrical flows with wit. 10 pm.

Wordburglar Known for rocking shows with his clever wordplay, patented Maritime charm and absurdist sense of humour. 11 pm.

9TH UNO He’s been battling, composing and performing since the early 90s — a time when lyrical marksmanship and skill were respected. Midnight.

Notes to Self Notes to Self have a group dynamic reminiscent of early De La Soul. 1 am.

The Hideout

Kat Goldman With songs full of charm and unwavering dignity, Goldman beautifully reminisces on the past. 9 pm.

Nees and Vos Heartland roots and artistic sensibilities blend into a compelling voice that evokes the vast American landscape. 10 pm.

JP Hoe & the Truly Richards Imagine Rufus Wainwright meeting David Gray before having a nice, hot cup of joe with the Band. 11 pm.

Layla Zoe Compared to Etta James and Norah Jones, Zoe has a unique sound, youthfulness and sex appeal. Midnight.

Chinese Food Imagine the Talking Heads, Tom Waits, ZZ Top and Bill Haley all waiting around for Chinese food. If that doesn’t make much sense to you, you’re not alone. 1 am.

Holy Joe’s

Lotus Child A charismatic type of ‘immaculately arranged, piano-infused alt-pop’ that sounds like Bright Eyes and Spoon. 9 pm.

Rachael Sage & the Sequins This East Village songstress delivers vibrant live performances that blend vaudevillian kitsch with art pop. 10 pm.

Snowbyrd Hard-driving, chugging guitar rhythms, melodic songs with off-kilter harmonies and a flair for weird turns. 11 pm.

REVIVAL DEAR They marry three-part harmonies with traditional instruments in an attempt to ressurect folk traditions. Midnight.

downtown harvest An eclectic blend of melodic rock, pop, hiphop and dance, their music is about versatile songwriting. 1 am.

The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern

Mark Wilson & the Last Dinosaur Wilson’s unique vocal stylings helped net his band the 2006 CBC Rising Star Award. 8 pm.

Future Clouds and Radar They’re a six-piece ensemble fronted by the singer of Cotton Mather. ‘Sprawling kaleidoscopic art pop,’ says the New Yorker. 9 pm.

Cage the Elephant Their influences include peer pressure, marijuana and high school girls. 10 pm.

Seawolf They play delicate melodies with foggy, elegiac narratives over-top lush instrumentations. 11 pm.

Buffalo Tom They’ve made a name for themselves over the years as college radio faves and by playing indie rock alongside friends like Dinosaur Jr. Midnight.

The Old Soul If the Old Soul were food… they would definitely be fennel. Why, you ask? Because they are delicious! 1 am.

Low Level Flight Holy shit! It’s the dude who won Canadian Idol in 03. Apparently, his band literally ejaculates powerful, hook-laden jams full of bittersweet lyrics. 2 am.

Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse

uncut They recall the disco-fed post-punk heyday bookended by Joy Division and New Order. 9 pm.

Beasts of Eden With hard-driving live performances, TBOE sound somewhere between Sonic Youth and Steely Dan. 10 pm.

Soundtrack of Our Lives Sweden’s Soundtrack of Our Lives have released some remarkable music in the last 12 years, ranging from cinematic and theatrical to neo-psychedelic. 11 pm.

Kathedral

The Joys Like if Janis Joplin fronted Van Halen. The Joys have racked up plenty of awards including best live act from the T.O. Indie Music Awards. Hot! 9 pm.

Floor Thirteen High-energy, hardworking, balls-to-the-wall rock outfit’s opened for Our Lady Peace and Danko Jones. 10 pm.

Muffler Crunch ‘Fuck electric music’ seems to be the creed of this duo who rock out sludgy metal-soul numbers on acoustic guitars. 11 pm.

high voltage Since coming together in 2004, these Hamiltonians have been earning a reputation for their dynamic talent. Midnight.

Automatic Generic. Hard. Rock. 1 am.

Lee’s Palace

Oh Susanna She sought refuge with song under burnt-out warehouses and in darkened clubs with the promise of guitar twang and a lonesome cry.’ 9 pm.

Kathleen Edwards If Tom Petty, Wilco and Bright Eyes could be embodied in one performer, all bets should be on Edwards. 10 pm.

Jim Bryson As a member of Kathleen Edwards’s band and a collaborator with Howe Gelb, his music is plaintive, thoughtful and calming. 11 pm.

Justin Rutledge Often hailed as the Gram Parsons of our time, critically acclaimed Justin Rutledge’s chops and songs have been good enough to get him on bills with Dolly Parton and Blue Rodeo. Midnight.

Ron Sexsmith Singer/songwriter extraordinaire Sexsmith has left an indelible mark on contemporary music. From touching audiences with the staggering intimacy of his show to being covered by Feist, Sexsmith is always worth checking out. 1 am.

Luke Doucet & Melissa McClelland Expect a heady mix of southern rock, blues and country full of depth and brilliant songcraft. 2 am.

Blue Rodeo As Canada’s most compelling and engaging folk, rock and country band, Blue Rodeo have released some of the most important, not to mention inspiring, music this country has seen in the last two decades. 3 am.

Neutral

From Other Planes A bunch of troubadours who all garner their roots from other planes, as it were, with an edgy alt-rock attack. 8 pm.

Hue Striving for all things soft, hard, lush and melodic, Hue focus on tight pop melodies interspersed with gripping guitar work and atmospheric sounds. 9 pm.

METZ This three-piece combines heavy grooves with angular guitar bursts, electronic noise and dissonant vocals that are definitely not for the faint of heart. 10 pm.

Seconds to Go Imagine U2, the Foo Fighters and Hot Water Music fucking each other orgy-style and then all pretending that the love child is everyone else’s responsibility. 11 pm.

sleeping pilot ‘Hysterical and sharp noise that shifts from a chaotic frenzy of abrupt and discordant hardcore to a more refined and elusive arty style.’ Midnight.

Red Blanket This genre-defying group makes abstract moves through everything from punk and thrash to skronky jazz and whatever the hell else they feel like. 1 am.

The NOW Lounge

Michael Cavan Born in Ireland and raised in North Bay, Ontario, Cavan finds himself exploring the roots of his immigrant family. 9:30 pm.

Jamil Truly committed to the craft of songwriting, Jamil counts Paul Simon and James Taylor among his influences. 10 pm.

Jon Brooks His CD, No Mean City, sings the laughter of the heart and the crying of these homeless times. 10:30 pm.

Frank Patrick A little bit folk, a little bit Afro-beat, Patrick draws from his experiences all over the world. 11 pm.

ROAM Innovative new contemporary roots music unit featuring Lisa Patterson (piano/vocals/sax) and Alex McMaster (cello/vocals). 11:30 pm.

Kevin Phillips and the It Men They wail and shuffle through their old-school sound with lots of harmonica and cool attitude to boot. Midnight.

Drea Her rhythym guitar styles have drawn comparisons to Mike Ness of Social Distortion and Michelle Shocked. 12:30 am.

The Undesirables They play all over the freaking place with their brand of roots, blues and folk that sounds natural and sweet as pie. 1 am.

Rancho Relaxo

Jen Militia Like Lauryn Hill and the Clash, JM is equal parts hiphop, soul and punk, they are committed to the cause of girls, gin and revolution. 9 pm.

Poorfolk Sleepy-sounding vocals are aptly backed by interesting guitar and keyboard arrangements. 10 pm.

Sleeping in the Aviary Like some kind of unholy musical union between the Buzzcocks, the White Stripes and the Kinks. 11 pm.

TV HeartAttack TV HeartAttack threaten to pack the pieces of your broken heart into three-minute hook-filled rockers. Midnight.

shortwave Their ‘song inspirations range from Sid Vicious’s hard-nosed tragic life to Sylvia Plath’s claustrophobic Bell Jar.’ 1 am.

Reverb

SO IT GOES Helmed by brothers/songwriters Adam Payson and Travis Arthur, SIG come off with a post-new wave blast that produces a feeling akin to being bounced around in time musically. 9 pm.

Miss Derringer Led by husband-and-wife team Liz McGrath and Morgan Slade, Miss Derringer describe their sound as being like ‘gothic country.’ 10 pm.

Spookey Ruben and the Young Coconuts This collaborator with Tortoise plays progressive power pop with oodles of melody and texture. 11 pm.

Jason Falkner Falkner’s gone solo recently but has an impressive track record through his work with Air, Beck and Paul McCartney. Midnight.

Adam Franklin & Bolts of Melody Previously the lead singer/guitarist for shoegaze kings Swervedriver, Franklin has already enjoyed an illustrious career as a trendsetter in early 90s alternative rock. 1 am.

Rivoli

Simon Wilcox Her music has been called ferocious and completely honest. Think jazz meets indie rock. 8 pm.

Lights Staring into one too long will hurt your eyes, and now they play new wave pop, too. 9 pm.

We Are the Take A young Toronto rock band with dual lead singers/guitarists who write smart, hooky songs with upbeat melodies. 10 pm.

Jade McNelis ‘Hungry piano playing, haunting melodies and a voice that brims with all the hope of a bright dawn pouring through the window.’ 11 pm.

Rides Again Young Oshawa-based rock band combines elements of the Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and 80s arena rock. Midnight.

hey rosetta! Six-piece group from St. John’s, creates rock/pop that moves between driving intensity and whispered reflection. 1 am.

Rockwood – Rock

James Teej Teej produces a wide aray of electronic music and collaborates with artists near and far. The fusion between electro and soul is the name of the game. 9 pm.

Teeloo’s Kitchen ‘Teeloo’s programming is a bit more eclectic, blending 70s rare groove and Latin, 80s soul and electro, 90s triphop and the latest minimal tech house.’ 10 pm.

Nitin He’s established himself as a sonic force in the electronic music scene, rocking dance floors from coast to coast. A connoisseur of all things house and techno, Nitin has crafted a dirty dance-floor sound. 11 pm.

Jonny White Electro-tinged minimal/techno filled with strange strings, synths and sounds, dirty retro bass lines and a distinct 80s influence. Midnight.

Kenny Glasgow You know him and you love him because Toronto’s Glasgow kicks out hot techno and electro beats. 1 am.

Rockwood – Wood

mischief&frankie This local duo keep the old-school kids happy as they rock a funky mid-90s Chicago vibe. 10 pm.

Andy Caldwell From San Francisco, Caldwell spins deep soulful house jams perfect for a chilled night. Midnight.

Savannah

Elemeno Peas This award-winning funk and R&B band play original jams that are getting them some serious attention. 8 pm.

Lindsay Barr and the Bullies Hyper-folk, freaky funk, spastic rock and some good ol’ swingin’ blues. 9 pm.

Bourgeois Gypsies A genre-bending acoustic band that pits slow-rocking, porch-sitting music against poignant punk rock lullabies. 10 pm.

Bjorn Quenemoen This Brooklyn group emphasizes fluid song structure and strong vocal harmonies. 11 pm.

The Ease Down A fusion of contemporary indie culture and 70s Motown, their music is driven by strong vocal melodies and a playful rhythm section. Midnight.

DiggingRoots Quickly emerging as new leaders of old-school rebel music, they draw inspiration from their land and their conscience. 1 am.

Silver Dollar

Lipstick Machine Lipstick Machine is the illegitimate love child of the 60s and the 80s. 8 pm.

The Disraelis Haunting vocals and melancholic melodies make these dudes better than most. 9 pm.

The Miles Quirky indie rock played by dudes who look like they’d be really awkward and uncomfortable in social situations?!?! The devil you say! 10 pm.

Easy Targets They sound like Radiohead rocking out in a garage 20 years ago. 11 pm.

The Two Koreas Five tea-drinking Toronto socialites extrapolate pre-punk primitivism from a post-punk future. Midnight.

Cities in Dust Their kinetic and adventurous approach has drawn comparisons to dance-punk acts like the Rapture. 1 am.

The Vandelles The Vandelles’ infamous live show is an audio-visual assault. From garage cats to cowboy beat poetry, this is beach guitar noir rock ‘n’ roll. 2 am.

Sneaky Dee’s

Rebekah Higgs Coming out of the latest Halifax renaissance, she possesses a rare ability to mix indie, folk and electronic textures. 9 pm.

Camouflage Nights Just like the soundtrack to the best and worst night of your life. 10 pm.

The Ghost Is Dancing TGID, formed from a group of friends living in Toronto, explodes with a barely contained pop feel. 11 pm.

A Northern Chorus The band continues with some of its thickest and most complex arrangements to date. Midnight.

Wooden Stars Indie rock darlings Wooden Stars have released four albums of their own and won a Juno Award in 2000. 1 am.

Supermarket

JF Robitaille Montrealer whose debut EP, The Blood In My Body, was produced by Howard Bilerman (Wolf Parade, Arcade Fire). 9 pm.

Mardeen Picture guitar playing like Built to Spill and Teenage Fanclub, with the swirliness of My Bloody Valentine. 10 pm.

Grand Theft Bus Good if you like intelligent rock music with interesting lyrics, tight vocal harmonies and indie pop sensibilities. 11 pm.

Kae Sun Kae Sun is a unique MC singer-songwriter crafting hiphop-inspired music that borrows from all genres and cultures. Midnight.

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