KING TUFF at Lee’s Palace, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNNN
At the first of his two CMW shows, anthemic fuzz rocker King Tuff, born Kyle Thomas, played pretty much the same set as he did at the Horseshoe on his way through town last year in support of his newest album, Black Moon Spell, but as long as Anthem and Headbanger make the list, you won’t hear too many complaints.
The sound was better this time around, Thomas’s blazing riffs clear and powerful, his wheezy vocals tuneful and amusing. Bassist Magic Jake did his whistling thing, and an intense extended solo during Staircase Of Diamonds showed just what Thomas can do with his terrifically blinged-out SG.
CARLA GILLIS | @carlagillis
HARRISON at Studio Bar, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNN
Toronto “future funk” producer Harrison already boasted a strong online following long before he overcame his stage fright and started performing live, and at Studio Bar you could tell it’s still new to him from his charmingly awkward stage patter.
But while nerves might have caused him to accidentally stop the song he was playing at one point, bringing guest vocalist Maddee onstage later in the set to perform songs from his debut Colors EP helped make it feel more like a proper show rather than someone DJing his own songs.
BENJAMIN BOLES | @benjaminboles
Photo credit: Matt Williams
DEVONTÉE at Tattoo, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNN
Drake has OVO, the Weeknd has XO and upstart Toronto rapper/producer Devontée has WOE – working on excellence. As he performed for a sparse, surly-looking early crowd at Tattoo, that philosophy came across in his professionalism and precision as a rapper. He has a message and he wants you to hear it – whether in the form of a hyped-up banger or something more melancholy.
At times, he rapped and gestured directly at members of the crowd in an expressive, almost conversational manner reminiscent of Common. He did his best to goad those crowded at the foot of the stage into participating, and slowly they came around. By the end, they were pogoing to new single Bare Tings.
KEVIN RITCHIE | @kevinritchie
DENZEL CURRY at Tattoo, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNNN
If Devontée was a polished professional, Denzel Curry was a tornado of unhinged energy. The Miami MC – a last-minute replacement for headliner Mick Jenkins – didn’t need to ask for arms in the air. He simply leapt around the stage, firing off triplet rhymes that appeared to cause his slight frame to convulse and shudder, and the crowd gave that energy right back.
The vibe was Memphis horrorcore meets punk-rock catharsis, so although Curry is a confident and ambitious rapper, his rough, raspy and occasionally reverbed vocals could be hard to decipher. Most people were too busy moshing to care and at the end he came back out for an encore.
KEVIN RITCHIE | @kevinritchie
DARREN HANLON at the Paddock, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNNN
Making light of an awkward venue, Darren Hanlon joked that he wasn’t suffering from a strange skin disease – it was the lighting system. The Aussie songwriter regaled the crowd with the story of the last time he played Toronto, when15 years ago he tricked a promoter into letting him open for Billy Bragg. (A handful of people in the attentive Paddock crowd had been in attendance.)
Hanlon was almost as nimble on arch-top acoustic guitar as he was with words but perhaps didn’t recognize his own tour de force tunes (or else they’re not pub-friendly enough). But luckily someone shouted out for the Chattanooga Shoot Shoot from Hanlon’s latest, and the set closed with the great yarn song (with a dash of social commentary), with sirens from Queen and Bathurst blaring at almost exactly the right time.
SARAH GREENE | @sarahegreene
Photo credit: Matt Williams
Together PANGEA at the Silver Dollar, Thursday, May 7. Rating: NNNN
Together PANGEA kicked off the first night of three at the Silver Dollar with a set of unabashed slacker rock, restrained but just barely. The L.A. band is basically your favourite skating pals, but with yelling and guitars. And even more fun. A sparse but dedicated and goofy mosh pit made that clear.
Their short set left the faithful elbow-throwers in the crowd begging for more. But, hey, two more nights just means extra chances to perfect the imperfect.
MATT WILLIAMS | @MattGeeWilliams
