Indie Awards
Canadian Music Week came to a close on Saturday, May 10, with its annual Indie Awards at Kool Haus, and T.O. musicians took home lotsa hardware. You could say City and Colour clean-swept things, with wins for single of the year, artist of the year and most-played indie artist. No surprise, seeing as Dallas Green and Co. sold out the ACC the night before. Basia Bulat was named female artist of the year, Sebastien Grainger male artist. Hollerado won for best live group, Born Ruffians for must-follow artist, the Strumbellas in the folk/roots category, Chloe Charles in the soul/R&B category, Sultans of String for world artist, and PUP for punk/hardcore, just to name a few. Congrats, winners.
Nash the Slash
Forward-thinking electronically minded prog rock musician Nash the Slash died over the weekend at age 66. Born Jeff Plewman in Toronto, the electric violinist/mandolinist/keyboardist performed in a surgical-tape mask and founded one of Canada’s first indie labels, Cut-Throat Records, in 1978. Read Susan G. Cole’s tribute to the punky new wave music-maker at nowtoronto.com/music.
