Artless

When the larger Arte Gelato opened at the corner at Delaware and Bloor, I thought tiny bakery Bakerbots was done for. But the latter is still going strong with line-ups that have continually grown longer. Feeling loyalty to its ice cream sandwiches, I have stuck with Bakerbots. But it doesn't offer food, and I haven't eaten dinner yet before the Dwayne Gretzky show. So Arte Gelato it is for a late Friday meal.

From their menu of sandwiches and pizza, I opted for the Tutte Carne: a thin-crust "meat lovers" pizza ($8.99). The toppings were good: gooey cheese, meaty sausage, and some smokey bacon and ham to finish. I didn't detect much roasted chicken though. But the crust was sub-par. Knowing they didn't have the special pizza ovens of Libretto et al, I was skeptical they could do a thin crust. And I was right. It tasted like stiff cardboard, reminding me of the cheap store-bought economy-size pizza my family bought when I was growing up. It had a more toothsome chew where the crust was thicker, so you might be better off with the pricier thick-crust Italian-style versions.

Hip To Be Square

It has been a crazy, hectic work day so although there were a couple of interesting bands scheduled for Pride, I wanted some guaranteed feel-good music. What could be better than classic hits played by Dwayne Gretzky. They took to the Yonge-Dundas Square stage Friday night around 8 pm and played two energetic sets until 10:30 for Indie Friday. Usually reserved for up-and-coming bands, Gretzky might be the first cover band to play here.

For both sets, the audience started out with a smattering of bearded hipsters with their lady friends. These were probably Gretzky's regulars from The Dakota. There were also some teenage girls, who were almost certainly there because of Tyler Kyte and Nick Rose's pop band Sweet Thing. Then it would swell to about 150-200 with curious passerbys and tourists enjoying Gretzky's energetic performance of well-known songs. This was especially true of the 2nd set, where they back-loaded all the really big hits like Eight Days A Week, Psycho Killer, Under Pressure, Barracuda, and Blinded By The Light.

Kyte thanked the crowd for being their "biggest ever" but that was exaggerated. They have played for bigger crowds including their 600+ sold-out show covering Fleetwood Mac's Rumours a few weeks back. But it was true that they did receive a bit of the "famous rock band" treatment tonight: the Times Square-ish vibe, roadies to set up and tear down the set, concert lighting, and people waiting after the show for meet-and-greets and photo ops.

Maybe Even For Fishes

It has been Bike Month in Toronto. With June winding down, a show to benefit a Cycling advocacy group took place at the Gladstone on Tuesday. In the back, there was a silent auction. Bidders have a selection of bike-related items to choose from: Levi's Jeans for riding, stylish moisture-free jackets, messenger bags, bike sharing memberships, and even a retro bike. There were some speeches, kept reasonably short. The gist being that daily riding membership in Toronto is around 7% which actually translates to more than 100,000 riders. As such, Toronto bicyclists deserve better biking initiatives and strategies including bike lanes and parking.

There were two musical acts tonight. Army Girls came on first with a combination of sonic indie chords and bluesy riffs. The modest speakers carried Carmen Elle's vocals clearly over her two-piece outfit. Appropriately enough, recently re-united indie pop band The Bicycles closed off the evening. With multiple singers/songwriters, their songs ran the gamut of styles: sunny pop, country-folk, rock. But most songs were consistently short and catchy. It was too bad you couldn't hear their vocals too well. It must sound great with your amps blasting away behind you since you have monitors projecting back your voice. But I wish more bands think about what the audience might be actually hearing, especially those at the front, and turn down their amps. Both bands won a good number of new fans tonight with their lively show.

Chicken Monday

Although I swore off fried chicken for a year, I accepted an an offer for a Fried Chicken large format meal at Momofoku on Monday. Here was my chance to try Daisho, the 3rd floor restaurant. Imagine my disappointment when it turns out this particular large format meal takes place in the 1st floor Noodle Bar. I have been here several times, and although it's good, it's not enough to break my vow.

Before the meal arrived, we ordered some appetizers to start. The pork buns ($5 each) came out hot, slightly sweet, with the pork belly being immensely fatty. A sensuous experience and yet oddly flavourless in that the primary experience is the richness of the meat. The jar of kimchi ($7) didn't add much: the spiciness has been dialed down and it was too soft. The typical kimchi spread at your ethnic Korean restaurant is cheaper (free) and provides more variety.

Finally, the main entree came. Two whole fried chicken ($125) done southern style and korean style. It was quite a sight: two mounds of sizzling hot chicken. They tasted great too, at first. Southern style is like KFC dialed to 11, crispy, salty, and greasy. Korean style had the chicken coated in a thick batter (reminding me of the fried prawns you get at a Chinese resto) with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce. Perhaps it was the abundance but people didn't finish, leaving me with several pieces for leftovers. The scallion pancakes to be used for wraps were disappointing: too thick and a bit bland. Oddly, it was the sides that gave me the most pleasure: the subtle combination of pickled veggies, crunchy radish, ginger scallion sauce, and fragrant herbs (basil, tarragon, cilantro) was quite nice. A good meal but not worth the sticker price.

Freaks and Geeks

With many parts of Toronto built before modern-day bylaws, you often have industrial buildings sitting smack dab in residential areas. A lot of them have been converted to condos or torn down, but you can still find the odd survivor. I went on Friday to the Dupont and Dundas St W area to visit a space at 50 Edwin Street.

Metropolis Factory is the moniker of this factory, now a vintage store and event venue. As part of Ontario Craft Beer Week, the Strange Brew event brought together circus performers, craft beer, food trucks, and live bands. Under a full moon, people were milling around the main parking lot, drinking beer and eating tacos, smoked meat, and fish and chips. Every now and then, the circus master would announce an act. These were less professional performers and more those you would find in a local "freak show".

Inside, being a vintage store, there were old suitcases, giant metal boilers, and huge industrial tables. A few local businesses were show-casing their products. For example, a local startup was demonstrating their "haptic headband" technology by having participants pouring beer from a tap with just the power of their concentration. The theory being that the device can detect different types of brain waves through its sensors.

I missed opening act Jumple, a Serbian folk-punk band which I have seen previously. The Golden Dogs played a vigorous pop-punk sound with the male guitarist and female drummer trading lyrics on most songs. They were backed by a keyboardist who sometimes added some alto harmony and a Geddy Lee look-a-like bassist. The final act was everyone's favourite cover band, Dwayne Gretzky. It was their usual energetic performance but their vocals were muddily buried in the mix despite the sound guy's attempts through both sets to fix it. I guess it didn't matter too much as most songs were familiar to the crowd.

Grill of the Chase

On a barren stretch on Carlton between Sherbourne and Jarvis sits Zakkushi, another Vancouver-based Japanese eatery that has opened shop in Toronto. Although it offers Izakaya-style food, the specialty is the many and varied ways it grills everything on skewers, over a large open bbq. Supposedly, special Japanese wood is used to give all dishes a unique flavour. On average, each skewer costs between $2 and $4. So although it sounds like a cheap eats, a typical 9-10 skewer per person dinner will run you about $40 after tax and tip.

Zakkushi eschews the bright, pulsing, dance-club feel of other Izakayas. It's all about dark wood, bench seats, and fake wood shingles evoking an ancient tavern. Sitting down on Friday, I half expected a group of ronin to come in for some sake and gambling. Highlights included the Oropon Sausage, grated daikon over smoky meat; Shishamo: strongly flavour smelt; Wagyu Beef Tongue: tender and juicy; Negi P-Toro: fatty pork with onions; and Yakioni: simple but tasty rice ball and soya. Less well received were Kawa: over-salted chicken skin; Scallops: overdone and dry; Shishitou: hot peppers and bonito; and Okonomiyaki: Japanese sea-food pancakes that are done better in Korean bistros.

It's a busy and convivial atmosphere. The nice thing is that they take reservations. The downside is that without one, they'll fit you in, but you'll be on a tight clock.

Scallops, Shishamo, Negi P-Toro	Oropon Sausage, Kawa
Wagyu Beef Tongue	Yakioki, Shishitou

Mean Streets

After a disappointing puppet slam on Monday, I went to the Lower Ossington Theatre Thursday night to see if a more polished puppetry act could do the trick. It was a local production of the Broadway hit Avenue Q. Set in an brownstone apartment in a less desirable part of New York City, several 20-somethings had to come to terms with being "under-employed" and disaffected after having left their college careers with starry optimism. The twist is that several characters are animated as plush Sesame Street-style puppets.

For a small production, the design was good, with a large two-story "brick" facade representing the apartment building. The musical opened with recent grad Princeton (Stephen Amon) finally finding a for rent sign in his price range. We would then be introduced to the residents: his love interest Kate Monster (Jacqueline Martin), closeted Rod (Amon) and and his bro room-mate Nicky (Phil Skala), Brian (Mark Willett) and his fiancee Christmas Eve (Ann Paula Bautista), Trekkie Monster (Adam Norrad), and superintendent and one-time child actor Gary Coleman (Natasha Strilchuk).

The actors were able singers and puppeteers, especially Amon and Martin, who played multiple roles. I was pleasantly surprised by the skillful use of live-hand and double-rod puppets. The acting was adequate but often defaulted to the "gee-whiz mister" school of emoting. Given that sort of mannered performance, I didn't feel much connection to the characters.

This was a fun but forgettable evening of theatre. But because of the material and not the actors. Having heard of but never seen Avenue Q, I can't believe it won 3 Tonys and played so long on Broadway. The vignette nature of the plot made the show disjointed and its supposed subversiveness (such as songs about loud sex and schadenfreude) felt dated and glib. None of the songs were particular memorable musically or lyrically. In fact, I have heard more clever song craft at some Fringe musicals.

Express Yourself

Amaya is a high-end Indian restaurant in North Toronto. The owner has been opening smaller Amaya Express versions throughout the city. Tuesday night, I checked out the new one on the Ossington strip before a show.

Given its trendy neighbours, the restaurant has gone with wood floors, dark wood tables, and a giant retro mural showing a street vendor selling Indian food. Given the name, I was expecting a more no-frills takeout place, although they were doing a brisk trade in pick-ups. I ordered the saag paneer ($10.95) with basmati ($3.25). A second surprise, the dishes came out on the same upscale dining ware as its namesake.

The spinach has been pureed to a soup-like texture. The cubes of cottage cheese were likewise soft. When added with the rice, I practically didn't even have to chew. The Amaya philosophy is to do more delicate cooking to not overpower dishes with spices. But I found the taste profile of this dish too bland, and would have liked more fragrant, typical Indian flavours.

This little restaurant is a good addition to the neighbourhood, which although saturated with restaurants, have too many Continental offerings except for two Vietnamese hold-overs. A little variety is welcome to this stretch.

Keeping It Rielle

Tuesday night, I dropped by Theatre Passe Muraille for a vocal performance in the upstairs bar. An intimate crowd of about 30 were there to hear Rielle Braid sing.

I first heard Ms. Braid in Ride The Cyclone, a twisted musical comedy about dead teenagers. Tonight was a true cabaret with not just songs but also confessional stories. She was encouraged to put together this cabaret to open herself emotionally. And though there were some musical theatre mannerisms during her banter, it was a deeply felt performance. Braid teared up several times as she introduced each song with a personal story. There were classics including Fascinating Rhythm, Wayfaring Stranger, and The Miller's Son, but many songs were original compositions. She was joined throughout the night by musical guests.

The modest sound system wasn't entirely needed as she could really belt out a note. In a regular venue, Braid would outclass most singers (though powerful vocals aren't a necessary requirement of pop/rock.) Before her encore, where she sang her most "coveted role" of Gypsy Lee Rose, the set ended with her rousing spiritual from Ride The Cyclone that involved a winged Karl Marx and her Cyclone cast-mates. If I didn't mis-hear Braid, and this number has been actually cut from the newly revised Ride The Cyclone, then I'll  shed a tear or two, too.

Slam Bam, No Thank-you Ma'am

Most of Toronto's live venues are concentrated in the downtown West end. 3030 Dundas aims to showcase different acts in The Junction, a trendy area in the North-West. On Monday, I dropped by to watch grown adults play with plush toys.

Specifically, a collective of puppeteers were putting on the final show of their season. Being a "Puppet Slam", it involved short acts or scenes that may be more experimental in nature. The MCs for the evening was Frank Feltman, a cynical news anchor and Puppet What What, a bubbly girl sock. The last slam I went to was hit and miss, and I was hoping for higher quality material tonight.

No such luck, it was still more miss than hits. There were sound problems all night. The performers could not sufficiently project their voices into the large bar (with a whirring ventilator)  and the single mic didn't help. Most acts were half-baked. A lot of work went into the puppets or costumes with not much time given to other things like scripts and acting. Mostly though, the material didn't seem particularly experimental or interesting. This was standard issue hand-puppetry but without the fun and humour.

Okay Dokey

Shoyu ramen

Asian cuisine is a standard fare for many North American kitchens, with ingredients or quick prepared frozen entrees available in supermarkets. But A-OK Food is probably one of the few restaurants in the city that offers Asian food not staffed by Asians.

This second-level walk-up at Queen and Shaw sported the open-space, communal tables found in most recent restaurants. In contrast to the clean, hip look, the dishes are served on cheap, kitschy Chinese plates, perhaps as a nod to the street-food origins of their short fusion-esque menu.

Before I headed on out to catch various outdoor performances associated with NXNE, perfect on a pleasant Saturday afternoon, I dropped by A-OK for a quick lunch. I opted for the Bulgogi Torta ($7.50), a bowl of Shoyu ramen ($10.50), and 5-Spice buns ($5.00). The Korean grilled beef came out in burger form, with a side of pickled celery and green peppers, and a bottle of house-made sriracha. The beef was moist and tender, with the slightly sweet taste of Korean BBQ sauce. I thought the avocado and provolone topping wasn't a good match, as their strong taste masked out the Bulgogi's distinctive flavour.

The Shoyu ramen came in chicken stock, but the duck fat and garlic confit made it as rich as other ramen spots in the city. The house-made noodles were softer than the others, still retaining a nice toothsomeness. I particularly enjoyed the tender pork slices with just a layer of fat for some richness. The egg didn't have the oozy runniness typical of this noodle dish. There was a slight citrus undertone to the soup because of the inclusion of yuzu.

Bulgogi Torta

5 spice buns

Usually 5-spice buns come out as appetizers, stuffed with meat. Here, they have been interpreted as a dessert. As such, 3 pieces of fresh deep-fried buns came out, accompanied by some earl grey cream. The buns were hot and golden-brown, sweetly coated with "5 spice sugar" that carried a hint of cinnamon. This was a nice way to end the meal, but I couldn't help treating them as a fresher version of a timbit.

Free To Play

With NXNE and Luminato overlapping, Toronto has a glut of arts and music this week. Since both festival also offer free shows, it doesn't have to be a big hit in the pocket-book. I decided to see if I could enjoy all the fun without spending any money this week-end. But instead of going to see The National at Yonge-Dundas Square Friday night, I wanted to catch some home-grown talent at David Pecaut Square.

A  gigantic inflated disco ball hung over the Luminato crowd, who tends to be more toward the sedated portable lawn chair type. But more excitable youngsters can be found near the front for tonight's double bill. k-os has been on the Canadian hip-hop scene for a while. So he has a large and varied repertoire of songs: from straight-up hip-hop, to more fusion with 40s jazz, rock, pop, and even some NIN-esque industrial. Backed by a full band and a turn-tablist, k-os roamed the stage, sometimes accompanied by an infectious b-boy. With tunes like Crabbuckit, Man I Used To Be, and Sunday Morning, there were plenty of hits for casual fans. Though because of some wannabe wits who kept yelling out "Natalie Portman" after every song, he didn't bother with that number.

An interminable wait follows. It's amazing that a full set of stage-hands with head-sets, and instruments pre-installed on wheeled pallets still take longer to set-up than bands doing their own equipment in small venues. Finally Serena Ryder bounded up on stage. She would exhibit this energy throughout her set. Her fans are also more dedicated, with several knowing the words to every song. With a 3-piece band including Hill Kourkotis (of Hill and the Sky Heroes), she concentrated mostly on songs from her new album Harmony including Call Me, Baby Come Back, Heavy Love, and Mary Go Round. But there were older numbers such as Weak In The Knees and All For Love. In every city, a lucky fan can harmonize with her on Please Baby Please as a "Sing With Serena" online submission. Tonight, it was a rather intense older singer named Amy. Ryder has a broad range of voices from jazzy torch to balladry pop to attitude rock, although unfortunately there was some nasally late-80s Alanis Morissette dance pop too. She has an ear for catchy hooks and choruses, ending the night with Circle Of The Sun and her big hit Stompa, which may finally propel her 10-year career into the stratosphere.

The Ecstacy of Saint Caplan

Ben Caplan

A trio of storytellers graced the stage of the Rivoli Saturday night. First up was Whitney Rose, an alt-country singer wearing a slim white dress. Though she ended her set with a cover of Be My Baby, her songs mined country with a touch of pop on Do Si Do and Chivalry Is Dead. She sang about lovers whether separated (East Coast Woman's Blues) or jilted (First). Rose had a wistful Patsy Cline way about her. Her lead guitarist, Nichol Robertson (I first saw with Callon Furlong), provided some electrifying riffs.

Gavin Gardiner (The Wooden Sky) came out the spitting image of a hippie: lanky, bearded, long-haired and wearing a green army jacket. He channeled Bob Dylan (whom he covered in Tomorrow Is Long Time) in long narratives full of longing and pain. Whether it was drunkard (Go Straight) or a cold relationship (City of Light), he wryly commented on the human condition. His guitar playing was muscular with some country twangs.

Whitney Rose

The sold-out crowd was here for Ben Caplan (and the Casual Smokers). He came out, with his beard seemingly ever larger, on Southbound: a rambling, energetic song characteristic of his dark klezmer pop. Over the next hour, he would lead the willing mob in wordless ululations, call-and-response, and choruses. He even got everyone to sigh together (on the count of 3). He went through most songs from his first album (Stranger, Beautiful, Seed Of Love) as well as a couple of new tunes (Belly of The Worm, Under Control). The violinist provided some wild solos that, along with Caplan's often manic singing/roaring, received constant cheers. He remarked that singing at the Rivoli reminded him of Church. But with a charismatic wild-man, adoring followers, and sometimes apocalyptic lyrics, perhaps it was more the "Caplan Cult". Soon to take over the world.

East Meets West

On Saturday, Dundas St. W was closed between Ossington and Lansdowne for the 1st annual Dundas West Fest, another street festival to add to Toronto's ever growing list. Like most, the main activity that engages everyone is sitting in the expanded patios, eat, drink, and people-watch. Since this area has not completely gentrified, this included long-time locals as well, though they stuck to their own watering holes.

Some vendors also rent tables on the street alongside local businesses. The busiest sellers offered vintage clothing for women. There were also hucksters including several that foisted $8 plastic soap bubble guns on frazzled parents. Several small stages were also set up to profile local musicians, dancers, and other performers.

I caught a performance of the Jessica Stuart Few band, a 3-piece trio lead by the eponymous red-head. Due to a malfunctioning effects box, she started her set on the guitar with Two Sides To Every Story. After a couple of jazzy tunes full of catchy and muscular riffs on numbers like Walking The Line, (Don't Live Just For The) Week-End, she finally fixed her koto. When playing this 13-string instrument, her style was different: more upbeat chords and sunny lyrics (Don't Ya, Bicycle). It was a good mix of tunes that got several listeners to head on over to the merch table to grab her latest album. I hope that she will eventually combine the two styles, like this Korean teenager playing Hendrix on her gayageum.

Memento Roti

As pointed out by documentary Dal Puri Diaspora, the roti flat bread may have originated in India, but it was in Trinidad-Tobago where it became the "Caribbean roti". Given the multicultural fabric of Toronto, it would seem inevitable that this daughter dish would return back home. And it has.

At the new College St. diner Butter Chicken Roti you can stuff your roti with korma, vindaloo, or the epynomous butter chicken sauce. What tantalizing possibilities for a Saturday lunch. I finally settled on Chicken saag roti ($9.95). But the execution was a bit below average.

They've chosen to go retro diner like other recent offerings (see Frank's Hot Dog) with picnic benches and menus written in chalk on large blackboards. Though the decision to plaster one wall with ripped-out Indian newspapers was a head-scratcher. Was this a  mural or unfinished renovation?

There were two points of pride here: the size of the roti, and the spiciness. And it was both true: the roti had quite a heft in its cardboard container, and medium-hot would be considered hot elsewhere. The roti shell was freshly made and grilled and so had a nice chewiness. The stuffings started out with wonderful flavour but the missteps revealed themselves. From the menu, I suspected that the ingredients were prepared separately and combined after an order. The chicken had the bland taste of plainly cooked meat, not something that has been simmering in sauces.

As such, the various chicken and lamb offerings are probably not great choices. I would stick to the vegetarian options or the pricier shrimp (seafood do not absorb much curry flavour anyway). They'll need to avoid these shortcuts if they want to stay in the competitive roti business.

My Name Isabel

Not having eaten dinner yet, I was famished after Autorickshaw's great concert. But despite the strong restaurant culture, Toronto's eateries don't open much past 10 except for pizza take-outs and a few restaurants in Chinatown. Newly opened Bar Isabel aims to change that with the kitchen staying open until 2 am.

This trendy and well-reviewed spot sits on the edge of Little Italy at College and Shaw, replacing venerable Grappa. When I stopped by at 11:30 pm on Friday night, the lights were dim, the music was loud, and the booze was flowing. Looking over the menu, there was not a chicken wing or taco platter in sight.

First up was a Swiss chard with raisins and anchovies ($6). I liked the sweetness of the raisins but thought the vinaigrette was too tangy. I would have preferred more bitterness in the salad or that the dish plays up the saltiness of the anchovies. The small plate of scallops ($18) was a bit of a sticker shock when it came out. But this was a perfectly balanced dish: tiny spears of wild asparagus, earthy mushroom, tender scallops, and a great textured finish from the Spanish blood sausage. What a wonderful dish.
You can't go wrong with roasted bone marrow ($9). The soft, gelatinous and very fatty marrow went great with the toasted sourdough and a verde sauce. Finally, I had the Basque cake ($8.50) for dessert. Made with pastry cream, it was moist with a crunchy outer shell. The warm sherry cream was poured on top of the cake when it is delivered at your table. Amazingly, it wasn't overly sweet though you might feel a twinge of guilt indulging at such a late hour. A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!

Bohemian Rhapsody

Friday night, I went to a yoga space called Bohemian Palace, tucked at the back of a church on Roncesvalles. Indo-Jazz group Autorickshaw was having a small concert. There were some benches and chairs, but most people sat on yoga bolsters and cushions. I took advantage of the yoga props to do some stretching and twist before the show. If only all live performances had such a relaxing atmosphere.

Autorickshaw, currently composed of Dylan Bell (bass), Ed Hanley (tablas), Suba Sankaran (vocals) was joined by guest guitarist Justin Abedin. Appropriately enough for the venue, they started with a mantra invoking the Hindu deities. Their music is truly fusion: combining jazz, Indian rhythms, ragas, and traditional folk songs such as Saraswati and Snake Charmer. They arranged pop songs (Bird On A Wire, Me and Julio Down By The School Yard) into complex South Asian pieces. For me, they were at their best on Jazz  songs, whether standards (Night In Tunisia, Caravan) or their own (So The Journey Goes) done with South Asian flair. In particular, Caravan was a tight, propulsive performance to end the night.

There were also forays into Bollywood and it seems that their new songs on their upcoming 4th album have a playful, comedic feel such as The Trouble With Hari. Since both Jazz and South Asian have strong improvisation tradition, there were lots of extended solos and free-form playing. I felt some of it got a little tiresome in the aggregate, especially the bass solos. But Suba's vocal improv, from Jazz scats to micro-tonal Indian chants, was quite impressive.

Royal Feast?

The over-abundance of fried chicken the other night reminded me of that "dark" time when I first moved to Toronto. I spent 6 months eating greasy fried food every night at the Dufferin Food Court. No wonder I packed on 30 pounds so quickly. The only bright spot was the vegetarian White Lotus Garden on the week-end which gave my diet a semblance of health. This spot on Dundas is long gone but King's Cafe in Kensington Market, another stalwart from that era, is still around.

With its large space, it still resembled a cafeteria. Although with an upgrade to nicer tables and walls, perhaps a cafeteria in a Scandinavian store. A beautiful tea-shop, a store-in-a-store, took up some wall space to one side. I ordered the Lo Han Chai Chow Mein ($9.99) and some pan-fried radish cake ($3.99).

The noodles came out piled high with a selection of greens and numerous mushroom variety. The noodles was crispy on the edge of the plate but softened in the middle where it soaked in the stir-fry sauce. It was a plentiful and healthy dish: garden-variety strip mall Chinese food. There wasn't even the practiced flair of the really popular ones that are packed at 3 am. The radish was a disaster: thick and heavy, without the crispy brown searing of a hot flame.

Come to King's Cafe for a cheap, healthy meal but that's about it. The tea-shop, however, seems to be of much higher quality.

I-Pop

Friday night at Lee's, two dance bands came to party. And they actually got the reserved Toronto crowd to move ... well, more than usual. Though not full-on party rock. Both bands also have interesting and complex lyrics compared to the typical stereotype of dance-y music.

Local band Kashka is the new effort of Kat Burns, of defunct Forest City Lovers. Backed by a guitarist and a second keys, she sang upbeat songs that still carried some melancholia (Vichada, Winterlight). As a new act, this was probably the biggest audience she's had, and primed to enjoy this kind of music. It looks like there were some converts to her brand of intelligent pop.

Young Galaxy came out dressed in white t-shirts. Throughout their set, coloured patterns, swirls, and blocks were projected on stage. By the second song, Peripheral Visionaries, a cloud of marijuana was billowing up from the pit. Stephen Kamp thanked the crowd for this special night: the first live Canadian performance of songs from their new album Ultramarine including Pretty Boy and In Fire. Lead singer Catherine McCandless was channeling a young David Bowie as she sang, strutted, and danced around on stage. Though based out of Vancouver, they had their start here in Toronto and couldn't resist a dig at Crack Mayor Rob Ford (Youth Is Wasted On The Young). Young Galaxy ended their energetic set with their latest hit New Summer, to welcome the warm weather that has finally arrived, and came back for We Have Everything.