We Are The Champions

On Thursday, I went to C'est What for a show with Retrocity as part of the Sing! a capella festival. This coincided with the first game in the NBA Finals for The Toronto Raptors. So although some people in the audience affectionally shouted "Go sports!", everyone was checking the score between songs or going to the other side of the pub to watch the game between sets.

Tonight was titled Retro-oke so while the group did a short set (Cloud-bursting, Easy Lover) people were encouraged to write down their name and song choice and put their entry into a  box. Over the next two sets, at least 10 people were lucky enough to sing lead with the band. Years ago I attended a similar show with them at a charitable event but all the singers were professional. Tonight, there were still plenty of pros including several who are also singing at the festival. But several were obviously just gutsy. Luckily, whatever minor pitch or lyrics problems they had were covered over by the enthusiastic participation of the crowd.

This venue prided itself on its sound system. I haven't been here in a while so I don't remember my previous visits. But standing in the back for the first 2 sets, I wasn't too taken with the anemic output. When I was able to snag a seat about half-way closer to the stage, the difference was striking. They might want to install some extra speakers to improve the sound for everyone.

Back To The Future

Tuesday night, I was at Grace O'Malley's in the Entertainment District. If this Irish pub was an odd choice for Tanika Charles' soul music, tonight's sponsor was Grolsch beer. Though the stage area was small, it was packed with her friends and family. They were treated to a high-energy set of songs from her sophomore album The Gumption (Remember To Remember, Love Overdue) as well as older material (Soul Run, Parkdale). On the new album, Charles continued to mine that 60s soul vibe but updated for today. She brought a cheerful, vibrant personality to the stage and didn't need much encouragement to get the crowd to sing, dance, and clap along. Other patrons of the venue, seated in booths, were at first nonplussed. But they quickly came around to Charles' feel-good set. She seemed genuinely touched at the urging of the audience for an encore. Unlike most shows where these songs are planned ahead, Charles and the new version of The Wonderfuls had to search for numbers that they had practiced at least somewhat for. She shrugged and said "Well, if this works" but she needn't have worried, Upside Down and Silly Happy Wild were great bonuses to a fun evening.

Buddha Brunch

On Sunday, I stopped by Mugi for some eats after a yoga class. This newly opened vegan Thai spot is a tiny place at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst. It is easily missed amid the busy traffic and construction. Looking over the short menu, I selected a papaya salad ($8.99) and Hang Le curry ($14.95). The salad had a nice mix of fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables. The vegan fish sauce imparted a good savoury taste. The curry was a dry variety, with young jackfruit substituting for pork belly, in addition to tempeh and cauliflower. The ginger was a nice palate cleanser. It was a tasty dish but next time I will pick a saucier dish to go with the brown rice.

With only 4 seats by the wall, Mugi is mostly a take-out restaurant. But with Khao Soy and other items on the menu, this is a great place to find versions of dishes that don't have vegetarian options at other Thai places.

Conjugate

On Thursday, I was at The Monarch Tavern for a show. First up was LISA. Backed by a 4-member band, including two members of Dwayne Gretzky, the titular singer had a set of sweet pop. I kept thinking Roy Orbison for the 21st century. Definitely some promising material here.

The second band Group Therapy was less successful for me. They played a jangly art-pop set. But the vocals and lyrics didn't add anything. Given their penchant for multiple guitar layers and sonic changes, they should consider becoming a full instrumental or jam band. Kudos to the guitarist for pointing out that in addition to LISA, Toronto also has local bands Milhouse and Bart.

Language-Arts had to wait a little before starting their set because The Raptors was wrapping up game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against The Milwaukee Bucks. But then they had the full attention of the bar for their brand of propulsive prog-rockesque music. Singer/guitarist Kristen Cudmore kept her inappropriate but humorous banter in check tonight, possibly because some of her dog-walker clients were in the audience. But she did regale us with why she was almost late for the gig which included among other details her dog vomiting. The set had two new releases including the powerful Top of the Top about her experience with brain injury.

This was the second last show for this outfit. The last will be in October when they release the next album. Perhaps this is because as Cudmore pointed out, the media only care about new music from 17-year olds, not 36. In any case, I will miss their erudite music.

Master of Fun

Since I was impressed with the intimate CBC First Play show by Rich Aucoin a few weeks ago, I decided to head to the Drake Underground on Thursday for the full experience. Opener Regina Gently got the crowd into the party mood with some vigorous dancing and singing taken from their old Light Fires project as well as some upcoming material. Of the new stuff, songs that took inspiration from 90s dance beat like Good People got the most booty moving. Gently was as sarcastic and witty as always.

Aucoin was back tonight with the local 10-member band he assembled for the CBC show. Unusually for an album release show, he played the record in its entirety in track order. Like previous albums, Aucoin has synced his music to a movie à la Dark Side of the Rainbow. For the latest entitled Release, it was to Disney's Alice In Wonderland. The film was projected behind the band and although some parts were more thematic, there were bits where it was clear the lyrics were made to align with the visuals (or vice versa).

It was a joyful set. The sound was impeccable with an excellent mix. But it was a full sensory experience. In addition to the movie, there was confetti spraying at specific times, special lighting effects, and of course the Aucoin parachute. Tonight, instead of bringing a "venue appropriate" one, he brought the largest one he owned and filled the whole space. Unlike the typical Toronto crowd, this one was fully committed to the show. Any performer who can get an audience to sing, dance, join up shoulder-to-shoulder and jump up and down has a great stage presence. I also have rarely seen a band so happy to be playing. Tonight was the perfect pick-me-up for anyone who needed some positivity.

Wishful Thinking

I have been indifferent to a number of Jazz shows because of the interminable solos. Marie Goudy's recital convinced me that a compositional approach was more my style. On Sunday, I was at Gallery 345 for a recital of ("codified" as the host said) compositions inspired by Jazz. It turns out that didn't work for me either.

None of it was the fault of Decus Duo with Katya Khatso on piano and Lucia Barcari on violin. They did an admirable job of playing these pieces. The show was book-ended by 2 compositions that were "too square". Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano may have been innovative for its time but nowadays it simply doesn't swing. The first 2 sections and last movement had an enjoyable movie feel, but strictly jazz lite. I kept thinking of the theme to the film La La Land. But the middle 3 just sounded ersatz. As for Fur Elize Jazz (Fazil Say), its idea of jazz being a sort of 30s oompa loompa dixie reminded me of the instrumental "A Fifth of Disco" in Saturday Night Fever.

But there were some highlights. Piazzolla's Histoire Du Tango was wonderful. Its Argentian influences were clear, yet blended beautifully with classical European techniques. The only downside was that after the final movement that aimed to showcase "today's tango", I wondered what a follow-up might sound like. Given that this piece was written in 1986, how has tango changed in the last 30 years?

New Buds

With a wet and cold spring, Friday was the first day of bright sunshine and warm weather. Toronto residents were out full-force with side-walks and restaurants brimming with people. As for myself, I enjoyed the first ice-cream this year at Bakerbots in the afternoon. Later on, when I was walking through Little Italy, a young couple on Grace St. was excitedly talking to their neighbour. They seem thrilled to have just found a place here in this established, downtown neighbourhood. Yet they were a bit daunted too as no doubt they dropped a pretty penny on a modest semi that still require a lot of renovation.

After a simple pizza dinner at Amato, I finally made my way to The Baby G. The even younger crowd here was years from home ownership, if they could ever afford it. The aesthetic was different from the aughts. Some lads still have the hipster scruff, but a number have gone full hobo with long hair and beard. The lassies sported either pixie cuts or DIY mullets and bangs, and wore outfits with more Value Village chic than Kensington Market vintage vibe.

The first band was the aptly named Baby Band since their members looked barely old enough to get pass security. They played a loosey-goosey slacker indie set. With the bass player doing some lead vocal duties, they'll need to energize the rhythm section to pick up the slack. And a lead guitarist shouldn't have to rely on a capo. But they had some promising songs.

Next up was EDDY EVVY from Kitchener. Their set was full of sludgy chords and feedback. Not quite shoe-gaze but the same zoned-out jam feel. A little too muddy for me. There were two other bands on the bill, but it's been a long day.

Shine On

On Saturday, I was at The Velvet Underground for two high-energy and eclectic musicians. First up was Tunde Olaniran, a Flint-based singer who often frequents the Detroit scene as well. He had two banners spelling out: "Be Brave, Be Kind, Be Vulnerable". Over the course his set, Olaniran and his two dancers played an uplifting set full of affirmative dance music. The songs mixed singing, trap, and even Outkast-esque rap verses into joyful numbers. He was a giant, whirling force on stage and converted numerous skeptics.

Shara Nova was a more diminutive figure physically, but she was even more intense. She started her set singing her way on stage to It's Me On The Dance Floor, wrapped in a boxer's robe. Underneath was a glamorous, glittery top and shorts. Later on, she thanked the crowd for following her "into space" because every My Brightest Diamond album was different. That experimentation was evident throughout the night from dance-pop, to musical theatre, to quiet ballads. But all the songs had insightful commentary whether personal or societal. Her furious elegy to Trayvon Martin (You Wanna See My Teeth) complete with segue to I Want Candy and her encore number about racial privilege (White Noise) were particularly biting. Nova spent most the set either on the keys or engaging her fans with singing and hand choreography, but she also ripped out a few chords and licks on her guitars; through it all was her voice with its huge range. Meanwhile, the talented Jharis Yokley kept things tight and propulsive on drums. His was one of the most impressive drumming I've seen. You know it was a special show when you see new fans buying the entire catalogue.

Life Springs Eternal

Sometimes when you have your routines, you forget about all the other things that a city like Toronto can offer. So despite High Park being a green urban oasis, I rarely venture here to bask in its tranquility. But early on Saturday morning, I got off the subway to spend some time at the 60th anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Toronto was gifted with a number of these trees several decades ago by the Japanese ambassador and they are planted all over the city. But every year,  most people descend onto High Park in spring to see them bloom. With cold weather and rain, their peak bloom was delayed for a few weeks. But they were in glorious flowering this morning. Even with the early hours, there were plenty of people wandering through the park, usually with cameras and smart phones in hand. There were lots of selfies, but also more professional shots with formal wear: engagement outfits, traditional costumes, and even some cosplay get-ups. I am quite proud that I got a shot of a bird perched on a branch that all other pro-am photographers missed; you have to pay attention and listen and look.

With the ephemeral nature of the bloom, it reminded me of a thought I've been mulling over. Here this morning, at shows, on the subway, every moment of each day, I see hundreds of people in passing. Given the size of the city, the faces are always new and we will likely never meet again. My life and theirs intersect only once for a few seconds. "Have a good one." I'm tempted to shout again and again. "How odd" they might think, "but yes I will have a good day." But what I mean is have a good life.

Chunky Funky

For music festivals like CMW, I only go out one night and limit myself to a single venue nowadays. So I was at Longboat Hall for a show sponsored by radio station The Edge. I skipped the 7 and 8 pm because spending 5 hours here would be too much for these old bones.

I arrived as the 3rd act started their set. Cheap Tobacco is a rock band from Poland. Given their relative unknown status and the early slot meant that there was just a smattering of people milling around at the back, as stand-offish Torontonians are wont to do. It was too bad they had flown all this way for a diffident reception but Cheap Tobacco tried their best to play a high-energy set. With Natalia Robert Michal on lead, big chords, long guitar solos, and repeated choruses, they reminded me of female-fronted 80s band like Lee Aaron. Which is to say, perfect for listeners of The Edge, but probably not  100% mesh with an indie crowd.

Walker Lukens did better in the 10 pm slot. The 80s-inspire pop got the crowd dancing and moving closer to the stage. Songs like Heard You Bought a House and Black Mirror were catchy, with thick bass, drums, and punchy synth and vocals. But the indie side of Lukens often peeked through, with odd effects and bridges between verses. It kept his music fresh and interesting.

Despite the official short set requirement, The Bright Light Social Hour brought a whole show. Since they were on tour for their new EP, they had a full lighting set-up. With a light tech on the side, TBLSH had a projector and cascading strands of controllable LEDs up on stage. These would be lit up all night with multi-coloured effects that pulsed, swirled, waved, and shimmered. And if that sounded psychedelic, well TBLSH has gone full 70s psych funk. There were certainly hints of it on their last album Space Is Still The Place. The crowd ate it up and gleefully danced for the whole set. Appropriately enough, the bassist wished everyone "love from the whole universe" to close out the night. That's like, totally rad, man.

Four Chords and a Song

It's been a few years since I've been to The Piston. Wednesday, I stopped by for a relatively early show of 4 female songwriters. Sigrun Stella opened up the evening. This was the first show where I've seen her with a full band. The country-folk flavour of her songs, hinted at previous solo outings, were front and centre especially with the slide guitar.

Alyson McNamara played around with various guitar techniques. Her newer material was more indie than the country sound of her older songs. There was a new song with specific details about the Dundas St. West neighbourhood that I quite enjoyed as it was rooted in a clear time and place as opposed to some vague experience.

Emilie Mover is my favourite Toronto songwriter. The combination of subtle and interesting verses combined with her playful chords always have me glancing around the room to see if people understand the craft underneath the deceptively pop ballads. Her risqué sense of humour (she gave a shout-out to the "dead Jeff Buckley") got the best of her tonight. She couldn't stop the giggles on Shoulda because she dedicated the song to a woman she saw on the upper floors of an old-age home. Then Mover realized it contained verses including "There's a window in my room" and "I can see everything". She tried out a new song, possibly her take on #MeToo and #TimesUp, where her honeyed voice barely masked her anger and contempt in the lyrics.

Finally, it was my first exposure to Claire Coupland. She had the flashiest techniques, everything from driving chords to quick finger-picking, and the biggest voice. I quite enjoyed that aspect of her set but the lyrics weren't quite on the same level and were a bit too generic.

Here Is The Kind Thriller

Alicia Witt is an actress who made her Hollywood debut in the 80s as a young performer in Lynch's Dune. Over the last decade, she has also put her music training to use as a singer/pianist with a full length album and several EPs. On Monday, I was at The Horseshoe to see Witt play in support of her new release: 15,000 Days.

It has been several years since she came to Toronto and whoever booked her for this venue miscalculated. With about 40 people, it would have been a cozier affair at The Rivoli or The Burdock instead of this cavernous bar. Luckily, she had devoted fans including several kickstarters and they cheered warmly throughout her 75 min set and encore. Similar to other pianists such as Billy Joel, Elton John, and Sarah Slean, Witt liked banging out chords and penning verbose lyrics. Although I liked most of her songs, it felt much of the same after a while. So I quite enjoyed when some variety was shown: on the un-released More Mine where the verses were short and punchy, or a couple of songs where Witt brought more jazz-like virtuosity to her playing.

One lucky Kickstarter got his reward of a custom love song. After dancing to it with his partner, he got down on one knee and proposed to her. This generated some tear-wipes for Ms. Witt, who had an unusual stage presence. Throughout the night, she had the most emotive banter I've experienced at a show.

Honey Pie

Tucked in at Leonard and Wales, two side streets next to the Toronto Western Hospital, is a single retail property amid residential property. If the date on the street mural is correct, then sometimes in 2017 it became Sweet Hart, a bakery and coffee shop.

I stepped in, and after looking over the choices, opted for a Maple Oat cookie ($2.75) and a lemon ginger cold tea ($2) as a snack after my lunch on Queen St. W. The cookie was a little dry, probably the "oat" was a little "too healthy". Maybe next time I'll indulge in one of the sweeter options like Chocolate Molasses cookie or fresh donut or a savoury choice like the pizza bun.

As I enjoyed my dessert, I remembered this cozy location almost 10 years ago as a little Mexican taco place called La Tortilleria. Yet it has probably been 7-8 years since I wandered down this street even if I pass by this neighbourhood quite often. Amazing how fast times fly when you think about little details like this. Also, the transition from unassuming taco joint, to whatever shops had taken roots since then, to a bakery that sells keto brownies, that's Toronto in the nutshell over the last decade.

Not Dad Yet

On Saturday, I was at the 2nd show of Dwayne Gretzky's tribute to 90s music at The Phoenix. This is the 6th year for Big Shiny Dwayne and the crowd was as full as ever. As time marches on, even the youngest were in their thirties and a good chunk were likely nearing the half-century mark. But if the music of your youth is now dad-rock, Dwayne Gretzky made it fun to listen to these covers.

The major part of it was their professionalism and passion. You don't regularly sell-out thousand-capacity venues by phoning it in as a bar band. So whether it was rock, indie, R'n'B, or any other genre, they played with gusto and skill. As the years go by, the band itself has also changed. Singer Carleigh Aikins has taken on more lead vocals. Her strong, slightly raspy voice lent itself well to indie (Everyday Is A Winding Road), R'n'B (I Try), and rock ballad on a blistering duet with Tyler Kite on Aerosmith's Cryin'. Meg Contini, still involved in harmonies, only sang on 2 numbers: My Heart Will Go On and Everybody Dance Now. But they induced some of the biggest crowd reaction tonight.

Speaking of the latter song, Dwayne Gretzky sometimes does well-known, slightly cheesy dance number of boy-bands as part of an encore. But they have upped their game for this show and commissioned a full choreographic routine for Everybody Dance Now replete with high-energy 90s dance moves like Running Man, Prep, and Kid'n'Play. The members must have spent hours practicing this on top of their band practice; the work was much appreciated by the fans. When the lights finally came up on the last song, big grins were plastered on every face in the crowd.

My My

The recent community version of Guys and Dolls jogged my memory of a student production I saw at Monarch Park Collegiate. So I checked and found that they were presenting the Mamma Mia! musical this week. So on Thursday, I headed over to Coxwell and Danforth to see it.

The evening started poorly with an overly salty meal of vegetable soup ($6) and pesto spinach pizza ($13) at The Magic Oven: not a great addition to the neighbourhood. But things started looking up when I saw how full the school auditorium was, a positive change from back then. With a nice set, live band, and a large contingent of performers and crew, it looks like the music/theatre program at Monarch has been growing.

There were some minor issues that, if fixed, could have made an impact on the show. Overall though, I liked watching these young people who sang (even heard some harmonies), danced, and played live with fun and gusto. But I was most impressed with the acting: no flubbed lines, a natural demeanour, and for the most part acted with believable emotions and sentiment. If the teens and pre-teens in the audience were inspired to join the arts program here, it could only get better.

Tight Corner

On a pouring Wednesday evening, I headed to the CBC headquarters for a free First Play show to see Rich Aucoin play from his upcoming album. I have heard about his manic shows, but the closest I've come to it was the tail-end of an outdoor concert. Several times before, I was already heading home because he comes on so late.

It was a smaller crowd because likely some people bailed due to the weather. But given the small studio, and a nine member band, there really wasn't much room anyway. This specially-formed band was full of local musicians including Maylee Todd (vocals), Robin Hatch (keys), Anna Ruddick (bass), and Christine Bougie (guitar). Aucoin was grateful for the occasion, as he usually plays with more samples and tracks and less live playing. Over the course of the next hour, the audience got some wonderful music from this band.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting from Aucoin though hopefully not the "white man whining" genre. It turned out to be a cross between Bahamas and Arcade Fire: sometimes funky, sometimes anthemic, always with a catchy groove and interesting sonic layers. Aucoin alternated between a light voice and a sweet falsetto. He admitted he wasn't good with banter, though I enjoyed his joking insistence that some of the new songs were Glenn Gould covers. Given the tight surroundings, it probably wasn't the same as his usual concerts though a small parachute did come out for some audience participation on Are You Experiencing?.