Big Shiny Tunes

On Friday, I went to The Phoenix for a sold-out show by Dwayne Gretzky. This cover band has become big enough to fill a 1200-person venue. Tonight, it was a special themed evening of all 90s music. I've been waiting for this awhile, and had miss the first time they did this. I love their regular sets but the "old" music (The Band, Bruce Springsteen) was sometimes incongruous with their age.

Starting with In The Meantime, they went through 2 sets, an extended encore, and a final number (Steal My Sunshine) to leave the excited crowd soaked with sweat. Now their songs might read like a "Greatest Hits" radio station (Two Princes, Livin' La Vida Loca) but it doesn't convey their energy and consummate playing. Tonight, there were also several costume changes as members went through various 90s fashion. The two most dramatic were the guys donning all white for a boys' band look (and sang I Want It That Way) and Robin Hatch's outfits which got progressively less. She started with a black skirt and a backless top and ended with low-rise jeans and an Everlast sports top.

Hatch was also the break-out star. The majority in the audience seemed to be women. Or at least they were the loudest for the refrains. So although songs like Paranoid Android and Jeremy got everyone revved up, Hatch's "90s women" numbers such as Spiderwebs, Bitch, What's Going On, Hand In My Pocket, and Hit Me Baby (One More Time) really got the biggest sing-a-longs. She has also become more confident taking centre stage on the mic.

The evening was a big hit, with a little bit of something from every genre (Return Of The Mack, Lithium, Buddy Holly, Virtual Insanity).  Dwayne Gretzky has a huge catalogue of songs, but I've seen enough shows to have heard all of them. So the great thing for me was that all the songs were "new" tonight.

She Works Hard For The Money

Thursday night, I went to the Factory Theatre to see Morro And Jasp: 9 to 5. Upon entering the site, I was greeted with inspirational videos from JMI Industries. It turns out these sad-sacked clown sisters have started a business. The stage was set up as an office with the audience sitting on either side. This came in handy when various members were roped into participating as a financial consultant, an HR manager, venture capitalists from Pterodactyl Investments, and the rest of us became their employees half-way through the play.

Tired of always being fired from dead-end jobs, Morro and Jasp have taken out a questionable loan to start their own business. They've spent most of it on office equipment, a logo very similar to the Apple logo though it was actually their profiles from the side, and other business expenses. There were several problems: Morro was her usual over-exuberant self; Jasp was at her most scheming; they had a motto "JMI where the future is tomorrow" but no actual product. With only a few days before their funds run dry, and the loan payments are due, they need some angel investors to sign on.

Like their previous plays, the evening ping-ponged between slapsticks, clever quips, and an underlying emotional desperation. I enjoyed the play though they never quite achieved the heights of "Of Mice and Morro and Jasp". I also felt that too many elements were similar. It was like watching a entertaining sequel or familiar sitcom set-up. You knew how each part of the night will unfold from Morro's enthusiasm, to Jasp's exasperation, up the shocking "heavy moment", and on to the sweet ending.

Dine Good

For lunch on Thursday, I went to Dindigul Thalappakattu for lunch. It got a rave review from the Globe and Mail's restaurant critic for its Dindigul-style (Tamil) byriani. I was dreading the crowd, as mentioned in the article, but there were only a few people here today.

They only offer 2 dishes: mutton or chicken byriani so I opted for the mutton ($9.84) dish. Both came with a piece of chicken tandoori and a boiled egg. I have to say it didn't blow me away but perhaps I had my expectations dialed too high from the review. But it was a good dish. It was definitely more moist than other styles. Also, the seeraga samba rice was softer than the usual basmati. There was a lot of different spice flavour and the heat will creep up on you so be sure to mix in some delicious raita. My disappointment was that both the mutton and chicken were dry and bland. Usually, these are bursting with taste in byriani dishes.

Nobody's Business

On Wednesday, I went to Massey Hall for another installment of Live At Massey Hall. Opener Chad VanGaalen meandered onto the stage with Julie Fader. With his baseball cap and messy hair, it was unsurprising that he wanted to call the audience as "bros". This laid-back attitude showed its charm when he accompanied himself (with some flute, piano, and vocals from Fader) on bass drum and snare. He even attached a stick to his guitar so that he could bang on a cymbal, too. But the nasty side also came out with some homophobic/sexist comments. So despite plaintive songs dedicated to his daughters or about re-connecting with aged parents, this bro needs to do some introspection and self-examination (and a better rhyming dictionary).

Upon the first few feedback-drenched chords from The Constantines, the main floor of Massey Hall leapt to their feet and stayed here. This on-again/off-again band rewarded the faithful with non-stop rock from Young Offenders, Shine A Light to Time Can Be Overcome. Singer Bry Webb didn't waste much time talking. In fact, he essentially spoke twice. Once to say thank you for playing at this historic venue and once to wryly note: "Hmm, it must be ballad time".

Hot Fire Below

Burdock is a new Bloor St. restaurant/live venue that has taken over an old Portuguese BBQ joint 2 blocks west of Dufferin. On Tuesday, I went to check it out. The live venue was clean and shiny, but long and narrow, with tungsten bulbs hung from the ceiling. The sound quality was good for its size and amazingly they had stage lights.

Melanie Brulée was playing in support of her new French album Débridée. For the evening, she has assembled a full band as well as guest singer Faye Blais. For the first few numbers, she stuck to English songs off her last album. Although songs Small Town & The Prey, the lyrics are both in English and French. Her music straddled between a bit of country, blues, and rock. The latter half of her set contained des chansons français like Antidote de doute, the slow-burning Qui suis-je?, and the heavy-hitting Asteroïde. But she might have a radio hit on her hand with Obtus. For the encore, Brulée passed out egg shakers so people can join in on her spirited cover of Walk Like An Egyptian. As a singer, her songs covered the whole pop spectrum but that was also a weakness. Given her tough-mama stage presence and voice, I think she'd have more success concentrating on the rock numbers.

Circle Of Life

On Saturday, I went down to the Harbourfront Theatre for classical bharatanatyam by Indian dance troupe Sampradaya founded by dancer/choreographer Lata Pada. As it was the company's 25th anniversary, the 85-minute piece was entitled nirantara - beyond space and time. The circle motif was prominent in the visuals from a rotating yin/yang symbol, the eternity sign, or a repeating mandala.

The evening was also one of collaboration with musicians and dancers from India (primarily Bangalore) being part of the recital. The most intriguing was the pianist Anil Srinivasan and Carnatic vocalist, Sikkil Gurucharan. I was entranced by the melding of Western harmonies with the microtonal Eastern notes. But the Srinivasan also often played chromatic runs and tinkling chords to simulate ghunghroos, the ankle bells usually worn some dancers. There were also a percussionist and a string player on the bowed sarangi.

The dancers combined classical Indian dance techniques with some contemporary touches. There were common elements of stamping feet, extended arms, and flexed feet. But some sections had furious spins and jumps while others were slow poses and mudras. Many movements echoed the asanas of yoga practices. It was a beautiful and mesmerizing evening of dance.

Stack Smashing

On a cold Friday, I stopped by the Palmerston library for a rock concert. There were just a handful of people when I arrived with only a few minutes to the early 8 pm start. This didn't look good. But the organizers held off for the late-comers and the crowd swelled to a respectable 40 people with a number of teens there (with or without parental units). Appropriately, the equipment was set up by the "young adults" section.

The band was Stella Ella Ola. In my opinion, they play the sort of catchy music that would attract a diverse crowd. They made through their debut album with infectious beats and summery chords. The speakers were mic-ed only for vocals with the guitar amps (borrowed from Pkew Pkew Pkew) providing the noise. It made for quite clear lyrics, though many in the audience already knew the words. They ended their set with a cover of Mirror in the Bathroom (The English Beat), a perfect fit for their sound.

A++ Would Hear Again

Wednesday night, I went down to the Drake Underground for a live show sponsored by Red Bull. With excitement for headliner Allie X, there was already a line-up early in the evening. The first act was Animalia who combined a light alto, skittering synth-pop, and furious beats. With the addition of a live drummer tonight, there was a wild feel to her set. Although the crowd enjoyed her songs, Animalia's tendency to go into the audience to sing and dance disconcerted the typically reserved Toronto scene. Many would back off to give her some and awkwardly try to look elsewhere.

Animai was a total 360 turnaround. Instead of trying to engage with the audience, this trio spent most of their set practically motionless. Backed by sparse drums, guitar drenched with drone feedback, and long, drawn-out notes, it was a challenge for people expecting more dance-friendly fare. I was entering a fugue state listening to their music.

The crowd was packed for the Toronto debut of Allie X, Allie Hughes' moniker after her move to Los Angeles. She has gotten a lot of online buzz by releasing odd synth-pop but with catchy hooks and refrains. The accompanying videos, usually done in "animated gif" style, were also strange. She came out in a short tulle dress and proceeded to wow the crowd with her huge voice. Her set was tightly choreographed with Hughes adopting weird, robotic arm gestures. Even her smiles were deliberately synthetic and slightly off. Now and then, she sat at a large old synth to bang out some wavy chords. Her band members consisted of a synth drummer, a guitarist, and a "slave" wearing a hooded mask whose job was to move Allie's piano bench/throne around. The audience loved it all. I've seen her at this venue before with a big crowd (such as at her "wedding"), but not so mainstream and singing along to every song (Prime, Bitch, Sanctuary). It looks like Hughes has found a winning outlet for her strange sensibilities.

May I Have This Dance?

After a post-lunch nap, I thought that I should spend some time in the bright sunshine on Sunday. As I headed over to Dufferin Grove Park, the sound of Samba drumming could be heard. The park also seemed unusually crowded for a Holiday week-end. It turned out there was a public wedding between Mark Marczyk and Marichka Kudriavtseva who met last year during the conflict in Ukraine. Literally public and not just out-door. Because they had posted an open invitation on blogto for anyone to attend the festivities and even join in the pot-luck reception (though the nice thing would be to bring a dish or two, too). There was plenty of media there for the unusual event.

Though it was primarily a Ukrainian wedding, there was a mix of cultures from the aforementioned drumming and even flamenco dancing. I watched people danced around a Maypole (a metal tether-ball post by the children's playground) interwining colourful ribbons, surrounded by other people dancing the hora, all while a cheerful Eastern European ditty was played by local band Lemon Bucket Orchestra. With singing and (folk) dancing all over the park, it was more "Hollywood" and exciting (see Rachel Getting Married) than most weddings that I've attended. Of course, with the groom being in Lemon Bucket and the bride also an artist herself, it's probably easier to have a group of friends who can just happen to bust out a violin or accordion or don't have two left feet.

I love the public invite concept especially the reception. I'm curious as to how many were actually complete strangers. I suspect most were family and friends. This leads me to the niggling fact that while some cultures seem to be naturally dour (my own usually involves lots of eating and complaining), others are just more fun. I'm going to keep that free-food-for-all concept (maybe without the pot-luck aspect) in a back-pocket because that's a great idea.

Word, Dawg!

Saturday night, after a dinner of spicy pizza, I headed over to Comedy Bar for some stand-up. The MC for the evening was local comic Joe Vu.Having recently left a relationship, he was having trouble with Tindr. Mostly because girls don't date Asian men. He gave several funny statistics about why they should change their minds though it all came down (negatively that is) to "small dicks".

First up was Lauren Mitchell who has a podcast about rapper Drake. She started her set with numerous reasons why she would be perfect as a member of a rap posse. The other topic was the hellishness of menstruation because "as a feminist", she loves to "alienate" men. Mitchell was more an amusing friend than a hilarious comic. The second performer elicited some surprise because of her celebrity status. Mary Lyn Rajskub is best known for her role as Chloe on 24. So she suggested that she was gigging because all that "great TV money" was spent (Rajskub is actually in town filming). She mostly riffed on the her personality as a neurotic, anxious person whether on set (she typed positive affirmations during all those hacking scenes), in life (maybe it's better to be porn-hot or stupid-hot), and even her TV habits (she likes less intense shows like The Property Brothers).

The head-liner was Myq Kaplan. He was a short comic (though he never did any height jokes) with a deep voice (which he used to great effect in his Monster voice bit) who had a penchant for off-the-cuff word play (his stream-of-consciousness riffing that got him from "pacifist" to "flaccid fist" was inspired). Some parts were obviously pre-written such as his attempt to debunk a psychic or why salvia is mushroom with an evil 'stache while other bits were improvised. He was also a rap fan, especially the free-style battles. Kaplan's humour derived from his almost non-stop verbiage, smoothly moving between improv and prepared material. He was a great stand-up and the set had several gut-busting moments.

Cool And Breezy

Just a few months after an EP release at The Dakota, Tamara Lindeman as The Weather Station was back with her 3rd album Novelty. Thursday night, I was down at The Great Hall for the release show. After Lindeman gave a glowing introduction for Myriam Gendron, this Montrealer sat down on a chair for her first Toronto show. The bulk of her songs came from Not So Deep As A Well, which had her putting music to the poems of Dorothy Parker. The lyrics were surprisingly "pop" ("Catch a lover and find a foe"), though there would be a turn of phrase or word that revealed its literary origins. I especially enjoyed when she used the music of traditional folksong Bushes and Briars with the impish verses of Song of Perfect Propriety. The only negative was that on many songs she used the same guitar picking pattern, giving rise to a similarity that got tedious.

The stage was decorated with jars of flowers done by Lindeman's mom. This was not only perfect for her style of folk-pop but appropriate as one of her songs talked about "white lilacs and wild columbine". People don't come to see The Weather Station for wild music, though one or two songs did get toes tapping. They come for deeply introspective lyrics, delicate guitar and pedal-steel work, and gorgeous harmonies (Felicity Williams, Ivy Mairie, Mischa Bower). Lindeman was joined tonight by Afie Jurvanen (Bahamas), her collaborator on Novelty. Surprisingly, he spent it mostly behind the drum kit and not his guitar.  Lindeman didn't speak much between songs, but she did crack a few jokes: she doesn't bring banjos to gigs anymore because "sound techs would go 'really?' and you don't get another show". The crowd was adoringly respectful; I rarely encounter such quietness in large venues like tonight. But they were loud between songs, enough to get 2 encores from her.

Something On The Side

I went to The Royal on Wednesday to see the classic film Rear Window. Grace Kelly was a vision and that whole New York apartment complex had memorable characters. My neighbours aren't as fun. But then, I don't spy on them with binoculars or telephoto lens. Perhaps they also have secret lives and mysterious happenings.

Afterwards, I walked down College looking for a place to eat. A new Thai restaurant has opened at College and Grace. Named Soi, a Thai word meaning side-street, it offered Thai Street food. There are now several spots in Toronto that make the same claim, but the menu here looked legit and different than the usual. As well, the photos of street life, even some groceries offered by the cash register, and plastic stools gave Soi a cheery feel. Interestingly, everything on it was $10 though I don't know the significance. I opted for the Khai Krata Song Krun and Laab Salmon with some jasmine rice ($3.50).

The Song Krun was spicy, Thai-flavoured ground pork over 2 fried eggs done sunny-side up. This item resembled a breakfast dish but it was packed with Asian tastiness. The salmon was light, lemony, and also bursting with minty flavours. Both dishes were reasonably seasoned instead of the usual restaurant aggressiveness. It was a nice meal that I could see adding to a regular rotation. The complimentary home-made coconut ice-cream was a nice touch. Soi is a welcome addition to Little Italy.

Beast Mode

Saturday at the Garrison, I finally made it out to a CMW show for this year. I was happy because there were 4 strong bands without a bad set between them. Folk-poptronica outfit Kashka took to the stage at 9. With catchy tunes like Never Had It and Body Like Lead, it was almost enough to get the reticent Toronto crowd to dance. There were at least a few tapping feet. Singer Kat Burns seems to be growing more comfortable in her role as the lead of a synth-pop outfit.

Kalle Mattson brought an orchestral feel to his set, and not just his extensive use of the trumpet and flugelhorn. But despite the layered arrangements, it was his personal lyrics that stood out. No more so than during an emotional solo with a song called Emily. It was about the death of his mother, but from the perspective of one of her old boyfriends. How would it feel to hear about the passing of someone who had once been important in your life? It was an aching, heartfelt lament.

In contrast, Luke Rathborne brought the party from Maine. With just guitar and drums, some frizzy hair, a wisp of a mustache, and songs with lyrics like "We suck together" and "Wanna be you", it was fun, catchy music. Compliments to his stoner-looking drummer, Mary-Ann, who kept the beat strong and fast. They almost didn't make the show as she was caught with some weed inside an ear-plug case. They kept coming back to this story, winning more laughs from the audience: whether it was her unfortunate strip-search ("Oh please, not the butt") to their amazement that they were let through anyway.

It was obvious that most people tonight was here for Lady Lamb. From her diminutive size (someone exclaimed "she's so tiny") and doe-eyed gaze, perhaps some folky tunes or Lisa Loeb pop were in store. But with her guitar and a furious drummer and bassist, she brought a bit of rock, pop, and even some funk. Often in the same song. To be honest, I don't usually like songs with these many disparate sections. You might as well leave pop behind and write a symphonic score if you're that jonesing for variety. But songs like You Are the Apple, Crane Your Neck, and Hair To the Ferris Wheel demonstrated a rare craft and complexity. There was nothing meek about her playing. I was mightily impressed by Lamb, she was a joy to watch.

A Little Ditty

On Friday, I went to the Tranzac for some "Party Time". Perhaps the final band The Jackets brought the upbeat mood because the first two performers had quiet sets. Emilie Mover was up and she played her melancholic numbers like Pain and Regret. She did do a few happier songs like Chove Chuva and Stevie Wonder's You And I (which she winkingly noted was his version of "Pain and Regret", but more positive). But it's always the new songs that make you immediately want to own a copy. Tonight, it was a classical-sounding instrumental and one of the longest Mover song I've heard about the Universe, molecules, and life.

Julie Arsenault was up next. I've seen her do back-up for other bands. So unsurprisingly, she recruited a few friends to play with her tonight. She admitted her admiration for Mover, but her own songs were quite good too including Let You Down and Good Mourning. There was a Bjork-esque hitch and softness in her voice. Unfortunately, she didn't seem comfortable on stage. Between mumbles and sentences that trailed off, it was approaching open-mic awkwardness. If she wants to keep performing in public, Arsenault has to develop a more assured stage presence.

Into The Woods

On Tuesday, I decided to celebrate Cinqo de Mayo with dinner at a restaurant. Not really. But I did want to celebrate a change in my life. So off I went to try out Backwoods Smokehouse at Clinton and College. This is a bit of an unlucky spot (Red Sauce, Acadia). And having to compete with the bafflingly popular Cafe Diplomatico doesn't help.

I was a bit wary that the menu turned out to be "sharing" plates which can sometimes mean small portions and high prices. But the food turned out to be of a good size and the upside was the selection was more varied than your typical BBQ place. I "created" my meal out of some Texas-style brisket ($16), mac and cheese ($6) and spicy okra ($3). The 5-6 slices of brisket were soft and tender with just a touch of fattiness. The BBQ sauce was light and didn't overwhelm the meat. The pickled okra added just enough tanginess to complement the main. The mac was chewy fagottini smothered in a creamy sauce. It was filling and delicious. I was full but decided to go ahead with some Mississippi mud pie with a scoop of lavender and maple ice cream ($8). It was a crumbly dessert (per the name) but moist and rich. All in all, it was a great dinner here tonight.

Thin Is In

I had fun eating the blood sausage congee at Pho Son last winter. Now that the weather has turned nicer, I decided to return on Saturday to try the other restaurants in this strip mall at Runnymede and St. Clair. Since it's in their name, I ordered the "banh cuon special" at Banh Cuon Thanh Truc. This rice noodle roll is similar the Chinese version served during dim sum, but thinner and stuffed with either ground pork (banh cuon) or plain (banh uot). I prefer mine plain, which makes it easier to dip in the fish sauce. The quality of a good roll is its thinness, and the ones made here are practically translucent. So each roll had great toothsomeness. In addition to the usual pork sausage (cha lua), the special came with a fried squid version with dill (cha muc), and a fried mung-bean donut (banh cong). I thought all the sides were great. Finishing off with some bean sprouts and pickled condiments, and this entree was a nice, light brunch.

Dance Like No One's Watching

On Saturday, I was at the Harbourfront for this year's CanAsian Dance Festival. But most of the pieces were more performance art than dance. The first was the only unambiguous dance piece. Highlighting classical bharatanatyam, Vivarta excerpted several segments from the longer Manifestations of Vishnu. Six dancers, in traditional costumes, dance and spun across the stage in unison. This style exhibited a lot of straight arms, foot stomps, and fingers shaping various mudras.

The remaining 3 pieces had less dance (and more theatre). I had seen NINEEIGHT last year. 3 Chinese dancers externalized the anxiety of Hong-Kong residents upon its return to China. Twitching and spasm were timed to jittery projected text and staccato electronic noises. They used the aesthetic of Mo Lei Tau, a style of comedic cinema, in several absurd encounters. The piece Everything was disappointing. Supposedly an immigrant's acknowledgement of the indigenous land upon which she moves, the dancer was to be inspired by the random scattering of ritual objecs like joss sticks and spirit paper. There were some serendipitous but gorgeous visuals. Such as the cascade of falling red incense formed a fragile temple. But the "chance-based" interactions had no charm.

After intermission, master dancer Natsu Nakajima danced a piece titled Like Smoke, Like Ash. Often using a piece of paper as prop, she evoked a letter or a kite to bring to life some childhood memories. Only sometimes does she moved in the slow manner associated with Butoh. She usually moved around the stage with straightforward movements, though the precision of her feet placement belie the "simple choreography". There were some beautiful visuals, too. I enjoyed the projection of a starscape onto the stage so that Nakajima seemed to become some enigmatic alien creature.

Sweet Dreams

On Friday, I went to Roy Thompson Hall to see renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin. I wish I could say more about the concert but I was asleep. Or almost. Sitting high up and facing his profile, I had nothing interesting to look at. So I stared off into space and eventually zoned out. What I can vaguely recall is that the Beethoven ("Waldstein" Sonata) was a shimmering wall of notes, played with delicacy and exceptional speed. Meanwhile, Prokofiev's Sonata No. 4 seemed to be a progression of heavy, clashing chords. During intermission, I took the free coffee available in the halls to be a bad sign. So despite Chopin and Liszt on the programme, I decided to call it in. I think I will stick to smaller venues such as Gallery 345. The closeness to the performers there really give you a chance to experience and feel the music more viscerally (and keep you awake).