Music On The Street

Although there were bands playing all day at Dundas West Fest on Saturday, it was really too bright and hot for me. This was a surprise because the forecast called for thunderstorms all week. In any case, by the time it was cool enough for me to venture there, I had arrived to see the final band, Montreal-based The Dears. Although with half the band now living in Toronto, aren't they really a hogtown band now?

A while back, they posted winkingly on social media about a survey that ranked them in the top 5 "most pretentious" Canadian bands. It's also true. Like the gig at Lee's Palace, their set comprised of long, symphonic-pop songs with multiple tempo and melody changes. But most of the crowd were long-time fans, and sang along with every tortured verse and crescendo-ing refrain. I liked them more than last time, probably because of, strangely enough, the weaker sound system of a community outdoor stage. Without massive speakers that assault me relentlessly, 7-minute tunes were more palatable.