X Marks The Spot

On a rainy Monday night, I went to The Mod Club to see Allie X. Near the end of the show, she thanked her fans because though she "doesn't have a huge following, the ones that do are loyal". She was right. As the show approached, it was clear that there were still unsold tickets. So I was afraid it might be a sparse crowd tonight. But as the evening wore on, people keep trickling in until it was a near sold-out crowd by the time Allie took the stage.

The opener Ralph started with some love from the audience, too. This was the 2nd time I've heard this dance-pop trio headed by Raffaela Weyman. I liked their slower numbers like M.I.A. and Cereal more than the dance songs. There is a missing ingredient in the latter numbers that failed to make them pop (pun intend) and thrill you: bass a little too basic, beat too 4-on-the-floor, more sonic layers and touches needed.

Allie Hughes was happy to do a head-line show for her home-town. Since relocating to L.A., she has found more success as Allie X though is still considered as indie/underground and not mainstream. The full crowd was ecstatic to show her love with cheers, sing-alongs, and coordinated choreography. A large contingent of her fans was from the queer community, so the sartorial choices tonight was more adventurous and varied than a typical Toronto show. Hughes also had an eye-catching outfit, a short dress with an asymmetric train, bound by a tight leather corset. Her fans got a great performance with new songs from her latest release Super Sunset and classics like Bitch and Sanctuary (with a cameo from Weyman on Casanova).

It was a shame that the sound mix for her vocals was poor throughout the night, especially for the first 3rd of her set. I have heard her live since 2010, I know what a powerhouse singer she is. But the mix tonight made her seemed anemic live, as if she was dependent on studio help and backing tracks to sound big. Luckily, the audience experienced some of that power near the end.

You Spin Me Round

On Tuesday, I was at The Mod Club for a sold-out show. The packed crowd came mostly from the various suburbs and satellite cities outside Toronto. Not to get all townie snob, but there's always something subtle in the clothes and hair that marked a crowd like this as not a local audience. For one thing, they tend to be much more enthusiastically appreciative of the bands right from the start.

First up was Dave Monks accompanied by Alyson McNamara. Perhaps crossing over into his 30s has changed his perspective, but Monks' material felt introspective. It was all about knowing who you are and working through life problems. Despite the seeming mismatch, his set was probably a better fit at a coffee-shop or acoustic venue, the audience was warmly receptive. A few people next to me did seem bemused about Monks' inclusion. My guess is that him and his more well-known band Tokyo Police Club, being from Newmarket, knew the same people as headliner Dizzy.

It's always intriguing to see a band on the verge of breaking out. Why this band and not the many others in the Toronto/Canadian scene? When I last saw them, Dizzy was already getting some buzz. Both tonight's promoter (Embrace) and the radio tie-in (Indie88) were a step up from a local booking. They are also getting lots of hometown love both from Toronto but more importantly, their base in Oshawa and environs.

Their set was, as admitted by lead singer Katie Munshaw, mostly sad songs. Even their 2 upbeat numbers won't make you break a sweat. But similar to Men I Trust and Milk & Bone, there was enough synth beats to keep things interesting. I think it's the Alessia Cara-esque lyrics that's giving them mainstream success: pop enough to be played, confessional enough to feel authentic. No wonder Munshaw's ode Joshua to the "boy that broke [her] heart" got the biggest cheer of the night. With a 2019 Juno in their pocket, Dizzy may need an even bigger venue next time they're in town.

What A Ride

On Monday, I was at The Burdock for an early show of experimental music. First up was a collaboration between jazz pianist Yunjin Claire and singer/guitarist Mingjia. Their set was fun and quite enjoyable thanks to a great combination of both the familiar and the strange. The former was due to well-known compositions such as Vocalise (Messiaen), Desperate Ones (Nina Simone) and Losing My Mind (Sondheim), the latter thanks to their avant-garde arrangements of those numbers as well as original music including a Zelda-inspired song and an ode to a bear.

Because of their geographical distances, the members of Star Triptych don't often play live. Their set was also psychedelic and fun. Elisa Thorn kept things grounded with her harp while David Riddel layered on atmospheric effects with his guitar. Floating over everything was the delicate vocals of Laura Swankey. Even the lyrics often veered from standard pop phrasing and rhyme. It was musical experimentation that played with conventions without being too alienating.

Transition

Sunday afternoon, despite the rain and heavy lungs from a persistent cough, I headed down to Union Station for a free dance recital. After fighting through several obstacles including a closed subway line, I made it to the West atrium inside the century-old train station.

This busy hall was filled with attentive dance lovers for Meeting Pointe: a showcase of contemporary dance by some members of The National Ballet of Canada. I thought the first 2 numbers didn't work. The audience was dominated by the blue-haired set exuding WASP vibes and a young crowd of dance trainees. Neither demographics seemed to be the sort to appreciate weird limb angles and spoken word. So Sonia Rodriguez's number didn't take off until she discarded her "exercise clothes" to reveal a slim white dress and showcased some typical ballet techniques.

The second number by Spencer Hack simply went on too long and the novelty of seeing violinist Aaron Schwebel interacting with Hack wore off. In contrast, the final dance between Hack and Jenna Savella, with some coordination with Schwebel, was just the right mix. The classical Bach piece was familiar (the sound in this space was surprisingly good), and the various pas-de-deux combinations engaged the crowd.

Quiet Riot

On Saturday, I was at The Burdock for some music. Given a lingering illness, I was hoping this was one of those prompt (Burdock) shows that ended before 11 given that there were only 2 acts on the bill. No such luck. Perhaps the organizers were hoping for some late-comers. So I only stayed for the opener: Corey Gulkin from Montreal.

She was able to bring up some compatriots to form a full band, at least for tonight. I was impressed with the line-up. Gulkin straddled the line between art-rock and some more punchy numbers. Each member was able to add either delicate layering or rocking groove as required. I was particularly taken with drummer Mili Hong and her careful and precise drumming. She probably has a jazz-based education. As for Gulkin, she should consider writing some more straight-forward numbers. Near the end of her set, she demonstrated that she can get feet and bodies to dance.

Our Founders don't play very often. I suspect because this band is mostly a side project for its members, including new addition Merival. I did enjoy some previous appearance but I had to leave tonight. Saturday night is for dancing but these old bones needed their rest.

Lamb Chops

On Friday, I was at The Drake Underground for 2 bands from Brooklyn. First up was Renata Zeiguer. Her light voice floated over a Beatles-esque landscape. Their penchant for appending jerky riffs or chords reminding me a bit of the hippy dippy days of the Fab Four. It was a slightly trippy set.

Aly Spaltro, also known as Lady Lamb, also has a light voice. But despite the delicate moniker, her music is solid and substantial. Starting with the new anthemic track Even In The Tremor, she led the rapturous crowd through old and new songs. Her meaty numbers are anchored by dense lyrics. But by playing with phrasing and rhymes, Spaltro kept the rock in her music. As some of her fans showed, this was music to sing to (I'm impressed they know the words) but also to dance and shake to. A short solo section on numbers like Young Disciple showcased her songwriting. But if this craft came from practice, the talent was there early on. The song Deep Love might have brought things into focus on the new album for Lady Lamb, but she wrote it a decade ago at 19. The crowd showed Spaltro plenty of love throughout her set, but none more so than when she announced that she was going to spend the summer here in Toronto. Given the line-up at the meet-and-greet after the show,  I think some of her young fans will haunt the streets of Parkdale to get some one-on-one with her.

Get Lucky

On Wednesday, I headed over to the Fairview Library Theatre in North York for a community production of Guys and Dolls. It was an interesting venue hidden behind a shopping mall. Located inside a public library, I was expecting something small like the children's stage at the Palmerston Library. However, it was a large and well-furnished facility. In fact, several venerable theatres downtown don't have nearly as nice a venue.

This production is staffed with many volunteers both on and off-stage for sets and costumes, orchestra, and more than 20 actors on-stage. Part of the pleasure of watching a well-known (at least culturally) musical was hearing familiar songs in their original context. Luck Be a Lady was the expected big number but a Bushel and a Peck was a nice surprise. Of the "new" songs, I quite enjoyed I'll Know and Sit Down, You're Rocking The Boat.

There were some nice performances. But I think most of the audience were friends and family. If I was a performer and passionate about an amateur career, I would try my hand at the Fringe lottery. You'd probably work just as hard, but there's a chance you'll actually make some money from the ticket sales. And there's both fear and joy when it's an impartial crowd experiencing your work.

Slow Wave

On Sunday, after dinner at the forgettable chain Famoso in The Annex, I walked down to the Bellwoods park area to Array Space. On Walnut Avenue, surrounded by new construction, an old building was still hanging on. This was my first time visiting this venue, dedicated to contemporary and other forms of music and artistic collaboration outside the mainstream. Walking up a narrow flight of stairs decorated with lithographs and prints, I passed through a nook filled with vinyls, and into a fairly big room that was both seating and stage.

The opener was Loom, Brooke Manning's minimal indie pop project. She was once again joined by Kyla Charter and Leah Fay on vocals. Tonight, Carmen Elle was replaced by Lana Leprich on lead guitar. The audience was quietly appreciative of her serene set especially of the vocal harmonies that filled the room.

If Loom's songs were contemplative, the main set was almost meditative. Austrian film-maker Michaela Grill loved playing with black-and-white clips where images slowly undulate and morph: the petals of flowers dissipate into the feathery neck of a stork, a flapping bat's wings pixelate into a school of fish. Over this collage of images, Sophie Trudeau (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) improvised violin snippets, out-of-phase chords, and droning synths. The set ended with the slow ring of bells bringing people back to the world.

The performances here are probably not my usual cup of tea. So I don't know if I'll be back to Array Space again, if ever. But as the host said, this is a hidden gem in Toronto, and I hope they can hold out against condo developers for a few more years.