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.