Play Through

Just before Wednesday night's concert, I went back to Little India. There were 3 "Desi burger" places next to each other and I wanted to try the middle one. Lahore Chaat's site claimed that their hours started noon but last time I ended up at Leela's because they were closed.

I ordered an aloo burger ($3.49) and 2 samosas ($0.99/each). The burger was tasty but messy. I liked it more than most plant-based patties because they included cumin/curry in their aloo. Added to that a slathering of chutney and you had something that tasted different than your typical dry veggie burger. The samosas were run-of-the-mill but quite filling for the price. In fact, at $6 (all-in no tax), this was an excellent cheap eats. Unfortunately, I asked the waitstaff directly about their hours and they didn't open until 4 pm.

Originally scheduled for a single night at the 800-capacity Phoenix 2 years ago, Men I Trust was now doing 2 shows at the 1500-capacity Danforth Music Hall. The opener, Tess Roby, had a deep voice that reminded me of Kaili Kinnon. Her band's synth-y loops and Roby's lyrical imagery evoked a modern-day Kate Bush. Men I Trust started with a driving Tailwhip. In fact, those who associate them with chill vibes might be surprised by how bopping their music can be complete with extended guitar solos (which got plenty of cheers). But there were plenty of slow numbers (Sugar, Lucky Sue), too. Their two encores was the popular Show Me How and the rocking Say Can You Hear.

I felt a bit sad at the end because this was likely my last show with Men I Trust. It wasn't because they now have fans lining up 30-deep for merch at 7:30 pm. But as the (touring) band grows and they move from The Horseshoe to bigger and bigger venues, their songs don't translate well to live anymore. The clean bass, wobbly synth, and Emma's shimmery guitar chords sounded like thumping, muddy indie pop. It's better to bid farewell to a band on a high note instead of trying to keep hanging on.

I walked to the venue to check out more East End neighbourhoods. There were cute houses on Myrtle and Strathcona. But the area around Blake was a bit bleak. It wasn't just the dense number of old apartment tenements in this public-housing neighbourhood. There were also numerous row houses, all bricks and tiny windows. I've never seen such unusual (and grim) construction that discouraged outdoor socializing. Kempton Howard Park at the end of the street was cheerier. It faced an old Jewish cemetery. Blake is completely surrounded by wealthier neighbours whom I'd guess would not venture into the area.