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.