TORONTO MUSICS

Hi.
Hi.
Maybe it was the allergies, maybe it was jetlag, maybe it was the weather, maybe it was everything! Coming back was most difficult...
...made easier when I saw the faces of loved ones, those pals that I adore.
Saw a bunch at an art opening curated by Jay Isaac at RUINS then ventured to a rock show.
I had choices. Choices. I was thinking about Joe Preston, hadn't seen that guy since the 90s! When I was visiting LA, and one day over coffee, Allison Wolfe brought his name up. "What happened to that guy?"
"He's doing a one man project called Thrones."
I get back to Canada days later and he's playing. I needed to see him.
Then that sweetheart who I need to hang out with more by the name of Sean Kennedy tells me that a guy named Midnight from Cleveland is playing at midnight with women draped on him as he shreds songs from his album "Total Fucking Midnight." Aw mannn, choices.
His MySpace page is here:
http://www.myspace.com/athenarsmidnight

I hope to one day see Midnight.
I go see Thrones, bass guitar, burly man, mass pedals, man, eerie vocoderisms and attachments to be something spiritual, sparse drum machine punctures. Loud and needed.
unfortunately his vocal mic was not on for a couple songs. What the-?
This venue is a tragic one. Upstairs women are rendered unattractive by the fact that they are eating overpriced entrees of exotic meats (lamb heart, anyone?) guzzled down with wine. I have read quotations about them saying that it is 'punk' to do this. Downstairs the venue is made intentionally uncomfortable to replicate a DIY experience. Hmmm. Often DIY didn't set out to be uncomfortable, it was just we had to use whatever was at hand. This place is oozing money and yet went for a concrete bunker aesthetic. Fakery. I needed orthopedic shoes to hang out there. I'm not old...I'm not old....please...I'm not old...I just don't want my spine to curl up into a Golden Spiral even if it is in concordance with the universe! They have no stage, so short people have to use elbows with intention, also: shop lighting to sting the eyes! Must say this: friendly and hard working staff.
The local opener (and I don't feel like naming names, it doesn't do any good, I want to get at the underlying elements not single nouns out)played 'experimental metal' yet they were so by-the-books, playing it safe, people seemed to be into them, a small support group was held outside on a small patch of astro-turf laid out primarily for smokers. And me. As I bitched. Toronto, playing it safe...yeeeesh...

Two nights later. Sunday. I take it back. I see two Toronto acts that were great. Sure, they didn't have rock instrumentation or drums -just saying- they were great!
Six Heads had all of their stuff on a table and they'd just use some of it as needed for their improvised sounds...
Gastric Female Reflex is an appropriate name, two lads sucking on some amplified throat bits while using technology in an organic manner.
Bless em!
They both opened up for Rob from Climax Golden Twins from Seattle! I hadn't seen him perform in forever! Acoustic murder ballads, acoustic guitar chaos, loud drones, all of the above.
He was on a Sublime Frequencies tour, the label that documents as anti-purists the far reaching corners of the globe. We watched his doc on India which showed religious ecstacies on the bustling streets of India, nuclear reactors as a backdrop...
http://www.sublimefrequencies.com/

So I get all down on the safe TO music...but must keep in mind the great stuff that comes out of this city!
I share these links with you in hopes that you check it all out! And please turn me on to stuff as well...I want to know!
Six Heads:
http://www.myspace.com/6heads

Gastric Female Reflex:
http://www.myspace.com/gastricfemalereflex

Mantler:
http://www.tomlab.com/front/index.php?action=artist_detail&artist_id=6

Hank:
http://www.weepingtruckers.com/hank/hankrecordings.html

Pony Da Look:
http://www.myspace.com/ponydalook

Romo Roto:
http://www.myspace.com/romoroto

Corpusse:
http://www.myspace.com/corpusse


(a documentary about Corpusse just premiered at pop Montreal, it's made by the World Provider!!! I'm even interviewed...neat...! Can't wait to see it...)

I am also intrigued by recent acts Henri Faberge and Dentata...


...and then there's Tonetta! I just did the first in-person and indepth interview with this YouTube star in ish 7 of Hunter and Cook magazine and it comes out saturday nite at Paul Petro gallery on Queen: exciting!