Hayden - Yonge Dundas Square (June 14/13)

Hayden had announced just a few days earlier at Field Trip that he, along with the other two members of his band, would be opening for The National the following week. Naturally the show a mere six days later wouldn't differ drastically from the afternoon set but with Hayden's deep repertoire and stage presence it was worth checking out again. As before they opened with Taylor Knox up front before jumping behind the kit and the first half played out similarly including Worthy of Your Esteem and Rainy Saturday. The set list did vary slightly and Hayden returned to the piano for some worthwhile time. They included Bad as they Seem and Dynamite Walls, which gets me everytime, especially as Taylor's hair was flying during his mid-song drum breakdown. Once again Lou Canon joined him onstage for their recent duet which was perhaps even better this time around. Altogether worth getting their early for.

The National - Yonge Dundas NXNE (June 14/13)

A large group fleshed out the touring sound of NXNE big, free act for 2013. An even larger group of fans thronged to the stage and well beyond, closing Yonge Street in fact, to catch their adult indie rock. The National entertained for a long time, drawing from their now wealthy horde of songs with the addition of the very enjoyable Trouble Will Find Me collection just this year. That being said there is somewhat of a formula and having come into them hard with Alligator and eased off a little more from Boxer until the latest there were admittedly a few numbers that may have been released but didn't really register with me. Unfortunately from my close, but to the side location I couldn't see much of the guitar and bass section however the brass was bumping. And of course there's the gruff voiced Berninger who leads the way with mic in hand. Actually he led it all the way out into a tour of the crowd more than once (to the chagrin of security who had to deal with these ventures and the tangle of cables that resulted.) The stronger songs did draw me in so if I'd been a bigger fan I think I would have lapped it all up, thereby not matching their Massey Hall performance that had drawn me back into the fan fold. A generous encore naturally delivered Mr. November but then returned with an a cappella Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks version which was lost on some of the crowd for lack of familiarity or projection of sound. All told it was a decent set in a kinda crummy venue that could have shortened the length to remain focussed, at least for this casual fan.

Sunparlour Players (Yonge/Dundas, July 6/12)

Sure it was only a week since the last Sunparlour Players show but with this band that's no reason not to check em out again. Set-wise it was rather similar but being in the open-air of Yonge/Dundas Square made a difference. Again it was a duo (Penner and Rosie) and they seemed to only have a handful of previous fans in attendance but still a decent crowd as passerbyers were drawn in. Without the intimate confines of a club there was some distance but they tried to bridge the gap with some banter and invitations to try their preserves (yet another pitch in the middle of the ad-centric square). Definitely not the response of previous shows however good exposure for the band and still enjoyable. The first half closed out with my personal favourite If the Creeks Don't Rise and it was some consolation that I was able to hear that even though I couldn't stick around for their second set.

Eight and a Half, Plants and Animals (NXNE June 15/12)

Eight and a Half

Last time I tried to catch Eight and a Half it was at the Edge studios and I hustled there on my bike to catch the latter half of the second of two songs. It sounded good but still an obvious disappointment. This time I again arrived slightly late but caught a significant amount of their Yonge/Dundas Friday evening opening set. The music was atmospheric especially with the synths and Justin Peroff brushing the drums or playing an electronic set with a soft-tipped stick. The singer played an electric guitar and sang into a reverb mic while the man with the beard held down synths and keys. Altogether they managed to recreate their music live quite well. It was enjoyable even beyond thirty seconds this time - and oh, boy! that guitar line on Scissors is so simple yet so great.

Plants and Animals

Their appearance was a little offputting. One guiy had a suit but no shirt and another couple were sporting long blonde hair under their hats (that turned out to be wigs in the end). Beyond their looks the music was solid - a little less prog guitary-y as the last times I saw them. The latest album comes across that way as well and has proven to be my favourite of their entire catalog. More accessible and more hooks altogether. With that in mind I was hoping the live show would step up its game too but from halfway back across the square (undoubtedly full of Matt Good fans staking their spots) it wasn't about to turn me around completely. There's definitely a good deal of live show improv as Bye, Bye, Bye had a noticeably different sound. They did Good Friend and brought out the acoustic for The Mama Papa. Also included were Lightshow, a slow burn on Faerie Dance before rocking it out. They got the crowd into it in the end with a la la singalong but not quite enough to convert fans I'd say.

Matt Good

I knew there were die-hard Matt Good fans out there but I didn't realize there were so many of them as the square flooded with people and I could barely get a vantage point having stepped out for a minute following Plants and Animals. I could still hear that distinct Matt Good voice and was impressed by the excellent guitar  work and hard hitting drums. The band may look their age but they can still play. I didn't recognize any of the first few songs and decided to slip out early so I could regain my personal space.

Brasstronaut twice (NXNE June 15,16/12)

First it was a midnight set at the Gladstone Hotel that was the first time I'd seen Brasstronaut in Toronto and only the second time ever! Mean Sun had been played relentlessly since its release and so I was terribly excited to see them perform it. And perform it they did - in fact they only played songs from this release which may have disappointed some, but considering how well they were done I was not complaining. Their music is just so lush and seemingly complex, it is unlike mainstream music yet is still accessible despite the jazzy influences. The dynamism of the album translated live as the excellent bunch of musicians (trumpet, clarinet, synths, guitar, bass, drums) recreated the sound and feel with an urgency that could be felt. Falklands was especially powerful, though Mean Sun and The Grove also stood out strongly.

The second show was in the heat of the day at Yonge-Dundas Square and even though the setlist was simply a subset of the previous night's show it was still a treat to see them perform again. Hell, I've listened to the album more than once in a day, it's not a stretch to see them twice within 13 hours! Again Falklands was a standout. The relatively small crowd was appreciative of Brasstronaut's performance as they once again closed with Revelstoke Dam.

Utidur Opening at the Gladstone was Utidor from Iceland who had been handpicked by Brasstronaut to open on their North American tour. It could be understood why as the 8-piece had a similarly full, orchestral sound using a bodyless violin, trumpet, male/female vocals as well as sparingly a melodica, double-drums and hand claps. Some songs were Icelandic while others such as Birds Moving Slowly featured interplay between the violin and trumpet for a nice effect. They were definitely a nice way to warm up for Brasstronaut..

Stars (Yonge-Dundas Square, NXNE, June 17, 2011)

From what I can recall this was my ninth time seeing Stars so there wasn't a heckuva lot that surprised me. Of note ...

The Five Ghosts banner hung behind them and that angel/ghost also appeared on Evan's bass.

Amy was in fine form after just giving birth a month or two ago (to Cranley's kid).

Still decking the set out with live flowers, though not nearly as much as the Bedroom tour.

Their exceptional backing guitarist was missing and in his place was an older professional who held it down to Torq's delight, apparently after only two rehearsals.

Songs:
Calendar Girl is always a treat. As is Ageless Beauty and Elevator Love Letter.

Wasted Daylight was a solid performance from the Five Ghosts release.

Your Ex Lover is Dead still hits the mark, and Reunion and One More Night remind how amazing Set Yourself on Fire was.

Take Me to the Riot sounded great too.

DD/MM/YYYY (Yonge-Dundas Square, NXNE, June 18, 2011)

Without much previous knowledge of the band, just good swirlings and having heard a few tracks prior, I pedaled over to give them a go. The four-piece played primarily instrumental with a heavy leaning that didn't really fit the gorgeously sunny day in the square. However Day-Month-Year carried on, swapping instruments and sending massive, tin-foil-esque rectangular balloons out into the crowd to be passed overhead. Double percussion dominated and was appreciated in the intricate arrangements. Pretty solid show for the small NXNE afternoon crowd.

Diamond Rings, Land of Talk (Yonge-Dundas Square, NXNE, June 17, 2011)

Diamond Rings has catchy as fly balls songs, but they are laptop constructed beats with some electric strumming overtop. So as much as I dig Special Affections there really isn't too much to entertain at a live show after you note the change of eyeshadow shade and just how skinny those skinny pants are. Is a highlight accidentally unplugging and then re-amping your guitar mid-song? Word was that he rapped on his opening tune (that I missed) - so perhaps a new twist to come?


Land of Talk have never been my thing and even with Gentleman Reg's cross-dressing alter ego, Light Fires, adding vocals on the first few songs I wasn't swayed by this show. The closing instrumental breakdown of the final song sounded good but it was too little, too late for me.