The Automatik

The Joel Plaskett Emergency w/Major Grange
The Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
Tuesday, December 11, 2007

It strikes me as funny to spend all day listening to the Butthole Surfers and then go see the Joel Plaskett Emergency at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Yet I’m glad I am able to fully embrace all of my different musical obsessions; how boring it would be to listen to only one thing. Read more

Wayne Petti
The Grates
City Field
The Meligrove Band
w/DJ Finish Him

Lee’s Palace
June 22, 2006

I cannot heap enough praise upon The Meligrove Band. Not only have they proven their exceptional talent on all three of their albums, their shows are consistently impressive since, believe it or not, they sound even better in a live setting. They are tremendously supportive of the Toronto-area indie music scene, and frequently participate in all-ages shows with unknown bands. Although they are now signed to a major label, and are in the midst of a whirlwind of a tour around the world, no matter how many people show up to a Meligrove Band gig, they always have time for their fans. Plus, they’re just good people.
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Elizabeth Sheppard Trio
Melissa McClelland
Jason Falkner
Femme Generation
Amy Millan

The Reverb (North By Northeast)
June 9, 2006

For the last five or six years, I think Jason Falkner has managed to make an appearance on every mix CD I’ve made, either via Jellyfish, his solo stuff, or his work with musician pals like Air, Roger Manning, and Brian Reitzell. Live performances have been more elusive – I had to travel to Austin, Texas when I lived in New Orleans to see him play guitar and sing for Air’s 10,000 Hz. Legend tour in 2001. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to witness a bona fide Jason Falkner show. So when I found out this past Tuesday that he was participating in North By Northeast this year (thanks Beth!), I was thrilled.
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Spitfires & Mayflowers/Old Soul/The Meligrove Band
The Mod Club Theatre
January 13, 2006

Friday night’s Meligrove Band CD release party for their new album Planets Conspire was mind-blowing. It was held at the Mod Club Theatre, a large venue that’s bigger than the Horseshoe or Lee’s Palace. The place is swank: it has several video screens, a huge bar, cordoned off areas with chairs and tables, a dance floor, and a super fancy light system.
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AM Glory/The Pat McGee Band/Hanson
Kool Haus
November 10, 2005

It’s been about five years since the first time I saw Hanson perform live. Since then, they’ve left their major label and started an independent one (3CG), watched their fan base enter high school (and even college), cut their hair, removed their braces, and even gotten married and started a family (well, just Taylor). They’ve obviously grown up, so it’s too bad that some of their fans haven’t.
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Starvin’ Hungry/The Leather Uppers/Tricky Woo
The Horseshoe Tavern
October 28, 2005

Going into downtown Toronto on the Friday before Halloween in full costume requires a certain amount of bravado. Yet, despite fears of being openly mocked, wearing a costume downtown on the Friday before Halloween gives you a sense of power, a sense that it is possible to do whatever you want because you’re walking around in downtown Toronto in full costume. It was with this mindset that we ventured out to hang out with friends and see Tricky Woo.
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The Joel Plaskett Emergency
Harbourfront Centre
August 20, 2005

There was a time, say before 1984, when you could see a band perform in a crowded venue and the most you had to worry about was the lingering smell of pot smoke or spilled beer. Those halcyon days are gone – and mosh pits aren’t for the floor section of a Metallica show anymore. If crowd surfers could infiltrate a Celine Dion concert they would – but I won’t be gathering empirical evidence to support that hypothesis anytime in the next century.
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Kids on TV/Meligrove Band/A bunch of other bands we didn’t see
Streetsville Masonic Lodge, Mississauga
June 3, 2005

All-ages shows take me back to my wanna-be punk youth: grade school gymnasiums converted into crossroads of teenage rebellion, when Merry Go Round was for posers and Hot Topic didn’t even exist yet. I once suffered some jaded scenester who was turning his nose at the idea of sharing a slam pit with a fourteen-year-old, and then I immediately rallied to the defense of the kids who just love music and want to have a good time. Who do you think started it, anyway?
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Matthew Barber/Peter Elkas/Joel Plaskett
Hugh’s Room
April 30, 2005

The first time I came to Canada, Shaun took me to see Joel Plaskett. Mind you, it was a surprise: he bought the tickets, told me we were going somewhere, but didn’t tell me who we were going to see. So it’s only fitting that within the first month of my permanent move here, we see Mr. Plaskett perform live again.
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An Evening with Siouxsie
House of Blues
September 12, 2004

Last night I saw Siouxsie perform, nearly 20 years after the first time I saw her perform. Then, it was 1985, and it was Siouxsie and the Banshees. This time, the show was billed as “An Evening with Siouxsie” and was promoted as a mix of Banshees and Creatures favorites. I’ll admit that I was never a Creatures fan, not from lack of their talent, but just from my lack of interest. Either the balance of songs last night was off, or my memory is finally failing me, because I only recognized a handful of tunes. John McGeoch was sorely missed (may he rest in peace), as was Steve Severin, who was “replaced” by a young lad playing keyboards and tapes who looked like he was moonlighting from Interpol. Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable show.
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