Montreal-based arts organization M for Montreal and Toronto-based Wavelength combined forces last night for a Canadian Music Week showcase at Toronto's Garrison nightclub, featuring five bands who all have names starting with M. The Children's Television Workshop would have been proud. Here are seven things you missed.
1. The massive, psychedelic jam of Moonwood
It was a little hard to tell what Moonwood were doing at first, but watching them build their wall of noise until it threatened to overtake us all was pretty impressive.
2. Mannerism's '80s retro futuristic instruments
Buddy, we can see your shirt through your bass. That's crazy.
3. Most People performing in front of a screen showing clips from the original Degrassi and Teen Wolf
At one point they exclaimed "Joey and Catlin forever" mid-song.
4. Most People securing their spot as the next great Canadian two-person band
Canada has a long, long history of two-person rock bands, from Death from Above 1979 to the Inbreds to Catl. Most People are the next great band to be part of this tradition. They marry the best parts of electronic music and traditional rock. One plays guitar, the other bass; they both toss their instruments aside occasionally to play drums. The whole thing is then put together live using a laptop and loop pedals and topped with an ethereal tenor and solidly written lyrics.
5. Mas Aya blowing minds
We weren't quite sure what Mas Aya, a side project from Not the Wind, Not the Flag's Brandon Miguel Valdivia, was going to look like. The project's artist bio describes it as "a lively and powerful percussion, flute and voice stage show, inviting communities to cast off the shroud of commodity-based living to empower themselves and each other through music, meditation, dance and celebration." It turned out to be a mixture of traditional Latin American flutes, looped and distorted, and syncopated drum patterns that created everything from borderline dub reggae to straight-up bangers.
6. Two women having an awesome blast of a time
Mozart's Sister is technically a one-woman band, but Calia Thompson-Hannant frequently brings some assistance for live shows. In this case, it was a second synth and drum machine player, who also did some back-up vocals. Spreading the load allowed both women a little more latitude to dance, and dance they did. They shimmied, two-stepped, leapt and bounced with reckless abandon.
7. The incredible voice of Calia Thompson-Hannant
Frankly, hipsterish synth-pop singers just aren't supposed to be able to sing as well as Thompson-Hannant does. She has an R&B-influenced delivery with almost Mariah-like range that goes from smokey whisper to near echolocation with no trouble at all.
by Chris Dart via Electronic RSS
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