Yacht Club
A RETURN TO FLASHY POP Story by Laura Hermiston Editing by Olenka Szymonski Video by Jordan White Photo by Danielle Nemet Yacht Club is a band from Toronto featuring music veterans Ben Cook and Matt DeLong. It is a project that has a well thought out artistic vision that is heavily influenced from early 1980s...
Press Play x B-17
OUR LAST EDITION OF PRESS PLAY FEATURING ONE OF TORONTO’S MOST EXCITING BANDS RIGHT NOW Story by Laura Hermiston Video by Olenka Szymonski If you like bands such as Jesus Mary Chain, Suicide, or Spacemen 3, check out B 17 from Toronto psych/pop label Optical Sounds. Their debut record release party for Wishing Won’t Make It So is...
Dr. Dog
THE EVOLUTION OF A GENRE-BENDING BAND Story by Kate Davies The name Dr. Dog is one of those hard-to-distinguish labels which doesn’t reveal the group’s genre at first glance. Where placing “The” in front of Strokes, Kinks, or New Pornographers seems to give those bands a specific label-making edge, Dr. Dog brings to mind images...
A.C. Newman
HIS MOST PERSONAL AND INTIMATE ALBUM TO DATE Story by Kate Davies Best known as the frontman for Vancouver-based indie rock group The New Pornographers, Carl Newman has been steadily building a strong following with his solo project AC Newman. His third solo album, entitled Shut Down the Streets, is a record full of...
Press Play x The Holiday Crowd
TORONTO BAND GETTING BUZZ IN THE UK Story by Laura Hermiston Video by Olenka Szymonski Check out Plaid’s photoshoot with The Holiday Crowd earlier this year. The Holiday Crowd play The Comfort Zone Thursday Nov. 8 in support of Dignan Porch (Captured Tracks) from London, UK.
La Sera
THE METHODICAL AND CREATIVE MIND OF KATY GOODMAN Story by Laura Cappe It is fair to say that Katy Goodman is a woman grounded deeply in multiple worlds. Before music she was pursuing a career in sciences – receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and her Masters in Physics Education. She loves video games, breaking...
The Envy
SET TO RELEASE EP THIS SATURDAY Story by Kate Davies In modern music, a crossroads has emerged between old and new: between the rule of the record companies and that of the digital world. Many bands are caught up in the shuffle, having to decide whether it is in their best interests to sign on...
Arkells
CANADIAN ROCK BAND COLLABORATES WITH EMERGING OPERA STARS FOR OPERANATION Story by Kate Davies Music has oft been cited as the universal language of mankind. It is perhaps the only tool we possess as humans that has the ability to cross cultural, historical, religious, and other prejudice boundaries. In this way, Toronto’s Operanation blends seemingly...
Diamond Rings
FREE DIMENSIONAL Story by Jordan White Ontario native Diamond Rings (a.k.a. John O’Regan) has been a busy, busy man. In anticipation of his upcoming album Free Dimensional, which hits stores on Oct. 22, the shimmering, shoulder pad-clad pop sensation has been hitting nightclubs across the U.S. with catchy, electro beats. The album is somewhat thematic,...
Allah Lahs
TALKING ABOUT L.A. AND INSTAGRAM Story by Laura Hermiston Video by Olenka Szymonksi On Canadian Thanksgiving night, the Allah Lahs from L.A. played the Great Hall in Toronto. Their sound check ran late and evidently Ola and I bumped into the jacketless men on the red velvet stair case in a fluster. They asked us...
Alt-J
ALT J AKA “∆” Story by Kate Davies Western society is primarily composed of and driven by trends. Whether it is in fashion, politics, family life, or celebrity culture, “trend” is one of the most oft-utilised synonyms to describe how the Western world functions on a day-to-day basis. Perhaps this is why such an undefinable...
Band of Horses
LETTING MISTAKES LIVE THROUGH THE MUSIC Story by Kate Davies I think there must be something in the water in Seattle. The Emerald City has a royalty-worthy musical pedigree which has seen the development of such jazz legends as Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, and Ernestine Anderson. It is also noteworthy as the birthplace of Jimi...
Liars
JULIAN GROSS ON RECORDING WIXIW Story by Adam Steel One of the most polarizing forces in modern music—Spin derides a previous work, labeling it as “unlistenable;” Pitchfork calls the very same record “laudable, deserving of respect”—Brooklyn’s Liars return with another album on the docket, one that is creating buzz for all the right reasons. Since...
The Balconies
SHOW PICK OF THE WEEK Story by Ashley Lewis Photo by Courtney Lee Yip “Our band is a lot about the live performance, being a part of the energy.” When I called Liam Jaeger from The Balconies this week to chat about what the band’s been up to this summer I heard one word repeatedly...
Alexi Murdoch
REFRESHING TAKE ON AN OVERLY DEFINED WORLD Story by Kate Davies It is an undeniable fact that the world is getting smaller every day. Through the Internet, a rise in the use of social media outlets, expanding immigration, and general globalization, our planet is quickly becoming one large community. However, as the world gets “physically”...
Press Play: Dusted
TOTAL DUST RELEASE PARTY PREVIEW Story by Laura Hermiston Video production by Olenka Szymonski Photo courtesy of Julia Schill Dusted is made up of two of Toronto’s most prolific musicians, Leon Taheny and Brian Borcherdt. I’m going to go out on a limb and say they will be the next big band to hit Canadian...
JF Robitaille
WATCH FOR MONTREAL SINGER-SONGWRITER WHO IS GRACING TORONTO WITH HIS PRESENCE ALL SUMMER Interview by Kate Fane Photo credit Liam Maloney Though you’ve lived (and performed) in London and New York, Montreal is where you call home. What’s the music scene like there for an anglophone musician? I think, in the last six years, a...
NXNE Beliefs and Mac DeMarco
STOOPIN’ AND DRINKIN’ WITH BELIEFS AND MAC DEMARCO Story by Laura Hermiston Video Production by Olenka Szymonski I kicked off my first night of NXNE with Jesse Crowe from Beleifs and the boys of Mac DeMarco. The two bands were doing a soundcheck early in the night in preparation for their NXNE show...
Patrick Watson
THE SIMPLICITY OF ADVENTURES IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD Story by Kate Davies Photo provided by Patrick Watson 2012 is an epic year. Not only has there been rampant talk of a zombie apocalypse and an increasing number of natural disasters, but the Mayan prophecies have been continuously cited by both conspiracy theorists and the average...
Holly McNarland
NINETIES MUSICIAN COMING BACK INTO A SOCIAL MEDIA OBSESSED MUSIC WORLD Story by Alexa Tomaszewski Photo by Vanessa Heins Juno-award winning artist Holly McNarland is back with her new album, Run Body Run. It was produced entirely in-house and the first supporting show for the album will be June 16 at the Rivoli. After...
Press Play: Modern Superstitions
MODERN SUPERSTITIONS SHOW FOR NEW RECORD RELEASE THURSDAY Story by Laura Hermiston Video Production by Olenka Szymonksi Modern Superstitions are releasing their School Days/Way I Want 7″ with a release show this Thursday night at the Garrison in Toronto. Michael Rault and Chang a Lang will be opening Doors are at 9pm. *Special thank you to Tusk *Actual Water...
Press Play: Girls Rock Camp Toronto
GIRLS ROCK CAMP TORONTO FUNDRAISING EVENT THIS TUESDAY AT THE SILVER DOLLAR Story by Laura Hermiston Video Production by Olenka Szymonksi Summer is here and not only are music festivals kicking into high gear, but so are summer camps. Girls Rock Camp Toronto is one of the coolest (if not the coolest) camps in Toronto which...
Frankie Rose
PLAID TALKS TO FRANKIE ROSE ABOUT BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND HER STYLE ICONS Story by Laura Hermiston Shot by Mark Cira Produced and Edited by Laura Hermiston Frankie Rose played a show at The Shop Under Parts & Labour in Toronto on May 2 2012. Plaid Magazine got the chance to talk to her...
Press Play: Hussy
PRESS PLAY TALKS TO HUSSY ABOUT THE TORONTO PUNK SCENE Story by Laura Hermiston Video Production by Olenka Szymonksi Hussy are one of Toronto’s most popular punk bands. They are signed to Buzz Records, which has become the current epicentre for Toronto punk bands and shows. Press Play spoke with the band inside “The Garage”...
Live in Bellwoods Concert Series
THE FUTURE OF LIVE IN BELLWOODS ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTARIST, MIKE JUNEAU Story by Adam Steel Every Torontonian knows Trinity-Bellwoods Park as the premiere summer destination for impromptu hangouts, wine-picnics and dog parades. Recently though, this choice spot for such hip and fashionable crowds has evolved into a prominent outdoor venue for the best...
ZZBRA
WRITING A NEW CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF CANADIAN HIP-HOP Story by Laura Cappe Photo provided by ZZBRA ZZBRA is Moka Only and Evil Ebenezer – a hip-hop duo that delivers abstract rap music through clever mediums. Brought together by visionary Canadian video director Stuey Kubrick, ZZBRA: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is a concept...
Martha Meredith
TORONTO-BASED SONGSTRESS PERFORMS TONIGHT AS PART OF CMW Story by Odessa Paloma Parker Photo provided by Martha Ramsay Clear, honest, pure – all things that describe Martha Ramsay’s airy odes to love and love lost. Martha Meredith, as she’s known on the music scene, will take the stage as part of Canadian...
