July 31, 2015

The Fandemics release new tune Pick Up Your Weapons

Toronto hard rockers The Fandemics have made their latest tune available for free for the long weekend. Take a listen to the powerful "Pick Up Your Weapons" on their Soundcloud or below and add it to your music collection.

If you're not familiar with these guys, their bio reads, "Ex-members of Take Drugs, Darlings of Chelsea, Tacoma Redd, and Citizen Kill get together to make a new band of their own. This time with harmonies, hooks, and heart. Loud, sonically lush, and loveable; this band is a monster in a china shop." and I've shot them twice; at The Rivoli and at Cherry Cola's. They're a great bunch of guys and the music's cool. Check out some more at their Bandcamp.


July 30, 2015

New song from Northcote Hope Is Made Of Steel from forthcoming album Hope Is Made Of Steel

Northcote at Lee's Palace July 24, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
I just saw Northcote and his band last month. He played a bunch of new music so it was no secret that a new album was on the way.

Here's the title track from the new album Hope Is Made Of Steel. It's a straight-up rocker of a tune that put a big smile on my face. I heard it for the first time at the Lee's Palace show. It sounded great then and it sounds great now.

Catch Northcote whenever you can, but especially during the Toronto Urban Roots Festival this September. The new album comes out on September 25.

July 29, 2015

Bob Mould Body of Song is 10

Bob Mould's incredible solo album Body of Song came out 10 years ago today. It's his sixth solo album and marks a combination of his straight-up guitar power pop with some flourishes of dance music in the form of some keyboards and vocal effects. The song writing is powerful and empowering, with strength, power and confidence dripping from many of the tunes.

Bob's always been a personal favourite and this album has many stand-out tracks. Check out my favourites:

"Circles"

"Paralyzed"

"I am Vision I am Sound" (starts at about 11:51)

"Best Thing"

Bob's out doing some solo electric shows in September and October. Check the dates here.

Pic from Amazon.

July 28, 2015

Stars at Nathan Phillips Square for Panamania - Concert Pictures

Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
I've been lucky enough to shoot Stars (shooting stars, get it?!?) on three occasions; at Riot Fest, at their own show at The Danforth Music Hall, and now at Nathan Phillips Square for Panamania. I love Stars. They are one of my all-time favourite bands and I'll take pretty much any opportunity to see them in concert. Their music, along with the enthusiastic and passionate delivery of that music, combined with their overt love of the arts and gratefulness to their fans, makes every show a treat.
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
They played a high-energy and crowd-pleasing set, with tunes from throughout their discography. My faves are embedded below, but I'll call out the amazing opener "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It" and an old favourite that they played second last, "Elevator Love Letter" as highlights of the highlights.
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The band is such a joy to watch on stage, from the way Torq greets the crowd to the way Amy and Torq interact, to Torq's malicious beating of the defenceless tambourine, to the barely contained joy of the rest of the band, you know that there's nothing they would rather be doing.

At one point, Torq reminded me of a muppet with his hands stock straight up in the air. Of course, I can't remember the name of that particular character or whether he was actually on Sesame Street or The Muppets. It's amazing what a live performance can conjure from memory.
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesStars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Listen to some of my personal favourites from their set:

"Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It"

"Ageless Beauty"

"A Song Is A Weapon"

"From the Night"

"Dead Hearts"

"Trap Door"

"Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"

"Take Me To The Riot"

"Elevator Love Letter"

"No One Is Lost"
Stars at Nathan Phillips Square July 22, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures

July 27, 2015

Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Pictures

Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Los Angeles band Dawes came through Toronto to play at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on a gorgeous night on July 20. These guys were unknown to me when I saw them at the first Toronto Urban Roots Festival (TURF) two summers ago and I vowed that day to make sure I saw them next time they came through town.
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesDawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
They opened the show with the tune "Things Happen" from their brand new album All Your Favorite Bands. Their set continued, hitting up tunes from across their discography and obviously tons of fan favourites. I've embedded my personal favourites below. Their songs are sometimes sad, but at the same time consistently uplifting songs about the human condition. You can tell how dedicated and enthusiastic their fans are by the fact that the audience completely took over vocal duties during a few tunes.
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesDawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The musicianship on display is fantastic and I loved the guitar playing. The sound mix of Tele/Strat and Les Paul was awesome. The solos were heartfelt and engrossing. Seeing the well-loved, vintage axes was cool, too, especially the vintage soapbar Les Paul that Taylor pulled out for the encore. The band were never rushed or hurried. The groove was consistently laid down thick and was of primary importance. 
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesDawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Check out some of my favourite Dawes tunes from their setlist.

Opening tune "Things Happen"

"Fire Away"

"Right On Time"

"Most People"

"A Little Bit of Everything"

"When My Time Comes"

"From the Right Angle" to close the main set

And all the encore tunes:

"Time Spent In Los Angeles"

"From A Window Seat"

"All Your Favourite Bands" The audience completely took over the end of this tune and technically closed the show.
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Dawes at The Phoenix Concert Theatre July 20, 2015 Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures

July 26, 2015

The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square for Panamania - Concert Pictures

The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
While I've only seen The Flaming Lips twice, their concerts are now embedded in my mind as must-see events. My introduction to the live band at Riot Fest last year was a musical and photographic landmark. I knew that I wanted to be there for their free show for Panamania - the Arts & Culture Program of the Pan Am Games - in front of Toronto City Hall at Nathan Phillips Square.
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The band's fans were out in force, covered in silver and gathered up front for the event. Lots of other folks were out, too, either to check out the band, or the Panamania events in general, or to see the fireworks, or to make sure they got a selfie in front of our lovely Toronto sign.
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Wayne Coyne was loving the fact that the event was in such a great spot in the centre of our city. He encouraged everyone to get involved, wanting the entire city centre to hear our chants of "Love!"

We certainly got another fantastic Flaming Lips extravaganza. What a great show!
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
Check out some of my personal favourite tunes from their setlist.

"She Don't Use Jelly"

"The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song"

"Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1"

"Do You Realize??"
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures
The Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography picturesThe Flaming Lips at Nathan Phillips Square July 19, 2015 Panamania Pan Am Games Photo by John at One In Ten Words oneintenwords.com toronto indie alternative music blog concert photography pictures