Johnny Marr at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Photos

I saw Johnny Marr perform for the first time earlier this year at a powerful yet intimate performance at The Velvet Underground. Click through to take a peek at those photos here.

This time the legendary guitarist, singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the pioneering and innovative guitarist and co-songwriter of The Smiths, played The Phoenix Concert Theatre on tour for his latest album, Call the Comet.

We got a fantastic set that covered a ton of Marr's solo material, tunes from Electronic and, of course, more than a handful of amazing tunes from The Smiths. "Bigmouth Strikes Again" is an all-time favourite song and I would never tire of hearing it played live. We heard the newest single from Call the Comet, "Hi Hello" along with the political "Bug", which was played along with the comment that Johnny is surprised that we haven’t built a wall of our own by now. Indeed. The set continued with a fucking badass rendition of "Easy Money" and the encore featured Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew singing The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want". Marr had some very kind words for Broken Social Scene's You Forgot It In People as he brought Drew on stage.

The Belle Game opened this show with some magnetic tunes. Check out my photos of their set here.

Listen to some of the great tunes that were part of the band's Toronto setlist:

"The Tracers"

The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again"

"Hi Hello"

The Smiths' "The Headmaster Ritual"

"Walk Into The Sea"

Electronic's "Getting Away With It"

"Bug"

"Easy Money"

"Boys Get Straight"

The Smiths' "How Soon Is Now?"

The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"

The Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"

The Belle Game at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Photos

Ethereal crush-pop band The Belle Game played Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre, opening for the venerable singer/guitarist/songwriter Johnny Marr. Click through for my pics of his set.

I was truly impressed with The Belle Game's engaging tunes and cool beats, especially when combined with singer Andrea Lo's powerful vocals. This wasn't my first time seeing The Belle Game. I caught their early-day set at Field Trip back in 2016. Those pics are here.

Check out some of The Belle Game's music:

"River"

"Yuh"

"Wait Up For You"

"Spirit"

Dear Rouge at The Danforth Music Hall - Concert Photos

I've seen Vancouver BC based pop group Dear Rouge a few times. Most recently, earlier this summer at Riverfest Elora, on The Bandshell stage at The Ex last summer, and in 2016 at Riverfest Elora. Click on the links for those photos.

For this show at Toronto's Danforth Music Hall, they were joined by one of my favourite bands, Ellevator, and Modern Space. Click through to check out the photos of those bands, and to enjoy some of their music.

Dear Rouge are masters of modern pop music and they do such a magnificent job of writing and performing it. They have so much fun delivering uplifting and empowering tunes to their audiences and Danielle McTaggart has energy and magnetic stage presence that is matched by very few artists. Their set came jam-packed with great tunes and I had a fantastic time at the show, as did everyone around me.

Check out some tunes from their setlist:

"Live Through The Night"

"Tongues"

"Black to Gold"

"Best Look Lately"

"Boys & Blondes"

"I Heard I Had"

Modern Space at The Danforth Music Hall - Concert Photos

Toronto based, upbeat indie rock band Modern Space played The Danforth Music Hall this past week with a set sandwiched between two powerful bands, Dear Rouge who were headlining, and Ellevator who impressed with a powerful opening set.

Modern Space highlighted hook-laden power pop tunes from their latest EP Flip for It and tunes all the way back to the first tune that grabbed my attention, "Pen to Paper". They wear their influences on their sleeves and have fun doing it. Check out some of their tunes below, and if you like what you hear, check out their live show.

I've seen Modern Space three times before. Most recently at this very venue opening for Rainbow Kitten Surprise, at The Horseshoe as part of the TURF Club Series and at the TURF Festival at Fort York.

"A Small Pocket"

"Flip For It"

"Pen To Paper"

Ellevator at The Danforth Music Hall - Concert Photos

Hamilton Ontario indie-rock band Ellevator has quickly become one of my favourite bands. The songs are incredible, the live show is energetic, powerful and emotional. It all comes together into a performance package that I love.

The band demonstrated their mastery of dynamics and nuance, plus a rapidly developing stage presence when I saw them perform at The Danforth Music Hall opening for Dear Rouge and Modern Space.

I feel that this was the best Ellevator performance that I’ve seen, and that's saying a lot given how much I've enjoyed them in the past. It was especially cool when singer Nabi Sue Bersche came down to the front a number of times, finally breaking through the fourth wall by exiting from the front of the stage as the band rocked out to the outro of "St. Cecelia".

This show marked my fourth time seeing Ellevator live. Check out my photos from shows earlier this summer at Riverfest Elora and Field Trip, and take a trip back to Riverfest Elora 2016 for the first time they impressed me.

Listen to some of Ellevator's most captivating tunes from their set:

"Voices"

"New Survival"

An excellent cover of Kate Bush's "Running up that Hill"

"Struggle/Lost"

"St. Cecilia"

Japandroids at Indie88’s Up in Smoke Legalization Event at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Photos

On October 17, 2018, Canada made history. We became the second country on the planet, and the first country in the G7 to legalize recreational cannabis. I attended a celebration of this monumental and momentous occasion at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre put on by local radio station Indie88. They called it The Up in Smoke Legalization Event and it featured Japandroids, The Dirty Nil and Indie88 radio personality Brent's band Sure. Click through to those other posts for those pics.

Overall, it was a fantastic event, featuring amazing music from three great bands, snacks like cotton candy, gummies, jelly beans and rockets, paraphernalia like papers and grinder cards, and McD's burgers on the way out. Quite a night.

Japandroids are one of my favourite bands. They've graced the virtual pages of this site for their music and their live shows including shows at Field Trip this past summer and at The Danforth Music Hall back in 2017. I don't think I can say anything about them that I haven't said before. I love their music, their attitude, their live intensity, and the sheer amount of glorious noise that two guys from the wet coast can make. We even got to hear some new tunes, which sounded awesome. They did tell us that this would be their last show for a long time as they go to record. But then again, they said that at Field Trip.

Check out some tunes from their powerful set:

"Near to the Wild Heart of Life"

"Fire's Highway"

"Heart Sweats"

"North East South West"

"The Nights of Wine and Roses"

"Younger Us"

"The House That Heaven Built"

The Dirty Nil at Indie88’s Up in Smoke Legalization Event at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Photos

The Dirty Nil are a powerhouse rock band that put on a simply amazing rock and roll show. Their new album Master Volume just came out in September and I got to catch the band once again when they played Indie88’s Up in Smoke Legalization Event at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on weed legalization day in Canada, October 17.

The band was in perfect form, doling out tunes with unmatched intensity to a crowd that was packing in close and loving every minute. The new tunes sound amazing and the band consistently proves themselves to be one of the best live bands playing right now. Go see them. Really. Go see them. If you're in Toronto, your next chance is at The Opera House on December 1.

I have seen The Dirty Nil perform before. I caught their live show for the first time at Riverfest Elora back in 2017. I was blown away. Check out those photos here. I also got to see them opening for The Hold Steady during their four-night stand at The Horseshoe. They played on the day of Master Volume's release.

The Dirty Nil played sandwiched between headliners Japandroids and openers Sure. Click through to check out those pics, too.

Listen to some of The Dirty Nil's music:

"Bathed In Light"

"That's What Heaven Feels Like"

"I Don't Want That Phone Call"

"Please Please Me", "Pain of Infinity", a cover of Metallica's "Hit the Lights", and "Smoking is Magic"

"No Weaknesses"

Sure at Indie88’s Up in Smoke Legalization Event at The Phoenix Concert Theatre - Concert Photos

Indie 88's own Brent has a band. They're called Sure and they're a really solid indie/alternative rock power trio with fun and relatable tunes. I got to see them as the first band on stage at Indie88’s Up in Smoke Legalization Event at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Canada's first day of legal weed, October 17.

Sure got the crowd warmed up for The Dirty Nil and headliners Japandroids on a fun evening of weed (brought by attendees only and enjoyed outside, of course), snacks like cotton candy, rockets and assorted gummies, jelly beans and other fruit-flavoured treats, plus paraphernalia like papers and grinder cards. And how can I forget the gift of a McD's burger on the way out?

Let Sure's tunes spend some time with your ears and check them out live.

"Bored"


"Neighbours"


"Brittany"