Sometime by DIIV

According to the internet (and truly, when is it ever wrong?) DIIV are opening for Japandroids at their December 11 show at The Phoenix here in Toronto. I'm very happy to be attending that show. I think that both bands will shine on stage, with their different-but-equally-awesome guitar sounds swirling around my head at concert volume.

Here's the latest from DIIV's album Oshin. The song is "Sometime".

Another new Biffy Clyro track: Black Chandelier

I previously posted the video for "Stingin' Belle" from Biffy Clyro's forthcoming album Opposites, which is coming out January 28 in Europe and March 12 in North America. Why make us wait?!?

They've put out another track, which will be the first single. It's called "Black Chandelier".

Ash and Kestrels at Lee's Palace

After a 7 year absence, Ash returned to Toronto for an fantastic 20th anniversary show at Lee's Palace. They stormed through highlights from across their history - from their very first single "Jack Names the Planets" all the way to their recent song-a-fortnight project The A-Z Series, which has just been released on vinyl.

Tim Wheeler cranked the guitars with the awesome-sounding combination of Gibson guitars - Flying V and Les Paul - through his Mesa half-stack. Bassist Mark Hamilton filled the stage with rawk poses and drummer Rick McMurray kept it all tight.

It was a great show with plenty of enthusiasm from both the band and the crowd.

 I put up a ton of Ash tunes prior to the show, so I'll limit myself here.

"Arcadia"

"Jack Names the Planets"

"Burn Baby Burn"

"Joy Kicks Darkness"

"Binary"

"Kung Fu"

"Oh Yeah"

Check out their Best of album that was recently released if you're new to this great band.

Kestrels, from Halifax, opened the show. It looked like a dream come true for them since singer/guitarist Chad Peck told us he's a long-time Ash fanatic and Ash singer/guitarist Tim Wheeler even played on their album. Although the mix was not always in their favour, their Dinosaur Jr. / 90s influenced energy came across well.

Here's "The Past Rests" and "There All The Time Without You" from A Ghost History.

The photos in this post are original pics by me, not the usual professional pics stolen from some other web site. You can tell the difference original art makes. Meanwhile, Chromewaves has some great pics from the gig.

New video from Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit, who recently released the State Hospital EP, have a new album on the way. It's called Pedestrian Verse and it's out February 5.

Here's the video for "Dead Now". Cool tune.

Favourites: Judith by A Perfect Circle

Maynard James Keenan is a pretty cool dude. Especially for a guy called Maynard.

How many other cool Maynard's are there?

Do they sing for Tool? Do they have a band/performance art thing called Puscifer? Do they sing for A Perfect Circle?

Do they sing an unforgiving, god-taunting, powerhouse tune like "Judith"?

I think not.

On a related note, Puscifer is coming out with a new 8-song release on February 19 called - wait for it - Donkey Punch the Night. It features covers of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Accept's "Balls to the Wall". Can't wait to hear it.