NXNE Schedule — As up to date as can be!

Amos the Transparent

Here’s what you need to know about NXNE at Rancho Relaxo. There will be programming till 2 or 3 am on Weds, till 4 am on Thurs-Sat, and till 3 am on Sunday — so we haven’t filled the entire schedule yet. But we’ve filled more than almost any venue on the list so far, so I take pride in that. The Thursday showcase is a co-promotion with GreenShades. Friday we share the night with the Indie Machine, and Sunday we do it with the great guys at the See You Next Wednesday Podcast. Set times are subject to change but I will make any changes necessary as they happen. Continue reading

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See You Next Wednesday Episode 12 — Featuring Tenacious D, Beach House & Best Coast Reviews!

Zoinks! Episode 12 of See You Next Wednesday has us covering the shocking profit that Disney’s flop John Carter made last weekend at Drive-Ins across America, and we touch on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, which hoodie-popped its way to DVD and BluRay recently.

We roll right in to Film Roulette — see what we did there? — and take a look at Exorcist II: The Heretic and Exorcist III: Legion… one is good, one is bad. You heard it here first! Unless you’ve seen them, or have read about them somewhere else on the internet — but I digress. Then, we roll for The Dictator and Battleship.

And as always, we’ve got album reviews! We listened to the new Tenacious DBeach House, and Best Coast records and have lots to say about them. So listen up, won’t you?

Don’t forget to check us out on TwitterFacebook, and iTunes. Please feel free to yell things at us on any of those sites. Do it!

Direct Download: SYNW_12_MAIN.mp3

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New Schomberg Fair album and national tour coming up in June

The Schomberg Fair -- Providence

It’s no secret that we love, love, love the Schomberg Fair. It’s partly because they’re great guys, it’s true, but it’s also because they’re just a great band — with quality songwriting and playing, solid recordings, and a face-melting live show. It’s really been a pleasure to see them grow and evolve over the years, into a group that really stands out as its own among the Canadian musical landscape. Fans of the band — or newcomers to the movement — will get a new chance to check out where all that work has taken them when they release their new album on June 5th. Continue reading

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The Weekly Rancho Rundown

Here’s edition no. 2 of our weekly rundown of what’s going on at the Rancho Relaxo.  I call this the “Rancho bartender and all-around great dude Casey Lyons had his birthday party last night on the Mezzrow’s patio until last call, and I can barely think let alone write” edition.  But I will try since you are all lovely and I wouldn’t want to let you down.  This week we are open Tues-Sat and they are all my shows — I’m exhausted already!

Tuesday May 15th: Jean is Dead at 11:25, Joob @ 10:35, The Stogies at 9:45; Presented by TWM; $5
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Halifax comes to Toronto to kick off the night with the Stogies, a rock band through and through and a throwback one at that with huge riffs, crashing drums, stadium-style vocals, and a show that will slap you in the face and not feel any remorse for it.  Shotgun a few beers, embrace your inner Guns N Roses fandom, and get your ass down to the Rancho nice and early for this set.

Then it is Joob up next! Hailing from Hamilton, Joob are a brand new band made up of several people from other acts you might recall.  But their music stands alone and is a sweet blend of rock with a fair amount of blues as well.  They have more recordings now than when I booked them, so click the name at the top of this blurb and take a listen for yourself.  The guitar in particular is rather epic.

Closing it out we have Jean is Dead, who will wake the neighbours with their brand of kickass punk rock.  I have seen this band once before and they absolutely thrash on that stage.  It’s a take-no-prisoners style of rock, where they get up there and blaze through their setlist — you either love it or you deal with it.  I like that mentality.  Truthfully, Jean is Dead isn’t even the type of music I’d normally listen to but they kick ass.  That’s saying something.

Weds May 16th: The Return of God at 11:20, The Smile Case at 10:30, Lauren Heenan at 9:40; Presented by TWM; PWYC
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Lauren Heenan kicks off our PWYC Weds.  You may know Lauren from her great local band Avery Island, but this will be a solo set.  Lauren has a few songs on her Bandcamp, provided at the top.  This is a very stripped-down sound compared to what you are used to with Avery Island, but I always love seeing front people for bands solo. It gives you perspective as to how they eventually get to the sound you are used to as a band.  Plus, it doesn’t hurt when you have a voice like Lauren does.

Next up is the Smile Case, a project of Ben Andress who, when he isn’t busy working on his label and doing things like releasing the new Wheatus (yes Wheatus!) album on vinyl, sometimes gets up on stage and rocks an acoustic folk-punk set.  We’ve had this once before at Rancho and the Smile Case stole the show playing on the floor: no mics, no plugs, and everyone captivated and, at times, in stitches.  Can it be topped?

Closing it out we have the Return of God, the new musical and movie project of Ashley Beattie and his backing band.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, I haven’t heard something local that instantly captivated me the way this recording does.  I’m a sucker for innovative music — add a concept to it and I’m even more likely to be obsessed.  This could very well be the best set of the week at Rancho.  Well worth staying out on a Weds night for.

Thurs May 17th: The Raspberry Heaven at 11:40, Lonnie in the Garden at 10:40, Stranger Danger at 9:40; Presented by TWM; $6.
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The opening act Stranger Danger are without recordings as of yet but have invoked the name of the great Brennan Gault (Cheap Speakers) in promising that they are going to be very good.  That was enough for me.  Brennan is a god around the Rancho, after all.

After that we have Lonnie in the Garden, who have a song on Bandcamp that has been absolutely slaying me.  They’ll have just put out a 7″ on one of the best labels going in Canada right now, Out Sound, and they’ll have said 7s at the show!  Think psychedelic rock meets folk rock, with a big splash of noise rock worked in as well.  This powerhouse act features members of Say Domino and Whoop-szo, both bands who are awesome as well.

Then we have the Raspberry Heaven.  I have no clue if it’s full band or if it’s solo; I thought I had booked a band but now it’s a mystery.  Regardless, the act plays either way and so it should not disappoint.  I’ve only recently gotten to know about the Raspberry Heaven, but the act is gigging constantly and all over the place.  That kinda hustle combined with this type of talent will take you a long long way.

Friday May 18th: John Holmes Book Club at 12, Atom and the Volumes at 11, The Good Luck Foundation at 10; Presented by TWM; $6
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Much love goes out to the openers of this show, the Good Luck Foundation, who stepped in on the heels of two touring bands going AWOL just before the show.  I hate when that stuff happens but I love when a quality act like the Good Luck Foundation steps up and saves the day.  When these guys played Rancho I had a particular song that was my favourite — they took it to heart and put it up online before anything else.  That’s pretty damn cool!  They play rockin’ music with a dash of Queens of the Stone Age and a ton of live energy.

Then we have Atom and the Volumes who are promoting this show as same Volumes but different setup.  What that means is that the band, typically a pretty rockin’ outfit, are trying out a more electro-inspired set.  I quite like their sound already and I’m sure if you listen to the link provided you’ll be getting a good idea what they sound like even in the new setup.  But who knows!  It’s also a birthday show which usually makes for some fun shenanigans.

Closing it out we have the reformed, reunited, and recharged John Holmes Book Club!  It has been basically a year since JHBC took to any stage, and a lot longer since they took to a Rancho stage.  They have a new lineup and are literally chomping at the bit to take their heavier indie-rock back to the stage and deliver some serious rock to their legion of adoring fans!

Sat May 19th: The Bitterweed Draw @ 12, Nerds with Guitars @ 11, Rory @ 10; Presented by TWM; $6.
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To say this is an eclectic bill would not do it justice.  On this night, we shall be celebrating the release of Nerds with Guitars’ EP.  These guys are a acoustic folk duo who play songs very well that also happen to be absolutely hilarious.  So how do you, then, put a bill together for such a tough to match combination?  Like this.

Rory is a big fan of Nerds with Guitars, and Nerds with Guitars are a big fan of Rory.  Rory plays music that nestles in somewhere between the worlds of folk, pop, and even a bit of country.  He plays with a backing band but not your typical guitar, bass, drums setup whatsoever.  But what really sets Rory apart from others playing similar music is the vocals.  Holy hell this dude can sing.

And closing it out, all the way from Alberta, is the Bitterweed Draw!  Several people from all across the country have told me how great this band is.  They play rockin’ banjo-heavy, whiskey soaked songs about, well, things like drinking, drinking whiskey, life and how it can be hard sometimes, and some more stuff about whiskey.  In case you didn’t know, I’m a pretty big fan of whiskey.  I’ll be drinking all of it during this set.

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First wave of Rancho NXNE bands announced!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls — the first wave of NXNE bands to play the TWM shows at Rancho Relaxo have been announced.  The majority of these bands have been picked by TWM in conjunction with NXNE, and I’m pretty pumped up on what we are going to bringing you.  What I can’t tell you, is exact time slots or what night yet because right now that is all in a state of flux.  But here they are in alphabetical order: Continue reading

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See You Next Wednesday Episode 11 — Featuring Wordburglar’s new song RHYME O’CLOCK

Let’s get right to it, Episode 11 of See You Next Wednesday finds us first and foremost tackling the new Expendables 2 trailer. If you thought the first movie looked outrageous… well it was. And this one looks like it will be totally crazy too. Then, we move on to Film Roulette, where Greg and Casey got to see The Avengers, and Dan had to suffer through The Lucky One. Finally, we review the new Meshuggah and Suckers albums.

And stay tuned all the way until the end, because we’ve got Wordburglar’s new track “Rhyme O’Clock” for your listening pleasure. Once you hear the track, you’ll understand why getting yer butt to the El Mocambo on Friday, May 11th for his 3rdburglar CD Release party is so important. Seriously, it’s gonna be insane.

Don’t forget to check us out on TwitterFacebook, and iTunes. Please feel free to yell things at us on any of those sites. Do it!

Direct Download: SYNW_11_MAIN.mp3 

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Wendy Versus set to release Crayon Wars on June 1st — Exclusive Stream of “Open My Eyes”

I love Wendy Versus and their new record Crayon Wars. I should just say that upfront. If I didn’t love them, I wouldn’t be doing the release party at Sneaky Dee’s with Patrick Grant‘s new band, Lovely Killbots, and Mix Chopin. So this isn’t a review so much as it is a preview of an album that I strongly suggest you make the effort to hear.

Wendy Leung has been around the Toronto music scene for a while now. You may well of saw her in recent years playing under her own name with a backing band. If you did, however, it wouldn’t really give you any idea what to expect on Crayon Wars. All the hallmarks are still there — Wendy’s excellent voice, strong songwriting, exceptional piano/keyboard playing — but that’s about where the comparisons end. In the new band, Wendy is playing with Owen Norquay (Soi Disant, Clouds That Look Like Things, LSD Spider, L’affumer, B’MO Crazy, and co-founder of Show Gopher) and Dean Marino (Papermaps, Tin Star Orphans, and co-owner of Chemical Sound). The band is taking Wendy’s music and doing it on their terms, with no live drums, tons of keys and synths, and hugely creative song arrangements, combining a plethora of ideas and genres to come up with a sound that is very hard to box into one category.

It’s highly electro with a ton of pop sensibility. It’s experimental but you can feel that the experimentation has been reeled in just enough to leave Crayon Wars as an album that will challenge you but not scare you off with its complexity. The album is a labour of love built among bandmates who are also close friends and recorded by someone also very close to the band, Cameron Harding. The process allowed Wendy Versus to take their time with the recording, and take their time they did. I can’t imagine what the album might have sounded like if they didn’t spend so long on it.

Crayon Wars is an album for sad introspective nights and yet it’s also an album for long walks in the woods. It’s an album to smoke a joint to and just lose yourself in the layers of what is going on, but it’s also an album that, when played live in the right room, is an absolute dancehall banger. You don’t find versatility like that in local indie music all that often.

But don’t take my word for it — I have an exclusive stream of “Open My Eyes” and trust me, stick with this track till the end because it goes somewhere I guarantee you didn’t see coming. Click it at the bottom of this column! Also, for information on the Crayon Wars launch party at Dee’s, go here!

Wendy Versus – Crayon Wars – 06 Open My Eyes

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