Having only caught one and a half acts at Thursday’s No Shame/Forward Music Group NXNE Showcase, I couldn’t tell you who the winners of the rumoured bedazzled plaid shirt prize were, but regardless, I have a feeling every band fought long and hard for it. Three Toronto acts (Boys Who Say No, Great Bloomers, The Darcys) versus three east coaster bands (Share, Sleepless Nights, Grand Theft Bus), all crammed into Clinton’s on Bloor St. – it’s a battle to the indie-rock death!

The only band I was able to catch (due to scheduling) was Toronto’s very own Boys Who Say No. Having seen them play multiple times this year, I must say this set was among one of their best. This band has a tendency to continuously grow and get better with each performance. Lead singer Luke Correia-Damude conveys a strong sense of confidence and conviction when he sings that just grabs people’s attention with every song; not to mention his James Dean-esque charm helps a lot.

Acting as almost a melting pot of genres, Boys Who Say No’s sound ranges from country-infused pop tunes to straight-up indie rock sing-alongs. Since the formation of the band though, they have fine-tuned and narrowed down their sound significantly; making for a more cohesive live set.

The energy level that this band feeds the audience is quite infectious, whether it made you just toe-tap a little or full out burst into a dance party. Enthusiasm, excitement and humour (as a joke, Correia-Damide introduced themselves as Japanther to the audience) – Boys Who Say No are on their way to becoming an incredible band. They’re not Japanther just yet but one day they will; and they’ll be even better.

Also, someone please explain to me why “It’s A Shame” is not a bonafide hit already. If they didn’t win the bedazzled shirt, they at least deserved a sleeve.

For more Boys Who Say No,
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/boyswhosayno

Missed Boys Who Say No at NXNE? Catch them in town on July 4th (Tranzac), 17th (Silver Dollar), and 23rd (Drake)! For more details, click on the MySpace link!