Posts Tagged ‘1990s’

News Update!

May 26th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau

One Hundred Dollars

One Hundred Dollars

I apologize for the lack of updates lately; I’ll try my best to keep you guys up-to-date more often! In fact, if someone could find me a job [desperate plea alert], I promise I’ll update the site every day! It’s a challenge, Lamb readers, but if you can do it, I’ll owe you big time. [Okay; enough begging] But for more Lamb news every day, make sure to follow me on Twitter! Some updates are random and useless (e.g. “My legs apparently don’t work today; I tripped three times on the street. One woman gave me the deepest look of concern.”) but many of them are actually music-related (e.g. “Rock Plaza Central @ Sonic Boom tonight (7 pm) – see you there! Oh, and Dog Dag tomorrow @ Soundscapes (6 pm); crazy!”)!

Also, congrats to Jordan W. for winning a pair of tickets to Slim Twig and a copy of Contempt! Thanks to everyone who entered! There are still two contests running, so don’t forget to enter those!

Here’s some news!

The aforementioned St. Vincent show at Lee’s Palace is going to be at the Horseshoe now. So mark that down – Horseshoe, not Lee’s! Which also means you better buy your tickets before they sell out. You can stream St. Vincent’s recent show in Washington, D.C. now on NPR.

One Hundred Dollars will be playing “their only full band show in Toronto for the summer” on June 12th. Opening for them will be Deep Dark Woods and Jason Benoit; definitely not a show you’ll want to miss out on! Tickets go on sale this Friday for $8.00. This show is 19+.

1990s recently canceled their June 3rd date at the Horseshoe, along with several other tour stops due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

The Witchies will be opening for Sunset Rubdown at Lee’s on July 10th. Tickets are on sale now for $13.00. This show is 19+.

In addition to opening for Camera Obscura at Lee’s in June, Anni Rossi will also open for Micachu at El Mocambo on July 14th. Tickets are on sale now for $12.00. This show is 19+.

Other Show Announcements:
The Lemonheads @ Lee’s (July 4th, $20.00, 19+)
Peter Murphy @ Opera House (July 11th)
The Charlatans, Hatcham Social @ The Mod Club (September 23rd)
Electric Prunes, Love, Sky Saxon @ Lee’s (August 14th, $25.00, 19+)
Company of Thieves, Blackie Jackett Jr. @ Drake (June 2nd, $10.00, 19+)
Man Man @ Lee’s (July 13th, $15.50, 19+)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a new video out for “Heads Will Roll” (from their latest release, It’s Blitz!). Watch here.

Regina Spektor has not one, but two new videos out! Watch “Laughing With” here and “Dance Anthem of the 80s” here!

Apostle of Hustle’s Andrew Whiteman was recently on Exclaim! TV’s Garageland. Watch here. Also, don’t miss them at the Music Gallery this Friday; tickets are still on sale for $22.00. This show is all-ages.

And last but not least, the Polaris Prize long list will be announced on June 15th this year, followed by the short list on July 7th. The Polaris Prize, just as a reminder, is an annual prize that is given out to the album, that’s decided upon by a jury, who is believed to have been the “best album of the year”. Along with the title, the winner also receives $20,000 and some bragging rights. Eligible candidates must’ve put out a record between June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009. Past winners included Final Fantasy – He Poos Clouds (2006), Patrick Watson – Closer Than Paradise (2007) and Caribou – Andorra (2008). The winner this year will be announced at a gala celebration in Toronto on September 21st, 2009. Who do YOU think should be nominated?

Happy listening!

Musically,
Melody

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Don’t Worry, Be Happy

April 17th, 2009 | By: Guest Contributor

Mastodon

Mastodon

This post was originally written for April 17th, 2009

Sunshine and temperatures in the mid-teens? Could it be spring at last? Here’s some news!

After recent, massive lineup announcements for festivals including OsheagaOver The Top and Olympic Island, there has been a lot of rumors as to who might appear at the 15th annual North by Northeast Music & Film Festival Conference (NXNE), which takes place June 17-21. Thanks to this little story from NOW, we know several acts confirmed, including Black LipsFake BloodHEALTHKing Khan & BBQ ShowNo Age andMatt & Kim. The Singing Lamb can also confirm that Halifax’s Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees and Calgary’sWoodpigeon. We of course will be covering the festival, and look for some special announcements from us in the upcoming weeks about NXNE and other events this summer.

For those of you with tickets to the sold-out The National show on May 21st at the Kool Haus – only 35 days! – opening for the band will be Brooklyn’s Colin Stetson. An avant-garde multi-instrumentalist – but most notably as a baritone saxophonist, I discovered today that Stetson has a remarkable musical resume, which includes touring alongside Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre and recording with the likes of Tom Waits and TV On The Radio. He recently released a mostly experimental jazz album, entitled New History Warfare Vol. 1, that you can listen to songs from on Stetson’s website or his MySpace.

Atlanta heavy metal band Mastodon know a thing or two about concept albums, and their fourth full-length Crack The Skye, tackles “art aesthetics of Tsarist Russia, astral travel, out of body experiences and Stephen Hawking’s theories on wormholes”. A combination of metal riffs, prog rock, average song lengths over five minutes and the crushing vocals of Troy Sanders and Brent Hinds, this album will knock you flat on your ass and not stop to apologize. Alas, I hadn’t noticed that these guys are going to be at The Opera House on May 5th and the show is now sold-out, but this album is still one of the best I’ve heard this year.

If you want to catch Apostle of Hustle in a more intimate venue, the band will be playing an all-ages show at The Music Gallery on May 29th. This of course will all be a warmup for the band’s July appearance at the Olympic Island Festival. The band’s third full-length album Eats Darkness is scheduled to drop May 19th.

Scottish garage-poppers 1990s will be at The Horseshoe Tavern on June 3rd. Check out the band here where you can listen to songs off their upcoming sophomore album, Kicks.

The Decemberists are coming to Toronto! Oregon’s favourite orchestral folk-rockers will be coming to the Kool Haus on August 3rd in support of their new album The Hazards of Love. Opening for The Decemberists will be Cincinnati’s Heartless Bastards – tickets are on-sale now, but don’t expect them to last that long. Colin Meloy and his merry gang of men and women will also be on The Colbert Report April 27th.

Is there anything that Justin Timberlake can’t do? Front one of the biggest boy bands of the 90s? Check. Have a respected solo career? Check. Date pre-crazy Britney? Been there, done that. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Check…wait, what? JT will be joining rapper Lupe Fiasco and singer Kenna in this trek up Africa’s highest mountain, in order to raise awareness for the world water shortage. Read the full story here.

By way of apology for missing the 15th anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s tragic death, here is Winter Gloves covering Nirvana’s iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Rest in peace Kurt, you will never be forgotten.

Before I return to (not) studying for my two exams next week, I thought I leave you with “8 Songs Not to Shag To” – I’d advise checking it out before you plan your next sexual escapades (thanks to Radio Exile for this one).

Cheers,
Max

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News Update!

April 7th, 2009 | By: Melody Lau

Chad Vangaalen

Chad Vangaalen

I know Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” is an undeniably great pop song but how many more bands are going to cover it? Lily Allen did an admirable job (thumbs up), the All American Rejects’ take was interesting (thumbs down), and now Franz Ferdinand take a crack at it. As posted by Stereogum, Franz recently recorded the cover of Spears’ “comeback hit” for BBC’s Live Lounge. Of course, they jazz the song up Franz Ferdinand style. The outcome is debatable as some say it’s “awesome” and others say “horrific!”. Watch here and let me know what your verdict is. Oh, and me? I like it! But come on, folks – cover “If U Seek Amy”!

In Toronto Jazz Fest news, it looks like The Sea and Cake will be making a stop in town on June 27th for the festivities at the Supermarket. Tickets are $27.50. Also taking part will be Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings withBlackburn at Nathan Philips Square on June 26th (8:00 pm). That same night, Jose Gonzales will be taking the stage at the Harbourfront Centre. Tickets for that show will be $30.00 and can be ordered here.

Speaking of Harbourfront, the annual Canada Day festivities have been announced and this year, The Constantines and Chad Vangaalen will be the entertainment of the night. The show will be all-ages and free.

The 1990s will make a stop at the Horseshoe on June 3rd.

The Bug will be at the Social on July 4th.

Drums of Death will open for Peaches at the Phoenix on May 20th. Tickets are still available for $24.50 and this is a 19+ show.

Happy Listening!

Musically,
Melody

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