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Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit @ Horseshoe Tavern, May 26, 2011

June 13th, 2011 | By: Nina Adler

Johnny Flynn - Photo by Amanda Macchia

Budding English folk-rock act Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit stepped onstage to play for a packed crowd at the Horseshoe Tavern on Thursday May 26. The band, who is fronted by Johnny Flynn, also features sister Lillie Flynn on vocals, flute, and guitar, Adam Beach on bass guitar, James Mathe on keyboard, and David Beauchamp on drums.

The musicianship skills of Flynn were made apparent when he played an array of instruments including guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin and trumpet. Additionally, Flynn overwhelmed audience members with the poetic nature of his lyrics and enchanting vocal style.

The show opened with a charming rendition of “The Box” and continued with the band playing hits off of their first full-length LP, A Larum (2008), such as “Cold Bread,” “The Wrote & The Writ,” and “Hong Kong Cemetery.”

The band kept the pace of the night by playing tracks off of their second album Been Listening (2010), including songs such as “Kentucky Pill,” fan favourite “Barnacled Warship,” and “The Water” featuring Lillie Flynn singing the part originally performed by Laura Marling.

Despite Flynn’s inability to communicate with the audience, as indicated by “thank you” being the only words muttered by the shy performer, concert-goers could not get enough of the intoxicating sound of the well-practiced and skilled band.

While at times people wanted to sing along with the gentle sounds of these folk gods, respect was paid where due in order to soak in the warmth and energy that was pouring off the stage.

Ending their set with “Tickle Me Pink” and performing their encore song “Leftovers,” both tracks from A Larum, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit gave a memorable performance filled with high-energy and a tranquilizing sound from beginning to end.

Tags: Horseshoe Tavern, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit, show review
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The Darcys, Bear Hands, Dinosaur Bones @ Horseshoe Tavern, May 14, 2011

May 18th, 2011 | By: Amanda Macchia

Ben Fox and Branko Scekic - Photo by Amanda Macchia

The Horseshoe Tavern was hit by the innovation and rich ambience of three unique bands last Saturday night; a foursome from Brooklyn, NY sandwiched between two hometown units.

After an opening set by Seas, Toronto’s The Darcys flooded the venue in their typical fashion – stretching syncopated dissonance to all four corners and gliding through bending transitions and twisted structures. “House Built Around Your Voice,” among others, demonstrates the flattering juxtaposition of frontman Jason Couse’s only slightly calloused vocals with the general harmonious chaos and intricate arrangements of the band’s instrumental elements.

Bear Hands then proceeded to deliver their colourful indie rock to the northern crowd. Although the mood they instill musically is far from the spectral area of which the sound of The Darcys and Dinosaur Bones reside, the jittery, electric elements of their style and the simplicity of their melodies was a fresh turn for the line-up to take.

To close the show, headliners Dinosaur Bones showered the warmed-up audience with a balanced blend of melodic balladry and moody, electric progressions that may have become the signature sound of the five-piece Toronto outfit, as they consistently draw music-listeners to their live sets. The shuffling rhythm and crying blues licks featured in tracks like “Royalty” demonstrate the band’s ability to integrate traditional elements of rock into their innovative craft. Meanwhile, the classic structure of “Sharks in the Sand,” paired with its authoritative melody and muddy descending minor chords offers listeners an idea of the strong visual element of the band’s artistry. And so perhaps the name rings true: Dinosaur Bones are of significance today, but with a constant reminder of the ways of yesteryear.

Tags: bear hands, dinosaur bones, Horseshoe Tavern, show review, the darcys
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Dinosaur Bones to play hometown show

May 10th, 2011 | By: Amanda Macchia

Dinosaur Bones - Photo by Amanda Macchia

The good folks at Listen Harder and The Singing Lamb would like to remind you that Toronto’s own Dinosaur Bones will be performing at The Horseshoe Tavern this Saturday May 14, alongside Broooklyn’s psych-pop band Bear Hands and fellow-hometowners The Darcys.

Dinosaur Bones released their debut LP My Divider this past March and have been touring across Canada since.

Doors @ 9. $12/$10.50 adv Tm-Hs-Rt-Ss.

Tags: bear hands, dinosaur bones, Horseshoe Tavern, the darcys
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Dirty Mags @ The Horseshoe Tavern, April 7, 2011

April 20th, 2011 | By: Nina Adler

Mike Kaminski - Photo by Amanda Macchia

If you didn’t make it out to the Horseshoe on April 7, you missed one hell of an evening. Local rock ‘n’ roll night was no disappointment as bands Give Us The Daggers and the Dirty Mags from White Girl Records gave an unforgettable performance.

Hitting the stage just before 11 p.m., Give Us The Daggers turned a murmuring crowd silent as they started their set with “Fight For Your Love” – a song easy to listen to with a memorable chorus and a strong bass line. A somewhat awkward start, evidenced by the lead singer’s comment “don’t be afraid to move, you’re not paintings,” quickly gave way to an enthusiastic response from the crowd as the band played one energetic song after another.

The members of Daggers, whose sound blends indie soul with a punk rock edge, were able to showcase their skills on drums, guitar, and bass without overpowering the vocals, which was refreshing for a live rock ‘n’ roll show. By the end of their set, Give Us The Daggers happily left the stage leaving the crowd awaiting the much-hyped band that was to follow.

Undivided attention was paid to the Dirty Mags as they took to the stage just before midnight. They started their set with ‘”Money Forever,” getting bar-goers flocking to the stage as their high-energy performance created an enticing feeling throughout the venue.

Sounding like the offspring of New York City’s indie rock band The Strokes and Chicago-based Smith Westerns, Dirty Mags frontman Mike Kaminski outperformed Julian Casablancas of The Strokes with his perfectly controlled magnetic voice, making listeners yearn for more.

The evening continued with the song ‘”Somebody,” which allowed listeners to appreciate the musical ability of the band with their wide range of vocals and their technically precise playing. The band later invited a fellow musician onstage for a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman.”

After an unyielding performance, the band chose to wrap their set with their popular hit “Mainline,” its upbeat rock sound being the perfect choice to end the evening.

Catch the Dirty Mags’ 9 p.m. set at The Velvet Underground tonight!

More Photos HERE!

Tags: dirty mags, give us the daggers, Horseshoe Tavern, show review
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Yukon Blonde @ The Horseshoe Tavern, April 8, 2011

April 13th, 2011 | By: Amanda Macchia

Jeffrey Innes - Photo by Amanda Macchia

Somewhere between the harmonic country-rock jamming of The Band and the cheeky modern pop-rock of The Elwins lies Yukon Blonde’s addictive sound. Their clean and structured rock songs, layered with dangerously catchy harmonious choruses and defined electric chords, filled the Horseshoe Tavern last Friday, restarting the hearts of the crowd with their sound reminiscent of summer months.

As the Vancouver foursome delivered the first words of “Wind Blows” (“The wind blows, can you hear the wind blow, listen to the raindrops, outside of my window”) elongated bright chord progressions swelled, eventually reaching the song’s climatic guitar solo, only to eventually release the tune back into the same hypnotic familiarity of the song’s opening lines.

Similarly, the sweetness of the bright chords and harmonies of “Babies Don’t Like Blue Anymore,” paired with the songs steady downbeats, had audience members thrilled and partaking in the musical action as much as it is possible to do offstage. Unsurprisingly, the retro vibe and minimalist vocals of “Brides Song” had the same crowd-pleasing effect, its blues-oriented solos flooding the sweaty, crammed space.

At points in their set, Yukon Blonde were accompanied onstage by fellow musicians and peers that they have toured with, and all the while, they were supplemented by the singing and clapping of the mind-blown crowd. Their songs are catchy, their vibe is nostalgic, and their harmonies are tranquilizing.

Tags: Horseshoe Tavern, show review, yukon blonde
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Make Your Exit @ Horseshoe Tavern, February 18, 2011

February 19th, 2011 | By: Amanda Macchia

Jeff Buckley and Oliver Pauk - Photo by Amanda Macchia

Out of all the folk-rock acts that have graced the stage of the Horseshoe Tavern in its decades of existence, there is obviously a special place on that worn-out carpet for Make Your Exit. Though it’s impossible to have seen and judged every act in that time, one can assume from the magnitude of their performance on Friday night that Make Your Exit are one of the finest.

Every word uttered and chord strummed by the Toronto five-piece contained enough passion to fill the entire bar. Make Your Exit established their energy and craftsmanship at the very beginning of their set, covering fellow hometowners Zeus’s “River By The Garden” as an a cappella arrangement featuring Carleigh Aikins (Fox Jaws) on backing vocals.

The band proceeded as usual, performing their ambient folky tracks in their typical earthy manner, retaining the attention of the audience who appeared to be hooked on every note strung from lead vocalist Jeff Buckley’s vocals and the rich harmonies formed by the rest of the band. The legato phrasing of “Kids” combined with the intricate rhythms and ongoing jamming of the track made it climatic and bursting at the seems with the same passion of which the night began.

The set wrapped with “Leave This Town,” its subtle guitar chords paired with the bright piano progressions that perfectly compliment the chanting of “but I didn’t drink it” and the many harmonic phrases that follow. The piano runs eventually descended into a moving onstage jam, creating a demand for an encore, which was satisfied with one last track, and no one wanting to leave.

Tags: Horseshoe Tavern, make your exit, show review, toronto
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Twin Shadow @ Horseshoe Tavern, Jan 12, 2011

January 31st, 2011 | By: Daniel Koren

Twin Shadow - Photo by Brian Vendiola

As the speakers at The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern were blasting obnoxious hard rock tunes, George Lewis Jr. and his accompanying band stood patiently, Lewis smiling as he spoke into the microphone, over the music. “This will be your show tonight, ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “But damn, I wish they play some Twin Shadow.”

We all did.

After an ambient opening set from Toronto locals Foxes In Fiction, Lewis and co. came on to perform pretty much every song from Twin Shadow’s stellar (for lack of a better word) debut, Forget. Many bands come on stage and perform songs precisely the same way they sound on the record, which for some might be enjoyable, but to most can seem tedious, and a tad redundant. George Lewis Jr., dressed in his retro, multi-coloured dashiki, and sporting a fro even Ludacris couldn’t pull off, did no such thing.

Opening with the proverbial “Shooting Holes At The Moon,” Lewis displayed his smooth vocal abilities off the bat, over a slightly louder instrumental accompaniment which was by no means deafening, but assuredly more aggressive than its studio counterpart. As he moved on to the love ballad, “Tyrant Destroyed,” his voice grew gradually and passionately as synths boomed, cymbals glistened, and bass riffs destroyed. Lewis played the role of relentless performer, and he played it well. He offered guitar solos that had been prior nonexistent, yelled over the obstreperous percussionist, whispered over surging melodies.

He gave the songs on Forget a new meaning, transforming the electro-dance “Castles In The Snow” into a hard rock phenomenon, adding vigour and bass to the disco friendly “When We’re Dancing.” We all sang along with him, absorbing the waves of nostalgia his music perpetuated, remembering the ’80s as if we had lived through it ourselves (as most fans present were assuredly of a later generation). The crowd was immersed in this whirlwind of energy that they were feeding off his music, and Lewis announced the last song, it seemed, before the concert even began. With “Forget,” he chose an admirable way to end the first set, with one of the slower, more loving ballads that he sang with earnest and aplomb.

It didn’t take long for him to return to the stage with his bandmates, and encored with the disco/new wave treat that is “At My Heels.” As Forget is a tribute to the ’80s, it focuses on the era’s upbeat, dance aesthetic but also on its dreamier, passive side. Lewis made sure we did not ‘forget’ this as he ended the show with the ethereal synths and bass lines of “Tether Beat.” “Has your heart skipped a beat?” Thanks to you George Lewis Jr., it sure has.

Tags: Horseshoe Tavern, show review, toronto, twin shadow
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An Interview With: Sandman Viper Command

January 22nd, 2011 | By: Stephanie Taylor

Dan Reardon and Rob Janson - Photo by Amanda Macchia

There was a bright side to a recent tour bus transmission failure for local show-goers as Sandman Viper Command were amongst the line-up of bands that performed at the Horseshoe Tavern last week, helping raise money to get friends The Meligrove Band back on the road. While doing a fair amount of their own touring after the release of their debut album Everybody See This in 2009, Sandman Viper Command now seem adamant on setting their sights on the future; embracing personal growth and perfecting their sound.

Still a fairly young band, the four Burlington natives have taken significant strides this past year that can undoubtedly be attributed to their dynamic and fun-loving garage-rock-meets-60’s-pop sound fusion. Like all things though, it did not come without hard work.

“There was no pressure when we were writing our songs. We wrote the first album when we were 18 or 19 and everyone was just doing what they can do,” said guitarist Dan Reardon.

But with a little help from a Canadian musician and producer Dave King (Kori Pop, Steve Strongman), Sandman Viper Command were pushed on their way to success.

“Dave King whipped us into shape,” lead vocalist and guitarist Rob Janson said. “Before that we were just trying to be a band.”

Beyond the recording process, Reardon and Janson, along with other members Aaron Harvey (bass) and Matt Meyer (drums), attribute a lot of their growth to the realization that they mesh well as individuals. While describing what they’ve learned since the release of their debut, they come to the conclusion that they “just really like each other,” which they admit with a few giggles.

And it seems to be working in their favour; their chemistry on stage and in the studio appears to be anything but lacking.

“I thought I’d run out of song ideas way before now,” said Janson. “And I’m starting to run out of song ideas,” he continues jokingly.

They also recognize the importance of networking and the impact it can have on a band’s success.

“You can be the greatest band in the world, but if no one knows you, it doesn’t mean anything,” said Meyer.

Opening for well-known local bands like the Arkells, Huron and The Rural Alberta Advantage amongst others, Sandman Viper Command have combined talent with networking to hook an increasing group of loyal followers while making friends along the way.

“Networking is the most important thing but camaraderie is the best part,” said Reardon.

However, it hasn’t been all play for the band as they’ve been working on some new material that they hope to release on a new 7-inch sometime this spring. The songs “Cold Wave” and “New Fast” will be the two tracks featured on the record.

“New Fast has a more stripped down, sexy sound,” said Reardon.

And their experimentation with various rock influences have resulted in songs that offer something a bit more edgy.

“Cold Wave is like a crazy acid trip,” he continues.

This psychedelic-inspired sound is likely to incorporate that same light-hearted feel that makes Sandman Viper Command unique, while providing a little variation to keep things interesting.

“If you don’t do acid it just has weird frequencies,” Reardon jokes.

Check out photos of Sandman Viper Command by clicking HERE.