NXNE 2008 Highlights (click for video)
Last week NXNE hit Toronto for another year of indie music and film mostly centered around Queen St. West. For $29 music fans and hipsters can parade from venue to venue, checking out anything from old time favourites, international sounds or local basement bands. From June 12-14, 2008 musicians from around the world strolled the streets of Toronto, attending the industry conference by day and playing as many clubs/bars/street corners as possible to get noticed.
Even though NXNE pails in comparison to the world famous mecca of indie music festivals, SXSW in Austin, TX, 500 bands in 40+ venues isn’t too shabby! TIP: 2 wheeled transport is king. With bands going on at the top of each hour from 8PM to 1AM (some as early as 6PM and as late as 4AM) and playing 40-45 min sets, you’ve got about 15 mins to get to your next venue. Battling traffic is a breeze by bike on Queen street since at the core, cars and streetcars are pretty much a standstill. All you need to mind are the odd schmoes swinging their door open in front of you excited they actually found a parking spot.
Thanks to my handy bike and wristband, I was able to hit up quite a number of acts. Every year I question whether it’s worth fighting with hipsters at venues just because it’s busy, watching pretentious music industry folks pass through the line only to chat with themselves through the entire set, or simply enduring overly hyped and boring shows. But it’s all worth the effort when you find at least one artist that blows you away. Some highlights this year included Hey Rosetta!, Justin Rutledge, You Say Party! We Say Die! and Kin g Sunshine . Below are a few hot acts I caught from NXNE 2008:
SEMI-PRECIOUS WEAPONS , NYC
Death, drugs, sex and absolute fabulousness. This ADHD glam rock band has come out of the NYC closets and grungy bars to make their Canadian debut at the Silver Dollar. Their high energy show will bring rock and sexuality back in the vein of Bowie/Iggy Pop. Bisexual frontman Justin Precious Tranter gives a commanding diva sized performance that’ll top any drag queen from Priscilla: Queen of the Desert or perhaps even Hedwig, the transrock queen from Germany. Their blend of classic rock is contemporised with a grungy NYC sound; throw in some 12-inch heels, boob bombing, and heel/toe kicks during guitar solos and you’ve got a weapon guaranteed to rock out any club! CDs won’t be available until the fall, so until then you can always pick up one of their semi-precious jewellery or an envirobag printed with a line that really summaries this killer band: "I CAN’T PAY THE RENT BUT I’M FUCKING GORGEOUS".
Semi-Precious Weapons VIDEO #2
DAN MANGAN , Vancouver
A great singer/songwriter from the West coast. He’s acoustic folk and pop sound is powerful when coupled with his deep raspy voice. Similar to S-PW, Dan’s music is inspiried both by the old greats like Woody Guthrie and the ambient pop artists today (A Northern Chorus, Sigur Ros). Although he was forced to cope with the cavernous Fun HAUS (poor poor venue selection by NXNE organizers), Dan was able to still capture some intimacy into his set. Let’s hope he’ll play at a better venue next time around!
SIX SHOOTER RECORDS BBQ
OK so not really one artist, but rather an amazing pastiche of Canadian bands doing 15-min power sets at Six Shooter HQ backlot on Queen St. East, near Pape Ave. With a flurry of musicians both performing and simply enjoying the music, Six Shooter put on a great afternoon of free music, food and $4 beer from 2-6PM. It’s a hidden gem off the beaten NXNE path, but well worth the trek out East. This years artists included: NQ Arbuckle Elliott Brood Jason Plumb Hey Rosetta! Hawksley Workman Melissa McClelland Luke Doucet Justin Rutledge Oh Susanna Chris Letcher Royal Wood Dog Bus . It was a truly relax atmosphere focused around great music, leaving fans satisfied (albeit loaded) and ready for the final Saturday night of festival going in the city.
Hawskley Workman w/Hey Rosetta! @Six Shooter NXNE BBQ
Add comment June 25th, 2008
Death Cab for Cutie 
