I found this plant stand on the street, while walking to meet my friends for brunch at The Lakeview yesterday. I carried it when I went to pick up my bike at The Garrison, where I left it the night before (so responsible, no drinking and riding! Totally kidding, my friend made me leave it and paid for the cab, while I cursed him). I carried it to the park where we saw the amazing Army Girls and adorable Luke LeLonde and Gregory Pepper (who had a song about suicide that my girl Dorothy Parker would have seriously dug). I sat beside it while I longed to join in on the frisbee circle that was happening beyond us, the competition burning my soul. I carried it to shelter when it started to rain and we were struck up for conversation by an artist/writer/bike visionary ("it handles like a Porsche", dude, that's duct tape) who is writing a realistic moralistic horror romance and had with him Twilight, his rat with a massive butt tumour. My friends carried it on the streetcar to Yonge and Dundas Square, where I locked it to my bike and stuck the pots in my bag and rocked it the fuck out to Killer Mike and Ghostface and Raekwon (!!!!!!!! SO, SO, SO, SO GOOD!).
I continued carrying it after two of the pots were smashed by some of the 8000 people at YDS. I carried it on my bike to The Village Idiot and explained to our server that yes, it was street garbage but I love it and yes, we had already used it to keep our park beers in. I cursed it when said server used that as a talking point every time he swung by and also insisted on getting as close as he could to me without actually touching me. I carried it home, fingers crossed that I wouldn't need to brake or use my bell; I rode one handed the whole way doing bicep curls because I have been too busy with NXNE to keep up with my weightlifting routine. I am now going to have to keep this thing with me forever, it's like our bond was forged in the fires of Mordor but in a happy way.
Too much booze, too little sleep makes me volatile and neurotic (so unique right?! But I am already super volatile and neurotic so... I don't know, get out a tiny violin or something). I have nothing to offer anyone anymore. Nothing but pouts and watery-eyes so I'm gonna keep this simple and just post videos of some of the bands I saw this week, before I go out and do it all again (Army Girls in the park and then RAEKWON AND GHOSTFACE AT YDS (ew) !!). I just started crying a little which is strange only because I feel nothing. Nothing.
Well yesterday was pretty great, even in addition to cancer-free bills of health, with the Elwins in the park, amazing comedy at the St Lawrence Centre for the Arts and then the F-Holes at the Monarch Tavern to wrap it all up.
It's the big North by Northeast music festival here in Toronto this week (which I'm covering for The Little Red Umbrella – my first review of the ever fantastic Tomboyfriend is here!) which means hanging in the park all day, watching bands, then riding from venue to venue, seeing a band every hour from about 8 or 9 on. It also means a lot of cocktails because, I don't know, social lubrication? Something to do with my hands? It tastes good?
A flaxen-haired Vincent D'Onnofrio in Adventures in Babysitting, also known as the best movie ever
ROYAL BANGS "WAR BELLS"
The first best show ever of the week: MATH/PROG ROCK WITH HOOKS, you guys. I feel like that's all I need to really say about that.
CROCODILES "NEON JESUS"
Everytime I see a show at The Silver Dollar, I think about Adventures in Babysitting. I keep waiting to hear "The Babysitting Blues" But it never happens. I also keep waiting to see a blonde Vincent D'Onoffrio appear out of the dry ice mist and whisk me away. But that never happens. Oh well. I also keep hoping that one day they will serve better beer there, too. I'm persistently optimistic to a fault, sometimes. But I digress. I just learned that Brandon Welchez is married to Dum Dum Girls frontwoman Dee Dee Penny! Squeee! Which is surprising, because with his sunglasses and blazer, he reminds me of a young Tom Cruise in Risky Business, if he met up with the kids in Adventures in Babysitting and had to get on stage and sing his way out of trouble along with them. Adorable. And great music, did I mention that yet? Jesus and Mary Chain and Echo and the Bunnymen are often brought up when talking about these guys. I have no problem with that whatsoever.
THE PAINT MOVEMENT "FORTUNE'S WINDOW"
Our friends over at The Little Red Umbrella have already written about probably the best thing to come out of Mississauga ever. Well, mayor Hazel is alright too, I guess. But seriously, this was great. Definitely reminiscent of Broken Social Scene, but that's not exactly a bad thing, if you're asking me. But then I've always loved BSS, not everyone does, I know. So don't ask those people. Check out this Southern Souls video (and all the SS videos, while you're at it, because they're all sooooo good) and see what I mean.
DIRTY BEACHES "LORD KNOWS BEST"
Knowing very little of this "band", I wasn't expecting a one man show when Dirty Beaches (a.k.a Alex Zhang Hungtai) came on the stage, but that's what I got. And while it often veered towards the uncomfortable feeling of watching a private therapy session, it also kinda felt like a mix between the Beats and Karaoke (and no, that's NOT a dis!) The thing is, those are two things that I often feel like I shouldn't like, and yet I really, really do. So sue me. That's how I felt about this.
DUM DUM GIRLS "HE GETS ME HIGH"
You might already know that I have a penchant for girl bands with fuzzy guitars and cute dresses. Or maybe you didn't, maybe we just met and I'm telling you now. Well, Dum Dum Girls have these things in spades. And I love it. And Dee Dee Penny is one of the best names ever, and as I mentioned earlier, she is married to Crocodiles frontman Brandon Welchez, making them one of the bestest, most totes adorbs indie/garage/noise pop/rock couples ever.
CULTS "ABDUCTED"
Err, okay, so I liked this band, I did. But. They've got a lot of hype surrounding them right now, a "Best New Music" endorsement from Pitchfork and everything, which means I think they might be letting it get to their heads. I'm not saying they aren't at least partially deserving of the praise they've been getting, but when Madeline Follin announced that the last time their band played Toronto their van got broken into, and she didn't want that to happen again, it pissed me off. That's all you have to say to the crowd? "Don't steal my shit, Toronto."?After spending half the night talking to the sound guy, making everyone wait? Okay, that might not be totally fair, I mean, Deerhoof spent a lot of time setting up, too, but they're DEERHOOF, and it was worth it. Also, the guitarist stopping between songs to ask them to turn the lights down on stage because you "feel naked up here" just sounds like you're whining. But. I like this video. Still, we left halfway through the set to get to Deerhoof. Sorry, guys.
THE PACK A.D "CRAZY"
Since we left the Cults show early so as not to take any chances missing Deerhoof, I was not there to see these ladies, but am I ever glad I did! The Pack A.D were one of my favourite bands of the week (I know. But I really mean it!), The Pack A.D (Becky and Maya) are funny, charismatic, engaging on stage, and totally awesome at making music, to boot. Oh, and their influences include Miranda July, Laurie Anderson, Kate Bush, and The White Stripes. HELLO. They rock. They really, really rock.
DEERHOOF "SUPER DUPER RESCUE HEADS"
HOLY #$%@&&* THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME. Did I mention how much I love Satomi Matsuzaki? She's so weird and kooky, but also totally cool. And Deerhoof are one of my all-time favourite bands. And they played a secret show at the (Legendary) Horseshoe Tavern at 2 am on Friday night. And they never fail to blow me away. Seriously. I once saw them open for The Fiery Furnaces, and after they left the stage, half of the audience went home. And that's what every band should do if they're supposed to follow Deerhoof. Because there is no point of even trying to go up after them. None. Oh, and did I mention that I was right by the speakers, and it was so ear-bleedingly loud that every single hair on my body stood up and took notice.
Only two more nights to go, and already I feel like this might be the best nxne for me yet (although, seeing Les Savy Fav at The Wrong Bar last year right after seeing Iggy and The Stooges might have been the most concentrated amount of awesomeness in one night ever.) I don't know, I'm not very good with declaring "bests ever". You'd think I'd be better at it, since I do it so frequently...
