Indie Kid Vs Dance Kid

Upcoming Concerts as of January 30, 2012 in Toronto

2012-01-30T13:51:00.004-05:00

Tuco is planning on taking in these concerts. Welcome to any suggestions!

26 Feb Children of Bodom (Sound Academy)
16 Apr Rodrigo y Gabriela (Massey Hall)
02 May Yann Tiersen (Phoenix)

Saint Etienne Tonight (Hype 0172)

2012-01-29T12:44:00.002-05:00

Best band in the world? St Etienne are back with a new single and a forthcoming album out in the near future.

Check out IKDK's official Saint Etienne discography site: SaintEtienneDisco

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Mv9z3H8Ow

Jonquil - It's My Part (Hype 0171)

2012-01-28T10:15:00.000-05:00

Jangily indiepop song from Jonquil. Blowing away those winter blues.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEbhF1Faar0

Fujiya and Miyagi January 24, 2012 Wrong Bar Toronto

2012-01-25T22:45:00.005-05:00

UK outfit Fujiya and Miyagi brought their indie funk stik to the Wrong Bar Tuesday night for a mixed set of tracks taken from their 4 albums including my fav's Yo-Yo, Knickerbocker, and Uh. Been to the Wrong bar 5-6 times but didn't realize the sound system is specifically targeted for the back of the bar. For the first 5 songs I was thinking the sound was off. Not sure why they wouldn't have the sound system wired for the whole room. Unfortunately heard two of my fav tracks with the monotone sound. Half way through Tuco and I figured out the issue and got to enjoy a great concert which could have been epic only if we had figured it all out earlier. Note to Wrong Bar. Wire your whole bar for sound. Fuuny enough opener Volcano Playground sounded pretty good even with the poor sound. Would love to hear them with good sound.

Here's what they said:

Volcano Playground

@gillzfest: @VolcanoPlayground opening for @Fujiya&Miyagi @wrongbar sounds so good. Perfect opening to a fantastic show.

Fujiya and Miyagi

@Tuco: Great visuals. Nice drums and bass. Top end getting lost unfortunately #fujiyamiyagi #wrongbar (IKDK: We were standing in the wrong place)

@katerryna: Fujiya & Miyagi - yay! (@ Wrongbar) 4sq.com/y3oSJv

@gillzfest: Makin' me dance! @fujiya&miyagi @wrongbar

@QuipMag: Also, they are pretty damn amazing - Fujiya & Miyagi

@shimmii: Fujiya & Miyagi brighten up my Tuesday evening! #fulltimehobby

@gillzfest: People need to stop fucking talking. I paid to hear the band - NOT YOU! @fujiya&miyagi

@shimmii: The hipsters are finally groovin. #fujiya&miyagi

@tattsjane: The ratio of ladies to guys @fujiya&miyagi gig is approx...My crew to rest of room. Boy-fest. (IKDK: Interesting; we were actually thinking it was more of a Girl-fest)

@IKvsDK: Moving Dancing Fujiya & Miyagi #wrongbar #knickerbocker #yoyo

@Tuco: You got to know your place on the food chain #fujiyamiyagi #wrongbar

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTWix4mIP4A

The 2 Bears - Work (Saint Etienne Remix) (Hype 0170R)

2012-01-25T22:14:00.000-05:00

Saint Etienne remix The 2 Bears early nineties club style. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrqP44l-CZ4

Labyrinth Ear - Humble Bones (Hype 0169)

2012-01-24T22:00:00.001-05:00

Cool Chill downtempo groover with pipes from Labyrinth Ear. Nice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ma-9jhdLAw

Violens - No Look on Your Face (Hype 0168)

2012-01-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

Another great indie cut from the Violens taken from their album Nine Songs released in 2011.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI1MXCi9-II

Caithlin De Marrais - Birds (Hype 0167)

2012-01-22T10:56:00.000-05:00

Nice chill song for Sunday from Caithlin De Marrais from Red Coats on End Up Records.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-AJHuhooO0

Steve Aoki (feat Lovefoxxx) - Heartbreaker (Hype 0166)

2012-01-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

Aoki with a smooth trancy club track with Vocals by CSS Lovefoxxx. Saturday Night Nice!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28UwoiQYFeo

High Highs - Flowers Bloom (Hype 0165)

2012-01-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

Nice low key downtempo indie track from the High Highs

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcHr7Q4KNhU

Softlightes - Love Will Always Break Your Heart (Hype 0164)

2012-01-12T23:56:00.000-05:00

Atmospheric dreamy indie club track from these Modular guys. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDr4Jdqavl8

Grimes-Genesis (Hype 0163)

2012-01-11T23:03:00.000-05:00

Canadian outfit Grimes with Genesis and an album due out on 4AD. Nuff said. Grimes play a show in Toronto on March 19th.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDL8huPxaxU

Family of the Year - St. Croix (Hype 0162)

2012-01-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

Summer comes early with this harmony driven cut. Something about ocean, motion, lotion, and potions.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSRjyPIHkPM&ob=av2e

Storm Queen - It Goes On (Art Department Remix) (Hype 0161R)

2011-12-31T18:23:00.001-05:00

Slammin base heavy old skool house sounding track to bring in the new year. Thanks to @Bonjaymusic for the tip!

Happy New Year from Tuco, Dunny and Josh at IKDK. Bring on 2012.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWRbDWEM4xI

Mint Julep - Save Your Season (Hype 0160)

2011-12-30T12:54:00.000-05:00

Downtempo shoegazing groove from Mint Julep for this chilly winter day in Toronto.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWl6yAvWcyw

Holiday Spirit Songs

2011-12-25T11:31:00.039-05:00

Best of Holiday Songs; Best served with Eggnog and Rum

1. Saint Etienne and Tim Burgess - I Was Born On Christmas Day
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJiFi5jUWH4

2. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5cX_ncZLls

3. Pogues - Fairytale Of New York
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLb213lak5s

4. David Bowie - Sound And Vision
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJsAuUgSgc

5. Emmy The Great and Tim Wheeler - Home FOr The Holidays
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URCNMEbgd_w&ob=av2e

6. Run DMC- Christmas In Hollis
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8&ob=av2e

7. Wham - Last Christmas
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC4hztitRcw&ob=av2n

8. Flow Machines - I Was Born On Christmas Day
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoC3E5iLfvw

9. Medicine - Christmas Song
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq5eH_ZTQHA

10. Velocity Girl - Merry Christmas, I Love You
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ualw68VAJw

11. Cocteau Twins - Frosty The Snowman
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pds_K2j3RKM

12. Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOe18JcatZo

Best of 2011

2011-12-20T14:58:00.014-05:00

Death of the year - No contest. Amy Winehouse. RIP

Surprise (to me) artist of the year (tie)- superhumanoids and star slinger

Disappointment of the year (tie) - No "Magic" at The Cars show and waiting for Platinum Blonde for two hours in the pouring rain at Echo Beach only for Mark Holmes to cancel the show and invite everyone to the Mod Club.

Stamina artist of ~~the~~ ANY year - Femi Kuti

Eatery of the year - BQM diner

Dance of the year - Everybody shufflin'

Tweet of the year - @thegoldenyear: Duran Duran club gig with shouty females who can't hold their liquor. (@ Phoenix Concert Theatre w/ 7 others)

Concert of the year - OMD

Fun time of the year - Men without Hats concert at the Great Hall

Flow Machines - I Was Born On Christmas Day (Hype 0159)

2011-12-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

A Saint Etienne Christmas classic reworked by Flow Machines. Nice! Festive!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoC3E5iLfvw

Emmy The Great & Tim Wheeler - Home For The Holidays (Hype 0158)

2011-12-13T22:45:00.000-05:00

Time for IKDK to get into the spirit of the holidays. Emmy The Great and Tim Wheeler get us going with Home For The Holidays. A candy cane coated duet. Sweet!!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URCNMEbgd_w

Rihanna - We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris (Hype 0157)

2011-12-11T22:37:00.000-05:00

Rihanna teams up with Calvin Harris for a crunching dance tune. Hyped!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg00YEETFzg

Korallreven - As Young As Yesterday (Hype 0114V)

2011-12-08T20:05:00.000-05:00

Korallreven's great track gets a video so we revisit Hype 0114

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7jkx3fnim8

Ringo Death Starr - Shadow (Hype 0156)

2011-12-05T23:52:00.000-05:00

Sonic waves from Ringo Death Starr.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIihAk8aaI8

Canyons - See Blind Through (Hype 0155)

2011-12-04T23:41:00.000-05:00

Deep track off of Modular records skirting the boundaries of early nineties house, early nineties bleeps, and UK soul. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuG6fXf33_I

Ghostface Killah Sound Academy Toronto December 2, 2011

2011-12-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

IKDK loves hip hop but we rarely get out to the shows. Friday night was jammed packed at the Sound Academy to see Wu Tang alumni Ghostface Killah perform for the first time in Toronto in about 15 years (visa issues). Ghostface must love Canada and is making up for this lost time by touring what seems like every city in Canada including stops in Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough, Oshawa, Barrie??, Winnipeg, Saskatachewan, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, Vancouver, and Victoria. The Wu-Tang must love Canada as fellow band member Raekwon has recently set up a record label in Canada based out of Toronto called Ice H20.

Canadian Hip Hop guy Peter Jackson opened up the show with a 15 minute set. Wondering if this is a standard for hip hop shows? It was more like a commercial than an actual set.

A second band performed before Ghostface hit the stage but can't for the life remember the name of the band even though there 2nd song of a two song set was basically them chanting their band name. This was more like an infomercial. (IKDK: Shing Shing Regime, a Canadian band)

Ghostface hit the stage at about 11:30 and played to about 1:15. A spirited set that included alot of guest cameos by the likes of Sheek Louch, Killah Priest and Joe and Jimmy. Joe and Jimmy? Yeah, the two crowd members who were invited to come on stage to sing some of the verses of a classic WU-Tang Clan joint. Ghostface turned up the pressure on the volunteers by asking the audience to boo them if they didn't come through. The volunteers sizzled and the crowd went crazy. Judging by the number of people singing along all night I might have been the only person in the crowd who is not at the level of master Wu Fan. Obviously not a big enough fan to meet Ghostface for an autograph and picture at the end of the show which were available if you bought merchandise which was heavily pushed at the end of the show.

Here is what the crowd said:

@dajaunm: Down at the sound academy guest listed for the ghostface show

@SlavaP: This is whitest crowd I've seen since the Hanson concert (@ Sound Academy for Ghostface Killah w/ 2 others) (IKDK:

@TinyshaT.: Ghostface Killahhhhh

@carliroye: At the Sound Academy, Ghostface Killah is here. Fuck!!!!!!!!

@IKvsDK: At ghostface killah : don't see @panicmanual #rewind

@_STATiS_: whoevers at the ghostface show, i hate every single one of you tonight (IKDK: Yes, hate us)

@Drew_Phenson: At the GHOSTFACE show now.. We gon kill it like always #thecomeupshow #ShotByDrew

@infini_dee247: Bring on Ghostface already! I'm gettin old fo dis shit... (IKDK: I agree)

@Suriega: ghostface..come out!! some guy sucking a lolipop front row , the fucks going on here

@radiorilla: GHOSTFACE SHOWWWWWWWWWWWW

@annkica: Just two white chicks at a ghostface killah show right meow

@Tricky_Lake: Going to Ghostface to pick up guys. BRB

@ear2ear: I will say is, I definitely underestimated the Ghostface love in Toronto.

@TheUnionEast: Ghostface Killah @soundacademy is officially sold out!

@ImScottRamirez: A quarter of the city is at the Ghostface show at Sound Academy

@RoyaleG: Ghostface just runnin' through joints.

@ShesSoRaw: Holayyy fuck I love the way he bounces while he raps and pulls his toque over his eye #Ghostface

@DaniKBrown: Currently at the Ghostface Killah show. AM I HIGH?!?!?!

@GrandAnalog: Ghostface Killah in Toronto. Packed to the fish in here. Entire joint is smoked out. Tony just blazed thru 6 tracks in 3 mins. All burners.

@IKvsDK: Killah priest nice! #ghostface @rebharath

@NaphtaliOnline: OH snap! Killa Priest is all up on this shit @ the Ghostface concert!!!!!!! #TORONTO http://lockerz.com/s/161566893

@danDlionRoars: #Ghostface rocking the mic! Taking it back Wu Tang style #hiphop4ever

@jordanastein: Strobe lights, weed smoke. #ghostface

@PlatoPutas: Ghostface doing classic Wu cuts reminds me of going to HMV's bassment every Tuesday for the latest Wu member album. #HowOldAmI!

@NaphtaliOnline: Lighters in the air @ The Ghostface Concert!!!! @iluvlola http://lockerz.com/s/161573481

@vatKEEZY: Ghostface ending it off properly at Sound Academy! Toronto crowds still suck tho

@juliushaag: Everyone who's leaving ghostface early to jump a cab is missing some classics, and probably shouldn't have come at all.

@SladeWilson0021: Ghostface concert was decent... But shorter than I expected.

@PrymeTymeBeats: Ghostface just ripped it the fuck up! Whata live concert, brought out some absolute classics!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h4eHELW65M&ob=av2e

Devon Williams / Persian Rugs / Grounders at the Garrison Toronto Wednesday November 30th

2011-12-03T12:16:00.001-05:00

Wednesday night out and a choice between Lana Del someone and Slumberland king Devon Williams. Easy decision. After taking down some pulled pork poutine goodness at the Lakeview headed over to the no frills Garrison for the show at a bargain price of $12 dollars. These days Slumberland Records (out of the US) seem to have found the golden path with bands such as Big Troubles, Girl Names, Spectrals, Veronica Falls, Terry Malts and the list goes on. The bill included local bands Grounders and Persian Rugs who both were entertaining. Turnout was quite sparse for this gig and by the time Devon Williams hit the stage at 11:00 most of the friends of the first two bands had left leaving about 25 people to watch Devon put on a short spirited set.

Here is what people had to say (or at least what IKDK said):

Grounders

@IKvsDK: Grounders were kinda catchy #garrison #devonwilliams

Persian Rugs

@IKvsDK: The Persian Rugs wthout the the #garrison #devonwilliams #toronto #ikdk #guitarpop

@IKvsDK: The Persian Rugs without the the have some nice tunes #garrison #toronto #devonwilliams #toronto #slumberland

@ECMusictv: Persian Rugs had a good little set @ The Garrison. Should really apply to Halifax Pop Explosion & get themselves out East

Devon Williams

@panicmanual: @IKvsDK is trying to get me to go to garrison a fter lana del rey for devon williams.... who is going to that? (IKDK: Not Panic Manual)

@IKvsDK: Getting ready for devon williams #slumberland #garrison #toronto #ikdk

@saelantwerdy: Devon Williams and his band just played a cover of the Soft Boys' "Queen of Eyes" that was worth the price of admission. (IKDK: Endorses Underwater Moonlight by The Soft Boys

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk3Ms0UgafQ

Letting Up Despite Great Faults - Sophia In Gold (Hype 0154)

2011-11-30T00:03:00.000-05:00

New single from LUDGF. Poptastic!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wR1AmfAwcX8

Prince @ ACC, Nov 26th

2011-11-28T08:31:00.015-05:00

Oh yes, this photo of Prince is as blurry as my nostalgia.

Made it out to the ACC on Saturday to partake of Prince's second night of a two-night stand. The hype from the first night, where Prince did seven encore, proved to be a bit of an overhang that set my expectations through the roof. That's the thing about a talent as mercurial as Prince - one is left hoping to witness something magical.

Got there early with a decent seat. Alot of purple clad fans, quite a cross-section of humanity. A few looked like hardcore fans - one lady up front was rocking a black leather coat with NPG and a huge portrait of 1970s era Prince on the back. A few raspberry berets in the audience. The ACC still had a few sections empty at the top but a decent sized crowd.

Arena concerts are a bit of a cheat. It's really two concerts in one as the perfomer either has their back to you half of the time. It works for bands better as the distribution can be evened out with half the band members facing your general direction.

Settled in with a beverage and tried to ignore the adverts for resort vacations streaming down on a captive but monied audience. The vibe was sort of half festive yet unfocussed. I started to evaluate couples (they're into each other, they're NOT into each other, that guy's whipped, etc.) and drifted further into my drink.

Fortunately the wait was not too bad. The ads mercifully stopped and we were off with a screechy but healthy female response to the man himself stepping out on stage.

Second song was Purple Rain . Purple confetti shot up into the air and sadly some of that confetti was still coming down after the show had finished. Clear signs it was going to be a quick night. Still a good feeling got hold of the people as this anthem worked its way to the rafters. Anthem is the right word here cause something in Prince's performance smacked of a religious tone. Something very gospel in the arrangements.

The NPG were tight. Alot of James Brown in the way that Prince marshalls the NPG. Must give Prince his credit that he never upstaged any of his people's performances during the night like James Brown was wont to do.

Another point to note is Prince's interaction with the audience. Tireless. Constantly working to get the crowd into it. A true performer. Somewhere in the earlies Prince asks the audience "When's the last time you went to see anyone with 145 hits?" A rhetorical question which he answered by playing five covers. Prince, we came to hear YOUR joints!

Well, that's not technically true. I was secretly hoping for something unusual and off the beaten track. A surprise. The man has a rep for memorable performances. A Prince cover is usually pretty good.

Anyways, the rest of the night was kind of blur as we ended up getting highlights rather than full songs. 145 hits yo - here's a medley. I was hoping for one slow song in the encore but alas it wasn't to be. If you went to the friday night show, congrats, you saw the real thing.

Trend: More fans invited on stage to dance. And one thing .... Toronto girls CANNOT DANCE. This one white guy outdanced all those chicks. Step it up ladies!

Highlights: Guitar work. Prince can flat out PLAY.

Magic: Prince's seamless transition from Love Rollercoaster to Alphabet St.

Setlist (from setlist.fm):

Gold
Purple Rain
Let's Go Crazy
Delirious / Let's Go Crazy (coda)
1999
Shhh (incl. U Will Be... With Me interpolation)
Mountains
Everyday People (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
Alphabet St. / Love Rollercoaster (The Ohio Players cover)
Play That Funky Music (Wild Cherry cover)
Angel (Sarah McLachlan cover) (Shelby J., Liv Warfield, Elisa Dease co-lead vocals)
Nothing Compares 2 U
Crimson and Clover (Tommy James and the Shondells)

Encore:
Controversy / Sexy Dancer (instrumental) / Get Down Tonight (KC and The Sunshine Band cover) (incl. Housequake & (Eye Like) Funky Music chants & Controversy (coda))

Encore 2:
Little Red Corvette (incl. Extraloveable lyrics interpolation)
Take me with U
Raspberry Beret
Cream
Cool (incl. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough interpolation (Michael Jackson cover))

Encore 3:
When Doves Cry / Nasty Girl (instrumental) / Sign O' The Times / The Most Beautiful Girl In The World / I Would Die 4 U / Darling Nikki (instrumental)
("Prince at the Sampler")

Encore 4:
Kiss

Parade - Louder (Hype 0153)

2011-11-27T23:33:00.000-05:00

Catchy track from this girl band from the UK. Girl Power??

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI62NlMa5V0

Mastodon w/ Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang, Nov 25th, 2011 Kool Haus Toronto

2011-11-27T21:24:00.016-05:00

Just close your eyes and pretend that everything's fine...
-- All the Heavy Lifting, The Hunter

My escape plan friday was to tunnel out to the parking lot, hop in the car, crank some Mastodon and sail east. Turns out this was a great start to a memorable weekend.

Mastodon is a band from Atlanta that exemplifies a genre called sludge metal - a sort of progressive metal with less frequent chord changes than thrash, heavier on what I'd call the "in-between" notes and beats. And in this department, they've got a beast in Brann Dailor, who gives them a really distinctive percussive sound.

The band got some pips with their track Colony of Birchman (Grammy) but the track that caught my ear was from Leviathan, called Hearts Alive. Alot of tracks off this album have a sort of an aquatic theme (jokingly called "whalecore"). Wonder if it's just a coincidence with the Ahab reference - I mean John Bonham's monster drumming opus was Moby Dick.

Mastodon were part of Heavy Metal TO's summer concert so they've been in town a few times. This tour is to promote The Hunter, their latest offering off Reprise records. I think Leviathan was with their former label Relapse.

Met up with DJ IKvsDK to take in the second biggest music spectacle in TO. Headed down on the TTC with a crush of purple clad older folk to Union station.

We made it to the Kool Haus in time to miss Red Fang and get in on the last of the Creemore tallboys.

The place was packed. Crowd was fairly young, male, unshaven and tattooed. A few ladies and rocker chicks. Seemed to be alot of DEP fans judging by the T-shirts.

Not sure what to make of Dillinger Escape Plan. Their scene is a species of hardcore which is heavy on the screaming and light on rhythm. Their frontman does have some pipes noted by DJ IKvsDK somewhat despondantly.

I didn't get much out of their performance but some in the crowd responded favourably. Nice enough, I just don't get it. The lead guitarist seemed to enjoy standing on the speakers. I can't remember a breakdown - some basic songcraft just seemed to be missing.

Short break and Mastodon hit the stage. The crowd surged forward a bit and the sightlines got a little more complicated.

Must say, Mastodon is an apt moniker. These guys brought it for two hours solid with like 15 seconds break in between. Very very impressive.

Alot of material from the new album however the one track that I thought would be a standout, Stargasm, was absent.

Very light on their previous album, Crack the Skye. Overall, The Hunter has shorter and more songs than Crack the Skye. Not sure what accounts for the change in direction; might just be my misperception.

One thing that seems to get better with each album is the synergy between Brann and Brent. It still is a bit confusing that they split the vocal duties between Troy, Brent, Brann and even Bill. I'm not much for lyrics generally, but this arrangement takes some getting used to.

As we exited "den Haus" we overcame the immediate binge impulses (concert merch, hot dog stands) and made it to Fran's. There we ordered a much deserved early (or late) breakfast and read the wreck from the Prince concert - see next blog post.

Trend: Yes, audience members made it onto the stage with the band.

Highlights: Blood and Thunder (White whale, Holy Grail), Ghosts of Karelia, Crack the Skye, All the Heavy Lifting, Creature Lives.

Check the setlist (from setlist.fm):

Dry Bone Valley
Black Tongue
Crystal Skull
I Am Ahab
Capillarian Crest
Colony of Birchmen
Megalodon
Blasteroid
Sleeping Giant
Ghost of Karelia
All the Heavy Lifting
Spectrelight
Curl of the Burl
Bedazzled Fingernails
Circle of Cysquatch
Aqua Dementia
Crack the Skye
Where Strides the Behemoth
Iron Tusk
March of the Fire Ants
Blood and Thunder

Creature Lives (Encore)

Cast - See That Girl (Hype 0152)

2011-11-26T19:53:00.000-05:00

My question was does the world need another Cast album 15 years after the whole britpop thing ran its course? See what you think. Not a bad single.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7GpVCkd7bA

SBTRKT feat. Little Dragon - Wildfire

2011-11-23T17:38:00.002-05:00

Video: http://youtu.be/ZdUINbi4wSY

SBTRKT, pronounced "subtract", is a musician/producer from London, U.K. This track comes from his self-titled 2011 album "SBTRKT" released through the Young Turks label.

Lo-Fi-Fnk - Marchin' In (Hype 0151)

2011-11-21T22:15:00.000-05:00

Funky base heavy new wave indie disco from Lo-Fi-Fnk.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPgkz4zAHM4

Gigamesh - Red Light (Goldroom Remix) (Hype 0142R)

2011-11-20T23:17:00.000-05:00

Gigamesh get the coveted Goldroom remix. Truth is everything that Goldroom touches turns to gold.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCyaO-2DkjM

Cass McCombs - The Same Thing (Hype 0150)

2011-11-19T22:00:00.001-05:00

Catchy eighties alternative sounding track off Domino Records.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUfLXvH4fN4

Oriole Lounge - Drinking Heaven (Blog 001)

2011-11-19T16:08:00.002-05:00

We would like to put a special shout out to our friend @hardingYoung at the Oriole Lounge who just hit his 100th post or should we say drink. The Oriole Lounge, spinning drinks since January 2010. Congrats Harding.

Link: http://oriolelounge.com/2011/11/19/100-drinks/

Pyrramids That Ain't Right (Hype 0149)

2011-11-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

Quirky indiepunk ala california. At least it feels like surfer beach rock from California. Fighting the winter blues. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-80dJ3fIm0

Girl in a Coma - Smart (Hype 0148)

2011-11-16T21:09:00.000-05:00

Catchy indie track taken from the bands 3rd album Exits And All The Rest released on Joan Jett's record label Blackheart Records. Nice!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIL6P2_B3gA

SuperHeavy - SuperHeavy

2011-11-15T23:55:00.003-05:00

Video: http://youtu.be/jfFbCKLi1V4

This is the first track on supergroup SuperHeavy's self-titled debut album, which was released this year. The band consists of Mick Jagger, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart, A. R. Rahman, and Damian Marley. The album's artwork was created by Shepard Fairey.

Heavy D & The Boyz - Girls They Love Me (R.I.P. 001)

2011-11-14T22:04:00.000-05:00

Classic 1989 hip hop track from the overweight lover Heavy D. RIP!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYmxbydg1BI&ob=av2e

French Films - Convict (Hype 0147)

2011-11-13T21:42:00.000-05:00

Great new single from indieband French Films taken from their upcoming album Imaginary Future. We're hyped about this band. They released a very cool EP called Golden Sea that we featured in December of last year.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViO_hZV4epo

Pink Martini - Mas Que Nada (featuring Saori Yuki) (Hype 0146)

2011-11-11T21:13:00.000-05:00

Feeling alittle loungy today. Brand new track for Pink Martini but a cover of a classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki7jB1PkRhM

The Soft Moon - Total Decay (Hype 0145)

2011-11-09T22:52:00.000-05:00

Dark Sinister gothic space indierock from The Soft Moon. Captured Tracks.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRSedVIaYxc

Phantogram - Don't Move (Hype 0144)

2011-11-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

Chilly winter pop from Phantogram taken from their Nightlife EP. Ice!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2RlV6cteiA

Flashguns - Passions Of A Different Kind (Hype 0143)

2011-11-05T23:02:00.000-04:00

Catchy indie track for Saturday night from the Flashguns taken from their debut album Passions of A Different Kind. Don't ask me how I found out about this band.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXXHmmFOIps

Gigamesh - Red Light (Hype 0142)

2011-11-04T22:45:00.000-04:00

Funky downtempo indie club track from Gigamesh. Gigamesh are currently in Toronto tonight performing at 99 Sudbury Street??? The last time I checked my friend went to the gym at this place but supposedly they have concerts also. Who knew? I found about the show too late unfortunately. Great track though.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbudFAFaT40

Star Slinger Horseshoe Tavern Toronto November 2, 2011

2011-11-03T21:09:00.002-04:00

UK superstar dj/remixer Star Slinger was at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto for a low key funked up show. Chanelling the cut and paste movement the Slinger moved through a selection of downtempo, indie. funk, old skool, and soul selections. The outcome: a full on stage dance party by the end of the night as the Slinger rocked the laptop/knobs. Pass The Dutchie!!!!

Openers were Shlohmo and Shigeto.

This is what the crowd said:

Shigeto

@Jyushin Yo, these dudes is bangin'! (@ Horseshoe Tavern for Star Slinger, Shigeto and Shlohmo) http://4sq.com/uKC6KV

Shlomo

@shlohmo Beautiful people in toronto

@jmo000o I met shlohmo #starstruck

@mymanhenri You are now rawking w/ the best: @shlohmo got the #HorseshoeTavern tavern buckin wild w/ that @Gonjasufi rmx @FoFMusic

@mymanhenri Haha. @shlohmo cooking! #Prettyboyswag #Toronto

@thinthurston @shlohmo best performance ever. Any time you need a dose of beautiful women I'm here. Always good meeting an idol. Stay strong shlohmo!!

@durmarie @shlohmo amazing night dude. mad thanks.

@katekillet You're not too shabby yourself. RT @shlohmo Beautiful people in toronto

Star Slinger

@IKvsDKStar Slinger #horseshoe #chaos #ikdk #toronto

@IKvsDK Ultra hyped jammed Star Slinger show tonight. Who will be representing @panicmanual tonight #horseshoe #cutandpaste (IKDK: Nobody)

@IKvsDK Star Slinger with the beats rhyme and bleep #horseshoe #ikdk

@Tricky_Lake Diggin this Star Slinger dudes hair

@IKvsDK Star Slinger just destroyed Pass The Dutchie #musicalyouth #devil #bringitback #horseshoe #ikdk

@Katlyn_J Star Slinger. Amazing. http://yfrog.com/nukn7itj

@giztastic Star slinger slingin' stars.

@Eggramen On stage with star slinger! Un fucking real

@durmarie ill be talking about last night for a while.. yea. @shlohmo @starslingeruk can't believe i met you both!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1osmNEp2XGc

The Drums - How It Ended (Hype 0141)

2011-11-01T22:37:00.000-04:00

IKDK favourites The Drums....again....with a new video/single called How It Ended from the new album Portamento.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Fi8kDGyo0

Ministry - Everyday is Halloween (Retro 006)

2011-10-31T00:00:00.001-04:00

The classic alternative/industrial track from 1985 and a timely posting to the blog. Happy Halloween from the IKDK crew.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXtX9u7_6F8

Carter Tanton - Fake Pretend [ft. Marissa Nadler] (Hype 0140)

2011-10-30T22:50:00.000-04:00

Nice downtempo indie duet from Carter Tanton.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2R9lx_uEt8

City Reign - Making Plans (Hype 0139)

2011-10-28T14:04:00.003-04:00

Nice catchy indierock track from City Reign on Car Boot Records.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obwqnJ24rCs

Pop Will Eat Itself Chaos and Mayhem

2011-10-27T22:21:00.000-04:00

Is this really the same Pop Will Eat Itself from the eighties?

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3KWNWNOGrc

Class Actress Mod Club Toronto October 26th, 2011

2011-10-26T23:34:00.000-04:00

Class Actress in Toronto for the second time in the last couple of months and opening for Metronomy at the Mod Club. She is out promoting her fantastic new wave downtempo club beat album Rapprocher out on Carpark Records in the USA. Nice!.

This is what the crowd said:

@culturespotting: Dying for the first act! I wish the Mod Club had beds. A bar in London called boudoir had beds #MillionDollarIdea @shuttergrl (IKDK: That's Class Actress...get ready!!!)

@culturespotting: Digging opening act: Class Actress. Dynasty shoulder pads, 80s synth and I think she meowed that chorus line. #sold

@JRileyd: It's concentrated awesome on @kdhx right now... Class Actress was phenomenal... (IKDK: Not sure what that means but yeah!!!)

@DHWizzo: Haven't been this impressed by an opening band since Friendly Fires opened for Franz Ferdinand at Lee's Palace. Class Actress - nice.

@thatbrendagirl: Class Actress! So beautiful. @ The Mod Club Theatre

@panicmanual: crowd is packed at mod club for metronomy, where did they come from (IKDK: They were there to see Class Actress....gold!!)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSOWYyy693k

Terry Malts - Something About You (Hype 0138)

2011-10-25T22:42:00.000-04:00

Indiebuzzpop track from Slumberland Records artist Tery Malts.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiW63hNW7r8

Los Campesinos! - By Your Hand (Hype 0137)

2011-10-24T22:00:00.001-04:00

Brand new single from indie rock band Los Campesinos. Buzz

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ku_ZMPJ5M0

Carter Tanton - Horrorscope (Hype 0136)

2011-10-22T09:45:00.000-04:00

Another fiery track from Carter Tanton taken from the forthcoming album Freeclouds on Western Vinyl

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtlSspEjP3w

Girls Names - Black Saturday (Hype 0135)

2011-10-19T23:20:00.000-04:00

Dark sinister alternative pop ala the eighties from Girls Names. Nice!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZxJ8cSJuDM

Sunless 97 - Illuminations (Hype 0134)

2011-10-17T21:57:00.001-04:00

Downtempo glimmering pop from a Sunless 97 taken from their Making Waves EP

Nous Non Plus - J'en Ai Marre (Had Enough) (Hype 0133)

2011-10-16T21:28:00.000-04:00

Quirky french pop from Nous Non Plus. Ace! Taken from Freudian Slip.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZcnKkaOT70

Triffids - Goodbye Little Boy (Retro 005)

2011-10-16T11:00:00.001-04:00

Just discovered this nice late eighties track taken from the band's final album The Triffids Present The Black Swan (1989). Have one Triffids record that I picked up in a dollar bin in the nineties but I've never really given it a listen. Really didn't know much about the Triffids before this. The band was out of Australia. Great track!!!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMohzKH1zyM

My Tiger My Timing - Written In Red (Hype 0132)

2011-10-15T19:00:00.005-04:00

My Tiger My Timing scores the 1000 post on Indie Kid Vs Dance Kid. New single with the pop sensibility of a futureBananarama. Nice!!

Boy - Little Numbers (Hype 0131)

2011-10-14T22:23:00.000-04:00

Nice dreamy pop single from Boy with lots of woho woho wohos.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsyjS_vJfkw

Sandro Perri Love & Light (Hype 0130)

2011-10-12T22:05:00.000-04:00

Lush new track from Canadian Peter Perri. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7AC3FgI1Aw

Small Pyramids - I Want Blood (Goldroom Remix) (Hype 0129R)

2011-10-10T22:04:00.000-04:00

Funky little downtempo groover reworked for maximum effect by Goldroom. As the saying goes, anything that Goldroom touches turns to gold.

Customs - Harlequins (Hype 0128)

2011-10-09T22:53:00.000-04:00

Jangily dark guitar pop from the Customs out of Belgium. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNS0hrIe1UY

Death In Vegas - Your Loft My Acid (Hype 0127)

2011-10-08T07:58:00.000-04:00

Deep, Dark and eerie bleep blonk klonk music from Death in Vegas featuring the vocals of Austra’s Katie Stelmanis. Nice!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llHQObWf6J8

Big Troubles - Sad Girls (Hype 0126)

2011-10-05T22:12:00.000-04:00

Lush pop guitar track from Big Troubles off the Slumberland Label.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjY-6gpr_U

Kele ft. Lucy Taylor - What Did I Do (Hype 0125)

2011-10-04T22:00:00.004-04:00

Nice electro dubstep glider club track from Kele featuring vocals from Lucy Taylor. Wind!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFBxZaWZy-k

Craft Spells - Your Tomb (Hype 0124)

2011-10-03T22:00:00.001-04:00

Brand new video for single Your Tomb taken from the super spectacular album Idle Labor. Currently sitting in the top 5 albums of the year for IKDK.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG6VF-B082o

The Smiths - The Smiths (Reissue 003)

2011-10-03T19:41:00.001-04:00

In 1984, an English Band called the Smiths dropped their first album on the world. The record was simply self-titled The Smiths. Mainstream britpop was born.

The Smiths are about to reissue their old material in a super limited edition box set (3000 copies worldwide). It will be followed by 8 CD and 8 Vinyl box sets of their albums and compilations. If you have 300-400 dollars lying around you can pick up the super limited edition version.

The set, titled The Smiths Complete - Deluxe Collectors Box Set, features remastered versions of eight albums (on CD and vinyl), as well as reproduced versions of 25 7" singles, and all sorts of other stuff. Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr and Frank Arkwright remastered all the music from its original tape sources. The set includes all four of the band's studio albums (1984's The Smiths, 1985's Meat Is Murder, 1986's The Queen Is Dead, 1987's Strangeways, Here We Come) alongside the 1988 live LP Rank and the compilations Hatful of Hollow (1984), The World Won't Listen (1987), and Louder Than Bombs (1987). All are included on mini-LP gatefold-style CDs and 180-gram vinyl.

It also contains 25 7" singles. And as if that wasn't enough, there's also a 36" x 24" poster of the band's album and single cover art, The Complete Picture DVD of their music videos, an eight-page 12" booklet of expanded liner notes, 12" prints of the cover art for all eight albums, and a code to digitally download everything.

7 Inches include:

7” Singles (only available in the Deluxe Collectors Boxset)
1. Hand In Glove b/w Handsome Devil (Live)
2. Reel Around The Fountain b/w Jeane
3. This Charming Man b/w Jeane
4. What Difference Does It Make? b/w Back To The Old House
5. Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now / Suffer Little Children
6. William, It Was Really Nothing b/w Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
7. How Soon Is Now b/w Well I Wonder
8. Shakespeare’s Sister b/w What She Said
9. The Headmaster Ritual b/w Oscillate Wildly
10. That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore b/w Meat Is Murder (Live)
11. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side b/w Asleep
12. Bigmouth Strikes Again b/w Money Changes Everything
13. Panicb/w Vicar In A Tutu
14. Ask b/w Cemetry Gates
15. Shoplifters Of The World Unite b/w Half A Person
16. Sheila Take A Bow b/w Is It Really So Strange?
17. Girlfriend In A Coma b/w Work Is a Four Letter Word
18. I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish b/w Pretty Girls Make Graves
19. Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me b/w Rusholme Ruffians
20. Sweet And Tender Hooligan b/w I Keep Mine Hidden
21. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out b/w Half A Person
22. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others b/w The Draize Train
23. Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before b/w Girlfriend In A Coma
24. Hand In Glove b/w I Don’t Owe You Anything
25. William, It Was Really Nothing b/w How Soon Is Now

Hand In Glove taken from the album The Smiths

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh2bonnjv70

Pomplamoose - Monster Mask (Hype 0123)

2011-10-02T22:00:00.002-04:00

Catchy twee track from Pomplamoose.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBJLAFTlGKg

Deniz Koyu - Tung! (Hype 0122)

2011-10-01T23:11:00.003-04:00

Massive!!!! energetic club anthem from Deniz Koyu. Saturday Night. Nuit Blanche. Toronto. This is a promo video with snippet of the track.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g7HeZjvtWM&ob=av2n

Chad Valley - Shell Suite (Hype 0121)

2011-09-29T00:26:00.001-04:00

Chad Valley back with another Hype track in the same vein, cool downtempo, chill cut and paste.

Video: http://vimeo.com/29007144

Chad Valley - "Shell Suite" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Sóley - Smashed Birds (Hype 0120)

2011-09-28T22:00:00.000-04:00

Chilled out folky indie cut from Soley taken from the album We`ll Sink

Video: http://www.vimeo.com/27436206

Sóley: Smashed Birds from morr music on Vimeo.

Jesus And Mary Chain Psychocandy (Reissue 002)

2011-09-28T21:35:00.000-04:00

I have to admit that I just missed Psychocandy back in November 1985. I was still probably on my dose of early eighties pop/new wave pop ala Howard Jones, Platinum Blonde, Abc, and Simple Minds. A couple months later I ended up picking up the Some Candy Talking EP on vinyl for 4.99 Canadian at the local A and A Records and was hooked. Soon after I had Psychocandy on Tape. Life definately changed.

Here we are approx 25 years later and Psychocandy gets the 2 CD/DVD reissue treatment. Over the next few months all 6 Jesus and The Mary Chain albums will get the reissue treatment with the original album, b-sides, outtakes, demos, etc included. The soaring grungy buzzy guitars still sound as fresh as they were in 1986.

People have been led to believe some other band in 1991 started the alternative revolution. Sorry to break the news. It happened in the eighties and this may have been the first band to do it.

Here is what is on the reissue:

CD 1
1 Just Like Honey
2 The Living End
3 Taste The Floor
4 The Hardest Walk
5 Cut Dead
6 In A Hole
7 Taste Of Cindy
8 Never Understand
9 Inside Me
10 Sowing Seeds
11 My Little Underground
12 You Trip Me Up
13 Something's Wrong
14 It's So Hard
15 Suck
16 Ambition
17 Just Out Of Reach
18 Boyfriend's Dead
19 Head
20 Cracked

CD 2
1 Upside Down
2 Vegetable Man
3 In A Hole
4 You Trip Me Up
5 Never Understand
6 Taste The Floor
7 The Living End
8 Inside Me
9 Just Like Honey
10 Some Candy Talking
11 Psychocandy
12 You Trip Me Up
13 Cut Dead
14 Up Too High
15 Upside Down
16 Never Understand
17 Taste The Floor
18 In A Hole
19 Something's Wrong
20 Just Like Honey
21 The Living End
22 My Little Underground
23 Never Understand (Alternate version)
24 Jesus Fuck

DVD 3
1 Never Understand
2 You Trip Me Up
3 Just Like Honey
4 In A Hole - Old Grey Whistle Test
5 Riot at North London Polytechnic - Interview and Live Clips
6 Interview - VRT, Belgium
7 Never Understand – VRT, Belgium
8 Just Like Honey - The Tube
9 Inside Me - The Tube

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE

The Rifles - Long Walk Back (Hype 0119)

2011-09-27T22:54:00.000-04:00

Power Britpop as it should be. Nice! Off Nettwerk Records.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew5_HShd8qg&ob=av2n

The Finger - Die! Die superhero! (Hype 0118)

2011-09-26T21:19:00.000-04:00

Nice fresh pop single in the spirit of a Shirley Manson out of Greece!! We tracked this one down through a download to our Soundcloud*.

*Note Yes, we do listen. Not like some of those other grimy Toronto Blogs/publications that wait for the major labels to hand them free CDs (You know who you are!)

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCqqqmhrx3c

Foreigner - Urgent (Retro 004)

2011-09-26T19:02:00.001-04:00

For three weeks around September 1981 Foreigner had the number 1 song in Toronto (1050 Chum Charts). I was alittle too young to have discovered music at this point in time and definately this would not have been on my radar during my high school days of the mid/late eighties. My tastes tended to gravitate to the more new wave alternative sounds of the time and not the rock or metal. Funny as how I get older and gravitate back to the older music I find myself actually likeing some of the older rock pop tracks that dominated the early eighties and the flailing sax solos.

If interested, I track the pop hits of the eighties that landed on the Toronto 1050 Chum Charts 30 years later in the following facebook page on a fairly daily basis:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/1050-CHUM-Charts-Eighties-Hits/385431135253

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA6id4--BDg

Miracle Fortress - Miscalculations (Hype 0117)

2011-09-25T22:00:00.000-04:00

Nice chilled out track and new video from Canadian Outfit Miracle Fortress off their Was I The Wave release

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLS6hPF73xI

J.Viewz - Salty Air (Hype 0116)

2011-09-24T22:00:00.001-04:00

Holding onto summer with this Cut and Paste track by J. Viewz

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUyy4gcgqaI

Luke Temple - More Than Muscle (Hype 0115)

2011-09-23T23:00:00.000-04:00

Quirky indie track from Luke Temple on Western Vinyl.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbBaYOZLiv0

Korallreven-As Young As Yesterday (Feat. Victoria Bergsman) (Hype 0114)

2011-09-22T22:00:00.002-04:00

Former Concretes vocalist Victoria Bergsman lends vocals to another cut and paste track from Korallreven track. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWl9l740_wk

Sleep ∞ Over - Romantic Streams (Hype 0113)

2011-09-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

Cut and paste dream pop track from Sleep Over. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh5EvhWm8Ao

Pepper Rabbit Rosemary Stretch (Hype 0112)

2011-09-20T22:46:00.000-04:00

Hand clapping goodness for today's hype track. Arcade what?

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiGPPK1Wgd0

Groove Armada - The Pleasure Victim (Hype 0111)

2011-09-19T23:00:00.000-04:00

Groove Armada are back with a slammin club track taking inspiration from a very popular nineties house anthem called Devotion by Nomad. I have to admit I've been more heavy on the indie posts vs the club posts so hopefully this will inspire more dance stuff on the blog in the near future.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNZ4gMhQwtE

Human League and Men Without Hats Guvernment Setlist Toronto September 18, 2011

2011-09-19T01:09:00.000-04:00

Double bill of eighties synthpop ikons in Toronto tonight at the Guvernment. Took awhile but the place finally filled up nicely too. Men Without Hats were on first.

Men Without Hats

Ivan was back in town for his 3rd show in Toronto this year. I've seen all three shows so I was glad he changed up the setlist alittle and gave Toronto a first time opportunity to hear Ideas for Walls. Definately still lots of energy in the band given they have been touring all year. The band is still only playing the one new song This War which they opened up with this time around. The set was short and unfortunately did not include Moonbeam. Here is the setlist which only had nine songs this time around.

This War
Antarctica
I Got The Message
I Like
Ideas For Walls
Pop Goes The World
Living In China
Where Do The Boys Go
Safety Dance

Here is what people said (not many people said anything about Men Without Hats):

@JulianSpillane: Dear Twitter, I will be live-tweeting from the Men Without Hats and Human League show. Prepare for a deluge of drunken excitement.

@IKvsDK: Men Without Hats again #3 #toronto

Human League

Next up were Human League. The League at this point are still Philip Oakey, Susanne Sulley, and Joanne Catherall. 4 backup members supported the music side of things with space age like keyboards and electronic drums. The band came out and put on a nice ninety minute high energy show which captured at least one track from every Human League album while going heavy on the cuts from Dare and the three singles from the new album Credo. Seeing Human League can now be marked off my list of things I need to do before I die. Fantastic!!! Here was the setlist.

1) Never Let Me Go (Credo)
2) Open Your Heart (Dare)
3) Sound Of The Crowd (Dare)
4) Heart Like A Wheel (Romantic)
5) The Lebanon (Hysteria)
6) Egomaniac (Credo)
7) Empire State Human (Reproduction)
8) Night People (Credo)
9) Human (Crash)
10) Love Action (Dare)
11) All I Ever Wanted (Secrets)
12) Tell Me When (Octopus)
13) Mirror Man (Fascination)
14) (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Fascination)
15) Don't You Want Me (Dare)
Encore
16) Being Boiled (Travelogue)
17) Together In Electric Dreams (Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder)

Here's what people said:

@steve_mcgill: So apparently the type of person who goes to a Human League show is the kind that yells for the keyboard player to take off her clothes #fb

@IKvsDK Guvernment is now filling up. Maybe about 400 now. Men without hats just ended. Human League now setting up. #fascination

@sheryl_kirby Anybody else here at the Human League show or are y'all at home watching the #Emmys? (IKDK: Human League or the Emmys....easy choice)

@IKvsDK: Human League about to take stage in Toronto. Who would have thought. Time to lobby a thompson twin reunion

@beerboozebites At the Human League concert. Following #Emmys tweets because it's more exciting than the show. (IKDK: hmmmmm...)

@ryan_says: some serious keytar action at this Human League show

@beerboozebites: I've passed the point of being annoyed by the Human League concert, and am now reveling in it's awfulness. (IKDK: Okay, only one person didn't like the show)

@aeroplanext: I tried a new app. It sent me to a Human League/Men Without Hats concert. It's 1985. Someone just called me "Spaceman." (IKDK: Nice!!!)

@sheryl_kirby The girls from Human League are like two drunk ladies at a wedding. Trying to dance in sync and making a hot mess of it. (IKDK: Nice!!!)

@beerboozebites: I expected Human League to finish their set by reminding us to vote for Prom King & Queen. (IKDK: Who invited this guy.)

@IKvsDK: Emmys over human league! Shame @lau_ally @panicmanual (IKDK: Yes!)

Human League (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Retro 003)

2011-09-18T11:30:00.001-04:00

Classic track from new wave outfit Human League which actually wasn't on an album but was issued on the Fascination EP (1983) which was to fill the void between the massive success of Dare (1981) and their next album Hysteria (1994). The EP also contained the massive hit Mirror Man. Human League are in Toronto for a show tomorrow night September 18, at the Sound Academy. Men Without Hats will be opening up.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqqBs6kkzHE

Wild Flag - Romance (Hype 0110)

2011-09-17T21:48:00.000-04:00

Not Black Flag but Wild Flag off Merge Records with the single Romance taken from the self-titled debut album for this band containing former members of Helium and Sleater Kinney.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J8n9R8rnB8&ob=av2n

Xray Eyeballs - Sundae (Hype 0109)

2011-09-16T22:23:00.000-04:00

Grungy Twee track from Xray Eyeballs

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hogP6txTk6M

Trailer Trash Tracys - You Wish You Were Red (Hype 0108)

2011-09-15T23:56:00.000-04:00

Sundrenched california sounding pop from this Domino Records outfit as we enter the colder months.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxFO_1Sthh4

Big Pink - Stay Gold (Hype 0107)

2011-09-14T22:39:00.000-04:00

Brand new sonic goodness from Big Pink on the 4AD label. First single taken from the forthcoming album due out in January

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPmkk_W11oM

Cassidapax - Virago (Hype 0106)

2011-09-13T23:08:00.000-04:00

Lo-fi outfit Cassidapax with a track taken from the Sin By Proxy EP. Nice!!!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgtSo32L1bs

Drums - Money (Hype 095)

2011-09-12T22:09:00.000-04:00

Great new track by the Drums off their new album Portamento. This time we rewind to offer the original version of the track. All about not having any money. Reminds me of my twenties.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqYgNiZdfh4

Erasure and Frankmusik Sound Academy Toronto September 11, 2011

2011-09-12T22:02:00.001-04:00

On-stage Costume Change

First time to ever take in Erasure in Concert. What a show, or should I say spectacle. Vince Clark and Andy Bell definately put on a good party. Andy with the dance moves, Vince controlling the music from a gargoyle, and two backup singers to keep it real. Frankmusik opened up the night with some high flying covers and originals to get the crowd moving but this was definately Erasure's night. The set list was all over the map taking hits from across their career while getting in five new ones from the new album called Tomorrow's World.

Erasure Setlist

1.Sono Luminus (Erasure-1995)
2.Always (I Say I Say I Say-1994)
3.When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Tomorrow's World-2011)
4.Blue Savannah (Wild-1989)
5.Fill Us With Fire (Tomorrow's World-2011)
6.Drama (Wild-1989)
7.You've Got To Save Me Right (Tomorrow's World-2011)
8.Ship Of Fools (The Innocents-1988)
9.Chorus (Chorus-1991)
10.Breathe (Nightbird-2005)
11.Victim Of Love (The Circus-1986)
12.Alien (Loveboat-2000)
13.Push Me Shove Me (Wonderland-1985)
14.Love To Hate You (Chorus-1991)
15.I Lose Myself(Tomorrow's World-2011)
16.A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot (Tomorrow's World-2011)
17.Breath Of Life (Chorus-1991)
18.Chains Of Love (The Innocents-1988)
19.Sometimes (The Circus-1986)
20.A Little Respect (The Innocents-1988)

Encore:

21.Oh L'Amour (Wonderland-1985)
22.Stop! (Crackers International-1988)

This is what the crowd said that night:

Frankmusik

@Frankmusik I will be performing at 8pm at the Sound Academy in Toronto tonight! (IKDK: We were there!!)

@IKvsDK @frankmusik toronto knows Frankmusik (IKDK: Yes we do)

@xxtopher @Frankmusik .. you need a full concert in Toronto. Including songs from both albums & your acoustic album! ...this NEEDS TO BE DONE!

@Frankmusik Sorry to duck out 2nite Toronto. Border control wouldn't allow me to bring my merch to sell in Canada and we have a long drive 2nite big

@Frankmusik Toronto you were pretty tonight. http://yfrog.com/h06rsnoj

@willeagle Very lucky to see @Frankmusik in Toronto tonight for the first time. Talented, high energy, great stage presence, handsome #newfanhere

@dean @Frankmusik Fantastic show in Toronto last night. Won my friend over as another new fan!

@WRC_DOD @Frankmusik Loved your performance last night in Toronto! The crowd LOVED YOU! Thanks for a great time!

Erasure

@tvdean Off to get my 80s on at an #Erasure concert

@RolynSays Off to the #erasure concert I go. Why? Cause @RaymondHelkio is addicted to them like The Valley Of The Dolls.

@sheryl_kirby Dear TTC... Don't screw this up. I need to get to the Erasure concert. No delays tonight, please.

@willeagle Frankmusik and Erasure at the Sound Academy!! Very happy

@Alphamoongirl At the Erasure concert at Sound Academy. The average age here is around 40. Peeked at the setlist. Wish it were less of a 'hits' medley.

@panicmanual once again I'm one of the younger people at the concert. Makes me feel good about myself #erasure (IKDK: Panicmanual...getting older by the minute)

@AvitaniaInTO Hoping my love for Erasure can overpower my hatred for Sound Academy. (@ Sound Academy for Erasure and Frankmusik)

@Lucky_Yogini waiting for the Erasure concert to start @ The Sound Academy, it's like being at an 80s high school reunion

@palomabonita So excited to see Erasure again in Toronto this weekend!! I wanna dance my pants off :) @AndyBell_info @thecabinstudio

@Daphne7411 Desperately in need of a breather-- its Erasure at the Sound Academy

@billcs At the Erasure show in Toronto Andy Bell says Toronto always makes him horny as he launches into - Always of course!

@SteveMcGar At amazing Erasure concert in Toronto. They still have it!

@MrMikeBax Erasure - Victim Of Love at Sound Academy = amazing. Totally impressed! @erasure

@willeagle Spectacular Erasure show in Toronto tonight, feeling energised and happy, @AndyBell_info (looking v fit) and @thecabinstudio were incredible

@MollyCLeonard Tonight's Erasure concert featured more glare from bald male heads than from digital cameras. That's not a crowd norm I'm used to! (IKDK: Wasn't us. we have all our hair.)

@byronkentwong Go see Erasure live for the best dance party! Amazing show in Toronto. Thanks @thecabinstudio for making the beats bang ! Such a pleasure.

@shaychguy Erasure at Sound Academy last night - loved it times 10! All the more amazing with my guy by my side. :)

And the song that ended a fantastic night:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEMqu7v9CGs

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ERASURE - When I Start To (Break It All Down) (Hype 0105)

2011-09-11T11:17:00.000-04:00

Brand new single from Erasure off their new album Tomorrow's World. Erasure are at the sound academy in Toronto tonight September 11, 2011.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SxoMAm89Lo

Glass Candy - Warm In The Winter (Hype 0104)

2011-09-10T22:00:00.001-04:00

Low key eurowave track from Glass Candy. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX922LVpULM

Cat's Eyes - The Best Person I Know (Hype 0103)

2011-09-09T22:00:00.002-04:00

Chilling track in the spirit of Broadcast taken from their Broken Glass EP. If you like this I recommend you check out their Nick Cavish track called Cat's Eyes also on the Broken Glass EP. Don't be surprised if that track ends on the hype list also.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf9iqUziVMQ

Shriekback Oil and Gold (Reissue 001)

2011-09-09T18:00:00.060-04:00

Another new column for the blog on album reissues. 26 years later english band Shriekback reissue their classic 1985 album Oil and Gold which featured the classic singles Fish Below Ice, and Nemesis.

The reissue is a double CD set featuring the original album on disc one and extended mixes/b-sides/live cuts taken from the singles (12 Inch/7 Inch) on the second disc. I'm excited to hear the Arch Deviant Mix of Nemesis which I didn't even know existed. I find out now that there was actually two 12 Inches for Nemesis released in 1985 in the UK. I've never physically seen the second.

CD 1: Original Album
1. “Malaria”
2. “Everything That Rises Must Converge”
3. “Fish Below The Ice”
4. “This Big Hush”
5. “Faded Flowers”
6. “Nemesis”
7. “Only Thing That Shines”
8. “Health And Knowledge And Wealth And Power”
9. “Hammerheads”
10. “Coelocanth”

CD 2: Bonus Disc
1. “Suck” - Live Hatfield Poly (Shrk3)
2. “Mothloop” – Live Hatfield Poly (Shrk3)
3. “Feelers” - Live Hatfield Poly (Shrk3)
4. “Nemesis” - Extended
5. “Nemesis” - Arch Deviant Mix
6. “Fish Below the Ice” – Single Edit
7. “All Lined Up” - B-Side “Fish Below the Ice”
8. “My Spine (Is The Bassline)” - B-Side “Fish Below the Ice”
9. “Fish Below the Ice” - The Plankton Enriched Mix
10. “Fish Below the Ice” – Dance Mix

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bMM61Y5CEU&ob=av2e

Plaid - 35 Summers (Hype 0102)

2011-09-08T02:52:00.000-04:00

Very dark electronic offering from Warp Records Plaid taken from the forthcoming album cintilli

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNf5Ga1rw78

PJ Harvey - Sheela Na Gig (Retro 002)

2011-09-07T18:00:00.002-04:00

So PJ Harvey won some UK music award yesterday for her new album Let England Shake. Good for her!!!! We take you back almost 20 years to 1992 for this classic track from her first album Dry. I remember getting to see her first concert in Toronto when she was touring Dry and opened up for Love and Rockets guy David J who was on a solo tour support his 4th record Urban Urbane at the Opera House. Definately alot of raw energy and definately blew David off the stage at a fairly empty Opera House.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nojeYbBpbeU

Regina - Unessa (Hype 0101)

2011-09-06T23:14:00.000-04:00

Grimey bitter sweet indie track from Finnish singer Regina off the new album released this month called Soita Mulle. Nice!!

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_eDamNiHho