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By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – “I felt like all this shit was always here, waitin for me” says Nas, recalling his first moments in the hallowed studio inside Columbia Records. That was where he would record one of hip-hop’s most beloved classics, Illmatic. The revival tour is nothing new these days. Everyone who had their heyday in the nineties has … Continue reading
By: Anan Rahman (@anan_ra) – It was in 1885 when Nietzsche proclaimed that God is dead. Similarly, earlier this year, a figure no less august than Gene Simmons declared that rock is finally dead. While there are those amongst us who wouldn’t be too heartbroken to read the last rites over their copy of Love Gun, the audience who were in attendance … Continue reading
By: Robert Liwanag – Abel Tesfaye didn’t toil away like most artists do – he went from mysterious figure posting tracks onto YouTube to singular figure in R&B in a relatively short time period. It did, however, take some time for the Weeknd to build a reputation as a live act. How can you possibly replicate such dark, intimate, moody sounds in a larger, rowdier … Continue reading
By: Anan Rahman (@anan_ra) – “Prolific” is one of the first words that come to mind when you mention Ty Segall. The 27-year-old San Francisco native has established himself as garage rock royalty by cranking out a steady stream of bracing, hard-bitten albums that occasionally come off as raw, unedited portraits of a wunderkind doing his thing. It’s as … Continue reading
By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – There were many stories going into the 2014 Polaris Music Prize gala. Admittedly, none brought with them the controversy of 2013. That’s because unlike any previous year, the artists were the focus in 2014. Rolling into the posh Carlu in downtown Toronto, you could feel the tension everywhere. Among artist, critic and fan alike … Continue reading
By: Anan Rahman (@anan_ra) – Jam band circuit veterans Moe’s show on Tuesday night at the Virgin Mobile Mod Club was a bit of a personal milestone for me. They had opened for Bob Dylan in 2000 at the Molson Amphitheatre, which happened to be my first real concert experience after immigrating to Canada. Wide-eyed and innocent as I was … Continue reading
By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – A year ago, this review would have been about “seeing what the big deal is” regarding Lorde, the Kiwi, come-from-out-of-nowhere sensation. Since then, she’s shaken off the “newcomer” stigma by releasing the well-received Pure Heroine, playing memorable sets at festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella, being included in Forbes’ “30 under 30” and by being named … Continue reading
By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – For Sloan, every Toronto show – no matter how big or small – is a family affair. They’ve built most of their discography (not to mention adult lives) here, so when they entered HMV’s tiny, packed basement (the Underground) at their Yonge-Dundas Square location, it was to a hero’s welcome. Fans … Continue reading
By: Daniel Gerichter (@ZenDonut) – Think of Riot Fest Toronto 2014 as a training exercise. Coming from last year’s two-day, one-stage affair, the nine-year-old festival literally quadrupled its game, ballooning its traditional, punk-focused lineup across four stages to include indie, metal, folk and… well, Die Antwoord. This lineup was as engineered towards Gen-X/Y’ers as much as it was … Continue reading
By: Paula Reid – As Kingston-based indie rock band The Glorious Sons burst into their new song “Man Made Man”, the lead-off track from their debut full-length album, The Union, (out September 16th via Black Box), the small crowd at The Hard Rock Cafe on August 28th, steps from the bustling Yonge-Dundas Square, held up their beers and let out a … Continue reading
