Nick Waterhouse at The Horseshoe Tavern

DJ Misty and Nick Waterhouse

When it was announced that neo-soul/vintage r&b musician Nick Waterhouse (who I've been gushing about for a couple of years now) was coming back to Toronto to play the Horseshoe Tavern this Feb 22, I thought I couldn't be anymore excited. But then I was invited to join DJ Chico to spin some records at the gig and I learned that yep, I could be even more excited! 

Happy and feeling at home behind the turntables at the Nick Waterhouse show at the Horseshoe Tavern Feb 22/14

Toronto's indie-garage group The BB Guns were also on the bill and they didn't disappoint, proving that Toronto can do dreamy, beachy pop music as well as our West Coast counterparts. DJ Chico and I played vintage r&b, soul and rock n' roll records and 45's to keep the energy up before, in between and after the bands. I have to admit, I was a lil nervous but when I saw people dancing I relaxed and when some of the members Nick's band were cutting a rug I knew we were doing just fine. :)

DJ's Chico and Misty

And of course, Nick Waterhouse killed it. He played songs from his debut album, "Time's All Gone" as well as off his upcoming follow-up, "Holly" and even peppered his set with some pretty incredible covers. Nick honored some of his favourite artists like Jackie Shane, Sky Saxon (The Seeds), Isaac "Red" Holt, Wayne Bennett and Ty Segall and drove the audience into a frenzy. After the show, Nick described the audience as being the best he's had all tour which came as a surprise (knowing this city), but made me beam with Toronto pride all the same. 

DJ Misty and Nick Waterhouse

If you missed the show, you can check out of some his performance featuring the title track from his upcoming sophomore album, "Holly" which comes out March 4th.

Bad Brains: Band In DC (Documentary Review)

*Originally posted for G33KPRON

Bad Brains exploded onto the D.C. music scene in 1979, and quickly became one of the most influential punk and hardcore groups of all time, largely due to being one of the first all black punk bands. They also became one of the most abohored, getting banned from pretty well every club in town, hence the title of their seminal album, 'Banned in DC' and documentary, 'Band in DC' which screened in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. 'Band in DC' takes us through Bad Brains' almost 40 year journey which includes their 9 studio albums, dozens of singles, and live albums, proving that truth really is often stranger than fiction. Using contemporary concert footage and interviews, archival footage and comic book style animated segments the film tells a story so compelling that even casual fans could be drawn in. After all, there are still only a handful of bands who have been able to successfully fuse the full-frontal assault of punk with the freer incantations of reggae - and rastafarian rockers Bad Brains were first.

The film, directed by Mandy Stein and Benjamen Logan delves deep into the intimate and inner workings of the legendary band, stretching back to the mid-1970's when four black teenagers met and started playing music in a scene largely made up of white kids. 'Band in DC' also includes interviews with notable musicians; The Beastie Boys, Ian MacKaye (Minor Threat, Fugazi) and Henry Rollins (Black Flag) among others, who underscore the Bad Brains' importance to the birth of hardcore punk. The movie switches between the band's high energy past, and their turbulant 2007 tour which shows the band's struggle to move forward despite the challenges they experience as a result of lead singer, Paul "HR" Hudson's ongoing mental health issues.

 
It was hard not to watch without some sadness, comparing HR's infamous performances where the then wild front man would writhe and backflip off the stage to his current behaviour which is still erratic, but disturbing. We watch as HR dons bullet proof vests, motorcycle helmets and delusions, which the rest of the band write off as attempts of "sabotage" but actually seem more indicative of schizophrenia. The movie quickly glosses over this potential diagnosis though, so his behaviour just comes across as dismissive, or for lack of a better term, batshit-crazy. There was a large part of me that wished HR's mental health could have been shown with a little more tolerance and understanding, but I also get that the film was simply showing the honest reactions and frustrations from his bandmates who want to move forward, but can't seem to get the right musical chemistry without him.

Overall, 'Band in DC' was a real and honest look at the iconoclastic band, and shared many insightful stories that any music fan would get a kick out of. One of the film's most memorable scenes was created by comic book artist Rita Lux and animator Grant Nellessen, and shows an incarcerated HR sneaking out of his cell to record the song 'Sacred Love' for 1986's album, 'I Against I' through a payphone. The best part was that the pot smoking singer was able to get stoned beforehand by ripping out a resin coated page from his bible and smoking that before the impromptu recording session. The movie highlights most of the Bad Brains' history and even addresses the early band's homophobic stance, which still remains a topic of controversy despite bassist Darryl Jenifer insisting they had been young and over-zealous, and that they are now "loving and have nothing against any of God's creatures."

'Band in DC' will leave you feeling like there are many more stories to be told, and there are, especially when it comes to frontman HR and his own struggles. That all being said, the filmmakers set out to tell the story of a unique and influential band, and after watching there is no debate that there has never been anyone like the Bad Brains, and probably never will be again. You can find out more about the movie at www.badbrainsmovie.com and see them live on their 2013 tour which brings the Bad Brains to Toronto on June 13.

SOURCE: G33KPRON

Teenage X - Drink! Dance! Destroy!

Teenage X have been on the punk rock n' roll circuit for awhile now, but only recently released their debut album, Drink! Dance! Destroy! I'll be more frank than a wiener here; this album rules. Straight up, it's been my go to for summer nights home alone when I just want to blare my music loud and sing along even louder. Front woman and local band veteran Sarah Page has some mighty chops to her and you've more than likely seen (or heard me DJ) her old band, The Threat at local gigs. The rest of the band (Rich on guitar, Phil on bass and Mikey on drums) know their way around their instruments pretty damn well too and manage to pull of sounding super tight both recorded and live. The album has nine songs that whip by in only twenty one minutes but I've had no problems putting this baby on repeat because it still isn't losing its charm. 


Drink! Dance! Destroy! stays upbeat and infectious throughout but has enough versatility to keep me interested. It has just the right amount of speedy punk rock tracks like Fast Machine and Say What You Want but I'll confess, it's more the power pop almost eighties sounding songs that have me hooked. While Chelsea Horror Hotel may be a little snottier than anything Blondie's ever recorded, if Teenage X were around in the late seventies/early eighties they definitely would have given Ms. Harry and her boys a run for their money. Losin' It and Boom are the two ballads that despite the lack the cheese, you could have told me they were released in 1983 and I'd believe you. In fact, the latter of the two would have been the ideal song for the prom I never went to. I can actually imagine it in a movie with Molly Ringwald as she stares at the hunk from across the dance floor and the band tears into this little number about wanting to get it on. Finally, what's a record without a good sing-a-long? Wasted is it and to prove my theory that it should be this summer's official drinking song I DJ'ed it at one of my larger club nights for a crowd of early twenty somthing inebriated women and had them belting along to the chorus, "Waaaaaasted! I'm wasted again!" while jumping up and down. Mission accomplished! Needless to say, Drink! Dance! Destroy! ought to have something for everyone who has an ear for rock n' roll regardless of who you are and if you get a chance to see them live, do. Teenage X have never disappointed. 

Photo Credit: Rob Ferraz

Give Teenage X a listen at www.myspace.com/teenagex

NOBUNNY LOVES U

Not a word of a lie, the Nobunny show was the most fun I've had in a dog's age. I sang, I danced and I pogo-ed with a crowd who unlike the usual cold Toronto welcome, threw Nobunny into their eager arms and couldn't have been any closer to the action. At one point, the singer/Nobunny himself had to sheepishly ask the crowd to move back a little; not to stop anyone's good time but it was getting awful hot in the Parts & Labour basement (also called, "The Shop") and if we kept up our advances he'd have to perform perched on top of the drums and well, that wouldn't be nearly as fun as having him run around while everyone sang along at the top of their lungs. If you haven't gotten a chance to see Nobunny live, you really should. His songs are a perfect mix of low-fi garage, bubblegum and punk, with his live set even more frenetic than his recorded releases. Not that they are lacking in energy...anything but. However, seeing Nobunny live is seeing and hearing the energy right in front of you...leather jacket, underwear, bunny mask and all. 












                                  
                                  

*ALL PHOTOS BY: Misty Hill & Rob Ferraz. Please do not use w/o permission!





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Hobo With A Shotgun >> Must See!

Rob & I at the Toronto Hobo screening afterparty!

"When life gives you razorblades, you make a baseball bat covered in razorblades" is just one of the many lessons to be learned in the epic new movie, Hobo With A Shotgun. I for one am a fan of the lessons you can only learn from a film that uses plenty of gore and style to tell it's grisly story about a hobo who decides to clean up a wildly corrupt town with nothing other than, well, a shotgun. I have no doubts that this is going to achieve major cult status and beyond which is especially rad coming from a few guys from Nova Scotia. I had a blast watching this film (cue cheesy "Hobo With A ShotFUN" comment) and think this is what you need to do this weekend. See this movie.