Music
AUX does NXNE: Our must-see picks for Saturday
by AUX staff
June 15, 2013
Historically, Saturdays are the ultimate day of NXNE—and this year, it’s no different. It’s the apex of the festivals, where day parties collide, schedules get irreconcilably tangled, and when, thanks to razor-thin scheduling, you rack up a month’s worth of cab charges in an evening. It’s also the funnest day of the festival—needless to say, plenty of memories will be created on Mikal Cronin’s harbour-touring Bruise Cruise and—shamless plug!—AUX.TV’s day party at the Garrison, featuring Weaves, Ctznshp and Cousins. Beyond those two untouchable options, though, here’s our must-see picks for tonight.
By Tyler Munro (TM), Chayne Japal (CJ), Mark Teo (MT), and Nicole Villeneuve (NV).
Majical Cloudz at BLK BOX
If you’ve learned anything from the don’t-judge-a-band-by-its-name lesson of Pick A Piper on Friday, now is your chance to apply it to Montreal’s Majical Cloudz, whose new album Impersonator should already have settled that matter if you’ve heard it. A collaborative work between songwriter Devon Welsh and producer Matthew Otto, Majical Cloudz make sparse, dark, songs nothing like the shiny synth pop the name conjures. The bleak tone of these songs juxtaposed with the familiar, hopeful, near-ballad melodies make for something pretty special. Catch them this week at Blk Box before you can’t get into their show next year. 11 a.m., Blk Box, 1087 Queen St W. (NV)
Ryan Hemsworth at BLK BOX
Ryan Hemsworth @ BLK BOX (The Great Hall)
AUX’s super-duper prestigious year-end nod for Remixer of the Year went to Ryan Hemsworth for his captivating re-workings of already-great songs. He’s released another trippy, ambient instrumental EP, did some production for his go-to rapper, Deniro Ferrar, and has continued his remix tear by dropping reinterpretations of Outkast and Backstreet Boys so far this year. Hemsworth is a phone call away from breaking out and although he might still do shows 1) they’ll probably be at some wack venue in the east end and/or 2) it’ll sell-out immediately. Don’t sleep on this chance. 1 a.m. Blk Box, 1087 Queen St W.(CJ)
Greys at The Garrison
Stuck with a marvelously late 3 a.m. set, Greys will hope to re-energize a crowd on its last legs with their angular, heavy take on sounds made popular by Drive Like Jehu and Fugazi. Anyone who’s heard them (ED: or seen them) knows they’ll pull it off. 3 a.m. at The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. (TM)
Dream Affair at The Garrison
While I’ll undoubtedly start the day by catching Ty Segall collaborator Mikal Cronin play on a boat sailing around the harbour, today’s main attraction belongs to gothy post-punk act Dream Affair. With a handful of EPs to their name—though 2011’s Endless Days, which displayed a talent for synth-driven cold wave bangers, was arguably the band’s breakout—these Brooklynites genuinely hit their stride on February’s From Now On, whose frigid minimalism brought Dream Affair’s elegantly macabre melodies to the forefront. 2 a.m. at The Garrison. 1197 Dundas St. W. (MT)
Tags: Music, News, Dream Affair, greys, Majical Cloudz, NXNE, ryan hemsworth
