Music

The Top 5 Best Moments of NXNE '09

by Melody Lau

In preparation for this year’s week-long marathon of non-stop music, boozing and Iggy anticipation – or better known as NXNE 2010 – here’s a recap of what you might’ve missed out on last year. Check out our exclusive highlights from last year’s festival.

1. A Broken Social Scene book launch featuring none other than special guests…Broken Social Scene!
The most anticipated kick-off party at last year’s NXNE was Arts & Crafts’ book launch for This Book is Broken. Days, even weeks leading up to the event there was buzz surrounding the magical ‘special guests’ playing that evening. Broken Social Scene weren’t on the bill but a look at the other acts (Apostle of Hustle, Jason Collett, Years and Charles Spearin’s The Happiness Project) and you’ve basically got 2 thirds of the Toronto collective. And to no one’s surprise, the guests were indeed the band itself, with extra special guest Leslie Feist joining them onstage. With a jam-packed attendance at the Courthouse, as well as a jam-packed tiny stage full of musicians, the night was almost enough to satisfy everyone for the rest of the week. But alas, there were four more days to go through and many, many more awesome moments to come.

2. The Black Lips rock Dundas Square (for free!)
In what seemed like the biggest congregation of hipsters last year, Dundas Square – the headquarters for music fans too poor to pay for shows – hosted a free show featuring The Black Lips. What ensued was an hour-long set full of crowd surfing, beer-drinking, stage dancing chaos. Best part of the night? The kind folks giving out free energy drinks after the set; I had enough energy to last me another four hours into the night!

3. The Sonics reunite (again, for free!)
Most people 20-and-under probably went, “Who?!” when they heard that The Sonics were playing NXNE but for those old enough to remember (and/or hip enough to know) the 60s garage-rock band were pumped for this show. Again, free at Dundas Square, The Sonics were the main acts of the festival at the outdoor stage. Surely there weren’t as many beer cans tossed around as The Black Lips but there was definitely much more nostalgia in the air that night.

4. GZA and special guest King Khan finish the festival with a bang
Two words: Wu-Tang Clan. Two more words: King Khan. Together: an amazing way to close up NXNE.

5. The birth of Diamond Rings
Last June marked one of the first times Diamond Rings (real name John O Regan of Toronto indie rock band The D’Urbervilles) performed his set of rainbow-unicorn-glam pop hits to a sparse crowd at the Rivoli on the last night of NXNE. With tired bodies in attendance, O’Regan put life back into the crowd and blew everyone away. Little did we all know (or did we?) that he would soon become a Pitchfork-approved, YouTube sensation. Watch highlights from Day 5 of the festival.