Music

Five other '90s indie CanRock bands we wish would reunite for NXNE

by Nicole Villeneuve

When the NXNE festival line-up was announced earlier today, there were lots of reasons to get excited. Devo! Juliana Hatfield! Pharcyde! Descendents! That is enough big-name and nostalgia draw to satisfy us, nevermind the billions of other bands playing/still to be announced.

But it was one little name tucked down near the bottom that got us most excited. Did that say Rusty? As in, 1990s Canadian alterna-psych-grunge band Rusty? The one with the be-dreadlocked lead singer and that video with the Midnight Cowboy homage? Well? Who else?

The Toronto band were part of the basis of a ’90s surge in Canadian indie rock and we loved them, along with so many other bands of the same ilk. Here, we present five more bands (of many, many bands) that we wish would reunite for NXNE. If for nothing else, a karaoke-style showcase of some of our favourite hits. Who’s in? And who would want to see?

Sandbox: Before their guitar player put on those GD glasses and became the Trailer Park Boys’ most loveable Bubbles (and before that, a musician with other Canadian acts like Mike O’Neill), Sandbox had some success with this super-catchy ditty with the spinny video. Never has Pictou County, Nova Scotia sounded so good. No seriously, never. Look that up in some history books.

The Killjoys: One of the cutest videos in Can-Indie history, no? Imagine what fun we’d all have singing along to the “woo-ooo-ooo-ooo-oooooh”s together in person? This needs to happen. We’re all going to be best friends and at the same time, hate each other so much!

Salmonblaster: Well maybe not, but this song ruled. If J Mascis can still make records that sound like this, there’s room for a little Salmonblaster.

Age of Electric: Apparently Limblifter is still a band so we couldn’t put them on a reunion wishlist. So, Age of Electric it is! But seriously these guys were pretty formative too and hooks for days, huh?

Jale: No, not that new band named Jaill who is also on Sub Pop—Jale from Halifax, whose three albums were all so great and we miss them. They’re on our always list for a reunion, not just NXNE. But we’ll take what we can get.

Any other suggestions? BTK?