NXNE 2011 REVIEWED: Fucked Up, METZ, OFF!, Descendents, Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando, Suuns, more

by Ashley Carter

June 17, 2011

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REVIEWS FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 16

METZ @ Yonge and Dundas Square, 6:00 p.m.
It was weird, sunny, and early, but Toronto’s best Jesus Lizard-inspired trio absolutely demolished their opening slot at Toronto’s mini Times Square. It was an unusually spacious setting to see the band, but they commanded the huge space, filling a bizarrely commercial, concrete space with fuzzed-out hardcore noise. If there were any doubts that METZ are one of the best bands in Toronto right now, they showed that they are worthy of the title by flailing and blasting their way through a set of songs that would make David Yow proud; and, true to punk form, they announced that they only had one song left after fifteen minutes (they cheated and ended up playing three more, but it ruled). (Sam Sutherland)

Fucked Up @ Yonge and Dundas Square, 8:00 p.m.
It took all of the first twenty seconds of “Queen of Hearts” for Fucked Up frontman Damian Abraham to disappear into a sea of roughly 10,000 people, crowd surfing and then simply being swallowed whole by an eager crowd of all ages punks. Playing a batch of new songs from their recent full-length, David Comes to Life, alongside seriously deep cuts like “I Hate Summer,” Fucked Up were at the top of their game. The wall of sound effect created by three guitarists was the perfect backdrop to Abraham’s guttural bark, augmented by a noticeably improved set of backing vocals from the rest of the band. Top-notch direction from whoever was responsible for the big-screen visuals meant that all of Abraham’s crowd interaction was captured, making for a sonically spectacular set with engaging visuals from wherever you were standing. Can you tell that this ruled? (SS)

OFF! @ Yonge and Dundas Square, 9:00 p.m.
Complete with weird Keith Morris rants, 9/11 theories, and tales of the time he was accused of being a child molester, OFF!’s set was exactly the explosion of classic punk energy that the everyone was expecting. At a time when ’80s hardcore revivalism seems a little trendy, OFF! are the closest to the real deal you can get; they’re not some reunited cash-in, but they do have the all-important Morris Credibility Factor. The result is a live set that crackles with all the energy of vintage Black Flag and Circle Jerks, but possesses a newness and vitality that is otherwise hard to come by in the genre. (SS)

Descendents @ Yonge and Dundas Square, 10:00 p.m.
A bottle in the face and a shredded set of vocal cords didn’t stop Milo Aukerman from delivering his ALL (wakka wakka) during this hour-long set of pop-punk classics. The highlight was clearly the presence of two little Aukermans reciting such important rules as “Thou shalt not commit adulthood” and “Thou shalt not commit decaf” mid-set, but musically, it was songs like “Myage” and “Bikeage” that really energized the massive crowd. It was the kind of show that made you look around at all the big, weird video screens and chain restaurants and wonder how something this awesome was happening, outdoors and for free, in Toronto. When the set ended, it felt like a victory for real culture, most noticeable because it happened in the tackiest place in the entire city. The guy who threw that bottle, despite having impeccable aim, is a dick. (SS)

Gavin Gardiner @ 918, 11 p.m.
Best known as the frontman for Toronto folk/rock/Petty outfit The Wooden Sky, Gavin Gardiner has a commanding voice that, when paired with his skilled guitar playing, effectively does the solo acoustic thing well, too. Armed with a handful of songs we’ve never heard from the band in a space (a converted old Buddhist temple) conducive to the hushed nature of the music, Gardiner’s strong songwriting talents, akin to some of our classic Canadian folkies, were left to their own devices. The casual, small crowd was spread out thinly throughout the room but they listened intently, even the girl laying down on the floor (note: never do that). (Nicole Villeneuve)

PS I Love You @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 11 p.m.
When submerged in the sweaty sauna of the notoriously non-vented Horseshoe Tavern, few bands can come back from nearly 20 minutes of technical issues to revitalize an audience on the brink of humidity-induced collapse. But upon the first notes of PS I Love You’s hotly (and let me stress hotly) anticipated set, much-needed energy was restored, leaving those of us with expanding hair and dwindling water supplies to repress our petty woes and to just shut up and enjoy the music already. With guitarist/vocalist Paul Saulnier drawing (overheard) Dan Boeckner comparisons and drummer Benjamin Nelson leading listeners in heart-wrenching beats, by no means was drawing a (near) at-capacity show unjustified. (The lack of air-conditioning, however…). (Anne Donahue)

Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando @ Lee’s Palace, 12 a.m.
Juliana Hatfield and Evan Dando were clearly the draw at what looked to be a half-full Lee’s Palace, but as soon as Kevin Seconds played his last note before the Boston twosome were to take stage, the stagefront was swarmed in one fell swoop. The enthusiasm stayed and the crowd was transfixed as the two sat on stools and took turns leading songs of their own, covering all grounds—solo and Lemonheads and Blake Babies, too. Clearly not rehearsed but masters of their craft (and so charming-aloof), the half-hour set was over in a blink, Hatfield coming back on stage to throw a pick and say they couldn’t do an encore, tight festival timelines and all. They left the venue right after, taking a few minutes to say hi and grant hugs to fans out front, then fled in a white van just like all the best dreams do. (NV)

Ty Segall @ The Garrison, 12:00 a.m.
The person standing next to me at Ty Segall’s show last night at The Garrison said she’d heard Ty was amazing, which was conducive to other reviews I’d heard. And after a few songs into his very brief set, both her sources and mine were spot on. You need to see Segall and his band play if, A) You’ve ever listened to one of his songs and liked it (even marginally), B) Like to jump around and act like a complete buffoon whilst listening to live music, C) If a parent or older relative ever made you listen to Van Morrison’s Them (see “Gloria” cover) or D) All of the above. It rocked and could be the deciding factor to spend your Saturday afternoon on a boat with free food and booze (see NXNE Bruise Cruise), although those last two things are quite enticing regardless. Ty has a new record coming out next week called Goodbye Bread and from the sounds of a few of the tracks last night, it’s going to be a great followup to last year’s Melted. (Ciaran Thompson)

Suuns @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 12 a.m.
Remind me again why they didn’t make the Polaris cut? Dark, brooding and dramatic, Suuns evoked countless adjectives while capping off their brief NXNE stint as a bewitched audience could only shake their heads and raise their arms to the likes of “Pie IX” and “Up Past the Nursery”. Rejecting the necessity for a polished performance, grit oozed from the Montreal four-piece as their raw efforts translated into a show defined by unharnessed energy, while keyboards and synth gave way to relentless guitar that defined “And not a single fuck . . .” The key? Many fucks were, in fact, given. How else could you explain the crowd’s cult-like captivation? (AD)

Tags: Music, News, Fucked Up, gavin gardiner, Juliana Hatfield, METZ, NXNE, off!, Ty Segall

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