Toronto—ye olde seat of the starch-collared Upper Canada—isn’t a city typically associated with fun. Don’t believe its rep, though. The Big Smoke has a long-standing love of dirty rock ‘n’ roll, punk-inflected power pop and soulful garage, the stuff that straddles the line between shit-disturbing and booty-shaking. It’s precisely why Sphinxs, a band that pairs Dirtbombs-esque songcraft with healthy doses of vintage soul and R&B, feels right at home: Toronto sounds like Sphinxs, but Sphinxs also sound like Toronto. We caught up with singer Sianteuse—whose bold, brassy vocals are Sphinxs’ signature—and man-about-town guitarist Joel French to talk about psychedelic dress-ups, being crammed in a van with King Khan, and why you should get into Mustache Rides.

So, what’s new with Sphinxs?

Sianteuse: Sphinxs are currently putting the finishing touches on our new Both Die 45 and preparing to return to the Dreamhouse Studios in early April to record a second with Mr. Alex Bonefant. We have several shows in the works, and will be playing NXNE. Our intention is to make a video or two, release this second 45 and perhaps a third, and to venture out of the city more this year. I dream of Europe by next spring. At any rate, we have no intentions of slowing down.

Say you’re playing host to an out-of-city band in Toronto for a few days. Where do you take them? What do you do?

Sianteuse: Absurd psychedelic dress-up party in my closet room with champagne, jukebox dance party at Grace’s Place, lots of home cooked brunch, High Park hijinks and a visit to the Toronto Necropolis. My loveliest experience of this kind, however, has gotta be travelling to Niagara Falls with King Khan and the Shrines crammed into one minuscule van amidst a week long slumber party in my tiny apartment. Unforgettable hilarity and lifelong love ensued. I would be up for that again.

Joel: It all depends who they are and where they are from. If it’s a band that’s never been here before, and they have a sunny afternoon to kill, I’d take them to the beer store for a six-pack and then hang out in Bellwoods to play croquet. I’m no tour guide, so their activities would be limited to what MY activities normally are.

Is there anything you’re adamant about seeing this year at CMW?

Sianteuse: More than anything, I’m excited to connect with out of town band friends this week, so I’ll be seeing [Brookyln’s] XRay Eyeballs and  [Calgary’s] Miesha and The Spanks play lots. If I could wrangle seeing Nick Cave and Raekwon, I’d be overjoyed.

Joel: The things I am most excited about aren’t CMW-related. The final installment of Fucked Up’s Long Winter is the same night that my other band, Pink Wine [ED: who we also love], plays with Mac DeMarco at Parts. And the closing Sunday I am throwing a mega showcase with some of Canada’s best punk/power-pop at Crawford.

What’s the best and worst thing about a festival like CMW? Does it compare to others you’ve played or attended?

Sianteuse: The best things about CMW: It helps us meet up with great bands from far and wide, people are excited, and we get to play. Which we love. The worst is that the city gets a bit taken over, which makes it hard to get to work on time. I personally enjoy NXNE a little more for all the free events, but nothing can compare to the Chicago Hozac Blackout for me.

Joel: The best thing is a potential backline being provided, so you can just show up and play. The worst is that there is sooooo much bullshit. Getting a free pass is never too shitty, but when there is nothing at all worth seeing with it, you sort of wonder if it really is worth it.

Who are your favourite Toronto bands or artists—and why?

Sianteuse: The Highest Order and Lioness, because I’m a sucker for other powerful female voices. Ostrich Tuning and Das Rad, because I can totally lose myself in what they are creating. Ostrich Tuning is just plain sophisticated and Das Rad will fuzz your socks right off.  The Ultimatemost High because their hyper masculine growling punktidude invites me to tune into my own animalism, a favourite pastime. First Base, because I love their sugar pop romanticism. Non Stop Girls and Soup Cans because they got that Oblivians-esque primal shake down appeal that is so close to my heart and, finally, Milk Lines.

Joel: I promote under the moniker of Mustache Rides, and have been doing so for a little under two years now, and the best part is that it’s allowed me to meet and befriend so many great local artists. In terms of bands I’d have to say my bros in First Base, The Ultimatemost High, The Nature Boys, Rising Crust and Das Rad. Mexican Slang, Odonis Odonis and cartoons are all great as well.  The Beverleys, Invasions, Yacht Club, anything [Josh] Korody or Kyle [Connolly] touches is gold (Beliefs, Elk, Milk Lines, Breeze) and that’s just the tip. I could go forever on locals I love.

For stuff outside of bands I’d say Patrick and Mike at Hosehead Records are great. The crew at Telephone Explosion. This city has so many great photographers, visual artists and tattooists as well: Ivy Lovell, Mackenzie Burgess, Yoshi at YOSH Photography, Jack Martin for photos. Lee Tiffany, Matt Darling and Andy Slater do some seriously solid artwork, and Angie Fey and Joey Nicholson are just two examples of rad tattoo artists this city has to offer. Toronto is overflowing with talent and potential.

Tell us why your show is the show everyone should make sure to see.

Sianteuse: Our show is going to be a straight up knock down party. It will be messy and loving and cathartic and all the bands will play their hearts out because that is how we always do. Plus, we’re playing with Miesha and the Spanks, and you don’t want to miss that combination!

Joel: We are playing with some seriously talented bands. Lightmares, Organ Thieves and Miesha and the Spanks are all bands I’ve shared the stage with before in different bands, and are all composed of pals, so it’s going to be a great night with a great feel to it. Plus its only $5 and on a Tuesday. What else have you got planned?

What else is Sphinxs—or any other bands you’re in—up to that we should know about?

Sianteuse: In addition to my devotion to Sphinxs, I’m personally putting a lot of energy toward Opera Arcana, my project with GB Jones of Fifth Column and Scott Kerr of KOTV. I’m also steadily preparing material for my ballad project, which simply goes under the name Siânteuse, and I’m flirting with a new electronic project and looking forward to participating in a conceptual opera this summer. I also recently recorded with Tusks, KOTV and Martha Johnson (of Martha & the Muffins) and will hopefully contribute to a Red Mass tune again when schedules align. All of this makes me feel exceptionally lucky.

Joel: Sphinxs will have our first of two 7-inches out real soon, and then second is being recorded even sooner. Pink Wine recently got added to the P.Trash Records family and will be releasing our debut 12-inch this summer and well as a 7-inch split planned with our bros in Outtacontroller, and a 10-day tour booked for October getting us out to Halifax Pop Explosion. Sam Coffey and the Iron Lungs have six songs recorded that we’re currently planning a future for. We will be sharing a van for both Sam Coffey and Pink Wine for the 10-day Halifax Pop Explosion tour. Lots of stuff coming.

Sphinxs play The Crawford on Tuesday, March 19.