Music

CMW 2014: Who you shouldn't miss on Thursday, May 8

by AUX staff

Nashville production trio Basecamp play Lee’s Palace tonight.

Thanks to its conference-first approach, Canadian Music Week, a half-wit comedian might say, is a lot like a mullet: It’s business in the front, party in the back. Har har, said no one ever. But while the fest’s known equally for its conferences and musical performances—of which there are countless—CMW’s film wing gets significantly less attention. The 2014 edition begins tonight with two documentaries, both worthwhile: First, Finding Fela!tells the vital sociopolitical message ofFela Anikulapo Kuti, an Afrobeat legend. Next, All Is By My Sideis a Jimi Hendrix flick proper—starring Andre 3000 as Jimi himself. Film nerds, go to.

But on the music end of things, the fest rages on. Tonight, the festival begins to pick up in earnest. Pick your poison: Kat Burns’s Kashka project plays Queen West watering hole Czehoski; New Damage Records boasts a stacked lineup, headlined by the Flatliners, at Sneaky Dee’s; Hamilton punk legends Teenage Head launch their book at the Great Hall; head north, and Jennifer Castle plays St. Clair’s Clave Social. They’re all good options, we say—and here are six performances we’re endorsing tonight.

 

Beach Season

While Calgary’s still best-known for their rowdy beardo rock—see: city faves Cowpuncher, who take the stage at 2:00 at Rancho Relaxo—Cowtown has an emergent underground that has little to do with the city’s red-blooded rock roots. And some of the city’s best newcomers centre around Close To Modern, a digital-only label curating Calgary’s electronic scene. And producer-singer Beach Season, who moonlights in future rap duo Obey the Crooks, put out one of the label’s most memorable releases to date: With the Internet Evening EP, Beach Season unveiled a brand of iced-out, euphoric, melancholic R&B he’s dubbed as “booty wave.” Along with Sanctums—the duo of Dan Solo and Evangelos Typist, who we also love—Beach Season is among the city’s brightest producers. Check “Midnights <3” below, then follow it up with “Summer Vacation.”(MT)(10:00 p.m., Detour, 193 Baldwin St.)

 

The Flatliners

The Flatliners have grown up before our eyes, and as one of the few holdovers from Toronto’s old all-ages punk scene have evolved with, not for, their audience. In turn they’ve adapted their skunk-to-punk sound with the kind of melodic chops you’d expect after more than ten years together and with last year’s Dead Language proved to be one of the country’s premiere acts. On the small stage late Thursday night, they’re out to flex what we already know—regardless of what one cranky old metalhead thinks, the Flats are one of the country’s best bands. (TM)(1:00 A.M., Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St.)

 

Basecamp

Last year, Chvrches’ were the breakout synth-pop act at CMW. This year, it could be Nashville-based Basecamp. As the project of three different producers, Basecamp balances numerous sounds: The first instinct is to label them alt-R&B, thanks to the trio’s smooth, late-night vocals. Dig deeper, though, and you’ll find countless scraps of musical ideas—sometimes, there’s the ambience of minimal techno. Other times, there’s the lushness of deep house. Elsewhere, they throw to Shigeto-esque instrumental hip-hop. It’s a winning, ghostly blend, to be certain, and it’s one the band pulls off effortlessly. (MT) (10:00 p.m., Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W.)

 

Strands

An important common thread behind Toronto (and AUX) favourites Rattail and Weaves, besides their hair-themed band names, is singer Jasmyn Burke, so her solo show as—another hair word!—Strands, is high on our list of things to see tonight. Described as a “continuation of Weaves on a smaller scale,” Burke uses only vocals to reclassify pop music—not unlike what she’s been doing around this city in a number of ways for a number of years. Take a listen to her other current band, Weaves, below. (NV) (9:00 p.m., Silver Dollar)

 

Seas

You didn’t think we wouldn’t include a new band made up of members of Canadian emo heros Moneen (plus Sights and Sounds and From the Bridge) who essentially made a dreamy ’90s indie rock record that kinda sounds like Eric’s Trip and Thrush Hermit (and, oh yeah, Moneen), did you? You don’t know us. (NV) (8:00 p.m., Adelaide Hall, 250 Adelaide St. W.)

 

Living with Lions

Years after sparking a Factor funding controversy for lampooning the bible on Holy Shit, Vancouver’s Living with Lions seem poised to carry on as only they know how—shows. It’s been almost three years to the day since that last album while they’ve got another EP under their belt since, fans have to be chomping at the bit for something new, and there’s no time like the present to bust out some unheard material. That possibility alone should have knuckle-tatted pop punks lining up early for this one. (1:00 A.M., Adelaide Hall, 250 Adelaide St. W)