CMW 2014: Who you shouldn't miss on Wednesday, May 7

by AUX staff

May 7, 2014

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Brody Dalle plays the Horseshoe tonight for CMW

Canadian Music Week’s highest-profile shows—think: No Age, Off!, Television, and FanFest with Tegan and Sara—happen on the weekend. But as of this morning, the festival’s in full swing—music biz types are swarming the festival’s conferences, CMW’s comedy programming is heating up, and as of tomorrow, its film lineup begins. Things are about to get very, very busy.

Bands from all across Canada are arriving in droves—if you don’t believe us, head down to the Marriott, CMW’s headquarters, to play spot the lanyard. These bands will eventually take the stage across countless venues across the city, and with a fest as crammed as CMW—with, quite frankly, bands most of us haven’t yet heard—it’s hard to formulate a plan of attack. Luckily, we’re here to help. Here are 6 bands we’ll be watching tonight, with honourable mentions to Meg Myers (10:00 p.m. at the Drake), Travi$ Scott (11:00 at the Opera House) and, of course, Kenny Vs. Spenny, who reunite at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

By Tyler Munro, Mark Teo, and Nicole Villeneuve

 

Trevor Guthrie

Trevor Guthrie may get angry that we’re repeatedly bringing up his past, but in his case, it’s impossible: In Canadian music circles, he’s still best-known as the primary songwriter for Souldecision. In Guthrie’s case, though, it’s not a bad thing. Because not only did the group write their own songs, but nearly a decade after they broke up, not only does “Ooh It’s Kind of Crazy” still hold up—it sounds downright modern. (We’ve compared their music to Toro y Moi before, and we weren’t kidding.) So now, even if he’s past 40, it’s no surprise that Guthrie’s still a premiere songwriter; a song he released last year, “This is What it Feels Like,” became a hands-up Armin Van Buuren masterpiece. We’re curious to discover more of Guthrie’s newest works—like, is dude going to go full-on EDM?—and believe us, none of our fascination is ironic.(MT)(7:45 p.m., Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St.)

 

Mozart’s Sister

Montreal’s last musical wave keeps on giving—and while bands like CTZNSHIP and Technical Kidman are carrying the torch in 2014, Mozart’s Sister is a scene stalwart. The solo project of Miracle Fortress / Think About Life member Caila Thompson-Hannant, Mozart’s Sister is a one-woman party: While her vocals often flirt with pop stars of yore, her instrumentals are spun around skyward-gazing loops and synthesizers. Her Merok-released Hello EP, released last year, undeservedly flew under the radar—and we’re looking forward to hearing the new material undoubtedly Thompson-Hannant is preparing. (MT)(1:00 a.m., The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.)

 

Waterbodies

Waterbodies have the sound of a band that grew up on songs much heavier than their own, but found their balance on the urge to write hooks. And their last album, The Evil We Know, is filled with a raw-energy matched only by its melodic momentum. At their first of two CMW shows, the St. Catherines-based band hopes to show the Toronto crowd they can carry that energy to the stage. (TM) (11:00 p.m., Velvet Underground, 508 Queen St. W)

 

D-Pryde

Young in age but not in experience, Canadian ex-pat D-Pryde heads back to Toronto from his New York homestead with an increasingly refined, positivity-filled hip-hop sound that’s earned him nods everywhere from XXL to MTV. The test now isn’t whether he’s got the talent, but whether he can live up to it. High pressure for a 20-year-old, but earned ones when you consider he’s been rapping since he was 15. Can the YouTube sensation take that to next step? It’s certainly looking like it. (TM) (8:30 p.m., Adelaide Hall, 250 Adelaide St. W.)

 

Brody Dalle

A decade after the demise of the Distillers and brief stint with her supergroup Spinnerette, Brody Dalle has released her first solo album Diploid Love, a collection that recalls her ferocity and dabbles in softer balladry and electronics. Dalle has always been unapologetically loud, vulnerable, and smart as hell; it feels fucking good to have her back, and seeing her at the Horseshoe should be a CMW no-brainer. (NV) (11:00 p.m., Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. West.)

 

 

Mas Aya

Mas Aya is the solo project from Toronto’s Brandon Valdivia, the percussive wunderkind you might also know from Picastro (Owen Pallett spent time in Picastro too, natch), as well as

Not the Wind Not the Flag and Pachamama. As Mas Aya, Valdivia uses his rhythmic talents on a host of instruments (dig that kalimba!) to create a global percussion mashup all delayed and distorted. Maybe fittingly, he plays the M for Montreal/Wavelength showcase with other experimenters Mozart’s Sister (see above), Mannerisms, and more. (NV) (12:00 a.m., The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. West).

Tags: Music, News, Brody Dalle, CMW, CMW 2014, d-pryde, Mozart's Sister

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