Our top shows of 2014

We hit a new low in 2014: the fewest shows we've seen in a year since before 2011. That wasn't the only thing that made last year unique. Only four of our top shows last year took place in Windsor or Detroit; yet overall, we saw more shows north of the border in 2014. And we noticed something: more and more people are attending Canadian indie shows in Metro Detroit. We hope that means more and more bands will put Detroit on their itinerary in 2015.

Even though our chain of show wrist bands didn't grow as much, there was no shortage of shows to put on this list. So here they are, our top shows of 2014, in chronological order. Where are the photos? Well, that's why this post is so late. When our new Toshiba Canvio external hard drive failed after only two months,  data recovery re-sorted thousands of photos. S2W is still trying to find them all, but it's been an arduous process.

1.  The Wet Secrets (Call the Office, London). First, they gave us a great show with music that has everything we like best. Then they made us put on a marching band hat and took our picture. We love these guys and gals so much.
2. Bend Sinister (PJ's Lager House, Detroit). Lager House owner PJ meant to stay just for one song.  He was so blown away by Dan Moxon and company he ended up watching the whole set. That alone made it a top show for us.
3. Zeus (The Pike Room at The Crofoot, Pontiac). FINALLY. So good, it just made us regret all the times we missed them even more.
4. Chad VanGaalen with Cousins (The Pike Room at The Crofoot, Pontiac). We were thrilled to at last experience Chad VanGaalen, one of Canadian indie's most creative, multitalented artists.
5. Doomsquad, (NXNE, Toronto). We saw them in their hometown of Montreal too, but this is the show that made our hearts Kalaboogie.
6. How Sad (NXNE, Toronto). Exactly the way we like our pop: Effervescent, a little frenetic, organic and not too sweet.
7. Shred Kelly (NXNE, Toronto). Just when we think a Shred Kelly show can't get any better, they prove us wrong.
8. Wintersleep (NXNE, Toronto). They've played St. Andrews Hall in Detroit, but we decided to wait until we could see them on a TTC streetcar. It was the best ending ever to one of the best NXNEs we've attended.
9. Octoberman (Phog Lounge, Windsor). It was a year for seeing CBC Radio 3 legends, including Andre Ethier and Culture Reject. Add the original and contemplative Marc Morrissette to that list.
10. Library Voices, Gord Downie and the Sadies (Festival of Good Things, Sarnia). When it came to music, the event should have been called the Festival of Sublime Things. The perfect end to summer.
11. Canailles (M for Montreal). Their brash music might be a mash-up-- Cajun, bluegrass, country and more-- but no band we saw at M made us feel more like we were in Montreal than Canailles.
12. Hilotrons (M for Montreal). Somehow we'd forgotten how irresistibly catchy Dubue's music can be. Thanks for the reminder, Hilotrons, and our last top show for 2014.

Show Alert: Bend Sinister In Detroit

Thurs., Mar 27
PJ's Lager House ~ Detroit
$6
With Ronny Tibbs & the 305s and Six and the Sevens

Dan Moxon (photo: Russ Gordon/N2D Images)

It's been a long standing policy on N2DS2W not to compare bands to other bands. So we're not exactly fans of the "if you like this (more famous band) you'll like (this less famous band)" game.To us, it borders on insulting ("Congratulations on being unoriginal!"). And does anyone really want to just listen to bands that all sound like each other?

But (you knew that was coming, right?), sometimes it's really hard NOT to make comparisons. And sometimes bands channel an influence so well it transcends the derivative and the tribute and rightly earns their own identity.

So yes, when you listen to Vancouver's alt rock/pop chameleons Bend Sinister, you'll hear Supertramp. You'll hear Queen. And on their second full-length album Animals, you'll hear some pretty scorching Motown soul and even a hint of gospel. You'll also hear Dan Moxon's powerhouse vocals and keyboard backed by Joseph Blood on lead guitar, Matt Rhodes on bass and Jason Dana keeping time on the drums. Listen: "I Got Love," from Animals.

Show Alert: Bend Sinister

Thu., Mar. 8 @ Call the Office, London
w/ Teenage Kicks

Fri., Mar. 9 @ The Dugout, Windsor
w/ James O-L and the Villains and LEARNING

We have Bend Sinister (Vancouver) to thank for adding one of our favourite words to our vocabulary: flummoxoned. We think you will be flummoxoned too by Dan Moxon and Bend Sinister's 88-key powered indie pop/rock. Check out their CBC Radio 3 artist's page for a list of influences; but their sound is more ode than old. They're touring now in support of their just-released EP, On My Mind. Whatever you're doing tonight or tomorrow, give it a rest and go to one of these shows-- $5 in London, free in Windsor. (More tour dates below)




Mar 10 Toronto at Cherry Cola’s
Mar 13 Winnipeg, MB at The Pyramid Cabaret
Mar 14 Regina at The Exchange
Mar 15 Saskatoon, SK at Amigos
Mar 16 Calgary at The Gateway
Mar 17 Edmonton, AB at The Starlite Room
Mar 18 Banff at Wild Bill’s
Mar 19 Jasper at The Horseshoe Club
Mar 20 Fernie at The Northern
Mar 21 Nelson at Hume Hotel
Mar 22 Kamloops at Cactus Jack’s
Mar 23 Vancouver, BC at Venue Nightclub
Mar 24 Victoria at Club 9One9 

Are all the 2010 Top Ten lists done?

Good.  It's time for our Top Ten Shows of 2010 in (or near) Windsor/Detroit.
(What's a few hundred miles?)
With all the shows we attended in 2010 and all the artists we saw, it's extremely
difficult and almost not fair to pick just ten.
These are NOT in any order, just the best that we saw.

Brasstronaut
March 5  Phog Lounge
Windsor

The Wilderness Of Manitoba
Aug 12  Phog Lounge
Windsor

The Mountains And The Trees
Aug 12  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Besnard Lakes
June 12  Call The Office
London

The Pack A.D.
Sept 23  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Library Voices
June 27  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Bend Sinister
Sept 16  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Olenka & the Autumn Lovers
Oct 20  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Holy Fuck
Sept 26  Magic Stick
Detroit

Jody Glenham
Oct 31  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Hannah Georgas
Oct 31  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Born Ruffians
Oct 30  Majestic Cafe
Detroit

Raised By Swans
April 16  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Allie Hughes
Oct 31  Phog Lounge
Windsor

Gregory Pepper And His Problems
July 13  Magic Stick
Detroit

Hollerado
June 18  Hard Rock Cafe
Toronto

Photos: Russ Gordon

                                                            

Show Review: The Zolas, Will Currie & the Country French and Bend Sinister

Three bands. Three solid examples of vocal-and-keyboard driven alt-rock. As last week's show at Windsor's Phog Lounge proved, the formula works, over and over, because talent and the infinite variations of human creativity keep it from being too formulaic.
     In the case of Vancouver-
based the Zolas, it was Zachary Gray's earnest and agile delivery of  accessible lyrics, accompanied by Tom Dobrzanski's  I've-got-your-back robust piano and supporting vocals that won our admiration-- and money from our budget for their latest CD, Tic Toc Tic.

They might not take kindly to strangers in Ontario, but we sure took kindly to Will Currie and his band, the Country French. Currie comes off as somewhat shy on stage, which makes you feel privileged that he's sharing his inner life through his songs. His vocals are just as earnest as Gray's but earthier, his keyboard playing focused and energetic. We knew Will from his guest host stints on Radio 3 and were glad to get better acquainted with his music and newest release, Awake! You Sleepers.


Country French guitarist Dan Beacock (left) and bassist Daniel MacPherson.


Last, but certainly not least: Bend Sinister. We watched lead singer Dan Moxon as he waited through the opening acts, quiet, unassuming, helping the other bands with their sound. We were so amazed when Moxon took the stage we made up a new word: flummoxoned.



Bend Sinister nails the power-pop-rock anthem perfectly and it's great to be along for the ride with Moxon's incredible rollercoaster of a voice and superb keyboard work. Although it's our review policy to not compare bands/artists to other bands, it's hard where Bend Sinister is concerned. Is it cheating to note that one of their encores was Supertramp's "Logical Song" and it's a natural? If you haven't seen or heard them before, check out the video below. Their latest release is Spring Romance.


Photos: Russ Gordon

Triple Play!

With a trip to LOLA scheduled for Saturday (Benn Gunning! Minotaurs! Land of Talk! Caribou!), plus the Pack A.D. and Young Rival at Windsor's Phog Lounge on Sept. 23 followed by Holy Fuck at the Magic Stick in Detroit three days later, we tried to talk ourselves out of Bend Sinister with Will Currie and The Country French at Phog this Thurs., Sept. 16. Heck, we're still working on getting a post up about last Saturday's Hot Hot Heat/Hey Rosetta! show.

Until we saw that The Zolas had been added. So much for resisting the allure of Canadian indie music. See you there.