VIDEO - The Pack a.d. - Sirens

"The Pack a.d.'s first single, Sirens, off of their album, Unpersons. Finally, we have our video for it thanks to the direction of Lloyd Choi and the erratic styles of Mr. Josh."

~ via The Pack a.d.

Show Review: Said The Whale - We Are The City

Canadian indie shows coming through Metro Detroit can be a lot like rare bird sightings. They happen with little warning and appear at odd times. Most people aren't even aware of the event. Some people see them and don't know the significance. But for a few, getting a glimpse of the Vancouver whale warbler or the Kelowna mourning dove and hearing their songs is something special.

We're kidding about the birds, but the bands are real. On Sun., Oct. 16, Vancouver's Said The Whale and Kelowna, BC's We Are The City flew into town for their first visit to Michigan at the Crofoot's Pike Room, earning a spot on our top shows of 2011 list.













We Are The City had a fly-by last March when they played Windsor's Phog Lounge. This time the band-- Cayne McKenzie at the mic and keys, Andrew Huculiak at the kit and guitarist David Menzel-- brought their forte/piano, creative, progressive alt pop to Pontiac. We love McKenzie's agile, Broadway musical vocals and the variety of their songs . Some have jazz inflections, some are just fun, some are thoughtful; some are just bites of musical bliss like "Dark/Warm Air" (with Huculiak taking a turn at singing).

Whether Said The Whale is winning America remains to be seen, but they'd won us over even before "Emerald Lake, AB," became our NXNE 2010 theme song. In 2011, they won over Juno voters to take home the New Group of the Year award; their video for "Lines," an homage to the movie Back to the Future, was voted Best Video by CBC Radio 3 listeners in the 2011 Bucky Awards. The band is personable, engaging and earnest, on stage and off. So are their irresistible songs that frequently evoke a strong sense of place ("Mermaid sits on a tide-washed rock in the harbour..."), and robust harmonies led by heartthrob Tyler Bancroft's appealing tenor to Ben Worcester's grainier counterpoint.

As the band prepares to release Little Mountain, the much-anticipated follow-up to their debut LP Islands Disappear, in March, whale-watchers will be happy to know the band is returning in April with not one, but two dates: Apr. 16 at Windsor's Capitol Theatre, and Apr. 17 at PJ's Lager House in Detroit. No binoculars required.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images

NEW VIDEO ~ CATL - A Sun's Grave

catl - A Sun's Grave

Our Top Shows of 2011

Notice something conspicuously absent in that title? The number 10.

Out of the 108 bands/performers we saw in 2011, we couldn't choose just 10. Because it's our blog and we'll do what we want to, here is our list, in chronological order, of our top shows from last year. Our criteria: it just had to be an experience that for whatever reason-- musically, emotionally, artistically-- was particularly memorable out of all the great shows we saw. Truly, we are continually amazed by the talent that's out there in Canadian indie. Note: since we did a Top Ten list for NXNE, we did not include any of those shows here.

Jenny Omnichord, Wax Mannequin

Les Jupes, Wheat Pool

The Rural Alberta Advantage

(wh)y.m.e.(??), Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt, Rich Aucoin, Gobble Gobble (now Born Gold)

My Son the Hurricane, D-Sisive (with Muneshine)

Hey Rosetta!

Fucked Up

Parlovr, Handsome Furs

Great Lake Swimmers

The Besnard Lakes, Malajube

We Are The City, Said The Whale

Will Currie & the Country French, Library Voices

Shred Kelly

Field Assembly, The Locusts Have No King, Sunparlour Players, The Sadies

Danny Michel

VIDEO ~ I Won't Try To Break Your Heart • Crissi Cochrane

"I Won't Try To Break Your Heart", the single from folk/pop artist Crissi Cochrane's Pretty Alright EP (Nov 2011). Directed and shot by Sasha Jordan Appler at the Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario, featuring a white dress made by Crissi.    




Thanks to Tom and Frank at Phog, and all the locals who took part.


For more info or to buy music, please visit


www.crissicochrane.com

It's not like we're bitter*

... about all the business cards we'll have to change now that we finally got rid of our clunky Twitter handle.

You can now tweet us at:  @n2ds2w

Yaa, we get it.

*With thanks to Shad

Hunting for a Hands & Teeth CD?

That's right, boys and girls. TWO of you can be the proud owners of Hands & Teeth's debut full-length album, Hunting Season, which will be officially released on Jan. 17. If you can attend their upcoming show on Fri., Jan. 13 at Windsor's Phog Lounge, the first two people to email us will receive a Hands & Teeth - Hunting Season CD.
US and Canada only, please.







 Listen here: http://mandrillproductions.com/handsandteeth/huntingseason/


From the band's CBC Radio 3 artist page:

"Hands & Teeth, a Toronto-based five-piece, demonstrate what can be created when friends unite through a love of good food and complex harmonies. Hands & Teeth's sound is an artful fusion of pop, classical composition, angular guitar rock and inventive rhythms. It tastefully sweeps from whisper-quiet ballads to roaring anthems, reflecting each member’s eclectic past. Since the band is composed of musicians who were leaders of their own individual projects, each member takes an active role in all elements of production, from song writing to lead vocals." Listen

Road Trip!

We're pretty lucky when it comes to Canadian indie bands playing the Metro Detroit/Windsor area. But if bands we want to see don't come to N2D-- well, N2D will go to the bands.

http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?p=11593

Sarnia's an easy hour drive for us; we've even hauled to London and back. So when we found out The Besnard Lakes and Malajube were playing Oct. 5 in Kalamazoo, and Hollerado the next night in East Lansing, the answer to "What are we going to do?" was "Road trip!"

Although paired with The Besnard Lakes, one of our top 10 shows of 2010 and an all-around favourite (review here), we would have journeyed to the land of K-Zoo just to see Malajube making their first appearance in Michigan. It's a shame most of the crowd at The Strutt that night were probably saying "Mala-who?", because this award-winning Francophone band and their intelligent, nuanced, melodic rock deserves a much wider audience.

They've been around since 2004; they scored the film The Trotsky; the last three of their four albums have all been either short- or long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize. The way we see it, there are no barriers, linguistic or otherwise, to appreciating great music. So we applaud the one person who shouted "Porte disparu!" Lead singer Julien Mineau politely declined the request; instead, with one exception ("Cristobald" from Labyrinthes), their entire set list was made up of songs from their latest album, La Caverne.


After a stay at the budget-friendly and tres acceptable Red Roof Inn Kalamazoo East, we headed for East Lansing by way of the Gilmore Car Museum and a lot of rural roads through rolling farmland. Our destination: Macs Bar, a blast from the past for one of us and a venue so no-frills it doesn't even need an apostrophe.


























With their water-spouting, confetti showers and other on-stage antics, we can't think of a band better suited for a college town than Hollerado.We'd been trying to catch up with them since NXNE 2010, when six months after winning $250,000 in a contest, they not only rocked Toronto's Hard Rock Cafe but let the audience order whatever they wanted on the rocks with a 10-minute open bar on their tab.

Look beyond the frat house mentality and you'll find pop rock with irresistibly catchy hooks and singalong lyrics that range from clever to poignant to whimsical. They were nominated for a Juno in 2011 (Best New Group, which went to Said The Whale). Their catalog of videos are as fun and engaging as their music ("Americanarama" has more than a million views and won Best Video in the 2010 CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards; "Good Day At The Races," which features the band racing ostriches, was also nominated for Best Video). Even their website is a hoot. Although they've released some new singles recently, we know there are a lot of fans waiting for a follow-up to the enormously popular Record In A Bag; count us among them.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images,
Lincoln photo --->  http://www.drivingenthusiast.net/sec-blog/?p=11593

From A to Z: the Zunior Boxing Day Sale

We're a little bah humbug about the holidays-- we don't even exchange gifts-- but one thing we do look forward to is the Zunior Boxing Day sale (Mon., Dec. 26). It's the perfect opportunity to stock up on albums either missing from our collection or that we failed to grab at a show during the year.

Zunior, "the source for independent digital music in Canada," provides a way for independent artists to distribute their music directly. "No middleman means more freedom... lower prices for you... with more money for the artist."

Most albums are usually $8.88 ($2.00 more for digitally perfect lossless). On Boxing Day, you can buy high-quality MP3 albums for only $4.44. All albums come with complete artwork, are completely unrestricted and use no DRM. So whether you're looking for the latest by Adam & the Amethysts or Zeus, the Zunior Boxing Day sale is the gift that keeps on giving. Need a last minute present? Zunior has digital gift certificates.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

Phog Lounge presents The Unquiet Dead, R.Y.E and George Manury for a Christmas Eve celebration of music and friends.


Whether you're into the religious experience, the Santa experience or somewhere in between, Christmas is always a great time of year in Windsor because so many old friends come home for the holidays to visit family (by day) and rekindle friendships at night.


This Christmas Eve, the unquiet dead want to have a special Christmas Eve performance in the intimate walls of Phog Lounge. Just us and about 60 friends.


We'll be joined by special guests R.Y.E. and George Manury


Tickets are $5 at the door and it's 19+


There is also a collection box at Phog accepting donations of used winter clothing, new socks & underwear, non-perishable/fresh food items, all being gathered for the Windsor Youth Centre.
(via The Unquiet Dead's FB page)

Dirty. Sweaty. Fun. Catl.

CATL & THE DAKOTA RING IN THE NEW YEAR!

 

       WHAT:    catl  New Year's Eve Party!

       WHEN:    Saturday, December 31, 2011

       WHERE:  The Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., Toronto

       COST:     TBA

Can a night be both classy AND sweaty? You bet your sweet maracas it can. Drop by The Dakota Tavern this New Year's Eve and send 2011 off the catl way: with a hard drinkin' n' dancin' BLOW-OUT to the slammin' tunes of your favourite R&B trio.

This New Year's Eve party promises to be a spectacular event replete with special guests, sexy midnight countdown and the friendliest/most fearless barstaff this side of the Yonge Street corridor!

Catl have a lot to look forward to this year. With the recent addition of new drummer Andrew Moszynski, the band has pushed their performance to a new level of intensity. 2012 will also see the band release their highly anticipated third full-length record Soon, This Will All Be Gone. And as always, catl promise to deliver gallons of sweat and tequila-fueled, dance-floor mayhem.

Admission TBA. No advanced tickets, just come by early enough to get yourself on the right side of the party.

Helloooooooooo 2012!


(from a catl press release)

CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards Find Windsor/Detroit

Go NORTH to Detroit, SOUTH to Windsor founders named
CBC Radio 3 Top Fans of the Year

Dearborn, Mich.—December 13, 2011—Along with Canadian indie bands and artists they have been privileged to support, Russ Gordon and Cathleen Hagan were honoured as Top Fans of the Year by CBC Radio 3 in the 2011 Bucky Awards.

CBC Radio 3’s annual year-end Bucky Awards celebrate the best of Canadian indie music voted on by listeners in categories such as “Best Live Act,” “Best New Artist,” “Most Canadian Song” and more (see complete list below). Internally, CBC Radio 3 staff choose a Lifetime Achievement honoree—this year famed musician and producer Ian Blurton—and a Top Fan of the Year. For the first time, two fans were selected: Russ Gordon and Cathleen Hagan, founders of Go NORTH to Detroit, SOUTH to Windsor (N2DS2W), a music blog that promotes Canadian indie music in the Windsor/Detroit area and beyond.

“We met through Radio 3 and started N2DS2W because of Radio 3, with the purpose of increasing awareness of Radio 3 and the music we love,” says Hagan. “Because of all that Radio 3 does for Canadian indie, we feel that N2DS2W is our way of giving back.”

“While we are very honoured to be awarded a Bucky from CBC Radio 3, it's really not about us,” says Gordon. “It’s about the bands that we support and go see. It’s about the CBC Radio 3 hosts and bloggers and all the friendships that have developed. We are a part of the greatest and most unique global community on the planet. It really is all about the music that brings us together.”

2011 Bucky Award winners:

Best New Artist: Braids

Best Reason to Learn French: Coeur de Pirate, “Adieu”

Best Live Act: Arkells

Best Lyric: Hey Rosetta!, “Welcome”

Best Vocals: Austra, “Lose It”

Best New Band Name: Oh No Yoko

Most Canadian Song: Elliott BROOD, “Northern Air”

Sexiest Artist: Dan Mangan

Best Song: Dan Mangan, “Rows of Houses”

Lifetime Achievement: Ian Blurton

Top Fan of the Year: Russ Gordon and Cathleen Hagan

Bucky Awards Podcast

About N2DS2W: Go NORTH to Detroit, SOUTH to Windsor (www.n2ds2w.com) was founded in July 2010 and now receives more than 3,000 page views a month from around the world. Our goal is to make N2DS2W the most comprehensive site that promotes, fosters awareness of and helps Canadian indie musicians and bands coming through the Windsor/Detroit area and beyond through show announcements and reviews, a show calendar and more.

Contact:

N2D Media Group

248.421.6476

contact@n2dmediagroup.com

www.n2dmediagroup.com

The 'Keet Tweets for the week of Dec. 13

What's Bob the Budgie been chirping to on CBC Radio 3 lately?

Black Mountain - "Wilderness Heart" 

Shred Kelly - "Goodbye July"

The Barmitzvah Brothers - "All The Things You'll Need" (from their new album, Growing Branches)

The Zolas - "Snow"

Soundtrack for the Season

Want to share your love of Canadian indie music this holiday season? Download Ho Ho Ho Canada III from our friends across the pond, the Line of Best Fit, and slip it into the CD player with the Vince Guaraldi and Bing Crosby. It's a wonderful-- and free-- compilation that features some of our favourite Canadian indie artists, including The Mountains & The Trees, Slow Down, Molasses, The Wilderness of Manitoba, Al Tuck, Malajube, Kellarissa and more. Makes a great stocking stuffer, too.

Yort Party!

We often write about the CBC Radio 3 community and how unique and special it is.
This is a perfect example.

Show Review: 1, 2, 3, 4

One fair in Michigan, U.S.A. and one Phest in Windsor, O.N.T. equaled a satisfying serving of music in two countries for N2D back on Sat., Sept. 17-- even if our work schedule did cut the buffet short.

We're still not sure how Hey Rosetta! from St. John's, NL, ended up playing at the bustling DIY Street Fair in Ferndale, Mich. We were just happy to see one of our favourite bands twice in one year, meet fellow R3 blogger michelka (we are big fans of her artwork; check it out) and sip a little mead. With the sunset for a backdrop, Hey Rosetta! delivered a show every bit as good as the one in June and to a wider audience. Overheard: "Who are these guys? They're really good."

While Ferndale was showcasing more than 50 Detroit area bands and one band from NL, Phog Phest 3 was showcasing one Detroit band-- the High Strung-- one band from Winnipeg-- Grand Analog-- and some of the best of Windsor's indie music scene, including hometown hero headliners, Elliott BROOD.














We arrived in time for a chat with Grand Analog's personable and articulate Odario Williams before his set, who entertained us with a great story about sneaking into a Pink Floyd concert in Winnipeg when he was in his early teens. His skills as a raconteur carried over on the stage and established a solid rapport with the enthusiastic crowd, despite the fact Grand Analog hasn't had a new release since 2009's Metropolis is Burning. We'd love to hear more of the band's dub/R&B-inflected hip hop like "Electric City," which Williams turned into a group sing-along. Yes, music makes the world go 'round.

Phog Phest 3 marks the fourth time we've seen Elliott BROOD, and every time they've delivered 100 percent. You never get the feeling that they've written it all down for the audience one too many times, and the Phog Phest audience sure didn't appear to be tired of banging pots, pans and cookie sheets. The BROOD's newest album, Days Into Years, is folkier than their previous efforts but has resonated with listeners in a big way. The band is up for two CBC Radio 3 Bucky Awards-- Most Canadian Song for "Northern Air," and Best Vocals for "When I Get Old." Winners will be announced this Weds., Dec. 7 beginning at 2 p.m. EST.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images