Concert Review: Faust, July 15, Jam Factory

Posted on July 18, 2018 by Ricky in Concerts | 1 Comment

IMG_0233
Photo by C.L

A unique venue and a suffocating heat wave set the stage nicely for Krautrock legends faUSt. Known for their experimental, avant-garde style of music, faUSt has always been about unsettling the spaces that they were in and frankly, when you have to watch a show in 35 degree heat in a packed room, you feel quite unsettled.

Often known for unique instruments, the trio, led by Jean-Herve Peron, didn’t quite bring the pinball machines or chainsaws that had garnered some fame in previous shows but still managed to bang on the occasional metallic things that surrounded the makeshift stage. Musically diverse, the band’s sound took many twists and turns, ranging from percussive heavy industrial sounding noise to surprisingly groovy guitar tracks that had people tapping their feet.

From the ever changing landscape of their sounds to the visual aesthetics (including a local artist who was just knitting on stage) to the fierce nature of Jean-Herve Peron himself (at one point, he said to a person who was talking a lot, “It’s not your show, it’s MY SHOW”), faUSt put on a show that appealed to many senses. I was not at all familiar with the band, but when I go to see a new act, all I want to experience is something that I haven’t experienced before. Safe to say, faUSt filled that quota pretty easily.

Song Of The Day: Sarah Shook & The Disarmers – New Ways to Fail

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Paul in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

Sarah_Shook_Disarmers_Promo_Photo_by_John_Gessner_2018_2
Photo by John Gessner

With its chorus of “I need this shit like I need another hole in my head,” Sarah Shook and the Disarmers’ “New Ways To Fail,” the new single off of their sophomore album Years (released earlier this year on Bloodshot Records), has the potential to become a bit of an anthem.

And not only is the song a perfect example of Shook’s catchy as hell songwriting, but the video may also have the potential to catalyze an as yet unexplored crossover between country music and skateboarding. Check it out:

Concert Review: Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, July 11, Opera House

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Paul in Concerts | Leave a comment

20180711_221659

Addressing the crowd early on in his set, Femi Kuti noted that he’s not as young as he once was, making it a bit harder than it used to be to maintain the same level of energy over four consecutive nights in a row on tour. Not that he showed any signs of slowing down after all these years – Femi Kuti is a masterful performer, giving his all for the duration of his set.

“The world is going through another phase. And this is not a time to be silent or else you will not have a voice,” Kuti said to the crowd at one point, urging us all not to become complacent or ignore the troubles going on in our world and asking us all to sing together in harmony. Though just a symbolic gesture, it was certainly one way of having our voices heard and certainly helped to give some hope for a better world.

Kuti’s music has always had a political edge to it and this night was clearly no different as he and his 12 piece band The Positive Force (composed of keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, percussion, 4 horns, and 3 singer/dancers) played an incredibly energetic and passionate set that was focused just as much on a passion for justice and resistance as on their extended Afrobeat jams.

Concert Preview: Faust at Jam Factory

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Ricky in Everything | Leave a comment

faust
Photo credit: Jan Lankisch

Wavelength prior to this week has always been known to put on shows for eclectic Toronto bands, so it was a surprise to see them book German krautrock band faUSt this summer. Even more surprising was that it was booked at a place called the Jam Factory, which sounds like a place you would go in the ’90s to listen to Chris Shepard or something.

Nevertheless, here we are, one week away from from what should be a pretty interesting show in the east end. Formed in 1971, Faust released four albums in the ’70s full of experimental rock that eventually, along with a few other bands, become labelled as Kraut Rock. They then disappeared for twenty years before re-emerging in the ’90s and have been casually around since then.

They just released their Fresh Air album last year and are touring now in support of that. It’s an opportunity to see a unique band in a unique space, so go check it out!

faUst play Sunday, July 15 at the Jam Factory.

« Previous   1 2 ... 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 ... 786 787   Next »