Cover Song of the Day 2: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – The Safety Dance (Men Without Hats)

Posted on by Ricky in Covers, Song of the Day | Leave a comment

Toronto – I first heard this cover of Men Without Hat’s The Safety Dance on an episode of Gossip Girl a few months ago. I made a mental note and now in the middle of July, that mental note has now manifested itself in the form of this post. The cover of this classic 80s synth pop song is done by Danish band The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, an up and coming band that just released an EP called The Golden Age. This cover replaces the synthesizers of the original with horns and brass. Throw in Mette Lindberg’s unique helium balloonesque voice and you have a totally unique take on the original that still retains the quality that made the first song so famous. Check it out.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Live dates:
9/23: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil @ Rock in Rio
10/01: Albany, NY @ Jillian’s
10/04: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/05: Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
10/07: Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex (Filter Culture Collide Festival)
10/09: Los Angeles, CA @ Block Party (Filter Culture Collide Festival)

Safety Dance by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

Cover Song of the Day: Miles Kane – A Girl Like You (Edwyn Collins)

Posted on by Ricky in Covers, Song of the Day | 1 Comment

Toronto – You might have never actually heard the name Miles Kane before, but certainly you will know his music. With previous stints in well regarded bands The Rascals and The Last Shadow Puppets, Miles Kane has certainly made a name for himself in the past few years within the NME/Brit indie garage rock world. With that in mind, the musician from England is now embarking on a solo journey, having released his debut album Colour of the Trap a few months ago. I don’t know when or why he did a cover of Edwynn Collin’s “A Girl Like You,” but it’s a pretty good cover for a song from a man who also embarked on a solo career after being in a band. Draw all the parallels you want and check out this track.

TO Fringe Review: Sex, Religion and Other Hangups

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In this one-man show, Toronto writer, actor, and improviser James Gangl turns a years-old personal journal into 60 minutes of hilarious, honest, tightly-woven theatre. Gangl performs most his show with the familiar style of an improviser. While he never asks the audience for a suggestion, one feels like he might at any moment – that’ s how at-ease he makes his audience feel. In a five-minute period he goes from manic, unbridled flow to crisp, tight, rhythmic spoken-word poetry to one-man, two-person scenes and back again. Under the capable direction of Chris Gibbs (whose own one-man shows have won over audiences across the country) Gangl gets very personal with an underdog point that makes his message universal. Many people who’ve lived their lives under the hovering thumb of the Catholic Church end up with repressed fetishes and guilt-laden desires. Thanks to Gangl, his journal, and his guts, we end up with one of this year’s must-see Fringe shows.

TO Fringe Review: When Harry Met Harry

Posted on by Brian in Fringe, Reviews, Theatre | Leave a comment

Toronto – If you’ve spent much time around the Fringe so far, you may have seen When Harry Met Harry performer Allan Girod handing out flyers or seeing other shows. I think I’ve seen him every day so far. A 6’9 Australian, he’s hard to miss. His pitch when he’s flyering is pretty good, I saw him get a positive response from a lot of people, and quite a few people at his sold-out show on Tuesday were there because he’d personally handed them a flyer.

Girod’s personable nature when handing out flyers is in stark contrast to his regimented, socially awkward character Harry. Harry lives for his job as a print specialist, goes through his checklist precisely during every phone call, won’t answer the phone before 9:00, and won’t speak for a second past noon. He favourite possession is his clock, and he times everything precisely.

Unfortunately for Harry, there’s been some complaints about his conduct, and he has to go to a “Personal Development Workshop,” which he dreads so much he tries to step in front of a car to get out of it. The workshop is where Girod really shines, playing both the over-the-top facilitator who urges everyone to repeat the mantra “conflict good, avoidance bad” and Harry, who’s called on as a volunteer for every exercise and can’t refuse because his boss is watching. It’s an exagerrated version of the sort of workshop many of us office and cubicle dwellers have been forced to attend at one time or another, and at this particular showing the audience really responded to it.

It’s a pretty good show, even though Harry’s story feels a bit unresolved at the end.

When Harry Met Harry plays at Venue 2. Check your Fringe program or the online play listings for showtimes.