Music Reviews

by Stephanie Silliker
When most kids are tucked into bed, Samantha Biagini is stealing the show at one of Toronto’s hottest music hubs.

The 12-year-old drummer from east-end Toronto rocked The Edge 102.1’s Nu Music Nite at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern on Tuesday July 22. Decked in pink sneakers and cut-off jean shorts, Biagini gave a powerful performance on The Shoe’s celebrated stage. She was accompanied by Chris Biagini (her dad) on guitar and vocals, and Mark Zarich on bass, in a band called Chasing Sam.

“Chris is usually the one who’s white-faced and nervous before going on,” said Vince Occhipinti, a Biagini family friend. “Sam’s always been the cool one.”

The Horseshoe was a tough gig to get. Chris Biagini said the promoter, Craig Laskey, was concerned that the little drummer girl was just a little too young to be playing at a 19-and-over establishment. But, with the help of Biagini’s coach, drummer Darrin Pfeiffer of Goldfinger, Chasing Sam landed the gig, and Biagini became the youngest drummer to play at The Shoe.

“She’s the type of child who makes things look so easy,” said Biagini’s mom, Debbie, a few minutes before Chasing Sam hit the stage at The Shoe.

Biagini is a rarity. She’s yet to reach her teens, but she’s got the kind of confidence and stage presence you’d find in a seasoned rock star. She’s astounded crowds with her beats at the MQMusic Fest 2008 at Downsview Park and the Drake Hotel’s Elvis Monday, an event that’s featured the best Indie music from around this city for 25 years.

Sam, or Sammy, as her dad likes to call her, developed a love affair with a miniature drum set at age six. Ever since then, Biagini has spent many a night in her basement practicing; inspired by the distinctive and powerful sounds of the late John Henry "Bonzo" Bonham of Led Zeppelin.

Biagini’s beats have even caught the ear of Avril Lavigne’s former drummer Matt Brann. As part of the team at BunkRock Entertainment, Brann helped Biagini get her first gig at the Drake in July 2006. She was just 10-years-old.

To top things off, Biagini has showcased her talent in a Mazda commercial, which aired for one year beginning in September 2006. Not bad for a string-bean kid, who just happens to be a straight-A student from St. Brigid Catholic Elementary School.

“Me and my friends at school ... We’re going to start an all-girl band,” said a beaming Biagini, as she waited back stage before her debut performance at The Horseshoe.

This young prodigy is the new “it” girl on the Canadian music scene.

Watch out; her star is rising fast.

by Haley Cullingham
For some reason, concerts this summer seemed doomed to drown in precipitation. In May and June, it was sweat. This weekend, it was rain. Epic, Noah’s Ark-style biblical-flood-type apocalypse rain. The kind of rain that soaks through your raincoat, pools in the bottom of your bag, drowns your cell phone, and turned Fort York, sight of The Roger’s Picnic, into a giant muddy slip ‘n’ slide. People were literally constructing forts out of blankets, ponchos, and garbage bags.

The disjointed line up of the Roger’s Festival wasn’t helped by the deluge. The beautiful skyline that framed the stage was entirely eveloped in fog. The shade stations, adorable white picnic umbrellas with raffia recliners below and pillows to spare, were drenched and floating inches above the ground. Stage hands squeegee’d the stage between sets, umbrellas in the beer tent were blown over by the wind, dumping water into keg cups and onto sun hats. Speaking of umbrellas, who actually thinks it’s a good idea to stand at a concert with one, completely obscuring the view of everyone behind you? It is, however, extremely hilarious when someone shakes out there umbrella straight into the face of someone sitting on the ground. Simple pleasures.

Unfortunately, the crowd at the Roger’s Picnic felt more like a disgruntled country club set watching a rain-soaked tennis match then anything else. Adding to the low morale was the extreme variety of the acts on the bill. Especially since the weather didn’t lend itself to perusing the vendors during the long lulls between sets, the show ultimately felt like a lot of waiting around. You might have been enjoying a performer, but chances are the people beside you were huddled in the rain, grimacing at the stage and waiting for the next band to play.

The music, however, managed to rise above. Dizzee Rascal, who played inexplicably early, battled against the crowd’s low energy and delivered an amazing set. Instead of being defeated by the rain, he and his hype man charged the stage and delivered a pitch-perfect hip hop show. At one particularly rainy point, when efforts to start a chant during ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’ failed miserably, his hype man burst out laughing. The two put on an amazing show, and managed to get the crowd dancing, despite the early set time and terrible weather.

The rain actually worked for some acts. The storm swelled in time with the music during Animal Collective’s set, achieving an epic, almost apocalyptic crescendo. Water flew off the mini-cymbal every time it was hit by Chromeo’s P-Thugg, but he and Dave 1 were so happy to be onstage that even the pouring rain couldn’t bring them down. The crowd loved it, and with giant grins on their faces, they played the best set of the day.

Cat Power, playing as the rain let up and it got dark out, was a different story. For Chromeo, the rain took a great performance and made it legendary as the two displayed an ability to start a dance party miles away from a dance floor and ankle deep in mud. For Cat Power, the crappy conditions took what could have been a good set and made it a forgettable one. Her performance, a bit low-energy due to her lack of voice, was still beautiful, and in any other circumstance, it would have been a good show. She drank tea from a keg cup and leant over the edge of the stage, a self-conscious air about her. But even with a sore throat, her voice was still gorgeous and full. She nervously tucked her hands in her back pockets as she sang and was in constant conversation with the sound guy at the side of the stage between songs. Her set was haunting, but didn't really lend itself to the muddy, rained-out vibe.

The concert finished up with a surprise DJ set in the dance tent from Chromeo's Dave 1. He delivered an extremely danceable set, and the crowd fed off his energy, barely noticing a few awkward moments.

All told, it was disappointing to see how much the rain effected what would otherwise have been an awesome day of music, but it would have been helpful if someone at Roger's had checked the weather forecast and made some precautions. I'm sure the communications giant isn't shedding too many tears over the wash-out, but seriously, next time I'd better get a free poncho.

by Haley Cullingham
I miss The OC. I miss the tans, I miss the fights, I miss the thinly disguised commercialization of niche culture. I miss Mischa Barton's wounded-face, and getting excited about seeing Olivia Wilde in boardshorts at Coachella. I miss the Chanel bags, and the pool-side tanning chairs. These are moments of my youth I will never get back. There was a fresh, exciting energy in the air in those days, and Everything All The Time is a Toronto band that is bringing that feeling back. The OC made it socially acceptable to fantasize that your life operated to a soundtrack of emo, swelling violins and indie rock and roll (which you were already doing anyway.) B.O.C (Before The OC), was it okay to halt a dorm room make-out session to re-start your iPod playlist? Who knows. (People who went to college before The OC, I would imagine). There are certain bands who gained exposure on the melodrama who are now permanently wedged in the hearts of pop culture, and Everything All The Time hearkens back to a lot of those musical fixtures. Were Seth Cohen still telling eager pretty year things what music they liked, the next song to play while Ryan and Marissa shared a tequila-soaked post-gunshot beachside kiss would be an Everything All The Time song. Their upbeat music, which is catchy and sunny with hints of punk, is the perfect backdrop to melodramatic should-we-shouldn't-we flipflop-wearing summer romance, and pensive gazing at the shoreline. The band infuses their rock tracks with electro elements and stream-of-consciousness vocals. Their pop sound is something you haven't heard in a while, and it's refreshing. Sip your cerveza and throw this on your boombox on endless summer evenings.  

Everything All The Time plays The Drake Underground Thursday, July 17th @ 9 pm 

myspace.com/everythingallthetimeband

by Haley Cullingham

Foxfire come out of orbit to talk about art, music, and themselves.  

Walking in to Foxfire's basement rehearsal space on Richmond is like walking into the coolest debauchery-garage in the space-time continuum. Prince posters are peeling from the walls, empty forties are rolling on the floor. The letters on the Marshall stacks are rearranged to spell people's names.  Cigarette smoke, lazy guitar riffs and keyboard notes fill the air, barely making a dent in the debates going on around me. Urban sprawl, Fellini movies, Toronto's cultural probability: the seven members of Foxfire are like the New York Times of drunk indie bands: All the News That's Fit to argue about in between sprawling sets of unexpected music. But they're also incredibly cohesive: in conversation, as in their music, they operate as a singular many-headed unit, ebbing and flowing, building off one another. Sometimes they back off to let each other shine, other times they all crash together in a cacophany that works with it's own chaos.  

When that chaos arranges itself into music; built by seven very different people with very different musical backgrounds, you get the reason that Foxfire (collectively Alex, Anna, Andre, Hannah, Joe, Neil and Sean) is special. "Every single one of us comes from a totally different musical background. Every single one of us." Their "folk songs from the future" exist at an intersection between old and new: a place where extensive knowledge of the past means creating something for the future.  Foxfire, unlike most bands today, are actually creating, not attempting to emulate a concept that has worked in the past.  They've taken a mixture of different influences and combined them into something unique. "What we're just trying to do is have a fun time, play good music, and start a fucking party." 

The thing about Foxfire is they have an element of something unique. When you're jammed into an over-air-conditioned practice space 3 feet away from them, that element becomes something tangible, like a physical force sitting in the room powered by the seven of them and their proximity to one another. But maybe that's too lofty. What they're all about  is "seeing the kids dance." 

As a band, their list of inspirations reach up, out, around, and back, from architecture and topographical art to "people in general." Names of films and directors are thrown around, from Blade Runner and the Godfather to Akira Kurosawa, the Japanese director who once spent days holding up filming to make sure the clouds were in exactly the right place. Is it this struggle for an absolute translation of concept to creation that links them to Kurosawa? Maybe, but it's more about the synergy between the members of Foxfire themselves. "I like to think of us as the Seven Samurai," says Joe, straight-faced behind his beer can.

The band as a whole were raised in Toronto, and like Broken Social Scene, something about the city's mayhem of cultural and aesthetic mosaic is absorbed into their music. In the same way that Toronto isn't quite like anywhere else, neither is Foxfire's sound. They're making "music that can transcend right now, because I don't feel like I've heard a lot of records lately where I could listen to them in 20 years." They're confident about their goals as a band, and the conversation doesn't go very long without returning to the music. "We're not about being the next big thing or anything, we're just about being good at what we're doing." And they are. The songs are tight and complex, often taking unexpected turns in genre or direction but never straying too far outside of themselves. Their songs harken back to a time when "musicality was key," and had a soul, no matter what that soul sounded like. Says Neil, "People latch onto that." 

People are latching on to Foxfire. Whether it's their sound, energy, or style, or a combination of all three, they're taking over the city. Go see them at Wrongbar this Thursday with The Whip and DJ Vaneska, get drunk, and have a party.  "[We] just want to make music people are gonna fuck to."  

myspace.com/foxfireforest

by Haley Cullingham
Anyone feeling a void in their heart for deliciously complicated folk music will be happy come July 5th. East Vancouver's Language Arts brings their Canadian tour to Toronto to dazzle the city with their beautiful, summery sound. Language Arts songs jump from airy, delicate melodies with hippie lyrics, to darker efforts with Aesop Rock-type vocals, and at their best they combine both. Reminiscent of concrete streets, and staring out your apartment window at a blinking neon sign or a melting ocean sunset, rarely is something at once experimental, ground-breaking, and listenable in a very addictive way. It's not every musician who could find her name in the liner notes next to 'classical guitar and hip hop vocals,' but that is the beauty and mystery of Kristen Cudmore and Language Arts. About their sound, Kristen says, "We're like a family. We all bring different ideas to the table, which is exciting...[our sound] keeps re-defining itself and we're OK with that."

They've drawn crowds and sold-out shows at festivals, venues, and bars from coast-to-coast, ("You get to see so many different landscapes [touring Canada]...we are lucky to have all of this space!") but this is their first time doing it all in one go. Next Saturday, go eat some nachos and drink some beers, and be the first to see a band all of your friends will be talking about come August.

July 5th, 11 pm @ Rancho Relaxo

http://www.myspace.com/languageartsnet

By Jen Houston 

Okay, so I don’t really watch music television anymore. I admit that even at 24, I feel too old for the idle VJ chatter, shiny hair extensions, and tackily trendy outfits. But watching online, I can bypass the cultural assault and find my own gems. These particular videos I found quite weird and wonderful… you may want to skip all but the Moby one if you’re epileptic though! They’re all full of flashing colours! 

So turn off the lights and expect LSD flashbacks from these five videos: 

Uncalibrated

Bridges and Powerlines

Ghost Types

Consultant: Ben Salley

This NYC quartet calls its music "state-school nerd rock"... whatever that means. In any case, apparently the visual companion to state-school nerd rock is an awesome sock puppet video! B&P says it had already filmed most of a traditional video, when they decided to can the whole thing in favour of this 20-person cast extravaganza. Who doesn’t love sock puppets?

Heart Invaders

Eightcubed

Eightcubed

Creator: Dan Swan

While Eightcubed is Canadian, England’s Dan Swan created this busy video, which gloriously reeks of 80s space cheese.  The flashing neon cartoons made me dizzy; the LEGO space board made me nostalgic.

Okie Dokie

Dan Deacon

Spiderman of the Rings

Director: David Hughes

Beginning to end, this video is exercise for the eyes. It uses intricate cut-ups to show Dan doing his thing, mixed with strange scenes in other techniques. My favourite part is the lady’s petting hand, which brings the video to the peak of abnormality.

I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Black Kids

Partie Traumatic

Director: Chris Boyle

This video takes the ‘band-performs-in-an-empty-room’ cliché to surprisingly exciting places. Highlights include ballroom dancing, cheerleaders, 70s psychedelics, dance step charts, laser guns, band members’ auras, and cardboard cut-outs reminiscent of a high-school play. At some points it looks like someone beat up an iPod commercial…

Disco Lies

Moby

Last Night

Okay, so Moby is popular enough that your grandma showed you this video last month. This tongue-in-cheek video is about a giant rooster-pimp seeking revenge on a fried chicken colonel. Random shots of singer Shayna Steele as a Foxy Cleopatra-esque diva confuse me.

by Haley Cullingham
If Black Hat Brigade had their way, they would re-form with their heroes, David Bowie, Neil Young, and Gord Downey, as the greatest glam-rock country band Canada has ever seen. Over beers at Free Times Cafe, guitarist Bryan turns to bandmate Rob. "Would you play keyboards for Neil Young?"

"If he would let me, yes." Rob replies. "It would be more like grand piano."

Bryan turns to Justin, their bassist. "Who would you want to play with?"

Without pause, Justin responds. "Wu Tang Clan."

"And Adam," Bryan finishes, gesturing to the corner, where their lead guitarist is destroying a basket of hot wings, "Adam would want to play with Cyndi Lauper." Laughter all around.

It would be quite the show. However. For the time being, Black Hat Brigade are busy, playing shows and recording EPs as one of the most exciting independent rock n roll outfits in the city. The band's identity is truly a collaboration of the varied personalities within, and influences without. "Rob stole our name from a Kurt Vonnegut book." Bryan says. Playing in NXNE this year, the band, which formed a year and a half ago, have been playing shows in and around the GTA, with a sound that is at once familiar and unique. "We all switch instruments a lot," Bryan says, speaking to the sprawling collaborative quality in their songs. "That's my favourite part," he continues, "the...eclecticness of the creation." Rob laughs. The guys had their first show at The Horseshoe, and it's still one of their favourite venues, along with The Boat ("A great spot. The stage is the perfect size.") and Rancho Relaxo, where they've had some memorable performances.

"There's this one sound guy at Rancho Relaxo, everyone just calls him Spock." says Bryan, "I don't know if that's his real name, but I hope it is. He sound-checked everything with a flute. And so the next time we went to play, we asked him if he wanted to come up and play on one of our songs. We have this one instrumental song, so we told him 'you can play whatever you want', and he came up, and it was the best. That was a really cool night. " When they're not playing you'll find them drinking cheap PBR at Baby Huey's, where Justin works, or at Sweaty Betty's, around the corner from their downtown jam space. The boys obviously have a love for the city. "We've had a great experience, people have been very helpful. We've had a couple of great promoters get behind us and help us out," says Bryan of the Toronto music community, but also mentioning Canadian blogs like Hero Hill, and festivals like Canadian Music Week and NXNE. "So far we've been on pretty solid bills. We've had a great Toronto experience." Some other Toronto bands that get the guys excited about the scene are Oh No Forest Fires, who played their EP release party, and Golden Hands Before God, "I like that [in music today] people can just make whatever song they want. Go listen to Frog Eyes. That there is the most ridiculous, yelping, seven minute song you've ever heard and it's incredible." Bryan says. "I think what I dig most," says Rob, "is that there are some really good bands out there who are getting some really good recognition and pretty much none of it involves any air play on any major radio stations." Their enthusiasm for music in the city, and music in general, is contagious, and so is the genuine excitement about their own creative efforts. This is clearly a band that loves making music, and is going to keep going about that in their own unique way.

Black Hat Brigade plays Rancho Relaxo on July 11, and plays in Ottawa with The Handsome Furs in August 

myspace.com/blackhatbrigade

by Haley Cullingham

Sweaty. Sweaty, sweaty, sweaty.  My NXNE weekend is a steamy blur of neon, booze and music, and that's just how it should be. Stumbling from bar to bar and band to band attempting not to lose your wristband and your dignity. (Wristband: still have it. Dignity: Questionable). After Friday night's apocalyptic thunderstorm, I was whisked away in a taxi to Wrongbar, and hit in the face by a grinning vision in cotton behind the turntables. James Pants is my uncontested new favourite thing. His set ranged from the classic to the undefinable, and was through and through a dance party of champions. The Spokane DJ's grand finale serenade was almost enough to make me buy a poncho and pack my bags for the Pacific Northwest. Following the mighty Pants was Peanut Butter Wolf, founder of Stone's Throw and DJ extraordinaire. Most of the crowd had been waiting all night drenched in sweat and tequila to see him, and the reaction was amazing. Party! Now stumble home, fall in bed, wake up the next day, and repeat. 

In an effort to accomplish being the drunkest kids at NXNE on Saturday night, my trusty compatriot and I bathed in vodka and hit the streets. And these were some crowded streets. Battling our way through Taste of Little Italy to get to Spadina, we saw Paper Lions at the El Mocambo. When a band comes all the way from Charlottetown to play a show, expectations run high. And when a band brings several kilowatts of energy for every kilometre travelled to reach the venue, so does the temperature. As the city got dark, we wandered down to Queen St., where the sidewalks were full of anxious concert-goers and an open NOW, NXNE schedule displayed, rested on top of every newspaper box. The line outside the Horseshoe stretched around the corner, many a be-wristbanded hipster (the cool kids wear them on their upper arms, natch.) fighting with the bouncer for entry. But he was a wall of stone beneath his afro, and we lasted about 5 minutes in line before deciding to go on an adventure. The nature of NXNE is such that you can close your eyes and point at the schedule, and chances are you're within walking distance of the band your finger lands on. This scientific method of journalism landed us at the Black Bull, where I had reached a point of intoxication worthy of asking Kyle to physically restrain me if for some reason I thought it was necessary to perform a jig (likely) during The Prelude's set. Afterwards, on our stroll back down Queen St., we saw that the Horseshoe line had grown into a monster of epic proportions. "It's because of Hey Rosetta and Matt Mays," said one festival-goer, a pretty brown-haired girl in shorts. "I hope we get in, though. We came all the way from Newfoundland." There should be priority given to those travelling from an independent land mass.  

The culmination of our evening was to be Pat Mahoney at Wrongbar, and by the time we got there the only accurate way to describe the glassed-in entryway was sauna. The bouncer working the inner door must have the softest skin in the city. The crowd at Wrongbar was bedraggled, decidely beautiful, and still dancing. My favourite thing about North by Northeast is the extension of the bar hours. There is something very magical about dancing until the wee hours without worrying about the lights coming on, and stumbling home at sunrise. During NXNE the city is truly your playground, and though the bands and the attendees ranged from all over the world, the energy in the air was very characteristically Toronto: supporting new bands, drinking 'til dawn, and getting oh so sweaty.  

myspace.com/jamespants
myspace.com/pbwolf
myspace.com/paperlions
myspace.com/theprelude1
myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem

by Haley Cullingham
Every summer, as soon as it gets too hot to feel your face, NXNE invades the city.  Hundreds of shows play over one steamy weekend, and standing-room-only becomes a state of being for every music venue, dive bar, and dance floor in Toronto. Overwhelmed? Don't be. She Does The City has created a how-to guide to this year's fest, telling you where to be and when to catch the cool, the new, the re-vamped and the wierd. Every night has it's guaranteed hits (Ted Leo &  The Pharmacists, Sloan @ Mod Club on Thursday, Evan Dando @ Horseshoe on Friday, My Morning Jacket @ Kool Haus on Monday), and SDTC has rounded up a few of our lesser-known and unmissable favourites.  But remember, the whole point of NXNE is discovering the next band you're going to fall in love with, so don't hesitate. Grab a wristband (Only $29!) and amble into the first bar you see-with North by Northeast, you never know what you might find there.  

THURSDAY'S TOP FIVE 

1. Great Lake Swimmers @ PEARSON AIRPORT STAGE A, 5 pm

Canadian folk doesn't get any better than the loveliness of Great Lake Swimmers
myspace.com/greatlakeswimmers

Sounds like: Iron & Wine

You'll be standing beside: Jake, that hot camp counsellor you were too nervous to talk to when you were 9, and his gorgeous, make-up-free girlfriend 

2.The Coast @ THE HORSESHOE, 9pm

When (awesome) local indie band The Coast says dance, you dance, dig?

myspace.com/thecoastmusic

Sounds Like: The Ghost is Dancing

You'll be standing beside: OCAD scenesters in shirtdresses with messy hair 

3. Let's Go to War @ WRONGBAR, 11pm

The kind of music that makes you feel drunk no matter how much vodka you've had. PARTY!
myspace.com/letsgotowarmusic

Sounds Like: If Justice and Lil Wayne had a love child

You'll be standing beside: Gorgeous asian boys in white t-shirts and skintight neon jeans 

4. Small Sins @ HORSESHOE, 11pm

If all independent music sounded like Small Sins, the world would be a better place
myspace.com/smallsins

Sounds Like: Modest Mouse

You'll be standing beside: Shy boys shoulder-shuffling in American Apparel hoodies 

5. Black Hat Brigade @ NEUTRAL, 11 pm

Good old-fashioned indie rock and roll
myspace.com/blackhatbrigade

Sounds Like: Yo La Tengo

You'll be standing beside: Two kids you knew in high school wearing plaid and making out.  

FRIDAY's TOP FIVE 

1. Love Kills @ GLADSTONE, 9 pm

Doing good things with guitars
myspace.com/lovekillsmusic

Sounds like: Exclaim! compared them to Jesus and Mary Chain, and we're not arguing

You'll be standing beside:  Anyone who's ever gotten drunk in Trinity-Bellwoods 

2. Julie Doiron @ HORSESHOE, 11pm

Simple, haunting and wonderful folk, plus she's ADORABLE
myspace.com/juliedoiron

Sounds like: Neko Case

You'll be standing beside: Tall girls in vintage dresses drinking red wine  

3.Oholics @ SILVER DOLLAR ROOM, 12 am

In keeping with NXNE's international focus this year, some Swedish electro-rock goodness.
myspace.com/oholics

Sounds like: If The Who and Jack White had a jam session in the IKEA cafeteria

You'll be standing beside: Dude, is that Sharin Foo?  

4. Justin Rutledge @ REVERB, 1 am

Exactly what folk should be. Go slow dance.
myspace.com/justinrutledge

Sounds like: Ryan Adams

You'll be standing beside: Your friend's cool dad, squelching tears 

5. OPOPO @ SUPERMARKET, 1 am

Guaranteed to be the best dance party all night.
myspace.com/opopotunes

Sounds like: Crystal Castles

You'll be standing beside: Sweaty, sweaty dancing hipsters 

SATURDAY's TOP FIVE 

1. The Paper Lions @ EL MOCAMBO DOWNSTAIRS, 8 pm

Indie from P.E.I. that sounds like walking down a sidewalk holding hands with Jason Schwartzman. Stick around for the whole Musebox Showcase (The Two Koreas, We Are Wolves, The High Dials, and more)
myspace.com/paperlionsmusic

Sounds like: Shout Out Louds

You'll be standing beside: Boys in waistcoasts, girls in slouchy leather boots 

2. Dance Yourself to Death@ HOLY JOE'S, 9pm

They were in a movie produced by Elton John!
myspace.com/danceyourselftodeath

Sounds like: Rilo Kiley

You'll be standing beside: Awesome asymmetrical haircuts 

3. Rebekah Higgs @ HORSESHOE, 9pm

Excellent Halifax singer-songrwriter. Crazy-catchy.
myspace.com/rebekahhiggs

Sounds like: Sarah Harmer v. The Shins

You'll be standing beside: English majors in scarves and big silver earrings 

4. Spiral Beach @ HORSESHOE, 10 pm

Pure fun in the way that's illegal in George Bush's America.
myspace.com/spiralbeach

Sounds like: Los Campesinos

You'll be standing beside: Girls in minidresses and their skinny gay best friends 

5. Entire Cities @ CADILLAC LOUNGE, 1am

Fantastic rootsy country
myspace.com/entirecities

Sounds like: Wilco

You'll be standing beside: Your new boyfriend

Everyone’s Favourite Magazine Takes a Roadtrip

by Haley Cullingham

Nylon is taking their NYC cool on the road to cities and towns across North America. The line-up features the indie-rock goodness of She Wants Revenge, The Virgins, Be Your Own Pet, and Switches. Meet the talent :  

Justin Warfield and Adam Bravin of She Wants Revenge have been making music for over two decades, and their individual resumes carry collaborations with everyone from Dr. Dre to The Chemical Brothers. (No big deal, though.) Dark, dance-influenced, and never boring, this Californian band begs Interpol comparisons and escapes definition.  

http://www.myspace.com/shewantsrevenge

Is there anything cooler than opening for Sonic Youth? How about opening for Sonic Youth before you officially have a band name? Or playing one of your first gigs at Bungalow 8, in front of a crowd of New York’s finest, drunkest socialites? That’s The Virgins’ pedigree, a New Wave-y New York band with talent exceeded only by their collective hipster dreaminess. NYC! NYC!  

http://www.myspace.com/thevirginsnyc 

With her baby-Karen O voice and fab spastic dance moves, Be Your Own Pet’s front-woman, Jemima Pearl, throws more energy behind her individual performance than most bandmembers manage to come up with between them. Pearl’s band-mates meet the challenge and deliver equally amazing performances, and the resulting show is sure to incite a dance-riot (is there anything better?)  

http://www.myspace.com/beyourownpetmusic

More 60’s-inspired than their American tour-mates, the UK’s Switches can’t escape British Invasion references, and they definitely live up to them.  

http://www.myspace.com/weareswitches

Get your bod-ay to the Phoenix June 4th for the Nylon Summer Music Tour.  

http://www.nylonmag.com/summertour