Austin’s South-by-Southwest (QRO recap) has spawned numerous further industry fests in indie-music friendly locals like Portland, Oregon (MusicFest NW – QRO recap), but the best is Toronto’s North-by-Northeast, which takes in all of Canada’s massive alternative music scene (thank you, Factor Program!…), as well as key acts from south of the border and beyond. It hits up spaces around Toronto Wednesday-to-Sunday, June 12th-16th:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12th
The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L5
9:00 PM – Heaven For Real
9:45 PM – The Mouthbreathers
10:30 PM – Astral Gunk
11:15 PM – CROSSS
12:00 AM – YELLOWTEETH
12:45 AM – Legato Vipers
Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
10:00 PM – Ungrateful Children
11:00 PM – Shotgun Cure
12:00 AM – Phantom
1:00 AM – Crawl
2:00 AM – Midnight Malice
Cameron House, 408 Queen St W, M5V 2A7
8:00 PM – Samantha Clemons
9:00 PM – The Pelts
10:00 PM – Brad Fillatre
11:00 PM – Kalle Mattson
12:00 AM – Julian Taylor Band
1:00 AM – CRHYMES
The Central, 603 Markham St, M6G 2L7
8:00 PM – Marta Pacek
9:00 PM – L’Indice
10:00 PM – Curse in the Woods
11:00 PM – Ainsley McNeaney
12:00 AM – Before the Flood
1:00 AM – Children’s Hospital Band
C’est What, 67 Front St E, M5E 1B5
8:00 PM – Matthew de Zoete
9:00 PM – Express & Company
10:00 PM – Shannon Rose & The Thorns
11:00 PM – Wind-Up Radio Sessions
12:00 AM – Electric Environment
1:00 AM – Coronado
Cherry Cola’s Rock n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, 200 Bathurst St, M5T 2R7
9:00 PM – Die By Remote
10:00 PM – Mad Anthony
11:00 PM – The Bare Minimum
12:00 AM – The Normals
1:00 AM – The Standstills
Crawford, 718 College St, M6G 1C3
9:00 PM – Ausar Ra Black Hawk (FuseBox Radio Broadcast)
10:00 PM – Anami Vice
10:30 PM – Madia
11:00 PM – Santiago x the Natural
11:30 PM – La-Nai & The Free People
12:00 AM – Truth Universal
1:00 AM – DJ Fusion (FuseBox Radio Broadcast)
Creatures Creating, 822 Dundas St W, M6V 1J3
8:15 PM – Natalie Zina Walschots
8:30 PM – Terry Clement
8:45 PM – Aaron Manczyk
9:00 PM – Liz Worth
9:30 PM – Isaac Paris
9:45 PM – Joey Comeau
10:00 PM – Hal Niedzviecki
10:15 PM – Gregory Pepper & His Problems
Czehoski, 678 Queen St W, M6J 1E5
8:00 PM – Matthew McCully
9:00 PM – Ruby Randall
10:00 PM – blueVenus
11:00 PM – The Almighty Rhombus
12:00 AM – Dress Rehearsal
1:00 AM – The High Winds
Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, M6J 3A1
8:00 PM – Nick Faye and the Deputies
9:00 PM – Hartwell Littlejohn
10:00 PM – Trevor Alguire
11:00 PM – Tommy Brunett
12:00 AM – Todd May
1:00 AM – The North
The Detour Bar, 193 1/2 Baldwin St, M5T 2L9
9:00 PM – S.M.
10:00 PM – Wasted Measures
11:00 PM – The Plugs
12:00 AM – BABYSITTER
1:00 AM – We Were Heads
The Drake Hotel Underground, 1150 Queen St W, M6J 1J3
8:00 PM – Sue Newberry & The Law
9:00 PM – Cousin
10:00 PM – Decent Lovers
11:00 PM – Air Dubai
12:00 AM – Do Good Assassins
1:00 AM – Sidney York
Free Times Cafe, 320 College St, M5T 1S3
10:00 PM – Jim Layeux
11:00 PM – Joey O’Neil
12:00 AM – Maneli Jamal
1:00 AM – Bunmi Adeoye
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St W, M6J 1X3
9:00 PM – Ben Boles
11:00 PM – PROGRAM
12:00 AM – special guest
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St W, M6J 1J6
8:00 PM – Njacko Backo
9:00 PM – Tich Maredza Band
10:00 PM – Madagascar Slim
11:00 PM – Foly Asiko
12:00 AM – Trinity
Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L4
9:00 PM – This Ship
10:00 PM – Willie Stratton & The Boarding Party
11:00 PM – Dance Movie
12:00 AM – Quake Matthews
1:00 AM – Kuato
Hard Luck Bar, 772A Dundas St W, M6J 1V1
8:00 PM – Psycho Mad Sally
9:00 PM – Vagina Panther
10:00 PM – Machinegun Suzie
11:00 PM – The Yips
12:00 AM – This Hisses
Hideout, 484 Queen St W, M5V 2B2
9:00 PM – In My Coma
10:00 PM – CAIIRO FOSTER
11:00 PM – The Lad Classic
12:00 AM – V.A.
1:00 AM – Los Oxidados
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – The Maladies of Adam Stokes
10:00 PM – Bailiff
11:00 PM – Reuben & The Dark
12:00 AM – GROUNDERS
1:00 AM – The Damn Truth
Magpie, 831 Dundas St W, M6J 1V4
9:00 PM – Pilot Light
10:00 PM – Youth Season
11:00 PM – Josh Geddis
May, 876 Dundas St W, M6J 1V7
7:00 PM – ATTAGIRL
8:00 PM – Seam
9:00 PM – Stuck On Planet Earth
10:00 PM – Take With Audio
11:00 PM – MANcub
12:00 AM – The Bloody Five
Measure, 296 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Tara Priya
10:00 PM – The Lovelocks
11:00 PM – Vibonics
12:00 AM – The Cheap Thrills
1:00 AM – Dirty Names
Mod Club Theatre, 722 College St, M6G 1C4
9:00 PM – Depedro
10:00 PM – Calexico
Tucson’s Calexico mix Tex & Mex, indie-rock & Americana for a singular sound, most recently with last year’s Algiers.
Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St, M6J 2N8
9:00 PM – Brendan Croskerry
10:00 PM – Viktrola
11:00 PM – hopeful monster
12:00 AM – Sunfields
1:00 AM – Andrew Rodriguez & The Good Bad Kids
Nocturne, 550 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
8:15 PM – Adrian Sawyer
8:30 PM – JJones (host)
8:45 PM – DJ Mike Stoan
9:45 PM – Lil Jaxe
10:00 PM – MegaCity Kiddz
10:10 PM – L.S.
10:50 PM – Peter Jackson
11:15 PM – Massacre
11:25 PM – H Da Monsta
11:35 PM – Jelly Too Fly
11:45 PM – Rochester
11:55 PM – JDon
12:10 AM – DJ Mike Stoan & EVILoution
The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave, M6J 2Z9
8:00 PM – Star & Micey
9:00 PM – Fine Canadian Forces
10:00 PM – Bravery Cat (Carlo Meriano)
11:00 PM – Golden Bloom
12:00 AM – Girlfriends and Boyfriends
1:00 AM – The Weak Need
The Piston, 937 Bloor St W, M6H 1L5
8:00 PM – Bernice
9:00 PM – Ed Askew
10:00 PM – Two Wings
11:00 PM – Devon Sproule + Mike O’Neill
12:00 AM – Marker Starling
1:00 AM – Opal Onyx
Rancho Relaxo, 300 College St, M5T 1R9
8:00 PM – Mouth
9:00 PM – Thought Beneath Film
10:00 PM – Coyote
11:00 PM – Artful Vandelays
12:00 AM – Elos Arma
1:00 AM – Mute
Rivoli, 332 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
8:00 PM – Human Bodies
9:00 PM – Heaven
11:00 PM – Mozart’s Sister
12:00 AM – Gentleman Reg
1:00 AM – SATURNS
2:00 AM – Duck Duck Goose
The man in the back of virtually every big alt-outfit from Toronto, Reg Vermue – a.k.a. Gentleman Reg (QRO photos at a festival) – plays his hometown fest behind last year’s collection of Leisure Life EPs (QRO EP review).
The Shop @ Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
10:00 PM – Rituals
11:00 PM – Milk Music
12:00 AM – special guest
Olympia, Washington’s Milk Music (QRO live review) channel eighties punks like Black Flag & Hüsker Dü.
(also playing the Garrison on Thursday, 1:00 AM)
Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
8:00 PM – Listen, Girl
9:00 PM – Midway After Dark
10:00 PM – The Honeyrunners
11:00 PM – Crazy Strings
Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L9
8:00 PM – Frank Ryan
9:00 PM – Riot In the Valley
10:00 PM – Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk
11:00 PM – Samantha Martin and the Haggard
12:00 AM – The Box Tiger
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Rob Bebenek
9:10 PM – Allie Myers
9:20 PM – Ben Beauchemin
9:30 PM – Adam Paisley
9:40 PM – Justin Williams
9:50 PM – Kyle Hickey
10:00 PM – Luke Thayer
Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St W, M5V 1A1
8:00 PM – 1990future
9:00 PM – Bury the Hatchet
10:00 PM – The Pick Brothers Band
12:00 AM – Janitors
Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St W, M6K 1L6
8:30 PM – Seth Narley
8:45 PM – Marce Reazon
9:00 PM – D-Bonez
9:15 PM – Vader the Villin
9:30 PM – ANTHM
9:45 PM – CReW
10:10 PM – Mickey Factz
10:25 PM – Dee Goodz
10:45 PM – Jimmy B
11:05 PM – After the Smoke
11:25 PM – Deniro Farrar
11:45 PM – UTB LIFE$TYLE
12:15 AM – The Antiheroes
THURSDAY, JUNE 13th
BLK BOX, 1087 Queens St W, M6J 1H3
8:00 PM – Dream Affair
9:00 PM – Black Marble
10:00 PM – Cellphone
11:00 PM – Ell V Gore
12:00 AM – No Joy
1:00 AM – Tonstartssbandht
2:00 AM – Kontravoid
3:00 AM – Jubal Brown
The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L5
9:00 PM – Paper Thick Walls
10:00 PM – Epic Rain
11:00 PM – Sing Leaf
12:00 AM – Indoor Voices
1:00 AM – The Nameless Girl
2:00 AM – The Futureless
Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
9:00 PM – Kiz & Legin
10:00 PM – Colornoise
11:00 PM – WAXY
12:00 AM – Phoenix Thunderbird
1:00 AM – Delinquints
Cameron House, 408 Queen St W, M5V 2A7
12:00 PM – Ryan Smeeton (street art)
12:00 PM – Hart Goetze (street art)
8:00 PM – Inlet Sound
9:00 PM – Heidi Happy
10:00 PM – Jeffery Straker
11:00 PM – The Lighthouse and the Whaler
12:00 AM – Angela Perley and the Howlin’ Moons
1:00 AM – Find the Others
The Central, 603 Markham St, M6G 2L7
8:00 PM – Cade
9:00 PM – Jon Davis
10:00 PM – Emilie & Ogden
11:00 PM – Colour Code
12:00 AM – Low Hanging Lights
1:00 AM – Holyoak
C’est What, 67 Front St E, M5E 1B5
8:00 PM – The james clark institute
9:00 PM – Gem Andrews
10:00 PM – A Brief View of the Hudson
11:00 PM – Jamie Bendell
12:00 AM – Shawn Clarke
1:00 AM – The Allens
Cherry Cola’s Rock n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, 200 Bathurst St, M5T 2R7
9:00 PM – Megan Lane
10:00 PM – The Mercy Now
11:00 PM – Ohio Knife
12:00 AM – Connoisseurs of Porn
1:00 AM – YOU HANDSOME DEVIL
Comfort Zone, 480 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
10:00 PM – Paula
11:00 PM – BRAIDS
12:00 AM – Sean Nicholas Savage
1:00 AM – Blue Hawaii
For a band that turned a chance opening slot for Deerhunter (QRO live review) into a standing ovation and demands of an encore from the band, BRAIDS (QRO photos) is most definitely deserving of the ‘force to be reckoned with’ status that critics seem so eager to give them (QRO photos). What’s more, after a Polaris Prize shortlisting in Canada, and a record deal with Chad VanGaalen’s (QRO album review) Flemish Eye label, the band has only picked up steam (QRO photos).
Crawford, 718 College St, M6G 1C3
9:00 PM – Indelible
10:00 PM – Nova the Rebel
11:00 PM – Marce Reazon
12:00 AM – Average Society
1:00 AM – Ron E Polo
Creatures Creating, 822 Dundas St W, M6V 1J3
7:00 PM – Laurel MacDonald & Phil Strong ‘Videovoice’
9:00 PM – Home Alone
10:00 PM – Miss Elizabeth
11:00 PM – Petra Glynt
12:00 AM – PROGRAM
1:00 AM – doomsquad
Czehoski, 678 Queen St W, M6J 1E5
8:00 PM – Katie DuTemple
9:00 PM – Geeta
10:00 PM – Walrus
11:00 PM – Jackson Nova
12:00 AM – GRAY
1:00 AM – Marginal
Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, M6J 3A1
8:00 PM – The Rucksack Willies
9:00 PM – Animal Parts
10:00 PM – Willhorse
11:00 PM – Jason Plumb and the Willing
12:00 AM – Lindy Vopnfjord
1:00 AM – Graydon James & The Young Novelists
2:00 AM – Pistol George Warren
The Detour Bar, 193 1/2 Baldwin St, M5T 2L9
9:00 PM – Sleepless
10:00 PM – The Wilds
11:00 PM – WAXMEN
12:00 AM – AstroCoven
1:00 AM – HORMOANS
The Drake Hotel Underground, 1150 Queen St W, M6J 1J3
8:00 PM – Eastborough
9:00 PM – Elvyn
10:00 PM – Camera
12:00 AM – DiRTY RADiO
1:00 AM – Kayo
2:00 AM – Ain’t No Love
3:00 AM – Tommy Kruise
Free Times Cafe, 320 College St, M5T 1S3
8:00 PM – Melanie Peterson
9:00 PM – Daniel McKenzie
10:00 PM – Dylan Hennessy
11:00 PM – The Marrieds
12:00 AM – Brad Butcher
1:00 AM – Kristian Montano
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St W, M6J 1X3
9:00 PM – William Tyler
10:00 PM – US Girls
11:00 PM – Roomrunner
12:00 AM – Destruction Unit
1:00 AM – Milk Music
Olympia, Washington’s Milk Music (QRO live review) channel eighties punks like Black Flag & Hüsker Dü.
(also playing the Shop @ Parts & Labour on Wednesday, 11:00 PM)
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St W, M6J 1J6
7:00 PM – ‘Smile Stealers’
9:00 PM – wicked witches
9:45 PM – The Mouthbreathers
10:30 PM – I Smell Blood
11:15 PM – Thesis Sahib
12:00 AM – Lonnie in the Garden
1:00 AM – WILD DOMESTIC
2:00 AM – WTCHS
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St W, M6J 1H3
10:00 PM – Michael Rault
11:00 PM – Cœur de Pirate
12:00 AM – Olenka and the Autumn Lovers
1:00 AM – Del Bel
Béatrice Martin, better known as Cœur de Pirate, brings la chanson française to a whole new generation of listeners.
Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L4
9:00 PM – Jay Arner
10:00 PM – Beliefs
11:00 PM – VALLEYS
12:00 AM – Fine Times
1:00 AM – Girlfriends and Boyfriends
Hard Luck Bar, 772A Dundas St W, M6J 1V1
8:00 PM – The unquiet dead
9:00 PM – The Blue Stones
10:00 PM – little foot long foot
11:00 PM – Hellbros
12:00 AM – The Schomberg Fair
1:00 AM – Dance Laury Dance
2:00 AM – Mokomokai
3:00 AM – Mad Anthony
Hideout, 484 Queen St W, M5V 2B2
9:00 PM – Wild Hearses
10:00 PM – Kestrels
11:00 PM – Fevers
12:00 AM – CHRISTIAN HANSEN
1:00 AM – Brothers of North
2:00 AM – Mad June
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – Moon King
10:00 PM – DIANA
11:00 PM – Merchandise
12:00 AM – Dan Deacon
1:00 AM – Nu Sensae
2:00 AM – special guest
One of the acts bringing the wild, DIY element to NXNE is Dan Deacon (QRO photos). The Baltimore native (QRO photos outdoors) is a man of many talents, including throwing his own DIY festivals & tours, like 2009’s ‘Round Robin’ tour (QRO live review) with No Age (QRO live review) & Deerhunter (QRO live review). But he’s still best known as an electronic musician, most recently with last year’s America (QRO review) and 2009’s Bromst (QRO review), which get wild live (QRO live review), whether with his fifteen-piece backing band (QRO live review) or Deacon standing & playing from in the crowd (QRO photos, outdoors at a festival), like at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
The Hoxton, 69 Bathurst St, M5V 1M5
8:00 PM – Brendan Canning
9:00 PM – Red Mass
10:00 PM – POIRIER
11:00 PM – Boyz Noize
While Broken Social Scene (QRO spotlight on) is only playing the preceding Arts & Crafts Field Trip (QRO preview), various members are pulling out their hiatus side-projects or just going solo at NXNE, like BSS co-founder Brendan Canning (QRO interview).
Johnny Jackson, 587 College St, M6G 1A9
9:00 PM – MJ Cyr
10:00 PM – Blank Cinema
11:00 PM – Your Pretend Boyfriend
12:00 AM – Displacer
1:00 AM – Anything But Broke
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St W, M5S 1Y5
10:00 PM – Lydia Loveless
11:00 PM – Public Animal
12:00 AM – White Cowbell Oklahoma
1:00 AM – Supersuckers
Magpie, 831 Dundas St W, M6J 1V4
9:00 PM – Spirit Oak
10:00 PM – Steve Brockley Band
11:00 PM – Young Readers
12:00 AM – Union Duke
1:00 AM – John Antoniuk (smokekiller)
May, 876 Dundas St W, M6J 1V7
9:00 PM – Mesa Mesa
10:00 PM – Chairs
11:00 PM – Bloody Diamonds
12:00 AM – Urvah Khan
1:00 AM – abstract Random
2:00 AM – Ghost Daze
Measure, 296 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
8:05 PM – Hip.Bang!
8:20 PM – Two Weird Ladies
9:00 PM – The Templeton Philharmonic
9:15 PM – Jape
11:05 PM – The Reception
11:35 PM – Tony Ho
11:50 PM – Ladystache
Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St, M6J 2N8
8:00 PM – Charlotte Day Wilson
9:00 PM – Harvest Breed
10:00 PM – Familiar Wild
11:00 PM – T. Nile
12:00 AM – Arstidir
1:00 AM – Archery Guild
2:00 AM – The Human Orchestra
Nocturne, 550 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
8:00 PM – Blitz
9:00 PM – Panther & The Supafly
10:00 PM – Nique LoveRhodes
11:00 PM – Cityreal
12:00 AM – Jai Nitai Lotus
1:00 AM – Def3
The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave, M6J 2Z9
8:00 PM – Modern Primitive
10:00 PM – Dance Movie
11:00 PM – Loopsy Dazy
12:00 AM – Sunrise and Good People
1:00 AM – PARALLELS
2:00 AM – Pick A Piper
Pearson T1, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Terminal 1, L4W 1S9
4:00 PM – Shadowy Men On a Shadowy Planet
We all best know Canada’s Shadowy Men On a Shadowy Planet from their theme song to Canada’s beloved Kids In the Hall, but they’re much more than that – just know that “We’re Not a Fucking Surf Band”…
The Piston, 937 Bloor St W, M6H 1L5
8:00 PM – Darren Eedens
9:00 PM – Mikey Chuck Rivers
10:00 PM – Kayla Howran
11:00 PM – Devin Cuddy
12:00 AM – Callan Furlong
1:00 AM – The Old Salts
Rancho Relaxo, 300 College St, M5T 1R9
8:00 PM – Arizona Lily
9:00 PM – Whiskey Epiphany
10:00 PM – Modern Rivals
12:00 AM – The Effens
1:00 AM – James and Blackburn
2:00 AM – The Cheap Speakers
3:00 AM – Couriers
Rehearsal Space, 209 Augusta Ave, M5T 1M1
10:00 PM – Famous Wildlife Movies
11:00 PM – Man Made Hill
12:00 AM – Drainolith
Rivoli, 332 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
8:00 PM – Serb Superb
8:30 PM – Mary Stewart
9:30 PM – Quiet Company
10:30 PM – The Revival
11:30 PM – Cai.ro
12:30 AM – miesha & the spanks
1:30 AM – The Bokononists
2:30 AM – The Penske File
The Shop @ Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
10:00 PM – Hellaluya
11:00 PM – Teen Tits Wild Wives
12:00 AM – Hussy
1:00 AM – Pretty Mouth
Sidedoor, 192 Adelaide St W, M5V 0A4
10:00 PM – Jim Tidman & Jeff Montgomery
1
1:00 PM – Greg Ball
12:00 AM – Paul Langlois
Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
8:00 PM – Suitcase Sam & The Suits
9:00 PM – Stella Ella Ola
10:00 PM – The Dirty Nil
11:00 PM – Invasions
12:00 AM – Mikal Cronin
1:00 AM – Pow Wows
2:00 AM – Nicholas Doubleyou & The B-Squad
Merge Records’ Mikal Cronin (QRO photos at a festival) plays all over the place at NXNE, including three times at Silver Dollar Room near midnight (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) & once on a ‘Bruise Cruise’ (Saturday at 3:20 PM).
The Sister, 1554 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
8:00 PM – Beggars at the Door
9:00 PM – Drop Dead Pin-Ups
10:00 PM – Drew Angus
11:00 PM – GRUVE
12:00 AM – Old James
1:00 AM – Clockwise
Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St, M5T 1T1
8:00 PM – Miles Jones
9:00 PM – Wordburglar
10:00 PM – D-Sisive
11:00 PM – Elaquent
12:00 AM – Sunclef + Peroff
1:00 AM – DL Incognito
2:00 AM – Moka Only
3:00 AM – Philly Moves
St. James Gazebo, St. James Park (King St E between Church and Jarvis)
6:00 PM – The Bokononists
7:00 PM – The Balconies
Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L9
8:00 PM – Scotty James
9:00 PM – Shred Kelly
10:00 PM – Static and Snow
11:00 PM – Red Wanting Blue
12:00 AM – Jane’s Party
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Kristeen von Hagen
9:10 PM – Andrew Barr
9:20 PM – Michelle Shaughnessy
9:30 PM – Jeff Elliott
9:40 PM – Christina Walkinshaw
9:50 PM – Luis J Gomez
10:00 PM – Big Jay Oakerson
Tranzac – Southern Cross, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Zachary Bennett
10:00 PM – Do Good Assassins
11:00 PM – Blanche DuBois
12:00 AM – Gabriel Minnikin
1:00 AM – Julian Taylor Band
Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St W, M5V 1A1
8:00 PM – DÉVAH QUARTET
9:00 PM – Amy’s Arms
10:00 PM – The Knievel Dead
11:00 PM – L’Autre Dame
12:00 AM – DJ Osaze
1:00 AM – DJ Osaze
2:00 AM – DJ Osaze
3:00 AM – DJ Osaze
Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St W, M6K 1L6
9:00 PM – KASHKA
10:00 PM – CTZNSHP
12:00 AM – We Are Wolves
1:00 AM – The Cruelty Party
Originally formed by two visual artists as ‘a post-punk landscape with analogue trees’, We Are Wolves could have gone in any great number of directions. Thankfully for listeners, the intriguing indie rockers could not have chosen a better road to travel. Their various tugs of war between lo and hi fi, French and English vocals, and dance and Latin styles have been almost as intriguing as their collective results on 2009’s Invisible Violence (QRO review) and this year’s follow up, La Mort Pop Club. They’ve played CMJ, SXSW, the Virgin Festival, and now they are bringing their electro garage party back to NXNE. Party on.
(also playing Bruise Cruise on Saturday, 2:00 PM)
Yonge Dundas Square, Yonge and Dundas, M5B 2R8
6:00 PM – Imperial State Electric
7:00 PM – The Flatliners
8:00 PM – Old Man Markley
9:00 PM – Social Distortion
Sometimes, plugging away pays off, even for a punk band. Fullerton’s Social Distortion (QRO photos) started all the way back in 1978, and, other than a year-long break in the eighties due to drug & legal problems, have kept on going (albeit with singer/guitarist Mike Ness as the sole remaining original/twentieth century member – QRO photos). They helped establish both the ‘cowpunk’ sound, and today’s workingman’s punk (QRO photos) – and reached #4 on the Billboard charts in 2011 with eighth record, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes, and come to NXNE while working on their ninth.
FRIDAY, JUNE 14th
BLK BOX, 1087 Queens St W, M6J 1H3
9:00 PM – Psyche Tongues
10:00 PM – Weaves
11:00 PM – The Magic
12:00 AM – Still Life Still
1:00 AM – Gold & Youth
2:00 AM – special guest
3:00 AM – Wannabe (Spice Girls Tribute Band)
Toronto’s own Still Life Still has stretched one studio album further than a lot of musicians push their whole careers. Months before their first record – Girls Come Too (QRO review) – hit the shelves, the expansive indie rockers had already lined up Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene (QRO spotlight on) to produce. Factor in a record deal with Arts & Crafts, a spectacular live show (QRO live review), and their upcoming follow-up Mourning Trance, one thing becomes clear: despite their short discography, they Canadian quintet are poised to shine at NXNE (QRO photos at a festival).
The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L5
9:00 PM – Pale Eyes
11:00 PM – Nightmare Air
12:00 AM – Vensaire
1:00 AM – The Cautioneers
2:00 AM – Nicholas Doubleyou & The B-Squad
Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
9:00 PM – The Muscadettes
10:00 PM – miesha & the spanks
11:00 PM – The Anti-Queens
12:00 AM – Biblical
1:00 AM – Public Animal
2:00 AM – special guest
Cameron House, 408 Queen St W, M5V 2A7
12:00 PM – Hart Goetze (street art)
12:00 PM – Ryan Smeeton (street art)
8:00 PM – Kayla Luky
9:00 PM – Eagle Lake Owls
10:00 PM – Sweet Alibi
11:00 PM – Federal Lights
12:00 AM – Erin Propp
1:00 AM – The Revival
2:00 AM – Ingrid Gatin
The Central, 603 Markham St, M6G 2L7
8:00 PM – Arstidir
9:00 PM – Gt. DANE
10:00 PM – The Dirty Pigeons
11:00 PM – Michael Cassidy
12:00 AM – BEAMS
1:00 AM – The Cameron Brothers Band
C’est What, 67 Front St E, M5E 1B5
8:00 PM – Dana Sipos
9:00 PM – André M. Bluteau
10:00 PM – The Archers
11:00 PM – Synje Norland
12:00 AM – HIGHS
1:00 AM – The Jessica Stuart Few
Cherry Cola’s Rock n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, 200 Bathurst St, M5T 2R7
9:00 PM – Hotel Royal
10:00 PM – French Girls
11:00 PM – Sumo Cyco
12:00 AM – Dirty Names
1:00 AM – Manic Sheep
Comfort Zone, 480 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
11:00 PM – Pick A Piper
12:00 AM – Squid Lid
1:00 AM – Squid Lid
Crawford, 718 College St, M6G 1C3
8:00 PM – Apt
9:00 PM – OSIYM
10:00 PM – Evil Ebenezer
11:00 PM – Doss the Artist
12:00 AM – MaG
1:00 AM – Frankie Payne
Creatures Creating, 822 Dundas St W, M6V 1J3
7:00 PM – Kristen Vermilyea ‘The Weight of Breasts’
9:00 PM – Prom
10:00 PM – Mexican Slang
11:00 PM – We Were Heads
12:00 AM – Ostrich Tuning
1:00 AM – Cellphone
Czehoski, 678 Queen St W, M6J 1E5
8:00 PM – Animalia
9:00 PM – Blanche DuBois
10:00 PM – Jess Abran
11:00 PM – Ed Askew
12:00 AM – Twigs & Yarn
1:00 AM – Krystale
Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, M6J 3A1
9:00 PM – Jim Tidman
10:00 PM – Greg Ball
11:00 PM – Paul Langlois
12:00 AM – Tin Star Orphans
2:00 AM – Big Tobacco & The Pickers
The Detour Bar, 193 1/2 Baldwin St, M5T 2L9
9:00 PM – Sandy Pearlman & Bones
10:00 PM – The Wormwood Scrubs
11:00 PM – Bonwit Teller
12:00 AM – Midwest Skies
1:00 AM – The Astro Droids
The Drake Hotel Underground, 1150 Queen St W, M6J 1J3
8:00 PM – Small Sur
9:00 PM – Peals
10:00 PM – Absolutely Free
11:00 PM – special guest
12:00 AM – DJ Illo
1:00 AM – DJ Jr Flo
2:00 AM – Rynecologist and Meech
Free Times Cafe, 320 College St, M5T 1S3
8:00 PM – Courtney Lynn Music
9:00 PM – Gem Andrews
10:00 PM – Pat LePoidevin
11:00 PM – Tyler Butler
12:00 AM – Social Potion
1:00 AM – Graham Nicholas
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St W, M6J 1X3
9:00 PM – Sarah Jaffe
10:00 PM – VALLEYS
11:00 PM – Big Black Delta
12:00 AM – The Soft Moon
1:00 AM – Odonis Odonis
2:00 AM – special guest
The Soft Moon (QRO photos at a festival) have a post-post-punk sound that’s been called ‘Post-Apocalyptic’, and come to NXNE behind last year’s Zeros.
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St W, M6J 1J6
8:00 PM – Flo
9:00 PM – Reesa Renee
10:00 PM – Unbuttoned
12:00 AM – Dessy Di Lauro
1:00 AM – Federation of the Disco Pimp
2:00 AM – Super Geek League
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St W, M6J 1H3
9:00 PM – Ben Gunning (DJ set)
9:40 PM – Terry Gambarotta ‘Kardionic’
10:00 PM – Mike O’Neill
11:00 PM – Superfriendz
12:00 AM – Sloan
Certain bands are huge in Canada, and one of those is Halifax-born, Toronto-bred Sloan (QRO album review) – so be sure to line-up early for this show…
Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L4
8:00 PM – Wizard Of
9:00 PM – John Milner, You’re So Boss
10:00 PM – Elsa
11:00 PM – bbigpigg
12:00 AM – Digits
1:00 AM – THIGHS
2:00 AM – Sailboats Are White
Hard Luck Bar, 772A Dundas St W, M6J 1V1
8:00 PM – AKUA
9:00 PM – Simone Denny
10:00 PM – Whiskey Hearts
11:00 PM – Saint Alvia
12:00 AM – Avery Island
1:00 AM – Alright Alright
Hideout, 484 Queen St W, M5V 2B2
9:00 PM – Deadly Hopefuls
10:00 PM – Shooting Guns
11:00 PM – Kulas
12:00 AM – The Danks
1:00 AM – Ramona
2:00 AM – Sex With Strangers
From the smallest Canadian province, Prince Edward Island, comes The Danks (QRO album review).
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – Blinker the Star
10:00 PM – Still Corners
11:00 PM – Buke and Gase
12:00 AM – WHY?
1:00 AM – Blowfly
2:00 AM – Brave Little Toaster
3:00 AM – Bella Clava
Greg Hughes & Tessa Murray teamed up to create the dream-pop of Still Corners (QRO photos).
Brooklyn’s Arone Dyer & Aron Sanchez (QRO interview) form Buke and Gase (formerly Buke and Gass – QRO live review). They use handmade instruments like such as the ‘toe-bourine’, the ‘buke’ (a six-string former-baritone ukulele), and the ‘gase’, a guitar-bass hybrid, for singular sound (QRO spotlight on). They share a festival with the National (see below) for the umpteenth time (QRO photos outdoors, opening for the National).
Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Wolf and his band, WHY? (QRO live review), combine indie, hip-hop, rock, pop, folk & more (QRO photos), most recently with 2008’s (somewhat underwhelming) Eskimo Snow (QRO review) and last year’s Mumps, Etc., and now they (QRO live review) come to NXNE.
Johnny Jackson, 587 College St, M6G 1A9
9:00 PM – Paul Osinski
10:00 PM – NDMA
11:00 PM – DJ Fusion (FuseBox Radio Broadcast)
12:00 AM – Andres Sierra
1:00 AM – The TERROR
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St W, M5S 1Y5
9:00 PM – B-17
10:00 PM – 222s
11:00 PM – Red Mass
12:00 AM – We Are Scientists
1:00 AM – Reignwolf
The Brooklyn-by-way-of-Claremont We Are Scientists (QRO photos in Brooklyn), California act (QRO photos at a festival) has had a habit of appearing & disappearing, like after hits like ‘It’s a Hit’ (QRO video), but returning in 2008 with Brain Thrust Mastery (QRO review), then disappearing again, but came back again, with 2010’s Barbara (QRO review) – so hopefully there’s new stuff coming up (QRO photos at a festival). The band’s powerful indie-rock (QRO photos at a festival) has won PhD’s across the country and beyond, and their live show (QRO live review) is known for humorous between-son banter and audience participation (QRO live review), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
(also playing Yonge Dundas Square on Saturday at 3:00 PM)
Magpie, 831 Dundas St W, M6J 1V4
9:00 PM – Gal Musette
10:00 PM – Queen of the Fleet
11:00 PM – Reverend Freakchild
12:00 AM – Delta Will
1:00 AM – Gabriel Minnikin
May, 876 Dundas St W, M6J 1V7
9:00 PM – AIM LOW
10:00 PM – Mobina Galore
11:00 PM – RoundFace
12:00 AM – Drugs In Japan
1:00 AM – Werewitch
2:00 AM – Liars to the Sun
Measure, 296 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
8:00 PM – Introduction
8:10 PM – The Rocket Scientists
8:30 PM – Deadpan Powerpoint
8:50 PM – INTERMISSION
9:05 PM – She Said What
Mod Club Theatre, 722 College St, M6G 1C4
7:00 PM – Sam Cash & The Romantic Dogs
8:00 PM – Wildlife
9:00 PM – Imaginary Cities
10:00 PM – July Talk
Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St, M6J 2N8
8:00 PM – Laurent Bourque
9:00 PM – Rachael Sage & The Sequins
10:00 PM – Jackson Nova
11:00 PM – Bliss
12:00 AM – Suzy Wilde
1:00 AM – Lakes of Canada
2:00 AM – Radius & Helena
Nocturne, 550 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
8:00 PM – Lazerface
9:00 PM – Vincent Pryce
10:00 PM – Tronald Trump
11:00 PM – Guilty
12:00 AM – Tommy Kruise
The Opera House, 735 Queen St E, M4M 1H2
9:00 PM – Downbelows
10:00 PM – Genetic Control
11:00 PM – Organ Thieves
12:00 AM – FLAG
As The Sex Pistols were the definition of seventies punk rock, Black Flag was the definition of it in the eighties. Their tours across the country might have been hated by the likes of the LAPD, but helped established punk scenes in cities from coast-to-coast. While the singing slot rotated amongst the likes of Keith Morris (also of Circle Jerks – QRO live review), Ron Reyes, and most notably Henry Rollins, the core was always Greg Ginn on guitar (he also founded/ran their seminal punk label, SST). And in 2013, Ginn & Reyes have reformed the outfit as ‘FLAG’.
The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave, M6J 2Z9
8:00 PM – Daybreak Gentlemen
9:00 PM – HOT PEACH
10:00 PM – The Nameless Girl
11:00 PM – Antennas Up
12:00 AM – Happy Lives
1:00 AM – Moon Furies
2:00 AM – Technical Kidman
Pearson T1, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Terminal 1, L4W 1S9
3:00 PM – Mamabolo
4:00 PM – Blinker the Star
Rancho Relaxo, 300 College St, M5T 1R9
8:00 PM – Seraphic Lights
9:00 PM – Patti Cake
10:00 PM – The Ugly Club
11:00 PM – The D.A.
12:00 AM – FU ???? ???
1:00 AM – Dream Jefferson
2:00 AM – The Roseville Band
3:00 AM – Different Skeletons
Rehearsal Space, 209 Augusta Ave, M5T 1M1
10:00 PM – Brian Ruryk
10:45 PM – Induced Labour
11:45 PM – Bill Orcutt/Chris Corsano
Rivoli, 332 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – Jessica Mitchell
10:00 PM – The Beaches
11:00 PM – Eleven Past One
12:00 AM – Craig Stickland
1:00 AM – Luke Austin
2:00 AM – We Are the City
British Columbia brings the kids of We Are the City (QRO album review).
The Shop @ Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
11:00 PM – GODS
12:00 AM – Nu Sensae
1:00 AM – Dope Body
2:00 AM – special guest
Sidedoor, 192 Adelaide St W, M5V 0A4
9:00 PM – Cityreal
10:00 PM – The Morals
11:00 PM – The Roseville Band
12:00 AM – Do Good Assassins (Duo)
1:00 AM – Catlow
2:00 AM – Urvah Khan
Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
8:00 PM – AroarA
9:00 PM – Syngja
10:00 PM – ALVVAYS
11:00 PM – Decades
12:00 AM – Mikal Cronin
1:00 AM – Jef Barbara
2:00 AM – Foxtrott
3:00 AM – Fill Spectre
Merge Records’ Mikal Cronin (QRO photos at a festival) plays all over the place at NXNE, including three times at Silver Dollar Room near midnight (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) & once on a ‘Bruise Cruise’ (Saturday at 3:20 PM).
Silver Dollar – Side Stage, 486 Spadina, M5S 2H1
8:45 PM – DÉVAH QUARTET
9:45 PM – DÉVAH QUARTET
The Sister, 1554 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
8:00 PM – Calla
9:00 PM – Hungry Lake
10:00 PM – Andy McGuire
11:00 PM – Little Stella
12:00 AM – A Mad World, My Masters
1:00 AM – Sarah Cripps
Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St, M5T 1T1
8:00 PM – Mauve
9:00 PM – WEBSTER
10:00 PM – UN
11:00 PM – Julian Lynch
12:00 AM – Brazos
1:00 AM – The Luyas
2:00 AM – special guest
3:00 AM – Psyche Tongues
From Austin comes Martin McNulty Crane, a.k.a. Brazos (QRO live review), who plays three times at NXNE behind his new Saltwater.
(also playing St. James Gazebo on Saturday, 6:00 PM, and The Great Hall on Saturday, 11:00 PM)
Montreal’s The Luyas (QRO photos) is relatively recent mash-up of members from some of the city’s best-known bands. Featuring past and present players from Arcade Fire (QRO live review), Miracle Fortress (QRO photos), Belle Orchestre (QRO album review), and SS Cardiacs, the four-piece (QRO photos) explores a unique sound made up of steady percussion, hazy keyboards, a French horn, and a twelve-string zither. Long story short, they’re a bit out there.
St. James Gazebo, St. James Park (King St E between Church and Jarvis)
6:00 PM – Northcote
7:00 PM – By Divine Right
Another associate of Broken Social Scene (QRO spotlight on) playing NXNE is By Divine Right, José Miguel Contreras’ band that has also featured BSS’ Brendan Canning (see above) and Leslie Feist (QRO live review).
Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L9
8:00 PM – Morgan Cameron Ross
9:00 PM – The Crackling
10:00 PM – Dear Sister
11:00 PM – Northcote
12:00 AM – Sam Cash & The Romantic Dogs
1:00 AM – The Matinee
2:00 AM – The Almighty Rhombus
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:10 PM – Nigel Grinstead
9:20 PM – Kyle Dooley
9:30 PM – Brian Armstrong
9:40 PM – Julia Hladkowicz
9:50 PM – Luis J Gomez
10:00 PM – Big Jay Oakerson
Tranzac – Southern Cross, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Tal Cohen-Shalev
10:00 PM – Laura Moody
11:00 PM – Svavar Knutur
12:00 AM – Jason Plumb and the Willing
1:00 AM – Kayla Luky
Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St W, M5V 1A1
8:00 PM – IStandard Producers Showcase Presents
9:00 PM – IStandard Producers Showcase Presents
10:00 PM – IStandard Producers Showcase Presents
11:00 PM – IStandard Producers Showcase Presents
12:00 AM – The Big Ticket: Hip Hop DJ’s
1:00 AM – B-TICK
2:00 AM – B-TICK
3:00 AM – B-TICK
Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St W, M6K 1L6
9:00 PM – Bizzarh
10:00 PM – Hiawatha
11:00 PM – Moon King
12:00 AM – St. Lucia
1:00 AM – Bear Mountain
2:00 AM – Natural Animal
3:00 AM – Kings of the North
Electro band Bear Mountain (QRO live review) come to NXNE behind their debut EP XO, while on tour with Bloc Party (QRO album review).
Yonge Dundas Square, Yonge and Dundas, M5B 2R8
6:30 PM – CTZNSHP
9:10 PM – The National
Cincinnati-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s The National (QRO photos outdoors) hit it big in 2007 with Boxer (QRO review) and tracks like ‘Fake Empire’, ‘Mistaken For Strangers’, and ‘Apartment Story’ – and again in 2008 with the Virginia EP (QRO review), but that just presaged 2011’s High Violet (QRO review), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts (QRO expanded edition review). An impressive and much-in-demand act (QRO live review), they’re fitting in nicely as a festival headliner (QRO photos headlining a festival) – and even curator (QRO photos curating a festival), like at London’s All Tomorrow’s Parties last December (QRO photos). Blown up to the point that New York Times Magazine ran a feature on them & Obama used (a family-friendly) bit of ‘Mr. November’ as a campaign song, the National (QRO photos at a festival) return from an hiatus to take North America by storm (QRO photos headlining a festival) behind their new Trouble Will Find Me (QRO review), after having done so in Europe (QRO photos in Europe), the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), and the European festival circuit (QRO photos at a European festival), and just after Boston (QRO photos at a festival in Boston) & their own Brooklyn (QRO photos in Brooklyn).
SATURDAY, JUNE 15th
BLK BOX, 1087 Queens St W, M6J 1H3
9:00 PM – 8IO Feat. Byron Wong/Dave Hamelin
10:00 PM – Chad Valley
11:00 PM – Eight and a Half
12:00 AM – Majical Cloudz
1:00 AM – Ryan Hemsworth
One of the newest, and one of the best, associates of Broken Social Scene (QRO spotlight on) is Eight and Half (QRO live review), who only formed last year behind their self-titled debut (QRO review). The trio (QRO photos at a festival) is Justin Peroff of BSS, Dave Hamelin (QRO interview – who also plays earlier at BLK Box on Saturday) of the late Stills (QRO spotlight on), and Liam O’Neill of both acts.
Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
9:00 PM – Pink Wine
10:00 PM – Tyburn Saints
11:00 PM – Genetic Control
12:00 AM – Dearly Beloved
1:00 AM – Diemonds
2:00 AM – special guest
Bruise Cruise, 207 Queens Quay W
12:30 PM – BOARDING TIME
1:30 PM – Fat Tony
2:00 PM – We Are Wolves
2:40 PM – Odonis Odonis
3:20 PM – Mikal Cronin
Merge Records’ Mikal Cronin (QRO photos at a festival) plays all over the place at NXNE, including three times at Silver Dollar Room near midnight (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) & once on a ‘Bruise Cruise’.
Cameron House, 408 Queen St W, M5V 2A7
11:00 AM – Kevin Walker’s TV Wall
11:00 AM – Norman Smith ‘The Pop Up Art Show’
2:00 PM – Brendan de Montigny ‘The Human Printer’
8:00 PM – Her Harbour
9:00 PM – Our Friend & The Spiders
10:00 PM – Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes
11:00 PM – The Morals
12:00 AM – River Tiber
1:00 AM – THE BLANK TAPES
2:00 AM – Epic Rain
The Central, 603 Markham St, M6G 2L7
8:00 PM – Blue Kid
9:00 PM – Dave Norris & Local Ivan
10:00 PM – The Royal Drag
11:00 PM – David Newbould
12:00 AM – Express & Company
1:00 AM – Metis Fiddler Quartet
C’est What, 67 Front St E, M5E 1B5
8:00 PM – Sydney Delong
9:00 PM – jocelyn & lisa
10:00 PM – Clara Venice
11:00 PM – Molly Sweeney
12:00 AM – D’Arcy Wickham
1:00 AM – The Marrieds
Cherry Cola’s Rock n’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge, 200 Bathurst St, M5T 2R7
9:00 PM – Double Fuzz
10:00 PM – The Dying Arts
11:00 PM – Los Oxidados
12:00 AM – WAXY
1:00 AM – 222s
Comfort Zone, 480 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
8:00 PM – Devan Boomen
9:00 PM – Petra Glynt
10:00 PM – Jay Arner
11:00 PM – Prince Innocence
12:00 AM – Tonstartssbandht
1:00 AM – Sexy Merlin
Crawford, 718 College St, M6G 1C3
9:00 PM – Cityreal
10:00 PM – Terell Safadi
11:00 PM – Anslem Douglas
Creatures Creating, 822 Dundas St W, M6V 1J3
9:00 PM – Fin
10:00 PM – Os Tropies
11:00 PM – Most People
12:00 AM – Del Bel
1:00 AM – Fresh Snow
Czehoski, 678 Queen St W, M6J 1E5
8:00 PM – Briar Rabbit
9:00 PM – Heidi Happy
10:00 PM – Synje Norland
11:00 PM – Levi Stephens
12:00 AM – Erik Lind & The Orchard
1:00 AM – Kevin McWha Steele & The Nightly Howl!
Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, M6J 3A1
8:00 PM – Jonah Tolchin
9:00 PM – Dusty Sunshine
10:00 PM – The Roseville Band
11:00 PM – The Sumner Brothers
12:00 AM – Andrea England
1:00 AM – Meanwood
2:00 AM – Ketch Harbour Wolves
Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave, M4K 1N2
8:00 PM – Northcote
9:00 PM – Paper Lions
10:00 PM – Dinosaur Bones
11:00 PM – Wintersleep
Wintersleep’s Hello Hum (QRO review) marked a reinvented return – albeit amid a new layer of electronic eccentricity – to the excellent form and sound of breakthrough record Welcome To the Night Sky. Although in-between-er New Inheritors (QRO review) had some serious standout tracks, that album lacked the cohesive quality that both Sky and Hello Hum hold. With the production union of Tony Doogan and Dave Fridmann (QRO photos at a festival), the band was able to channel their biggest sounding, most affecting sound to date (QRO photos at a festival). Look for their live show to do the same (QRO live review).
The Detour Bar, 193 1/2 Baldwin St, M5T 2L9
9:00 PM – Psyche Tongues
10:00 PM – RoundFace
11:00 PM – The Johnny Red Eyes
1:00 AM – The Nasties
The Drake Hotel Underground, 1150 Queen St W, M6J 1J3
8:00 PM – Pro V (DJ)
9:00 PM – Markings, Shogun, Full Course
10:00 PM – Borden, Loe Pesci, CeasRock
11:00 PM – Smif N’ Wessun
12:00 AM – Mastermind
1:00 AM – Mastermind
2:00 AM – DJ Fase
Free Times Cafe, 320 College St, M5T 1S3
8:00 PM – Angela Saini
9:00 PM – Svavar Knutur
10:00 PM – Tal Cohen-Shalev
11:00 PM – John Isaac Watters
12:00 AM – Dana Beeler
1:00 AM – Shawna Caspi
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St W, M6J 1X3
8:00 PM – breeze
9:00 PM – Cousins
10:00 PM – Beliefs
11:00 PM – Dusted
12:00 AM – Tangiers
1:00 AM – doomsquad
2:00 AM – Dream Affair
3:00 AM – Greys
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St W, M6J 1H3
7:00 PM – Roger Galvez ‘Bootleg Theatre’
9:00 PM – Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys
10:00 PM – Our Founders
11:00 PM – Brazos
12:00 AM – Villagers
1:00 AM – In-Flight Safety
From Austin comes Martin McNulty Crane, a.k.a. Brazos (QRO live review), who plays three times at NXNE behind his new Saltwater.
(also playing Sneaky Dee’s on Friday, 12:00 AM, and St. James Gazebo on Saturday, 6:00 PM)
Conor O’Brien (not Conan…) began Villagers (QRO live review) after the break-up of his previous, overrated the Immediate (QRO album review), and found success in his native Ireland (QRO photos at a British festival), but has since translated nicely to America in this year’s {Awayland} (QRO review).
Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L4
8:00 PM – Futurist
9:00 PM – Kuato
10:00 PM – Two Wings
11:00 PM – Beach Day
12:00 AM – Ocean City Defender
1:00 AM – The Penelopes
2:00 AM – FIGHTER/LOVER
Hideout, 484 Queen St W, M5V 2B2
9:00 PM – Patrick Joseph
10:00 PM – Broken Bricks
11:00 PM – First You Get the Sugar
12:00 AM – South of France
1:00 AM – Ascot Royals
2:00 AM – Mushy Callahan
The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – SINGLE MOTHERS
10:00 PM – catl
11:00 PM – White Lung
12:00 AM – Iceage
1:00 AM – Fucked Up
2:00 AM – Soupcans
3:00 AM – The Archives
Copenhagen’s punk rock outfit Iceage (QRO photos at a festival) deliver on record (QRO mp3 review), but struggle a little live (QRO live review).
While Holy Fuck (QRO live review) lost the Polaris Music Prize in 2008, that kind of a name didn’t stop Fucked Up from winning it the following year with Chemistry of Common Life (though it almost derailed the Pool Parties across the river from Randall’s Island at Williamsburg Waterfront in Brooklyn – QRO photos), and the band followed that up with singles collection Couple Tracks (QRO review) and 2011’s concept rock opus, David Comes to Life. Whether their hardcore music lives up to praise rarely given to hardcore is still up for debate, but what isn’t is how nuts the crowd goes (QRO photos at a festival) for this act out of Toronto (QRO photos outdoors), with singer/frontman Damian Abraham bringing it, shirtless and crazy (QRO photos at a festival).
Johnny Jackson, 587 College St, M6G 1A9
9:00 PM – P0ST3RB0Y
10:00 PM – Make Haste
11:00 PM – The FranDiscos
12:00 AM – The Lectrixx
1:00 AM – b.FUNK
Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St W, M5S 1Y5
9:00 PM – The BB Guns
10:00 PM – Cafeïne
11:00 PM – Thomas D’Arcy
12:00 AM – The Death Set
1:00 AM – Mickey Avalon
Art punk group formed back in 2005, the Death Set (QRO photos outdoors) are known for their high adrenaline punk with explosive chaos. Similar to Canada’s Death From Above 1979 (QRO photos at a Canadian festival), they fuse punk rock with electronic music (QRO photos).
Check out “the show your mother warned you about,” Mickey Avalon (QRO live review).
(also playing Yonge Dundas Square on Sunday, 3:00 PM)
Magpie, 831 Dundas St W, M6J 1V4
9:00 PM – Graph Rabbit
10:00 PM – Michael Cassidy
11:00 PM – Laura Moody
12:00 AM – Skinny Bitches
1:00 AM – Heartbeat Hotel
May, 876 Dundas St W, M6J 1V7
9:00 PM – Red Slam
10:00 PM – Dildoniks
11:00 PM – FU ???? ???
12:00 AM – Young Lungs
1:00 AM – Marble Lion
2:00 AM – Fucket
Measure, 296 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – The Benefit of the Free Man
10:00 PM – Bill Killionaire
11:00 PM – The Bright Skies
12:00 AM – Colornoise
1:00 AM – The Fiscals
Mod Club Theatre, 722 College St, M6G 1C4
6:30 PM – Rory O’Hearn
7:00 PM – Jessica Speziale
7:30 PM – Christian Bridges
8:00 PM – JP Saxe
8:30 PM – Brendan Albert
9:00 PM – Ania Soul
Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St, M6J 2N8
9:00 PM – Brad Butcher
10:00 PM – Indigo Joseph
11:00 PM – Little Sun
12:00 AM – Chris Ho
1:00 AM – Luke Nicholson
Nocturne, 550 Queen St W, M5V 2B5
8:00 PM – Starks & Heights
9:00 PM – The Lytics
10:00 PM – Rio
11:00 PM – Rellik
12:00 AM – Mickey Factz
1:00 AM – Miles Jones
The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave, M6J 2Z9
8:00 PM – ATTAGIRL
9:00 PM – Teen Violence
11:00 PM – Little Creatures
12:00 AM – Brave Parents
1:00 AM – The Pinz
2:00 AM – Silvergun & Spleen
Rancho Relaxo, 300 College St, M5T 1R9
8:00 PM – The Autumn Stones
9:00 PM – White Widow
10:00 PM – Manic Sheep
11:00 PM – PKEW PKEW PKEW (gunshots)
12:00 AM – Quiet Company
1:00 AM – PAPERMAPS
2:00 AM – 2 Live Drew
3:00 AM – The Cautioneers
Redpath Stage – Harbourfront, 235 Queens Quay W, M5J 2G8
12:30 PM – Little T & DJ Cross
1:00 PM – Yoza
2:00 PM – Lil Jaxe
3:00 PM – Kiz & Legin
4:00 PM – Dead Bent
5:00 PM – Cityreal
Rivoli, 332 Queen St W, M5V 2A2
9:00 PM – Elliot Maginot
10:00 PM – Mamabolo
11:00 PM – Sara Johnston
12:00 AM – Evan Dando
1:00 AM – Steve Hill
2:00 AM – Patrick Joseph
NXNE welcomes a special performance by Evan Dando, a.k.a. the man behind The Lemonheads (QRO live review). Hopefully he’ll play songs from Lemonheads’ classic It’s a Shame About Ray (QRO live review) along with newer material (QRO album review).
Sidedoor, 192 Adelaide St W, M5V 0A4
8:00 PM – Villagers
9:00 PM – Lindy Vopnfjord
11:00 PM – Opal Onyx
12:00 AM – Chad Valley
1:00 AM – SATURNS
2:00 AM – Federation of the Disco Pimp
Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave, M5S 2H1
8:00 PM – International Zombies of Love
9:00 PM – Gregory Pepper & His Problems
10:00 PM – Michael Rault
11:00 PM – Shannon & The Clams
12:00 AM – Chico No Face
1:00 AM – Mikal Cronin
2:00 AM – Sphinxs
3:00 AM – The Lost Babies
Merge Records’ Mikal Cronin (QRO photos at a festival) plays all over the place at NXNE, including three times at Silver Dollar Room near midnight (Thursday, Friday & Saturday) & once on a ‘Bruise Cruise’ (Saturday at 3:20 PM).
Silver Dollar – Side Stage, 486 Spadina, M5S 2H1
8:45 PM – Henri Fabergé
9:45 PM – Henri Fabergé
The Sister, 1554 Queen St W, M6R 1A6
8:00 PM – A Yellow Field
9:00 PM – Whiskey Songs
10:00 PM – Chahut d’ruelle
11:00 PM – Dead Jack Pine
12:00 AM – DANY LAJ AND THE LOOKS
1:00 AM – The Micronite Filters
Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St, M5T 1T1
9:00 PM – The Boxing Lesson
10:00 PM – Boxer the Horse
11:00 PM – Fast Romantics
12:00 AM – The Sour Notes
1:00 AM – Hot Panda
2:00 AM – Sandman Viper Command
Adidas Originals Stage gets an original in Edmonton’s Hot Panda (QRO photos at a festival), who come to NXNE behind last year’s Go Outside (QRO review), their follow-up to 2010’s odd-but-interesting indie-rock How Come I’m Dead? (QRO review).
St. James Gazebo, St. James Park (King St E between Church and Jarvis)
6:00 PM – Brazos
7:00 PM – Dusted
From Austin comes Martin McNulty Crane, a.k.a. Brazos (QRO live review), who plays three times at NXNE behind his new Saltwater.
(also playing Sneaky Dee’s on Friday, 12:00 AM, and The Great Hall on Saturday, 11:00 PM)
Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave, M5T 2L9
8:00 PM – Human Human
9:00 PM – New Hands
10:00 PM – Data Romance
Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
8:00 PM – Andrea Parkins
9:00 PM – THIGHS
10:00 PM – Lean Left
Tranzac – Southern Cross, 292 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
8:00 PM – Chris Ho
9:00 PM – THE BLANK TAPES
10:00 PM – Suzy Wilde
11:00 PM – Gem Andrews
12:00 AM – Jonah Tolchin
1:00 AM – Dusty Sunshine
Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St W, M5V 1A1
8:00 PM – The Beverleys
9:00 PM – Prince Ness
10:00 PM – Dilly Dally
11:00 PM – Dangerband
12:00 AM – DJ Shannon
1:00 AM – DJ Shannon
2:00 AM – DJ Shannon
3:00 AM – DJ Shannon
Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St W, M6K 1L6
9:00 PM – Tre Mission
10:00 PM – The Antiheroes
11:00 PM – Rich Kidd
12:00 AM – Deniro Farrar
1:00 AM – Joey Bada$$
Yonge Dundas Square, Yonge and Dundas, M5B 2R8
1:00 PM – Riverdale
2:00 PM – Steve Hill
3:00 PM – We Are Scientists
4:00 PM – Blinker the Star
5:00 PM – Moon King
6:00 PM – Big Black Delta
7:00 PM – Teenage Kicks
8:00 PM – Millencolin
9:00 PM – Billy Talent
The Brooklyn-by-way-of-Claremont We Are Scientists (QRO photos in Brooklyn), California act (QRO photos at a festival) has had a habit of appearing & disappearing, like after hits like ‘It’s a Hit’ (QRO video), but returning in 2008 with Brain Thrust Mastery (QRO review), then disappearing again, but came back again, with 2010’s Barbara (QRO review) – so hopefully there’s new stuff coming up (QRO photos at a festival). The band’s powerful indie-rock (QRO photos at a festival) has won PhD’s across the country and beyond, and their live show (QRO live review) is known for humorous between-son banter and audience participation (QRO live review), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
(also playing Lee’s Palace on Friday at 12:00 AM)
SUNDAY, JUNE 16th
Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St W, M5V 1A1
8:00 PM – Cadillacs & Cadavers
9:00 PM – Glenn Love
10:00 PM – Nightmare Air
11:00 PM – The Scarlet Fever
12:00 AM – DJ Lazarus
1:00 AM – DJ Lazarus
2:00 AM – DJ Lazarus
3:00 AM – DJ Lazarus
Redpath Stage – Harbourfront, 235 Queens Quay W, M5J 2G8
12:00 PM – Sugar Rush
1:00 PM – LiveWire
2:00 PM – unfinished business
3:00 PM – Lyric Dubee
4:00 PM – Motion Device
5:00 PM – Oliver Pigott
Rancho Relaxo, 300 College St, M5T 1R9
8:00 PM – The Penske File
10:00 PM – CHAMPION LOVER
11:00 PM – Another City
12:00 AM – 1992 Toronto Blue Jays
1:00 AM – The DGB
Measure, 296 Brunswick Ave, M5S 2M7
9:00 PM – Flicker State
10:00 PM – Technical Kidman
11:00 PM – wicked witches
12:00 AM – North America
1:00 AM – LadyFace
Magpie, 831 Dundas St W, M6J 1V4
8:00 PM – DANY LAJ AND THE LOOKS
9:00 PM – The Neighbourhood Watch
10:00 PM – Paint
11:00 PM – Dinosaur Dinosaur
12:00 AM – miesha & the spanks
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St W, M6J 1X3
9:00 PM – The Beverleys
10:00 PM – Ell V Gore
11:00 PM – Lower
12:00 AM – special guest
Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave, M4K 1N2
8:00 PM – Jay Martin
8:15 PM – Dwayne Morgan
8:30 PM – Nick Reynoldson
8:45 PM – Dave Merheje
9:00 PM – Trixx
9:15 PM – Donnell Rawlings
Crawford, 718 College St, M6G 1C3
9:00 PM – Non-Stop Girls
10:00 PM – The Leslie Spits
11:00 PM – Strange Waves
12:00 AM – Lightmares
1:00 AM – King Creep
2:00 AM – Fill Spectre
Yonge Dundas Square, Yonge and Dundas, M5B 2R8
3:00 PM – Mickey Avalon
4:00 PM – Deniro Farrar
5:00 PM – The Underachievers
6:00 PM – Fat Tony
7:00 PM – Smif N’ Wessun
8:00 PM – Joey Bada$$
9:00 PM – Ludacris
While Big Boi (QRO photos at a festival) unfortunately had to cancel due to health issues, NXNE got a more than equal replacement in fellow Dirty South rapper outta Atlanta, Ludacris.
See our handy map of all the venues here:
View QRO Magazine 2013 NXNE Guide in a larger map
For festival website, go here: http://nxne.com/
