Mark Fast brings the beauty of the rose to Luminato

Lian Novak

MARK FAST IS a 29-year-old, Winnipeg-born, London-based knitwear designer who, in a few short years has become an international success. In 2008, he completed his Master’s at Central Saint Martins in London England (he did his B.A. there as well), started his eponymous line a year later and since then has caused a whole flurry of commotion in the fashion world. He famously refused to lend Lady Gaga his clothes, has used plus-size models in many of his fashion shows, has collaborated with Top Shop and has also created a lower-priced diffusion line called Faster.

For his Luminato, Lancôme-commissioned, installation, “The Ascension of Beauty,” Frost delicately
hung giant white, knotted ropes from the ceiling throughout the Allen Lambert Galleria at Brookfield Place. These giant, hanging ropes remind him, he has said, of the knitting loops he makes when weaving his creations on his knitting machine. The spectator is taken on a journey from the raw beginning through to the finished product: a beautiful red dress with Fast’s signature tight cobwebby-detailed bodice.

Mark Fast designed this red dress for Lancôme’s seventy-fifth anniversary. He made it out of lycra, viscose and Swarovski elements. “The knitwear I have created is symbolic of the elegant structure of the rose and I have derived my inspiration from its delicate confidence,” explained Frost. “Its [the rose’s] layers extend off the body emulating the delicate petals held together by the stem. The exhibition will encompass a rope structure that represents the emotion the Lancôme woman evokes. In my mind and my design, she encompasses the whole space and she is an inspiration to all people who behold her,” said Frost.

“Mark Fast’s work transcends the boundaries between art, fashion and beauty,” enthused Luminato CEO Janice Price. “Each year at Luminato, we aim to blur the lines between artistic genres by presenting unique collaborations and multi-disciplinary art. Fast’s unique blend of fashion creation and sculptural installation is a perfect match for the Festival,” said Price.

Fast’s collaboration with Lancôme also produced a fuschia-coloured lipstick called “Fast Kisses.” A far cry from a traditional knitwear designer, Mark’s sexy, feminine and body-conscious designs
are sure to keep Mark on the fast track to international stardom.

FriendsWithYou spreads the happiness virus

Roop Gill

NINE-YEAR-OLD TWINS CLAIRE and Emily push at a low-hanging balloon with green polka dots. They giggle hard as their father pushes the ball back at them, with less than half the effort. The girls get ready to face the balloon coming in their direction and swing it back with full force.

They are at the Wish Come True Festival. Like them, many other families are enjoying the Rainbow City installations at Queen’s Park on this Father’s Day weekend. As a part of the Luminato festival, FriendsWithYou, a Miami based art collective, has put up life size installations in Queen’s Park for the weekend. The installations include giant bounce houses, totems and inflatable characters, led by Rainbow King, Luminato’s 2010 festival mascot. Mist fountains sparkle over this wonderland.

The twins’ mother, Kathy Reeves keeps an eye on the girls as she comments on the set up, “It is very whimsical. I used to pass by here for work and I have seen them put the pieces together. The final product is so visually pleasing.”

FriendsWithYou produces art work with the purpose of creating an immersive experience that encourages interaction through play to change the current state of a person’s emotion to ‘happy.’ Xavier Burt, an ‘ambassador of friendship’ for FriendsWithYou says they want their art installations which they take to different cities to represent the ‘happiness brand.’ He doesn’t seem to find the business of selling happiness ironic in the slightest. Burt explains, “Happiness is always inside you; you just have to find it.” And according to him, FriendsWithYou helps you reach that stage with the help of their visual art, interactive art, animation and music to create a complete experience.

“We have sprinkled a happy virus over this place which will be the picketing line for G20 next weekend,” he said hopefully.

FriendsWithYou have also tries to make their mission statement accessible through their products and art pieces. Even though their paintings sell for thousands, a smiley-face pin costs a dollar and instantly emits a happy aura. Bouncing in the play house is absolutely free, and so is standing under the mist or taking a picture in front of giant inflatable mushrooms.

FriendsWithYou offers this interactive experience for people all ages, but today it is mostly kids who are bouncing around the inflatable castle.

“This is the first time a majority of the demographic at an installation has been kids,” says Burt. “We usually get mostly adults at our projects.” In fact, Luminato’s creative director, Chris Lorway, bounced in a bounce house in Miami while scoping for art for this year’s festival. He enjoyed the experience so much that he invited FriendsWithYou to participate in Luminato. Not only did FriendsWithYou create installations at this year’s festival, but they also supplied other venues in the city with their artwork.

FriendsWithYou have a pop-up shop at the Magic Pony store and a painting exhibition at Narwhal Art Projects, both on Queen Street West and co-owned by Kristin Weckworth and Steve Cober, who are close friends with FriendsWithYou.

Magic Pony is a gallery and a business that collaborates with and showcases international artists who mix fine art, commercial art and ‘fun’ art. This is the first time in four years that the Narwhal gallery has shown FriendsWithYou paintings in their gallery. Luminato or no Luminato, Weckworth has always made it a point of having FriendsWithYou presence at her galleries. “They were one of the three artists that inspired me to start up the Magic Pony in 2002,” she explained.

Weckworth contacted the FriendsWithYou duo, Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III when their projects were new. Since then, Weckworth and FriendsWithYou have developed a friendship and infused the Toronto art scene with FriendsWithYou signature characters.

When they decided to come to Toronto for Luminato, Weckworth was excited to have them. “I think they felt like they had a home away from home in Toronto because of Narwhal and Magic Pony,” she said.

After Borkson and Sandoval met with Torontonians during the Luminato Festival, the duo will be busy creating works for another city – this time for Art Basel in the winter in Miami - where they will parade their larger than life installations, and try to bring happiness along the way.

Indie artist fulfilling lifelong passion through music

Dan Mangan makes it on the 2010 Polaris Short List of best Canadian albums

Michael Chu

CANADIANS HAVE ALWAYS appreciated two things: a light sense of humour and Canadian folk-pop. And there’s no indie-folk artist who has been able to blend these two attributes together more eloquently than the current indie-music darling named Dan Mangan. While his tracks run deep and dark at times, Mangan ably retains a positive semblance – in one way or another.

“Though I’ve been known to make somewhat dramatic music at times,” says Mangan. “I’m a pretty easy going person.”

Clearly evident in one of his recent videos, Robots, the lyrical content runs deep, but the video – where two rival gangs duke it out using robots, only to harmoniously come together – can’t help but make a viewer laugh, or at least share a grin.

“I do like to infuse the heaviness with humour…Sometimes
it’s noticed and sometimes it’s not,” says Mangan. “It’s interesting how lyrics bring out all kinds of different reactions,” he said.

Originally hailing from Vancouver, Mangan has come a long way since his beginnings in his high school band and the emerging west-coast indie music scene.

“I had pipe-dreams of a legitimate career in music, but at the point it was just messing around with friends,” says Mangan.

“I learned to create music as opposed to just mimicking it and it took a long time to feel any sense of confidence with it.”

His recent album, Nice, Nice Very Nice released in 2009, has garnered significant critical accolades, just recently, making the 2010 Polaris Short List of best Canadian albums, voted upon by Canada’s most reputable music critics.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a really supportive and dedicated fanbase in the last number of years,” says Mangan.

“I’ve never enjoyed the pedestal’ing that occurs with the audience/performer relationship,” adds Mangan, which has ultimately directed Mangan to appreciate each and every individual
making time in their schedule and parting with their hard-earned money, to attend his shows.
Undoubtedly, Mangan’s humble approach has translated into rabid fans not only in Canada, but also in the UK, Australia and the United States.

Magnan has just recently affiliated himself with famed indie label Arts & Crafts – home to Feist, Zeus and Broken Social Scene – and his album will be released in the United States this summer, accompanied by a tour of over seventeen major American cities.

While Mangan missed this year’s NXNE festival because he was on tour in the UK (including a gig at Glastonbury Festival), Mangan is energized to play the Canadian music festival circuit, starting with the Mariposa Folk Festival in July in Orillia.

Mangan will continue to tour in support of his latest release, and he has no intentions of stopping. His appreciation to be able to do what he is so passionate about, and talented in, is what motivates him and reminds him that it’s his fans who brought him to where he is today.

“It’s important to find the right people in every town along the way,” says Mangan. “Each town has good people in it.”

In the next 10 years, Mangan says he would like to continue evolving his sound. “I’d like to continue to put out albums under a variety of outlets,” says Mangan. “I like the idea of having the solo career flank a myriad of side projects and inter-disciplinary musical endeavours.”

He adds, “I also want to keep travelling and see new places. I want to add sweat to the walls of the world’s best theatres.”

Already having the makings of a long-lasting music career, Mangan is enjoying the ride and appreciating
each step of his ambitious journey. He seems to be fulfilling his lifelong passion – to engulf himself in music.

“As a kid it was a fantasy. As an adult it’s just become an excuse for my obsessiveness,” says Mangan. “I have a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm and ambition inside of me and it has to go somewhere. There may come a time when it’s not music, but for now, it certainly is.”

New film signals hope for 21st century protest music

Sara Torvik

WHEN PEOPLE HEAR the term ‘protest music’ their minds automatically turn to the sounds of the 1960s and most of us think (even if we weren’t there), ‘back in those days, music actually meant something.’

Nowadays pop music is all so shallow. Judging from pop music on the radio, one might assume that our generation has become so self absorbed and doesn’t care about anything beyond our own narrow scope of existence. Judging by the hits, one might assume that fighting for change seems pointless or at best a remote possibility.

Or is it? Toronto film director Summer Love certainly doesn’t think so. Her new documentary Sounds Like a Revolution, which made its world premiere at the NXNE music festival on June 16 and opened in theatres on June 25, is an in-depth exploration of just how alive and well protest music is today. Musicians from every genre, from punk to hip hop and from folk to reggae, are still doing their part to get people active and involved in politics today.
However, this isn’t an easy task. This documentary shows how vocal musicians with messages of social justice are systematically pushed to the fringes. Sounds like a Revolution documents how the music industry has become dominated by corporate giants like Clear Channel and Best Buy, whose strict censorship rules don’t allow artists to have creative control over their content that’s going on to the major labels, on radio stations and into retail stores. So the problem is not that there is a lack of artists that care about bigger political issues, the problem is that they’re just not being allowed to speak up and be heard.

All of the artists in the film, including Spearhead singer Michael Franti, NOFX frontman Fat Mike and conscious hip-hop artist Paris, express their frustrations and battles with trying to get their music and their message out to as many people as possible without the help of major labels. Franti has probably garnered the most success, with his annual music festival Power to the Peaceful in San Francisco which attracts roughly 50,000 people. Meanwhile, Fat Mike kick-started Punkvoter, an initiative to encourage his young fans to get out and vote in the 2004 election in order to get the Bush Administration out of office. Even though Bush was re-elected that year, Mike’s efforts galvanized a whole new group of young voters to get involved in electoral politics.

Sounds like a Revolution was a long time in the making for Summer
Love, who first became inspired to make the film in the wake of September 11, 2001. It was by the time the Iraq war was underway that she knew decisively that she had to do it.

“For a long time after 9/11 people were afraid to speak out,” she said. “There was a lot of over-the-top patriotism in the United States and everyone was behind the government one hundred per cent. But by the time the Iraq war happened people were starting to wise up and there was a huge resistance, especially from artists. Even the Dixie Chicks voiced their opposition to the war. They came under fire for it, but really, that’s what inspired me,” explained Summer Love.

Watching the film, it’s evident that the invasion of Iraq back in 2003 did indeed have a huge impact on film director Love. Most of the artists interviewed, including the aforementioned Franti and Fat Mike, as well as ex-Rage Against the Machine member Tom Morello and Anti-Flag’s Justin Sane, spend a great deal of time talking about that particular issue in the film. But some musical icons who were popular in the 1960s and 1970s also appear in the film. David Crosby recounts the story of what inspired Neil Young to write the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song “Ohio.” The song tells the story of a shooting at Kent State University in 1970 and how, after seeing a photograph of the incident, Young immediately wrote the song and got his band mates together to record. The song criticizes the president of the time, Richard Nixon, and has become one of the most popular political protest songs of all time. Love says she tried to get Young himself to appear in the documentary to talk about the song but he declined.

Overall, this is an excellent documentary which sheds a lot of light on political activism still alive in twenty-first century music. Some of the sound bites have a tendency to become a little repetitive at times, but that’s probably inevitable when you have so many people talking about the same issues. On the positive side, all the artists are very articulate and the immense amount of passion for their causes that they feel comes through in this film. The fact that the artists care so much makes viewers care. That alone, makes this film a powerful tool for change.

Interviews with NXNE performers

Ronak Ghorbani

EMMA LEE
When Toronto-based soul-pop-jazz songstress Emma Lee released her album Never Just A Dream last year, it created quite a buzz; even prompting one Toronto Star music critic to say Lee is destined for big things. A vet to the North by Northeast circuit, Lee performed at The Painted Lady on June 17.

Ryerson Free Press: Many of the reviews of your album Never Just A Dream point out that your vocal style isn’t like the typical jazz-singer but that it’s unique, luscious and creative. What influences your music?

Emma Lee: I’ve listened to pretty much anything I can get my ears on. I grew up on lots of Beatles, Rolling Stones but also singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and lots of jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald who is probably one of my favourite vocalists. In recent years, I just listen to lots of contemporary singer-songwriters like Jenny Lewis, Nicole Atkins and Feist. I just think there are so many great artists at the moment. It’s important to listen to all the stuff that happened before but it’s also important to not dwell on what’s been done in the past.

RFP: This is going to be your second year playing NXNE – how do you find playing big festivals?

EL: NXNE is cool because within each venue there’s at least six or seven acts throughout the night and it’s just like a musical frenzy. You can hop around to each venue and try to check out as much as you can… I like the focus within the city on live music. It’s really important that we always remind people…to go out and see music and hopefully it carries with them in the rest of the year.

RFP: I read that as a teen you bought your first guitar after saving up from your job at Tim Horton’s. Do you ever use that guitar on stage?

EL: Actually it’s a very sad story. I don’t have that guitar anymore. That was my first electric guitar. I think I was 18 and decided I didn’t want to play electric guitar anymore so I sold it and got a new acoustic guitar
and now I want an electric one. I really wish I still had that electric guitar because it was beautiful; it was a pink Fender Stratocaster.

GRAND ANALOG
Since forming in 2006, Grand Analog has taken a fresh spin on Canadian
hip hop by melding together various genres from dance to rock ‘n’ roll and a socially conscious message. Band leader Odario Williams is energetic and always hypes up a crowd into a dancing frenzy at their shows. Grand Analog played a NXNE showcase at the Rivoli on June 17.

RFP: Lyrically, what I really like about the album is that you can jump from talking about welfare and drug addiction to love and heart break – what inspires your lyrics?

Odario Williams: Well, I’m the main lyricist so I basically work with the guys to get a groove going. Seeing as we all like so many different sounds, it takes some time to decide what goes with what. If I wanted to play a kazoo on a track the question is: What kind of track? That’s the big question. So once we develop a particular sound we like, then I start working towards a theme with that sound. It begins with the music first then the lyrics comes after.

RFP: Your collective is rather large, swelling to eight members at times. How is it when you’re all collaborating and recording?

OW: Being the band leader I have to decide who will contribute on what. For example, our guitarist Damon Mitchell lives out in Winnipeg so I can’t just include him in everything all the time when I’m working on something in Toronto. So if I know for sure I’ll need guitar on a particular track then I’ll work with him on that or if I know I need a trumpet player, I know I’ll work with him on that. Otherwise, I try not to get too many influences and too many heads going because it could turn into a track with too much shit in it like an Arcade Fire track.

RFP: On the song “Electric City” there’s one line that I really love - “I’m a record shop nerd on a mission” – What’s the ‘mission’?

OW: To discover as much music as my brain can hold, as my life can obtain. I used to work at Sam the Record Man before it closed down, [and then at] HMV. I used to work at small record stores in Winnipeg … I was a music nerd on a mission. Whenever an order book would come in for new stuff, we would read it like it was some Harry Potter novel. We just wanted to know what was coming out and where it was from. Who’s distributing it? What country are they from? We wanted to know everything about it [the music] and we realized that we’re music nerds.

RFP: It’s been a little over a year since your last album dropped – are you working on new material?

OW: We’re about to start working on some new stuff. We’re probably going to gear towards keeping people’s feet shuffling, booty’s moving on some of the new stuff. But also keep some of our social commentary in there because it’s important to us.

TASSEOMANCY (formerly known as Ghost Bees)
Twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman have an enchanting quality to their music. While performing stripped down acoustic tunes, their soft voices have a haunting element. Recently renamed as Tasseomancy, the name pays homage to their fortune telling tea-leaf reading great-grandmother who immigrated to Canada in the 1800s during the Russian pogroms. The duo had two showcases at this year’s NXNE at the Gladstone Hotel and C’est What on June 18.

RFP: It seems like your great-great grandmother had quite the journey
coming from Russia to Canada. Why did you decide to feature her on your album cover?

Sari Lightman: The title track of the album Tasseomancy was about her and her life and we wanted to … give her a voice she didn’t necessarilychave. She was an unknown ancestor in our family and once we were writing the song we began to learn more about her and her experience, we wanted to give her some respect.

RFP: Why is family history important to you?

SL: I think family history and ancestry is important to all of us whether or not we’re aware of it, it’s why we are what we are. Being able to look back and recognize the profound effect of your relationship
to everything around you and what you’re doing in your life is pretty significant. Everyone has a really interesting past. Considering my other band mate is my sibling, we share the lineage so it’s played a role in both our lives.

RFP: How would you describe the Halifax music scene in comparison to Toronto’s?

SL: The Halifax music scene is way smaller in size, just in relation to the city itself. There are neighbouring cities around Halifax but it’s not like Toronto which is close to Montreal and the States. The music scene in Toronto definitely [works] on an industry level where as the music scene in Halifax is much more isolated. It’s really unique and there’s this very supportive community of thriving musicians who rely on the support of other artists. We feel lucky that when we began to make music we were really fostered and supported in this loving and nurturing environment.
KIRK SPECIAL
Traveling all the way from Australia for this year’s NXNE, Kirk Special brought his own special brand of blues-punk to the Hideout on June 18. As a non-traditional blues musician, he’s created some enemies down south but pays no attention to them as he always has a raucous and fun time on stage.

RFP: How did you become Adelaide’s only one-man-hick-garage-blues-band?

Kirk Special: Kind of by accident. I started playing guitar when I finished high school four years ago… All I ever wanted to do was play in a Black Keys cover band but my friends wanted to cover the Chilli Peppers so I started the one-man-band.

RFP: I read that you make some of your own instruments. How?

KS: It’s a washboard with a contact mic and tambourine tapped to it. It’s like a home made stomp thing. Nothing had the sound I wanted. I used to use a kick drum on a snare but it had the tendency to fall apart so I did that (the washboard invention) and it didn’t fall apart. I was in America last year and I was in a guitar store and they had an authentic musical washboard and I thought that was hilarious so I bought it.

RFP: What’s the Adelaide music scene like?

KS: The Adelaide music scene is saturated with indie pop bands and they just gravitate towards whatever Vice magazine says [is good]. I’m kind of the only person that’s doing something bluesy that isn’t just 12-bar blues…The South Australian Blues Appreciation Society hate me. I played the Adelaide Blues Festival which is a whole lot of white-boy blues that is pretty tragic and then there’s me playing ballsy not traditional blues and they did not care for me. They told me how I can call what I play blues is beyond them. [It was] funny because I don’t [call it that], other people do.

Five lessons learned from four nights musical expedition

Stephen Carlick

For indie music fans in Toronto, it doesn’t really get any better than North by Northeast.

For just $50, students can pick up wristbands which allow access to nearly any concert over the five-night music portion of the festival. This year, NXNE saw more overwhelming attendance
and support than ever before, and featured over 500 performers, guaranteeing five nights of loud, sweaty excellence.

Of course, the festival isn’t for the faint of heart. Five nights is a long time to party, especially if you want to squeeze every last drop out of your pass. Shows typically start around 8pm, with each band in a venue’s showcase playing for 45 minutes starting on the hour. At 2am, a special guest - usually a band already playing the festival, albeit at a larger, less intimate venue - will typically take the stage and play a surprise show. A night out at the festival can mean more than six hours of live music. Those who might find five days of that a daunting exercise might be inclined to pick up just a single-day pass, which allows venue-hopping for a full evening.

Still, for ‘hot new thing’-hungry music fans, a five-day excursion can mean finding all sorts of interesting shows, just a couple of which I stumbled upon along my NXNE travels.

On Thursday (June 17), I began my adventure at Sneaky Dee’s, where I caught sets by Zola Jesus and London producer Gold Panda. Zola Jesus played a respectable set from their catalog of dramatic gloom-pop, while sunlight pouring into the venue’s windows may have killed the mood were it not for singer Nika Roza Danilova’s stage presence.

It was Danilova’s sublime voice (she’s an opera-trained singer from from Madison, Wisconsin), which made the band’s synth-driven performance likable, if not very good. Gold Panda’s 40-minute performance could have been a downer - it’s hard to translate a one-man DJ set into a live setting - but his energetic bobbing to the music was utterly infectious, convincing the majority of the venue’s patrons to start feeling his cut-and-paste sampling of oriental-inspired grooves. Still, Gold Panda’s live performance didn’t quite capture the emotional resonance of his recorded material, especially the excellent title track from his latest EP, “You.”

The rest of my night was spent doing some serious venue-hopping, which can be quite trying, especially if you plan to travel by TTC. Unless you have money to burn, it’s advisable either to pick a venue and stay there, or plan to travel slowly between venues by TTC. Some shows, depending on the guest, can get congested pretty fast, so in that case only, a cab might be your best chance to catch an intimate performance by one of your favourite NXNE acts. Such was the case with the American band Glass Candy. After madly rushing to catch Toronto synth pop band Bishop Morrocco at the Drake Hotel and Fucked Up guitarist Ben Cook’s side-project the Bitters at the Silver Dollar, it was imperative I made it to Glass Candy, who put on one of the festival’s highlight shows. The nu-disco duo’s ability to manipulate a crowd was impeccable: as they dropped their first beat of the night, the crowd started bumping along as if instinctively,
and singer Ida No kept the energy up by coercing the audience in her thick European accent.

After receiving a tip that Vancouver garage-punk duo Japandroids were playing a secret show, I headed to the tiny Dakota Tavern, where my Priority Pass allowed me to skip a long lineup to access the at-capacity
bar. Not being a tremendous fan of the band, I attended the show on the strength of hearsay alone, and was treated to another of the highlights of my NXNE experience. Japandroids’ guitar-fueled din stirred the tiny venue’s packed audience into a frenzied mosh pit in which good-humoured participants
were drenched in sweat and nobody was hurt. Through some broken strings and sound problems, the duo raged on with unfazed smiles, ensuring their small audience went home in a similarly joyous daze, not to mention ringing ears.

After Thursday’s hectic travel schedule, I was decidedly less ambitious on my second day of NXNE show-hopping. I started at the Garrison for a much-anticipated set by hotter-than-hot lo-fi beach-pop duo Best Coast. In typical California slacker-style, singer Bethany Cosentino spoke candidly about her sweaty body parts (“I feel so aware of all [of them]”), made a reference to 1998 stoner film “Half-baked,” and asked the audience whether her long-haired guitarist Bobb Bruno should cut his hair. Unsurprisingly, the duo’s performance of seven-inch singles such as “Sun Was High (So Was I)” and “When I’m With You” were laid-back and breezy, while new song “Crazy For You” prepped the audience for the band’s similarly-titled debut LP, due for release this July.

After hearing that the Horseshoe Tavern’s power had gone out (the MuchMusic Video Awards were happening just down the street), I headed with trepidation to the ‘legendary’ venue to catch a reunion set by 1990s surf-punk heroes Man or Astroman? whose kitschy, space-themed stage setup and energetic run through crowd favourites blew more than a few beer-addled minds. Since the power outage had forced the band to take the stage a half-hour late, I had to cut the fun short when I caught wind that San Francisco rock experimentalists Thee Oh Sees would be playing a secret show at the Bovine Sex Club two blocks up the street. Having played the night before at the much-larger Great Hall, the band treated the tiny venue to an intimate, up-close look at their manic performance. Singer John Dwyer was a man possessed as he whooped and hollered along to his band’s frantic, jangling performance, his guitar held close under his chin. It was a stellar show - do not miss Thee Oh Sees the next time they come to town.

The third day of NXNE’s music festival (Saturday, June 19) raised some tough questions for a number of festival-goers. Go to Toronto Island to catch Pavement, or stick around for a free Iggy Pop show at Yonge and Dundas Square and a night of shows that featured NXNE heavyweights Surfer Blood and Les Savy Fav? For me, the answer was complicated, but I settled upon leaving the island just a few songs early to ensure I made it into the hilariously-crowded Wrongbar on time for Surfer Blood’s midnight set. As it happened, I made it in just in time to catch the opening chords of the band’s first song, but a mix of unrealistic expectations on the Florida quintet and a tense, slowed-down performance of their highly-lauded debut LP made for a slightly disappointing show. Surfer Blood seemed unwilling to replicate their shambolic, unrefined recorded sound onstage, making for a show whose few highlights came only when the band were at their most freewheeling.

Les Savy Fav were a different beast altogether. From the get-go, singer Tim Harrington began affixing protective gear to his elbows, knees, and wrists, giving the audience a preview of the mayhem that was to ensue. Hanging from Wrongbar’s rafters, tip-toeing along the banisters, wrapping his sweaty, overweight form in toilet paper, and yes, opening the shirt of a male audience member and suckling his nipple were all on Harrington’s insane agenda, but his wasn’t the only form of entertainment on show that night. The remaining members of Les Savy Fav, led by bassist Syd Butler, are a band to behold live, as they artfully performed some of the band’s greatest songs - “The Equestrian,” “The Sweat Descends,” “Patty Lee” and “Yawn Yawn Yawn” - without losing any of the recorded versions’ intensity. Harrington even managed to chip in his hollering vocals while he madly stalked about the club, making Les Savy Fav’s all-encompassing performance the unquestionable highlight of many a festival-goer’s NXNE - just don’t bring it up with the throngs of fans who still stood lined-up outside the venue as the band took the stage.

Having missed Iggy Pop, it seemed the last missing piece of my NXNE puzzle was to catch a show with the hundreds of fans at Yonge and Dundas Square, so on Sunday night, I made my way over to catch a free set by hip-hop icons De La Soul. The veteran Long Island trio played an hour-long mix of songs from their twenty-year career, proving why they’ve lasted so long. But frustratingly short, sometimes minute-long snippets of their standout tracks like “Potholes In My Lawn,” “A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays,” “Stakes is High” and “Rock Co.Kane Flow” made it hard to really dig in live. The show would have benefitted from fewer, fuller song performances, but at a free show, it’s about pleasing as many fans as possible, which could explain the set’s “mega-mix” format.

With a final goodnight and a short snippet of “Magic Number,” De La were finished, and my NXNE trip had come to a close.

Until next year, I leave you with five lessons learned at this year’s NXNE:

1. Plan shows according to your budget. Taking TTC and cabs can be expensive, and so can drinking copious amounts of beer. Consider working your budget beforehand so that you can afford to take TTC and get a certain amount of drinks per night.

2. Plan shows according to time. If you won’t be able to make it across town by TTC or cab, pick a band you really want to see and stick around for their whole showcase - you might be pleasantly surprised by a new band.

3. Keep an eye on the NXNE Twitter feed. That way, you’ll know important, last-minute information about the festival, including added and cancelled shows, and most importantly, who is playing secret shows, and where.

4. Get a Priority Pass. If you want to make sure you see everything you want, you’ll want a Priority Pass (which costs $100). Wristbands are cheaper, but they don’t allow you to bypass lines, and with the growing popularity of NXNE, lineups are getting ever longer, to the point where many wristband-holders have ended up missing the most popular shows.

5. Get your money’s worth. Even if you haven’t heard of any bands playing on a given night, check out some MySpaces, take some advice, or tag along with friends - hearing new music is what NXNE is all about!
See you next year!

A Year of Firsts for CanAsian

Jessica Finch

The CanAsian Dance Festival is a celebration of Asian culture through dance, choreography and music. Acclaimed performers from all over Asia and Canada bring their heritage to life through original works and colorful dances. This year, CanAsian challenged its artists by asking them to  choreograph their dances during the May Festival at the Royal Ontario Museum. Museum Dances: Ancient Inspiration, Contemporary Interpretation, saw the artists create music and dances based on artifacts or specific exhibits at the Museum. This unique idea was a first for the Festival, and the performances were all the more beautiful because of the setting and meaning behind them.

Dance is a powerful form of expression, but in most cases the choreographers’ inspiration for a particular routine is more discreet. In Museum Dances, the inspiration, like a Korean vase or the Gallery of Minerals exhibit, becomes integral to the piece. For the dancers from Sampradaya Dance Creations, their performance within the Vale Inco Ltd. Gallery of Minerals, proved interesting on a number of levels. The dance, choreographed by Natasha Bakth, had the entire Gallery as part of the routine, allowing the audience to explore the exhibit while watching the performers through the crystals. Although the initial idea was to have the audience walk around the exhibit during the routine, the dance was so beautiful that it kept many viewers transfixed. The space for the performance was tight, but the dancers maneuvered almost effortlessly through the display cases. CanAsian’s Artistic director, Denise Fujiwara, describes the experience of hosting the Festival in such an interesting space, “This year was hard because we had to figure out what to do [at the Museum]”. The space also presented challenges for the audience. The performances were being put on in various parts of the museum and the coordination of the crowd became a little confusing. Despite difficulties along the way, however, Fujiwara’s overall impression of the collaboration was positive and she hopes to hold future Festivals at the ROM.

Another first for CanAsian this year was the inclusion of a hip hop crew who performed a break dance/martial arts routine in the ROM’s Cullery Gallery. F.A.M, short for Floor Assassins Militia, has won various hip hop awards and are well known in the Toronto B-Boy scene, but performing at the ROM gave them an entirely different experience. As one member states, their dance was different from anything they’d previously done, “The crowd is different because it’s a museum, we’re usually at louder places and people are yelling and cheering.” The crew choreographed a piece based on Japanese Samurai artifacts and helmets in the Prince Takamodo Gallery at the museum. Unlike the other Festival performances, F.A.M crafted their dance like a story told in six acts. And while the piece was unique, its focus was on street dance more so than martial arts, and the Asian connection got lost in the mix. F.A.M are a Toronto based crew, and as Denise Fujiwara explains there are differences between Asian and Western dance disciplines. As she explains, “Asian dance forms tend to be [those] that you can dance into maturity [while] in the West, we tend to be focused on youth and athleticism.” F.A.M were certainly more about the athleticism, but their crew brought a new flavour to the Festival and hopefully their hip hop stylings will have a place in future CanAsian performances.

The CanAsian Dance Festival was founded in 1997, and since then it has been entertaining Canadian audiences with traditional and contemporary Asian dance forms. Denise Fujiwara has been dancing for over thirty years and still participates in shows across the country as well as assisting contemporary dance movements like CanAsian.

For more information on the Festival visit www.CanAsianDanceFestival.com.

The Brothel Without Walls

Diana Duong

With or without walls, the Medieval-esque University College building, hidden in the heart of University of Toronto’s St. George campus, is the last place you’d expect to find a brothel. Instead, The Brothel Without Walls is a photo exhibit. The gallery is one of the three primary exhibitions for the 2010 Scotiabank CONTACT, the world’s largest photography festival.

The exhibition borrows its title from Marshall McLuhan’s 1964 essay The Photograph: The Brothel-without-Walls. According to the Canadian media theorist, photography turned its subjects into “dreams that money can buy” which could be “hugged and thumbed more easily than public prostitutes.” Thirty years after McLuhan’s death, the works of nine Canadian and international photographers are brought together in this exhibit to depict his prophetic predictions about the unbreakable bonds between photography and our culture.

Photography continues to permanently permeate our society. Billions of photos are captured, uploaded, and developed every day and their pervasive presence plugs into CONTACT’s 2010 theme “Pervasive Influence,” perfectly. Some photos teach us a lesson by reflecting back our societal  behaviours, even if it may be as shockingly scandalous as a slap in the face. Not the most pleasant feeling, but photography is like life - you use the negatives to develop. Each photo in this exhibit has a story and it probably could not be shortened to a thousand words.

The photographer is invisible in photos, always hidden behind the camera. The same applies to journalists, who are trained to remove themselves from stories to eliminate bias. In their photo collections, both Jessica Dimmock and Christopher Wahl aim their cameras in a separate direction and reverse the limelight. They capture different paparazzi and journalists in their candid news hawking moments. The spotlight is shone on subjects who normally make a living from a persistent pursuit of shining the spotlight on others. Dimmock and Wahl’s images expose the behind-the-scenes side of the people who work to keep up with the public’s insatiable hunger for celebrity photographs.

Across the hallway in the University of Toronto Art Centre, glassy-eyed subjects stare out from glossy, glamour shots. Everything, from their sparkly costume sequins to their meticulously curled hair, is part of a careful composition, certainly not a candid photograph. Susan Anderson captures these child beauty pageant contestants in the make-shift studios she sets up in hotel lobbies. The photographs are captured immediately prior to or after the pageant, so the princesses are still in their element and Anderson accurately illustrates them in the true essence of the pageant world. Girls as young as four-years-old are clad in glitzy costumes, glamourously made-up, spray-tanned, and groomed to unbelievable standards of perfection. The importance the parents place on their children’s conformity to social perceptions of beauty is disturbing. Anderson’s images reflect the exploitation of child beauty pageants and present the influence of contemporary culture on physical appearance in front of a camera.

At the end of the hallway, a single large canvas stretches across the blank white walls. Douglas Coupland’s Prows shows a picture of two Japanese film stars from the 1950s, an era that existed before the existence of colour television. Coupland adds a personal touch that is analogous to Andy Warhol’s pop culture prints of iconic figures. Coupland alters the photo with the addition of colour calibration bars, reminiscent of the early days of television. An insignificant detail that irritates viewers is the identity of these two women. No name, date of birth, or past film roles information is given, and onlookers cannot help but wonder, who are they? Coupland chooses to leave the ladies anonymous as a nostalgic representation of a time when not every bit of information could be attained by a quick browse through Wikipedia. Coupland states that “the only tactic for survival is pattern recognition.” The calibration patterns in Prows reflects our experiences with the advancement of technology, mainly the television and Internet. Change is inevitable, and new technology will continue to transform our lives; however, it would seem less overwhelming if we searched for a pattern in each new emergence.

There are several other artists featured in the exhibit. Marian Gadonneix and Stefan Ruiz’s works both bring colour to the relationship between photography and television. Cluine Reid presents a distinctive style with her silvery, glossy images taped to the walls, a reference to defacements and graffiti in contemporary culture. Both Evan Baden and Joachim Schmid concentrate on the effects of the photography on socialization over the Internet and how personal perceptions of privacy have been impacted by technology. Located at the University of Toronto Art Centre, the exhibit ran from April 29 - May 29.

The new and the old at The Clothing Show

Marlee Kostiner

Though the word fashionista has become quite the cliché, it’s difficult to think of a better-suited word to describe exactly whom The Clothing Show was created for. Fashion lovers? Clothing enthusiasts? All of the above.

The name of the show alone can make the aforementioned F-word swoon—the simplicity is genius and chock-full of mystery. Celebrating its 33 year, the three-day event was held at the Better Living Centre at the Exhibition Place—the show’s home for the third year in a row.

The show dates back to 1977 when Marlene Cook founded The Old Clothing Show and Sale. It was originally a small hunting ground for really amazing vintage items. A lot of local clothing designers initially shopped the show looking for great inspiration and ideas for designing their own clothes. Since then, the show has gained momentum and the numbers of attendees and designers has grown.

In 2001, when Bonnie Meacham took over, she changed the name of the show—dropping the “Old.”  “That started a huge mass of interest from new designers, retailers and jewelry artisans and the show grew to three times its original size,” said Meacham. Today, The Clothing Show is Canada’s largest vintage and new independent designer show. “Though we still represent the show’s roots with a vintage section, we are predominantly a new clothing and accessories show.”

A great component of The Clothing Show is its emphasis on supporting local talent. “Most everyone is either a local designer or a local retailer.  So, the sales stay pretty much in our community,” says Meacham. The new and local designer area of the show is called the Boutique section, where you can find hundreds of designers.

Lisa Greenbaum is the brains behind Greenbaum Clothing Co., a Toronto-based women’s contemporary line for urban professionals. “All of my clothing is washable and easy to wear from day to night,” says Greenbaum as she stands eagerly waiting to help customers at her corner booth at The Clothing Show. She, like many others, likes the semi-annual show, not for sales, but for the connections she makes. “I love talking to customers about what they like and don’t like,” she says. Her pieces range from $30 to $180 at full price.

Slashpile Designs is the creation of 23-year-old twin sisters Tara and Courtney Neray. The funky and original jewelry brand started off as Tara’s thesis for her degree in Material Art and Design at OCAD, while her sister was finishing up a degree in Industrial Design. The sisters swear they have been creating jewelry since they were two and a half years old. They are proud to “combine the product-oriented discipline of industrial design with the artistic quality of fine craft.” One of their more interesting jewelry pieces is a drug molecule necklace, where a choice of drugs such as alcohol, caffeine, LSD, and THC are represented in a molecule formation hanging from a chain. “Wear your vice. Start a conversation,” they suggest on their website. This is their second time appearing at The Clothing Show, and like Greenbaum, they understand that the show is more about making connections than making sales. Unlike many of the other booths trying to get rid of products with giant price cuts, Slashpile Designs sell their products at full price, ranging from as low as $15 for tiny earings, but often up to $50 for a signature piece.

While some vendors are ok with the idea of not selling very much at the show in exchange for the contacts they make and the feedback they get from their customers, others just can’t afford it since it could mean running a loss. A half booth at the show costs $250 while a full booth costs upward of $440. The show charges vendors for the booth and they have to make enough money to pay that off before they can even think about making a profit.

On a more positive note, in an effort to keep up the show’s initiative to support local creative talent, The Clothing Show donates over 1,000 feet of art gallery space to showcase local artists to display and sell their work during the show. The show highlights designers and artists working in any medium including painting, sculpture, performance and videography. The goal of the show is to present art in an accessible and unique manner.

The Sample Sales section is where shoppers can find big names like Rock & Republic, Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, True Religion, and Seven for up to 90 per cent off retail prices. Going back to the roots of show, attendees can scour antique and estate jewelry collections. Old-time fashion lovers would also feel that invisible pull to check out the Century of Fashion Competition exhibit where collectors and experts display their best museum quality garments from the twentieth Century. From past to present and for designers and customers—this show is a shopaholic’s dream.

The Elwins could become a household name in Toronto

Adriana Rolston

The first time I gandered at The Elwins they were performing in an outdoor ice rink, strumming away cheerfully whilst people in toques and fuzzy apparel whizzed by them. Now I’m watching them rock and bop at The Central on Friday, May 21, and though they’re one of the last to perform, they steal the show.

The guys that clamber onto the rug covered stage pack more punch for their quiet appearance.  At first glimpse they resemble the well-behaved, fresh-faced lads that attended math camp, and then they trip you up with 60’s inspired, funky pop-rock tunes that force toes to tap and heads to bob.

Lead vocalist, Matthew Sweeney, has an almost-always earnest expression on his face as his fingers pluck out an easy-going beat on the guitar. Sporting a brown tweed jacket, and flannel shirt he chirps away in lilting tones.

“I’ve got to find a way back to the start of this day, when I said the things I never would have said. But I said them anyways, and I said them to you, so I’ve got to find a way back to the time machine.”

Clever lyrics and delightfully simple riffs are what hook you into The Elwins sound. The songs are catchy,  situated somewhere between a relaxed beach vibe, with funkier riffs and a stroll along the English country side,  lax-a-daisy rhythm.

The song “Kristy May,” starts off nice and easy, and then bounces into a springy tempo: “Took a sip. From a cup. I hope that it. Fills me up. Took a chance. At the dance. But I’ve got bad luck,” sings Sweeney.

In no time flat the audience warms to the lively tunes coming from the three dapper young gents. But this trio used to be a duo, before they found Feurd, who’s playing bass and wearing a red striped shirt, round glasses and has an impressively curly-tipped moustache.

Sweeney and Travis Stokl, who is strong on the drums, had already been in several bands together during their high school days in Newmarket before they formed The Elwins. After graduating from Humber College with a bachelors degree in music, Feurd, who had played with them before, was recruited to bring a fuller sound to the band. Currently The Elwins are searching for an additional band member who sings, plays keyboard or bass, and they plan to start recording a full-length record in October.

The April 2009 launch party of their five track self-titled EP took place in a Newmarket auditorium festooned with Christmas lights and a fun fur draped ceiling.

These guys are still a hidden gem in Toronto’s indie music community but a video that they shot with Mitch Fillion back in February for his website, Southern Souls, gave them more musical recognition. The site captures a kaleidoscope of diverse bands and musicians who hail from Southern Ontario and perform in a hoard of spontaneous and natural environments, in the tradition of sites like Black Cab Sessions.

Which bring us back to the ice rink in Aurora where Fillion shot The Elwins performing “Propinquity” on a plastic mat in the centre of the action. According to Sweeney, “It was a super fun but cold time. By the end of the performance everybody’s fingers were super numb. We sent out a message to fans inviting them to come and skate in a live music video and there was a great response.” Apparently a group of synchronized skaters requested to join the band but couldn’t make it out.

The cheerful love-song is accompanied by falling snowflakes and Sweeney’s girlfriend, Heather Lumsden-Ruegg, who joins him on vocals and plays the keyboard. Both compliment each other with high lark-like tones. “It feels like when you’re around, its a good thing I have found. And while we’re lingering I’ll hold you near to me. Because whenever you’re around, it’s a good thing I have found.”

When the boys perform the same tune tonight it sounds a bit rougher yet still pulses along pleasantly. Feurd acknowledges that performing on Southern Souls was a great way to share fans. “We have even been recognized on the street as those dudes from that ice skating rink music video.”

Near the end of their set at The Central two fellas sitting near the stage ask the band who they are. When Sweeney introduces each member in his low, soft-spoken voice, they shout back, “But what are you called?”

Sweeney’s face breaks into a rare on-stage smile as he answers. In the wake of the band’s last fast-paced song the same guys demand an encore.  Soon enough the carefree, rambunctious sound of The Elwins will be easy to recognize.

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