While North By Northeast 2014 has actually been underway since last weekend, Wednesday marked the start of the festival’s stacked music schedule. With the official start of summer just a few days away, you can definitely feel a buzz brewing around the downtown core. Well, perhaps that’s a bit easier for me to say, as my NXNE experience kicked off traveling around Queen St on the Mio Squirtcar with Nu-Funk act Har Mar Superstar. It’s not everyday that you hear live music blaring out of streetcar windows, and such a situation inspired many onlookers to whip out their phones and snap a pic as we drove by. It was a pretty cool concept and an event that frontman Patrick Tillman joked was a dream of his coming to life.
After being dropped off at McCaul St, I made my over to the Budweiser Music House (aka The Horseshoe Tavern) just in time to catch charming folk act Mutual Benefit. Judging by the crowds involvement, it seems they were still coming down from the high energy set from Toronto’s The Oooh Baby Gimme More’s (OBGM’s). Band leader Jordan Lee seemed very surprised and humbled by the excitement the crowd was giving off.
Next stop of the night was Mio House (aka The Hoxton). While I thought I was showing up a bit early to catch Jacques Greene, it seemed the Montreal-based DJ already had the place moving. Thanks to the variety NXNE has at every hour of the festival, The Hoxton was at a perfect capacity for people to enjoy their space and dance to his blend of electronic and R&B. Despite what the photo below might show and as cool as it would have been to see, Jacques was not abducted by a UFO following his performance.
Greene’s dance party was the perfect lead-in to the special Red Bull Sound Select secret show. While the act remained unannounced on the poster, news began to swirl that Sleigh Bells, who play Yonge Dundas Square tonight, were the surprise guests. At around 1:15am, Alexis Krauss and Derek Edward Miller took the intimate Tattoo stage and for the next hour tore through the eardrums of anyone who neglected to bring earplugs. Once a mosh pit ensued, the energy from the crowd inspired Krauss to get as intimate as she could. For a band that’s used to playing massive festival sets these days, it was truly special seeing them enjoy the tiny space and interact on a personal level with their die-hard fans.
I have to admit, Day 1 was pretty amazing and I’m still baffled this all happened on a Wednesday. Day 2 should be even cooler, as I hope to step aboard the Vice Island ferry to see what sort of festivities they’ve got planned. Stay tuned!
We at 4479 cannot wait for this year’s North By Northeast Festival happening all across our amazing venues in Toronto. If you’ve been before, you’ll know a NXNE wristband is an essential Toronto summer accessory. That’s why we are offering up music wristbands for you and a friend to check out all the action this June! Many shows are subject to capacity, so it’s always safe to show up a bit early to catch that showcase set you’ve been waiting all winter for.
All you have to do is tweet us your favourite NXNE moment(s)using the hashtag #4479atNXNE and you’ll be automatically entered to win! Was it The National at Yonge-Dundas Square in 2013? The Men at Wrongbar in 2012? Let us know! Remember, you must use the hashtag #4479atNXNE to qualify.
After a successful first run last summer as a single-day festival, the 2nd (and hopefully annual) installment of Field Trip returned to the historic Fort York & Garrison Common last weekend for more sun, music, food trucks and hoola-hooping. This time around the festival expanded to 2 days, featuring a more diverse line-up and enough activities suitable for the entire family.
While initially launched in 2013 as a 10th anniversary celebration of Toronto-based label Arts & Crafts, the 2014 edition of Field Trip expanded its lineup outside of the Arts & Crafts roster with bands like Interpol, Chvrches and The Kills. While the headlining acts got bigger, organizers kept the festival true to its Toronto roots by curating the earlier lineup slots with rising local talent.
Day One – Saturday June 7, 2014
The festival kicked off Saturday with Maylee Todd’s quirky funk-pop on the Fort York stage followed by The Darcys on the Garrison Stage. As the day progressed and the sun was soaked in, sets from Austra, Shad and Broken Social Scene frontman Kevin Drew (featuring an appearance from Feist) matched the relaxed vibe that the crowd hoping for. The folksier Reuben And The Dark, Half Moon Run and Lord Huron rounded out the day’s line-up before the headlining block of artists took to the stage.
Accompanied by a 4-piece drumline, UK’s The Kills raised the crowd’s energy as the sun began to set. With an appropriate cheetah print backdrop behind her, singer Alison Mosshart growled into her microphone, scurried around the stage and engaged with the audience unlike any performer the entire weekend. It was the perfect energy boost to prepare you for Ottawa’s A Tribe Called Red, one of the few electronic acts at the festival. A main draw for those looking to dance, the Tribe did not disappoint and brought their signature dance party to the Fort York stage.
New York’s Interpol finished off the day with a career-spanning setlist, a lot of which came from their first two indie rock must-have albums Turn On The Bright Lights and Antics. Frontman Paul Banks seemed very happy with the reception they received throughout the set, sneaking in a few smiles and thank-yous in between songs. Interpol also debuted some new tracks off their upcoming LP Elpintor. As the band played fan-favourite “NYC”, Banks belted out the signature line, “It’s up to me now, turn on the bright lights”, cueing the house lights and providing that special moment many first-day festival goers were waiting for.
A building wind creeping over from the lake and ongoing warnings of thunderstorms certainly did not help Field Trip’s synergy coming into Day 2. Yet, as the day carried on, only a few moments were drizzled with the impending rain. While a bit of sunshine would have helped Zaki Ibrahim’s opening set, the South African-Canadian soul singer did not let the clouds obscure this moment for her or the folks who showed up early to catch her set. The moment seemed very special for Ibrahim and the crowd certainly appreciated her enthusiasm as they laid out blankets and saved their energy for the rest of the day.
Following Ibrahim on the Fort York stage was Thomas Paxton-Beesley’s project River Tiber, which was undoubtedly a huge moment for the Toronto singer/songwriter’s career. Blending the rythyms of Radiohead with the crooning of Jeff Buckley, Paxton-Beesley welcomed the thunderstorm warnings with an unforgettable performance that synced perfectly with the weather conditions. He later appeared in the horns section during Toronto hip-hop/jazz trio BadBadNotGood’s set, where they once again proved they may just be the best young band of musicians in the world today. BBNG incited the biggest mosh-pit of the festival, which is very impressive when a band like Fucked Up are playing the same stage later that evening.
Prior to The Constantines’ anticipated reunion, Gord Downie, The Sadies & The Conquering Sun warmed the crowd up with some rock and roll off their new LP released on Arts & Crafts earlier this year. Downie, dressed in an all white suit and cowboy hat, would later come out to sing with Fucked Up and Broken Social Scene. The buzz surrounding The Cons’ first Toronto show in 4 years was without a doubt the most anticipated set leading up to Field Trip. As their fans would agree, The Constantines did not disappoint and seemed very humbled by the crowd’s reception. Playing back-to-back on separate stages, Washed Out and Chvrches brought their respective blends of “chill-wave” indie rock to the festival before Toronto’s Fucked Up took the stage and, well, did the exact opposite. With the cover of their LP Glass Boys behind them, singer Damian Abraham had the crowd moshing, dancing and climbing to the front of the barricade to scream along in his microphone.
If you hadn’t seen Fucked Up before, Damian made sure to welcome you by ripping apart red beach balls with his teeth and even bringing out his son to sing along. Perhaps after overhearing The Cons’ “Shine A Light” earlier, the sun did appear for Fucked Up’s show and even stuck around for headliners Broken Social Scene, providing a magical backdrop to their first show since last summer’s festival. Frontman Kevin Drew was eventually joined by the legendary Andy Kim for “Sweetest Kill” off Forgiveness Rock Record. With the CN Tower lit in the background and the festival coming to a close, the duet could not have been a more perfect Toronto moment.
Then again, as a whole, Field Trip 2014 seemed like one big perfect Toronto moment.
The Board of Governors of Exhibition Place will be holding a public consultation meeting regarding Electronic Dance Music concerts at Exhibition Place on Monday, June 16th, 2014, from 6:30pm to 8pm at the Direct Energy Centre – Exhibition Place, located at 100 Princes’ Blvd, Toronto – Salon 103.
If you wish to address the Board of Governors, Exhibition Place asks that you notify the Corporate Secretary, Fatima Scagnol, at 416-263-3620 by 12 noon on June 13, 2014, to assist with scheduling. You can also submit written comments to FScagnol@explace.on.ca.
Up for grabs are 2 separate pairs of Single Day Passes for Field Trip Festival happening this weekend at Fort York & Garrison Common. Headliners include Broken Social Scene, Interpol, The Kills and the much-anticipated reunion of The Constantines!
Simply re-tweet 4479’s tweet below to be entered in a draw to win!
