North By Northeast // The Wrap-up

Alright! I admit it! I failed you all!

It's true, I promised a more extensive outline of the North By Northeast music festival, but I just blew it. There were videos I took and they ended up on YouTube, but not on here. But, I will make it up to you by posting them now.

I also have additional footage I have yet to put online. It's coming, I promise. But, for now, enjoy these couple of videos because they're all fantastic performances.

Friends - Ideas on Ghosts
A song written about and dedicated to Samantha Urbani's deceased brother.



Oberhaufer - Haus
The indie darlings deliver one of many epic performances from the festival.



The Lumineers - Ain't Nobody's Problem But My Own
Perhaps the most infectious song I heard all festival. Dare to get that twang out of your head.

North By Northeast // Day One

Don't take this as some sort of commitment to covering the festival in its entirely, but I do promise I will post a handful of videos captured at this year's North By Northeast music festival in Toronto.

Last night I unexpectedly spent most of the evening at the Tracks on Tracks showcase held at the Gladstone. The event specifically focused on Canadian bands from the West. All of them had travelled to the show as part of a cross-country tour on a VIA Rail train. While in transit they performed for passengers, and then the grand finale was this evening.

While I didn't stick around for the entire night, I can tell you that both the Matinee and Maurice were entertaining alternative rock performers, while I hear that the Topless Gay Love Tekno Party got the glitter flowing -- literally -- all over the floor.

I managed to capture one performance (I lost the others due to technical difficulties) from solo singer Adaline, whose songs have been featured on Grey's Anatomy. I really dig Rebels of Love, which is her new single.

Song of the Day // Kimbra - Settle Down

You've all heard Gotye's hit song Somebody That I Used to Know by now (you have...right???) but have you taken a chance to listen to guest vocalist Kimbra sing solo? If not, her album is out on May 22 in the U.S. and the U.K. This track reminds me a lot of Esthero.

Song of the Day // Last Dinosaurs - Zoom

Last Dinosaurs send their euphoric rock sounds from a homebase in Brisbane, Australia, and I really hope they catch on.

Zoom has an increidbly unique sound that's laced with familiarity -- a boppier verison of the harder rock bands from a decade ago. I just love their guitars and it takes me back to my early years in university when the Strokes and the Hives were all the rage.

Their music video time travels a little bit further, back to the '80s with a Tron-esque appearance.

My Music Video // Gotye - Learnalilgivinanlovin (Live in Toronto)

How'd you spend your Saturday night? I was at Gotye at the Kool Haus in Toronto, Canada shakin' my tailfeather with a couple friends. I managed to catch some video of him and his band performing live which I've quickly turned into a few "music videos" that I hope you'll find entertaining. The first in the series is Learnalilgivinanlovin.

If you haven't heard of Gotye you obviously didn't read my blog yesterday, nor have you gotten out from under that rock lately, sir. So perhaps you should give it a watch and don't say I didn't tell you so.

P.S. This is one of the songs Drew Barrymore first fell in love with when she heard the Somebody That I Used to Know singer.

Oh Canada! // Canadian partier does his best rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody

The latest viral sensation from the Great White North (my hometown!) comes from what's an almost too-good-to-be-true security video from a Royal Canadian Mounted Police vehicle.

After insisting he isn't drunk this guy starts to belt out Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody with (almost) stunning accuracy.




Of course, this leads us to the ultimate question of the day: