NXNE

NXNE 2014 Diaries: Gruve

Reports from the North by Northeast trenches Gruve at NXNE 2014 Hey Hellbound readers, my name’s Jay Pollmann. I play in the groove based…

NXNE 2014 Diaries: Redanda

Reports from the trenches Redanda & Buddy-Boys at NXNE 2014 This is being written with a fairly heavy hangover, but hopefully that means our…

NXNE 2014 Diaries: Sumo Cyco

NXNE 2014 – reports from the trenches It’s North by Northeast time in Toronto, that moment that comes every June when the city’s venues…

Maaaan, when did Monster Truck get to be so big!?

I’ve been living and attending concerts in Toronto for over seven years now, so it’s safe to say I’ve seen a few local bands who got big well before they were known commodities. But now, I can even say I’ve seen a band from Hamilton go from the Toronto scene to the national stage. That band just happens to be called Monster Truck.

Descendents/ OFF! @ Yonge Dundas Square, Toronto ON, June 16 2011

“While this bout of First Gen punk rockers strutting their new stuff (OFF!) or taking a skank down memory lane (Descendents) was clearly not about to grab Southern Ontario by the short and curlies, with enough bodies filling the concrete lawn to instigate agoraphobia, it was clear that Southern Californian punk rock has clearly grown in appreciated stature over its three decades.”

Keith Carman reviews the June 16th outdoor performance by Descendents and OFF! at NXNE in Toronto. Live photos by Heather Carman Ostrander.

Dear Ian Blurton…

When I saw you drag your tired, sorry-looking asses on stage last nite, I figured you guys were on tour. It looked like you’d been to Prince Edward Island and back. Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I gather, the tour started last nite in Peterborough. I mean, the Pete’s the kinda place where you play a gig, drive home afterwards, and go to work the next day. If that’s what you actually did, I can sympathize, but I have a hard time believing you couldn’t grab a nap somewhere before a hometown show…