As the owner and maintainer of TooHighToGetItRight.com, a site dedicated to the Southern Ontario stoner rock scene, I’ve seen a lotta bands come and go since 2007. Lately, it seems that there’s been a lot more going than there are coming, to the point where I might not renew my domain this year. But there are still some new bands breathing new life into the stagnant stoner scene. Here are a few to keep an eye on:
Ol’ Time Moonshine: Diablo Red was one of my favourite local bands, but when the devil went down to Sarnia in ’09, a few new acts spawned from its demise. My favourite, by a long shot, is Ol’ Time Moonshine. The other ex-Diablo dudes are into glam now, but Bill (guitar) and Brett (drums) are keeping the Whiskey Swillin’ Southern Doom sound alive with their new outfit, which is even slower and heavier than its predecessor. Too bad they only have some instro demos up on Spamspace–you’ll hafta see ’em live to get the full picture.
Palace of the End: This Toronto trio opened for Weedeater a couple months back, and made a solid first impression on these ears. They pepper an arsenal of slow, heavy, organic Earth-style stompers with some faster-paced fuzz rock a la Monster Magnet. And there’s plenty of bass in their live sound– at least there was at the Wreckroom gig.
Galaxies in the River: When these guys friended me on Spamspace a little while back, I was in for a pleasant surprise. An instrumental power trio that mixes the desert rock vibes of Kyuss with some heavy Hendrix guitar freakouts. Their demo recordings have piqued my interest, and I’m looking forward to catching ’em in person.
Speaking of which, all three of the aforementioned are playing The Poor Alex at Bathurst and Dundas this Friday with a couple other bands. (Check out the gig poster.) I’m giving y’all five days notice so ya won’t miss it!
Oh, and here’s one more for all the Hamiltonians who hang around Hellbound. Monster Truck is the best band I’ve heard from the Hammer since Shallow North Dakota. More southern than stoner rock, but like Clutch, they blur the lines between the two genres. They’ve even got a full-fledged organist, which is pretty badass. You can download their two EPs from the link I gave ya, and check ’em out for yourself…
Peace,
Greg
Poor Young Things, Ol’ Time Moonshine, Palace of the End, Galaxies in the River, Snake and Crane @ The Poor Alex Theatre, 772A Dundas St W (just west of Bathurst). Doors @ 7:30, first band @ 8. $5.
