Gig-hopping at NXNE 2015 – from the Bovine to Adelaide Music Hall on June 20th:
Urva Khan
On the edges of the metal world we get a lot of interesting phenomena these days. With a full program at NXNE, I got some direction and was led to an act called Urvah Khan & the Scrap Metal Army.* Not heavy by any means – think more pop-rock-meets-reggae, but if that’s what you’re looking for they can definitely deliver. I hung around as the crowd at the Bovine Sex Club started to join frontwoman Urvah in her exuberant booty-shaking before I ventured even further into the core of downtown Toronto.
Urvah Khan
At Adelaide Hall, a stunner of a venue, I was really curious to get a glimpse of Deafheaven and hear what all the goddamn fuss has been about with them.
Prior to that I got a surprise, as the bill had called for White Lung but they were replaced by electronic aficionados Cold Cave, from LA. I was in for even more dance-happy bounciness with them, and I found their ’80s friendly sound, laden with ethereal synths, very appealing. So it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, and following that, even though Deafheaven doesn’t really move me the way I was hoping they would, I still got to experience the ridiculous energy they got fed back from the insane crowd. Gesticulating, twitching frontman George Clarke didn’t let up the entire time, constantly engaging the crowd and sending them into a mad frenzy. As he screamed his soul out the room was filled with crowdsurfers and rabid fans reflecting his words.
* correction
