What a week for music in Windsor! After a few quieter weeks (but not lacking in talent by any means), this week explodes with a slew of world class events, from metal to indie pop to cult heroes. Some of these tickets are pricey (so start saving now) but they WILL be worth the price of admission. Many of these acts are on national or world tours and are including Windsor on their stops as a possible new location, so let's show them that we appreciate the best this country (or any country) has to offer when they hit home. The best part is, these acts are being paired up with great local entertainment - in a time when the auto industry is asking us to support local (which really just means support foreign companies who employ locals - because GM and Ford are about as local as McDonald's and Apple), the arts and entertainment are one of the purest forms of supporting local there is.
Monday April 13
ALL-AGES: Bring Me The Horizon (Sheffield, UK) wsg Straight Reads The Line (Stoney Creek, ON), The Sleeping (Long Island, NY) and I Am The Vine
The Blind Dog (761 Ouellette Ave.)
Epitaph Records recording artists Bring Me The Horizon make a Windsor stop on their world tour, bringing their "deathcore" sounds all the way from Sheffield, England. These guys are selling out venues quickly and their star is rocketing, so this is a great chance to see a band at this stage before they skip Windsor all together next time and play somewhere like Saint Andrew's in Detroit. This is an all-ages event, with doors at 6pm. Tickets are $15 Advance (at Dr. Disc Records)/$20 at the Door.
Bring Me The Horizon: "Pray For Plagues" (Official Video)
Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe and Greg Cox
Billie's Place (3179 Sandwich St.)
Mr. Chill and fellow Witness Greg Cox play a stripped down set of great old blues and roots songs, as well as songs from their album, Mr. Chill's Cold Testament. Party on the West side!
The Milkmen
Milk Coffee Bar (68 University Ave. West)
Another night of chillaxin' at Milk with the sultry improv jazz sessions of the Monday Milkmen.
Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
The always delightful Tara Watts hosts an eclectic open mic session on Phog's stage. For the first-timer to the stage veteran, you never know who will show up and sing a song.
Open Mic with Clinton Hammond
The Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East)
Windsor's longest running Open Mic continues along without any signs of showing down! The charismatic Clinton Hammon runs the gauntlet of the Open Mic - sing a song, tell a joke, the stage is open!
Tuesday April 14
The Pack A.D. (Vancouver, BC) wsg Another Saturday Knight
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
Mint Records' garage blues duo The Pack A.D. have been the torch bearers for Canada's sweaty blues scene for the better part of the past two years. Their 2007 debut Tin Type was just an appetizer for 2008's Funeral Mixtape, that cemented their status at the top of the indie blues circuit, lauding critical acclaim from Rolling Stone Magazine to the cover of Exclaim! Magazine. These first ladies of blues are joined by Windsor's Another Saturday Knight.
The Pack A.D.: "Making Gestures" (Official Video)
Ron Leary & "Mr. Chill" Kelly Hoppe
Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
Ron Leary and Mr. Chill play a smattering of songs, with some choice covers mixed in with songs from Leary's brilliant debut CD, theroadinbetween, and Mr. Chill's fantastic Cold Testament.
The Last Trio
The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West)
Alan Penner leads a rotating cast of some of the city's finest players through jazz interpretations and beyond. A great chance to see some great live jazz and it's early too! It runs from 7pm to 10pm for those who don't want to make a late night of it on a Tuesday.
Clare Renaud's Session
The Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East)
A real traditional Celtic feel to this impromptu jam session that has all the flair of a Cape Breton house party. You never know who's going to stop by with what instrument and play what song. And the beer ain't half band neither.
Open Mic with Stefanie Sarafianos
The Mill Tavern (3199 Sandwich St.)
One half of the sisterly duo Twisted Sisters, Stephanie leads a cast of musicians of all types of experience each week on the West end.
Open Mic with Andrew MacLeod
The Dominion House (3140 Sandwich St.)
Andrew MacLeod leads another Open Mic on the West end, showcasing many of the city's finest songwriters and drinkers.
Tuesday Night Music Club with Jamie Reaume
Twig N' Berries (2135 Wyandotte St. East)
The Golden Eagles' Jamie Reaume leads an all-star cast of local musicians through one of the city's wildest Open Mac jam sessions.
Wednesday April 15
Daren Dobsky & Josh Zalev
Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
Dobsky and Zalev lead an occassional all-star ensemble through a series of covers, from Led Zeppelin to Jeff Buckley, rock and roll to the blues.
Kenneth MacLeod & The Windsor Salt Band
The Dominion House Tavern (3140 Sandwich St.)
Kenneth MacLeod is a one-man musical wrecking crew. His talent is overwhelming and his intensity equally so. A variety of music, from East Coast to contemporary, with a supporting cast featuring Max Marshall on bass and Sally Zori on drums.
Thursday April 16
ALL-AGES: Days Fade
The Blind Dog (761 Ouellette Ave.)
The undisputed kings of local hardcore, Days Fade has carved out a name for themselves not just in our own local heavy scene, but nationally as well. These guys have done countless Ontario and U.S. tours, as well as some out of province, spreading their barbaric gospel to every mosh pit that will bleed for them. And it's been a lot. They've played on some great bills and with local promoter Ryan Barron as one of the band members, it's no surprise these guys are making waves on such a high level. Doors are at 8pm for this all-ages event. Tickets are only $3 at the door.
Jackie Robitaille
The Whiskey (300 Ouellette Ave., below A-Channel)
Jackie Robitaille is the latest from the Robitaille clan (behind her brother, the uber-talented Pat Robitaille) to make the jump from writing and singing in their basement to the stage, and she's showing the same talent as her brother. With a voice and style that is uniquely her own, she is destined to be one of the break-out talents from Windsor in 2009.
Jackie Robitaille: "Illumina" (WAMM Magazine Video Contest Entry, 3rd Place)
The Windsor Scene on CJAM 91.5 FM
Randi Irving continues to host the on-air version and multi-JAMMY Award winning companion to "The Windsor Scene", each and every Thursday evening from 6pm to 7pm, on CJAM 91.5 FM, Windsor's Campus and Community Radio Station. Hear tracks from some of Windsor's current musical stars as well as nuggets from the vault, not to mention live interviews and peformances!
Huladog
The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West)
Always a great night of live jazz and funk jams by a group of Windsor's premiere players. Huladog have been at it for years now and they play the perfect blend of great jazz and booty shakin' funk.
Kelly "Mr, Chill" Hoppe, Tom Hogarth and Chris Borshuk
Mezzo Ristorante & Lounge (804 Erie St. East)
Mr. Chill teams up with the incomparable voice of Tom Hogarth as well as Chris Borshuk for this intimate showcase. A great night for dinner and some music.
Friday April 17
Black Diamond Bay wsg Helsinki Go
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
Pick Of The Week: Black Diamond Bay is the new project from two former members of critically acclaimed indie pop darlings The Dears and they've just released their debut album, Calm Awaits (their CD release was two weeks ago). These guys are on a monster buzz right now and their album is gorgeously epic. You can read a full interview with frontman (and former Dears guitarist) Patrick Krief in this month's WAMM Magazine for more info. Opening the show is the mighty return of Windsor's own Helsinki Go. Tickets for this event are $6 in Advance or $8 at the Door, but keep in mind, this is an intimate showcase for a band that is playing much bigger venues on their Canadian tour right now. This will be a special treat for all those who attend.
Black Diamond Bay: "What We Wanted" (Video, Live from Lion D'Or, Montreal, QC)
Harvesting The FAM presents:
Two For The Cascade wsg This Is Me As A Woman
Milk Coffee Bar (68 University Ave. West)
In conjunction with the Harvesting The FAM Festival's showcase Through Women's Eyes & Voices (a month long celebration of local women in song and photography), two of Windsor's emerging stars are showcased at Milk. The darkly romantic electro-acoustic stylings of Two For The Cascade (which features Stefanie Zaccagnini on vocals and Moog and Holly Brush on theramin and e-bow) join with the singer/songwriter set of This Is Me As A Woman for a great little intimate showcase at Milk.
Two For The Cascade: "Where Things Are Fine" (Video, Live from FM Lounge, Windsor, ON)
Evan Symons (Texada Island, BC) wsg The Eclectic Chair and Crash Kondition
The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, below Pogo's)
Evan Symons has been playing quirky indie for decades now and his latest solo incarnation carries on that mantle. He makes his Windsor stop on his cross Canada tour with a stop at the legendary Coach & Horses, with Windsor alt. rockers The Eclectic Chair and Crash Kondition warming up the crowds.
Evan Symons: "Conductor's Wife" (Official Video)
Mr. Chill & The Witnesses
Big Tony's (911 Walker Rd.)
Catch Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe and his roots and blues outlaws at Big Tony's for some great music and dinner.
Mr. Chill & The Witnesses: "Rolling Thunder" (Video, Live at The Capitol Theatre, Windsor, ON)
Kaskade (San Francisco, CA)
The Boom Boom Room (315 Ouellette Ave.)
As always, The Boom Boom Room continues to bring a roster of world-class electronic DJ's through its doors and this week is no exception, when San Fran's superstar Kaskade mans the decks. Tickets are $10 in Advance.
(GrounD)
Empire Lounge (128 University Ave. West, above California Sushi)
DJ's Mach-X and J_Wild continue their weekly electronic collective and live collaboration night at the Empire, spinning the best in "epicness of EDM with techno, dubstep, house, scenester nu-rave, breakz and everything else you've come to expect from this dynamic team." Tonight, DJ Tyler Power shows up to mix it up with the (GrounD) crew.
Saturday April 18
ALL-AGES: Endast (Montreal, QC) wsg Analyze The Catastrophe, Synastry (Montreal, QC), Chuck Norris and The Delta Force Chorus and Amass These Souls
The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)
Montreal metallers Endast are currently finishing up recording of their new album, but they've got the live itch and are doing a small Canadian tour to scratch it. These guys are explosive metal, powerful hardcore that makes the spine shudder. They're pulling double duty today, starting with this first all-ages showcase during the day. Fellow Montrealers Synastry are along for the mayhem. They're joined by some of Windsor's nu-blood of metal, Analyze The Catastrophe, Chuck Norris and The Delta Force Chorus and Amass These Souls. Doors for this event are at 5pm. Tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door.
Endast: "The Craving" (Official Video)
Endast (Montreal, QC) wsg Bloodshoteye, Dismata (Tilbury, ON) and Seven Out
The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)
Endast's second show is their 19+ showcase later on in the night and they've brought out some heavyweights to make sure that your heart is punched out and nailed to the wall with a railroad spike. Bloodshoteye has arguably been Windsor's leading metal export the past few years (working with and garnering praise from Lamb of God's Randall Blythe) and Tilbury's Dismata has been simply owning the scene in Windsor the past year. Seven Out is a Windsor metal supergroup featuring past and present members of such Windsor staples as Kill List, ShotDownStars and The Dead's Elite, so you know these guys have the balls to back up their metal! Doors are at 9pm for this one, with tickets $5 in advance, $6 at the door.
Bloodshoteye: "Foul Play" (Official Video)
We, The Undersigned (Fredricton, NB)
The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, below Pogo's)
New Brunswick's We, The Undersigned bring their metal assault to the Coach and Horses for a rip-roaring Saturday night in the dirty dungeon. These guys bring an old school sounding approach to hardcore sounds, with it coming across as a blend of Alexisonfire meets Wolf Mother (if that's even possible). Either way, it sounds like a hell of a lot of metal fun.
The Mindframes wsg Metro4 (London, ON)
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
The Mindframes have been impressing lately with their great hooks and riffs, that remind some of early era R.E.M. (circa the Murmur era). These guys are the latest collaboration between many of the area's music scene favourites of the past few years, fronted by local singer/songwriter Andrew MacLeod, and also featuring Paul Loncke (The Locusts Have No King, The Rusty Halos) on bass, guitarists Aaron McKinley and Mike Dube, and drummer Brent Reaume. London's Metro4 are coming down to join the show and these guys have a great retro sound, with hints of The Cure and OMD.
Ron Leary
Taloola Cafe (396 Devonshire Rd.)
Shows just don't come any more intimate than ones at Taloola Cafe. Unplugged and compact, the small coffee house becomes a great showcase to hear some of Windsor's finest singer/songwriters stripped down to their purest form. For this special night, Ron will be joined by the guitar of Scotty Hughes. Keep in mind, Taloola shows start early - 8:30pm - and finish up by 10pm, so get down their early for a coffee or bite to eat and start your night off with some grub and some Leary.
Sunday April 19
Spookey Ruben (Toronto, ON) wsg The Love Machine (Ottawa, ON) and The Tyres
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
Yes, it's that Spookey Ruben. The "Wendy McDonald" Spookey Ruben. The guy who released Modes of Transportation Vol. 1 back in 1995 and took the indie circuit by storm. The album event brought his quirky songwriting styles to the mainstream as he was critically acclaimed the world over for his freshness and eccentricity. His new wave pop, often compared to such acts as XTC, was raved about from media circuses from national (even the presitgious New Yorker picked it as one of their year's best releases) to zine and backed by his label, TVT Records, his star looked untarnishable. But after a label disagreement, Ruben seemed to disappear (despite the fact he released a few underground albums in subsequent years). Well, now he's back with a new record, Mechanical Royalty, and a new tour. He last played Windsor over 10 years ago, so this is a rare chance to see a Canadian indie rock pioneer in such an intimate venue. Opening up are Windsor's own The Tyres as well as Ottawa's psychedelic popsters The Love Machine. Tickets are $7 at the door for this special treat of a show!
Spookey Ruben: "Wendy McDonald" (Official Video)
Dusty
Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
One of the city's premiere entertainers, hand down, he plays an impressive mix of songs, from outlaw country to rock and roll to a little dab of hair metal. Genuinely super dude with a great sense of humour.
Open Mic with Travis Reitsma
The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West, beside Pogo's)
"The Heartbreak Kid" will woo you with his own songs and share the stage for you to showcase your own at the venue formerly known as the Old Fish Market.
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