An on-line resource hoping to inform about, educate on and promote the music scene in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, by Jamie Greer, local musician, promoter and music journalist.
Jamie Greer is a music journalist, promoter, musician and booking consultant in Windsor, Ontario. A regular contributor for WAMM (Windsor Arts & Music Monthly) as well as the Canadian music blog NxEW (North By East West), his work has appeared in The Scene page for The Windsor Star, Upfront Magazine, VOX Magazine, The Goth Bible by Nancy Kilpatrick and Gigs From Hell by Sleazegrinder. He has been actively involved in Windsor's music scene for 15 years, as a musician in such bands as The Golden Hands Before God..., The Hung Jury, Trailer Park Sex Cowboys and Toast, as well as ten years as a programmer on CJAM 91.5 FM. He's also a Jammy Award winning DJ, hosting such events in the past as The Mod Club at The Avalon Front and Rock N' Roll Sushi at Oishii Sushi Lounge amongst other residencies. He lives in Windsor, Ontario with his girlfriend Holly Brush, his music collection and his Play Station 2.
Want your CD reviewed on the site? Send one (1) copy for review (plus any additional for giveaways) to: CD Review, c/o Jamie Greer, 990 Victoria Ave., Windsor, ON, Canada, N9A 4N4
Click above to download/stream the latest edition of The Windsor Scene with Randi Irving, heard each Thursday at 6pm on CJAM 91.5 FM - Current Episode: Thursday April 16, with special in-studio guest, Helsinki Go.
Windsor-Linked Music (* denotes band is defunct or artist is no longer performing)
Days Fade The Blind Dog, 761 Ouellette Ave. Thursday April 16, Doors at 8pm Tickets are $3 at the door, All-Ages
They are the undisputed kings of Windsor's local hardcore scene. They've played with everyone who's anyone in town, from Fiftywatthead to The Dead's Elite, and shared the stage with many national and international heavyweights, including a recent show with Walls of Jericho and The Red Chord.
They've seen members come and go, but in the world of Days-Fucking-Fade, the band must go on and will go on, and if that means restocking the soldiers with new recruits, then so be it.
Bassist Ryan Barron (who formerly sang for the band) is a promotional giant. He runs Rose City Promotions and has been doing a great job securing many national and international hardcore artists to come through Windsor, putting on some of the best All-Ages shows this city has seen...well...ever. The list of bands he's brought through are impressive: Walls of Jericho, The Red Chord, Ion Dissonance, Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza...the list goes on and on.
And all the while he does this, he's pushing his own band, Days Fade, to the top of the Canadian hardcore scene. They've recently added a new guitarist to the mix but that hasn't slowed them down any. They've got dates booked all over the place and are about to start a small tour in May with Boston's Seeker Destroyerand Indiana's Saints Never Surrender, hitting Sarnia, Toronto, St. Catharines and more during the month of May. The tour starts in Windsor with a date at The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.) on May 15th.
But you can catch Days Fade as they do a little tune-up this Thursday when they throw an all-ages show at The Blind Dog (761 Ouellette Ave.), starting at 8 pm. And for only $3, it's a pretty good deal. It's only a matter of time until these guys are picked up by one of the many hardcore labels out there or join a larger tour.
It seems everyone has been touched by cancer. It's a horrific disease that has left many hearts broken and the fight to find a cure is generally one of the few causes that is universally championed.
Over the next month, there are two charity events featuring local musicians looking to help raise money for research to cure cancer, one grandiose in scale, the other simpler and more intimate. But regardless, both are working for a common goal: in hopes you'll join them and share a few laughs and songs with them while raising money to help combat one of the worst killers in our country.
The first one is a Pasta Buffet Dinner being held Thursday April 23rd at The Mill (3199 Sandwich St.) on the West side. It starts at 6pm and tickets are $20 - that gets you all-you-can-eat pasta buffet, entry to the charity dinner, and it's all going to the Windsor-Essex Cancer Centre Foundation. Entertainment for the evening is being supplied by the guys from Client 9, a great two man acoustic troupe featuring Robert Desmarais and Dale "Elad" D'Amore. These guys play primarily covers (but it's a great collection of some off-the-beaten path tunes from the 70's, like vintage Alice Cooper and The Ramones). D'Amore and Desmarais are celebrating their first anniversary together as Client 9, but D'Amore has been a staple on our scene and one of it's most respected guitarists, from founding the highly influential late 70's punk outfit The Spy's, to his other current gig as one of the ax-slingers for Guitar Army(formerly Elad's Guitar Army). You can get your tickets in advance at The Mill or give them a call at (519) 253-2509 for more information on the event. Despite what some media alludes to, the "incident" at Spicoli's last month is not something that happens on the West side very often, and with a great collection of bars (Billie's Place, Spicoli's, The Dominion House Tavern, Rock Bottom, as well as The Mill) featuring live music on various nights, the West side is still one of Windsor's undiscovered gold mines for band's to seek out a new audience - many of the West side regulars are University students who have yet to discover downtown and call the area around the University their stomping grounds. You may pack Phog or The Chubby Pickle, but a lot of those kids still wouldn't know your bands name from a hole in the ground. This is a great event to check out, regardless, to get yourself fed, hear some great tunes and support a great cause. It starts early, so even if you just stop by for dinner before heading off somewhere else, it's worth the support.
On a far grander stage is Jeff Burrows' 3rd Annual 24-Hour Drum Marathon. This is being held on Saturday May 2nd at The Blind Dog (761 Ouellette Ave.), with all proceeds going to help out the folks at Transition To Betterness. T2B has been helping cancer patients by creating home-style comfortability within hospital settings, from Windsor Regional to Leamington Memorial. Burrows has been a champion for T2B, doing all sorts of charity work to raise funds and awareness for these outstanding community members. The former drummer for The Tea Party relies heavily on favours from his many, many musician friends to help out with his 24-hour jam session, and this year is no different. He's got some great local support when the incomparable Dustystarts off with Jeff Burrows at 2 a.m. on Saturday night. He's playing with Jeff until 8 a.m. when he's relieved by the duo Toast & Jam. These guys play fun covers and have been playing to packed houses from Patrick O. Ryan's to Koko Pellies. Toast & Jam run from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m., when The Demelo Brothers' country soundstake over until 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. until 8 p.m., Jeff is joined by three members of Citizen Erased(Justin, Jim and Jeff) for some rockers. Following these popular local alt. rockers will be Heat Miser from 8 p.m. until midnight. At the midnight hour, Burrows is joined by his local jam supergroup, Is There A Band In The House?, that features the talents of Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe (Mr. Chill & The Witnesses, ex-Big Sugar) on harmonica and saxophone, Daren Dobsky (ex-Royal Dose) on lead vocals and guitar, Nick Belulis (MISSILES, ex-Porcelain Mary) on lead guitar, and David Cyrenne (ex-feal, ex-Kildare Trio) on bass. For the final hour, Burrows will be unveiling his latest musical endeavour when members of his new band Crash Karma (featuring I Mother Earth's Edwin on vocals, Our Lady Peace's Mike Turner on guitar and Zygote's Amir Epstein on bass) join the jam. It'll be crazy 24 hours of music, from acoustic to bombastic rock and roll, but again, it's all for a great cause. Donations are at the door or you can even donate on-line at Transition To Betterness' website.
Ever since I've been covering local music (from The Windsor Scene to radio and soon to be the Windsor Star), my mandate has always been in covering the original music projects - those who are writing and recording their own material and actively pursuing their band as a career and promoting themselves. I choose not to cover the cover acts simply because there are so many of them and I feel that bands who are touring, releasing CD's, etc. need the exposure more. I have nothing personally against the cover acts, but that has always been and will always be my mandate with local coverage. But in some cases - such as something as important as this - I'm letting my mandate slide. As someone who has lost much of his family to cancer (as well as several very close friends), I urge you to make an effort to make it out to one of these two events. We go to see so many shows purely for our own enjoyment - it wouldn't hurt us to attend one to help someone else's.
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 Baywsg 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 Cascadewsg 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 Chairand 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 Chorusand 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 Mindframeswsg 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.
Here's a quick overview of what to look forward to this week in live indie music in Windsor. Just a note that The Chubby Pickle is closed down this week so all shows originally scheduled for this week are in the process of being rescheduled...
Monday April 6
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 7
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 8
Azeda Booth(Calgary, AB) Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West) This electro-pop trio from Calgary have been getting all kinds of acclaim for their debut, In Flesh Tones, even from the indie militants at Pitchfork Media, who proclaimed that they "have figured out how to reconcile pop music's infectiousness with ambient music's nebulous aura, and have produced one of 2008's most unique and immediately pleasurable albums." These guys would be a perfect fit with Windsor's own The London Apartments. 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 9
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 10
The Perpetrators(Winnipeg, MB) wsg Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West) Winnipeg's blues rock riff masters The Perpetrators always pack the house at Phog. These guys have become staples, hitting Windsor at least twice a year on their cross country treks. Original, driving and full of just enough piss and vinegar to rock without pretention, lately the one and only Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe has been joining them on-stage to lend his killer harp to their tapestry.
Mr. Chill & The Witnesses Big Tony's (911 Walker Rd.) Before Mr. Chill joins The Perpetrators down at the P-Hog later in the evening, you catch Kelly Hoppe and his roots and blues outlaws at Big Tony's for some great music and dinner.
(GrounD) Empire Lounge (128 University Ave. West, above California Sushi) Pick Of The Week: 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." This Friday they're having a special charity night for Easter Seals. There's a $2 cover for this week's (GrounD), but it's all going to help children with disabilities, so it's a night of dancing for a great cause. The (GrounD) Crew is joined by guest DJ, Al Chartrand. Saturday April 11
Electroluminescent(Hamilton, ON) wsg What Seas, What Shores Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West) Electroluminescent is the work of Ryan Ferguson, a one man experimental instrumentalist from Hamilton, Ontario. He's currently doing a mini-tour and swings through Phog this Saturday, teaming up with Windsor's own instrumental faves What Seas, What Shores.
Wayfarer(Kitchener, ON), The Gutter Hearts, Lot 9 Brawl andCowboy Dan The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, below Pogo's) Kitchener's Wayfarer are great melodic punk in a similar vein to our own Orphan Choir. They're heading to Windsor with a bill of Windsor's punk heroes, The Gutter Hearts and Lot 9 Brawl, as well as the debut of Cowboy Dan.
Kelly "Mr. Chill" Hoppe and Greg Cox The Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East) 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. A great night for a pint and a tune!
Official Aries Birthday Jam Club 20 (20 Chatham St. East) For years now, DJ Needle has been Windsor's hip hop champion, promoting the local Windsor hip hop scene here and in Detroit, with his multi-Jammy award winning "Needle 914 Show" on CJAM 91.5 FM. He's hosted multiple hip-hop nights and special events over the years, tirelessly promoting one of Windsor's most overlooked and underpublicized music scenes. He's throwing a huge birthday bash this Saturday at Club 20, with himself manning the decks along with DJ Infinity Sound from Detroit and Hot 102.7 FM's Waxtax-N Dre. This will be one crazy night.
Sunday April 12
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.
Let me be the first to admit that I have not seen every Windsor band live. I've seen a chunk, don't get me wrong, but considering I do all this coverage, all this Windsor Scene promotion free of charge (and usually still have to pay cover to provide said coverage), it can be a costly venture getting out to as many shows as I would like. Some bands will just have to remain MySpace ventures until I become independently wealthy (or Guest Lists are offered, nudge nudge).
One band I have wanted to see for sometime now is a band known simply as Time. I must admit that I'm not a huge fan of the name and that at first I was in avoidance purely on that fact. It just didn't ring as anything special or stand-outish. But when I finally did, I was glad I had. At first I kind of assumed they were in the same vein as perhaps The Darkness or even Stillwater (the fictional amalgamation band from the classic film Almost Famous), a somewhat mocking tribute to the glory of tried and true classic rock. But the more I listened to their stuff on MySpace and saw their photos, etc. I realized that there's no pretention or mockery involved at all. These guys have way more in common with the resurgence of rock and roll bands like Wolf Mother or Jet than Spinal Tap.
Sure there's a lot of hair on the heads and chins of this four man gang, but there's a lot of power behind those riffs and the production on their self-titled debut (available downtown at Dr. Disc or at their shows) is slick and perfect for their destined-for-arena rock sound. These guys would look just as "rock and roll" on a small stage like the Coach & Horses as they would at the Joe Louis Arena. Their music isn't made for a minimal indie purist crowd or an internet radio forum, these guys are assembling power chord blueprints to rock to the biggest assemblage of sweaty rock fans as possible. These guys combine the swagger of The Black Crowes with Cheap Trick hooks and Mott The Hoople 70's arena rock riffs. The song "The Pressure" (also on the EP) is a killer summer cruiser.
This Saturday, Time is holding a special show at The Blind Dog (761 Ouellette Ave.), the Venue Formerly Known As The Roxy (and Even More Previously Known as 'O', The Res(idence) and Bernie's World) to shoot their first video, for their single "White Window" off their afore-mentioned EP. The single is a balls-out rocker with epic riffs and classic rock hooks and there's no reason to think these guys won't make the big time.
Warming up the crowd will be the piano metal mastery of Sledgehammer. Not only are these fellas some of the nicest guys you'll find in the local music scene, they are seriously accomplished musicians, regardless of your opinion of heavy metal. They have no guitars, just bass, drums and a piano, and let me tell you - Andrew Skuza plays that piano harder than most guitarists play their axe.
Once again I'm going to be foiled seeing Time by work scheduling, but I'll get their one day. But if you have the night off, I say you have yourself a couple beers with the boys at home then head to the Blind Dog for a night of sweet rock and roll. You just might get your face on MuchMusic.
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