Summer 2014: Festivals, DJs, Best Friends, and Memories To Last a Lifetime

For those who know me, I’m a die-hard fan of everything electronic dance music. ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’ is pretty much my life motto. So what I wanted to do was share my best summer so far in picture form. Its only fitting since this weather sucks and I’m dying for festival season to return once again.

We begin first off with celebrating my 19th birthday over at my new favourite club besides Guv (#RIP *sadface*), The Hoxton. The crew and I went to check out a DJ we’ve been dying to see for a long time, Julian Jordan. Ironically he’s our age as well and to see him live was really a treat. Being right up front and centre in the first row (as seen below) to experience the madness happen while dancing my ass off will be a memory I’ll never forget.

Move forward just a couple weeks later to Canada Day long weekend. The biggest dance music festival in all of Canada is upon us, and the crew is back in full force for Digital Dreams. Two days of great music, partying, and more memories. My favourite moment of that entire weekend had to have been Dash Berlin‘s epic set. Words can not even begin to describe what I felt for those 90 minutes. It was magical, amazing, and one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. Especially when the downpour of heavy rain came down upon us all, we still danced and went even harder. To experience that moment of euphoria was truly a blessing because I may never get a similar moment like that ever.

And I just have to share this next picture of the MASSIVE and epic mainstage from Digital Dreams. You had to see this in person to understand its sheer size. Its the biggest outdoor stage in Canada, and it looked absolutely amazing. Just look at it and the 80,000+ people in awe of it raving together as one.

Fast forward to the next holiday long weekend, all the way in the beginning of August. And of course, there’s another festival for that. We set our sights on Veld Music Festival over at Downsview Park. It was yet another weekend of madness, one which ended in us getting superbly hammered, partying nonstop for 48 hours straight (literally), and in me needing a new phone thanks to the rain damaging it entirely. This is just one of very few photos I was able to recover, probably the best one in all honesty.

Of course, we had to have this summer go out with one last bang. So why not head down to Cabana Pool Bar right on Polson Pier for some good music, good vibes, beautiful girls in bikinis, and day drinking. Of course, it was another long weekend but the last one of the summer. From day till night we partied on and had another great time that we would never forget. Plus the sunset by the pier was absolutely beautiful that night, as you’ll see below.

It was quite the summer indeed, one that will go down in my life as one of the best. It was all thanks to the festivals, the DJs, my crew of best friends, and all these glorious memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life, wherever it may lead me.

Keep it PLUR and spread the love – yours truly,

Christian Caputo

 

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Everybodys got a Story: Todd Shapiro

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down and interview one of Sirius XMs finest and of course hard working radio personalities…Todd Shapiro.

Todd and I had a quick talk while I was working on the Humble and Fred show, and asked him if I could interview him, for a segment I like to call: Everybodys got a Story.

Todd agreed to the interview, but only if we could conduct the interview…Live on his on Sirius XM radio show. How awesome is that? I was super excited, and in was, for a fact, a huge opportunity for me, that I could not say no to.

So, I hope you enjoy my quick but insightful interview with Todd Shapiro on Everybodys got a Story.

Mancave – Everybody’s got a Story

Hey loyal Mancavers,

I’m back with another blog post. And this time it’s got a feature I did on a local rapper named East Side Dezzy a.k.a Jeremiah Kiriopolous. He’s got one hell of a story to tell, as he not only was in and out of jail growing up, he also lost his mother at the age of 19.

You can see the tattoo on his neck is the day she died. (November 11th, 2005).

As if that wasn’t enough, in 2007 he almost lost his life when he got shot two times.

I was fortunate enough to interview him, and tell his story.

I produced and narrated the feature.

Listen up and enjoy.

If you like his music or his story, you can check out more of him by clicking here.

Also if you’re an artist or know of any artists, then hit my twitter up for inquiries into getting your own feature done by me. https://twitter.com/GeorgeTsilfidis

The Senior Student: Music As Therapy

I’m someone who’s had quite a lot of tragedy for someone my age. I’ve had a lot of family members die young, as well as a couple of my friends. It’s been quite stressful, to be honest.

Which is why I’m especially grateful for my drums. There is something really therapeutic about cranking your favorite song while pounding the crap out of a drum kit. Plus it gives me something to focus my mind on for awhile when I particularly feel like I’m going to go crazy.

There’s lots of other benefits to learning a musical instrument. First of all, it is such a confidence boost. There’s been numerous times when I’d have to play a drum fill (or an entire song even) about 20 times before I’d get it completely right. But man, once I nail a song (or part of one) that I had a lot of trouble with at first, it is the GREATEST feeling. It also teaches you patience. There’s been a few times when I’ve been tempted to pull my hair out in frustration over a particularly difficult song, but it’s even more rewarding when you do eventually play it right.

Jamming with your friends is also a great feeling. I’m lucky enough to have a few friends who play guitar and/or bass and who can sing well. So if pounding the drums doesn’t take you out of your funk, perhaps playing with your buddies will. Playing with your buddies in a band also requires teamwork – you’ve got to work together and you all have to practice if you want to sound any good.

Learning a musical instrument also helps you with your creativity. There’s been a few times when I’m working on a song, and I come up with my own drum fills or different beats that go with whatever tune I’m playing. So I get to work my creative skills too.

Yes, learning a new instrument takes time, and it doesn’t come overnight. But neither does anything else in life. If you want to do well at something, you have to work at it. Studies have also shown that playing an instrument can help you with your organizational skills. If you want to make time for it, you have to figure out how to fix practice into your schedule. So it teaches you how to budget your time, which is something that can benefit you with your schoolwork or on the job.

Generally Speaking: Am I a Bandwaggoner? : Sam Smith Edition

Hey,

Clara here, and this week I’m going to be talking about how I’ve been apparently living under a rock for the past half a year..

Sam Smith, the man in the above photo has been striking the heart cords of many of you with his captivating voice since he gained recognition in late 2012 with his song “Latch”. He released his debut album “In the Lonely Hour” in May of this year and I have to admit that I hadn’t given it a full listen until this week. I finally understand the obsession and reason why so many have been raving about him. Not only is he handsome but he sings with so much meaning, feeling and raw emotion, something that really resonates with me as a listener. He’s a really talented artist and after listening through his album on repeat a bunch of times, I can say I’m probably considered a bandwagonner, but most importantly, definitely a fan of Sam Smith’s work.

If you haven’t listened to the album yet then you can preview and/or buy it HERE.

What artist did you sleep on and then later realize you really liked? Comment below and let me know!

HEAR THIS OR DIE: NEGATIVE QUALITIES BY SINGLE MOTHERS

Single Mothers are a four-piece punk band from London, Ontario. The band formed in 2008, but their first record only came out this past October. Why did it take so long? Lead singer, Drew Thompson quit the band in 2011 to prospect for gold in Swastika, Ontario. Apparently his fellow miners would smoke crack often before work. Absolutely crazy. After three years, he came back to civilization, reunite the band, and record an album.

Negative Qualities is Single Mother’s debut record and it packs one hell of a punch. Blazing through 10 in-your-face punk songs in 26 minutes. Their sound is very abrasive, almost off-putting at a first listen. The lead singer screams very wordy lyrics in your face backed up by loud distorted guitars and thundering drums. I liked this record when I first gave it a listen, but didn’t love it. This is the type of album you have to play a few times to appreciate it. And that’s what happened to me. Before I knew it, I found myself returning to this album more frequently, loving it more with each listen. It’s cold and angry and I find it to be a perfect pairing for the cold weather.

The lyrics are the huge standout for me on this record. A lot of other punk bands often tend to bury the lyrics under the instruments, but here it’s the total opposite. The lyrics sit clearly on top of the instrumentals, tons of breathing room to let them get the attention they deserve. The lyrics are very wordy and the delivery of them also makes them stand out that much more. Drew Thompson is a great observer and it makes for great song topics. The lyrical topics vary from annoying bar conversations to blacking out in basements. The instruments are great and shouldn’t be forgotten. They have a good sense of dynamics, getting quiet and almost atmospheric at times and then exploding with raw energy at the right moments. Really makes for an exciting listen.

Overral, I think this is a killer debut record and the album art is equally as killer. Negative Qualities is definitely going to frequent my turntable for the next few cold months. Highlights include: Marbles, Half-Lit (which has an awesome music video), and Money. I give it an 8 out 10.

Go pick up a copy at your local record store.

Listen to the lead single, Marbles below. The song feels like one giant middle finger. It RULES.

The picture at the top was taken by me. I love taking photos and you can see more of them (if you want) here.

STN MTN

Rappers from Atlanta or from the south in general get a bad rep for only making dancing records. In the early to late 2000’s, Atlanta become New York City of the South. They always got a bad rap for stealing radio air play because of it. It might be a little true but not entirely. When was the last time you’ve heard a body of work that was saying something a lot more than what was just on the surface?… and it came from someone from Atlanta? It’s been a while. That is of course, until Childish Gambino made this mixtape. STN MTN (Stone Mountain)

Before I get into who Gambino is, you need to understand the foundation of this mixtape. Legendary DJ from the south, DJ Drama played a huge part in the making of this mixtape. DJ Drama is well known for his Gangsta Grillz records. They rocked the streets of Atlanta for years and eventually became of the south. Just in case you’re wondering no, DJ Drama wasn’t rapping but he and another rapper would get together and make music for the streets. Teaming up with guys like Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne and many more it was easy to be successful. It was never about the success for Drama. He wanted to speak to the streets, and he did. Eventually becoming the anthem for the south.

At first you think to yourself, DJ Drama and Childish Gambino teaming is a bad idea. DJ Drama has a very long sheet of rappers he’s worked with and none of them have the persona Gambino has. Gambino has more of a free spirted type of rap so, the pair didn’t seem to mesh well in theory. After listening to the record, I cannot lie anymore. This was one of the best mixtapes I’ve heard in a long time. The very first track starts of with Gambino talking and he says this.

“I had a dream I ran Atlanta, and I was on every radio station. And 107.9 was 97.5 again. And they played me at Golden Glide on Friday. And they played me real loud on the street, we drive up Memorial Drive, up Wesley Chapel. I reopen 112, and Jazzy T’s. I’d bring back Turner Field. I fire all the cops in Cobb county. Chick-Fil-A will be open on Sundays. I bring back LaFace Records,Freaknik. Kilo Ali, Lou. I got J.R. Crickets some Spelman girls with big booties. I reopen SciTrek, strippers will get Mother’s day off,and I’d have my own Gangsta Grillz mixtape”

What made this intro special was that all these things he talks about are things you’ve heard rappers in the past reference before. Throughout the entire album Gambino raps over beats from artists from the ATL. Beats like Southern Hospitality by Ludacris, Go DJ by Lil Wayne and he even does his own remastered version of U Don’t Have To Call by Usher. Give this mixtape a listen and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

Everything EDM Blog Post – David Guetta ‘Listen’ Album Review

Hello ravers, its yours truly Chris Caputo back again, this time in blog form. I’ll be doing an early review of David Guetta’s highly anticipated 6th studio album ‘Listen.’ I just got my hands on this 14 track work of gold today and trust me it won’t disappoint. If you came in expecting this album just to be like his last album ‘Nothing But The Beat’ you are absolutely wrong. This is a totally different Guetta you’ll be listening to – all these tracks could easily become hits on Top 40 radio, but they are all unique in their own ways.

The lead single ‘Dangerous’ featuring Sam Martin sounds so out of left field but its chorus and catchiness will have you hooked. According to my iTunes, I’ve listened to this track 138 times, its that catchy! There’s other tracks on the album that really catch you off guard like ‘The Whisperer’ with Sia, which is a piano ballad that shows off Sia’s amazing talented voice or the bonus track on the deluxe edition ‘Rise’ with Skylar Grey, which is a more rock track that sounds like something from The Black Keys.

As with any David Guetta album, the list of collaborators is nothing short of stellar. There’s singers like John Legend, Nico & Vinz, Magic!, Ryan Tedder, and Nicki Minaj who appear. Many other DJs and producers lend their talent too like Afrojack, StadiumX, Nicky Romero, Avicii, and Showtek (who appear on two tracks – ‘No Money No Love’ and ‘Sun Goes Down’).

With this album, David Guetta promised that it would be something very different from his previous pop sounds and it definitely lives to that promise he made. Give this album a listen, its totally worth it. Thats all you need to do, just ‘Listen’ and let this work of music speak to you in a way it hasn’t before.

Preview the album here: https://soundcloud.com/davidguetta/sets/david-guetta-listen-deluxe-edition-previews

Follow David Guetta:

twitter.com/davidguetta

instagram.com/davidguetta

facebook.com/davidguetta

Hip Hop Heavy

Hip Hop Heavy is a segment where we discuss hip hop and the culture that surrounds it. We strive to bring the most current and shocking news that will satisfy your hip hop needs. Hip Hop Heavy is inspired by the the culture, the swag that surrounds hip hop that shows in its artists and their lifestyles. We cover the most relevant entertainment regarding albums, artists, celebrities, gossip and beef providing weekly news updates. Our brand is inspired by the culture on the streets and in the industry, we are a product of the environment, an outlet for the masses. With host ShaunB who is dedicated to providing the raw and uncut of hip-hop, discussing his views and opinions in an uncensored manner. If you’re inspired by the the hip hop lifestyle, the swag and the culture that surrounds it then tune into Hip Hop Heavy every week!

Join host ShaunB for another Hip Hip Heavy update – this week we discuss Kim K, Beyonce, Kanye and Chance The Rapper.

click here to watch

After the break out check out some more photo’s of Kim K and the exclusive leaked photo of the Yeezy 3’s

Chris Caputo’s Top 5 EDM Tracks – Week of Nov 10th 2014

Chris Caputo gives you 5 brand new EDM tracks that you NEED to listen to on repeat non-stop. Fresh newly squeezed picks from the Canadian Pete Tong himself for you to enjoy and get up and dance to. Hope you enjoy, would love to hear some feedback from you (especially on my dance moves which you see plenty of in the video! :D)

 

 

Knife Party’s ‘Abandon Ship’ in full: https://soundcloud.com/knifepartyinc/…
Buy all the tracks mentioned on the Top 5 on Beatport:
http://www.beatport.com/release/punk/…
http://www.beatport.com/release/napol…
http://www.beatport.com/release/karam…
http://www.beatport.com/release/wait-…

• Category

Everything EDM – Preview #2

Another quick preview of my new podcast idea Everything EDM, will be posting much more little short previews of what you can expect when I finally get this podcast up and running off the ground, hopefully soon but no date has been set yet. In this short bit, we talk about the new Axwell & Ingrosso track that was just premiered on BBC Radio 1. Two thirds of the Swedish House Mafia are keeping the sound of progressive house alive and are set to drop an album in 2015. Some insight & opinions on the track and what we the fans can expect from the Swedish DJ duo. Hope you enjoy, let me know what you guys think. Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, any comment is helpful to make this better.

Follow Axwell & Ingrosso:

Soundcloud @axwellingrosso
Twitter @axwell @ingrosso
facebook.com/axwellingrosso
Instagram @axwell @ingrosso

Follow ME!!:

facebook.com/ccaputo95
Twitter @CCaputo212
Instagram @chriscaputzz

MTM: Demi Lovato scares me….

MOVIES, TV AND MUSIC – ROUND 2

Bridget Jones isn’t looking like herself lately. Amongst rumors of Renee having work done… she says NOPE, that is NOT the case.

I’ll leave the judging up to you…. but… really? no work? you sure Renee?

SUPERNATURAL: **SPOILER** DEAN IS NO LONGER A DEMON  –  ya.. it’s big news… yupp.

DEAN WINCHESTER has been saved by his younger brother Sam. This is awesome.. the show was taking a turn for the worst and now its back on track, did you love it as much as I did?  Tweet me your thoughts on the show! @amanda__santos1

SJP has launched her new shoe line… in an interesting way to say the least….

You can purchase her line HERE .. or at least just take a gander

I tell you about it in episode 2 of MTM…

https://soundcloud.com/amanda-santos-86/mtm-demi-lovato-kind-of-scares-me

Does Demi Lovato scare you as much as she scares me? Don’t mess with her.. or Taylor Swift apparently….

Oh.. and if you haven’t heard Taylor Swift’s newest song that everyone is complaining about…here ya go

and with that.. I’m out

– Amanda Santos

#ThoughtsOfCaputo Episode 1 – Basic White Girls

Another new semi-revolutionary podcast idea from yours truly once again. Unleashing my inner sarcastic personality in this one, minus any swearing and curse words. It’s totally better and not as dumb as that Perspectives podcast from last week (ain’t nobody got time for big black schlongs) #shotsfired (*air raid sirens*)! In this, I discuss the dumbest trends and topics and make them look even dumber than they already are. This week its all about the epidemic sweeping North America; no it’s not Ebola – its Basic White Girls (O EM GEE!). Starbucks, Zac Efron, Man Crush Monday, Kreyshawn and pointless Instagram posts! OH MY!!! Hope you enjoy, and aren’t super offended (you might but who knows, gotta save my keester somehow).

https://soundcloud.com/ccaputoradiohumber/thoughtsofcaputo-episode-1-basic-white-girls

Yin and Yang – Music Focus

96.9 Radio Humber Music Focus is a podcast that focuses just on two songs. The hosts, Jared Knight-Fudge and Tylor Brewster, each bring a Canadian song and the pair discuss their opinions of the music. Of course, other topics are bound to come up in conversation.

This week we have a band that makes cohesive, rollicking rock music, and a band that makes distant, foreboding electronic music. Tylor has brought in “Can’t Stop Laughing” by Nova Scotia’s The Trews, and Jared has brought in “Violent Youth” by Toronto’s Crystal Castles. In addition to the music, Tylor and Jared talk about Howie Mandel, thieves of studio equipment, and folk music on the radio.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know in the comments!

A Hip Hop Heavy Podcast

Get ready for another Hip Hop Heavy Podcast with you’re host Shaun B – We take the the time to discuss Hip Hop in its current state focusing on the culture and progression of the industry. We talk about Hip Hops social values, its trends and influences and discuss some of the big names in Hip hop today.

Enjoy Below:

 

MTM: ZOMBIE, ZOMBIES AND U2

MTM – a.k.a MOVIES, TV and MUSIC

Amanda Santos here with your MTM update. I will let you in on some Rob Zombie news, a little Walking dead. We say goodbye to the chelsea handler show and complain a little bit about U2 – the wonderful band…. (note the sarcasm)

^^^^CLICK THE PICTURE TO SEE THE ROB ZOMBIE HAUNTED HOUSE WEBSITE^^^^^

https://soundcloud.com/amanda-santos-86/mtm-zombie-zombies-and-u2

How do you guys feel about the whole U2 thing?… Do you think it helped with their sales?…. Was it worth it?…… you tell me!

@amanda__santos1

Everything EDM Podcast – Christian Caputo

Here’s a little preview of a podcast concept I’ve always had in mind and finally got around to doing, thanks to this podcast assignment. This is Everything EDM, a music/talk show/discussion hybrid where we discuss everything you need to know about whats going on in the dance music scene. Plus we play some some of the newest and hottest tracks out there in between rants and discussions. I would love to hear what you think of this, with enough positive reception I might actually make this a weekly thing and get some candid interviews and guests on here as well in future editions. Listen, love, and enjoy!

 

Parking Wars

 

Picture must have been taken on the weekend.

---

 

What’s the one thing about Humber that seems to get worse the longer you’re here? No, not the line at timmies, it’s the other line. The one outside….in the parking lot. Those early morning classes are brutal as it is but why should playing hide and seek with parking spots have to add onto our stress? I’m not bashing our school at all, I’m just shedding some light on a problem that never seems to be fixed.

NOT ENOUGH PARKING IN THE SCHOOL!

At the start of September, parking passes were over booked! Humber College or Humber Airways? You don’t want to wake up earlier in order to actually get a spot, that’s madness! You don’t want to park over at Woodbine and take a school bus even though it has heat and a radio! so epic. You brought your car to not have to take any sort of bus in the first place! You just want to come to school, find a parking spot WITHOUT PROBLEMS and get to your class, buy a booster juice or check out some booty at the gym.

I wanted to provide some comic relief for students with my podcast. It’s a parody song to Daft Punk’s – Get Lucky. I call this masterpeice, “Up All Night To Find Parking.”

!WARNING!

My voice is almost identical to Pharrell’s. Enjoy!

Let me know what other spoofs you’d like me to do, just slide into my DM’s  here  or here

The Weird North Strong and Free

We live in a big country with not a whole lot of people living in it. There are only three major cities in this country, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, and the Canadian music scene tends to gravitate toward those areas. But there are tons of interesting musicians and artists in smaller cities and towns that are normally forgotten. That’s where Weird Canada steps in.

Weird Canada mission statement says that they exist “to encourage, connect, and document creative expression across Canada.” They give profiles of new and unknown artists all around the country, always in English and French. They are proud of the vast geographic distribution of the artists on their site; they even have a clickable map of Canada where you can browse artists by province.

Part of that is likely because of their home base in Waterloo, far enough from Toronto that they aren’t always surrounded by that scene. They can pay attention to things going on all around the country. There are no limitations on genre or style at all. Everything from bedroom pop to harsh noise can be heard on the site. For artists that have very little money for promotion, and have very few or no supporters in their hometown, it’s a lifeline to the underground Canadian music scene that doesn’t exist anywhere else.

There is a beautiful visual presentation of the artwork of the album in question, and sometimes the artist, along with a couple of their songs in an embedded media player. There is a distinct style to the summaries of the artists, the writing is very unique, using weird punctuation quirks and esoteric language to make their point. It’s a great format for just exploring the vast music collection on the site.

Check out Weird Canada, and see what strange and interesting music you can turn up!

WHAT A FINE LIFE WE ARE LIVING.

Said The Whale is a Vancouver-based indie rock band. They are also one of the first bands I fell in love with.

The Juno-award winning five-piece consist of dual songwriters Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, drummer Spencer Schoening, keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown and bassist Nathan Shaw. It’s hard to describe their music because they are not a band prone to sticking to one sound. But at the core of it all, I would say their music has a lot of heart, with a big focus on great song writing, strong hooks and beautiful harmonies. It’s music that you can smile too, cry too and most of all sing along too.

STW have a couple great full-length albums and a few different EP’s, but my all time favourite from them is their sophomore LP, “Islands Disappear.” It’s an album that was written while they were touring across Canada and it sure sounds that way when you listen to it. It’s an album I love listening to in the morning, when I’m at a cottage, or when I’m taking a long scenic drive. This album puts out a great vibe and it really means a lot to me.

I’ve seen this band play live many times and I’m always blown away by how great they are. They put on a really fun show. They sound so tight live and their three-part harmonies are truly remarkable. Next time they play in your area, you have to go see them. You won’t be disappointed. Their popularity has grown exponentially over the years and they’ve gone from playing small clubs to playing much larger-sized venues. I couldn’t be more proud of them because they are such nice, hardworking people and they deserve all the attention they are getting.

It’s been fun watching them grow and progress as band. I’ll always be a little biased and love their older music way more, but the stuff they are putting out now is fantastic. They may not be the band I love most right now or are making the type of music I’m most interested in at the moment, but they will always mean a lot to me. Now, when I put on one of their records or catch one of their shows, I’m reminded to why I started loving this band so many years ago. It’s like catching up with an old friend and even though so much has changed, the relationship you share hasn’t. That’s nostalgia at its finest.

Check out their music here.

–@GRIZZLYZACH

Hey, it’s me again.

Oh man, so I guess you’re back to hear some more stuff about me…why? I’m not that interesting…well yeah I guess I am.

Well I guess i’ll start by talking about whats been going on these pasts few weeks. As I mentioned in my last blog, I have started my second year of my Radio Broadcasting course, and that I recently started doing on air shifts. Well besides that, I have been running around all of Toronto getting interviews from On Air Personal and Program Director for my seminar assignment, on the topic of AM Radio.

First, I head down to the NewsTalk 1010 station Downtown to interview John Moore from the Moore in the Morning Show. I also got to sit in on the last hour of his morning show, and ran into Brett Dalton from Agents of Shield without even knowing it was him (“he’s famous?”). John Moore is a super nice guy to meet and hang out with, and he has an amazing radio voice, plus he give me some really good insight for AM Radio.

Later on I visited Humble and Fred at their own Sirius XM Station to interview them about AM Radio, except with a little twist…They wanted me to interview them…live on their radio show. I couldn’t believe it, I was actually gonna be a guest on a radio show, what an amazing opportunity. I got meet Christine Magee, the President of Sleep Country(I know, you know the catchy jingle) and Meredith Shaw(Country Singer and Boom 97.3 Announcer)

To add more to the Humble and Fred…I recently heard that the Humble and Fred show was looking for new interns…and since I haven’t started my intern hours for school, I thought, this is the perfect opportunity for me and after sending an email to the shows producer(Who is a Humber Alumni) I have an Interview for the internship this friday. Wish me Luck.

…and just for the fun of it, Here’s a song I’ve really been diggin’ lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P77GfpzqDvQ

The Hoxton Is The Place To Be

Ever since I finally became of legal age in Canada in the beginning of June, I’ve been galavanting the streets of Downtown partying it up in numerous different clubs and buying one too many shots (or beers, depends on the occasion) for the night. However, throughout the craziness that is Toronto nightlife there’s one place that really stands out in my eyes and that has to be The Hoxton.

Located right at the intersection of King Street and Bathurst Street, The Hoxton has been continuously bringing the masses through its doors for the past 3 years for some wonderful events and awesome times. Having been there quite a bit in the past few months, I can definitely say that this is absolutely true. I’ve seen so many stellar and talented DJs perform there, and every time it was incredible. They may not be super big names that you hear on the radio every day, but these guys make some really good tunes and know how to play to the crowd. They’re the up-and-comers of the electronic dance music scene that are slowly changing the game from the ground up.

The Hoxton may not be the biggest club in terms of size, but its compact look and basic interior design makes for an atmosphere like no other. Even if the place is packed with people, its still very easy to maneuver and you can slide your way out in no time. Nothing but good vibes here as well; its full of people who are going for the artist and their music and to have a good time. There is the occasional drunk or idiot(s) who can’t seem to follow dance-floor etiquette but you learn to just ignore and move away from them. The sound in the club is phenomenal and I also like their barebones visual setup where you can see the DJs actually do their thing so you know its all being done live as you’ll see in the picture below. There’s less flashy stuff there and I kind of like it that way. It puts your focus more on the music and the DJs in front of you rather than on something else going on in the club.

If you do happen to be Downtown on a Friday or a Saturday and your looking to take it to the next level, I highly recommend you check out The Hoxton. You’ll have a good time I guarantee it, even if your not a fan of electronic dance music (they do have artists other than DJs perform there too!). There’s a good chance you can find me there raging the night away for the next few Saturdays…you never know.

For events & ticket info check out thehoxton.ca

My Essential Five Toronto Music Venues

While digging through a bunch of old ticket stubs I had stored away in a cupboard, I started mentally making a list of the top five music venues in the city. After a careful weighing of the advantages and disadvantages of each, this is the list I ended up with.

5. Smiling Buddha

There should be no real reason to pick this place over any other dive bar with a small flimsy stage, but it just has this character that is lacking in so many other venues. It’s near Ossington but too far north. It’s on College, but too far west. That cuts down on the stragglers, which is perfect. The only people that show up there have gone there intentionally. The interior is pretty spartan; four benches, four tables, the plywood stage and the tiny bar. It’s a great setting for a punk show.

4. The Opera House

The excellence of this venue is all due to the amazing stage. The sound mix is usually good, but not always. But that stage frames bands better than Caravaggio. Shows at the Opera House always feel like events, which is where most of the fun comes from.

3. The Horseshoe Tavern

The reputation of this legendary venue may seem to be overrated, but the Shoe lives up to the hype. Being able to walk right up to the stage, which is a full 18 inches above the dancefloor, is always an exciting experience. There is tons of seating when you don’t feel like standing, and, somehow, the sound mix is clear all over the irregularly shaped building. And that location! Queen and Spadina is one of the great intersections in Toronto, and walking into that after a show at the Horseshoe is wonderful.

2. The Great Hall

Take the picture perfect stage from the Opera House, and blend it with the intimacy of the Horseshoe stage, and you get the Great Hall, the gem of West Queen West. The openness of the hall itself is also fringed by the balcony, normally filled with throngs of people. A full show at the Great Hall feels crowded and loose at the same time. The sound seems to come from all directions and envelop you. Highly recommended.

1. Lee’s Palace

The seats are very uncomfortable. There are four giant beams blocking the view for some people. The Dance Cave sometimes makes the lighting rig rattle. But the sound! The sound is flawless every single time. The tiered standing areas are a great solution for the number one problem at concerts, having tall(er) people standing in front of you. When you aren’t stuck behind one of the aforementioned beams, the viewing angles are just perfect. And it’s a five minute walk from Bathurst Station! Of course, it helps that some of the best touring bands on the planet are regularly booked here.

Spotify Launches In Canada

After many years of waiting, Spotify has launched in Canada this week. Spotify is the most popular music streaming service in North America, with 40 million active subscribers – 10 million of them being paid subscribers – and a catalogue of over 20 million songs. The company has been trying to make its way into Canada since 2009, but music licensing and securing rights held them back from doing so for five years.

Users can pay for a Spotify Premium membership, which gives them features like ad-free music listening, offline listening, and downloading songs for later playback. A free membership is available as well, but comes with four minutes of ads every hour of listening. Spotify’s marketing director Andres Sehr hopes that every one in four Canadians will pay the $9.99 monthly fee for a Premium subscription to the service.

I’ve actually been using Spotify for the past couple weeks, since I got a code to get early access to it (thanks TD Music!). Its an absolutely amazing streaming service and it works flawlessly. I’ve been finding all sorts of classic tunes I used to play nonstop and some golden gems I never found until now. The one feature that I really like about it is the playlists feature. You can make your own playlist(s) with an unlimited amount of songs, name it something, and post it for others to follow. You can constantly update it with more songs and it will notify all your followers that you’ve done so. You can even share it on social media

Whats even better about the service is that just about almost every artist and record label have their own accounts and playlists on Spotify. You can follow them for any new music they upload and their playlists are constantly being updated every week with new tunes. For example, famous DJ Hardwell has his own playlist called ‘Hardwell On Air Radio’ where its updated every Friday with music that he plays on his radio show/podcast ‘Hardwell On Air.’

I highly recommend everyone to give Spotify a chance, even if its for a day or two. A superb music streaming service that will totally make you change the way you consume your daily dose of music. It’s free, there’s no reason not too.

THE DIRTY NIL: CANADA’S ROCK AND ROLL SAVIOURS

The Dirty Nil play rock and roll.

Loud, distorted, and out-of-control rock and roll. They make music for your record players, music for your house parties, music to drink beers to. They make music you want to fight to, scream to and sing a long to. If you’ve never heard of them make it your mission of the day to change that.

The three-piece band hails from Hamilton, Ontario. The band consists of Luke Bentham (guitar/vocals), Dave Nardi (bass/vocals), and Kyle Fisher (drums). They play like mad men, like they have a fever they are trying to sweat out. They only have a few 7-inches and a 10- inch EP, but all of it is musical gold. The recordings are great, but nothing can compare to seeing them live.

Their live performance is an unhinged, destructive force. I’ve never seen a band like them. A band that comes on stage and always gives it all they got every night, with huge grins on their faces too. It’s amazing to see three guys come together to make something vital, meaningful, and insanely loud. If you’ve never seen them play. Go. Revel in the din of loud fuzzed-out guitars, pounding drums, and howling vocals. If you don’t leave with a smile, covered in sweat or blood, you weren’t trying hard enough.

I loved this band the moment I heard them. They will always remind me of now. When I look back on my life years from now, they’ll be the band that defined my early 20’s. I relate a lot to the music. It’s the perfect balance of rabid punk, feral garage rock, and uneasy pop hooks. It’s music I think more people should hear.

The Dirty Nil play rock and roll – cause they couldn’t do a damn thing else if they tried.

Check out these essential tracks: Little Metal Baby Fist, F*ckin’ Up Young, Wrestle Yü To Hüsker Dü

–@GRIZZLYZACH