Saturday nights at The Mod Club are consistent sources for one’s dubstep fix in Toronto with DJ Tigerblood and Paul Brace dropping electro beats all night, accompanied by guest DJs and a live show. This past weekend, up and coming Toronto based indie band, Automatic Toys brought their mix of electrified rock to The Mod Club stage, at their best when duo, Nachum Peterseil and Yasha Gruzman, joined by VØID (guitar) and Izzy (drums) from The Envy, played to their strength: rock.

The band opened with “Deep Sleep”, a sultry track that coaxed listeners into a melodic trance underlined with reverb, bolstered by Petersil’s inviting vocals, ‘touch my soul dear / lift me up / lend me your heart ache / take my love’.  It is the band’s most heavily leaning dubstep track and was a well chosen intro to the venue’s night.

Automatic Toys pride themselves on “putting a big emphasis on their live show”, intending to deliver a “memorable and high energy” performance. Though I was initially skeptical as to whether they were succeeding, I was shown (as I usually am) that the best was yet to come. Lead vocalist Petersil slipped into a more comfortable and genuine stage presence, substituting early awkward hand gestures with belting out “Come Alive” and “Sinking Ships“ with conviction. Though not appearing on the band’s EP Not Enough Glue (2011), these selections would be fantastic additions to the debut LP they are currently working on.

It was all up hill from here as Shaun (also lead singer of The Envy) and rapper Klassik were welcomed to the stage to take on a cover of Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Church in the Wild” from their album Watch the Throne (2011). Though it had big shoes to fill, this interpretation was fun and engaging, and decidedly more in line with the band’s intentions for their live show. It was a full frontal assault on the senses with the audience responding well – at least judging from the intensification of frat bro jam session being had in the front row.

Though the overall set lacked cohesion, especially with the inclusion of tracks indulging more in experimental beats than others focused on rock n’ roll (which appears to be the band’s strength), songs like “Dancing with the Devil” and “Good Light”, were fun, upbeat, and made you want to move like a rock show should. These tunes suggest Automatic Toys are comfortable playing to their rock sensibility and are heading in the right direction stylistically as they maneuver their balancing act between lyrical concentration and electronic dance elements.

It also seemed to suggest to the crowd that it was “cool” to jump on stage during the band’s outro for a goodbye party. Clearly this was “totally cool”, and not a problem at all for the venue, or Automatic Toys, as no one stopped a fleet of audience members from enjoying a final fit of rocking out with the band. How can that not spell out a good time?

For more on Automatic Toys and their debut LP expected to be released sometime late 2012/ early 2013, follow them out @
http://twitter.com/AutomaticToys
http://www.facebook.com/automatictoysmusic
http://www.automatictoysmusic.com/
_
by Michael Natale

This week Glass Tiger release Then…Now…Next featuring all of their biggest singles, a great cover of The Beatles classic “You’ve Got To Hide Yourself Away” and two brand new tracks.  New single "I Take It Back" has just gone to radio and is set to be another big hit for the band – with a contemporary up-tempo sound and very catchy, relatable lyrics – listeners will find it hard to resist singing along.  The band will be performing this song and a classic hit on BT Toronto on Tuesday, August 28.

The band also just released a special new two CD Anniversary Edition of their debut album Thin Red Line, which features 12” mixes, radio edits, b-sides and rarities.  Live the guys have never been better so they are anxious to hit the road for their much anticipated tour with Roxette and KCC which kicks off in Ottawa on August 29 and wraps up in Vancouver on September 12.

Glass Tiger have been one of Canada’s most popular and enduring bands for three decades. Their career highlights include selling over a million albums, winning five JUNO Award, a Grammy nomination and 13 hit singles: including “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone),” “Someday,” “I Will Be There,” “My Song” and “Diamond Sun.”  Throughout their career they have recorded with many of music’s finest artists such as Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Dalbello and The Chieftans. 

Glass Tiger Canadian Tour Dates with Roxette and KCC:

August 29 - Scotiabank Place - Ottawa, ON
August 30 - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON
August 31 - Bell Centre - Montreal, QC
September 7 - MTS Centre - Winnipeg, MB
September 9 - Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB
September 10 - Rexall Place - Edmonton, AB
September 12 - Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC

www.glasstiger.ca
www.facebook.com/#!/glasstigerband

In celebration of this event and to give back to you, the fans, we've also put together one contest to rule them all!

Subscribe to livemusicTO's mailing list for your chance to WIN:

• 2 Tickets to our anniversary show with A Silent Film!
• Union Events Prizepack including 2 tickets to: RIOT FEST, PUBLIC ENEMY and GZA!

Also enjoy other exclusive music announcements, special event invites and free giveaways!

The Drake Underground’s small stage felt claustrophobic on Tuesday July 31st, with Givers’ quintuplet somehow managing to fit themselves (and their many instruments) in the tight space. This however, did not prevent the indie poppers from Lafayette, Louisiana (as they so proudly exclaim) from injecting the crowd with charged, American-South, worldbeat energy.

Givers is a band that seems to mingle in limbo of ‘up-and-coming’ buzz scene and mainstream popularity without veering too much to one side. This is despite having their music featured in various commercial ads, Julian Farino’s TIFF film, The Oranges (2011), and Fox’s hit musical TV cash cow, “Glee”. 

Luckily, no energy is lost in the translation of their immensely positive debut studio album In Light (2011), to their live performance. Though the set started off somber and unemphatic (having me wonder whether I could get a refund for a $15 cover), the pace changed to exhilarating. Powerhouse voices from Tiffany Lamson and Tyler Guarisco punctuate already deafening instrument smashing. Though an indie band with up beat country folk tones they may be, ‘hard and loud’ was their volume stetting, and the crowd returned the favor in kind. 

Every member wears a few hats, personifying zany personality roles on stage, of which I’m sure are not intentional. This contributed to an overall strangeness that is ultimately endearing. Lamson is most impressive taking on vocals reminiscent of raspy UK singer Ida Maria, while tossing back wild-child hair to serve mega-hits on percussion instruments, in sync with fellow cymbal striker, Kirby Campbell on drums. Not to mention, she plays a mean ukulele. 

Guarisco next to her was just as memorable- but for different reasons. His presence was simultaneously awkward and genuine as he strained facial muscles during vocals, looking as if he may collapse from lacking oxygen at any given moment. Such visible commitments to the music through excretions of self were infectious. It was complimentary in a genuine way as he continually thanked the audience just for showing up (a sense of earnest gratitude that was refreshing having come from Twin Shadow’s ego-centric set the night before @ Lee’s Palace). 

During songs, “Ceiling of Plankton”, and encore performance, “Up Up Up”, Guarisco was bouncing off stage and into the crowd for some intimately improvised jam sessions to which he assured the audience was, “the first time that has ever happened”.

Overall, the resulting dance party at The Drake Underground brought on by Givers (on a Tuesday of all days!) was an unexpected, but welcome surprise. Few technical errors, a bit of feedback, and cramped stage composition were no match for the band’s brand of joyful instrument slamming and raspy folk sounds. It made for a wine splashing, limb flailing good time- leaving one to imagine, what kind of damage might have been possible had this been a weekend?

Whether Gives’ inability to transition from a limbo-like plateau of popularity is momentary or career spanning, what is certain is that it works for them without hindrance.

_
by Michael Natale

We want to send you + a friend to see:
Architects, Structures, Sight For Sewn Eyes, Sleep When You're Dead!
Friday August 17, 2012 @ The Opera House

More info on Facebook HERE, Tickets on Sale HERE. Courtesy of Union Events!

The world of deadmau5—the world-renowned electronic artist—is always fast and furious. He recently overhauled his studio in his Toronto hometown and following his full-scale European tour this past spring, he locked himself in and went on a creative spree to finish > album title goes here <, his new album due out September 25 (Ultra Music).

Following his performance with the Foo Fighters at the Grammy Awards earlier this year showcasing his stellar remix of the group’s “Rope,” deadmau5 continues his collaborations in the rock world by enlisting the vocal talents of Gerard Way, lead singer of My Chemical Romance for his new single “Professional Griefers.” Out on August 14 on Ultra Music in North America, the single sits on the tougher end of deadmau5’s productions and already leading rock stations such as Los Angeles’ KROQ, Live 105 in San Francisco, KNDD in Seattle and SiriusXM’s Alt Nation have been lending early support.

Fans first got to experience “Professional Griefers” as an unreleased instrumental track during deadmau5’s North American Meowingtons Hax tour last year, premiering the track at his critically acclaimed headlining performance at Lollapalooza.  Now “Professional Griefers”--which kicks off with stomping beats and heavily distorted guitar stabs, then builds tension with discordant synth strikes leading into the chorus--features vocals from one of the most distinctive voices in rock.  Look for its accompanying video, featuring both deadmau5 and Gerard Way and created by Dave Stewart’s Weapons of Mass Entertainment production company, to emerge this month (exact date TBA).

All the tracks on > album title goes here < are deadmau5 original productions.  They include collaborations with “Animal Rights” co-producer Wolfgang Gartner (“Channel 42”); vocalists Imogen Heap (“Telemiscommunications”) and Chris James (“The Veldt,” the critically acclaimed track inspired by the Ray Bradbury short story); and legendary hip-hop outfit Cypress Hill (“Failbait”). There are also new pieces like the Close Encounters of the Third Kind classic film-inspired “Closer,” the dance floor burner “There might be coffee” and electronica piece “Sleepless.”  Like “Fn Pig” and “October,” many of these tracks have been available on deadmau5’s SoundCloud as rough edits. For > album title goes here < they come together as finished songs in the format the way he intends them to be heard by his fans.

deadmau5 just headlined the VELD Music Festival in Toronto this past weekend.  His next North American major performance is confirmed for Saturday, September 22 in Las Vegas for the iHeartRadio Music Festival.

The complete track listing for deadmau5’s > album title goes here < is:
1.     Superliminal
2.     deadmau5 & Wolfgang Gartner - Channel 42
3.     The Veldt (featuring Chris James)
4.     Fn Pig 
5.     Professional Griefers (featuring Gerard Way)
6.     maths
7.     There might be coffee
8.     Take care of the proper paperwork
9.     Closer
10.  October
11.  Sleepless
12.  Failbait (featuring Cypress Hill)
13.  Telemiscommunications (featuring Imogen Heap)

From the band:

"As promised in 2010 – we’re back for a Farewell Tour. We know that this tour doesn’t reach all of you, and this list is sure to cause some disappointment, but know that we have done our best to fit what we can into this window of time. December 2012 is the only time that all 5 of us aren’t committed to something in our personal or professional lives. An entire month!!!! 

We couldn’t be more excited to get on the road and travel and hit the stage one last time – most importantly we wanted to keep our promise to you guys. We’re going to be playing till the venues try to kick us off the stage. We’re talking 20+ songs a night."






Tour dates and venues:
12.03 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
12.07 – Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Via Funchal
12.11 – Sydney, AUS @ Hordern Pavilion
12.12 – Melbourne, AUS @ Festival Hall
12.19 – Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre
12.20 – Calgary, AB @ Big Four Building
12.22 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
12.26 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
12.27 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy

Alexisonfire is also planning to release a vinyl box set of their discography, which will include 12-inch LPs of each studio release and out-of-print 7-inch EPs (Math Sheet Demos, Crisis b-sides, Insulation Tapes, BBC Sessions, and more). The band also says ticket info (including presales, with VIP bundles including a meet and greet with the band) will be available shortly.

The best-selling female artist of all time, Mariah Carey, and Island Def Jam Group are proud to announce that the release of her new single, 'Triumphant (Get 'Em)' featuring artists Rick Ross and Meek Mill which has hit the UK radio waves and is available for sale on iTunes in the UK now. ‘Triumphant’ (Get ‘Em)’ is a fantastic upbeat dance single and will be accompanied by a stunning new video.

As tweeted from @MariahCarey: “I wrote TRIUMPHANT when I was going through a difficult time & it helped me get through it. When u hear it, pay attention 2 the lyrics #WIN.”  ‘Triumphant (Get ’Em)’ is the first single from multiple Grammy Award®-winner Mariah’s 14th studio album, whose release will be announced in the months ahead.

Mariah, who boasts an unparalleled music catalogue with #1 hits in multiple formats on the Billboard charts, will follow the original version of 'Triumphant (Get 'Em)' with a set of exclusive, re-sung dance remixes produced by some of the hottest names in the dance world. Mariah, who continues a long-time tradition of re-inventing her songs in the format, said: "I've always had so much fun re-singing my songs for the club/dance mixes. It gives me the freedom to sing as powerfully as I want and to rewrite the songs specifically for the genre.” Mariah has 15 #1 hits on Billboard's Dance Music/Club Play chart, including "Dreamlover," "Fantasy" and "Obsessed." Mariah is now positioned as the only active recording artist with the potential to surpass the Beatles’ all-time high of 20 #1 hits.

Currently the singer/songwriter/producer Mariah Carey is set to become a judge on the panel of ‘American Idol’ and is also preparing for her role in the upcoming film ‘The Butler’ directed by Lee Daniels where Mariah will be starring alongside the likes of Nicole Kidman, Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey to name but a few.

'Triumphant (Get 'Em)' is co-written and co-produced by Mariah Carey. Available internationally on iTunes

Click Link To Buy 'Triumphant (Get 'Em)':  http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/v-v/120804231206

An overview of tracks taken from Ellie Goulding's second album "Halcyon" the follow up to her début album "Lights".

Halcyon is due for release on Oct 8 2012 in the UK and Oct 9 2012 in the US.

UK Pre-order Special Edition: http://smarturl.it/EllieGHalcyon

Free download - Hanging On (feat. Tinie Tempah): http://smarturl.it/EllieHangingOn