Unsigned #26 & Steam Whistle Contest!

Steam Whistle is back with another Unsigned Series, featuring a lineup of great bands. Which means we're back too with another great Steam Whistle contest!

On September 27th, Steam Whistle will host Unsigned #26, celebrating Canadian indie music. The show will be hosted in the Brewery’s Beer Hall and will feature Maylee Todd (an Unsigned alumni, playing with Woodhands in March 2007 as the very first band to to grace their stage!), AKUA (recently picked up as a back-up singer for Solange), and Paradise Animals (The new project from Mark Andrade, another alumni who has previously played Unsigned with Green Go). 

Doors open at 8pm and admission is only $5 at the door with all proceeds from ticket sales going back to the community through the Artists Health Alliance. 

CONTEST

CityGirlScapes is giving away a Steam Whistle Unsigned #26 Prize Pack that includes two (2) tickets to the Unsigned 26 show on September 27, refreshment tickets, brewery tour passes and Steam Whistle merch.

To Enter

1. Follow @CityGirlScapes on Twitter

2. RT our #CityGirlsContest tweet to enter.

Contest closes on Sept 23. Must be 19 years of age or older and a legal resident of Ontario to enter. 

Winner selection is based upon a random draw held following the contest closing date from all eligible entries received. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

Prize pack must be picked up at the door of the event on the day of the event. Identification will be checked at the door, so if you are under age you will not get in or receive the prize pack offered in the contest. 

Click to read full contest rules and regulations.

Don't forget to check back here after the show for our full review and pictures from the event. GOOD LUCK!

About the Bands:

Maylee Todd is a dynamic and multi-faceted artist, based in Toronto. Her creativity derives its inspiration from a wide range of artistic disciplines: songwriting, production, film, performance art, and design. Maylee’s music combines organic and electronic forms, including elements of boogie, bossa, space funk, psychedelia and soul. She is truly a free spirit who brings all of these seemingly disparate influences into honest, soulful, harmonious yet uncompromising vibrations. Maylee Todd is one of the two performers of Ark Analog who will be playing Unsigned London on September 13th and is also an Unsigned alumni who played the first ever Unsigned show at the brewery with Woodhands. http://mayleetodd.com

With emotion and texture at the center of her songwriting there’s reason A K U A’s music has been so warmly received by the few that have happened upon it: it’s real and it’s raw. Having already opened for a wide variety of performers, including Solange, Cody ChesnuTT, Little Scream and Katy B, it’s safe to say that A K U A’s first year as a solo artist is off to a promising start. Akua is currently on tour with Solange (Beyonce’s sister) as a backup singer. https://www.facebook.com/followakua

"A lot of bands are forged through friendships, but Paradise Animals take it a step further. Mark Andrade and Gary Pereira used to live beside each other in Guelph, and Pereira now shares a bedroom wall in Toronto with Kerri Silva, to the point where they will knock messages through it and wake up to the sound of the other sneezing. To say that they are close seems to be an understatement, and the band’s comfort with each other comes across in both their music and their conversation.” – Gray Owl Point http://www.paradiseanimals.com

images from official websites

Savages @ the Mod Club

Every since seeing Savages at the Horseshoe during CMW, we've been keeping an eye out for a triumphant return to Toronto behind their anticipated new album Silence Yourself.

There was a lot of buzz about the sold out Savages show last night at the Mod Club. And rightly so. The Mod Club was more crowded than I have seen it in ages, the venue filling up even before the first act came on stage.

Expanding on the rocking CMW showcase, these girls have found their groove on stage. Their sound was tight and their stage dynamic, while minimal, was still dramatic enough to revive a dead crowd who seemed to barely make it through the humdrum drone of an opener.

Displaying more aggression than probably every other new band you see these days, Savages sound and overall presence combines the dark, haunting Euro-feel with a fresh presence that the music scene is in dire need of these days.

 

 

Images ©CityGirlScapes

NXNE Night Three – The Anti-Queens @ the Bovine

One of the things I’ve learned so far this year at NXNE is that this fine country of ours is producing some fierce female musicians. Seeing these women up on stage rocking out harder than a lot of the other bands we’ve seen this week makes me proud to be a woman.

NXNE Night Three – The Anti-Queens
@ the Bovine Sex Club

The Anti-Queens are another local band that I’ve been trying to see play for a while now. After seeing front woman Emily Bones collaborating with another favourite of mine, Sarah Blackwood, I’ve been keeping my eye on them, anxious to see what these three girls could do.

The Anti-Queens put on an explosive show at the Bovine, blending grungy rock with a hint of punk. The dynamic on stage was great to watch, you can tell that there’s a great friendship between the girls and that only makes their essence all that stronger.

Coincidentally, last night was the pre-release of their new EP Grow Up / Stay Young. It was also Emily’s birthday. The Anti-Queens easily fed off all this excitement, turning their set into a seriously rocking show.

The Anti-Queens will be playing at Pride and will be around Toronto plenty over the next few months, you need to see them rock.

Pictures (c)CityGirlScapes

NXNE Night Two – Zachary Bennett @ the Tranzac

Night two of our NXNE adventures started off a little rainy, a little dark and gloomy. But that didn’t stop us and many others from taking to the streets and jumping bar to bar to see what Thursday night had to offer.

NXNE Night Two – Zachary Bennett
@ the Tranzac

Over the last few years, I’ve been trying to see Tin Star Orphans play, but anytime they have a show, I’m either at another show or out of the city. Timing just never seems to work. Keeping with that pattern, they are playing tonight (Friday) at midnight at the Dakota Tavern, and yet again I will not be able to see them.

Thankfully, last night, Tin Star front man Zachary Bennett was playing a solo show at the Tranzac and I was finally able to catch at least a flavour of the Orphans through him.

If you’ve ever heard the Orphans, you know that Zachary’s vocals have a very distinctive, raw sound to them. And not the kind of raw you expect; there’s a strangeness to his sound that at first, is kind of shocking. But it’s also a powerful sound and you can’t seem to keep it from grabbing you and soaking in all its dripping emotion. 

Taking that sound and isolating it from the rest of the band leaves Zachary and his guitar completely on display in the tiny but acoustically emphatic front room on the Tranzac and creating one of the more intimately potent shows we’ve seen all week. 

Zachary started the night with an improv little ditty he sang up on the spot, talking about the Tranzac, while waiting for some technical issues, but it wasn’t long before he launched into a mix of solo songs, some Orphan songs and a couple of new Orphan songs from their upcoming album. Orphan Steve Savage joined him on stage for a stint, accompanying him on piano to create a full, haunting sound.

For a performance with a show of physical passion that is giving us all he’s got, Zachary was surprisingly lighthearted and witty in between songs, laughing with the crowd and bursting with additional energy. His presence has this strange ability to just pull you right in, whether you fight it or not, something that seems to parallel his music as a whole.

Tin Star Orphans will be at the Dakota Tavern tonight at Midnight. They apparently put on one hell of a show, so if you have the chance, check them out and let me know how it goes.

Pictures (c)CityGirlScapes

NXNE Night One - Machinegun Suzie @ the Hard Luck bar

It’s NXNE week, baby! Bands are invading the city, bars are open until 4am, it’s nonstop rock and roll all week! Or simply put, it’s Ashley’s favourite time of year! 

With 1,000 bands in over 50 venues over 7 days, it’s almost a daunting, overwhelming task to pick and choose who to check out and where to go. Not to mention trying to divide schedules and bands between two people with very strong musical opinions.

As a veteran NXNE-er, however, Ashley has long gotten over her need to see it all and found a happy medium in setting her expectations to a more reasonable point. Music hungry and always on the hunt for new sounds, Ashley will be happy coming away from the week with an introduction to a couple new bands that have really made an impact. 

So instead of recounting each and every act, over the next few days she’ll be offering her NXNE highlights of bands that stood out among the rest. Not surprisingly, her first night out introduced her to a band that could arguably be her new favourite band.

NXNE Night One – Machinegun Suzie

@ the Hard Luck bar

As a grunge rocker at heart, it was hard to pass up a band with an official description calling them “dangerous little sisters of Josh Homme and L7” that remind you of a time when Courtney Love and Melissa Auf der Maur shared a stage (you know, when Hole was still good). As a lover of hard-rocking females, it was hard to pass up a band with four strong women taking the stage with a nostalgia of the Riot Grrl movement. Everything about this Quebec band screams Ashley.

From the very first song, you could see the vibe in the Hard Luck bar start to change. Everyone sitting lazily at their tables were suddenly on their feet and moving towards the stage. People were exchanging awe-inspired looks and crashing air-drums in sync with the thumping drum beat. This is what you want from a rock band.

With their adorably “bad accents and f—cking bad reputation”, Machinegun Suzie barreled through their set with the confidence of a long seasoned band. They were tight and powerful, making music not just playing instruments. 

As their set went on, you discovered a darker side with heavy guitars laying down their defined stoner rock sound, heavily influenced by the 90s, with surprisingly mature Auf der maur-ish vocals that are almost hypnotic at times. Not only can you feel their passion through their music, but you can see it on their faces and in their presence. These girls belong there on that stage.

For some vexing reason, their website says Machinegun Suzie is “a group of girls who do not make music for girls”. As a girl, I assure you, this is exactly the kind of music I want to be listening to.

Machinegun Suzie's debut album Black Paper Horse is now available. 

Website: http://www.machinegunsuzie.com

Pictures (c)CityGirlScapes

Great Beer, Great Music, Great start to the Weekend!

As lovers and supporters of all things music and art, not to mention independent musicians and artists, we’re huge fans of Steam Whistle for their long running UNSIGNED concert series, which showcases independent Canadian musicians.

This Friday night (May 24), Steam Whistle is hosting Unsigned #25 in celebration of Canadian Indie Music at their Beer Hall – the Round House (255 Bremner Blvd) – with local acts Beliefs, The C’Mons and Hussy. Doors open at 8pm and cover is only $5 with proceeds going back to the Artists Health Alliance to help strengthen and empower our local creative community.

Beliefs

An assembly of cultured and stimulating sounds, Beliefs revive the effect-driven alt-rock shoegazing genre by bashing pedals with dreamy, ghostly vocals for a mix of distortion birthed from the bond over The Jesus and Marychain, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine. http://beliefs.bandcamp.com/

The C’Mons

Anyone who has ever seen them perform live can tell you: a C’mons show is for the folks who like to stomp their feet, clap their hands and dance their asses off. With an interesting mesh of personalities and style, these guys aim to please. http://thecmons.ca

Hussy

Local favourites, Hussy’s sound can only be described as loud and blood thinning. Crashing onto the Toronto music scene, Hussy is already making a name for themselves with their notoriously rowdy shows and their gritty, sleazy post-punk sound. http://hussywhore.bandcamp.com  

Steam Whistle Brewery has been a long time active supporter of independent Canadian musicians and the UNSIGNED concert series has raised over $70,000 for local artists. The series has showcased some pretty awesome Canadian bands over the past six years including The Rural Alberta Advantage, Austra, Hooded Fang, The Darcys, Young Empires, Rich Aucoin, Odonis Odonis, Beta Frontiers, Indian Handcraft, The Balconies, Woodhands, Dinosaur Bones, Lioness, Parallels, Wilderness of Manitoba, and Kidstreet. 

With that kind of track record, you know that this is going to be one hell of a rockin’ show that you don’t want to miss. 

images from official website and press photos
Beliefs photo credit - Laura Lynn Petrick
Hussy photo credit - D. Waldman

CityGirlScapes Contest - Steam Whistle Brewery Unsigned 25 Prize Pack!

Do you love indie music? Do you love beer? Do you love prize packs? Enter for your chance to win it all!

An active supporter of independent Canadian music, on May 24 Steam Whistle Brewery is hosting a 25th anniversary show celebrating Canadian indie music as part of their UNSIGNED concert series.



The show will be in the Toronto Brewery’s Beer Hall and will feature local acts Beliefs, The C’Mons and Hussy. Proceeds from ticket sales are going back to the community through the Artists Health Alliance. 

Show Details

Location: The Roundhouse
255 Bremner Blvd, Toronto

Date: May 24, 2013

Doors: 8pm

CityGirlScapes is giving away a Steam Whistle Unsigned 25 Prize Pack that includes two (2) tickets to the Unsigned 25 show on May 24 at The Roundhouse in Toronto, refreshment tickets and Steam Whistle merchandise.

To Enter

1. Follow @CityGirlScapes on Twitter

2. RT our #CityGirlsContest tweet to enter.

Contest closes on May 20th. Must be 19 years of age or older and a legal resident of Ontario to enter. 

Winner selection is based upon a random draw held following the contest closing date from all eligible entries received. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

Prize pack must be picked up at the door of the event on the day of the event. Identification will be checked at the door, so if you are under age you will not get in or receive the prize pack offered in the contest. 

Click to read full contest rules and regulations.

Don't forget to check back here after the show for our full review and pictures from the event.

GOOD LUCK!

Canadian Music Week Rundown: Day 4

As is often the case during music festivals, there are so many bands to see and  schedules often end up conflicting and hard choices about what show to go to have to start being made. Last night was one of those situations. Metric and a slew of indie favourites were playing at the Kool Haus, but the Horseshoe Tavern also had a killer lineup as well, all at the same time.

It’s kind of a tradition to see Metric in Toronto every time they play. I think in the last seven years, Ashley has only missed them once. So you can see the dilemma that arose here, does she pass up a tradition for a bunch of bands she’s been anxious to see and have heard a lot about? Or stick with what she knows and figure what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her?

After some deep soul searching, a negotiation was met.

The Indies presented by SeriousXM @ The Kool Haus

8pm – Cadence Weapon

We hit up the Kool Haus nice and early to see hip hop artist Cadence Weapon. With little background or interest in hip hop myself, this was definitely new territory for me, but it came highly recommended so I figured what the hell.

The unknown information going into the Indies that night was that the show was really just a Metric concert, and the eight other artists on the bill had an opportunity to play two songs each. Yes, each artist played two songs each and then they left the stage.

Thankfully we got there just as Cadence Weapon was starting, because those two songs went by quickly and it was over before I really had a chance to figure out whether I was into him or not. I will give him this, though; those two songs were stuck in my head during the walk from the Kool Haus to the Horseshoe. He’s definitely someone worth looking into more.

CMF Showcase presented by Collective Concerts @ The Horshoe Tavern

The fact that everyone at the Kool Haus only had two songs made it really easy for us to decide to go check out the Horseshoe instead. We got there just as The Zolas were finishing up and were able to grab a table. I figured it was just luck that we had got there early enough to get a decent spot with a clear vantage point to the stage (the most important thing for a shorty like me), but the venue actually remained rather empty for the extent of the night, which to me was incredibly surprising given the awesome that came pouring off that stage.

9pm – Dustin Bentall and the Smokes

Is it too cliché to say that Dustin Bentall and the Smokes were smokin’ last night? Donning a black cowboy hat “in honour of Stompin’ Tom”, Dustin Bentall took the stage to belt out some rockin’ country tunes. 

While it’s hard to completely embrace a similar sound after seeing Daniel Romano the other night, at least Dustin Bentall had a full set of his own tunes and gave us an in depth taste of what it is he has to offer. They started the night off on the right foot and I immediately knew we made the right choice in leaving the Kool Haus.

10pm – Young Rival
Young Rival sounds like they would have a good sound, but for whatever reason, their set sounded a bit muddy and mushed together to me. I didn’t feel like anything really stood out or grabbed my attention, which is a shame because I have been reading some hype about them. There didn’t seem to be a lot of energy or interaction, but it still seems like there is potential for something bigger and more entertaining. 

11pm – Savages
Another band I’ve been reading a lot about and they did not disappoint. While I don’t really understand why a band from the UK is part of Canadian Music Week, I’m glad they made the trek to Canada for the first time and I’m even gladder that I was there to see them.

Going back to my never ending search for awesome female rockers, these ladies are more aggressive and musically solid than any of the bands we have seen this far during CMW. With a kind of psychedelic rock sound, they get straight to the point and absolutely rocked and really blew us away. I need to know more about them, I need to hear more from them.

12pm – Limblifter

The 90s are back in full swing, you’re seeing the rebirth of the times in music and fashion all over these days. So how fitting and exciting is it that Limblifter are back on the scene? 

With an interchanging roster of Canadian musicians, founder Ryan Dhale has been able to keep the band alive for all these years.

The Horseshoe gig is one of a few shows Limblifter is doing in Canada, making it a special opportunity for everyone who was around to see them. Debuting a few new tunes, Dhale threw longtime fans a few bones as they launched into old favourites like Tinfoil and Ariel vs Lotus to close the set.

Despite all the years that have passed, Limblifter were just as tight, just as talented and just as awesome as they were in the 90s. 

As I said, this was definitely worth missing Metric for.

images (c)CityGirlScapes

Canadian Music Week Rundown: Day 3

It’s Friday. The week is nearly done, but Canadian Music Week is far from finished.

CMF Showcase presented by Big Sound @ Lee’s Palace

Unlike the Horseshoe on Tuesday night, arriving at Lee’s for 10pm gave us a little more room to breathe. We got there just as The Trouble with Templeton was finishing up and the venue was pretty empty. People were seated along the walls, but the open area in front of the stage was clear of bodies. Of course, it didn't stay that way for long.

10pm – The Balconies

Always on the lookout for strong female rockers, I’ve been waiting for my chance to see the Balconies live for some time now. I missed them during NXNE, so there was no way I was missing them this time around.

There was nothing modest about this band, they came on heavy and never let up through the entire set. A mix of old and new tunes, The Balconies gave no doubt to why they were drawing the largest crowd of the night. 

With a lingering 80s hair metal feel, leader of the pack Jacquie showed off her rock moves by swirling her hair around and taking deep lunges while gyrating to the beat. She has a huge stage presence and a voice to match, which is quite a scene to witness, but sometimes it all seems a bit too theatrical and over the top. But hey, that’s what it’s all about, isn't it?

11pm – Rah Rah

These Saskatchewan darlings are having fun and they want you to know it. Full of energy and pizzazz, Rah Rah showed off their unique collective mentality, taking turns on varying instruments, sharing the lead vocals and bouncing around on stage while shooting joy filled glances at each other throughout it all. It really seemed like they were just a bunch of pals having a good time in their basement.

Despite their performance energy, their overall sound kind of fell flat for me. Granted, at least one member was fighting off a cold which no doubt interrupts the flow of things, but it just seemed like there was something missing. 

Not to mention, there was an air of try hard surrounding them all; certain things seemed a bit too gimmicky: mechanical moving cats that sat on the amps, bright red sunglasses thrown on for show, blow up balloon letters that spell RAH that were thrown into the crowd - which, actually, was sort of cool to see, but makes it hard for me to take things very seriously. But that’s probably it, they don’t want to be taken seriously, they want to have fun and that much shows.

12am – Two Hours Traffic

Lee’s was still hopping at midnight in anticipation of the East Coast flair of Two Hours Traffic. While they started out with a new tune that sounded a bit too Beatles-esque, the foursome quickly fell into the groove with some older pop melodies that had fans bopping on their feet singing along. 

The band seemed comfortable and relaxed on stage, rifling through their catalogue with ease despite a recent lineup change which seems to have given them a more mature and sophisticated sound. This isn’t bad, but there’s definitely a noticeable growth between the unmistakable uplifting pop songs of prior and the new material from their latest album Foolish Blood. 

images (c)CityGirlScapes

Canadian Music Week Rundown: Day 2

For Ashley, 2013 is the year of rock. She’s already been to a number of local shows, but this week, Toronto is built on rock and roll as Canadian Music Week takes over the city and Ashley forgoes sleep for a week of rock. Missing the first night due to conflicting tickets to see Rock of Ages, let’s pick things up on Day 2.

Outlaws and Gunslingers Americana Music Association Showcase @ the Horsehoe Tavern

When we arrived at the venue just before 10pm, the place was already near capacity. We had to wait in line briefly while the authorities conversed about how many more people can be let in before having to turn away bodies. Thankfully, they eventually conceded with a “fuck it, you can all go in” and in we went.

What was interesting about the Horseshoe show last night was that there wasn’t just one lone cowboy on the stage, each set combined three entities all packing their own material collaborating together to play each other’s songs for an entire set. I’m not really sure how well this worked, but it did expose us to some new sounds and new artists that we might not have had time to see otherwise.

10pm – Oh Susanna, Daniel Romano, Kayla Howran

Our main reason for heading to the Horseshoe was to see Daniel Romano. He opened for Whitehorse a couple of weekends ago, but we missed his set and only saw him briefly when he joined Doucet and McClelland on stage toward the end of their gig.

Remembering him fondly from his Attack in Black days, Daniel carries himself with a whole different attitude this time around. His solo tunes have that classic country twang with a solid rock and roll heart that creates the image of kicking back on a porch during a hot summer’s day. It reminds me of home.

Sadly, we weren’t very familiar with Oh Susanna and Kayla Howran going in to things, but both sported powerful voices that filled the venue front to back with beautiful Americana melodies.

11pm – Jim Cuddy, Danny Michel, Quique Escamilla

Staying for the next set wasn’t really planned, but the happy accident provided us the opportunity to see Canadian icon Jim Cuddy. Cuddy was joined by Spanish artist Quique Escamilla, who was beside himself with the honour of sharing the stage with such a legend, and songwriter Danny Michel.

Similar to the first set, the three took turns leading each other through their repertoire, introducing us to a mixture of traditional folk with a dash of Mexican flavour. Cuddy was in great spirits, laughing and joking in between songs. It was well worth sticking around for.

There are no live images from the show, the venue was so packed and Ashley is too short to make that happen. Sorry. Other images are from google images.

Canada Rocks!

While we’re still a month away from Canadian Music Week, this week has still been a great week for Canadian music with back to back shows at the Rivoli by some very talented Canadian women.

Wednesday night, Halifax singer-songwriter Mo Kenney took to the back room stage for an intimate look into the corners of her mind. The Rivoli was decked out with low strung Christmas lights and set up with tables and chairs throughout the entire room, not the typical concert scene but for the delicate intimacy of Mo’s sleepy, emotive first album, the scene seemed fitting.

Ashley first saw Mo during NXNE. This somewhat bashful east coast girl took the stage in the ridiculously small back room on the Free Times Cafe and blew everyone away with her powerful voice and raw talent. It’s no wonder Joel Plaskett has kind of taken her under his wing, producing her first self titled album released last September and taking her around the country to open for him on tour. 

Her debut album is a solid piece of art, spinning wisdom and confidence that seem far beyond her 22 years. While Plaskett did produce the record, Mo was alone up there Wednesday night, just her and her guitar, and she radiated a certain unique form of energy that will push her far out of Plaskett’s shadow to really shine brightly on her own. 

Mo has a number of cross country shows over the next few months, including opening for Ron Sexsmith at the Randolph Theatre in Toronto on March 22 as part of Canadian Music Week. 

xx

Thursday night, while most people are planning romantic dinners and escapades with their loved ones, Ashley was once again at the Rivoli spending her night with three women who know what it is to rock. 

Magneta Lane has been a part of the Toronto music scene for years, playing clubs around the city when singer/guitarist Lexi Valentine and bassist French were only 17, drummer Nadia King a mere 15. And while they knew how to rock from the start, their young and eager passion was never taken seriously and they quickly found themselves tangled up in a sticky web of corporate label bullshit that stifled their energy and creativity, limited their hand in things and ultimately lead to a band hiatus around 2009.

But the girls are back and stronger than ever. With new management and their new EP Witchrock, produced by Rick Jackett and James Black of Finger Eleven, Magneta Lane clearly had lots to celebrate during their CD release party at the Rivoli. 

Showcasing new songs from the EP, as well as old favourites and a punk-inspired rendition of Paul Anka’s Put your Head on my Shoulder dedicated to Lexi and Nadia’s father, Magneta Lane once again proved that they deserve to be taken seriously, because they seriously rock. 

Witchrock is now available.

Photos by Jeremy Spanton

Real to Reel: Sound City

Dave Grohl has got to be the coolest dude in Rock n Roll. Not only is he a wicked good musician, but he’s been around forever and has been a part of some really big musical projects that have shaped the rock and roll world. 

With the Foo Fighters currently on hiatus, Grohl’s creative energies have jumped off the stage and behind the camera for his directorial debut Sound City, a documentary about the legendary LA studio of the same name. 

Sound City follows a typical documentary style laying out the colourful history of the studio with interviews from former employees and artists who all had an opportunity to be a part of the magic. Artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Metallica, REO Speedwagon, Rage agains the Machine, Queens of the Stone Age and Foreigner all recorded there and Nirvana’s Nervermind was put to tape in those very rooms, an album which of course blew up and put the studio on the map.

But as time went on and technology grew, it was hard to deny that the recording process itself was changing. The physical and literal sense of recording music in a studio was becoming less and less standard and more people were recording through digital programs like Pro Tools. While these progressive options can make certain things easier, it can also arguably make certain people lazier and over saturate the market with "musicians" who may not really have any place in the business at all.

Not to mention the change in the entire dynamic of music and live shows (I was just at a show this past weekend where not a single instrument was played. Other than vocals, every other element was pre-recorded and played digitally through the sound system. Not exactly my idea of a live show).

It takes real skill to manipulate and record to tape, but once programs like Pro Tools started becoming more popular, Sound City just couldn't keep up and eventually closed its doors in 2011. 

It was at that point that Grohl purchased several items from the studio, including the one of a kind Neve mixing console that was the foundation of every recording done in that studio. The way they spoke about that console and the sound it produced, you would think it were magic. And maybe it was, for on paper, everything about that studio shouldn’t have worked, and yet listening to the albums recorded there, that sound really is like nothing else.

But Sound City is more than the remains of a battle between analog and digital recording; it’s a nod to a family who helped produce some of the greatest albums music has ever seen and a chance for some very iconic artists to show their thanks and respect to the studio that jump started a lot of their success. It’s a celebration of the authentic human element of music, the flaws, the feeling, the things that you don’t necessarily hear in today’s music. 


Sound City is a reminder of what music used to be like and a reassurance that those genuine musicians are still out there, writing music, recording albums, creating feeling and making magic.

Sound City is currently playing at the Tiff Bell Lightbox until February 7 and is available On Demand.

images from google images