Ten must-see bands at North by Northeast

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4:23 pm

It’s that time of the year again. North by Northeast, the annual music festival that brings hundreds of bands to Toronto, kicks off this week — and the slew of shows to check out can be a bit overwhelming.

As such, the NXNE folks have come up with this nifty app to help organize your schedule. But in case you’re not tech savvy, or are just looking for a guaranteed good time, we’ve compiled (in no particular order) our 10 must-see shows below.

By Divine Right

Part psychedelic rock and part dream pop, Toronto’s By Divine Right has maintained a steady fan base since the mid ‘90s. Fronted by Jose Contreras, the band’s lineup has previously included the likes of Feist, Brendan Canning and Brian Borcherdt (of Holy Fuck). So it’s no wonder that when the band released their ninth album, Organized Accidents, earlier this month, it gave us both what we’ve come to love from the band plus something unexpected at the same time. They’ll be playing their groovy tunes at St. James Park on June 14.

July Talk

For a band that only released their self-titled debut record last fall, July Talk perform with the chemistry and cohesion of rock veterans. Peter Dreimanis’ gritty, Tom Waits-esque vocals play perfectly well against Leah Fay’s sweet voice. Add to that wailing guitar riffs and booming drum beats and you won’t be able to help but cut a rug. July Talk will be joined by Imaginary Cities, Wildlife and Sam Cash on June 14 at Mod Club Theatre.

Coeur de Pirate

Montreal’s Béatrice Martin, who goes by Coeur de Pirate, has been credited with focusing the international spotlight on Francophone music. The combination of her bubblegum pink voice and sunny piano numbers (think Regina Spektor) guarantees the perfect performance for a date night (at The Great Hall, June 13). After all, French is the language of love, oui?

Majical Cloudz

Saturday night at Blk Box will probably be a bit of a haze. Montreal singer-songwriter Devon Welsh has teamed up with Matthew Otto to form Majical Cloudz, a synth-heavy and moody duo. Welsh’s hauntingly hollow voice has been measured against Jim Morrison and Dave Gahan, and it pretty much promises a memorable show. Majical Cloudz performs as part of the Neon showcase along with Ryan Hemsworth and others on June 15 at Blk Box.

Moon King

Buzzing guitars, spectral vocals and hooky beats characterize Toronto-based group Moon King. They’ve been defined as grunge-pop, which seems like a bit of a paradox, but Maddy Wilde (of Spiral Beach) and Daniel Benjamin have somehow made sense of it. Prepare for loud, energetic, punchy tunes. Which basically means that any one of their three shows (at Horseshoe Tavern, Wrongbar and Yonge-Dundas Square) will be a hell of a lot of fun.

Ludacris

After Big Boi had to cancel his NXNE performance because of an injury, another Atlanta native stepped in. Ludacris’ free Sunday show at Yonge-Dundas Square will wrap up NXNE, alongside Joey Bada$$, Fat Tony, Smif N’ Wessun, Mickey Avalon and The Underachievers. Here’s hoping your dad is into hip-hop, because we already know Luda loves the ladies in this city.

White Lung

Today’s punk bands could learn a thing or two from Vancouver’s White Lung. The band’s menacing, dirty and fast-paced brand of punk rock is reminiscent of the genre’s inception (and arguably its peak) during the mid ’70s. For anyone worried that they might be too hardcore, there are some pop-driven tracks on the latest offering from the group, Sorry, which was released this spring — but the chances of a mosh pit are pretty good. After an extensive tour this spring with Toronto’s Metz, they’re in town for a doubleheader on June 14 and 15.

Calexico

Arizona indie mainstay band Calexico are one of the biggest names to play during NXNE week. Their unique blend of alt-country-rock infused with Latin American themes, such as mariachi, has been perfected since their first record was released back in 1997. At times they can get into funky, groovy tunes, and at others, they put out hushed, acoustic songs. That means that their performance at Mod Club on Wednesday will likely span a good range and have something for everyone.

Gold & Youth

In mid-May this year, Vancouver’s Gold & Youth released their debut record on local label Arts & Crafts. Beyond Wilderness was a long time in the making, because the band had been riding the wave of their single “Time To Kill” since the previous year. And the album is every bit as good as expected — a danceable, ’80s new wave-ish record dripping with droning synth machines. They’re just coming off a performance as part of the Field Trip Festival, and will be performing this Friday night at Blk Box.

Villagers

We were as surprised as anybody to learn that there is a pretty big market for indie folk music in Europe. But it turns out that bands such as Villagers, an Irish folk group, are at the helm of the genre’s steady rise. They’ve just released their second album, Awayland, which is bright and upbeat, but keeps true to lead singer Conor O’Brien’s dark themes. Be sure to check them out this week, as it will be the band’s only Canadian stop on the tour. They’re performing two NXNE sets, both the night of June 15, at Sidedoor and later at The Great Hall.

Concert Review: New Kids on the Block with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees at the ACC

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12:36 pm

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I have an admission to make that could rescind any right I have to call myself a music critic: I thoroughly enjoyed Friday’s NKOTB-led Package Tour. Contrived marketing ploy? Sure, but so what?

And no, I’m not just trolling. In truth, the trinity of New Kids On The Block, 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men brought the right blend of energy, variety and fun to make for a highly entertaining night at the ACC.

To properly break down the fragmented show — with three bands performing independent of one another — let’s examine things one boy band at a time.

Boyz II Men

That the Philly-based trio was allotted a mere 30-minute set was rather perplexing. From their show-opening “On Bended Knee,” they set an interactive, energetic tone and worked their tails off to get a still-arriving crowd engaged.

Armed with their trademark rose ceremony and a synchronicity (as best demonstrated during “I’ll Make Love to You”), B2M showcased the crowd-pleasing flourish that has helped them stay fresh after 20 years. By the time they wrapped things up on a high note with “Motownphilly,” they had the near-full house firmly in their corner.

98 Degrees

Easily the nadir of the three bands, the Nick Lachey-fronted quartet didn’t so much elicit nostalgia as make fans wonder how the band got so popular in the first place. With poor vocals and a half-hearted commitment to coordinated dance moves, they looked the part of a band that has been out of the spotlight for nearly a decade.

Whether it was Lachey’s disingenuous stage presence or the sluggishness of his visibly aged bandmates, 98 Degrees’ 45-minute set proved an ideal time for a bathroom/beer break for many in attendance.

New Kids On The Block

Being together for 25 years means two things for NKOTB. It means that their name is highly misleading, but it also explains the polish, chemistry and seamless flow that characterize their live performances.

As the featured act on Friday night, the five members were locked into step with one another throughout the 16-song set. Donnie Wahlberg, the band’s heart and soul, effortlessly captivated the crowd during “Cover Girl.”

There was time for Jordan Knight’s ab-showcasing, Danny Wood’s breakdancing and a romp through the audience to get up close and personal with fans (that is, for those who didn’t take matters into their own hands by falling over the barrier). When Joey McIntyre told the crowd that Toronto holds a special place for them behind only Boston, you actually believed him.

All told, those on hand for Friday night’s show didn’t seem to mind that The Package Tour was decidedly that – packaged. They simply decided to go along for the ride on a fun night that allowed them to revert back to their screaming, teeny bopper former selves.

Concert Review: The Rolling Stones at the ACC

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1:45 pm

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For the second of their two nights at the ACC — part of their monumental 50th anniversary tour — The Rolling Stones again succeeded in bringing an epic feel to the proceedings.

The band ensured that its larger-than-life aura would be well represented right off the bat, coming out to a raucous ovation on the iconic red lips-shaped stage. The four band members (well, five, if you count Mick Taylor) held true to their image as rock gods with the help of a massive background screen that portrayed them as giants, which in a sense was true. As they jumped right into their standard show-opener, “Get Off Of My Cloud,” the crowd showed that it would do its part in creating the night’s electric atmosphere.

Even without a special guest appearance a-la Carrie Underwood, the ACC faithful were in a forgiving mood. Most of those in attendance stood throughout the nearly two and a half hour show, upping the volume for Stones staples such as “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Start Me Up” and “Brown Sugar.” By the time the band kicked things into a final high gear during a three-song encore (“You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Satisfaction”), the crowd was in a fully bombastic mode.

It could be said that the only problem with the Stones’ Thursday night follow-up set was the band itself.

Many music reviewers (myself included) can be too liberal in lauding graying performers as “ageless,” as if to suggest that they are still at the peak of their abilities. Mick Jagger and co. are certainly remarkable for their endurance and their ability to still rock along the way to 70 (or, in the case of drummer Charlie Watts, past 70), but to suggest that they haven’t lost a step is to diminish what was an iconic heyday.

Yes, the lead singer still “moves like Jagger,” but his once-stunning vocals no longer have the power to force listeners to take notice. Only when joined onstage by talented vocalist Lisa Fischer did the master of charisma raise his game. His backup musicians didn’t fare much better, with both Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood appearing to take off large chunks of songs and looking the part of musicians who were feeling the fatigue of a worldwide tour. Richards came to life during his feature performance on “Before They Make Me Run,” but the best musical performances of the night were still saved for Fischer and the students of the Cawthra Park Secondary School Chamber Choir, who offered a spine-tingling interlude to “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

The sole responsibility of a live performer is to entertain, and The Rolling Stones did that in spades on Thursday night. But for an iconic band that has seemed immortal for so long, the night also offered indications that they might be mortal after all.

Power Ball 2013: fun, but we’ve seen better

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3:20 pm

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Power Ball, the annual fundraiser for The Power Plant, has become synonymous with bacchanalian sublimation. Bay Streeters don on-theme costumes and mingle with Hogtown’s boho set, who often use the event as an excuse to strut their most outlandish outfits.

Guests milled through the lower level of The Power Plant and enjoyed signature cocktails provided by sponsors such as Grand Marnier, Don Julio and Tanqueray. Last year, Marc Thuet pulled out all the stops: between the poutine bar and the spit-roasted bison, guests left feeling more than gluttonous. This year, food was so scarce that we overheard a suited business type plotting to ambush a waiter. Like bison to a watering hole, sequin-clad guests surrounded the bowls of sour candy in an attempt to offset the copious amounts of booze everyone was swilling.

Art installations by Zeesy Powers, Ryan Trecartin and Alexis O’Hara (among others) provided fodder for conversation, while a tin foil-covered hallway — inspired by Warhol’s Factory — made for a great photo backdrop as party girls mingled and Instagrammed.

Perhaps it was the rain, but unlike previous years, few guests engaged with the theme, “15 minutes,” which was inspired by an Andy Warhol quote: “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.” Off-the-rack knee-length floral print dresses and straight-from-work suits dominated the sartorial landscape.

We spotted Amanda Lew Kee, who decided to forgo the 15 minutes theme, but looked fantastic with a self-crafted headpiece of snapdragons. Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong (the duo behind Greta Constantine) showed up looking dapper in black, with gold accessories. Jeanne Beker, who’s had more than her 15 minutes, looked elegant in a structured ebony number. As the party roared into the night, a lady sporting an extreme play on minimalism joined the fray in an effort to raise the sartorial bar. Her outfit? Heels and only heels.

We’re going to chalk up the lack of costume enthusiasm to reality TV. When anyone can become famous for 15 minutes without any real star-appeal, the star bar is set fairly low. But as we learned from Toronto’s attempt at a Jersey Shore spin off, Hogtown doesn’t do reality TV very well (we don’t even have The Real Housewives).

Hopefully next year Toronto embraces the fantastical and really makes an effort at Power Ball.

Q&A: John Malkovich on singing, living in the moment and his new role in The Giacomo Variations

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10:40 am

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John Malkovich is one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood. And that voice, which has been described by The Guardian as “a reedy, faintly orgasmic drawl,” is one of the best. But can he carry a tune?

That is one of the big questions that will be answered when in a new Toronto production of The Giacomo Variations, based on the life of Giacomo Casanova, running June 7 to 9 at the Elgin Theatre.

We recently spoke with Malkovich, who stars in the production.

You were last in Toronto performing The Infernal Comedy. What were your impressions of the city and how were the crowds?
I like Toronto very much. The first Red movie [Red 2, starring Malkovich and Bruce Willis is out this summer] was shot almost exclusively in Toronto and a little bit outside. It is a great city; I like it very much. I slightly prefer spring, summer, fall … but I doubt I’m alone in that. We did The Infernal Comedy at Massey Hall. It was a very good crowd. They were interested, maybe a little more reserved than the crowd in Quebec. But no one threw anything at me that at least got close enough I can remember it. So that’s a good sign.

You have a fashion label, and it is now close to Father's Day. What would be a good fashionable gift choice for the discerning gentlemen — other than a tie?
Anything from my line, if anyone sold it. But that seems unlikely…. If I want to look presentable, I always wear a suit.

There is more to Casanova than his success with women, but that seems to be all he is known for. Why is that?
It is partially a reflection of our times, and partially something that comes from his time and his reputation, and probably in part from his journals. But there was a lot more to Casanova than just that. He seduced a lot of women, but he was also an alchemist, a Kabbalist, occultist, freemason. He did so many things in his life. A good handful of them [were] pretty shameful by any kind of reasonable standard, maybe even of the times. But others that were thought to be shameful probably weren't so appalling.

What are your thoughts on life, philosophically speaking?
[I’m] probably more of a carpe diem person, because we don’t really know what will happen tomorrow and we don’t really know that anything at all happens after this life. I assume not. We return to the earth. So I try to spend my life with people I like, doing what interests me.

Apparently you hold your own on the singing side. Were you worried at all about this aspect of the production?
I sang in choirs and all that stuff…. It was a childhood dream of mine to be in the Vienna Boys Choir…. In Mozart’s time, those were actors and not singers on the stage. I don’t sing all that much in the piece, perhaps blessedly for the paying public. It is mostly harmonies and fill-ins, but I love to sing. And I love this music. It is fantastic.

The Giacomo Variations, Elgin Theatre, June 7-9

Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: a rugged, powerful red from Portugal

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9:45 am

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Made from a field blend of old vines destined for port, this rugged red table wine is dense purple in colour with a nose of spicy blackberries; it’s a full-bodied, powerful wine — dry and fruity with earthy notes, firmly structured with ripe tannins. Ideal to accompany barbecued meats.

Lua Nova em Vinhas Velhas 2010, Douro Valley, Portugal, $14.95. Vintages #266882

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards and has been inducted into the New York Media Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame. He can be heard on 680News.

The Music Issue: Jane’s Party

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4:24 pm

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Up-and-coming pop quartet Jane’s Party just released their second full-length album, Hot Noise. We caught up with band members Tom Ionescu and Zach Sutton to chat about their new album, their North York high school rivalry and following in the footsteps of Neil Young.

Who is Jane and what was it about that night that made you want to name your band after it?
Zach: We can’t really divulge the details, but if you listen closely enough, the information is in the songs.

So, basically, your song cycle is like a mystery, and the last frame will finally reveal this epic party, like The Hangover in album form?
Zach: We haven’t decided how the whole thing ends, yet, but we like giving cryptic details throughout the music. You know how, when your friend comes up to you and says they’re interested in a show, and then someone else blurts out the ending? We can’t risk that happening, so for now, we can’t let anyone know too much about Jane.

You guys hail from North York, where Geddy Lee and Neil Young once stomped around.
Zach: I grew up on Avenue Road and Wilson, and Neil Young went to Lawrence Park for a couple of years of high school. Having good delis around is great for bands.

Instead of being fuelled by ramen noodles and Pabst Blue Ribbon, you, Geddy and Neil were all fuelled by pickles and pastrami on rye.
Zach: There’s also great music schools, like Allegro Music on Avenue Road and Snider School of Music on Yonge Street, but you’re probably right. Delis are the key to these bands.

It’s interesting you two are even in the same band, given you attended rival high schools.
Zach: I went to York Mills and Tom attended Earl Haig, and every year, before school started, we had our big school year introduction with a video of our team defeating Tom’s. Big, big rivalry.
Tom: People would see Zach and me together, and it would actually be like seeing Romeo with Juliet.
Zach: It wasn’t quite as romantic, but we didn’t come together until we were both at York.

Is there something about being up at York University, where you’re close to Toronto but far away enough that you don’t necessarily have to be influenced by every new electronic trend of the week?
Tom: In some ways, that allowed us to hone our craft and become who we’re going to be. By the time we got down to Queen Street, we already had our sound.
Zach: It’s like how the best hockey players come from small towns. When you live in North York, the best thing to do is jam in somebody’s basement.

Is there still buzz about Toronto’s music scene?
Zach: Whenever you meet someone who’s not from the city, they talk about Toronto like it’s a big deal, but being from Toronto, it’s hard to look at it that way. Some local musicians take it for granted, but people definitely say that Toronto has a buzz around it right now.

With a name like Jane’s Party, it seems like you’d know something about a hot summer night. What’s your recipe for a good time?
Tom: Just bring some beer, man. We’ll provide the entertainment.
Zach: Dance tunes are the thing. Our music isn’t like what you’d hear in a club, but we like having a dance floor. We don’t want to see people sitting.

And how will the Jane’s Party boys spend their summer?
Zach: Everyone in the band owns a bicycle. We like to cruise around.
Tom: I like to go to the park and have a coffee, read a book. Trinity Bellwoods is fun.
Zach: I like to play ping-pong if there’s a table.

Weekend Warrior: Woofstock, A Century of Chinese Cinema, Toronto Taste, Annex Festival

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3:35 pm

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It’s Thursday, and the weekend is fast approaching. Need stuff to see or do? We’ve got you covered. In this edition, a Bloor Street bash, Torontonians escape the doghouse, a boy band bonanza and more.

A Century of Chinese Cinema

When: June 5 – August 11
Where: TIFF Bell Lightbox
Details: Film can be essential to our understanding of culture, and TIFF’s latest exhibition lets Torontonians explore the history of Chinese cinema. Viewers will see a massive retrospective of over 80 films covering a wide range of genres and eras, from the Golden Age to New Wave.

New Kids On The Block with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees

When: June 7
Where: Air Canada Centre
Details: The boys are back in town this weekend. Not only will these boy bands be tearing it up at the ACC, but next month the city will be hosting some other boys (and men) in music: One Direction, Jay-Z , Justin Timberlake, Jonas Brothers, Bruno Mars and the Biebs.

Woofstock

When: June 8-9
Where: St. Lawrence Market
Details: Who let the dogs out? This free outdoor festival is perfect for both canines and their human companions, featuring trick competitions, doggie foods and canine fashion. Prepare for a whole weekend dedicated to dogs, dog owners and doggone fun.

Toronto Taste

When: June 9
Where: Royal Ontario Museum
Details: Enjoy some lip-smacking samples of gourmet cuisine from the some of the city’s top chefs. This classy affair costs $250 — so you’ll have to empty your wallet to fill your stomach — but the event is in support of Second Harvest’s mission to feed the city’s hungry.

Annex Festival on Bloor

When: June 9
Where: Bloor St., from Spadina to Bathurst
Details: Who will be in attendance at this downtown shindig? Musicians, food vendors, local businesses, Fringe performers, street buskers, a fire performer and nearly 20,000 other Torontonians. Do not miss out.

Q&A: Jeffrey Remedios, co-founder of indie record label Arts & Crafts

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1:06 pm

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Ten years ago, Jeffrey Remedios and Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew sat down at the behest of Brendan Canning and decided to start a new label, Arts & Crafts, to manage and release the band’s second album, You Forgot It In People. And then it all went nuts.

Broken Social Scene’s crazy hipster musical collective was a massive hit, and it spawned a number of other breakout acts including Feist, Apostle of Hustle, Stars and many more. It changed Canadian music. For a few short years beginning in 2002, Toronto was the centre of the musical universe once more.

On Saturday, June 8, Arts & Crafts is celebrating 10 years of musical mayhem with a massive festival at Fort York and Garrison Common dubbed Field Trip. The highlight of the concert will surely be the reunion of Broken Social Scene, but there is a long, long list of amazing acts along the way, including Hayden, Cold Specks, Zeus, Trust, Ra Ra Riot and many more. This will be one memorable day (and rumour has it there are still a few tickets floating around, but not for long).

We spoke with Arts & Crafts co-founder Jeffrey Remedios about the label’s humble beginnings, signing his hero Hayden and why it is more important to change than to grow.

Tell me about the beginning. How did you manage to steer this crazy musical collective of Broken Social Scene into such a successful company?
Well, at the time they were putting together what would become You Forgot It In People, I was working at Virgin Records and they came to me with this music. And it was just a time of a really supportive community coming together. Broken Social Scene were playing shows all the time… Kevin [Drew, co-founder of Broken Social Scene] and I were roommates for a short time and we had long talks about music and the industry and how bands grow and develop. When they finally brought me what was to become the finished product, You Forgot It In People, we decided to give it a go, and try and do something with this music.

What were your expectations back then?
On a certain level, we didn’t have expectations. I just thought I want to go as hard and as far as I can. At the very beginning, there were small victories. Can we get reviews of this record, the record in stores, can we get it played on radio stations, reviews online, play shows in other towns? It was a series of steps. At the same time, I never felt any limits. I always sort of believed.

This was such a great time in Toronto’s musical history, much like Yorkville in the ‘60s — a time that will be looked back upon as one of the city’s great moments. What is most memorable for you and how would you characterize that time?
I believe that, and I hope you’re right. Those were some iconic times in the Toronto music community. For me, it comes down to a couple of things. A real maturity started to happen within the musical community. Artists stopped looking for validation from outside. It came more from Toronto supporting Toronto. It was built as a scene. It wasn’t competitive, it was supportive, and it extended beyond music, which was key. There were writers, photographers, videographers etc. all working in different creative fields. And it has been maintained and evolved ever since… maybe it was always there, but I definitely felt like everything got a little bigger than before.

The label continues to grow, but is it still as much fun as it was, or is it more like work now?
It’s always been work. I heard someone say once that if you want to be happy in life, do something you love and do it with your friends. We had piles of work in the beginning and it is still that way, and I think it is going to continue that way. I’m not interested in growth. I’m interested in forward momentum. It doesn’t matter if we get bigger, but we need to keep changing, evolving, or we are going to get left behind. Things are moving very fast as the entire world digitally transforms.

Your latest signing is Hayden. He’s been around for so long, predates BSS even. Why did you change your pattern of introducing new artists?
I guess we never thought of it in those terms. We worked with emerging artists just by nature of our interest, exploration and excitement. We never said we’d never work with an established artist. We worked with The Stills after they had two records out on Vice. And we worked with The Constantines after they had a couple of amazing records. We’re interested in authentic music irrespective of where it comes from. We’ve been massive fans of Hayden for years. When it became possible to work with him, we jumped at it. In so many respects he’s a hero, but he’s also somewhat of an unsung hero. I really wanted to help spread the word of how great he is.

Who do you have your eye on these days?
There is a lot of stuff happening out there. We just signed artists from Calgary, Reuben and the Dark, that we’re really excited about, and they’ve got a record coming out.

What about Kevin Drew and Andy Kim’s album?
Kevin Drew and Andy Kim is this amazing marriage and it is coming along really well. Andy brings some stuff to Kevin he’s always wanted. They just have this amazing, brotherly, father/son kind of relationship, and at different times they play different roles. The record is almost done. It sounds like Kevin, and it sounds like Andy, in the most natural way you can image in.

Are you excited about this Saturday’s big event — the Field Trip concert at Fort York celebrating your 10 years?
It is going to be an amazing all-day event, doors at noon, incredible food on-site — it will be an amazing time. The lineup (on two stages) is completely staggered, so fans can see everything.

First Draught: Moroccan Brown Ale, a new fruit-studded brew from Spearhead

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11:01 am

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Spearhead Brewing Company, which is one of Ontario’s most inventive contract brewers, has established a knack for making delicious beer with oddball ingredients. For its first release, the Hawaiian Pale Ale, it used pineapple, and now the brewery has spiked its second creation, the Moroccan Brown Ale, with figs, raisins, dates and cinnamon.

The beer pours a chestnut brown with a strong undertone of red when held to the light. Typical for the style, it’s lightly carbonated, but it does raise a creamy, tan head. The aroma of dried fruit with a touch of spice leads smoothly into a flavour that combines layers of sweetness — from the raisins, figs and dates — and ends on a note of restrained hop bitterness with a touch of copper penny.

By serving the Moroccan Brown Ale near the top of the suggested serving temperature range (around 10 degrees Celsius) you’ll get more of the fruit-derived flavours.

Compared to pale ale, brown ale has received a lot less attention from craft beer fans. It’s a regional English style, and this one is based on the American equivalent. The style’s two best-known characteristics are that it goes down easy after a day of labour in a coal mine and that it pairs very well with certain British-leaning food.

This beer is no exception — if anything, it almost needs food to bring out its best qualities. With any meat that is salty, smoky or grilled, the beer’s complex sweet elements of dried fruit and warm spice are magnified, and they complement the slightly bitter flavors of the charred end bits. A grilled steak sandwich with a dollop of spicy chutney, or garlicky, thin-gauge lamb sausages would be an excellent partner for this beer.

The Moroccan Brown Ale has been available on tap at various bars throughout the city, and it was just released at the LCBO.

Spearhead Brewing Company Moroccan Brown Ale, $13.95 for six 355 mL bottles, LCBO #337295

In addition to covering beer, new restaurants and food trucks for Post City, David Ort writes about food and drink for several Toronto publications including Spotlight Toronto and his own site, Food With Legs. For more of his thoughts on food, beer and life in general, follow him on Twitter.

The Music Issue: Dragonette

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3:56 pm

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Local electro-pop outfit Dragonette shot to international fame — and snagged a Juno Award in the process — with the hit song “Hello,” a collaboration with French DJ Martin Solveig. We caught up with lead singer Martina Sorbara to chat about her marriage to band mate Dan Kurtz, the band’s groundbreaking new album and why Richmond Hill will always be home.

When did you know you were going to pursue music as a career?
I don’t think I’ve ever walked around with the idea of having a full-time career in music. It came in increments. I remember I would take the subway to my piano lessons downtown, and I’d pass a busker and think, ‘The only accomplishment I want to have in my life is busking in a subway station.’ And then I did that. So then I thought, ‘All I want to do is play in a coffee shop and sing to people there.’ And then that happened. It just grew like that. I guess the moral of the story is I want to feel challenged and like I’m stepping forward and doing things that excite me.

You grew up in the Richmond Hill area. Does it still feel like home to you?
Yeah. For the past six years while I was living in London, England, we would live at my parents’ house in Richmond Hill whenever we came to Toronto, which was almost half the year. It’s funny because now that I live in Toronto, I’m at my parents’ house less.

Before Dragonette, you released a few solo albums that have been called “Sarah McLachlanesque” — is that a fair description of your early style?
Maybe, though I think my stuff was more jazzy. I listened to her a lot when I was younger. I’ve always been inspired by women’s voices, stories and lyrics and by strong front women.

You and your husband, Dan Kurtz, got together shortly before forming Dragonette. Was it just a coincidence that you happened to have great songwriting chemistry?
It wasn’t right away. I really didn’t know how to get into a creative place with somebody without feeling too self-conscious or too vulnerable. I think we’ve gotten really good at working together, but I still need to be alone while I’m writing lyrics and melodies.

It seems like you draw a lot of inspiration for your lyrics from your relationship. Is it ever hard to be honest because you know he’ll hear every song?
No. I think one way in which I’ve evolved is that I have to allow myself to say anything in a song. Songwriting is my connection to my subconscious. If I don’t let myself go there with songwriting, I won’t go there at all, and then I’ll just be a mess.

In a photo of Dragonette accompanying a 2007 Toronto Star article, you’re sitting naked on Dan’s shoulders. It’s pretty racy!
That was one of the first proper photos taken of us. It was a big fancy photo shoot, and back then I had this idea that this record company (that actually didn’t know me from Adam) had a good idea of who I was and how we should present ourselves. And so we just kind of went with it.

But now you’re more in control of your image?
I think it was toward the end of touring that first album I was like, ‘Oh, actually I know best.’ It’s such a basic concept, but for some reason it took me a while. Since then, I recognize that who I am on my own — without this industry idea of how I should be promoted — is good enough. I should mind my idea of what my own femininity is and what my own sexuality is. My ideas about being a woman are different from what is largely put forward in the entertainment industry. I think one of the most liberating things that happened for me during this band’s career was realizing there’s a reason for me to be as true as possible to myself and to the audience: my idea of what a woman is and how to be strong and feminine is worth something to them. And they don’t want it obscured by somebody else’s idea of what sexy is.

You just played Toronto. How did it go?
We had a fun show, but it’s always just a little bit nerve-racking, for some reason. I don’t get nervous for shows except for in Toronto. My friends are in the crowd, and I just feel like I’m pretending or something. I’m like, wait —should I still be playing the Free Times Café on College Street or is it OK that I’m at the Danforth Music Hall?

Bari’s Fine Food is set to open at Bathurst and St. Clair West — again

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As condo developers fill in the holes between Lakeshore and Eglinton, they have to take a different approach to street-level retail. At Bathurst and St. Clair, that means that Starbucks and Menchie’s have been joined with independent grocer Bari’s Fine Food.

Bari’s is a greengrocer-meets-deli that opened at 524 St. Clair West in the early 2000s. When the building was razed for development, the store moved across the intersection to 1455 Bathurst — rebranded as Bari's Delicatessen — only to close a year later to make way for a condo demonstration centre.

A new location of Bari’s is now set to open at 530 St. Clair West, right near its original location. The selection will include fresh fruit and vegetables, general groceries (with some high-end options like imported Italian pasta), a full-service deli counter and baked goods from Toronto’s Hermes bakery.

Bari’s Fine Food, 530 St. Clair Ave. W.