“I’m the type of person who follows rules for the purpose of the rule, not for the sake that it’s a rule.”
- Colin Crewe, Colin Response

Colin Crewe, front man and mastermind behind ColinResponse has had a pretty crazy last few months. While on location in Vancouver, Colin had fallen victim to a robbery. Among the $6000 worth of equipment and belongings stolen were his computer, his camera and his guitar. As a musician who was actively blogging his trip and recording his work, it’s safe to say that he pretty well had his life stolen. “I was gone for a month,” said Crewe, “So I only brought what was important and necessary, but as soon as all of that was taken, I had nothing left.”

At this point, so many people would just be angry, defeated and would just give up. Not Colin. After a mere 7 minutes of going through the motions, Colin simply hopped on a plane, came home and decided it was time to just set some new goals so he could do what he wanted: complete his full length album.

He started an online campaign with indiegogo.com, with a goal to raise $7000. Similar to Kickstarter, if a fan pledges, they get a reward. The type of reward depends on the amount they have donated to the cause. “There was a bit of everything,” remarked Crewe as he was explaining the reward system, “Posters, tickets to shows. I also would write a donator a song once they donated a certain amount. But there were ridiculous things too. Things like my favourite freshly baked cookies. Or Valentine’s Day cards they weren’t allowed to open until Valentine’s Day.” It was nice to hear that he was able to have fun with this. A clear indicator that he didn’t let the circumstances bring him down.

In the last 48 hours the $1500 that was required to reach his monetary goal came through. Pushing his overall total to $7012. Phase 2 of the fundraising plan is to have a show that would help raise some more funds, and also to thank the fans who pledged by giving them their prizes. The show which will be TODAY at El Mocambo, has a bit of everything; musicians, a marketplace/bazaar for vintage clothing and (drum roll please!) pizza! The event is actually called “ColinResponse’s Magical Pizza Party”.

I just want to conclude by saying that it’s absolutely refreshing, and somewhat reassuring that there is for one thing, an artist like Colin who isn’t overcome with negativity and will do what it takes to achieve his goals even in his darkest hour. And secondly, that there are fans who are willing to provide monetary support in an industry so riddled with piracy. You know you want to go to the show! Details can be found on the ColinResponse website.

On a mild autumn evening I made my way to the Phoenix Concert Theatre after having been at the launch of Iguana Books; a new and exciting company that will likely change the face of the e-publishing industry.  My packed social schedule meant that I unfortunately missed Seattle’s  Ivan & Alyosha, although I heard they were great and a visit to their website confirmed they have a good sound.  I walked through the entrance – which was strangely right beside the stage -  into the concert hall where The Jezebels were in the full-swing of their set.

“Hey there, we’re the Jezebels, from Syndey, OZ, thanks for having us” stated lead singer Haley Mary, dressed in all-black with tight leather Sandra Dee-”You’re The One That I Want” Pants, before laying it all out there with another emotive lyrical performance in their next tune.  My knowledge of the Australian music scene is non-existent, so I can’t place their sound relative to their peers down-under.  But I hear a lot of Tegan and Sara (who happen to big big in Oz I hear) and a little of The XX, striking a good balance between minimal yet emotive arrangements, with Mary’s soaring vocals over-top; boasting a stage presence that reminds me of Emily Haines.

“How ya goin’ Toronto?”  guitarist Sam Lockwood asked the crowd, throwing in some Austrailian-isms, “We’d like to thank Hey Rosetta! Heeps, they’re an awesome band, you’re in for a great show.”  Telling the sold-out (2nd night in a row) crowd what they already knew before heading into their last few tunes.  As the Jezebels wrapped up, the crowd gave them a vary warm and politely-Canadian applause.

It’s always great to see bands from away opening for Canadian acts at home, allows us Canucks to broaden our musical tastes.  Hopefully The Jezebels and Ivan & Alyosha go home to tell their friends to come up north to pay a visit.

The audience milled about while the stage was prepped for Hey Rosetta!, letting out cheers when there were signs that indicated they were close to taking the stage; like when the fabric back-drops were unveiled, which were painted by Toronto artist Patrick Thompson.  The stage was lit in a cold blue light as some theme music came on, almost the entire crows was silent in anticipation.  The silence was broken with crazy cheers as black, back-lit silhouette’s took the stage; Hey Rosetta greeted with a hero’s welcome.  All but their outlines were obscured during the first tune, until Hey Rosetta hit one of their classic crescendo’s, Tim Baker’s soaring vocals – strong as ever after several years on the road – filled the Phoenix as the light filled the stage revealing Baker and Co.’s faces.

Baker then made the crowd feel at home with the tune “Welcome”, several people in the crowd tried to do the same for HR waving the provincial flag of the band’s home Newfoundland.  Baker sang “It’ll never be that good again, we must only look ahead”, echoing the fact that HR is always looking to progress; selling the Phoenix out 2 nights in a row is a good sign they are progressing in the right direction.

Everyone in the audience was transformed into their 16 year old selves when HR broke into “Yer Spring”, a song that features the band’s very talented string section.  As I looked about the crowd, nearly everyone was signing and dancing along, even some who weren’t born yet.  A pregnant woman in front of me noted in her Blackberry that the little one was moving and kicking more than usual, a common reaction to attending one’s first concert; that’s going to be one cool baby.

HR continued to impress with several sing-a-longs, including an ode to Gros Morne National Park, keeping the seasonal theme with “Yer Fall”, and a glockenspiel-featuring “Bandages” (which HR has done an impressive video for).  HR shows are unique in that it is probably the only place where you will see people hoot and holler for a violin or cello solo, as they would for a face-melting guitar solo.

When HR played the title track of their latest – Polaris short-listed – album Seeds the crowd was showered in confetti.  But not just any confetti, plastic fall-coloured maple leafs were showered on the crowd; officially making this the most Canadian show ever.  Even after playing for 2 hours HR was not finished yet, coming back to play another half-hour encore.  Baker thanked the audience with “A Thousand Suns”, which contain the lyrics “we want to thank you so much”; clearly HR doesn’t take their success for granted.  In true Hey Rosetta style, they ended the night with some impressive covers.  On this night it was a tribute to that musical-chameleon David Bowie, where HR was given help by openers Ivan & Alyosha.

After an extended final applause the crowd finally left the Phoenix buzzing with Hey Rosetta tunes in their head, this Thursday night definitely made their Friday at work more bearable; good music is a natural anti-depressant, and Hey Rosetta have a formula the biggest pharmaceuticals should be jealous of.

The next set to hit the stage was a one-man band by the moniker of Revelstoke. By this time, the crowd was still sparse, but it was only 10:00pm. In between his sips of wine, Revelstoke wowed the crowd with his overuse of the repeater and extreme reverb setting. A wave of self-indulgence, pretentiousness, and an intense amount of confidence poured off the stage…but damn it…he was good. I couldn’t help but be lured into his haunting melodies and playful guitar licks. His set left me with mixed emotions, but the crowd loved him and cried out for more.

Everyone was feeling good, loosened up, and the night was still young. Darren Eedens was up next and he was equipped with the same weapons as Revelstoke: an acoustic guitar, a mandolin, and a banjo. Only Eedens’ style was completely different, he was tearing it up with rapid strumming and mean licks, his sound was so rude, it was a breath of fresh air after the endless echoes of the previous act. He sang bluesy tunes of heartbreak, destructiveness, dating liars and whores, and being broke, all with a voice reminiscent of Kristian Matsson of Tallest Man on Earth, and a hint of Dylan. The perfect prelude to Ben Caplan.

Midnight struck and Ben Caplan was setting up. I made a quick glance around the room and realized that there should probably be more people present. Every act up to this moment had been staggeringly awesome, and it is certainly disappointing that the experience wasn’t vastly enjoyed by a larger audience. Your loss though, if you weren’t there, because Ben Caplan, along with being one of the most entertaining stage banterers I’ve ever seen, was top notch, and his band was tighter than expected, considering they practiced together for the first time just hours before the show. Caplan’s immense vocals were accentuated by an intricately handled fiddle, played by an extremely talented Sarah Morano of Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose. The bass player (who’s bass was too loud), Stephen Neville, and the drummer, Liam Jaeger – our boys from The Balconies – also accompanied Caplan, filling out his sound, augmenting it to arena style volumes. Caplan claimed that his beard is the only reason people go to see him play (it’s pretty amazing), but it’s probably only a secondary reason, because his dramatic wailing, sorrowful oohs and aahs, and powerful lyrics are definitely sufficient enough reasons to draw in a crowd. Caplan also claimed that he would be performing at The Horseshoe November 28th – The Horseshoe doesn’t have it listed, but if Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers end up there at some point, I will too.

Oh November…each year you curse us with plunging temperatures, darkness at 5 P.M., and that final rush of work before the holiday season. However, this year, November has given us Montreal-based band Honheehonhee’s debut album, Shouts, which is one of the most eclectic and fun records I’ve gotten to listen to this year.

I will not lie, I was initially intrigued by Honheehonhee based on their band name. Others must have felt the same, because the band is currently in the running for “Best New Band Name” for CBC Radio 3’s Bucky Awards. Unlike some bands with more unusual names (which often follows with very unusual music), Honheehonhee backs up their unique title with a solid album.

Shouts is very entertaining overall, with a distinct mix of songs and sounds over the seven-track album. As many bands find their beat (pun intended) and stick with a punk, indie rock, or folk sound throughout all the tracks, Honheehonhee experiments with various styles of music, giving the listener a taste of their range.

Opening track “We Only Go” starts the album off on an interesting note, switching between fast and slow paces, and moves seamlessly into “Rumours in the Night”, which highlights Honheehonee’s vocal strength. The highlight track, “A. Is For Animal” grabs your attention with an electronic melody and heavy cymbals. Dare I say it, but there bits and pieces of the album which echo a glam-rock Bowie song; what makes Honheehonhee different is their ability to make music that flows easily from heavier beats and into the groovier sound of a folk band like The Acorn.

I can only imagine that these guys would be a wicked band see live after hearing their wild and loud album – they’ll be launching their album December 16 in Toronto at the El Mocambo. Shouts is set to release November 22.

The fellas kicked off the set with “Love Is On Your Side” and the high energy immediately felt carried throughout the set. Songs like “No Matter” and “We Are Squirrels, And This Is Nuts” had the crowd singing along. All four members of the band contribute vocals, with Gauthier, Sean Prescott and Jordan David taking turns up front. A highlight of the set was when Kate Cooke was invited to join the band on stage for “J.C. and the Gamblers”.

While the focus of the set was Sweater Weather, the band also played a new song, “The Good Life”, which was recorded for the Big Money Shot competition. The song acts as a preview for what the band has up their sleeves for an upcoming EP, which Gauthier revealed should be coming out sometime after Christmas.

The band ended off the set with the title track of the album, which had Gauthier rocking out all over the stage. By the end of the set, voices were screaming for more. While the band couldn’t oblige, you can be assured that The Love Machine have much more coming your way. After all, they did just win the Big Money Shot.

Photo Credit: Caylee Alzner

Are you a musician struggling to determine whether or not you should give up on your musical endeavor? Do you have a full time job, perhaps something in the field that you studied in college and are thinking you should just focus on that and maybe just play guitar as a hobby? We all wonder when it’s time to throw in the towel on our ‘real dreams’, when it’s time to grow up.

Eff that noise. Take a page out of The Archives book instead.

These Mississauga dwellers have taken on the Toronto music scene and made it their bitch. Founding members Anthony Menecola (bass, vocals) and Crispin Day (guitar) both have full time jobs that could support a comfortable living situation. But the admirable thing about these guys is their perseverance. Bottom line is that music makes them happy, so they’re going to keep doing it.

When faced with the circumstantial loss of both a guitarist and a drummer, it didn’t slow them down. They simply hit the ground running in search of two new members. Kevin White (drums) and Will Gooch were thrown into the mix and not soon after, this quartet has been rocking their way through a southern Ontario mini-tour. For a mere five dollars you could get a Tour EP and receive a t-shirt for free. Who doesn’t love free swag?

Their tunes are addictive and melodic. Vocals are raw and powerful, which is effectively juxtaposed by alt-rock style riffs. The constant change-ups in drumming are the hooks that can draw just about anyone in. It’s no wonder that these guys debuted to a packed house at The Silver Dollar.

The Archives Mini-Tour wraps in London on November 17th. But I’m sure with their high energy songs and ever growing number of Facebook ‘likes’ and followers on Twitter, we’ll be seeing more and more of these dudes real soon.

Here’s where the fun part begins.

We’re giving away tickets to this show! Not only that, but some awesome Steam Whistle swag to go along with it. This is what you have to do:

1. Fill out the form below–one entry per person.

2. Want an EXTRA entry for the contest? Do one of the following: 1. Follow @thetakemedia on Twitter; or, 2. Like The Take Media on Facebook.

What do you get?

Tickets to the show – November 25th at Steamwhistle

Refreshment tickets

Steam Whistle t-shirt, bottle opener & glassware