The theme of April is music
With the end of the school year
upon us and exams to come and go,
freedom is just around the corner
and it's time to celebrate. A number
of great names are headed to
London and these are shows that are
definitely worth checking out.
April 13 will mark the return of Hands and Teeth to London following their visit to SXSW. The Toronto band has seen nothing but success after their release of Hunting Season and they have nowhere to go but up. With a blend of harmonizing vocals and keyboard pop rhythm, they promise to make you dance till the night is over. They'll be joined by Oscarnominated Josh Raskin with his project Kids & Explosions, who will be mixing together musical mash-ups with visuals that are beyond words in an event that needs to not only be heard but seen. Opening the night will be Papermaps, still fresh from their self-titled debut last year, and TBD — not ‘to be determined,' but the band name TBD — featuring the Owner of APK Live, Marc Gammal, on drums. The show is $5 at the doors, which open at 8 p.m.
The next night we'll see Japanther, an anything-goes band playing their own blend of experimental punk rock. Eleven years young, this band has been all over the Canadian music map and will bring an act unlike anything the APK Live has seen before. This night will also mark the cassette (yes, I said cassette) release of London drum and bass duo I Smell Blood, which features members from local bands Wild Domestic and Say Domino. Not even a year on the scene and these boys have already successfully made a name for themselves. The two bands will share the stage with Boys Who Say No, who put on a live show comparable to one by the Talking Heads, and Dead City Beat, a one-man act with a post-punk sound with elements of dubstep, noise and psychedelia. Doors will open at 9 p.m. and the show costs $10 to attend.
Probably the most anticipated night of the month will be April 20, when Juno nominees and Polaris Prize short-listed Plants and Animals will make an appearance in the Forest City along with local favourites Wild Domestic. The Montreal band Plants and Animals made waves with their debut album Parc Avenue back in 2008 and haven't slowed down since. Now with a second album, The End of That, which was released on February 28, they have earned their reputation as one of Canada's most talented and respected bands. Opening the night will be Wild Domestic, back in town after appearing at Canadian Music Week and a mini-tour in March. With their powerful rock sound, they never fail to put on an amazing show. Did I mention that they have a lineup that includes two drummers? Tickets for this show will be $15 in advance.
Rounding out the month will feature a show of shows with an incredible lineup. Headlining April 27 will be the always incredible Cuff the Duke, a London favourite, in their APK Live debut. The folkrock lovelies will be joined by Halifax surf-rockers Cousins, who will be playing their first show since the release of their album The Palm At The End Of The Mind. B.A. Johnson will be opening for the two bands, with his catchy nerd rock and crazy antics in support of his new record Hi Dudes!, and with Evan Redsky of Single Mothers fame — the Theatre Arts student mixes the right amounts of folk and rock and is worth the listen. Tickets are $10 in advance.
These shows will take place at APK Live at 340 Wellington St. and advance tickets can be found at ticketscene.ca, Grooves Records (353 Clarence Ave.) and Hot Dog Musique and Cinema (256 Richmond St.).
April 13 will mark the return of Hands and Teeth to London following their visit to SXSW. The Toronto band has seen nothing but success after their release of Hunting Season and they have nowhere to go but up. With a blend of harmonizing vocals and keyboard pop rhythm, they promise to make you dance till the night is over. They'll be joined by Oscarnominated Josh Raskin with his project Kids & Explosions, who will be mixing together musical mash-ups with visuals that are beyond words in an event that needs to not only be heard but seen. Opening the night will be Papermaps, still fresh from their self-titled debut last year, and TBD — not ‘to be determined,' but the band name TBD — featuring the Owner of APK Live, Marc Gammal, on drums. The show is $5 at the doors, which open at 8 p.m.
The next night we'll see Japanther, an anything-goes band playing their own blend of experimental punk rock. Eleven years young, this band has been all over the Canadian music map and will bring an act unlike anything the APK Live has seen before. This night will also mark the cassette (yes, I said cassette) release of London drum and bass duo I Smell Blood, which features members from local bands Wild Domestic and Say Domino. Not even a year on the scene and these boys have already successfully made a name for themselves. The two bands will share the stage with Boys Who Say No, who put on a live show comparable to one by the Talking Heads, and Dead City Beat, a one-man act with a post-punk sound with elements of dubstep, noise and psychedelia. Doors will open at 9 p.m. and the show costs $10 to attend.
Probably the most anticipated night of the month will be April 20, when Juno nominees and Polaris Prize short-listed Plants and Animals will make an appearance in the Forest City along with local favourites Wild Domestic. The Montreal band Plants and Animals made waves with their debut album Parc Avenue back in 2008 and haven't slowed down since. Now with a second album, The End of That, which was released on February 28, they have earned their reputation as one of Canada's most talented and respected bands. Opening the night will be Wild Domestic, back in town after appearing at Canadian Music Week and a mini-tour in March. With their powerful rock sound, they never fail to put on an amazing show. Did I mention that they have a lineup that includes two drummers? Tickets for this show will be $15 in advance.
Rounding out the month will feature a show of shows with an incredible lineup. Headlining April 27 will be the always incredible Cuff the Duke, a London favourite, in their APK Live debut. The folkrock lovelies will be joined by Halifax surf-rockers Cousins, who will be playing their first show since the release of their album The Palm At The End Of The Mind. B.A. Johnson will be opening for the two bands, with his catchy nerd rock and crazy antics in support of his new record Hi Dudes!, and with Evan Redsky of Single Mothers fame — the Theatre Arts student mixes the right amounts of folk and rock and is worth the listen. Tickets are $10 in advance.
These shows will take place at APK Live at 340 Wellington St. and advance tickets can be found at ticketscene.ca, Grooves Records (353 Clarence Ave.) and Hot Dog Musique and Cinema (256 Richmond St.).
