Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Cuff The Duke, Ontarians, Chris Gostling, Bob Sumner, Ada Lea, His His, Mia Kelly, and Charlotte Cornfield
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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Hayden, Charlotte Cornfield, Braids, LA Priest, The Matinee, and Marcus Lowry
By Will McGuirk
“When I wrote this song I was thinking about the idea of leaving things behind as a part of moving on - those painful past experiences that cause a pang of embarrassment and regret, the people who were at one point a central part of my life with whom I've fallen out of orbit - and how we can't really sever ties with our past selves no matter how hard we try.” - Charlotte Cornfield
“Everyone has a past, and everyone has a secret they’d rather keep than spill.” - The Matinee
Charlotte Cornfield, photo by Brittany Carmichael
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Charlotte Cornfield, Reuben and the Dark, Le Couleur, Whipped Cream, Bodywash, Sabai & Runn, and Chris Picco,
By Will McGuirk
“A catchy love-song, with cars. Where it feels like the narrator could go anywhere and do anything.” - Charlotte Cornfield
"’YES’ is one of the band’s favourite songs to play live, so we decided to track a live off the floor version of it to capture some of that energy we give it during our show. Songs always take on a new life once you start performing them in front of an audience". - Reuben and the Dark
“Loneliness after a party transforms into a dismantling of things, and rearranging them somewhere else.” - Bodywash
Radio Zetgeist: best of new vinyls include Charlotte Cornfield, Lady Blackbird, Charlotte Day Wilson, Yard Act and more
By Will McGuirk
The world has been walking this tightrope between hyper-local and hyper-global for over two years, its been a time of contempt and contemplation and all of it is explored in ‘Highs in the Minuses’, the new album from Charlotte Cornfield due out on vinyl January 28.
“We are not supposed to go outside/ the stores are all closed/ Never seen this city so dead and so morose/ its a crisis but we haven’t got the words” she sings on ‘“Headlines” which kicks of this week’s showcase.
Fortunately Charlotte has the words and the chords to put this earthly experience in to some sort of context.
‘Black Acid Soul’ - Experience, colour, sound, chemistry - its all here in the debut album from Lady Blackbird. From the psyche of Nina Simone to the psychedelia of Alice Coltrane, its a swirling sorrowful, mesmerizing trip with the voice of Marley Munroe holding the centre.
There’s an acid burn to the voice of TO R&B artist Charlotte Day Wilson. that gets straight but so deliciously slowly to the heart. Her debut ‘Alpa’ drops this week and wrapping these songs up in the even warmer tones of wax may just be the tonic this winter needs.
Across the pond Leeds band Yard Act join the accented chorus of the speak-easys Dry Cleaning, Wet Leg, Billy Nomates; angular jocular gong songs going for the jugular. More than three’s a crowd in any scene but Yard Act are defo no pretenders to the new Brit home grown, they are of it. Line them up with Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, and yips Sleaford Mods.
Hot Kid
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Charlotte Cornfield, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Kyle McKearney, Cat Power, Robert Glasper, Hot Kid, The Brandy Alexanders, ModernFolkRevolution, Mary Jennings,
By Will McGuirk
“Sometimes desire betrays logic, and you end up at somebody’s door even after you’ve talked yourself out of it, in all of the ways. And that feeling can be intoxicating. And it can be painful.” - Charlotte Cornfield
Megan Nash and the Best of Intentions
Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Charlotte Cornfield, Megan Nash and the Best of Intentions, Hayden Thorpe, Waxfeet, Emi Jeen, Katie Tupper, Gov't Mule, Billy Strings, and Tirzah,
By Will McGuirk
“My brother and I grew up watching Wes Anderson movies. They were a huge part of our childhood and adolescence, and I feel like they've seeped into our DNA at this point — the colours, the outfits, the humour.” - Charlotte Cornfield
“I was feeling inspired by studies into the potential healing properties of psilocybin mushrooms in psychotherapy. I signed up to a flagship programme in the Netherlands as I wanted to explore consciousness in a safe way.” - Hayden Thorpe
“I listen to this album now and it’s emotional. I could sit there and tweak it forever, but there’s a point where it’s like building a house of cards. Yeah, I could add an extra tower on top, but it might collapse. I’ve always doubted myself, and I still do, but this album makes me think, ‘Hey, you’re doing all right, kid. You just need to keep going.’” - Billy Strings
A Tribe Called Red
Slowcity.ca Open Mic - St. Lucia, Charlotte Cornfield, A Tribe Called Red, Language Arts, Tre Mission, JoJo Worthington and Bad Animal
By Will McGuirk
Well the magnolias are out on my neighbour’s tree so there’s that to celebrate on this rather chill evening, I hope those flowers survive. But also lets celebrate St. Lucia, they have an acoustic EP available and will be touring a stripped down intimate set. Charlotte Cornfield ( a fave around here) also drops in. Stay around for A Tribe Called Red who drop an absolute killer remix of Keith Secola’s “Indian Cars” which will have you up on that old wooden dance floor in seconds, (summer hit alert!), plus we have Language Arts, Tre Mission, JoJo Worthington and Bad Animal. Stay warm.
St. Lucia - Thursday, May 16 @ the Mod Club, Toronto
Bad Animal - Tuesday, May 21 @ the Baby G, Toronto
Language Arts - Thursday, May 23 @ the Monarch Tavern, Toronto
Charlotte Cornfield - Friday, May 24 @ the Baby G, Toronto
Charlotte Cornfield - Photo by Jenna Ledger
Slowcity.ca Open Mic: March marches on edition featuring Lucy Rose, Charlotte Cornfield, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dynoro with Ina Wroldsen, Amaara, PUP, Alae plus Haviah Mighty returns
By Will McGuirk
Well, I’ve no idea how we got here March. Your turn is done, Spring is springing, its almost over and thus its time to begin, get the music outside, get yourself outside, sit on the deck and turn up slowcity'.ca’s open mic with a wide range of new rad tunes from Lucy Rose, Charlotte Cornfield, Lee Harvey Osmond, Dynoro x Ina Wroldsen, AMAARA, PUP, Alae and HAVIAH MIGHTY.
SHOWS
amaara March 25 @ The Great Hall, Toronto
Haviah Mighty - April 5 @ The Diezel Room, Oshawa
PUP - April 7/8 Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
Lee Harvey Osmond - May 3 @ Koerner Hall, and May 16 @ Hugh’s Room, Toronto