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Music fans, steel yourself.
Or Steel Panther yourself, as in the case of the L.A. mock metal band in town this week.
Canadian Music Week — or CMW as it's commonly known — unfurls March 10 and runs through Sunday in Toronto. So take your vitamins because you aren’t going to get much sleep.
For the less bleary-eyed there’s a daytime conference at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel where keynote speakers such as former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart and Paul Williams, yes that Paul Williams, will impart their wisdom — and in some cases perform — and various industry awards will be handed out.
There’s also a music festival, now known as Canadian Music Fest (CMF), featuring more than 700 artists in some 45 different clubs.
Here’s a suggestion of ten acts that shouldn’t be missed to help guide you.
Otherwise check out cmw.net for both the conference and the music festival
schedules:
1. Fu--ed Up, El Mocambo, March 10, 1 a.m.
These hardcore Toronto punkers and winners of the 2009 Polaris Music Prize for their second album, The Chemistry Of Common Life, rarely disappoint in concert due to the maniacal energy of belly-baring lead singer Damian Abraham.
<2. Jason Collett with Zeus and Bahamas, Lee’s Palace, March 10, doors 8 p.m., (no set times yet) This sometime Broken Social Scene member has two reasons to celebrate with a killer show aka The Bonfire Ball: The March 9 release of his full-length album, Rat A Tat Tat, and the To Wit To Woo EP, featuring six songs recorded during album sessions. Zeus, Collett’s long- time backing band, contributed on both releases.
3. Cage The Elephant, The Phoenix, March 10, 11 p.m.
Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked is the breakthrough song for these Kentucky-bred, England-based funky, punky alt-rockers. Think a more deranged Beck when it comes to frontman Matt Shultz, who’s been likened to “a demented Bible Belt preacher.”
4. Speech Debelle, Revival, March 10, 11 p.m.
This London-based rapper won the 2009 Barclay Mercury Prize, for her striking and intimate-sounding debut disc, Speech Therapy, and makes her North American performing debut at CMF.
5. Steel Panther, Sound Academy, March 11, doors 7 p.m. (no set times)
Feel The Steel — also the name of the debut disc by this L.A. mock hair metal band — features such offensive classics as Asian Hooker, Fat Girl (Thar She Blows) and Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’. No wonder it hit the top of Billboard’s comedy charts last fall. Expect lots o’ yuks and spandex.
6. Slash keynote address, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, March 11, 11:15 a.m
Yes, everyone is hoping for the obligatory Axl bad-mouthing, but the former Guns N’ Roses guitarist might just surprise a few people with some more thoughtful commentary as he arrives in town on the eve of his solo debut, Slash, which features guests Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie, Chris Cornell, Iggy Pop,
Kid Rock, Adam Levine and some of his former GNR bandmates. Just not Axl.
7. Frankie Whyte and the Dead Idols, The Neutral, March 11, 1 a.m.
Chicks in Canadian rawk are few and far between, which is what makes this “balls out misfit explosion band” fronted by Toronto’s Frankie Whyte a welcome addition. They opened for KISS on the 2009 Canadian tour, and their debut EP, Hollywood Ending, features songs co-written and produced by bassist Duncan Coutts of Our Lady Peace.
8. Kidstreet, Sneaky Dee’s, March 11, 1:00 a.m.
This Waterloo, Ont., electronic-acoustic dance band is Nettwerk Record’s latest signing. They
fuse pop, jazz and New Wave for a fresh-sounding mix.
9. Dave Stewart, keynote address, Fairmont Royal York, March 12, 4 p.m.
The man who helped craft some of the best sounding electro-dance-pop music of the ’80s via his work with Annie Lennox in Eurythmics, returns with his Canadian protege, Cindy Gomez of Mississauga. They both take part in Kings Of Songwriting session on March 13 at Fairmont Royal York at 1:45 p.m. too.
10. Elias, Tattoo Rock Parlour, March 12, 7:40 p.m.
Described as “like Keane but from Vancouver”, this pop-rock trio consists of Brian Healy (vocals, piano, guitar), lead guitarist Rob Tornroos and drummer Stefan Tavares.
jane.stevenson@sunmedia.ca