Must See Acts of NXNE

MUST SEE ACTS
OF NXNE

With NXNE set to complete its 22nd year, the music and arts festival mirrored to the ever-popular SXSW is set to bring another exciting lineup to the city of Toronto. The three-day music festival will feature the likes of Post Malone, Passion Pit, Kaytranada and more. NXNE will also feature three ‘lands’; the Port Lands will be the base of the music performances, Club Land which will feature a curator series featuring some of the most well-known Canadian artists including Leah Fay of July Talk, Ian D’Sa of Billy Talent and others. Game Land will touch down at Yonge - Dundas Square to fulfill your e-sports and games dreams. Here’s a sample of the line-up as I list my picks for 10 “Must See Acts” during the music festival!

Tickets available now, purchase them here!

POST MALONE:

Through the release of “White Iverson” and his debut full-length Stoney, Post Malone has continued to climb through popularity. The 21-year-old joined Justin Bieber on his Purpose World Tour which only further skyrocketed his popularity, as his debut hit the charts so did his newest singles including “Go Flex” and “Congratulations” featuring Quavo of Migos with the latter going platinum. His debut release featured the likes of Metro Boomin, Pharrell Williams on production, with Justin Bieber, Kehlani & Quavo providing supporting vocals. Catch Post headlining Day 1 on Friday, June 23rd.

Image courtesy of @ThisIsEMP (IG) by @EmilyAcosta (IG)

EMP:

In the digital age, streaming Spotify often leads to discovering gems like EMP and their track “Rebellion”. The trio consists of Eestbound, Milly Manson, and Pree hence the inspiration of the acronym EMP. It’s no surprise the trio continues to make a name for themselves with producer Eestbound previously lending his talents on the massive hit “Antidote” by rapper Travis Scott. The track “Rebellion” is a nod to the layered, intricate sounds often heard with the contrast of Milly and Pree providing lines back and forth. EMP is another Toronto area band mapping their presence worldwide.

KAYTRANADA:

Haitian-born, Montreal-raised DJ and producer extraordinaire Kaytranada is slated to headline NXNE on Saturday, June 24th in place of Tyler, the Creator. Kaytranda will continue to celebrate the success of his 2016 release 99.9% especially following his Polaris Music Prize win for Canadian Album of the Year. He has solidified the reassurance of home-grown talents and surely will be a treat to admire. Don’t miss out on the performance by Kaytranada!

TINIE TEMPAH:

Not only will the lineup of NXNE feature home-grown talents but international talents too including Tinie Tempah from across the pond. The grime rapper will hit the festival stage on Saturday, June 24th as well as Kaytranada. Tinie Tempah will share his third full-length release Youth with the Toronto crowd, the record features a slew of artists lending their talents including Zara Larsson, MNEK, Tinashe, Jake Bugg and more. Tinie Tempah will bring grime to Toronto with what’s to be a must see set.

Image courtesy of Tinie Tempah's Facebook!

LIZZO:

Lizzo will bring her boisterous voice to the festival with her lively track “Good as Hell”; I can tell the track will definitely have us feeling good as hell. Her electro-pop, alternative sounds will be a sight to hear as her voice is set to have the Toronto crowds serenaded and energized. Lizzo’s energetic track “Phone” off her record Coconut Oil is one to check out, here’s to hoping it’s included on her setlist.

HEARTSTREETS:

Emme & Gab are the duo behind Heartstreets, the sultry alternative R&B sounds will surely be another act to witness live. The duo’s blissful track “Cruising with You” will have the crowds enjoying the summer days. Check out Heartstreets on Day 2! Make sure to give a listen to the 2016 EP release You & I that features five easy listening tunes for you to chill to as we wait for the festival weekend.

GRANDSON:

Toronto-based Grandson will grace a hometown crowd on the final day of NXNE, he’ll bring back the alternative sounds he discovered throughout his musical journey from growing up in the city to the sights and hills of Los Angeles. In April, Grandson released the riff heavy track “Best Friends”, the track emphasizes the mix of eclectic sounds he’s shared with the world. It’s clear his music features an authentic story to tell throughout the highs and lows of life. Check out our interview with Grandson reported by Maranda Risner. Grandson shared with CU the personal story behind the moniker, his musical influences and what’s next for the young musician.

YUKON BLONDE:

Indie rockers Yukon Blonde from Kelowna, BC will be gracing the festival on Day 3 of NXNE. The band will bring their indie sounds to the Port Lands with Yukon Blonde having previously played SXSW, Canadian Music Week for performances. With their groovy single “Saturday Night”, Yukon Blonde is another must see act and I cannot be more excited to check out some more Canadiana sounds at this year’s edition of NXNE.

SLEIGH BELLS:

Another rocking duo will be performing on the festival grounds, as Sleigh Bells will be bringing the noise. The duo consists of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller with the Brooklynites slated to play tracks spanning their discography from the 2016 release Jessica Rabbit to their debut record Treats which features their track “Rill Rill”. With a few female leads gracing the stage, the festival will have its share of ladies bringing the heat including Alexis of Sleigh Bells.

K.I.D:

Hailing from Mississauga, the duo K.I.D are making a name for themselves in the GTA and beyond. Following the duo’s break after the release of “I Wish I Was Your Cigarette”, they have continued to grow a loyal fan base. Kara Lane and Bobby Lo started playing small sets in Toronto to now playing festivals in the city like Time Festival last year, where I first saw K.I.D, to this upcoming festival at the Port Lands on June 24th.

K.I.D released a four track E.P earlier in March titled Poster Child, the release features the duo’s recent track “Taker”. The track’s music video features a retrospective view of pop culture styles through a VR set, make sure to check out the video in all its glory. The tracks on Poster Child offer a personal story with themes of anxiety and depression through high-hitting beats, which present listeners an authentic narrative to be told via music.

K.I.D are slated to hit the festival stage on Day 2 of NXNE, check out the E.P available on iTunes and Spotify now.

These are just a select few bands playing at NXNE this year, so don't forget to get your tickets while you can! It's going to be a rockin' weekend! See you there!

Sleepy Sun: Artist Interview

SLEEPY SUN:
artist interview

Sleepy Sun, image courtesy of Amy Harrity & Tell All Your Friends PR

With a recent single ("Crave") that has premiered on Brooklyn Vegan and a 5th studio album due out June 9th (Private Tales), Sleepy Sun is a band you do not want to miss out on. With their "monk-like melodies" and "riffs that ring out in the distance" this band gives off a psychedelic feel that makes you feel like you're floating on clouds. The band formed in Santa Cruz, CA (now based in San Francisco) is made up of vocalist Bret Constantino, guitarists Matt Holliman and Evan Reiss, and drummer Brian Tice. Lucky for me, I was able to catch up with Evan and Matt for a quick Q & A to ask about their upcoming album, Private Tales, working with awesome female vocals (Kathryn Calder and Hannah Moriah), and their favorite bits and pieces of being amazing artists...

NICOLETTE: Hey guys! Congrats on the upcoming release of your fifth studio album! Let's just jump right into it, shall we? What is your favorite track off of Private Tales?
EVAN REISS: My favorite track off of PT is “Crave.” Visceral guitars, Italian church bells, and a marimba. What more could one ask for?
MATT HOLLIMAN: It’s difficult to choose, but whenever I listen to “When The Morning Comes” I get a distinct visual representation of the song, both connected to Bret’s lyrical content and how the song originated. There’s a few tracks on this album that really paint vivid pictures, and they tend to be hazy enough to allow for multiple interpretations depending on what lens you’re looking through.

N: What was the inspiration for the "thorny hooks and chaotic thunderclaps" that is your newest single, "Crave"? (It is AWESOME by the way!)
E: For me, Crave was the “missing piece of the puzzle” that came to be Private Tales. It’s what we needed to close this chapter. Also, Birthday Party and Bad Seeds.
M: The marimba completely makes this track for me. This is another element immediately conjures up images when I hear them lurking into the track.

N: Any fun before show rituals that get you pumped up for your set?
E: We try to hug it out and intone into each other's faces. Put on a bolo tie and get on the level.

N: Any plans for a longer tour once the LP release? If so, what location are you most excited about visiting?
E: We’ll be touring in the U.S. and Canada during the months of July and August. We are visiting places like Vancouver, BC and Austin, TX. Both cities have become second homes to the band. We’re lucky to have made some very close buds throughout our years of traveling and I’m looking forward to visiting them as well as eating queso and poutine. (Uh, yum and so jealous! -N)

N: Private Tales is your 5th full length album, that’s wildly impressive. What about this album is different than the others?
E: The writing and recording process was different this time around. It spanned over the course of two years whilst members of the band had migrated away from the Bay Area. I’m proud we were able to pull off a cohesive record considering the circumstances.
M: There was quite a bit of distanced writing, whereas in the past we typically worked things out in our rehearsal studio, over and over. We eventually came full circle to hashing things out in our studio once we could get everyone together, but laid the foundation with countless demos, re-demoing, and trying to new approaches over our various locations.

N: Reiss has said that he “likes music that gives [you] an opportunity to breathe,” I can certainly attest that your music gives me a moment to breathe. What’s a band/song that has influenced you and given you an opportunity to breathe?
E: Neil Young - Cortez The Killer
M: Fripp & Eno - (No Pussyfooting)

N: During the recording sessions you worked with Kathryn Calder and Hannah Moriah, what was that like? What did their voices bring to the table for the songs? They both have incredible voices, it added a brilliant dynamic to your sound.
E: We’re very lucky to have worked with those gals on the album. They brought an energy and feel to the songs that cannot be underestimated or ignored. It’s really fun to bring collaborators into the studio - especially when they are good pals with amazing voices and pro songwriting abilities. Hannah is playing in the live band right now and that has been a special treat for me. 4-part harmonies for the win. Kathryn is in New Pornographers. She is Colin’s (our producer/engineer/longtime friend) wife. She rips very hard, as well.

N: What does the rest of 2017 have in store for Sleepy Sun?
E: Support the record as much as we can with live performances. Write the next one.
M: Getting in the van, hitting all the favorite trucker stops, and morning breakfast haunts.

N: I know the recording process was a lengthy course of two years via home recordings, emails, etc., how did you keep the inspiration alive?
E: For better or for worse, the band is something I believe in...deeply. We’ve tried our best to not let life get in the way of making music with each other. At the same time, we respect each other’s personal boundaries and understand that Sleepy Sun isn't everything (i.e. we all need to make a living... and lord knows, it's not from this band.) The work can be tedious and trying, at times. But the final product of being able to record and play music with my friends is well worth it.
M: It wasn’t so much inspiration as just something we had to do. Oftentimes Evan and I would get together to demo tracks that would set off a chain reaction of writing, and we’d just try to keep one-upping ourselves. We’d get a vocal melody from Bret here, some drums from Brian there, and then it would kick things off into another direction, and we’d either try to improve, or scrap things down to the greatest bits, and build them back up again. The limitations we faced forced us to figure out a new way to write together.

N: What inspired the album artwork for “Private Tales”?
E: Koak!!!!! She’s an incredible artist that we’ve known and worked with since our Santa Cruz days. Her stuff is beautiful and ominous - a perfect pairing for the PT collection.

N: Who do you aspire to work with in the future? Any wishful-collabs?
E: There are a crap ton of talented bay-area folks that blow my mind on a daily basis. Once and Future Band, Heron Oblivion, and Matt Baldwin are just a few examples of peeps that I’d like to throw down with.

N: I know that this record in particular was the most difficult to make, how come? It was mentioned it was mainly for logistical reasons, but could you elaborate?
E: We thought we had the record done after the first year of writing and two-week recording session but it turns out we didn’t. At first glance, that was pretty upsetting. So we went back and wrote a bunch of tunes over the course of another year and recorded again. At that point, we had more than enough jams for an LP (too many.) In fact, we had to cut some of my favorite songs from the album just because they didn’t fit into the grand scheme of ‘PT.’ I hope they will surface someday.

N: If you could switch instruments for a day and experiment with a new sound, what would you try?
E: Pedal steel.
M: At the end of the day, a solid drummer is where it’s at. You don’t have to be super flashy or technical by any stretch of the imagination, but you can turn a song on it’s head with some interesting percussion.

N: Concert Updater was created by artists for artists to help everyone get their art into the world, how does it feel knowing your music inspires others?
E: Feels good. Music inspires me. If someone out there picks up a guitar because of something that I played, then I’m a happy camper. Inside an infinite circle of creative stimuli and inspiration is where I want to be.

Well, there ya have it. Not only are they amazing musicians they're pretty dope guys too. Evan said it best; "music inspires...inside an infinite circle of creative stimuli and inspiration is where" we want to be. This world is a weird place, but it keeps on turning because of music, love, and creativity. This band is scoring a 10/10 in all three categories in my book. Don't miss out and look for your city on their upcoming summer tour and check out our incredible Concert Updater photographer Samuel Ware's gallery of Sleepy Sun from the Hi Hat LA on 5/27 here.

Cheers to Sleepy Sun and we cannot wait for Private Tales due out June 9th on Dine Alone Records! Congrats, gents!

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TOUR DATES & SPOTIFY

Show photos by Samuel Ware
Promo photos courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR
Interview by Nicolette Cunningham

The Maine

THE MAINE (GALLERY)
MAY 29TH, 2017
SLAM DUNK (SOUTH)
UNIVERISTY OF HERTFORDSHIRE,
HATFIELD, UK
PHOTOS BY LISA (GEMMA) ANDERSSON
TWITTER, INSTAGRAM

*CREDIT THE PHOTOGRAPHER IF IMAGES USED, PLEASE!
NO EDITING/REMOVAL OF WATERMARK(S)*

Magic Giant

MAGIC GIANT (GALLERY)
MAY 22ND, 2017
BARDOT, LOS ANGELES, CA
PHOTOS BY ANDREW MARSHALL!

*CREDIT THE PHOTOGRAPHER IF IMAGES USED, PLEASE!
NO EDITING AND/OR REMOVAL OF WATERMARK(S)*

Sleepy Sun

SLEEPY SUN (GALLERY)
MAY 27TH, 2017
THE HI HAT, LOS ANGELES, CA
PHOTOS BY SAMUEL WARE, INSTAGRAM!