Rivoli in Toronto, ON
December 10 and 11, 2010
Review by: Natalia Buia
Photos by: Julie Lavelle, Amanda Fotes
'Twas the night before December 11th when all through the Rivoli, not a creature was boring, not even a mouse. Music promotions company Audio Blood Media celebrated the holidays two consecutive nights in a row with a divine showcase of raw Canadian talent at the popular Queen Street venue.
Acts included The Balconies, Make Your Exit, Clothes Make the Man, Sandman Viper Command, Teenage Kicks and Charlotte Cornfield. The two surprise guests were Ruby Coast and Great Bloomers. Friday and Saturday were equally successful nights of good ol' fashioned boozin' and a-boppin' as some of our favourite bands performed on stage.
The Burlington boys of Sandman Viper Command know how to deliver. They performed the gems off their album Everybody See This, along with newer tracks we can’t wait to own on record. The band looked enthused to be a part of the holiday bash, and therefore their sound and stage presence was greatly evident. Rob Janson (vocals, guitar) even donned a festive toque to get in the spirit. If Christmas is all about giving, I hope the band gives us bigger, louder tunes in the new year.
It seemed Make Your Exit drew a rowdy crowd effortlessly. If you own Remind Me The Reason I Came, you understand that this band's all about honesty. Honest lyrics, honest melodies. When Jeff Buckley (vocals, guitar) took to the piano to play "Through The Winter" I'm sure everyone's jaw dropped at how all 5 members illuminate sincerity on stage.
It may have been cold outside but Teenage Kicks were keeping showgoers warm. Hailed one of Blog TO's top ten breakout bands of 2010, the local four man band is admired by many for taking their 70's and 80's influences and making some modern music out of it. The band graced the crowd with a few upcoming tracks on their new EP which they're still recording to this day. Their performance that night was a reminder that come 2011, they'll be unstoppable.
Marked as the one band everyone was most looking forward to seeing (and you can judge that on how many elbows you get to your ribs - packed to the nines during their set!), The Balconies toasted to a good year of success by playing their usual pool of high energy songs like "300 Pages" and "Lulu". Lead singer Jacquie Neville sparkled in her gold sequined dress that flirted under the bright lights. The pop-rock trio might just have outshined every other act (literally and figuratively). When they played their last song, "Serious Bedtime", fans did not want to say goodbye.
The Holiday 2 Night Stand wrapped up finally with a not-so-surprising surprise set by the Great Bloomers. Overall, it was a damn joyous way to spend a weekend in preperation for Christmas. Here's to Audio Blood and cheers to the new year.
The Balconies
Great Bloomers
Clothes Make The Man
Teenage Kicks
Ruby Coast
Make Your Exit
Sandman Viper Command
Charlotte Cornfield
