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A Lot Of Bands You Like Are Playing For Free

By David Topping

voxtrot_freeconcert.jpg
Early in May, Torontoist made it out to a free Long Winters concert at the Berkley Church. The show was terrific—we scored John Roderick’s kazoo!—and, as it turns out, was just one episode in a series of shows put on for an HDTV channel in the States called called Rave HD. The aim of the show is to be something like “Sessions at West 45th,” with a focus on capturing up-and-coming indie bands before they “make it big.”
Fortunately, the show is back in Toronto in mid-June to film some more episodes, and the lineup is pretty stellar—Voxtrot! Sloan! Others!
June 18: The Ponys (8:00 p.m.)
June 19: Apples in Stereo and Sloan (7:30 p.m.)
June 20: Voxtrot and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals(8:00 p.m.)
June 21: The Lemonheads (8:00 p.m.)
June 22: Submersed and Living Things (8:00 p.m.)
Since the concerts are being filmed for television, they’re a little different: you can expect a light show, lots of video cameras (and running cameramen and their assistants), and not being allowed to wear “obvious” logos or brand names, or bring a camera of your own. (And if you’ve got kids, leave ‘em at home too.) Still, a free show is a free show is a free show.
All of the concerts take place at Berkeley Church (315 Queen Street East). Doors open half an hour before show time, seats are first-come, first-served, and beer and water are on sale at the bar. To make it, all you have to do is send an e-mail to audience200@gmail.com, and make sure that the subject of your e-mail contains the name of the band that you want to see.
UPDATE (June 6): The filming schedule has just been switched around a bit. The Lemonheads may not be able to perform, and their original date, June 20, has been switched with Voxtrot’s, whose original date was June 21. We’ll keep you updated on any other changes.
Photo of Voxtrot from the band’s Flickr stream.

Comments

  • xofer

    Sloan an “up-and-coming indie bands before they ‘make it big.’”?
    Haven’t they been releasing albums for 15 years? Aren’t they signed to Muderecords and Sony BMG?
    When are people going to stop defining “Indie” bands by their haircuts?

  • David Topping

    I knew that the inclusion of Sloan would raise some eyebrows — but to be fair, I’m just regurgitating the information about the show’s intentions that I was given. I agree that Sloan is pretty much “big” here in Canada, but isn’t it fair to say that in the States (the show’s for Americans, after all) Sloan aren’t as well-known as they are here?

  • rx

    How about The Lemonheads who have been releasing albums since 1987 I believe? ;P

  • Jason

    Nabil, the drummer from the Long Winters, mentioned that the show’s producer told him (broken telephone, anyone?) that these concerts DO air in Canada on some unknown HD channel. I’m wondering … is it ExpressVu’s “FreeVu” HD concert series? I know Finger Eleven was featured prominently in May — is that the taping that occurred the night before the Long Winters? Because I *need* to see that show, it was spectacular (as all LW shows are!)!!