Musicologist: May 12-18

Photo of Tyr Jami and Todd MacDonald of The Winks by Jasa Baka

Vancouver-born, Montreal-settled The Winks will be passing through Toronto this Sunday, May 18 (with Vancouver's Secret Mommy Quintet) at Sneaky Dee's. The cello- and mandolin-fused band welcomed 2008 with the end of a "63 shows in 71 days" tour of North America to promote the release of their EP Chours Girls, and this coming Toronto stop is one of many on a multi-city Ontario tour for the month of May.

The Winks have been lingering around the Canadian music realm for almost a decade now, and have seen many rotating members, with Tyr Jami and Todd MacDonald (cello and mandolin players, respectively) as the two constants. Their sideshow art pop is brought to life with the band's well-known, colourful performances—with over-the-top visuals and dressed-at-their-best band members (conveniently, Jami is also a costume designer). And in addition to incredible live shows, The Winks continuously demonstrate their ripened musicianship: Tyr Jami, for example, has been playing cello since she was 7 years old and has a voice as sinfully strange and beautiful as Anni Rossi and Bjork—and the lady knows how to dance!

The band's early days were spent hosting their own shows in their loft space in Vancouver when the music community just wouldn't do it for them, and their DIY spirit has kept them sustainable to this day. Always innovating their sound, producing records upon records (3 full-lengths and 7 limited-edition EPs to date, to be exact), and creating a live show that is always unexpected, The Winks are a band that Toronto can always look forward to having.

Full listings after the jump.