Despite the fact that the last show in Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s 2012/2013 season is titled Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical, Lady Gaga herself takes a secondary role. There are no homages to raw-meat dresses and gold-plated wheelchairs here. Instead, writer and director Alistair Newton uses the House of Gaga as a pathway into the history of the notable performance-art stars that came before her in the pantheon of queer iconography, and how she is and isn’t a construct of all of them put together.

It’s entirely possible that an early work by the next Atom Egoyan or David Cronenberg will screen on Wednesday night at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. With the 2013 Student Film Showcase featuring the best from post-secondary schools around the country and the Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcase kicking off the evening with Toronto-area high-school students’ films, the night will be a coming-out party for a new crop of talent. Judging by the polished creativity of some of the entries, it’s safe to say that young people are more prepared than ever to start telling stories on film from an early age.

As we shake off our hangovers and readjust to the rhythms of normal life, let’s take a minute to look at what we learned over the course of this year’s edition of North by Northeast.

Sometimes buzz bands do live up to expectations.
Too often, we’ve seen get a sudden rush of Internet-fuelled fame overwhelm artists, leading them to collapse under the pressure. (Lana Del Ray, we’re looking at you.) At NXNE, with a couple of exceptions, that didn’t really happen. Blog-buzz acts like DZ Deathrays, The Men, and Purity Ring all came through in the clutch. It’s good to know that sometimes you actually can believe the hype.

Punk’s not dead.
Punk rock has been declared “dead” repeatedly over the last three decades. This year’s edition of NXNE proved that rumours of the genre’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, with acts like Teenanger and Ceremony picking up the mantle, it may have a brighter future than it’s had in a while.

Some venues may just be in it for the late license.
It seemed as if a few North by Northeast venues were less interested in hosting bands and more interested in being allowed to pack in customers and serve alcohol until 4 a.m. At least one artist called a venue out for allowing a very loud dance party to go on upstairs while he was performing in the partially open basement, forcing him to compete with the DJ. Let’s hope they straighten this out for next year.

Hip-hop is not a threat.
NXNE got off to a bad start for the hip-hop community. Wednesday night’s SmashMouth entertainment showcase at the Rivoli met a sudden and inglorious end after a visit from the Toronto Police Service’s Guns and Gangs Unit convinced the venue’s management to pull the plug on the show.

(According to a press release sent out by the club on Saturday afternoon, the police told them “without naming names” that “certain band members were connected with street gangs” and “gun violence had occurred at past performances” of one of the bands on the bill, although it’s hard to tell who they’re talking about. As Roshin—a member of Notes to Self, one of the bands slated to be on the bill—said during an interview with Torontoist following the cancellation: “Half the acts aren’t from Toronto, and the ones that are play all the time.”)

That said, the genre bounced back with a vengeance throughout the rest of the week, with acts like Killer Mike giving barnburner performances, and ending with nearly 10,000 hip-hop heads pressing together like sardines to watch two of the genre’s living legends, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, throw down at Yonge-Dundas Square. Not only did the event go off without incident, but, according to our photographer (who went to all the Yonge-Dundas concerts), the crowd for Sunday night’s hip-hop event was better behaved than the audience at the other three shows.

This is a funny town.
While this wasn’t the first year that comedy was included in NXNE, it was the year that the festival’s comedy content reached a critical mass, and by almost every measure, audiences were loving the laughs. From the nightly Comedy Records showcases at LOT 100 to the more risqué Strip Comedy and Raw & Hard shows at the Monarch Tavern, a largely local cast of comics provided a great change of pace after a night of bands.

Toronto is a fun city.
Whether or not it’s totally accurate, Toronto has a reputation as a city that has trouble enjoying itself. NXNE is proof positive that the town can give any other city on the continent a run for its money in terms of good times. Free concerts and late last calls aside, there’s a spirit of spontaneity that takes over for the festival. People dance to bands they’ve never heard before, throw last minute parties and shows, and occasionally hug passersby. On multiple occasions throughout the weekend, we walked into a stranger’s yard, opened a beer and watched a band play. It would be great if the city could have just a little of that NXNE spirit throughout the year.

A sea of humanity at the Flaming Lips show at Yonge-Dundas Square on Sunday.

Like all good things, North by Northeast must eventually come to an end, but that’s probably for the best, because while we can’t speak for the rest of you, the Torontoist staff is thoroughly exhausted right now.

Bruise Cruise Festival
HOSTED BY: M for Montreal
WHEN: Saturday, June 16, 1:30 p.m. at 207 Queens Quay West

Getting ready to head out on the water. Photo by Kyle Bachan/Torontoist.

Pre-Show Hype: High. Four bands and a luxurious cruise complete with beer and food. What wasn’t there to be excited about?

Event: Great. After spending many nights running about the city trying to catch the latest act, it was nice to get some fresh daylight, pull up a seat and simply chill for a few hours (there were a couple people passed out even before the cruise departed). The boat was spacious, and not overcrowded. It would have been infinitely cooler to have the bands play on the outside deck than on the dark lower level (it was probably a space issue), but there was fun to be had all around.

Best Moment: Though all of the bands put in solid performances, it was when the first band (Hooded Fang) started playing that the feeling of “heck yeah, we’re listening to music on a boat!” kicked in.

Miscellaneous: Number of times an artist or audience member shouted out, “I’m on a boat!”: too many to count.

Verdict: There’s a reason this event fills up way before NXNE even begins. If you’re looking to chill on open waters on a sunny afternoon, make sure you’ve got your spot saved when Bruise Cruise comes around next year.

Of Montreal
FROM: Athens, Georgia
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 7 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

Pre-Show Hype: Quite high. The group—part of the Elephant 6 collective—was playing what was likely the biggest stage on the biggest night of the festival.

Performance: Suitably weird and fantastic. Frontman Kevin Barnes is cut from the same cloth as Bowie. While the band played infectious retro-rock in front of the swirling psychedelic imagery projected behind them, a cavalcade of characters intermittently swarmed the stage. Most were clad in creatively designed bodysuits that had appendages (like giant breasts, for instance). This added a whole other component to the vibrant show.

Best Moment: Probably when a woman in her underwear decided to crowd surf.

Miscellaneous: Considering Barnes’ glam make-up and other interesting costume choices, it’s safe to say that this band knows how to make a fashion statement.

Verdict: One of the best we’ve seen. Of Montreal provided the perfect lively musical accompaniment to a gorgeous evening.

The Flaming Lips
FROM: Norman, Oklahoma
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 9 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne gets ready to roll into the crowd.

Pre-Show Hype: Can hype get any higher? The Flaming Lips were already the biggest name the festival had to offer. And when the Radiohead show at Downsview Park was cancelled, this show became a back-up plan for many ticket-holders. Predictably, this transformed the event into a claustrophobic nightmare.

Performance: Appropriately sombre, given the stage collapse at the Radiohead show. Frontman Wayne Coyne appeared genuinely heartfelt as he expressed his support for all involved. The set list, aside from a few old favourites, drew heavily from the band’s newer material. It was shortened by extended instrumental freak-outs that closed nearly every song.

Best Moment: It seemed like it would be hard to beat Coyne walking on top of the crowd inside his trusty inflatable balloon, until they pulled out the trump card: a closing performance of “Do You Realize?” amid a flurry of confetti and balloons.

Miscellaneous: A cover of Radiohead’s “Knives Out” followed by “Waitin’ For A Superman” may have slowed the momentum down a little in the middle of the set, but also managed to achieve a touching and surprising intimacy for a gathering this size.

Verdict: For anyone who saw the band at the Molson Ampitheatre a couple of years ago, this show was not an entirely new experience. It was, however, a nice evening, and it happened under a very special set of circumstances.

Mozart’s Sister
FROM: Montreal, Quebec
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 10 p.m. at the Garrison

Pre-Show Hype: Medium. Appearing as part of the Pop Montreal showcase, Caila Thompson-Hannant’s new project has recently been reviewed on Pitchfork. But she’s still under the radar outside of Montreal.

Performance: Sensational. The energy and voice Thompson-Hannant displayed in her previous bands is being wonderfully showcased here; since she’s making music with an end-table’s worth of loopers and programmed synthpads, all the focus is on her voice and stagecraft. (During her backyard mini-set, she revealed that she has a theatre background.) She hit Whitney Houston levels of crescendo at times, and confidently bumped and grinded to her tabletop beats, as the crowd followed suit.

Best Moment: Dancing! There were (many) people dancing to a (mostly) unfamiliar act! At NXNE! This is a rare occurrence.

Miscellaneous: As Mozart’s Sister, Thompson-Hannant has appeared on bills with Grimes and Born Gold, and shares many of the extroverted qualities of those acts.

Verdict: Our only complaint was the shortness of the set, and of some of the songs. Set closer “Single Status” felt like it flew by in a minute. Thompson-Hannant is reportedly working on an LP, and has plans to expand Mozart’s Sister beyond herself, which is great, ’cause we want more, more, more.

Ceremony
FROM: Rohnert Park, California
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 11 p.m. at Wrongbar

Pre-Show Hype: Medium to high. Ceremony have several critically acclaimed releases under their collective belt, and recently put out their first record on mega-indie label Matador Records.

Performance: It’s hard to argue with the volume and raw aggression of Ceremony’s live set. A perfect fusion of American hardcore and early British punk, they moved between a thrashy, high-speed sprint and a slow, menacing chug without ever losing their ferocity. Vocalist Ross Farrar looks and sounds like a man possessed.

Best Moment: When Farrar began using a beer bottle as a percussion instrument.

Miscellaneous: In addition to all the expected punk and hardcore bands, Ceremony also list Joy Division, Pink Floyd, and Tom Waits as influences.

Verdict: Back in the late ’80s, a zine called Profane Existance came out. Its slogan was “Making punk a threat again.” PE didn’t really manage to pull that off, but Ceremony has.

Rival Schools
FROM: New York, New York
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 12 a.m. at Wrongbar

Pre-Show Hype: High. Rival Schools hasn’t played Toronto in nearly a decade.

Performance: Solid. This post-punk act—consisting of members of such legendary hardcore bands as Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, and Judge—did an excellent job of balancing melody and volume. Frontman Walter Schreifels’ voice ranged from a whisper to a wail, while drummer Sam Seigler beat the drums so hard they begged for mercy. The audience knew every one of Rival Schools’ sing-along choruses.

Best Moment: Schreifels asked the sound man if they could play one more song, even though they were out of time. The sound man agreed, and the audience went nuts with joy.

Miscellaneous: The band is named after a relatively obscure mid-’90s arcade and PlayStation game.

Verdict: Even punk rockers mellow with age, but few do it as gracefully as Rival Schools.

Killer Mike
FROM: Atlanta, Georgia
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 1 a.m. at Wrongbar

Killer Mike at it again at Yonge-Dundas Square on Sunday.

Pre-Show Hype: Extremely high. While Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s Sunday-evening free show was the highest-profile performance, Killer Mike may have been the most hyped, given the recent release of his critically acclaimed album R.A.P. Music.

Performance: Killer Mike killed it. The Atlanta-based MC was able to move seamlessly between charged political songs, straight street music, and more playful material. For a man of his not-inconsiderable girth, Mike is remarkably athletic, and spent the entire hour-long set dancing, bouncing, stomping, and bounding across the stage. His own unwavering energy was reflected back tenfold by the audience, which in turn pushed Mike to go harder. By the end of the night, people were crowd-surfing, which is pretty rare at a rap show.

Best Moment: It was a tie between when Mike admitted that he was having “the time of my life” playing for the crowd at Wrongbar, and when he told a story about his mother in which he admitted that he still calls her “Mommy.”

Miscellaneous: In his Twitter bio, Mike refers to himself as a “Pan Africanist Gangster Rapper, Civic Leader & Activist.”

Verdict: Hands down, Killer Mike’s set at Wrongbar was one of the best shows at this year’s edition of North by Northeast.

Comedy Records Presents: Raw & Hard
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: Saturday, June 16, 2 a.m. at the Monarch Tavern

Pre-Show Hype: Medium. Comedy overall had a much bigger profile at this year’s NXNE, but the previous night’s Strip Comedy was the more buzzed-about show.

Performance: Varied. Garrett Jamieson of The Boom Comedy, a last-minute addition to the bill, plowed through his set, sprinkling it with “Am I right guys?” and venting his frustration at oblivious barflys by exclaiming, “Guys, you want to make me funny? LAUGH!” Darren Frost fared a bit better by checking in with the audience several times with “by way of applause, who likes ______.” But the best set we saw came from Brian Barlow’s Dick Mime character. With no mic at all, he held the bleary-eyed crowd’s attention with his variations on a one-joke premise.

Best Moment: When Barlow’s Dick Mime held up a large sign saying “You Choose,” the audience had a field day. “9/11″ was one of the winning suggestions. Barlow mimed a Superman-style flight around the twin towers, during which he pretended to catch (and fellate) jumpers, to raucous applause.

Miscellaneous: At the end of the night, host Gary Taylor announced that the Monarch will be the venue for a new weekly Sunday stand-up show hosted by Mark Debonis, starting next weekend.

Verdict: Comedy overall held its own as part of this year’s NXNE, and this showcase was part and parcel.

Tre Mission
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: Sunday, June 17, 6 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

Pre-Show Hype: Middling. Local MC Tre Mission has a bit of a “Big in Japan” thing going on, except instead of Japan, he’s blowing up in England while still being a relative unknown in his hometown. That’s not really surprising, though, given that he specializes in the uniquely British subgenre of grime.

Performance: Mission showed why British grime heavyweights like Wiley and JME have taken an interest in him. His rhymes are tight and crisp, and delivered rapid-fire. Also, his punch lines are rewind-worthy, and his stage presence is remarkably strong for an artist who only started performing regularly in 2010. The crowd may not have known who he was when he came out, but they were dancing, waving their hands in the air, and asking for more by the time he left.

Best Moment: When Tre’s hype man, British MC Prowla, asked “How is it I’m from England, and I knew about Tre Mission before all of you?”

Miscellaneous: Tre also produces most of his own beats.

Verdict: If there were ever any doubt as to whether or not Tre’s grime flow and dubstep-influenced beats could get over with a North American audience, there’s not now.

Action Bronson
FROM: Queens, New York
PERFORMED: Sunday, June 17, 7 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

Pre-Show Hype: Medium to high. The Albanian American MC played a sold-out show at the Rivoli in the fall, and has released another mixtape, as well as a couple of YouTube-hit videos since then.

Performance: Kind of average. Bronson has stage banter worthy of a stand-up comedian, a great rap voice, and a charismatic presence. Unfortunately, he used those things to mask what was an otherwise spotty performance. He occasionally seemed to struggle with breath control, missed some lines, and sometimes rapped much slower than he does on his recordings. That said, when he was on his game, like he was for “Barry Horowitz,” he almost made up for the rest of it.

Best Moment: Bronson pretended to leave, then came back to do his YouTube hit “Bird on a Wire,” performing both his own verses and those of his partner on the song, Riff Raff.

Miscellaneous: Before he was a rapper, Bronson was a chef at several New York restaurants.

Verdict: He was good enough, but Bronson is capable of so much more.

Ghostface Killah and Raekwon
FROM: New York, New York
PERFORMED: Sunday, June 17, 9 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

Ghost and Rae get the crowd hyped at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Pre-Show Hype: Enormous. The two Wu-Tang legends were the hip-hop headliners for the week.

Performance: Almost two decades after the release of 36 Chambers, Ghost and Rae still sound as crisp as ever. The two traded bars with the sort of casual grace that can only come from years of working together. Raekwon talked repeatedly about how much he loves living in Toronto—he bought a place here last year—and, in a remarkably classy move, took a minute to memorialize both the victims of the recent Eaton Centre shooting and the Radiohead stage collapse of the day before. That moment of solemnity aside, the two spent the time between songs cracking jokes, with Ghost occasionally updating the crowd on the score of Game Three of the NBA Finals and lamenting that they have “too many songs.” Rae also brought out his local protegé, JD Era, to do a quick three-song mini-set. The crowd freaked out at the beginning of every song, and by the end of the set both audience and artists were thoroughly spent.

Best Moment: When they asked for audience members to sub in for Method Man and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard on the Wu-Tang classic “Protect Ya Neck,” then pulled long-time local MC Mindbender on stage to do ODB’s part.

Miscellaneous: Raekwon and Ghostface’s real names are, respectively, Corey Woods and Dennis Coles.

Verdict: Free shows like this are what make NXNE the highlight of the summer.

Photos by Kyle Bachan, where noted.

CORRECTION: June 19, 2:25PM At the Raekwon/Ghostface Killah show, Mindbender and another audience member were brought up to perform ODB’s and Method Man’s parts (respectively) on the song “Protect Ya Neck.” It was not ODB’s and Inspectah Deck’s parts during “Triumph” as previously stated. The correction has been made above.

No Use for a Name played Yonge-Dundas Square on Thursday.

We’re nearing the end, but there’s still a ton of great music left to see. Here’s who’s worth seeing on Saturday and Sunday.

Hollerado
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)
Saturday, 5 p.m.

If you haven’t yet experienced this Ottawa indie group’s live act, then you finally have a chance to make things right. Hollerado, who seem to be making a tradition of free shows at Yonge-Dundas Square, are definitely one of the most fun bands to check out while you’re exploring NXNE. If being Juno-nominated and picked by Jack White to open for The Dead Weather wasn’t enough, you can expect many laughs, power-pop awesomeness, possible confetti, and more when they take the stage (oh, and you will be dancing).

Go if: You need a jolt of spontaneity and good ol’-fashioned Canadian humour to add to your NXNE schedule.

The Flaming Lips
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)
Saturday, 9 p.m.

There’s a reason that the name is the biggest on the poster. Say what you will about the fearless freaks from Oklahoma and their progression from noisy experimental garage band to creators of life-affirming anthems used to sell cars—they know how to put on a show that is anything but boring. It will be interesting to see how the band fares in a space like Yonge-Dundas Square, but in all likelihood, they will successfully transform the area into a wonderland of positive vibes and infectious rock. Admittedly, part of the fun of their concerts is discovering what new theatrics they have in store.

Go if: You have two ears and a heart. And happen to think Radiohead is overrated.

The Lumineers
The Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen Street West)
Saturday, 11 p.m.

This Denver-based outfit bears a passing resemblance to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros in their fondness for folk anthem sing-alongs, though perhaps less so the travelling hippie commune aesthetic. They cracked the Billboard Top 40 chart yesterday, so they’re definitely a band on the rise. You can say you saw them when.

Go if: You’re a fan of the “roots revivalist” sound, espoused locally by acts like The Rural Alberta Advantage, further afield by Blitzen Trapper and the aforementioned Magnetic Zeros.

Rival Schools
Wrongbar (1279 Queen Street West)
Saturday, 12 a.m.

Consisting of members of several classic late ’80s New York hardcore bands—including Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits—melodic punk act Rival Schools have averaged roughly an album a decade since getting together at the turn of the millennium. The only reason they’re able to get away with it is because said albums are worth the wait.

Go if: You’ve always wondered what happens when angry young men grow up.

Killer Mike
Wrongbar (1279 Queen Street West)
Saturday, 1 a.m.
AND
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)
Sunday, 8 p.m.

Atlanta’s Killer Mike has been tapped as the next A-Town rapper to blow-up for most of the last decade, ever since he was signed to OutKast’s Purple Ribbon label back in 2003. While he’s received a ton of critical praise and a few sniffs of commercial success, he’s never been able to hit that next level of fame. His new album, R.A.P. Music, was produced by ’90s underground legend El-P, and looks like it may finally be enough to get him over.

Go if: You like hip-hop that’s smart and street at the same time.

Ohbijou
David Pecaut Square (55 John Street)
Sunday, 4 p.m.

So technically, this isn’t a NXNE show; it’s part of the final day of Luminato Festival programming. But listening to the lush baroque pop of Ohbijou in the afternoon, sitting on the grass, sounds like a perfect way to wind down an impossibly hectic week of music and culture.

Go if: You like your indie chamber music to have lots of strings and sweet vocals.

Wannabe (Spice Girls Tribute Band)
Redpath Stage – Harbourfront (235 Queens Quay West)
Sunday, 5 p.m.

Come on, you know what you want, what you really, really want. With another NXNE coming to a close and the terrible shadow of Monday looming, this is the perfect opportunity to indulge in a dose of bubblegum nostalgia before the weekend peters out. One of Toronto’s most successful tribute bands, the ladies adopt the personas of everyone’s favourite proponents of Girl Power and perform all of your favourite hits. While they maintain that their audience consists mostly of girls in their twenties and gay men, straight guys have always had their own reasons for liking the Spice Girls and should not be ashamed to attend.

Go if: You really, really, really wanna zig-a-zig-ah.

Tre Mission
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)
Sunday, 6 p.m.

Tre Mission is probably Canada’s only grime MC. At minimum, he’s the only one getting co-signed by the heavyweights of the traditionally all-British genre. As a result, he doesn’t play a ton of shows in his hometown. That said, he’s starting to increase his local profile after successfully taking over the U.K., and has been tapped as one of the next Toronto MCs to blow up.

Go if: You’re a fan of fast, technical MCs.

Raekwon and Ghostface Killah
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)
Sunday, 9 p.m.

Raekwon is a part-time local, Ghostface is making up for not coming to Canada for 16 years due to an immigration ban by playing two shows in seven months, and they’re both part of one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all time. Seeing shows like this for free is what makes NXNE great. If you’ve always wanted to shout along with “Daytona 500,” this is your chance.

Go if: You like hip-hop even a little.

Pink Wine
The Crawford (718 College Street West)
Sunday, 11:45 p.m.

If you’re looking to end your NXNE with catchy tunes and an all-around jammin’ good time, look no further than this power-pop group. With melodies and funk not dissimilar to the New Pornographers, Pink Wine (who are made up of members from Mother Teresa, the Miracles, and the now-defunct Get Nuns) will have you oohing along to the beats as your feet try to keep up.

Go if: You need one more stretch of non-stop dancing before you have to sign back into work tomorrow morning.

For those of you who don’t feel like running around all night, we’ve taken the liberty of selecting the evening’s best single-venue lineup.

Best Lineup: Saturday
Yonge-Dundas Square (21 Dundas Square)

It is an understatement to say there is an abundance of good shows tonight. So if you aren’t interested in braving the crowd for Flaming Lips at Yonge-Dundas Square, seeing the recently reunited Archers Of Loaf’s return to Toronto, or venturing to a big non-NXNE show by some British band named Radiohead, there are other places to make camp. Lee’s Palace has Matt Mays (11:30 p.m.), The Horseshoe has Young Empires (midnight), but in all honesty it would be hard to beat the Yonge-Dundas Square day-long smorgasbord that, aside from the Lips (9 p.m.), also offers Of Montreal (7 p.m.), Portugal. The Man (8 p.m.), and Oberhofer (6 p.m.), among others.

Best Lineup: Sunday
The Rivoli (334 Queen Street West)

It’s the end of the festival and, to be honest, the last thing you probably want at this stage is to hear even one more note of music. Here’s the alternative: kick back and let regulars of Comedy Bar’s Laugh Sabbath like Chris Locke, Nick Flanagan and Aaron Eves cleanse the palate with endless bouts of uproarious laughter. There’s no sense in limiting your NXNE experience only to music when there are other forms of entertainment this enjoyable out there.

Forget compasses, GPS, or helpful Sherpas. From June 11 to 17, Torontoist is here to be your guide to everything NXNE.

Bad Religion's iconic logo on their drum kit at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Thursday night was undoubtedly buzz-band night at North by Northeast. Whether it was a quartet of attractive, Jack White–co-signed goths, a self-destructive Texan or a pair of haunting Albertan electro-popsters, if they had serious blog buzz, they were playing.

Nash
FROM: Montreal, Quebec
PERFORMED: June 14, 7 p.m. at the Mod Club

Pre-Show Hype: Minimal. 7 p.m. is a rough slot to fill—especially in a place as big as the Mod Club.

Performance: Excellent. It was impressive that that the vocal frontman was jumping up and down with his guitar and tambourine despite the fact that the room was only a quarter full when the set kicked off. These guys strive to be huge, and there are definitely echoes of bands like U2 in their music. They likely got a much better reaction at their 1 a.m. show later that night.

Best Moment: There was a stomping jam in the middle of the set that was a nice switch up from the previous numbers—and it finally got the audience engaged in the tunes.

Miscellaneous: This show was proof that rock stars can wake up early and still rock.

Verdict: Despite the early nature of the show—several of the audience members even looked like they might be nursing a hangover—it was a pretty solid set. Still, these guys deserved a much better time slot.

Good Riddance
FROM: Santa Cruz, California
PERFORMED: June 14, 8 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

Good Riddance singer Russ Rankin expresses his frustration at the Devils recent Stanley Cup loss.

Pre-Show Hype: High. Considering that the band was playfully heckled by a fan in between songs for not returning to Toronto in seven years, it would be safe to assume there was an excitement in the air.

Performance: Songs started and ended at such a dizzying clip that, by the end, you could have sworn that they had played 20 of them in the 40 minutes they were on stage. Blasting out hard punk with a social and political bent, the group showed that time had not slowed them down—rather, it had further honed their skills. It was surprising how many people tightly packed into Yonge-Dundas Square were passionately belting out every lyric—almost as surprising is how well the material actually holds up.

Best Moment: Gloriously bald-headed bassist Chuck Platt was in especially fine form on this day, expressing his gratitude to the city’s enthusiastic reception with the promise that, “if you keep dancing, we’ll keep playing.”

Miscellaneous: One needlessly aggressive shirtless guy in the mosh pit had security putting on their plastic gloves.

Verdict: As part of an undercard for the night’s Bad Religion show, it almost felt like our own mini–Warped Tour in the heart of the city.

I Smell Blood
FROM: London, Ontario
PERFORMED: June 14, 8:45 p.m. at the Annex Live

Pre-Show Hype: Moderate. They were still setting up a few minutes after they were supposed to start, but the crowd was certainly ready for it.

Performance: Definitely a highlight of NXNE so far. You know when you hear a band’s first ridiculously loud riff and you just want it to last forever, without any of those silly vocals? Well, that’s what happened: no lyrics, just rock. To say that this drums-and-guitar duo blew the roof off the Annex Live would be understating the sheer power of their set.

Best Moment: Realizing that no one was going to be singing and that these two just came here to play—and hard.

Miscellaneous: Number of times it was forgotten that only two people were playing: too many to count.

Verdict: A must-see live act only bolstered by the fairly small space provided by the Annex Live. It’s hard to say what they’d sound like in a larger venue. For the time being, let’s just enjoy having our faces torn off by guitar-shredding just feet away from us.

Bad Religion
FROM: Los Angeles, California
PERFORMED: June 14, 9 p.m. at Yonge-Dundas Square

The smartest man in punk rock, Bad Religion's Greg Graffin.

Pre-Show Hype: Approaching fever pitch. They were already one of the biggest acts of the festival, and the anticipation was exponentially increased by the fact that punk fans are, without question, a loyal and enthusiastic bunch.

Performance: Bad Religion are considered legends, and by tearing through many favourites from their extensive catalogue for more than an hour and a half, they reminded the crowd why. From older material like “Fuck Armageddon… This Is Hell” to mainstream breakthrough “21st Century (Digital Boy),” virtually every one of the band’s eras was represented. In many cases, the political undertones that have always been present in Bad Religion’s music seem even more pertinent now than when the songs were released.

Best Moment: Not to discount the music, but all of lead singer Greg Graffin’s between-song banter. Like a great stand-up comedian, he bragged about the Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup victory before dismissing sports altogether. Later, he amusingly expressed his distaste for all of the advertisements surrounding the stage.

Miscellaneous: Though they omitted Toronto from their 30th anniversary tour a few years ago, the group did hint at a special treat for their Canadian fans in the near future.

Verdict: Punk shows can be judged by the quality of their mosh pit. By that measure, Bad Religion’s appearance was a success.

B L A C K I E
FROM: Houston, Texas
PERFORMED: June 14, 10 p.m. at the Drake Hotel Underground

Pre-Show Hype: Fairly high. B L A C K I E’s performance at South by Southwest definitely put him on the radar. There was a fair bit of curiosity about the man who will be playing three nights at North by Northeast.

Performance: When you strip away the hype about the homemade 5,000-watt sound system, B L A C K I E—whose music combines punk, hip-hop, metal and dubstep—is essentially just one guy who screams bad poetry over top of a prerecorded backing track (admittedly a very loud one) and is really picky about how his name is spelled. That said, his North by Northeast debut wasn’t a total waste of time. B L A C K I E is, if nothing else, deadly serious about his own ridiculousness. His performance was fascinating and kinetic, and had a Darby Crash–ish flair. He hung himself with the mic, screamed, stomped, humped the amps and flailed around as if he was on fire. He may not have been great to listen to, but he was certainly fun to watch.

Best Moment: B L A C K I E stood wordlessly for two and a half minutes, alternating beteween a Jesus Christ pose and the “Y” in “YMCA,” while the audience clapped and cheered.

Miscellaneous: There were roughly 50 people in the crowd. It looked as if more than 40 of them had either a media pass or an artist pass.

Verdict: Like most of the crowd, Torontoist was there with a press pass. If we had actually paid money to be there, we would have been annoyed.

Sarah MacDougall
FROM: Whitehorse, Yukon
PERFORMED: June 14, 10 p.m. at C’est What?

Pre-Show Hype: Strong. A set like this is basically prime-time. So in a packed venue filled with a still-chatty audience, everyone was looking toward the mic as 10 p.m. drew near.

Performance: Great. MacDougall’s no stranger to the touring scene, having spent the last three years on the road. She definitely knew how to work the audience. There were sing-alongs, songs that encouraged the crowd to make wolf noises at certain intervals, and charming audience banter.

Best Moment: There were many great ones (the out-of-nowhere howl that featured occasionally in her songs, for example), but maybe the most memorable was her between-songs story about how living in the Yukon had made her so scared of bears and wolves that she would pee in the sink to avoid going outside to use the outhouse.

Miscellaneous: The baseball cap she was wearing actually made her look cooler. Why don’t people wear those anymore?

Verdict: It’s hard to keep track of all the great singer-songwriters out there, but MacDougall managed to capture the audience’s attention.

Tre Nyce
FROM: Vancouver, British Columbia
PERFORMED: June 14, 11 p.m. at the Crawford

Pre-Show Hype: Zero. Nyce was supposed to be part of Wednesday’s cancelled hip-hop showcase at the Rivoli. No one expected him to be here.

Performance: The Scarborough-born, Vancouver-based MC/singer put on a high-energy, entertaining performance. His fast-paced rhyme style, his tenor voice and his ability to mix thought-provoking lyrics and straight party rhymes all bode well for him in a world where Kanye West and Childish Gambino are superstars. While Nyce will never be a full-time singer, he can belt out a hook better than most rappers who try.

Best Moment: When he gave a shout-out to Scarborough, half the crowd broke into cheers.

Miscellaneous: Apparently he had bronchitis, which makes his performance even more impressive.

Verdict: He kept repeating the phrase “Tre Nyce is the future” throughout his set. There may be something to that.

The Hundred in the Hands
FROM: Brooklyn, New York
PERFORMED: June 14, 12 a.m. at Wrongbar

Pre-Show Hype: Pretty high. They had a song on Gossip Girl.

Performance: The Hundred in the Hands’ brand of new wave–influenced, synth-heavy indietronica tends to go over well at North by Northeast, and they represent the sub-genre at its best. Keyboardist and vocalist Elanore Everdell’s haunting voice contrasted nicely with pulsing beats and catchy synth riffs, and guitarist/bassist/programmer Jason Friedman is a talented multi-instrumentalist who moves like a hyperactive scarecrow.

Best Moment: Excited Audience Member: “You’re my favourite!”

Everdell: “Well, you’re OUR favourite.”

Miscellaneous: The Hundred in the Hands have their own webzine, where they interview their fellow musicians, as well as other artists.

Verdict: When it’s done well, dark-but-danceable is hard to beat. The Hundred in the Hands do it very well.

The Black Belles
FROM: Nashville, Tennessee
PERFORMED: June 14, 12 a.m. at the Garrison

Pre-Show Hype: It was a packed house. People standing on chairs.

Performance: Goth garage rock at its finest. Good sound, great song delivery and cute head-to-toe black outfits.

Best Moment: Emily the Strange’s twin sister wailing on the drums like they owed her money.

Miscellaneous: The band appeared on an episode of The Colbert Report in 2011.

Verdict: They were discovered by Jack White, and he knows what he’s doing. If you don’t like what they sound like, at least they’re nice to look at.

Purity Ring
FROM: Edmonton, Alberta/Montreal, Quebec
PERFORMED: June 14, 1 a.m. at Wrongbar

Pre-Show Hype: High beyond reason and completely out of proportion. Wrongbar was positively packed to the gills, with the entire audience standing at rapt attention. All this for a band whose debut album hasn’t even come out.

Performance: Most blog-buzz bands would crack under the pressure of this sort of high-profile coming-out party. Purity Ring may actually have exceeded expectations. Even when performed live, their emotional, slowed-out variety of electronica has the sort of polish you’d expect from a veteran act, not from a pair of newcomers. Megan James’ vocals are absolutely captivating.

Best Moment: When James admitted they were “really nervous” to be there, and that the crowd was “really awesome.”

Miscellaneous: The entire show was sponsored by a shoe company, who had their own VIP area. If anyone knows what it takes to be a Converse VIP, please let us know.

Verdict: Purity Ring aren’t going to be massive stars. They already are.

Lovely Killbots
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: Friday June 14, 2 a.m. at the Boat

Pre-Show Hype: Middling. Lovely Killbots were the last band scheduled as part of the HMV Digital Showcase. As of our arrival at The Boat at 2:10 a.m., there were half a dozen audience members on the dance floor (two were photographers), and another two dozen tired-looking spectators spread throughout the venue in chairs.

Performance: With such a small and tired crowd to perform for, and Lauralee Love having difficulty hearing her keyboard in the monitors (and consequently not always nailing the right pitch), we doubt this was a high-point show for Lovely Killbots, though they soldiered on.

Best Moment: The best song in the set was “Must Be Machine,” which got our toes tapping.

Miscellaneous: The video projection during the set was a nice touch.

Verdict: This duo, with “a penchant for heavy analogue synths and fun, catchy electro” has been making music together for five years, so by now they’ve surely learned to weather an off night. This was one of them.

Forget compasses, GPS, or helpful Sherpas. From June 11 to 17, Torontoist is here to be your guide to everything NXNE.

Fucked Up's Damian Abraham hosts yesterday's punk rock festivities at Yonge-Dundas Square.

Welcome to NXNE’s hump day. By the time you go to bed tonight, there will be more festival behind you than in front of you. Choose your shows wisely.

DZ Deathrays
Wrongbar (1279 Queen Street West)
9 p.m.

This Aussie two-man art-thrash duo has earned well-deserved comparisons to Toronto’s own Death from Above 1979. Not only do they generate an almost inhuman amount of noise for two people, they also make heavy music you can still dance to.

Go if: There is blood on your hands again, or you if wish there was.

Hooded Fang
The Silver Dollar Room (486 Spadina Avenue)
10 p.m.

We are long-time fans of Hooded Fang, and while we’re still getting used to their new stripped down lineup, sophomore album Tosta Mista‘s crunchier kind of punk-influenced power pop has already wormed its way into our hearts. It’s going to be a busy night for the band: after their Silver Dollar set, they’ll have about an hour to cart their gear west along College Street to Sneaky Dee’s. There, they’ll get into makeup and costume for the Daps Records showcase and play a set as part of their exploding-in-popularity other band, Phedre. (Do yourself a favour, and try and see both.)

Go if: You like your surf-rock spry.

Parlovr
The Silver Dollar Room (486 Spadina Avenue)
11 p.m.

The Polaris Prize long list came out yesterday, and lo and behold, Parlovr’s sophomore album, Kook Soul, is on it. This comes as no surprise to anyone who’s been following the turbulent-but-productive band since their DIY eponymous debut LP. While it’s never quite fair to a band to hold them up as representative of their city’s music scene, Parlovr are considered potential heirs to Arcade Fire’s crown. They’ve had recent profiles in both the Montreal Mirror and the Montreal Gazette.

Go if: You can look past all the tongue-in-cheek self-descriptions of their sound as “sloppy pop,” “21st century emo,” and even “kook soul,” and see they’re just a great rock-and-roll band who thrive on challenging themselves.

Smoking Popes
The Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West)
1 a.m.

Here’s an underrated band that the ’90’s forgot. Yes, the pop-punk group, from the suburbs of Chicago, broke up in 1998 when lead singer Josh Caterer converted to Christianity. But, unbeknownst to many, the group reunited in 2005 and has since released two albums that hew closely to the original winning formula. While there are a few songs from the old days that the band no longer plays because they conflict with Caterer’s religion, all of the fan favorites remain part of the set list.

Go if: You have ever wondered what became of those guys who played that song you like on the Clueless soundtrack CD you will never admit to anyone that you actually own.

John Maus
Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor Street West)
1 a.m.

When you’re the keyboardist for bands like Animal Collective and Ariel Pink, you tend to learn a few things. So to say that expectations are high for this experimental musician’s show would be too obvious. Let’s just say that John Maus—who last performed at the Drake Hotel back in September—can keep his audience captivated. His performance art-like live show is so gleefully all over the place, you just have to see it to believe it.

Go if: You’re looking for an unorthodox show.

Strip Comedy
Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton Street)
2 a.m.

Georgea Brooks-Hancock hosts Strip Comedy at the Monarch Tavern.

There will be alcohol, laughs, and late night nudity during what’s likely to be the rowdiest edition of Strip Comedy ever. For anyone unfamiliar with the concept, Strip Comedy is a monthly event hosted by local stand-up Georgea Brooks-Hancock. It’s basically strip poker, but with jokes. Every time a comic’s joke bombs, they have to remove an article of clothing. Diana Love, who’s one of the comedians on the bill, pretty much guaranteed that someone would be getting naked in an interview with Torontoist earlier this week.

Go if: Did I mention alcohol, laughs, and nudity? There is literally no reason for you not to go.

For those of you who don’t feel like running around all night, we’ve taken the liberty of selecting the evening’s best single-venue lineup.

Best Lineup
Sneaky Dee’s (431 College Street)

We’re going to assume that, this being Friday night and all, you’re likely looking to cast off the shackles of the week and throttle into full-on party mode. For those so inclined, Sneaky Dee’s has you covered, as usual. The next Fucked Up may just be playing as part of a hectic lineup that showcases local punk and noise-rock talent like Cartoons (9 p.m.) and Hellaluya (10 p.m.). As a counterbalance to the abundance of screeching guitars, the evening also has hip-hop act Times Neue Roman (2 a.m.) and electronic project Phedre (midnight).

Go if: You’re ready for some chaos.

Forget compasses, GPS, or helpful Sherpas. From June 11 to 17, Torontoist is here to be your guide to everything NXNE.

Teenanger bassist Melissa Ball.

The first night of NXNE may have got off to a bumpy start, with the sudden cancellation of the hip-hop showcase at The Rivoli, but thankfully a night full of strong performances helped make up for it.

Petty Victories
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: June 13, 8 p.m. at The Monarch Tavern

Pre-Show Hype: Minimal. Minutes before the show began there were only a few people in the pub.

Performance: Engaging, if not for slightly uneven sound quality.

Best Moment: “Come closer.” The gig became much stronger and intimate once the crowd was invited to come a few steps nearer to the band.

Miscellaneous: The Tavern’s grand piano sounded great—a very nice touch for this set.

Verdict: Very easy-going music and a nice way to enter NXNE—check them out if you’re looking for something calming or an album to listen to on a long car ride home.

Gus + Scout
FROM: New York, New York
PERFORMED: June 13, 10 p.m. at El Mocambo (Downstairs)

Pre-Show Hype: Growing by the minute as show-time approached. The word appeared to be out on this one, as an empty room became a bustling hotspot in an instant. There were likely more than a few rubberneckers in attendance curious to see if Scout WIllis (yes, daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis) was capable of carrying a tune.

Performance: The duo, backed by a bassist and drummer who apparently don’t warrant additional ampersands in the band’s name, ambled through ragged blues-tinged numbers that straddled a pleasing line between rock and country. While the temptation for most may be to dismiss the group as the mere dalliance of a spoiled celebrity daughter, Scout’s voice carried a soulful tone that lent itself perfectly to the genre. She still has a reluctant stage presence (perhaps owing to her age), with a tendency to pick her fingernails or hook her thumbs into her Daisy Dukes when not singing. And there’s something about her relationship with baby-faced Gus that seems tailor-made for an upcoming reality television show. At face value, though, a solid festival appearance.

Best Moment: It was poised to be the tender kiss that Scout planted on Gus’S cheek after one of his barn-burning solos, until she later finished the set by rewarding him with a full-on lip-lock. Possibly a great conclusion to an episode of the aforementioned hypothetical reality show?

Miscellaneous: Even drummer Noah seemed surprised when he was introduced by Scout as “the baddest motherfucker you’ll ever meet.”

Verdict: The girl can sing. Though there are rough edges to be polished, this remains a combination to keep an eye on.

Sexy Mathematics
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: June 13, 10 p.m. at The Detour Bar

Pre-Show Hype: Strong—the venue had a healthy number of people before the show started (and the excitement was definitely showing).

Performance: Solid, boosted by the choice of a small venue. These guys could definitely benefit from including an instrumental or two in their set though.

Best Moment: Announcing “we’re going to slow it down a bit” and then launching into what was essentially a dance-inducing jam.

Miscellaneous: The disco lights added nicely to the atmosphere.

Verdict: The venue was a perfect choice for this set—intimate and small enough to fill up with their sound easily. The instrument transition in the last two songs made the set worth seeing, though it would have been even better if they had boosted the sound of the mics.

Tess
FROM: New York, New York
PERFORMED: June 13, 11 p.m. at The Crawford

Pre-Show Hype: Pretty much nil. We were actually there to see The Lytics, but there was a schedule change.

Performance: If there’s one problem with NXNE-type festivals, it’s that the acts don’t always blend together very well. For example, it would be hard to imagine a worse lead-in for Tess’ dance-pop flavoured R&B than the testosterone-laden aggro-rap of Tomasi. That said, the New York–based songstress did a great job of playing the hand she was dealt: stretching her voice to the limit, coming into the shy Toronto crowd, dancing until she was dripping in sweat, and breaking into tears on one of the slower, more emotional numbers.

Best Moment: Undoubtedly when she covered The Police’s “Roxanne,” then passed the mic to the audience during the chorus.

Miscellaneous: Her back-up singer, Jack Fuller, has a powerful enough voice that he could easily be a leading act in his own right.

Verdict: The next time Tess plays Toronto, it will be on a much, much larger stage.

Amos The Transparent
FROM: Ottawa, Ontario
PERFORMED: June 13, 11 p.m. at El Mocambo (Downstairs)

Amos the Transparent, far more visible than their name would suggest.

Pre-Show Hype: Fairly palpable. One of those Canadian bands deserving of a wider audience, they released their second album, Goodnight My Dear… I’m Falling Apart to strong reviews earlier this year. As singer Jonathan Chandler remarked at one point, the venue appeared to be filled with the familiar faces of loyal fans, but also some new converts.

Performance: The strength was all in the delivery, as the sextet provided the kind of loose and fun set that can only develop with hard work and time. With offerings that ranged from jangly, earnest anthems like “Slow as the Weather” to melancholy-laced slow burners, they nearly all succeeded in hitting their desired mark. Each band member brought his or her own invaluable contribution to the mix.

Best Moment: It’s hard to pull off an effective background vocal sing-along with any audience, let alone one in Toronto, but this improbable feat was achieved to satisfying results.

Miscellaneous: The band has generously made the new album available as a free download on their website.

Verdict: A great way to get the festival started and another reminder of the level of talent flying under the radar in Canada.

Teenanger
FROM: Toronto, Ontario
PERFORMED: June 13, 12 a.m. at The Garrison

Teenanger vocalist Christopher Swimmings at The Garrison.

Pre-Show Hype: Fairly high—both NOW and the AV Club tapped Teenager as one of the acts to watch at this year’s NXNE, and they were the subject of a write-up in the Globe and Mail back in February.

Performance: It’s hard for a band to live up to that kind of expectation, but Teenanger managed to pull it off. Their jam-packed half-hour set was fast and tight, and lead vocalist Chris Swimmings’ nasal vocals were loud enough to rattle your chest. They didn’t talk between songs, but they did drink, spit, sneer, and generally kick ass.

Best Moment: Any time Swimmings spat into the crowd.

Miscellaneous: When they finished their set, they pretty much just dropped their gear and walked off stage.

Verdict: Teenanger is loud, snotty, obnoxious, and pretty much everything you’d ever want from a punk band.

Teen Violence
FROM: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
PERFORMED: Jun 13, 12 a.m. at The Detour Bar

Geoff Albrecht (left) and Marcus Wanka of Teen Violence. Detail of a photo from their Bandcamp page.

Pre-Show Hype: Not much. No Twitter handle or hashtag (a couple of pre-show fan tweets), no mentions in any online publication’s NXNE previews or picks, one June interview in Fuss Magazine.

Performance: The Detour had a healthy (though not capacity) crowd when we arrived at midnight, and Teen Violence was already into their set. Frontman Marcus Wanka and lead guitarist Geoff Albrecht were joined by a bassist and very capable drummer for a four piece set-up, and the crowd seemed appreciative, though not initially pressing the stage. The first full song we heard was “The Only Way (We’ll Stay Together),” which had some unison vocals from the two regular members, and a decent surf-pop vibe. Our initial impression: punkier Monkees.

Best Moment: After several invites to dance or come closer, Wanka got the crowd to close the gap for their final three songs, all new (“These are fresh! Fresh as hell!”), two minute miracles.

Miscellaneous: “I like the Everly Brothers” announced Wanka mid-way through the set, and sure enough, their ’50s/’60s sound was worn heart-on-sleeve. Also, their horizontally striped attire made an impact.

Verdict: A strong first impression. While their 7-inch wasn’t on hand as they’d planned, that recording and a second EP are in the pipeline, as well as two videos. We’ll be keeping tabs on them.

Blake Carrington
FROM: Toronto, Ontario/Buffalo, New York
PERFORMED: June 13, 12:50 a.m. at The Crawford

Pre-Show Hype: Minimal.

Performance: Blake Carrington is a machine. His stage presence borders on epic. He jumps around like an over-sugared toddler, but doesn’t let it affect his smooth, measured delivery in the slightest. He managed to occupy every inch of The Crawford’s tiny stage (seemingly at once), did a masterful job of engaging the crowd, and did it all without ever seeming to tire.

Best Moment: When Carrington invited MC/producer Rich Kidd on stage with him. Kidd was supposed to headline the cancelled SmashMouth showcase at The Rivoli, so it was good to get to see him get a little stage time.

Miscellaneous: Carrington was actually supposed to go on stage at midnight. Remember what I said about hip-hop standard time?

Verdict: Young rappers should watch Carrington and take notes. He may be one of the best live performers in hip-hop right now.

We Were Lovers
FROM: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
PERFORMED: June 13, 1 a.m. at The Boat

We Were Lovers vocalist Elsa Gebremichael.

Pre-Show Hype: Minimal.

Performance: Things got off to a rough start when technical difficulties forced the band to stop twice during their opening song. Thankfully, their performance was worthy of the crowd’s patience. Elsa Gebremichael’s smooth vocals combined nicely with electro dance beats and guitarist Ash Lamothe’s rock infusion.

Best Moment: “Islands,” off their upcoming album, Pyramids

Miscellaneous: Gebremichael used to be in a band called From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z.

Verdict: This young prairie duo has a lot going for them.

CLARIFICATION: June 17, 2012, 10:10 PM This post originally referred to the back-up singer for Tess by a nickname; his full name, Jack Fuller, has been added above.