Photos and Videos: Solo Night at The Smiling Buddha, April 13th

On april 13th, the Smiling Buddha hosted a solo, mostly acoustic night. After Gunk performed sad spoken word accompanied by his guitar, Organ Thieves member Chuck Coles mesmerized the audience with several original songs, as well as a cover of Sorrow by Bad Religion that left those listening with chills.

Drew Thomson of Single Mothers closed out the night- though before playing music, he started by reading two short stories he’s written in zines about a summer spent with family in Swastika, Ontario (yes, as he grimly assured us, there is unfortunately still a place of that name).

Below the cut are some photos and (shaky) videos from the night.

Related Links: 

GUNK | CHUCK COLES | DREW THOMSON | LITTLE MONKEY PRESS

Photo Dump: Pop Punk's Not Dead show in Toronto, March

What's this, two posts in one day?! Here's the last of my catching up from tech errors, with photos of A Will Away and more at their show in the cramped but always fun basement of The Smiling Buddha.

Photos and Video: PPOP Up Market 2 in Toronto, March 22nd 2015

Well this is a long time coming! Unfortunately due to a combination of very limited internet at home (apparently Bell likes it when you pay your bills- who knew?!) and what may or may not be a computer virus, I have been trying to get this post up for a long time, and now am finally able to. So without further ado, here are some photos from People Put Out Productions' PPOP Up Market #2- and even a video!

Photo Dump: Dead Broke and The Dying Arts in Toronto, March 21st

On March 21^st, The Dying Arts and Dead Broke played support for Restorations at the Horseshoe Tavern. Though I lack photograph evidence of the headliner band, I do have several of shots of these two dynamic openers.

Dead Broke have always excelled at entertaining the crowd during the set, but they certainly outdid themselves at their first Horseshoe show, including introducing various members of the crowd, high-jumps, and of course an impromptu mid-song healing ceremony.

The Dying Arts, meanwhile, have played The Horseshoe Tavern numerous times, but that didn’t make the 21^st any less exciting. The band ripped through their songs with their signature raw energy, drawing a growing crowd as the set went on.

Photo Dump: Womb and Mother Leads in Toronto, March 18th

In an eclectic blend of styles, both jazz-influenced Womb and the heavier-styled Mother Leads gathered at Toronto's Cherry Cola. In a night filled with dancing, Womb played their first set as a five-piece, adding on a keyboardist and trumpet player.

Photo Dump: Brutal Youth 7" Release in Toronto, March 13th

On a very lucky Friday the 13th, punk band Brutal Youth released their new 7" record Bottoming Out, and brought a few friends along for the ride. Not only did $10 get you entry to the show, that included sets by School Damage, No Hands, and Good People, the lucky first 100 people got a free record at the door. Brutal Youth then took the stage, and played a fun and energetic set. Singer Patty even got a few jumps in, despite an apparent leg injury that left him in an elaborate knee brace.

Photo Dump: Sixteen Scandals in Toronto, February 28th 2015

Back in November, Sixteen Scandals were part of the project I created that eventually led to starting this blog. At the end of February, I had a chance to see and photograph this awesome pop-punk band again. With their fast-paced, dancey riffs and a bassist who used the entire venue as a stage, Sixteen Scandals did not disappoint.

Photo Dump: FRNKIERO AND THE CELLABRATION in Toronto, February 25th 2015

In February this year, Frank Iero- guitarist of My Chemical Romance fame- returned to Toronto for the first time since forming FRNKIERO AND THE CELLABRATION. This was the band's first headlining tour, and the fast-paced and exciting set featured songs from the debut album Stomachaches. One highlight, though, was when they were joined by touring support Homeless Gospel Choir to cover Boxcar by Jawbreaker. After this mesmerizing show, Iero stayed to meet each and every concertgoer waiting to express thanks or get something signed: a line that spanned through the small venue. 

Photo Dump: Anti-Flag in Toronto, February 12th 2015

On Thursday, February 12th, Anti-Flag kicked off the Canada leg of their Terror State tour at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. The band played The Terror State album front to back, in addition to throwing in as a few fan favourites and a visit from Sea Shepherd and Amnesty International Toronto.

Find more photos under the cut!