Complain Away!

Episode 41 of This Is Toronto is now available!

Harbourfront Centre's World Stage is forming a Complaints Choir. Anyone can participate, whether it's complaining, singing or doing both.

www.thisistorontopodcast.blogspot.com

NEXT EPISODE: Dec. 31, 2010

Great Aunt Ida at Mitzi's Sister - Jan. 17

You might know her from The Violet Archers, The Buttless Chaps, The Choir Practice or any number of other places but on Saturday, August 17 Ida Nilson will be Great Aunt Ida and she (and friends) will be in the intimate (read: small) venue of Mitzi's Sister 1554 Queen Street West in Toronto.

If you don't know any of the bands mentioned above you have some catching up to do. At least listen to more listen to more Radio 3

If you don't know Great Aunt Ida specifically there are three songs you can download from the website greatauntida.com.

Company You Keep

We Say No

Stranger

Free Downloads from the Choir Practice

Rumor has it that the Choir Practice was originally formed "as an excuse to drink wine and sing with friends." If that is true then the logic follows that if you are going to "drink and sing with friends" you might as well do it on stage and get paid.

The Choir Practice is an a'cappella vocal group from Vancouver consisting of "Coco (from The Gay and A.C. Newman) song writer, vocals and guitar, Larissa (from Kellarissa and P:ano) song writer, vocals and piano, Naomi (fashion designer) vocals, Olivia (from FanShaw) vocals, Jenn (from The Pokiok Falls) vocals and percussion, Kristen-vocals and gloc, Chris (from The Gay Straights) vocals and guitar, Ska-T (DJ) vocals, Shane (from Love and Mathematics) vocals and bass, Karin (photographer) vocals and percussion, Shira (from Blood Meridian) vocals and tamborine, Ida (from Great Aunt Ida) vocals, Sydney (from Hello Blue Roses) vocals, Marcy (from Heartbreak Scene) vocals, and finally KD (from the basement)". They are also the latest addition to this site's Podsafe Download section and the very first artists from Mint Records to be represented there.

the Choir Practice - Failsafe

RVT: The Choir Practice - Failsafe

From Pitchfork:

Vancouver's the Choir Practice released a version of Carl Newman's "Failsafe" on their self-titled debut even before Newman's New Pornographers got around to issuing the Kathryn Calder-fronted rendition on Challengers. Led by former the Gay and A.C. Newman member Coco Culbertson, the Choir Practice includes New Pornographers drummer Kurt Dahle, Sydney Vermont (of Dan Bejar collaboration Hello, Blue Roses), and P:ano's Larissa Loyva, plus members of Blood Meridian, Love and Mathematics, Great Aunt Ida, and Heartbreak Scene, among others. The group's recording of "Failsafe" leaves out the New Pornos' "How Soon Is Now" guitar tremolo, instead layering sweetly sung vocals over a lone guitar and handclaps. Panning from face to face, the video plays like a Canadian equivalent of "We're From Barcelona".