Ohbijou, Rock Plaza Central and $100 rally to raise funds for Tranzac Club

Jess BaumungToronto’s Tranzac may have been founded as the gathering place for the Toronto Australia New Zealand Club, but for the city’s musical community its role extends far beyond a place to discuss the mysteries of the Coriolis effect. It’s also one of the city’s all-ages venues and as such, has been both an incubator for many of Toronto’s up-and-coming acts and a low-key stop for bands touring through town.

I personally have fond memories of seeing Beach House’s first show here in November 2006 with about a dozen people in the building’s front room, an intimate performance from then-reigning Polaris winner Final Fantasy in February 2007, a matinee throw-down to maybe 30 people by Matt & Kim later that May, the release show for Evening Hymns’ debut Spirit Guides just last Fall – a lot of great stuff has gone down in that room

And, like many/most/all things run for love over profit, it needs money. The hows and whys of its finances go well beyond its role as a music venue, but needless to say if the city were to lose the venue, it’d be poorer for it. So with an eye towards doing what they can, a number of bands are returning to their roots over the next couple months by holding some fundraiser shows. On November 19, Rock Plaza Central will come out of their vague hiatus for a show of their own songs and collaborations with other city musicians – tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door. The following evening, November 20, Ohbijou will hopefully offer a preview of their forthcoming third record in what is, I believe, their only hometown show of the year. Support comes from Lisa Bozikovic and tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. And a couple weeks later, $100 will get up close and personal in the venue’s tiny Southern Cross Lounge, supported by Doug Paisley – tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

So whatever incentive works for you, be it the opportunity to see some acts who’ve generally graduated to playing bigger rooms in more intimate environs or just helping out a local cultural hub while getting some entertainment out of the deal, hit up one/some/all of these shows if you can. It’s the right thing to do and the easy way to do it.

MP3: Ohbijou – “Black Ice”
MP3: Rock Plaza Central – “Handsome Men”

Vancouver’s Yukon Blonde will be making the most of their stop in Toronto on their Fall tour, adding an in-store performance at Sonic Boom at 3:30 on November 6 before their show across the street at Lee’s Palace later that night with The Wooden Sky. Admission to the in-store is free with a donation of canned good.

MP3: Yukon Blonde – “Wind Blows”

NYC Taper is sharing a recording of Diamond Rings’ short set at CMJ in New York last week. He’s the subject of feature pieces in The Toronto Sun, Vancouver Sun, Montreal Mirror and Queens Journal.

Uptown and The Gateway get into the head of Owen Pallett.

Liz Powell tells Spin how Land Of Talk got their name.

Look At What The Light Did Now, the documentary film on Feist, is still without a Toronto screening date and it appears that fans might get to watch the film in the comfort of their own homes before they see it in a theatre – Exclaim reports that the DVD edition of the film will be released on December 7 and come with a 13-track bonus CD. Just in time for Christmas – fancy that.

Daytrotter has posted up a session with Tokyo Police Club.

aux.tv asks Hallowe’en-related things of Fucked Up’s Damien Abraham.

NOW devoted this week’s cover story to visiting Vancouverites Black Mountain.

The Take and Sticky talk to Dan Mangan while eye tries to figure out why he’s so darned popular.

This weekend, The Toronto Star ran a terrific feature about the realities of being a touring musician in Canada – the main feature is worth a read, as are the side-pieces including a Q&A with Dallas Good of The Sadies, the collection of touring stories, collection of road-related health risks and piece on the problems with not being on the road.

Paper Bag RecordsToronto’s Rock Plaza Central is an acquired taste and one, I confess, I’ve not fully acquired. Frontman Chris Eaton’s voice is a ragged and off-kilter thing and not one terribly concerned with pitch, and though it’s well-suited to the densely literate lyrics and ramshackle folk-orchestrations of the band’s music, it’s still something I have to learn to get past to fully appreciate the band because otherwise, they sound very much up my alley. But I also remind myself that I was once unable to get past the vocals of Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff, but eventually did and my world was a better place for it. So we shall see.

Rock Plaza Central just released their second album At The Moment Of Our Most Needing and are playing a record release show at Lee’s Palace this Saturday night, June 13, to mark the occasion. And courtesy of REMG and Paper Bag Records, I’ve got a couple of prize packs to give away consisting of a pair of passes to the show and a copy of the new album on CD. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Rock Plaza Central” in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body, and get that in to me by midnight, June 11.

eye and CBC Radio 3 have features on Rock Plaza Central.

MP3: Rock Plaza Central – “Handsome Men”
MySpace: Rock Plaza Central