Tag Archives: Casper Skulls

CMW Preview: Backstage with Casper Skulls

April 24, 2018 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

Casper Skulls-1-12 — Mere weeks before they take the stage for CMW, Casper Skulls stop by The Good Will Social Club in Winnipeg for a performance. Here is your backstage pass to The Toronto Rockers. Casper Skulls will take stage at The Horseshoe Tavern May 11th.

Locals only: Casper Skulls announce debut album

September 10, 2017 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

Casper Skulls.jpg Toronto’s baby band, soon to be dropping the “baby” from their stature, shared the first single off of their debut album. Casper Skulls’, You Can Call Me Allocator, is a solid step into the tone for the upcoming release. The band is a solid post-punk concoction. They proved their maturity in the genre with the Lips & Skull EP released last October. Now refining themselves with the new track, the band is moving forward with a little mystery to their sound. Mercy Works is out November 3 via Buzz Records. Listen to the debut track below.

Festival

[Count down to CMW] The Canadian Gems

March 30, 2017 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

Canadian Music Week is nearly here, beginning April 18th-23rd. Talents from around the world will come to fill up every venue in Toronto for a week. But sometimes you don’t have to look to far to see some of the best talent. Canada’s got some amazing bands you might not have heard off (but definitely need too). Here is a list of bands you NEED to see at this years festival.

Casper Skulls

You’ve most certainly seen this band on a playbill. Casper Skulls are the reason people come early to shows. They capture crowds with their grunge rock and turn the audience into obsessed fans.

Hollerado

The Canadian darlings are a band to know. If you haven’t heard of Hollerado you’re missing out. They’re a band with an eccentric energy that thrives in each one of their albums. Playing The Indies at The Phoenix, the show will not be one to miss.

Weaves

The Buzz Record stars are an indie dream. Live they pour their souls onto the stage. Their sold out shows are always different and never cease to amaze. Their music is something to be experienced live.

Hoan

Celebrating their album launch at CMW, the band is an odd treat. Mellow and dark, their sound if soft and gripping. It gives you chill by offsetting a comfort to lose yourself in.

Yi

Making their CMW debut, Yi, is a rare experimental project the emulates a sound somewhere between undistinguishable and emotionally driven.

Top Five

[Top five] Albums not to forget in 2017

January 2, 2017 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

2017 is sure to bring some exciting and much anticipated albums forth. Along the way we need to recall some of the greats that last year gave us. This week’s top five is dedicated to those we fell in love with last year.

You could say they’re following in the footsteps on bands like Fidlar, but it would be unfair. SWMRS are paving their way one rowdy show at a time. Beneath the thrashing guitar and sweaty shows, Drive North is an overwhelming note of positivity much needed in 2016.

The indie darlings produced one of the most underrated catchy songs of the year. Johnny, the first single off of their debut album, will make you fall in love with the softly sweet voice of Christy Hurn. Each song on the album is a mirage covering the confessions and meanings riddled into each track.

mothers-7-of-31 — Mothers – When You Walk a Long Distance You Are Tired

Full of confessions straight from the soul Mothers debut EP is a frighteningly honest look into heartbreak, happiness and sadness. Listen to it with a box of tissues near your side, or if you need a lift.

Shut Up Kiss Me was undoubtably one of the best singles to shout along to. It won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, and neither with Olsen. My Women is a slightly different direction showing the growth and triumphs an artist overcome. The album is a wondrous ride no matter what mood.

a2153350210_10 — Casper Skulls – Lips and Skull

The debut album from the Toronto-based band was six songs full of addicting pulse accelerating rock. Devotion is the most catching track on the album and the title track is a gem of it’s own. The time and effort put into the album is apparent with each perfected track. The polish on the debut is a strong step into the music scene for the band we’ll be seeing a lot more of.

Live, review, Reviews

Front Row at Casper Skulls Release Party

November 28, 2016 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

casper-skulls-2 — November 26th, 2016 – Casper Skulls play The Baby G for the EP release party, with support, Little Junior.

Bubbles rain down on the crowd, the stage. The floor is slippery from the residue. Red, white, and black balloons are tossed around in the crowd, settling on stage. The room is still buzzing from Little Juniors performance earlier on and their too perfect cover of Teenage Dirtbag. Even they’ve taken their places amid the crowd to watch the band of the evening.

Casper Skulls take their places a proud excitement on each of their faces, pausing only to throw some of the balloons back out at the crowd.

I’ve seen this band more times than I can remember, on every stage from Lee’s to The Danforth. No matter how many times you see them, they never fail to disappoint. Now finally, it’s their moment. At their sold-out Toronto EP release party Casper Skulls shine. The crowd at The Baby G is already jumping and screaming, the first note hasn’t been played.

They begin with Devotion, one of the strongest tracks on the EP, and the excitement in the room pulses. Bubbles still fall, it’s too packed to see who’s blowing them. Balloons are being thrown as a mosh pit breaks out. Someone goes up in the air, the first crowd surfer of the evening. Not before, two, three more people go up, riding the crowd’s excitement at the same time. Never pausing the band rolls into each track smoothly, precisely, never losing energy, and never producing anything but a perfect performance.

Check out more photos from the show below.

Live, review, Reviews

Front row at Born Ruffians

October 24, 2016 Taija Anderson Leave a comment

The Danforth fills, the crowd presses forward filling every inch between them and the stage. The lights dim and Born Ruffians begin their verbal fuck you song, Eat Shit We Did it. Cheers fill as the band takes their places behind their instruments, set in a line. Did it they have, Born Ruffians have marked themselves as one of those Canadian bands you need to know and love.

Their fans are enthralled as they’re singing alone to, what they consider, hit after hit. Four albums and two EP’s later, the band has stayed true to their quirky indie rock sound that makes them so endearing. The songs change rapidly, the band stops only for singer Luke Lalonde to switch one of the four guitars behind him. The crowd keeps up pace with the band, seeming never to miss a word or beat.

The energy is never ending as the songs change, just when they’ve played your favourite song, a guitar riff starts up and instantly you realize THIS is your favourite song. No matter how many times you see them they never seem tiring. With their ever changing sound playing out before your eyes and ears on stage, to cohesion of their old and new music melds to satisfy your inner teen and current adult.

Earlier on, the always amazing, Casper Skulls opened the show. Beginning the evening with their dark daunting sound, they were an interesting contrast to Born Ruffians set to come. With an interesting stage presence and masterful music skills Casper Skulls are a band to see.