Sleep while you can because it’s almost that time of year again. Again, Toronto will be taken over by hundreds of musicians from every corner of the earth for seven days of nonstop music. Canadian Music Week is that special time of year where you get a glimpse of nonstop amazing bands. While the big showcases may be your go to, don’t rule out those club shows. Here are some hidden gems not to miss at this year’s CMW.
There is no need for set up. These two are some of the most glorious musicians around. If you haven’t come across the Swedish stars on the brink of becoming rock’s best duo, Victoria + Jean, then take some time and listen to their new single. Just announcing their debut album, Divine Love, out April 29th, the new single is strong preview of what’s the come. The release will be followed by a North American tour and yes, they will be stopping by Toronto. So, you’ll have plenty of time to aquatint yourself with the two before their Canadian Music Week performance at Adelaide Hall in May.
Stories is an album of legends. Featuring Alex Ebert, Chris Martin and Wyclef Jean, Tim Bergling better known by his stage name Avicii has once again made a stunning collection of songs. The tone of the album seems a little more serious, with a romantic element. His previous album True, featured more danceable seductive tracks, while Stories, is just that. Stories, seeming to focus on romance in oneself or others.
Victoria + Jean – V + J E.P.Take a walk with Victoria + Jean, down a dark road filled with twisted guitar and taunting lyrics. Victoria invites you in and Jean’s shredding guitar leads you through their world. In just four songs they’ll rip you to shreds. How? Well, there isn’t really a way to describe their sound. You don’t exactly hear, them, you experience them.
Language Arts – Able IslandThe tripod that is Language Arts consists of, Kristen Cudmore with Neil MacIntosh, Joel Visentin and Søren Nissen, who deck themselves in a genre known as art pop. They tempt you in every sense, and their newest album provokes imagination, style and sweet hymns.
1977 is back with her haunting 70s pop. It’s like taking a walk through a different era with that goth girl. The best part of 1977 is that she makes something so sweetly dark, and haunting and yet it’s not overwhelming. There is an upbeat undertone embedded into all of her music, but with the previous releases, she see that she is not repetitive in producing the same sound. She takes what she does, and creates something new without losing herself.
Just because they’re amazing, here is a gallery of Indie Week 2015 Winners Victoria + Jean wrecking havoc inside Rivoli. Enjoy. 
Alas, Indie week, has begun. What a better way to start off the festival than with a party celebrating what the festival is all about simply, good music. Joni Fuller, Victoria + Jean and Tiny Danza opened the first night with intimate performances for a select few. Here’s a quick recap of what went down.
Winners of the UK Indie week, Victoria + Jean, flew overseas to give a breathtaking performance that had the crowd screaming and photographers crawling over one another to get their golden shot. Thrashing hair, screaming and a whole lot of sweat, they brought the venue into the twisted world they rule with guitars and a sweetly-sinister take on rock. Performing each night for the festival you have many chances to take a step into the darkness that is Victoria + Jean, and see for yourself how great a walk on the dark side can be.
Earlier on, Joni Fuller performed an amazing set, with a full band of herself. Playing her pop-country album, Letters From The West Coast, the English sonsgtress is stunning. Playing keys, guitar, violin, and acoustic guitar on loop with vocals, the musician is hypnotizing to watch.
Tiny Danza pumped up the crowd a little later on. The 2011 winners graced the venue with a high-energy set that mixed their signature rock/rap dynamic that the crowd was waiting for.
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