Acts to watch out for:
AwolNation
AwolNation are the cross between mesmerizing and brilliance. They are on the bill for Riot Fest this year, and have been causing up a storm since they first started in 2009. Composed of Aaron Bruno, Drew Stewart, Kenny Carkeet, David Amezcua and Isaac Carpenter, these men have blurred the lines between electronic music and rock music. Hailing from the City of Angels, Los Angeles, they were immediately signed to Red Bull Records. The name comes from Bruno’s past from high school, as he would “leave without saying goodbye because it was just easier, so that’s where the name AWOL came from”, and this was his nickname. Ever since I heard “Sail”, I fell in love with this band due to the amazing vocals and the melody, which just carries you away. Their songs have been featured in the TV shows: Sons of Anarchy, House M.D., The Good Wife, and The Vampire Diaries, just to name a few. Their debut album has gone Gold, while the lead single Sail has gone triple platinum. Currently they are working on a new album which will be out sometime this year. In the meantime they have released a Deluxe Edition of their album “Megalithic Symphony” which has addition singles Some Kind of Joke, among others.
The Cure are legends. Not only are they known for their music but for their longevity. The Cure started in 1976 and since have gone through many line up changes. Currently, The Cure is composed of Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O’Donnell, Jason Cooper, and Reeves Gabrels. I fell in love with The Cure when I first heard Pictures of You and since then it has been heaven to listen to their music. The Cure have been described as new wave, dark wave and alternative. It was due to this music wave in the 1980s and early 1990s that paved the way for DJs and the EDM that’s currently everywhere. The Cure have influenced many bands and DJs from Crystal Castles, Franz Ferdinand, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, The Killers, and the list continues. They are awards winners of numerous awards, from the BRIT Awards to being awarded the MTV Icon Award for what they represent in music. From their most famous albums such as “Distinigration” and “Wish” to their current album “4:26 Dream”, their music can be heard everywhere, from TV shows to movies, to even remixes on the dance floor. Toronto locals, Crystal Castles, also made a song with Robert Smith called Not In Love which made it in the top 20 in Canadian Alternative Charts.
The band originally formed back in 2001 but ended in 2006. After being on break the band re-formed back in 2011. The band consists of Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger. They are label as Dance-punk/Noise-punk and with that label, you know they are ready to blow the house down. They are signed to 679 Records. They were on Last Gang Records before making the switch. Their last album was in 2004, but they have made EPs since then. They are slated to release a new album just after they play Toronto Riot Fest in September. Both Sebastien Grainger and Jesse Keeler are known for their side projects: Jesse is one half of MSTRKRFT, while Sebastien has been in numerous side projects, such as Sebastien Grainger and The Mountains. Their newest single Trainwreck of 1979 has just been released, and it’s been shooting up alternative charts since the release.
Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, this rap/rave/alternative trio has been turning heads since they formed in 2008. Having a cult following, Die Antwoord have blown up around the world, mainly due to their artistic videos. The group consists of Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek. Die Antwoord’s name actually means “The Answer” in Afrikaans. Even their lyrics are a mixture of English, Afrikaans and Xhosa, which makes them unique. They identify their style as “Zef” music, which in loose Afrikaans terms means the culture of the working class white South Africans. Some of their music videos have even incorporated artwork from legendary photographer Roger Ballen. It was when Baby’s On Fire that I started to hear of them in North America, in the underground scene. They are currently singed to Zef Records and have released a new album this past year called “Donker Mag”. The lead single Cookie Thumper! has been a hit, with the album itself being number 1 on the Billboard U.S. Dance/Electronic Albums.
Metric are another hometown legend, hailing from Toronto. Metric started out back in 1998 and continued to be heavyweights in the electronic rock scene/ Synth-Pop scenes. The band is comprised of Emily Haines, James Shaw, Joshua Winstead and Joules Scott-Key. They have opened up for the likes of the Rolling Stones and bands that have opened for Metric, include Phantogram, Passion Pit, Crystal Castles, Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many other bands. When I heard Combat Baby it was love at first listen. Since then Metric have gone to win multiple awards as well as have their music featured in TV and movie soundtracks. Their current album “Synthetica” has produced top ten and number one hits Youth Without Youth and Breathing Underwater. They are currently signed with Mom & Pop Music and currently are doing side projects as well as playing festivals. You might have heard Emily Haines before because she is also a part of Canadian band Broken Social Scene, along with Feist and many other members.
LINKS:
Riot Fest
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AwolNation
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook
The Cure
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook
Death From Above 1979
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook
Die Antwoord
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook
Metric
Official Website
Twitter
Facebook
Amrit Sandhu – EDM TOR
