JUST ANNOUNCED
We’re thrilled to relay that multi-platinum, Grammy nominated UK band Snow Patrol will perform their first Toronto headline gig in over 3 years when they play at our very own Massey Hall on April 17. The band will be in town to support their new album Fallen Empires which is available from your favourite music retailer beginning today! Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, January 13 at noon and to FriendsFirst members tomorrow at 10am. Special guest is the fantastic Ed Sheeran. If you haven’t yet heard him, watch “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” or the Rupert Grint approved video for Sheeran’s song “Lego House” here.
WEB WATCH
Speaking of new albums, RollingStone.com recently posted that digital music sales have surpassed physical album sales for the first time in history, making up 50.3% of all music sales in 2011. With that in mind, here is a nice healthy list of new releases we can look forward to in 2012.
Peter Frampton (Thursday): Frampton’s career properly took off in 1976 with his epic album Frampton Comes Alive! which features the songs we now know, love, and call classic – “Show Me the Way,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” – and was the best selling album of all time (to that point). True Story: Peter Frampton began his musical journey with a Banjolele – a “banjo-shaped ukulele.” I wish I could say I made up this word but it’s totally legit – it’s pretty much the best word mash-up since liger. Also very cool: you can make your very own banjolele. While I would be surprised if Frampton cracks out ye olde banjolele on Thursday, I am certain that he will bring the awesome sounds that have made him the legend he is (legendary enough, in fact, to have appeared on both The Simpsons and Family Guy).
WEB WATCH
While it may seem like early days yet for the flurry of TIFF-related blog posts here on Soundboard, the delightful tidbits have started to drop from the TIFF office including this one: Score: A Hockey Musical will be the Opening Night Gala here at Roy Thomson Hall on September 9. You may recall us mentioning the film back in February when it was still in production. Cameos from musical artists include Hawksley Workman, John McDermott, and Nelly Furtado.
Peter Frampton got me in trouble when I was a kid. My older brother’s record player was in his bedroom underneath the window. I would spend a lot of time secretly listening to his records while he was out of the house and I mean really listening to records (as loud as possible) for all the nuances and instrumentation. A turning point in listening to music came along for me when I first heard Frampton Comes Alive!. I couldn’t understand why I liked it so much; after all, it was a live record and sounded nothing like those studio recordings I was accustomed to. And I’d ask myself, “What is that weird talking guitar thingy on ‘Do You Feel like We Do’?” (At 3:41 is the Talk Box.) Even the sun coming through the window liked it, so much so, that it softened the large disc into an unplayable shape. I was going to be in unplayable shape if I didn’t find the money to replace it before he got home. I replaced it but didn’t escape my brother’s strength.
Levon Helm & John Hiatt (Tuesday): For many, music is an integral part of one’s Canadian-ness, as will be demonstrated this Thursday across the country at a variety of Canada Day concerts. We’re (naturally) very proud of our Neil Youngs, Joni Mitchells, Bruce Cockburns, Rushes, Broken Social Scenes and Arcade Fires but we also hold a special place in our hearts for our friends granted the status of “honorary Canadian” through their musical prowess.
Like modern songstress Neko Case, Levon Helm is one of Canada’s proudest imports. Levon Helm begins his Canadian music career as part of the legendary Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks (which would later be renamed Levon and the Hawks after Hawkins left the group). That, alone, would be enough to gain Helm a place in the hearts of musically inclined Canucks but there’s more! Levon and the Hawks would go on to be the backing band for Bob Dylan in order to facilitate the complicated (and controversial) process of ‘going electric’ (you may recall this from our Massey By the Decade post for 1964-1973.) Levon did leave the Hawks temporarily but returned shortly thereafter before the newly rechristened group, The Band, hit it big with albums like Music from Big Pink and then later, of course, as stars of (the album, film, and generally awesome event) The Last Waltz.
It’s been a while since we saw the fine folks that make up Belle and Sebastian – they last played Toronto in 2006 at the Sound Academy and before that it was 2003 at Massey Hall and now, come October 12 they return to what Chrome Waves calls “the only room where they belong.” Until they arrive in said room this October, we’ll be spending A Summer Wasting or waiting, rather, for the album that is predicted to be dropping in the not too distant future.
It is always a delight to welcome back Lyle Lovett to Toronto and this occasion is no different. On August 10, Mr. Lovett takes the stage at Massey Hall with his Large Band. Take in some classic Lyle Lovett with a few of his videos here.
Remember Homerpallooza? Well according to BBC, it’s one of the most memorable episodes of the Simpsons and I tend to agree. That’s no doubt in large part to the stellar line-up on the festival bill including Peter Frampton, who performs at Massey Hall this summer on July 22.
Soundboard is the official community of musicians, music fans, and friends of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, Canada. It’s your behind-the-scenes source for related music news, recommendations, and rewards.
Peter Frampton
