APK GOES LIVE

APK Live | SEP 10/10 | Photo: Brittknee Withikaye

“It's affirmation that we have a ‘scene’ here in London.”

This weekend, if only temporarily, London Ontario got its groove back. No, I’m not talking about the fresh batch of students lined up along Richmond Row or groups of over-grown men cruising for MMA battles –  I’m talk’in bout the resurrection of the APK.

Unlike major North American cities when London, Ontario loses a reputable music-arts venue, socially speaking: the affects can be ugly. In too short a period, our creative community looked on, open jawed at the closure of the original Alex. P Keaton, The Embassy and The ‘Wick’ (the latter two burning to the ground).

However, we now find ourselves on the verge of 2011 (Leaves will fall and Halloween will be followed by relentless Christmas jingles) and the times are a chang’in.  The closure of three venues known for their support of local acts and for bringing unbelievable underground artists to our city was no doubt tough times, but we’ve dealt with it and we’re better for it.

Over the past year and a half, people have found comfort in places like The Morrissey House (Dundas, and Waterloo S.), The Black Shire (Talbot and Dufferin) and Gigs (Talbot and Carling) those connected to the scene have craved a sizable DJ/Concert venue to better support us. Call The Office will out live time  but presently London needs more. 

The Nite Owl, 353 Talbot, is a reminder that when something falls apart there’s a new vision waiting to take flight. Imagine tall ceilings lined with a sharp, red felt pattern bordering the entire rectangular shape of the venue, a bartender who looks like he’s the lead in a punk band chatt’in up regulars wrapped around a sleek bar and you’re at the Night Owl.  I wanted to touch the wall fabric, but I didn’t risk being pinned to it like a dart.  The drinks were strong and the shape inside is cozy, yet stylish.

The London Music Club (Colborne and Queen) and The London Music Hall (Queens Ave.) are similar in name and approach.  The owners of these respective venues work in tandem, say when one act works better for the size or ‘feel’ of one place over one room inside another venue.  Both venues have multiple rooms for various types of events.  So mad I missed Pennywise at LMH.  Look out for some poetry slam com’in live from The London Music Club this season on London Calling and Deadmau5 at LMH.

APK Live (on Wellington & York) opened its doors on Friday September 10^th, 2010. The event featured Krupke, Wild Domestic, and A Horse and His Boy. The place is gorgeous: There's tons of space for dancing and deejays, plus there are really comfy booths for parties – the tables alone are conversation pieces! Although the menu was limited for the first night, they still serve quality beer and pub grub. We can also report that there is not a trace of pink paint in either bathroom.

I get the same positive feeling when the awkwardness subsides at a wedding or family reunion. Once you look past some of the goofy suits, and frilly dresses, you realize how much you missed those close to you. Friday night was what a number of us needed: a reminder that the creativity in these people can heal us from our over-simplified and cruel world.

Attention: London’s creative community, we look forward to working with you this season! 

| SEE MORE PHOTOS |

A HORSE AND HIS BOY | WILD DOMESTIC | KRUPKE
LONDON CALLING ON FB | APK LIVE
THE NITE OWL | THE MORRISSEY HOUSE | GIGS | CALL THE OFFICE | THE BLACK SHIRE | LONDON MUSIC CLUB | LONDON MUSIC HALL

LONDON CALLING SEASON IV | PRESS RELEASE

London Calling Host Drew Skitt interviews A Horse and His Boy
SEP 10/10 | APK LIVE | Photo By: Brittknee Withikaye

"Alongside the launch of London Calling Season IV in January, Season III is set to be released on Rogers On Demand, making the show available to all Canadians with Rogers digital cable."

For it's fourth season, London Calling returns to Rogers TV (Cable 13 London and Area) and blackdogmedia.tv



EXPECT 10 ALL-NEW episodes, independently produced, celebrating Canada's diverse music and cultural arts landscape. From interviews with some of London's/Canada's most praised artists, London Calling is all about experiencing music and sharing our craft with fans.

Gorilla Video is back! In this raw segment, London Calling takes bands off the stage and out of the studio to perform their craft in arbitrary environments. Gorilla Video is always focused on preserving sound quality, while making the location authentic, and impromptu.

LoCo Profile focuses on up and coming talent, street performers, poets, buskers, and all the dynamic personalities of London and area. Watch out for appearances by Roy MacDonald, Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, Wild Domestic, The People, and MORE!!!

Welcome back vee-jay Emily Ames and 'Special' correspondent Pat Tiffin who takes his “awkwardness” to the streets. Watch out for the “man in charge,” Boss Man who brings viewers the hilarious, brutal realities of operating a music show. Finally, tune in for appearances by Chet “the driver” and new arrival Josh “The Intern”

London Calling profiles Broken Social Scene when BDM covers the Island Show in Toronto, PLUS! Iggy Pop, De La Soul, Eagles of Death Metal, and others LIVE at NXNE, content from Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, and on stage at Sarnia Bayfest.

London Calling Season IV will premiere the first week of January 2011.
(Until then, tune into the blog for sneak peaks, and special segments.)

Catch the show on Rogers TV in London, ON. Or online @ BDM.tv commercial-free.

-BDM | London Calling
MUSIC MINUS THE ATTITUDE

To contact our team about content submissions or sponsorship packages:
blackdogmediacrew@gmail.com

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL | NXNE

"Don't leave your girl round me."


Eagles of Death Metal are bananas.  Not only do they slay your favourite tracks, moving swiftly between them and crushing solos where need be, occasionally they open up songs for further inspection. Jesse Hughes and company know how to work a crowd.  Picture what would have happened if Pierre Trudeau learned to play the drums back in the 70's and ditched politics altogether. Running with this lie, maybe Truedeau learns how to play guitar later in life ...  grows a dirty-doggin-handle-bar stache and that's the kind of charisma you can count on from Hughes night in night out.  If you've heard one Eagles of Death Metal, you can attest that most of the tracks revolve around sex, broken relationships, and timeless rock and roll.   These guys don't take themselves too seriously.  If you care about your girlfriend DO NOT bring her to this show.  She will end up on stage, then back stage, and eventually out of your life. 

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL | NXNE from BDM on Vimeo.

- AJS | BDM

EAGLES OF DEATH METAL | NXNE

DE LA | NXNE

Few hip hop bands deserve the title 'Legends'

De la soul played a free show on the (closing night) of NXNE and they threw down.  From 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Is Dead, to The Grind Date, De La threw down the classics and brought the thunder with tracks like ROCK CO KANE FLOW.   I saw De La perform the same act to close out Pitchfork two years back and all three Plugs have not lost their touch.  Thanks so much to NXNE for the media hook up and to my boy Adrian (A-train) for sweet talk'in the media personal.  This is what happens when good luck be on your side homies.

DE LA SOUL | NXNE from BDM on Vimeo.

Oodles of O's,

-AJS | BDM

DE LA SOUL | NXNE

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE | ISLAND SHOW

There’s happiness, there’s ecstasy and then there's the feeling you get when you go see Broken Social Scene in concert. For those of you who’ve caught these Indie- juggernauts from TO live, you know you’re always at a loss of words when describing what you’ve just taken in. As for those who haven’t seen them...well if you want to see an overwhelming orchestra of organic alt-rock, if you want to hear songs that will have you conflicting the conception of reality and what’s all around you, if you want hear the sound of a city, watch something like nothing else on earth, and reach a stage of noise-Nirvana, go see Broken Social Scene.

Back on June 19th, BSS returned to the Toronto Islands with a bunch of friends to give fans what they have long been waiting for. It’s been five years since the group released their self-titled hit, and they were more than excited to share their new release, Forgiveness Rock Record.

Following acts like Beach House and Band of Horses(who both performed incredibly entertaining sets but were simply blown away by the phenomenon that is BSS’ live show ) BSS were proud to share their new record with fans. Not shying away from the old hits; “7/4 Shoreline”, “Lover’s Spit”, “Stars and Sons”, “Cause=Time”, BSS offered almost a dozen songs off the 14-track new LP. This was an island you wouldn’t mind being stranded on.

As mentioned, since the boys and girls in Broken Social Scene were home they opened their little black books and called up everyone in it. Musicians from other Canadian bands like Metric, Death From Above 1979 and The Stills joined the crew, and even everyone’s favourite, Feist was even on stage a fair amount. In fact, at one point I counted 17 people on stage rocking out, singing, hugging and laughing! Trombones, Trumpets (plural, very plural!), Violins, basses, Guitars(sometimes four or five going!), drums and percussion, tambourines, bass, and even a French Horn.

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE | TORONTO ISLAND TEASER from BDM on Vimeo.

It was a party! A party thrown by Broken Social Scene, who couldn’t have been better hosts to thousands of strangers. Strangers who didn’t hesitate to jump on a fairy and cross lake Ontario(and pay $10 for a Burger!). Strangers who didn’t feel like strangers. They felt like family. They felt like they were a part of something. Something uplifting and powerful. Something that cannot be described. So stop reading my ramble and go see them for yourself. There is no possible way you will be disappointed. There is no possible way you will be the same person afterward.

-Josh "The Intern" Hoffman, BDM

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE | JOSH HOFFMAN