Electric Six, Alison Moyet, MJ Lenderman and more play Toronto
Electric Six (Sat., 8:30 p.m.)
Since releasing 'Fire,' their classic debut, in 2003, these ironic garage rockers (with early help from Jack White) have quietly — well, maybe not that quietly — released another 15 studio albums, comprising a fantastic, and often hilarious, body of work.
Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.
Alison Moyet (Mon., 7 p.m.)
The venerable concert venue welcomes the voice behind Yaz's synth-duo classics 'Situation,' 'Don't Go' and 'Only You,' who's a terrific solo artist in her own right.
MJ Lenderman and the Wind (Thurs., 7 p.m.)
The indie-rock singer-guitarist tours his latest album, 'Manning Fireworks.'
History, 1663 Queen St. E.
Sharon Van Etten (Tues., 8 p.m.)
With her backing band the Attachment Theory, the acclaimed American singer-songwriter purveys her brand of folky alt-rock.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St.
Lambrini Girls (Tues., 7 p.m.)
The shouty British punk rockers deliver their abrasive, riot girrrl-inspired hits like 'Homewrecker' and 'Help Me I'm Gay.'
Axis, 722 College St.
Cheekface (Weds., 7 p.m.)
The Los Angeles trio bring their quirky-cute indie pop to Little Italy.
Lee's Palace, 529 Bloor St. W.
Death From Above 1979 (Thurs., 7 p.m.)
As part the club's 40th anniversary concerts, Toronto's legendary dance-noise duo celebrates nearly a quarter-century of making a racket.
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Vancouver Sun
17 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
This Vancouver music store is a go-to for celebrity musicians
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. If you caught one of two The Weeknd concerts at B.C. Place last week, you saw opening act Mike Dean shredding on a custom Dean 'Dimebag' Darrell Razorback V Pantera Signature model guitar. That axe came to the musician, who is also The Weeknd's band guitarist, courtesy of Vancouver's Rufus Guitar and Drum Shop . Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Dean liked the guitar because it had his name on the V-shaped headstock. Both he and the late Pantera guitarist Dimebag hail from Texas. Other recent celebrity purchasers at the East Van outlet include Jack White, who recently dropped in to stock-up on some of the local store's extensive offering of collector instruments and gear. 'While Fender brand instruments are by far our biggest sellers, we also sell a lot of hard-to-get vintage instruments and gear, and that's what brings people like Jack White and Mike Dean into the store' said Rufus owner Blaine McNamee. 'Jack bought a rare 1960s-era Davoli amp from Italy and a Roland Acetone tape echo, which is one of the first tape delay machines. Mike grabbed a 1965 Fender Jazzmaster and the Dean Dimebag model, which he played at B.C. Place .' McNamee says the reason these stars stop at the shop is because of its reputation among collectors for doing thorough due diligence in checking every last detail of the provenance of the vintage items on the store floor. It's a time-consuming process the store has been known for since opening in 1972. 'We've been doing this kind of stuff for years, so we are a destination for any kind of vintage and always stock it,' he said. 'The reason is that we have the expertise to go through the time-consuming process of authentication down to whether the screws, the finish, the pickups, the case, everything is original. 'The more genuine it is, the higher the price it fetches.' As for how long celebrities, collectors or regular buyers spend in the shop trying to decide on a purchase, McNamee says it depends. If there was a mission statement for the store it is to make the whole vibe of the space be one where people want to hang out. That is typically what happens too. Given the number of well-known musicians who work there and on the teaching faculty, there is a steady flow of visitors that come to shoot the breeze as much as buy. 'A guy like Mike Dean or Jack White comes in and, if they like us, they are going to hang out and play different things and talk to staff,' said McNamee. 'A lot of times, these people are on a time schedule, but normally it would be one to two hours. Of course, we aren't even touching on the negotiating aspect of things, the back and forth, when you are getting into really serious stuff that can run up to $120,000.' In those cases, staff will often run collectors through a number of authentication methods including putting an instrument under black light to look at finishes, run over components and so on. This can run an additional 30 minutes. 'There area a lot of people who come in, play some stuff, ask some questions and you know they aren't going to buy,' he said. 'But then they keep coming back and, sooner or later, they may buy something. Keep in mind that the landscape is constantly changing and, if you see something online that you might want, you aren't the only one looking. Next time you come by, it may be gone and we won't see that particular instrument again.' To collectors, the issue isn't whether these vintage instruments are better sounding than new models. While vintage gear does often have a distinct sound, it can be recreated using today's technology. Instead, dropping $10,000-plus on an original Fender guitar is about owning a piece of music history. And the global market for such items is very competitive. 'It's not a question of 'Is it better?,' it's a handmade instrument and technology is totally different now,' McNamee explains. 'There are custom-shop instruments available today with the same sort of build range, but it's still quite different. A 1965 Jazzmaster was built by the company founder Leo Fender, with materials like Brazilian rosewood, which has been illegal to harvest since 1968, and came with hand-wound pickups and other older production techniques.' McNamee started working at the store in 2010, purchasing it from the founders in 2014. A separate drum shop opened in 2015. In 2019, the stores consolidated at the present location. Like many music retailers, McNamee is also a musician. He is a member of local pop punk band Precursor whose members include musicians from local favourites such as Daggermouth, Carpenter, and Gob. The store's hand-picked teaching staff comprises a who's who of the local indie music scene. Sometimes, members of local rock and pop royalty sell back some of their past purchases. A case in point is Marianas Trench lead singer, songwriter and producer Josh Ramsay. The Call Me Maybe co-writer is pictured on the Rufus Guitar and Drum Shop website surrounded by a number of unique guitars as part of a special individual artist sale. Ramsay has nine of his choicest axes on the market. 'We get artist sales of individual pieces, but this is one of the first times that we have had one this large for a single artist,' said McNamee. 'There is a lot of demand for Josh's guitars. He has a very engaged fan base and a lot of really great instruments.' For his part, McNamee loves his 1981 Gibson Grabber base. While the market for vintage electric basses isn't as active as it is for electric or acoustic guitars, that doesn't mean there aren't buyers out there looking for vintage scores. Anyone with a taste for holding down the rhythm section with something collectible could consider the 1962 Fender VI bass in stock at the store. It will only set you back $14,999.99 . Payment plans are available. sderdeyn@ Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances.
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Belgium probes death of Canadian festival-goer at Tomorrowland
People listen to DJs Odymel and Pegassi performing at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire on Wednesday severely damaged the main stage, rear. (AP Photo/Omar Havana) Belgian authorities said Saturday they have opened an investigation into the death of a Canadian woman who fell ill at Tomorrowland, one of the world's largest electronic music festivals. The Antwerp prosecutor's office told AFP they were looking to establish what caused the death of the 35-year-old, one of tens of thousands of festival-goers who attended the event's opening night on Friday. The event's organisers said the woman became unwell at the festival, which is held in Boom, near Antwerp, and 'received first aid on site' before being transferred to hospital, where she later died. 'This morning, we were saddened to learn of her death. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones,' said Tomorrowland spokeswoman Debby Wilmsen. Featuring scores of DJs including David Guetta, Lost Frequencies and Charlotte de Witte, Tomorrowland draws electronic music enthusiasts from all over the world. Around 400,000 people are expected to attend over two weekends. The event was initially thrown into doubt this week after a fire destroyed its main stage. But organisers speedily put in place an 'alternative setup', and the festival went ahead as planned.
CTV News
5 days ago
- CTV News
Tomorrowland music festival opens after its main stage was destroyed by a huge fire
The main stage at the 2025 Tomorrowland music festival burns on July 16, 2025. (@BrenCM5 on X) BOOM, Belgium — Fans roared in excitement and organizers sighed with relief as the Tomorrowland music festival kicked off Friday — just two days after a massive fire engulfed the main stage and threw one of Europe's biggest summer concert events into doubt. Workers laboured around the clock to clear out the debris from the elaborate backdrop that was consumed in Wednesday's fire. Shouting 'We made it!' the festival's opening performers, Australian electronic music group Nervo, were able to take to the main stage Friday after a last-minute scramble and slight delay. Some charred frames were still visible behind them. No one was hurt in the fire, organizers said. The causes are being investigated. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world attend Tomorrowland's annual multi-day festival outside the Belgian town of Boom. Some 38,000 people were camping at the festival site Friday, Tomorrowland spokesperson Debby Wilmsen said. ''Maybe there are some few people that say, OK, we would like to have a refund, but it's only like a very small percentage because most of them are still coming to the festival,' she told AP. 'It is all about unity, and I think with a good vibe and a positive energy that our festival-goers give to each other and the music we offer, I think they will still have a good time,″ she said. ''We really tried our best.″ Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium People listen to Odymel B2B and Pegassi performing at the Tomorrowland music festival in Boom, Belgium, Friday, July 18, 2025, two days after a huge fire on Wednesday severely damaged the main stage, rear. (AP Photo/Omar Havana) Australian fans Zak Hiscock and Brooke Antoniou — who traveled half the world to see the famed festival as part of a summer holiday in Europe — described hearing about the fire. 'We were sitting having dinner when we actually heard the news of the stage burning down. We were very devastated and shattered, quite upset because we travelled a long way,'' Hiscock said. Ukrainian visitor Oleksandr Beshkynskyi shared their joy that the festival went ahead as planned. ''It's not just about the one DJ or two DJs you're looking to see, but about all the mood and about the dream being alive," Beshkynskyi said. ___ Ahmad Seir, The Associated Press Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
