Going to the #JUNOSldn; A guide to the city's indie scene by Adam Sturgeon of WHOOP-Szo

By Will McGuirk
with Adam Sturgeon

The annual movable musical feast that is the Junos travelling from coast to coast to coast, city to city to city, provides an opportunity to spotlight the host city, its music, arts, food and heritage.

However a machine that big takes up space and can cast a shadow on the work of those already present, building, creating and making in their hometown, long before and long after the country pays and stops paying attention.

Adam Sturgeon is one of those builder folks in London Ontario, the 2019 JUNOs host,. We asked Adam for a guide to the city he has been involved in and he kindly agreed.

So if London is calling you this weekend, make room for some of Adam’s suggestions and mos def checkout his band of pals, WHOOP-Szo at the Toboggan Brewing Company, with Howzat and Voivod. And when his band comes to your town, pay attention to them then too.

Thank you Adam, so what should a visitor check out to get the Londoner’s London?

”For galleries you gotta check out Forest City Gallery and it's neighbour Good Sport. These are the most community minded spaces. FCG has an illustrious history, not only is it one of Canada's first artists run centres and a main player in establishing artists fee's (via CARFAC) it is also the home to the Hear Here Music Series and also the home to the Nihilist Spasm Band. During the Junos I'd also hit up Museum London for their "women to the front" exhibit, Print Pop at DNA Artspace (123 Dundas St) happening all day Saturday.”

”Call the Office remains a staple, rain or shine, and new spaces like the Baker's Dozen (B13) play host to a number of community events and organizations. One of the longest running venues nowadays happens to be home at the corner of Oxford and Adelaide. It's been many things from the Out of Sound House, to the Foam Doam and now simply the DOAM. It's great that the neighbours have never cared and offers a bit of seclusion for young bands to let fly. Luckily, this week is London Girls Rock Camp at TAP (The Arts Project). These lucky ones are the next generation getting the type of support and empowerment this city truly needs right now.”

”Can't come to London and not get a late night Greek Fry at Sammy Souvlaki's (Richmond and York St) Food Truck. Alternately a Peanut Butter Burger from Prince Al's might move you. If you're looking for something a little nicer I might hit up the Root Cellar or Morrissey House (Meatloaf anybody).”

“I'm not a huge drinker but Anderson's sure makes a mean Cream Ale and London Brewing Co-Op might also host a show in their community minded space.

One thing London definitely has is awesome record shops: Speed City, Grooves, Village Idiot and Odyssey are all totally unique to themselves and bringing in the right digs for all the different music lovers in London.

Finally, you gotta get some JOE; Rebel Remedy Health bar might swoon you with their herbal tonics, kombucha's and etc, but sure do make a mean latte. Same goes for Back Roads, Juicy Tings and Bicycle Cafe.“

Jaunt has dancing 'On Your Mind", new single drops like a mic

Dance like no one is watching but someone was and they had a camera and the video for ‘On Your Mind’ the new track from bedsit noodlers, Jaunt, will put a much needed smile on your winter weary face. The song is a Bahamas meets blip-hop sing-a-long and now a dance-a-long. Dig in, and let yourself be swept away.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Family Day edition: Broken Social Scene, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Saxsyndrum, Adam Baldwin, Parting Gift, Pop Evil, Lydia Ainsworth and iskwē

Nothing says Canadian music family like Broken Social Scene, the thunderous hug of a band of BFFS, awesome in their own right individually and yet together still awesome. The TO crew have a new EP out, ‘Let’s Try The After - Vol 1,’ and they step up to open the Fam Jam open mic. Stay and listen to the rest of the voices, its quite the collection of folks and feelings, just like a family but remember its not a real family reunion until some one cries.
Happy Fam Jam with Tedeschi Trucks Band, Saxsyndrum, Adam Baldwin, Parting Gift, Pop Evil, Lydia Ainsworth and iskwē

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Arkells' release 'Rally Cry' with a vision for the long run and a sense of history

By Will McGuirk

Looks like the Arkells have found what they were looking for with ‘Rally Cry’ and it may be less Jackson Sq. and more Joshua Tree. The boys from the Hammer are ready to smash the world with their biggest brightest most bombastic album yet - this rally is for radio. If the four lads from Dublin are looking for brothers in arms then the working class spirituals of Arkells No 5 may be just the closest thing - listen to “Only for a Moment” even “Show Me Don’t Tell Me” and you can tell me if I’ve shown you wrong and if you think I’m just being a homer here, recall Bono and buds called in Steeltown icon Danny Lanois to helm and that Simcoe sound found its way across the Atlantic, so mix the Dan vibes and the Dubs and you may just have the Arkells, we’ve said it before.

Oh and yes if you dig into “Don’t Be a Stranger” you will hear about a pal of the band who was from Oshawa, and yes we asked and yes the band answered but said it was personal. Just so you know.

But its not just the Biggest Band in The World which echoes through Rally Cry, there’s Springsteen and the Pixies, Motown Girl bands and afro-pop, Hall and Oates, and a Bob Seger interlude.

So we’re fans of the Arkells from the beginning; singer Kerman, guitarist Mike DeAngelis, bassist Nick Dika, keysman Anthony Carone, and drummer Tim Oxford are a band who have had been able to seize the opportunities, to build and grow, keeping fans while gaining new ones, keeping their eyes on the prize. Like their hometown they have been planning for the big time, knocking on the door so to speak, and they are ready now it has been opened. Hamilton is ready for the big time and so are the Arkells.

And if they are going after U2’s crown, to be the people’s champ as well as the company band, more power to them, I hope they win it all.

Collegial rockers Arkells release new single 'Only for a Moment'

Those sons of the Hammer have a new album, Rally Cry, forged and ready. Singles are being issued, “People’s Champ”, “Relentless” and now “Only for a Moment.” There’s movement in the camp, they are as the Hawk says, heading for the Big Time, Its right around the corner.

"There’s a line in our tune “Come To Light”, 'The underpass would keep us from harm.' It’s that moment when you’re driving through a rain storm, and you have a second of respite from the chaos outside. I find myself writing and thinking about those moments of calm, and how important they can be. “Only For A Moment” is an extension of that idea. My friend’s mom was struggling with some oppressive mental health issues. It was tough for everyone in her family. But there was a moment we were out one night, where my friend seemed to leave the trouble behind - just for an hour - and could just enjoy her life. The stress in her face seemed to disappear. And I was happy she could have that."  - Max Kerman

Also the Ham fam have released the video for “Relentless”

Jaunt release 'Faster Interactions' - bring on the summer waves

Feel good hit of the summer right here from Jaunt - heavy pet sounds from back alley beach bums, supersized synth-soul, lay back on the reef and let the waves roll over you. The track is from an EP, "Cue" they have cued up for release Apr 19 2018.