Hedley's second show since announcing hiatus sees lone protestor and continued trend of “frat boy” antics.

Frontman Jacob Hoggard, identifies as Donald Trump, covers Frank Ocean and takes a fan’s phone, again.

Photo by Benjamin Hargreaves/CanCulture.

By Benjamin Hargreaves

Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard continued his “frat boy persona” and habit of stealing phones during the band’s Cageless tour stop in Peterborough, Ont. on Friday, marking their second performance since announcing an indefinite hiatus amid ongoing sexual misconduct allegations.

With performers Shawn Hook, Neon Dreams and most recently, Quebec City’s Liteyears, cancelling as Hedley’s opening acts, the band took the stage with only a few songs played over the speakers as an opener.

Multiple women on social media have spoken out against Hoggard regarding alleged acts of sexual misconduct. Most recently, on Feb. 25, a 24-year-old Ottawa women came to the CBC with accusations against Hoggard regarding several alleged encounters occurring in 2016. 

After this allegation was published, Hoggard released a statement on Twitter admitting to behaving in a way that “objectified women.”

Roughly an hour before the show began, Hoggard took to Twitter again, this time acknowledging that the CBC has told him new allegations are going to come out from yet another woman, writing, “The allegation is startling and categorically untrue. It is not within my capacity as a person to force anyone beyond their boundaries."
 

“What’s going on Peterborough?” Hoggard shouted to a crowd of roughly 2,300 people in the venue that has a concert capacity of about 5,000. The crowd cheered as Hoggard began singing “Better Days”, a song from their new album, Cageless.

Hedley’s setlist for the night would also include their hits “Anything,” “Cha-Ching” and “Lose Control” as well as “Bad Tattoo” and “All Night” from their most recent album, all being received with deafening cheers from the audience.

However, Hedley’s visit to Peterborough was not well received by all.

“It makes me angry [that] this is happening,” says Shawna Blackwood a 26-year-old Peterborough resident and only protestor at Hedley’s Peterborough performance.  

Blackwood stood outside the Memorial Centre for just under an hour leading up to Hedley’s 7:30 p.m. scheduled start.

Shawna Blackwood protesting outside of the Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ont. (Photo by Benjamin Hargreaves/CanCulture)

Blackwood believes the Memorial Centre should have cancelled the show, much like the Windsor Ont. venue did to Hedley’s scheduled performance on Mar. 11. She also believes peaceful protest is useful in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations.

“I’m just here commending their bravery,” Blackwood said referring to the women speaking out against Hoggard. “I’m providing access to information about reporting sexual assault and the fact that consent is sexy and no means no.”

Blackwood  stood outside the entrance to the Memorial Centre holding a sign reading “She said no!” in reference to the Ottawa woman who came forward, for roughly five minutes before two security guards approached her. Each guard took a pamphlet she was handing out on how to report sexual assault and then asked her to leave the property.

Hedley’s performance on Friday included a rendition of Frank Ocean’s, rather explicit track, “Self Control,” which Hoggard delivered as a solo.

Hoggard continued, what The Canadian Press reporter David Friend coined, his “frat-boy persona,” after taking a fan’s phone in their Brampton, Ont. show on Mar. 1.

Almost mirroring his antics from the night before, Hoggard called out a fan in the front row for texting during the show. He proceeded to ask for the phone and after scrolling through her contacts, called the girl’s father.

“Hey, it’s Jake from Hedley, we’re on stage at the Hedley show in Peterborough,” Hoggard said.

Hoggard stayed on the phone with the girl’s father for another 15 seconds, before saying “I miss you and I wish you were here at the Hedley concert. I’ll talk to you later. TTYL. BRB. LOL. JK Dad,” and hanging up. After scolding the girl once more for texting he ended the charade by taking a selfie on the girl’s phone.

Hoggard would not directly address the allegations against him but he would repeat a speech he has delivered in multiple performances, including Hedley’s Brampton show the night before.

“Peterborough, thank you for standing behind us,” he said, “for believing in us and loving us every step of the way.”

“It’s fans like you that keep us doing what we are doing,” Hoggard continued. “We couldn’t get through this without people like you, through the ups and the downs, through the highs and the lows, the good times and the bad. ‘Cause Peterborough, sometimes life sucks and that’s why we’ve got you, ‘cause Peterborough sometimes life sucks and that’s why you’ve got us.”

The crowd then assisted Hoggard with the final verse of the song, with Hoggard ending it by saying goodnight to the crowd.

The response was not quite a standing ovation, but it was enough to bring the band back to the stage for one encore song.

This piece was edited by Valerie Dittrich. 

TTC Musicians: How Morad Guzman connects with commuters

By: Raizel Harjosubroto

A curious little nose lifted up as I approached the man playing guitar wearing sunglasses in the bright bridge between Yorkdale Mall and its connecting subway station. Milo, the performer’s furry companion, sniffed my hand as a cover of “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles echoed through the platform.

While many passengers greeted Milo, he wasn’t the only one grabbing their attention. Strumming his guitar, local musician Morad Guzman smiled at those passing by--even if they had earphones on--and sang for those who stopped to listen.

This is was Guzman’s favourite part about busking.

“People aren’t necessarily [at the station] to hear you and I think that adds to the performance,” he says, lowering his eyes over his sunglasses. “When someone stops to listen, whether they give money or not isn’t really a concern.”

Guzman’s musical experience dates back to over a decade ago and like many other TTC Musicians, his drum and Latin percussion experience brought him to a number of performances and jobs.

“I was still pretty young and I knew that I loved music, and I loved acting too. I chose to follow music,” he says. Guzman’s musical career began in a high school band and eventually found its way to a few folk and jazz gigs around the city.

Though performing in bars was good exposure for the musician, Guzman wasn’t feeling fulfilled. “I started liking it at first, but then I wanted to do something else… I thought I wanted to broaden my horizons, so I picked up the guitar,” Guzman said.

The self-taught musician took his skills and started his own business, “Golden Boy Music,” providing “high-quality entertainment service for a variety of functions.” Serving as the creative director, Guzman has performed at several functions and facilitated drum circles for teams in public and private events.

“A drum circle pretty much consists of [people] getting around together for an activity with the djembe…  People have a lot of good times; it’s coordination, team-building, and it ranges to all ages. No experience necessary.”

Drum circles, in particular, have a special place in his heart since his musical journey started with percussion. Guzman says these are another way to reach a large amount of people at once. If the client is OK with it, Milo will come along, too.

On top of providing these services for his clients, he started busking on several street corners in Toronto. Bringing out his djembe or cajon--instruments of West Africa and Peru--Guzman would perform all day to “keep the passion going.”

“It’s just so raw and it captures the essence of the performer, you know?” the charming musician said as he adjusted his sunglasses.

After busking on the streets of Toronto for a while, Guzman heard about the TTC Musicians Program, but discovered that they do not accept percussion performers. Excited that he had more reason to build his guitar and singing skills, he scored an audition because he was one of the first people to apply in person.

“[The audition process] is pretty tedious. You have to look out for the call and be one of the first of 175 applicants to hand in your application in person at the TTC head office. I was like, 150 something,” he explains. “That doesn’t mean you get a license, that only means you get an audition!”

His successful audition earned him a license to play at subway stations across the city alongside other musicians. Yorkdale is one of his favourite stations. “It’s above ground. You get a little more sunlight throughout the day. Spadina is really nice, too. You get really good acoustics there.”

Being born and raised in Toronto has influenced his value of incorporating music of different genres and generations into his music. “You just relate to more people and you don’t narrow yourself down to anyone specifically,” he says.

Connecting and building relationships with the people who are listening is what’s most important to Guzman.

Through the TTC Musicians program, Guzman has been able to create friendships with passengers and even secure a few gigs with potential clients that just hear him as they commute to work. “I just genuinely enjoy connecting with the listeners that pass by me,” he says. “If they stop then you’ve caught their ear. You’ve caught their eye.”

This piece was edited by Valerie Dittrich.

Album Review: Say Less by Roy Woods

By: Nour Al Saeid 

From free-styling every Saturday night at the YMCA to releasing his debut studio album, Roy Woods has excelled in his music career and is rising to become one of the major R&B icons for Toronto today.

After almost a year of waiting, the 21-year-old singer from Brampton released his album titled Say Less on Dec. 1st, 2017.

The album consists of 16 songs, including three collaborations with other well-known artists. “Take Time” features 24Hrs, a rapper who gained millions of Soundcloud plays and toured with Blackbear this year. “Back It Up” features PARTYNEXTDOOR, a famous Canadian artist who worked with Drake for multiple songs. “Balance” features both dvsn and PnB Rock. Dvsn consists of producer Paul Jefferies and singer Daniel Daley, whereas PnB Rock is a solo artist who released an album in January. Some of these artists are signed by OVO Sound as well.

“What Are You On?” was the first single that was released. It starts with a beautiful, choir-like synthesizer in the back and after a few seconds, the beat kicks in and showcases a perfect R&B vibe that Woods usually goes for. It’s a fast-paced song, not as dark and slow as his older tracks. His articulation grows and his vocals become stronger in the second verse, adding more intensity to the song.

“Back It Up” is a collaboration that starts with a very heavy, low bass. Woods takes the lead with the first verse, his voice is raw and passionate. With the echo-heavy beats and drums, the song has a PBR&B sound that is much appreciated. PBR&B is a sub-genre that mostly consists of strong beats and a lot of synthesizers. Many artists in this category tend to sing about sex and love, which is the main theme of this song.

One thing that couldn’t go unnoticed was how small Woods’ part is. This made the song imbalanced because PARTYNEXTDOOR’s voice dominated the rest of the track, making Woods’ contribution very small. PARTYNEXTDOOR sang the chorus four times and also had two verses, leaving Woods with only 45 seconds in the song.  

Despite that, the entire album is composed of different tracks, each having unique dynamic ranges. Songs like “Balance”, which features dvsn, compliments the OVO vibe that many Torontonians usually search for in music. “BB” and “The Way You Sex Me” have a slow and sexy rhythm with explicit and vivid lyrics.

A few tracks that don’t fit are “Little Bit Of Lovin” and “Something New”. They have an odd techno and pop vibe which doesn’t suit Woods’ sound at all, especially with their heavy use of autotune. Woods is known for having a dark and atmospheric energy in his music and these two tracks are the complete opposite. Compared to his older songs, these two were more pop-oriented, making them seem out of place in the album.

There’s a certain message that’s being portrayed in many of the tracks. Woods continuously mentions a woman in his life that only uses him for money and fame. In “Back It Up” he says, “You want me 'cause I'm in the limelight.” In “Medusa” he says, “All she like is gold” and in “Say Less” he says, “Money on sight now your eyes on gold.”

“What Are You On?” sets the tone of the entire album because the song is about a woman in his life who is only interested in his money and fame, which is most likely the reason why he released this one first.

The music video for “Say Less” was very symbolic as well. A rose is set on fire burns throughout the entire video, which is Woods’ way of showing how risky love is and how he’s not interested in committed relationships.

Overall, many fans are impressed with this project. Some songs should have never made it to the track list due to how pop-focused they were. The album could be better off without them, especially since they don’t fit Woods’ dark and atmospheric sound. However, the lyrics are bold and honest, sending a message to the girl who did him wrong. All in all, this is one of his best works.

Drake better keep his guard up, because Woods is slowly catching up to him.

This piece was edited by Valerie Dittrich

Top Six Canadian Albums to Look Out For in 2018

By: Manuela Vega

With albums like Arcade Fire’s eclectic Everything Now and Daniel Caesar’s gorgeous debut Freudian, there’s no doubt that Canadian musicians were standouts in 2017. While artists set the bar high last year, there’s plenty of reason to believe that 2018 will also introduce a multitude of memorable tracks. Be sure to look out for these six albums this year!

6) Ought: Room Inside the World

This Montreal band has released the singles ”These 3 Things” and “Disgraced in America” from their upcoming album, Room Inside the World. If their LP is anything like the singles, Feb. 16 is bound to bring a collection of reflective, existential anthems. Ought captures the essence of isolation and contemplation in their melancholy riffs, but they mix up their rhythms to the point that you can justify happily dancing to a sad song.

5) Born Ruffians: Uncle, Duke, & The Chief

Continuing their stream of passionate belting and upbeat rhythms, Born Ruffians introduces a sense of true candidness on what has been released from their fifth full-length album Uncle, Duke, & The Chief. Between touching on the inability to mask feelings of a longing heart in “Miss You,” accepting the inevitability of death in “Forget Me,” and regretting the vulnerability of an open heart in “Love Too Soon,” the Toronto band sets up an album of soft, jangly tunes to sing along to on Feb. 16.

4) Chromeo: TBA

Guitarist and lead-singer Dave 1 and multi-instrumentalist P-Thugg have been avidly sharing on Instagram and Twitter their dedication to perfecting the production of their electronic-funk album due in the spring. The first single “Juice” is an exuberant synthesized jam about a partner who gets shamelessly hit on in public because she’s “got the juice.” The light-energy, feel-good song continues to play on this double meaning. Dave 1 told Beats 1 that this will be their “most robust, conceptually tight album.”

3) Metric: TBA

Metric has a knack for creating lively hits that express liberation with every head-bob, sway, or strut. Combining synths, lush beats, and tight strums, paired with lead singer Emily Haines’ vibrant voice has worked especially well for the band on past highly regarded albums, such as Fantasies (2009) and Synthetica (2012). Although there’s still no new album title or release date, the quartet has been teasing fans on Instagram with pictures of studio visits since September. Since their last album Pagans in Vegas (2015), Haines has released a solo album in a style different from that of her band’s, with a distinct focus on vocals and reflection, raising the question of whether or not 2018 will be the year that Metric goes in a totally new direction.

2) Rhye: Blood

Former Canadian solo-artist Mike Milosh and Danish producer Robin Braun are the duo behind Rhye’s fusion sound. The 2018 pre-release of Blood showcases the steady electronic, folky jazz that backs delicate vocals on provocative works like “Taste” and soothing pieces like “Song for You.” Releasing the rest of their album on Feb. 2, Rhye will surely bring a diverse range of sounds to an increasingly contemporary form of R&B.

1) Charlotte Day Wilson: Stone Woman

The Toronto singer-songwriter and producer announced this month that her new EP Stone Woman will be released on Feb. 23. Since her melodious R&B EP CDW debuted in 2016, Wilson has been captivating listeners with her effortless elegance. Although tracks from CDW like “Work” and “Find You” are hypnotically mellow, the 2018 single “Nothing New” ripples with calculated power, rising and settling around the easy flow of Wilson’s formidable voice. It sets the stage for Stone Woman to be as enchanting as her previous release.

This piece was edited by Valerie Dittrich. 

A Tribe Called Red brings down the house at the Danforth

By: Adriel Smiley and Valerie Dittrich

Indigenous-Canadian DJ collective, A Tribe Called Red are making waves throughout the country with their new take on traditional First Nations beats and dance music, showcasing indigenous culture in a positive and uplifting way with their fresh take on the electronic genre.

A Tribe Called Red performed their third sold-out show at the Danforth Music Hall last Friday. The group has been on the Fall/Winter segment of their tour since November, making stops in cities across Canada and the U.S. Tribe performs a unique genre of music that blends various style of music, such as hip hop and reggae with First Nations drumming and chanting.

The band was formed in 2008 by Ian Campeau, Ehren “Bear Witness” Thomas and DJ Shub. A decade later, Bear Witness is the only original member remaining, with Shub leaving the group in 2014 for personal reasons. Campeau recently made his exit in 2017, claiming that touring was becoming “emotionally draining”. This was their first time touring since Campeau left. Tim “2oolman” Hill and Bear Witness are the two remaining members and have chosen to continue as a duo for the time being.

The band credits their unique sound to their roots in Ottawa. In an interview with NPR Music, they “wanted to throw a party that was geared toward the Indigenous community in Ottawa.” Under their pseudonym “Electric Powwow”, they opted to sample traditional drum beats over hip-hop sounds and dubstep-like synths, creating a genre of music that not only celebrates their culture, but puts a focus on Canada as a whole.  

During the show, five screens surrounded the stage and images on the screen moved quickly in sync with the fast-paced beats. The images depicted Indigenous people in popular culture; from DreamWorks’ Road to El Dorado to Michael Jackson’s “Black and White” music video.

Throughout the show, Tribe was joined on stage by a group of dancers who took turns busting a move to the break-beats. The dancers added to the overall experience with their dynamic set filled with hard-hitting drops, heavy bass and creative and magnetic sounds ripping through the venue. Within a few minutes it was easy to recognize this show had the vibe of a huge party rather than a concert. The audience was engulfed with A Tribe Called Red’s original and patriotic tunes. The show ended with two dancers in traditional Aboriginal clothing on stage. As the last note hit they threw their fists in the air and the crowd did the same. With hundreds of fists in the air, Tribe as well as the dancers cleared the stage. The Danforth dance party finally came to a close and A Tribe Called Red ended the weekend in a flawless fashion.

The group was nominated for a Polaris Music Prize in 2017. They will continue their tour in Los Angeles on February 19.

This piece was edited by Luke Elisio

Toronto rappers make debut in VICE documentary, 6ix Rising

By: Andrea Josic & Raizel Harjosubroto Toronto’s TDOT era is coming to a close after rappers like Kardinal Offishall and Rascalz coined the term “T.O.” a decade ago. When artists like Drake and The Weeknd put the city on the map, The ‘6ix’ became Toronto’s new nickname. 6ix Rising, a new documentary by VICE, follows the journeys of the city’s emerging rappers and how they made a name for themselves on the rap scene.

The documentary features artists Prime Boys, Friyie, Big Lean, CMDWN, Jazz Cartier and Pressa. Director Shawney Coney explores their stories, how the city influences their music and how they are on the verge of fame.

It opens with Jimmy Prime of Prime Boys, a rap collective consisting of himself, Donnie and Jay Whiss. A rap collective is different from a rap group because while the rappers collaborate to make music, each artist has their own discography as well. Growing up in the Esplanade, Prime and his friends created Prime Boys and focused on rap in order to stay out of trouble.

Documentary photo2

“I invented the ‘6’,” says Jimmy Prime. “The ‘6’ is a new brand for the city. I felt like no one was taking the city seriously.”

Rapper Friyie was inspired by the different cultures and musical sounds in his neighbourhood of southside Jane and Finch to make music.

A few months after he graduated from York University, Friyie performed his hit single Money Team at the T-Mobile arena before the Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor fight in August.

“It’s crazy how life works,” said Friyie after watching Mayweather working out to his music. “I was a young kid just working and trying to spit motivational music and it was able to motivate a legend like Floyd Mayweather.”

In December 2015, rapper Big Lean lost his close friend, Lotto Max, in a drive-by in Parma Court, a public housing project neighbourhood in Scarborough. Although he lost the partner with whom he created the rap collective Da Degrees, Big Lean stays motivated to pursue music.

“I’m going to go hard for what he wanted and what I wanted,” says Big Lean. “He’s working up there and I’m working down here until we meet again.”

CMDWN, pronounced “come down,” a Toronto rap collective consisting of Fiji and Ca$tro Guapo, was originally known for hosting house parties in a one-bedroom apartment above a bar.

Ca$tro Guapo’s family is from South Jane and Fiji’s mom lives on Parliament and Shuter. Coming from rough parts of the city, CMDWN uses music as an escape.

“Music, to us, is a gateway to freedom to do what we want and live how we want,” said Fiji.

As the duo’s personalities gained laughter from the audience throughout the screening, it’s evident that CMDWN’s chemistry attracts various crowds.

“We’re opening doors for people that are different,” said Fiji. “Our fans vary from hipsters to weirdos, to hood n*****.”  

Toronto-born Jazz Cartier claims the city as his home. He looks down upon artists who leave Toronto for the U.S. to pursue music because when they return, he feels they can’t claim the city as their own.

Documentary photo

“Your city has to f*** with you before anyone f***s with you,” said Cartier, in regards to creating music in your hometown.

Despite the respect he has for the city, Jay Whiss of Prime Boys feels that an artist needs to go to the U.S. in order to make it big.

“We get caught, we can’t go to the States,” Whiss stresses the importance of keeping a clean record. “That’s the number one market. So if we can’t get there, it’s useless. There’s only so much you can do in Canada.”

Pressa originates from the Driftwood neighbourhood near Jane and Finch. Pressa has been unable to tour in the U.S. because of a criminal record.

His career started as an opening act on Drake’s Boy Meets World tour. Last May, Pressa’s show in London, England was cancelled due to negative press around his arrest in early 2016.

Documentary photo3

“I have better things and better plans for my future,” Pressa said when reading his allegations. “I’m just trying to work and have a better life than where I came from.”

While these rappers have gained local attention, they have yet to take their fame outside of the country.

Whiss acknowledges that it’s difficult to break through. “A lot of people in Toronto have a spotlight as if they’re a big artist already,” said Whiss. “The pressure of having to take it to that next level and getting there, it’s hard.”

In a Q & A session after the screening, Coney said that he is looking into making a documentary about music producers who are more established, with 10 or more years of experience in Toronto’s music industry.

The full Noisey documentary can be viewed here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmEfBgESjKk