IPO Toronto 2014
Click on artist name to go to their music page
CLICK HERE to see IPO Toronto 2014 Artist Yearbook Photos
Artists From Toronto
The 905’s – The 905’s are blasting out of the suburbs with high energy powerpop and punk-wave rock ‘n roll. It’s sleek, it’s fast, and it’s fun! In the grand tradition of fellow Canadians Teenage Head, and likeminded bands such as The Buzzcocks, Stiv Bators, and Johnny Thunders, The 905’s are here to get the party rockin’! If you want to sing along, dance, stomp your feet, or pump your fists in the air, check out their latest CD, Breakout, and their IPO showcase!
BROOMFILLER – This four-piece heavy alternative punk sonic fury has been compared to such bands as Bad Religion, Face to Face, Millencolin, Husker Du, and Foo Fighters. The hook-filled catchy songs on their debut CD, Enter The Storm, with melodic vocals, soothing bass lines and rhythmic drumming is a blend of music, style and performance which enables them to truly stand out. The band is currently in pre-production for two new five-song EPs, with an even fuller and intricately melodic sound, the first of which is due out in early 2015…so watch for it!
James Clark Institute – The musical outlet of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist James Clark, described as “…a witty, concise and sometimes acerbic lyricist with moving, memorable and often hilarious songs.” (Blair Packham – Producer; Singer/Songwriter; Composer; Educator; and fellow IPO performer – see below). Their recent five-song EP, Son of a Sideshow, is a companion piece to 2008’s Sideshow Unattraction, with songs that range from pretty folk ditties to vaudevillian quirky pop that will appeal to fans of John Lennon, Neil Finn, and Elvis Costello. They’ve also released their first ever 7” single on shiny black vinyl, so come to the show and check it out now!
Clockwise – Check out any of their awesome full-length releases or their latest single, Sugar Coat It (on spiffy 7” vinyl!), and you’ll be instantly hooked! Their sound is influenced by Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Joe Jackson and Squeeze, tempered with more contemporary artists like Crowded House and The Beautiful South, and they efficiently crank out three and a half minute pop songs with hooks that will stick with you long after that initial investment in time has been spent. Their classic Toronto powerpop style fit right in at The World Famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, where they joined us for IPO four years in a row, and we’re very glad they did! A new full length disc is in the works, and we can hardly wait to hear it!
Dewey Truman – The current musical outlet of singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Lamont James, and an artist that fans of hooky powerpop of all shapes and sizes NEED to hear for themselves! His style runs the gamut from the classic powerpop style of Big Star or Cheap Trick to the more orchestrated variety of Burt Bacharach or The Partridge Family to the quirky new wave punk pop of The B-52s! Definitely an artist and band after IPO’s heart!
Terry Draper and Ray Paul – Draper is best known as one of the main men of Klaatu, but he has also released a number of brilliant CDs under his own name. Throughout his career, he has remained true to his love of ‘Pop’ music, Progressive Rock and the grandiose productions of the ‘60s & ‘70s, while allowing other genres and influences, from Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa, Barbra Streisand to The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, The Beach Boys and Peter Sarstedt, to infiltrate his varied and various recordings. His latest opus, When The World Was Young, includes singers and players who have combined forces to create ‘a tour-de-force’ unlike anything the world has ever heard. He’s teamed up for this special IPO performance with Ray Paul, leader of both the Permanent Press record label and of the great ‘70s Boston powerpop band Ray Paul & RPM, whose classic disc, The Charles Beat, will appeal to fans of all things British Invasion. Their IPO performance will feature songs by both Terry and Ray, so you’d better not miss it!
The Fandemics – A monster in a china shop of a band featuring ex-members of Take Drugs, Darlings of Chelsea, Tacoma Redd, and Citizen Kill get together to make a new band of their own. Their sound is loud, sonically lush, and loveable, filled with harmonies, hooks, and heart. Fans of The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, and The Descendents will want to pay special attention to this one!
The Histrionics – If The Beatles had a threesome with GBV and The New Pornographers, their love children would be The Histrionics. Combining sardonic, acerbic lyrics with upbeat pop sensibilities, this band draws on a variety of influences to create instant pop classics on their recently released disc, The Cannon. Fans of ELO and Randy Newman will also dig these guys!
Muscle Souls – A captivating blend of folk-pop, soft pop and artfully orchestrated pop with a touch of soul is on offer from this Toronto sextet. Imagine James Taylor meets Burt Bacharach meets The Left Banke, and you come pretty close…better yet, check out their new Mark On The World CD and their IPO showcase, and hear for yourself!
The Nines – The band who exemplify everything you love about sophisticated three-minute pop songs! Two of their previous CDs, Properties of Sound and Wonderworld of Colourful were both instant favorites, and have earned comparisons to The Beatles, Jellyfish, and ELO. The Nines have collaborated over the years with power pop artists Jason Falkner (Jellyfish, the Grays), Bleu (L.E.O), John Adams (John Cage, Neil Young), Andy Partridge (XTC), and more! The new album, Nine Lives, proves that can transfer all that magic to a live setting! We’ve been honored to have them at IPOs in LA and New York, but are especially honored to have them play IPO in their home town, once again!
Blair Packham – This singer/songwriter/producer/former long time vice president of the Songwriters Association of Canada may be best known to audiences as one of the guiding lights behind the late ‘80s/early ‘90s band The Jitters, but he’s a wonderful performer in his own right. Could’ve Been King, his second solo CD, will appeal to fans of Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Nick Lowe, and rumor has it a third CD is in the works! Check out his live shows; along with his very introspective tunes- he’s a great storyteller!
The Reply – Main men James Bond (!) and Carl Nanders created The Reply from two principles: 1) play soulful, meaningful music and 2) no bullshit; only room for people who know what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Fans of classic in your face soul artists such as Edwin Starr, Sly and the Family Stone, and Booker T & the MGs will agree these guys deliver the goods and then some! Check out their very aptly named debut EP, Downtown Soul, and hear for yourself!
Sister Hyde – IPO is honored to host an appearance by Toronto’s premier dirty glam punk extravaganza! Their recent Sex Change CD has been described as “[t]he greatest glam since T Rex and Motley Crue…sex, evil, and passion all in one big orgasmic CD!” (Glam Trash Love Affair Magazine), and their live shows are not to be missed!
The Snows – Proof that catchy melodies can coexist with sophisticated songwriting, as can a guitar-heavy indie sensibility with pristine vocals. Resurrected from the ashes of Swedish Fish, with a new album, More Than I Can Tell You—to go with a new sound and a new outlook!
T.C. Folkpunk – AKA the project of Timothy Cameron, bass player of indie popsters The James Clark Institute (see above). His solo CDs are a bit more raw, bringing to mind such artists as The Clash, Billy Bragg, or Tom Robbins – check them out on his website or pick them up at his IPO showcase and watch for a new one soon! He also has the unique distinction that one of his songs, “American Dream,” has become part of the curriculum in a high school class in Germany, which is studying the recent impact of American culture on the outside world!
Julian Troiano – If his last name sounds familiar, it may be due to the fact that he’s the nephew of legendary Canadian guitarist, Domenic Troiano. However, young Julian is quickly becoming a singer/songwriter to be reckoned with in his own right. He was recently awarded a full scholarship to the famed Metalworks Institute, and his recently released debut EP, Inner Battles, carries on a family legacy of outstanding musicianship while infusing deeply emotional lyrics and pop sensibilities. Fans of classic R&B/Pop artists with smooth vocals, such as Lionel Richie, Al Green, or Lenny Kravitz will love Troiano and his band!
Canadian Artists From Outside Of Toronto
The Marvelous Beauhunks – A band from Oshawa who play some of the best Britpop made outside of Britain, and the people of Britain, Liverpool, to be exact, got to see this for themselves when the band played IPO Liverpool in May! Catchy melodies with just the right balance between jangle and rock with a touch of mod will remind you of such bands as The Jam, The Stone Roses, and The Clash…check out their recent Do Not Resuscitate CD and enjoy for yourself!
Dave Rave – He began popping very powerfully indeed a near quarter century ago as part of the legendary Canadian bands Teenage Head and The Shakers, and has often been referred to as “The Canadian Nick Lowe.” In addition to being one of the most entertaining and hardworking powerpoppers around, he’s also been known to display his jazzy side on several collaborations with fellow Canadian singer/songwriter, Mark McCarron. His recent CD, Live With What You Know, was nominated for a Grammy, as was one of its songs, “Anne Marie”!! He’s played nearly every IPO for nearly four years running (including as many as 50 in a row!), and we look forward to many more. Thank you, Dave!!
Carly Thomas – An indie artist from London, Ontario by way of Vancouver, Thailand, Buenos Aires, and Paris (!), Thomas, is a welcome change from the typical. A soulful writer with a voice layered with truthfulness, she has that something which makes folk-ish music interesting and intelligent. Her new EP, Explode, will appeal to fans of Ani DiFranco, Melissa McCready, The Fray, and Sarah McLachlan. Check her out now!
International Artists
The Lannie Flowers Band – Although he and the band hail from the great state of Texas, they’ve done what no other artist in the history of the LA Music Awards has done…namely, taking home four awards from last year’s event in November! Flowers’ latest studio CD, New Songs, Old Stories, picks up where his earlier disc, Circles, left off, but rocks even harder, and the band’s latest, Live In NYC, shows why you must see them in person! Badfinger-esque in-your-face guitars and vocal harmonies blend with softer shifting harmonies more reminiscent of XTC, but that fans of artists from The Raspberries to The Velvet Underground will be sure to appreciate! We also appreciate that he and his band have played the IPO festival in many cities throughout the world and continue to do so, with no sign of slowing down!
