Browsing Category

Music

Concert Review: Maroon 5

Hot On The Street - Maroon 5 Toronto - IMG_8486

 

When I heard Maroon 5 was coming to Toronto, I decided to splurge and purchase the Animals package. This included a commemorative ticket, VIP badge, hat and messenger bag. The best part wasn’t the merchandise, but rather my view of Adam Levine from my seat in the ninth row on the floor. His tattoos were within plain sight and I relished the possibility that he was so close, we could make eye contact. We didn’t, but that’s ok.

 

Following a performance by Rozzi Crane, MAGIC! kicked off the night and celebrated their Juno award win. I’m partial to anyone wearing red pants and MAGIC! took that one step further in bold red pantsuits. Snaps for killer fashion! In fact, they seemed to put more effort into their attire than Adam, who wore a black and white graphic t-shirt and black pants.

 

Adam started his set with Animals, and then it wasn’t long until their was a rare interruption: microphone failure. The band has been touring for over ten years and that’s never happened before. What’s a concert without a working microphone? Well, after Adam threw the mic out of frustration, he thought it hit a fan, so he welcomed her onstage, held her hand and hugged her, then gave her an even better seat closer to the stage for the rest of the show. Lucky girl.

Continue Reading

HOTS Goes To The 2015 Juno Awards

Hot On The Street - Shawn Mendes - 2015 Juno Awards - IMG_8427
Last night, I attended my first televised awards show: the 2015 Juno Awards! It was a lot of fun to watch live and an easy way to see multiple performers in one night. It has always been on my bucket list to see the Junos, so now I can cross that off my list.

 

There was a whole week of events in Hamilton leading up to it, including the gala dinner on Saturday, which Jessi Cruickshank hosted. You know I’m a big Jessi Cruickshank fan and I wish she hosted the main event, even though she isn’t a musician. Instead, Hedley’s Jacob Hoggard hosted the Junos and tried to make us laugh with video sequences that included a cameo by none other than Stephen Harper. eTalk’s Ben Mulroney said hello to Jacob from his seat, where he joked that he was offered the hosting gig as well, but turned down the offer.

Continue Reading

Concert Review: Robyn and Royksopp

Hot On The Street - Royskopp and Zhala

My friends who’ve been nudging me to develop a greater appreciation for house music might be surprised to know how much I enjoyed Royksopp’s opening set. The abrupt ending to their act made me realize I should re-think my attitude towards the genre. Apparently electronic artists deserve a second chance in my music library after all.

Continue Reading

Concert Review: Katy Perry

Hot On The Street - Katy Perry - Prismatic World Tour - 1

On The Prismatic Tour, Katy Perry is fierce. From the moment she enters the stage as a warrior, it’s clear that the pop princess is growing up.

Borrowing choreography from Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour, Katy jumps rope during Roar, just as Madonna did during Jump. Katy ups the ante by doing this in heels, whereas Madonna skipped in sneakers. It seems Katy is a big fan of Madonna, as she proudly incorporates a verse of Madonna’s Vogue into International Smile.

Continue Reading

Concert Review: Fitz and the Tantrums

Hot on the Street - Fitz and the Tantrums - Sax

If Peter Bjorn and John joined forces with Janelle Monae, they could still learn a thing or two from Fitz and the Tantrums. The indie dance pop band turned the Danforth Music Hall into a wicked dance party on Sunday night, which made me forget my Queen’s Plate FOMO.

Fitz and the Tantrums (FATT) may not be a local band, but the sincerity they expressed during their commentary convinced me that they’d fit right in with polite Canadians. Their fans aren’t necessarily hipster enough for Parkdale, but maybe they biked over from the Beaches.

After FATT dedicated Out of My League to the audience, everyone stood up — including the relatively introverted fans with balcony seats. The band inspired fans to put down their phones and dance like no one’s watching. It was awesome.

Continue Reading