The Ultimate Music Experience in Toronto

December 7, 2018 53 Comments

As a music aficionado, I definitely picked the right city to live in! Toronto has it all – amazing homegrown and visiting talent, iconic concert halls and plenty to see and do between shows. So, when Google Canada reached out last month and invited me to embark on the ultimate music experience in my home city, I knew I was in for a treat!

Follow my guide below to enjoy your very own ultimate music experience in Toronto!

Morning

First, book a hotel!! (or commute in early)

I’m not a morning person by any means, so Google Canada was kind enough to hook me up with a stay at the gorgeous Four Seasons Hotel in Yorkville. Staying here has been on my bucket list for years. The property and rooms are simply stunning and you’re just minutes away from great shopping, attractions and music venues (crucial for this kind of experience!).

Next stop, food for fuel!

The beautiful interior of Kost at Bisha Hotel.

My girls Afra (left), Rebecca (right) and I LOVED our delicious brunch!

After lounging around and getting ready while blasting tunes on YouTube Music, my friends and I trekked over to Kōst for brunch. This delightful hidden gem is located on the 44th floor of the new Bisha Hotel in Toronto on Blue Jays Way. The atmosphere is really bright and the dishes are fresh and unique. We all ordered sandwiches; I got the California burger with fries, which was delicious. (If you’re not a spicy/tangy kind of person, I’d recommend getting it without the tomato relish.) I can’t wait to come back in the summer when the outdoor seating is open!

Events, Photography

George Ezra and James Bay Embark on a Chaotic and Calm Voyage to Toronto

August 5, 2015 No Comments

Toronto’s Sherbourne Common was host to a milestone in pop culture history on August 1 when rapidly on-the-rise artists George Ezra and James Bay did their first ever co-headlining show to a massive sold out crowd! Playing against the backdrop of the gorgeous lakeshore, George and James each performed a generous selection of tracks from their outstanding repertoires and gave fans a night to remember.

George’s latest album ‘Wanted On Voyage’ and his hit single “Budapest” have become international successes, garnering him a 3x platinum and #1 charting debut album in the UK. This success translated into George earning a coveted performance slot on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. James’ debut album, ‘Chaos and the Calm’, was released earlier this year in March and came in at #1 in the UK after an incredible opening week. The album has spun off three stellar singles, including “Let It Go”, which James recently performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Events, Photography, Reviews

Recap: WayHome Music & Arts Festival (July 24-26, 2015)

July 27, 2015 No Comments

WayHome Music & Arts Festival graphic from 2015

Outstanding music, incredible art, great company and much more – WayHome had it all. The inaugural WayHome Music & Arts Festival went down this past weekend (July 24-26) and the much-a-buzz festivities brought world-famous names like Neil Young, Modest Mouse, St. Vincent and Sam Smith to the small, intimate town of Oro-Medonte, ON, just over an hour north of Toronto.

There was plenty going on and much to do and see at any point during each of the 3 days of the festival – art displays, ball pits, food trucks and the WayMarket presented by online “DIY” retailer Etsy, among countless others. However, none drew more attention than the 4 main entertainment stages across the event grounds – WayHome, WayBright, WayBold and WayAway (presented by Sirius XM). Fans, better known as WayHomies, made their way between stages to catch all of their favourite performers which were evenly spread throughout the weekend.

Here are just some of the highlight performances from this year’s festival:

Hozier (July 24 @ 6:45PM, WayHome)

Critically acclaimed and much-loved Irish singer Hozier drew one of the biggest crowds throughout the entire weekend. He truly entertained, singing fan favourites like “Work Song” and “Jackie and Wilson”, as well as a creative cover of Ariana Grande’s “Problem”. Hozier’s performance of his big hit “Take Me to Church” resulted in a mass sing-along with over 35,000 new friends.

Events, Photography, Reviews

Eleven Past One and Rebel Coast rock Toronto

May 5, 2015 No Comments

Eleven Past One and Rebel Coast in Toronto tour poster

What do you get when you put two of Canada’s favourite bands together and send them on a joint six-date tour across Canada? You get hundreds of fans lining up outside music venues for performances from Eleven Past One and Rebel Coast! Together, they co-headlined a special Canadian Music Week show this past weekend (May 3) at Revival in Toronto – the last show of the tour – and brought along friends Navigate the Sky and High 75 for a jam-packed party!

Newly-formed band Navigate the Sky opened the show with a vocally strong set, singing original songs like “By Your Side” as well as covers of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” and Coldplay’s “Yellow”. Lead singer Brendan DiStefano took a moment to genuinely thank all of the fans in the crowd and was met with screams of support. Navigate the Sky ended their set with their debut single, “I Want You In The Dark”, which is slated for release this June!

Up next was High 75, an Ontario-based 4-piece pop band who previously supported Rebel Coast at their Toronto show in December. This time around, they entertained the energetic crowd with performances of songs off their album ‘All Night’, including single “One Time Girl”, as well as a cover of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” which they craftily blended in with one of their own songs. The guys had plenty of love for their Toronto fans whom they rewarded with guitar picks.

Giveaways

[CLOSED] GIVEAWAY: Watsky in Toronto on November 10

November 6, 2014 No Comments

George Watsky – who raps under the name Watsky – is a writer and performer with a fresh style. Hailing from San Francisco, California, Watsky is known for his versatility – his sound switches between silly and serious, technically complex and simply heartfelt. His self-titled album ‘Watsky’, which was released in 2010, peaked at #7 on the iTunes Hip Hop Charts. In addition to performing on The Ellen Show and Last Call with Carson Daly, Watsky, whose fast rapping skills have made him a viral internet sensation, was recently dubbed as a ‘Big Sound of 2011’ by The Next Big Sound alongside Mac Miller, Kreayshawn and Skrillex.

Watsky will be playing a show this Monday, November 10 at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Ontario.

Would you like to see Watsky perform live? You may just be in luck because it’s a FREE TICKET THURSDAY!

~~To enter, follow @angelamcleanx on Twitter and retweet the following tweet: https://twitter.com/angelamcleanx/status/530495784132050945~~

~~A winner will be chosen randomly from all the retweets on Saturday, November 8 and will win 2 tickets to the show! Thank you to Live Nation Ontario for this awesome prize.~~

Good luck! x

Check out Watsky’s recent collaboration with Karmin: