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CRAWLING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE
Down in the NXNE bunker, exhausted but happy staff members are spending the days staying cool, watching Euro 2008, and staring up at mountains of boxes, banners, and bins that'll take us well into July to unpack and organize. We're also reviewing this year's fest and re-living some of the highlights, from our unprecedented shows at Pearson Airport welcoming travelers to Toronto ("Live Music Capital of North America"), to three days & nights of exciting new musical discoveries in the clubs, to our wildly successful final 12 hours at Yonge-Dundas Square, which saw over 15,000 people throng (throng, not "thong") the Indie Music Marketplace and the free evening concert headlined by Bran Van 3000.
That's Bran Van 3000, not a conga line
In the spirit of channeling great NXNE memories, please send us your fave festival story--just email info@nxne.com; we'll post the best and hang onto all the rest.
Meanwhile, check the site often for a new featured NXNE 2008 artist each week--you might discover one of the 500 whom you somehow missed, or spot a great performer whose showcase you'll never forget.
NXNE 2009 rolls out June 11-14. If you're a performer, remember--it's never too early to start thinking about working on a submission package. One outstanding feature of this year's fest was the amazing musical diversity: we programmed great acts from a huge range of genres. So get your tunes going and plan to participate in the best music festival of the year, where everyone can discover their next favourite performer.
Great grimace: the show by Wales' People in Planes was a festival highlight.
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Home Middle
They came from Amsterdam to play for us twice, and both shows--at the Mod Club and at Yonge-Dundas Square--wowed us. Hospital Bombers describe themselves as "indie emotronic folk": to us, it's compelling, acoustic-based music with some strong pop hooks and a weird twist that elevates it above ordinary folk fare. The Bombers are a 4-piece with two records out there and a fondness for the Velvet Underground and the Mountain Goats (yes, you can hear the influences). A very interesting addition to NXNE's 08 lineup.
NXNE 2008 around town:
one of 5 NXNE Mini babe-mobiles--now, alas, just the stuff of memories
yes, we still have the animal costumes
PUT THE BOOT IN!
THE 2nd ANNUAL NXNE SOCCER MATCH was played in scorching heat and driving rain...all in the same half. A huge BMO Field crowd witnessed an epic end-to-end struggle that ended in a 2-1 win for ...wait for it...the MUSICIANS' team, for the second consecutive year. Hangovers sweated out, great fun all round, proceeds benefitted Right to Play. Check out video at www.torontofc.ca; go to the "tfc tv" icon.
Home Right
OK, NXNE IS DONE FOR ANOTHER YEAR... BUT NO NEED TO GO COLD-TURKEY! YOU CAN CHECK BACK ON THE GREAT MUSIC YOU SAW AND MORE YOU WISH YOU'D SEEN.
CLICK THE PANDA FOR BIOS AND MUSIC FROM NXNE 08 ARTISTS!
DO YOU HAVE MYSPACE?
CHECK OURS OUT !!!
ARE YOU CONNECTED ?
This year's festival was by far the biggest and most successful: attendance was way up over all past years and media coverage increased hugely here at home and abroad. NXNE's new programming at Pearson Airport, in city parks, at Union Station, and at Yonge-Dundas Square helped draw in completely new audiences. A BIG T HANKS to all the official NXNE venues and to all our partners in staging the best music fest yet!
A few more snaps from NXNE 08. Stay tuned for video and picture retrospectives of the entire festival!
Swervedriver @ Lee's Palace
Moneen @ the El Mocambo
Rattlesnake Choir @ Pearson Airport
Check out archived news here