Toronto Uncovered

Elliott BROOD at Dakota Tavern: Picture by Rock Paper Pixels

I received an urgent text from one of my good friends Wednesday night. It read “You have to come to the Dakota Tavern! Awesome!” This was following two missed calls from the same friend, and one barely audible voice mail. Intrigued, I called back and was told by my fairly inebriated, but nonetheless musically reliable, friend that Elliott BROOD was about to take the stage for a Ride to Conquer Cancer charity event at Dakota Tavern, and that, “this would be the last time to see them in such an intimate venue”.

I had seen the post on BlogTO earlier in the week announcing the concert, and had decided that since I already had a networking commitment that night, I would have to miss it. Maybe it was something in my friends voice and all the noise and excitement in the background, or maybe it was just because I was already a few drinks in and my little voice of reason had piped down, but I decided to make an appearance.

Cover was a little steep for Ossington – 20 bucks – but easily justifiable (especially for a good cause). There were  a number of raffles going on inside as well to support the ride. Inside: the bar was packed, dance floor was moving, and the three piece band was really givin’ ‘er. The music was a mix of rock, folk, and alternative. It had a steady beat that made even the most reluctant dancer give in to the head-bob-two-step. I have since downloaded all of their albums, and would recommend them to anyone looking for some good, easy flowing, summeresque tunes. And, the icing on the cake, they got their start right here in Toronto.

If youre still looking for a reason to support them – give them a listen. According to their MySpace page they won’t be back in Toronto for a while, but are defnitely worth the download, and keeping your eyes out for any upcoming dates they might squeeze in!