Set to go tonight with music director extraordinaire Suspar to check out some orchestras:

GLASS ORCHESTRA

These guys blow glass and make instruments out of them. Check out this crazy talk from their F.A.Q. page.

Do you break many instruments?
The Glass Orchestra is probably the only ensemble in the world that can count on the total destruction of its instruments. The breakage can be caused by the musicians in performance or can be caused by the correct choice of baggage handling company. They have developed the breakage philosophy that now instead of one instrument there are two or more new instruments. When an instrument breaks the result is usually more harmonically complex and interesting to listen to. (Unless the destruction is total!)

One of their members was a teacher of mine recently, and I have to say, he was one of the more interesting teachers I've had. We covered a lot of indelible material that definitely made things clearer to me.

GLASS ORCHESTRA - All That Glazz

The other group on hand is The Singing Saw Shadow Show, who look like this:


* From Torontoist.

...and sometimes look like this:


*From Wavelength, 2004. It's all going down tonight at the Music Gallery.

Thankfully, we've got this endless stream in Toronto of good music to keep us happy when life gets complicated, busy, tiring and lonely. 2005 has been an amazing year for Toronto's live shows, particularly in the more underground quarters. All I can ask for is a few more good ones before the year ends. Last Saturday, I finally caught The Hank Collective live after a year and a half of never checking them out. They translate very well from record to stage. To me, they are the musical cousins of a Kids in the Hall skit: quippy, clunky and deliciously weird in a very banal way.

HANK ft. THE HANK COLLECTIVE - Cop
HANK Ft. THE HANK COLLECTIVE - Danes in Peril
HANK ft. THE HANK COLLECTIVE - Lakeshore Report Diluted:Sources

I was also very surprised to see their softer side come out in a live CIUT recording:
HANK ft. THE HANK COLLECTIVE - People Look Up

Anagram also have new material available, which they will release officially on Dead Astronaut Records, January 16th at the Silver Dollar.

ANAGRAM - You'll Have to Think Faster

And now, the playlist from this week's radio show, late as usual...

SMOOSH - La Pump
SAILBOATS ARE WHITE - Let's Set Up North on Fire
SAILBOATS ARE WHITE - Mutiny Disease
SAILBOATS ARE WHITE - Veto
ANAGRAM - You'll Have to Think Faster
ANAGRAM - Favourite Places
ANAGRAM - Right Over There
LINDSTROM AND PRINS THOMAS - E2-E4 Tribute
GLASS CANDY - Dream Lover
BUCK 65 - Kennedy Killed the Hat (MSTRKRFT Remix)
QUINTORIN AND MISS MUSSYCAT - Fly Like a Rat
QUINTORIN AND MISS MUSSYCAT - Witch in the Club
BELLADONNAKILLZ - Yea Hell Yea