Kali HorseThe experimental art-rock collaboration of multi-instrumentalist producers Sam Maloney and Desiree Das Gupta, Kali Horse blends fantasy with harsh realism, colliding genres with reckless abandon. Their avant-pop whimsicality channels Björk, while their soaring anthemic moments reflect their rock roots. Their vocal connection? Hypnotic. Check out their latest release, 2099, for a sample of what’s...
Pearly MoonWith a sound blending 12-string jangle, stompbox freakouts and melodic basslines, Pearly Moon’s tuneful lo-fi psychedelia invites you to turn off your mind, relax and float downstream. The group has shared stages with fellow psych purveyors Witch Victim, The Radiation Flowers, Doom Gong and more, and are working on a follow-up to their 2024...
HOMESHAKEPeter Sagar splits time between Montreal and a home studio in Toronto these days, but his hypnagogic pop project HOMESHAKE is deeply rooted in his Albertan upbringing. His discography is full of introspection on his prairies past and anticipation of his continuing musical evolution, delivered with poppy hooks that infect the mind.Sagar cut his teeth...
DijahSBFormerly known as Kzaraw, DijahSB deals in a jazzy take on hip-hop that is putting Toronto’s rap scene on the map. With breezy bars and earnest wordplay, their 2024 album, The Flower That Knew, was longlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, and serves as the perfect entry point to DijahSB’s musical garden. Ice Tha OneWith roots based...
Ben Sosa WrightActor, comedian, and writer Ben Sosa-Wright was named a Just For Laugh’s New Face in 2022 and is an alum of The Second City Mainstage. Ben was also named one of CBC’s 15 Canadian Comics To Watch in 2019. His writing has been featured in Reader’s Digest and Xtra Magazine. You can catch his stand-up on The New...
Carissa GemThis Calgary DJ is dropping bass-heavy, rap-tinged sets loud enough to make you ask “What Will The Neighbours Think?” — which, fittingly, is also the name of her show on CJSW 90.9. A Western Canadian bass scene staple, Carissa is building community (and killer shows) one eardrum at a time.World NewsLive electronic duo World...
Black Country, New RoadEmerging from London’s genre-bending “Windmill” scene in 2018, Black Country, New Road are a band of true originals, constantly shape-shifting and re-defining the boundaries of art rock on their own terms. BCNR originally featured a lineup that included Isaac Wood, Tyler Hyde, May Kershaw, Georgia Ellery, Lewis Evans, and Charlie Wayne, adding Luke...
Drag makes every day brighter, so join us at Palomino Smokehouse for breakfast, beers, and a whole lot of fabulous. It’s the perfect warm‑up for Saturday night. Performer lineup coming soon!(Photo: Blue Jackson-Hill)Important info: Start and running times are subject to change. Please check the Sled Island schedule in June for exact set times.Upon entering a...
Chris Burns & His Going ConcernsFour decades of Montreal “racket‑roll” come roaring to life with this garage-born collective. As a member of bands like Terminal Sunglasses and Tha Retail Simps, Chris Burns has perfected his punk swagger and noisy improvisation. Now, His Growing Concerns deliver burnzoid anthems right‑this‑minute with ferocious musicianship and unhinged joy. Sounds...
Thee SoreheadsBold, female-fronted punk band Thee Soreheads blend raw power, biting hooks, and multilingual grit. Switching between English and Spanish, their sound channels classic punk urgency with a modern edge. Releasing demos, a live session, and now their debut EP, they showcase tightly crafted tracks that explore anger, identity, and resilience.Brain BentSince debuting in 2020,...
NIFE FITELoud, bad, and bleeding, NIFE FITE is a new, yet recognizable art-punk trio consisting of Matthew Springer (Radioactive Vampire Teeth, Dial Up), E. Collins (Thee Canadian Dispatch) and Kaiden Jackman (The Furnace). Satirizing violence in the media, the group plows through bite sized tunes about knives, stabbings, and childhood games with reckless abandon.Dual NatureDrawing...
Spirit HotelDetermined to wake the dead by any means necessary, Spirit Hotel deals in whiskey-dipped tape rock and haunted house fuzz, all under the direction of singer-songwriter Nataanii Cornelius. Their 2024 debut Wear Your Death was a countrygaze knife twist on their listeners, and the new direction only drives it deeper, as it gets louder.HeavydiveNeo-wave/shoegaze trio Heavydive...