Guelph’s eighth annual Kazoo! Festival, set to take place from April 9 to April 13, offers a diverse and enthralling lineup of DIY/independent musicians, artists, filmmakers and writers from the across the area and the country. The festival is sort of the “culminating” effort of the Kazoo! collective over the year, who put on shows year-round across Guelph, highlighting the newest, most innovative music and multidisciplinary art from the area. Here are some of the bands you won’t want to miss.
Hooded Fang
This Toronto pop-rock group headlined the festival’s first night at eBar on Wednesday, April 9. With infectious hooks, quirky visuals, and tender lyrics, the band is an absolute blast, and they fit the always-fun eBar venue like a glove. They headlined after Halifax’s power-pop inspired Kelly McMichael and the Gloss, as well as Montreal electro-pop musician Jef Barbara. If you missed them this time around, don’t worry – you can catch them when they begin their North American tour at the end of May.
Nihilist Spasm Band
A collective project founded in London, Ontario in 1965, this improvisational group has had a consistent lineup since the 60s. With music in the vein of Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa’s early experiments, and having influenced groups like Sonic Youth, this undeniably important cult jewel of weird Canadiana should prove to be an anything-goes, not-for-the-faint-of-heart listening experience. They are playing with Southern U.S.’ experimental indigenous music group Postcommodity at Silence at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.
Legato Vipers
This Guelph-based surf/rockabilly group is another fixture of Guelph’s diverse downtown scene, and offer a set drenched in vibrato and attitude. They will be playing a special set of covers of songs by local musicians like Gregory Pepper, Skeletones Four, and Biblical. Headlining the Saturday night show at van Gogh’s and playing at 12:30 a.m., they will be joined by VAG HALEN, Biblical, and Whoop-SZO prior to their set.
The Furys
These Guelph-based garage rock icons have a huge, filthy sound with devil-may-care songwriting and attitude in spades. Always a pleasure to see and hear, they will be playing with Guelph prog-folk colleagues The Medicine Hat, in addition to Halifax rockers Cousins, at eBar on the Thursday night of the festival, starting at 10 p.m.
Diana
Diana’s dramatic music is categorized with ’80s synth textures, silky saxophone flourishes, and lulling rhythms and melodies. A troupe featuring members of Destroyer and Hidden Cameras, Diana will be headlining the Saturday night show at eBar, beginning at 10 p.m. They will be joined by Toronto’s avant-electro musician Petra Glynt, Guelph-based afrobeat group Manatee, and the eclectic Adverteyes, also hailing from Guelph.
Bleet
As one of Guelph’s premiere punk groups, Bleet infuses lo-fi electronics, crushingly heavy fuzz guitar, and powerhouse drumming to craft exhilarating, refreshing noise-punk. In what could be their last show as a band unit, they will be performing at the Jimmy Jazz on Saturday night with fellow Guelphites Soupcans and WTCHS.
See our centre spread for further suggestions on events and festivals to check out this spring and summer.