I meet up with The Rough at their practice space located downtown and get to watch them play a few songs before we sit down to do the interview. This eclectic rock band is a trio that consists of drummer and beer lover Jack Mondo, the guitarist and a man with a great taste in shoes (he happened to be wearing the same kind as me), Jesse Raderman, and Lydia Arachne, the latter taking on the role of Geddy Lee in the band, playing bass and keyboards even when they are both in the same song. She also acts as the voice of reason when the other band members get off track. After we finished the interview, Jack, Jesse and I talked about a film as Lydia reminded them that they had a show coming up and should practice.

Check them out on Soundcloud.

Yesterday, I arrived in Toronto with great relief from the anxiety that comes with leaving home for several days. My explorations of the North by Northeast conference would begin that day.  After checking into the hotel, my first priority was to go check-in at the NXNE headquarters at the Hyatt Regency. The NXNE conference is very organized at this, it's heart. Checked in with no issue, received my badge, and was instantly deluged by flyers and people telling me what cool things I needed to go check out. In the Hyatt's many conference rooms is where all of the Interactive happenings of NXNE take place. I lingered here for a few minutes which meant I was missing the first portion of the I Blame Yoko NXNE showcase at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern that buffaBLOG was a part of as well. 


Quickly I headed up the street to see what was going on there. I was immediately greeted by some familiar faces, fellow buffaBLOGers Mac and Tom and the guys from Buffalo band the Tins Mike, Adam, and Dave. When I arrived they were all enjoying the sounds of Hamilton, ON synth-pop duo Allosaurus, who were donned in matching blue suit jackets. They played some up-tempo dreamy stuff and impressed the sparse crowd. Despite their awesome performance, it was at the suggestion of Mike from the Tins, that we decided to seek out a secret NXNE rooftop party in the University district, where there were rumblings of free beer! I had also gotten this invite, and with my rudimentary knowledge of Toronto's geography we decided it wasn't all to far and something worth checking out. So here we were, a crew of the Tins and buffaBLOGers, bumbling through Chinatown in search of free beer. When we arrived at the address it didn't look like much was going on at all; however, three flights upstairs there was a rocking hip party hosted by Toronto artist and brand development company Audio Blood and record label Bonsound. The sun was jarring when we crossed the threshold onto the roof and immediately we were handed ice-cold Steamwhistle pilsners.


The band Hue was about to start.  Hue is a 5-piece pop rock band from Toronto, and their sound was absolutely befitting of a sun drenched rooftop party. The soundtrack was great. The female vocals added a harmony that was as beautiful and intense as the sun itself.


And after 5 or six free beers we were all feeling pretty good! Not good enough however, to get a $3 haircut, which they were also doling out to anyone feeling so inclined.


With no shade in site, and Mac and Tom having to catch a ride back to Buffalo, we headed back to the Horseshoe Tavern and were just in time to catch the last few songs of Serena Pryne & The Mandevilles. After a couple shots, they took off and I was left to vices the rest of the evening, Got to see a few more bands, but the beer in the sun had done me in, and I was spent. Besides, I had to rest up for today and the next several days of my NXNE explorations.

If you like M.I.A., beer, and the freedom of artistic expression and interpretation - then Beck's new project will tickle your taste buds.

The project thought up by the German brewery, Living Beyond Labels, includes six different artists of various medias from across the world and their signature label designs for the collection.  Other artists include Aerosyn-Lex, a New York calligrapher, Freegums, a Miami based designer, Chicago installation artist and sculpter Willy Chyr, and two artists from Los Angeles, graphic designer Geoff McFetridge and performer Bert Rodriguez. 

A quote from their website describes Beck's mission: "Since 1987, Beck’s has supported contemporary artists by inviting them to use our beer labels as a blank canvas. Why? Because we believe in supporting independent thinkers. And the world can always use more art and less labels."

M.I.A. took this opportunity to define herself as an artist on a deeper and more broad level, as per usual.  In her interview, she delves into the creation of her label and how the metaphorical circle that she often uses in her designs stands for who she is and what she hopes will result from her creativity.  "The circle represents: it's a cell, it's a frequency that anyone can tap into.  It's not defined by money, by boundaries, and identity - that it's defined by geography.  It gives everybody the same amount of power to have the power of thought."

Living Beyond Labels was created to destroy the wall of limitations and show that each individual has the ability to create and exist even higher and stronger then we believe.  To become more then just a DJ, a graffiti artist, a videographer, a fashion designer or music journalist.  Living Beyond Labels is exploring every creative talent we have within us and making it grow.  And the fact that such a freeing idea can be spread simply by a graphic print on a bottle of beer, well, that's revolutionary.  It's more then just a beer.

Watch this very short interview from M.I.A. where she discusses herself as an artist and how music is not limited to just the production of a tune we bump in our cars with the windows down.  Don't be defined by a label.

If you're into inspiration gathering, watch the video interviews from the other artists on Beck's Living Beyond Labels page.