Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 10, 2012, 4:41 pm
While it has been widely ignored, the post Britpop / pre “The Libertines/The _____/garagey” band era was kind of a dark period in UK music. UK had just witness one of the greatest talent and musical explosions of all time in the early 90s but by the late 90s, those bands had all either broken up...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 9, 2012, 3:30 pm
English duo The Big Pink released their second record Future This a few weeks ago. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the group after their hit album A Brief History of Love. Would they be a one album wonder like Glasvegas or will they build on that album into something better? Luckily for us, the ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 9, 2012, 11:34 am
The dress code Tuesday night at Lincoln Hall was glitter. Although I, and most of my fellow concert-goers, didn’t get the memo until too late, each of the band members of The Asteroids Galaxy Tour rocked a glittery accoutrement: the horn section sported glittery bowties, the percussion section roc...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 8, 2012, 4:36 pm
Iceland might be in an unrecoverable recession, but judging by the happiness that exudes from six piece band Of Monsters and Men‘s music, you would think that it’s all parties and good times on this quaint little island. Exhibiting upbeat folk-rock meets chaotic group chorus sensibilities, the...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 8, 2012, 9:57 am
After seeing Theophilus London and opener Phony PPL perform on February 6th at the 9:30 Club I was just too overwhelmed by the high-energy fantasticness of the show to craft a coherent paragraph-style review. So here goes: my first (perhaps the world’s first?) experiment with Concert Review Jeopar...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 7, 2012, 3:07 pm
BBC Radio 1′s yearly Live Lounge collection always seems to come up with a few gems. For those not in the know, the compilation is a collection of live tracks that were played at the Radio 1 studios. At some point during the Radio 1 sessions, someone decided it was a good idea to record these trac...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 7, 2012, 12:36 pm
Trust is Toronto based duo Robert Alfons and Maya Posteps, who judging by their press photos, are also daytime Urban Outfitter models. I have a hard time deciphering what their actual name is but I think they should make it more distinct since there is also a French and Belgium band with the same na...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 6, 2012, 4:28 pm
Does anyone remember when twitter had #musicmonday? Me neither. We first wrote about Australian act San Cisco last year, and then they released an EP earlier for which Halley did a song of the day for. Well, we are back again! San Cisco’s EP Awkward has been steadily in my rotation this year. It�...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 6, 2012, 11:14 am
Once in a while, we all need to take a trip to Pyschic City For Torontonians, that opportunity comes on February 23rd at the Wrongbar. Of course, I’m talking about Portland band Yacht, who will once again bring their super awesome live act to Toronto once again. It’ll be their first show here ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Feb 3, 2012, 12:38 pm
My sister and I are only collectively half the writer of our esteemed and fearless leader Ricky, so we decided in lieu of a top ten list, we would assemble a list of the top 5 ways to waste 5 minutes on youtube. And now – the internetz: 1) JbDubs – I hate my job. What do you get when you c...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 31, 2012, 11:26 am
Chicago – What better way to spice up the middle of a blah week than skip your night class and go to a concert? Who needs education anyway right? Wednesday was the eve of my dear friend’s 30th birthday. She has this whole long list of things that she’s not allowed to do after she turns 30 (ea...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 30, 2012, 12:16 pm
It’s often said that the perfect remedy for a brisk and dull Tuesday night is a dance party. Who often says this? I don’t know. People way cooler than I am. Last Tuesday was unbearably cold and considerably dull, so I decided to heed to the advice of the cool and attend a dance party. A four pie...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 30, 2012, 10:00 am
While its been a good few years since the French Valerie electro disco scene threatened (and failed) to take over the indie music world, the memories of that moment has remained in the minds of many. It’s certainly remained in Nicolas Winding Refn’s mind as the director chose to soundtrack his m...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 27, 2012, 10:17 am
With the Oscar announcements this week, Halley decided to go with a movie themed top 10! 1) You can’t go to concerts every night. I mean, 24/7 concert-going is, in theory, the ideal. But sometimes there’s just not a good band playing when you need an evening activity. So why not switch stage fo...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 26, 2012, 9:43 am
Toronto – Honestly, this was a bit of a crazy night.  I started off the evening at the Monster Jam monster truck show, followed that with Anamanaguchi‘s set at Wrongbar, and then capped off the night with a trip to the Bovine.  That’s at least one too many things for one evening, yet i did i...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 25, 2012, 11:08 am
Today, is Robbie Burns Day. It is celebrated by Scottish and Anglophiles all around the world. Now I don’t really know why he’s so special that everyone celebrates his birthday but any excuse to gather around a bar and drink scotch is good for me, although I don’t think many Scottish people re...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 25, 2012, 9:40 am
Toronto – Before I begin with the review proper, allow me to digress right away and launch into a story about the last time I saw Herman Dune.  It was in Paris, so of course the band was speaking French (because, you know, they are French) and it was a good show, of course, but the reason I’m...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 24, 2012, 11:02 am
I played this track for my friend Jess (of Roundletters / Static Zine ) and she said it was my type of song. I was like, “what’s my type of song” to which she shrugged (online). So I started thinking..what is my type of song? Well, taking a look at this single from English act Clock Opera, I g...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 23, 2012, 2:54 pm
Chicago – A woman and her guitar. That’s all it was at Schubas on Thursday night – no props, no synthesizers, no suits, no suspenders, no nothing. It was lovely in its simplicity. Jaymay made her way through the small crowd in the intimate quarters at Schubas Tavern and took the stage in jeans...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 22, 2012, 7:30 pm
We here at the Panic Manual have been fans of Brighton act Fujiya and Miyagi for awhile now and I actually reviewed their 2008 release Lightbulbs. They took a bit of a hiatus shortly after that album but returned in full force with the release of Ventriloquizzing last year. One year after the releas...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 20, 2012, 2:37 pm
“Shuffle” is the song of the day Have you heard it? Give it a play Upbeat intro, Catchy beat Feel it, feel it; this band is neat. Foursome from England, Bombay Bicycle Club is on the go Looks like they’re covering North America – don’t miss their show! The End. Bombay Bicycle Club – S...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 20, 2012, 10:18 am
Created by Bob Martin and Matt Watts, Michael:Tuesdays & Thursdays premiered on CBC in September 2011. Synopsis: Michael (Matt Watts) and David (Bob Martin) have been seeing each other, professionally, twice a week for 15 years. Dr. David Storper is a psychiatrist specializing in cognitive behavio...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 19, 2012, 4:26 pm
What is that sound Ringing in my ears The strangest sound If you are to believe all the strange viral videos that have been posted with increasing frequency in the past few months. The Earth is making really weird grumbling sounds. It even made the Huffington Post, although I think Ryan Gosling d...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 19, 2012, 11:53 am
Alpaca Sports is the solo project of Andreas Jonsson of Gothenburg, Sweden. I think they have two songs, but much like his Swedish contemporaries, Andreas has crafted a mighty fine twee-ish pop track with his single Just for Fun. Delightful strings resonate throughout the song, which also features a...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 18, 2012, 11:46 am
You might have noticed, but there’s a lot of blackout sites today including wikipedia, The Oatmeal and Lolcats. Why, you ask? Because our neighbors down south are once again taking some crazy pills. The US Government is trying to pass two bills – SOPA and PIPA that will basically make us feel ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 17, 2012, 1:23 pm
New things come with the New Year, And sometimes new things can mean change and fear, But change can also be good, not worse: Like when Ricky busts out his verse. We all knew he was blogger extraordinaire, But this poetic inclination is a new flair: So here is my best stab At creating somethi...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 17, 2012, 10:04 am
Dirty Fences and Cults – such a good combo at the Black Cat on January 14. I had never heard of the Dirty Fences and don’t usually go for the punk-rock sound they create, but I found myself thoroughly enjoying their performance. I was also suitably impressed by the four dedicated fans who came...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 16, 2012, 2:33 pm
‘Awk talk.’ We all know it. We all do it (some less than others). You know – it’s when you’re in a conversation or a relationship or a meeting and things… just… don’t… quite flow. There is good news about ‘awk talk’ and all things ‘awkward’ though: while we all try to minim...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 16, 2012, 10:01 am
Chicago – It’s always a great surprise when you unexpectedly know the opening band at a concert, which is why I was so excited when it turned out that 1,2,3 was the first opener for the Grouplove concert at Lincoln Hall Saturday night! The trio had a strong onstage presence (and the lead singer ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 14, 2012, 10:06 am
There once was a band named Caveman, and they hatched a big old plan To play a show at the Horseshoe, as best as they can On the heels of their debut record, CoCo Beware They wanted to play their hearts out, so the people would care. The bar was hot, and not many people were there Opening for t...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 13, 2012, 9:00 am
... , there’s no better place of convergence. Plus, if you are lucky, you can hold up Tara Reid’s hair while she vomits. 8. Refused Of all the bands reuniting to play Coachella, ... faded faster than his hairline. Stiffler – playing the same role over and over must be fun. Tara Reid –...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 12, 2012, 10:32 am
When the Coachella lineup was announced this week, a few names clearly stood out- Pulp, James, At the Drive In, Refused and Dr. Dre. It’s been awhile since the former NWA member, headphone maker and head of Aftermath records has been in the spotlight, but as one of the pioneers of the 90s G Funk s...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 11, 2012, 3:16 pm
... besides David Byrne or David Bowie – my Pandora has an uncompromising crush on these two artists – and because it had a super catchy refrain of “puff puff pass puff puff pass” which I was mindlessly singing even before I realized Pandora had decided to move on from the Davids. I loved ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Jan 11, 2012, 10:24 am
The first thing I must say about Town Hall is: thank god for a band that ‘gets’ website design. Maybe I’m just not artistic/musically minded to appreciate the thought and nuance that goes into some bands’ sites, but every time I have to ‘click to enter’ nine times before finding the actu...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 15, 2011, 9:01 am
Baltimore – Every couple of years, like slides in a powerpoint presentation, I like to change the backdrop. But I have always struggled with first years. By that I refer to my relationships with changes in scenery rather than with hormone-effervescing fresh-women (to be politically correct as Geo...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 14, 2011, 4:50 pm
It often seems that celebrity couples always release Christmas tracks around Christmas time. Maybe it’s a cash grab or maybe it’s an easy way to get your product on the radio. I don’t know. Some recent examples would be Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman and Zoey Deschanel and M.Ward (c’mon...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 14, 2011, 9:20 am
Best of 2011: (Some of the things on this list might have been created earlier than 2011, but being that I live in my own little shmience bubble, 2011 is when their existence became known to me.) Best websites of 2011: Jukesy.com – Jukesy.com is a website that pubs itself as a mash-up between l...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 13, 2011, 3:17 pm
Anna Calvi can play guitar. She can play it really really well. From the set opener Rider to the Sea to the set closing Edith Piaf cover, the English singer songwriter set the bar quite high for future shows with some blistering guitar solos to accompany her Mercury Prize nominated tracks. You know ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 13, 2011, 9:57 am
... ’s biggest breakout album in terms of massive recognition. Written and released in ... built on singles alone–Ship of Fools, Weight of the World, and Hallowed ... this album. Middle of the Road, Back on the Chain Gang, Show Me, and My City ... keep this short. Rollercoaster is one of the...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 12, 2011, 4:46 pm
... albums and won a MTV Europe award before. There show here was probably a long awaited one by a small legion of fans here in Toronto, which meant the crowd for the Gift won the following: The Panic Manual Award for Highest Percentage of People in the Crowd Taking Pictures of Themselves at the S...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 9, 2011, 2:33 pm
... a play loosely based on the life of DJ Dewey Phillips, one ... chronicles Dewey (renamed Huey…where’s Louie?) as he struggles to play ... named Felicia. The play starts off with Huey strolling into an all ... a night at shake-a-tail, with better dancers. - Speaking of dancing, ... ha...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 9, 2011, 12:50 pm
Toronto – Animals As Leaders are one of those bands whose name I had seen, but I had never really paid them any mind.  That changed this past March when I happened to randomly stumble upon a show by bandleader Tosin Abasi’s other band T.R.A.M. at SXSW.  They played an intriguing mix of metal ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 9, 2011, 9:12 am
DC – If I had the chance to give two words of wisdom to an opener on a weekday, especially a rainy weekday, concert, it would be: be punctual. Please god, be punctual, especially in Washington DC where most people not only admit to, but proudly claim, the ‘nerd’ label. Unfortunately, no one g...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Dec 8, 2011, 4:20 pm
Chicago – I’m going to start out this review by giving YACHT some of the highest praise possible (in my book) for a band – they made going out on a Tuesday night worth it. The night got off to a rocky start – local Chicago opener Cains and Abels took the stage at Lincoln Hall promptly at 8:...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Nov 2, 2011, 10:10 am
This cover sees two worlds collide as hip hop dance floor sensation Taio Cruz covers nostalgic folk farmy revivalists Mumford & Sons. The song covered is Little Lion Man and as you would expect, Taio puts his own touches on it which includes a rousing string section to replace the banjo hee haw expl...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Nov 1, 2011, 9:28 am
In six days I will be going on my second vacation of the year. While going on vacation is something I do on a regular basis (well, whenever I have vacation days) – this is the first time I will go on an outdoor adventure type of vacation. It’s completely new to me – backpacks, hydration system...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Oct 31, 2011, 4:52 pm
Young Man is the baby of multi-instrumentalist (aren’t they all) singer-songwriter-hypen-enthusiast Colin Caulfield. He recently released his solo album Ideas of Distance off French Kiss records, which means it’s bound to be pretty good. Colin is a bit of a self made star, garnering attention ...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Oct 31, 2011, 1:22 pm
Duran Duran‘s Wedding Album was the first cd I ever bought. I was absolutely in love with the songs Ordinary World and Come Undone at the time and decided to bite the 12 dollar bullet and bought the cd with my allowance when my parents got cd player. I still love those two tracks today so when I w...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Oct 31, 2011, 9:27 am
Toronto band Papermaps have been making some waves in music scene lately with a very successful crowd sourced music video followed by a host of shows at both Halifax Pop Explosion and CMJ. In fact, this is our third blog post about them this year, which must be a record for a Toronto band. It’s a...
Comment - Like

Ricky L. posted an article on The Panic Manual - Oct 28, 2011, 4:29 pm
I like Kasabian. Every album they have released has been good and retains the Kasabian aesthetic while sounding different enough to keep the band sounding fresh. They have the best song titles – Vlad the Impaler, Acid Turkish Bath, Switchblade Smiles if any musicians out there need a band name, lo...
Comment - Like