Diamond Rings

Recently, John O'Regan (aka Diamond Rings) scored a slot on the Polaris Music Prize long list, opened for Robyn, and reintroduced his post-post punk day-job outfit, Matters (née the D'Urbervilles). Logging a similarly large amount of miles on the Yonge-Dundas stage, he filled the big space with Fly Girl dance moves, towering canned beats, and his stunning baritone. Deftly blending disparate elements, like mixtape-ready declarations of affection ("All Yr Songs"), a flash of '90s MC-ing ("Show Me Your Stuff") and "The Final Countdown"-indebted synths ("It's Not My Party"), he held things together with his playful swagger, delivering an ebullient and uplifting set. And did I mention the Fly Girl dance moves?