As festival season rages on, so too do Exclaim!'s 25th Anniversary celebrations. Here's another chance to party with us while enjoying some high-calibre food, drink and music.
The sixth edition of Steam Whistle Brewing's annual Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival will take over Toronto's Roundhouse Park from August 11 to 13. In addition to dozens of different Ontario craft breweries and food trucks, this year's instalment will feature the Exclaim! Stage, where nine of Toronto's best up-and-coming rock bands will show their stuff.
Here are the bands who will be performing on the Exclaim! Stage:
Thrifty Kids
Friday August 11, 6:45PM
Kicking things off on Friday night are surf popsters Thrifty Kids, with their jangly hooks and guitar licks. The quartet of Ottawa transplants have two EPs to their name — 2015's self-titled and 2016's Cry Baby.
Kiwi jr
Friday August 11, 7:30PM
Toronto-via-Charlottetown rockers Kiwi jr have kept a pretty low profile, but you can get a strong sense of their vibe with 2016 single "Domino": Their breezy melodies and plain-spoken vocals (you can even hear a giggle at one point) are sure to keep things fun and upbeat.
Goodbye Honolulu
Friday August 11, 8:15 p.m.
Since releasing their debut LP Heavy Gold in 2015, garage rockers Goodbye Honolulu have been dropping a steady stream of singles, including this year's "Mother to a Brother" and "Typical," in addition to running label Fried Records, regularly hosting shows and promoting Toronto talent. Plus, the band's Fox Martindale got a pretty stellar co-sign from Tyler, the Creator, who called Martindale "the musician [he finds] the most attractive looking."
Sportsfan
Saturday August 12, 4 p.m.
There are many sports fans out there, but only one Sportsfan. The riff-rocking Toronto quartet have released two EPs, 2017's Holy Hell and 2016's Bad Summer, but they're best-known for athletics-themed singles "Stroman" (a love letter to the Blue Jays pitcher) and "Runners High," with appropriately-lo-fi visuals to match.
Taylor Knox
Saturday August 12, 4:45 p.m.
Taylor Knox cut his teeth performing with an impressive roster of acclaimed Canadian musicians — among them Owen Pallett, Alvvays and Rich Aucoin — but he's since stepped out on his own for a pair of well-received releases: 2015's Lines EP and newly-released album Love. His penchant for crafting catchy, hooky power-pop will have you grooving along despite his heartbreaking lyrics.
Meanwood
Saturday August 12, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's closers are garage rockers Meanwood, fresh off the release of debut album This Layer. Mixing '60s rock, country, riot grrrl and soul, Meanwood offer fierce riffs and plenty of distortion.
Beams
Sunday August 13, 4 p.m.
The final day starts with Beams' potent blend of folk and rock, as heard on their 2013 debut LP Just Rivers, 2015 7-inch The Gutters and the Glass and new single "I Wanted to Tell Her." Prepare for duelling riffs from guitars and banjos alike, plenty of vocal harmonies and maybe even some singing saw.
Mad Ones
Sunday August 13, 4:45 p.m.
Mad Ones work quickly: After releasing garage-rocking sophomore album Sanciety last November, the project underwent a major lineup change. The now-trio have already put out a new album featuring a cleaner, more melodic sound, and it looks like they're feeling pretty Regretless about their new direction.
HotKid
Sunday August 13, 5:30 p.m.
Finally, the festivities end with Toronto pop rock mainstays HotKid. With their textured, reverb-heavy tunes from new album Late Night Mornings in the mix, they're poised to cap things off on an anthemic note.
Tickets for daily admission are $25 in advance, $30 at the door; you can pick yours up here. Sorry, kids — the event is 19+.
Learn more about the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival and other summer festivals on Exclaim!'s Summer Festival Guide.
The sixth edition of Steam Whistle Brewing's annual Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival will take over Toronto's Roundhouse Park from August 11 to 13. In addition to dozens of different Ontario craft breweries and food trucks, this year's instalment will feature the Exclaim! Stage, where nine of Toronto's best up-and-coming rock bands will show their stuff.
Here are the bands who will be performing on the Exclaim! Stage:
Thrifty Kids
Friday August 11, 6:45PM
Kicking things off on Friday night are surf popsters Thrifty Kids, with their jangly hooks and guitar licks. The quartet of Ottawa transplants have two EPs to their name — 2015's self-titled and 2016's Cry Baby.
Kiwi jr
Friday August 11, 7:30PM
Toronto-via-Charlottetown rockers Kiwi jr have kept a pretty low profile, but you can get a strong sense of their vibe with 2016 single "Domino": Their breezy melodies and plain-spoken vocals (you can even hear a giggle at one point) are sure to keep things fun and upbeat.
Goodbye Honolulu
Friday August 11, 8:15 p.m.
Since releasing their debut LP Heavy Gold in 2015, garage rockers Goodbye Honolulu have been dropping a steady stream of singles, including this year's "Mother to a Brother" and "Typical," in addition to running label Fried Records, regularly hosting shows and promoting Toronto talent. Plus, the band's Fox Martindale got a pretty stellar co-sign from Tyler, the Creator, who called Martindale "the musician [he finds] the most attractive looking."
Sportsfan
Saturday August 12, 4 p.m.
There are many sports fans out there, but only one Sportsfan. The riff-rocking Toronto quartet have released two EPs, 2017's Holy Hell and 2016's Bad Summer, but they're best-known for athletics-themed singles "Stroman" (a love letter to the Blue Jays pitcher) and "Runners High," with appropriately-lo-fi visuals to match.
Taylor Knox
Saturday August 12, 4:45 p.m.
Taylor Knox cut his teeth performing with an impressive roster of acclaimed Canadian musicians — among them Owen Pallett, Alvvays and Rich Aucoin — but he's since stepped out on his own for a pair of well-received releases: 2015's Lines EP and newly-released album Love. His penchant for crafting catchy, hooky power-pop will have you grooving along despite his heartbreaking lyrics.
Meanwood
Saturday August 12, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday's closers are garage rockers Meanwood, fresh off the release of debut album This Layer. Mixing '60s rock, country, riot grrrl and soul, Meanwood offer fierce riffs and plenty of distortion.
Beams
Sunday August 13, 4 p.m.
The final day starts with Beams' potent blend of folk and rock, as heard on their 2013 debut LP Just Rivers, 2015 7-inch The Gutters and the Glass and new single "I Wanted to Tell Her." Prepare for duelling riffs from guitars and banjos alike, plenty of vocal harmonies and maybe even some singing saw.
Mad Ones
Sunday August 13, 4:45 p.m.
Mad Ones work quickly: After releasing garage-rocking sophomore album Sanciety last November, the project underwent a major lineup change. The now-trio have already put out a new album featuring a cleaner, more melodic sound, and it looks like they're feeling pretty Regretless about their new direction.
HotKid
Sunday August 13, 5:30 p.m.
Finally, the festivities end with Toronto pop rock mainstays HotKid. With their textured, reverb-heavy tunes from new album Late Night Mornings in the mix, they're poised to cap things off on an anthemic note.
Tickets for daily admission are $25 in advance, $30 at the door; you can pick yours up here. Sorry, kids — the event is 19+.
Learn more about the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival and other summer festivals on Exclaim!'s Summer Festival Guide.
