NXNE Saturday Recap: Toronto Island Concert (Pavement, Broken Social Scene, Band of Horses, Beach House) + More

Saturday was the biggest day of NXNE in Toronto, with a free headlining show in Yonge-Dundas square by Iggy and the Stooges, the Raveonettes, Surfer Blood and Wavves.

At the same time, the Toronto Island Concert organized by Broken Social Scene and featuring Pavement, Band of Horses, Beach House and Timber Timbre also took place. BSS played a triumphant hometown set with appearances by Feist and Emily Haines.

Earlier in the day, Beach House provided the perfect soundtrack to a beautiful almost-summer day on the picturesque island.

Band of Horses released a new album last month, but they were wise to focus most of their set on material from their first two (much stronger) records, opening with “Islands on the Coast” and closing with “The Funeral.”

After BSS, Pavement opened with “Cut Your Hair” and played through their hits at an ear-splitting volume (even from a distance, with earplugs). The members seemed to be getting along well and enjoying themselves.

Later on at Lee’s Palace, Avi Buffalo played jaunty, country-tinged rock songs that would be enjoyable if it weren’t for Avi’s grating, unlistenable vocals.

Just when I thought I was getting tired of seeing Cold Cave, they surprised me with an especially powerful performance. Now playing with a drummer in addition to their three keyboard players, they tore through their set with an incredible and almost unsettling intensity, at a volume that made the whole room shake.