@ NXNE: City Sonic - Tyler Stewart, Barenaked Ladies

By Kate Xian

Short Film

Prefacing each feature film at the NXNE film festival is a short by the City Sonic project where each film of the 24 episode series delves into the relationship between an artist and how Toronto has shaped their music. Drummer Tyler Stewart of the now iconic Barenaked Ladies reminisces how BNL grew from the creatively driven Queen Street West community of the early 90's.

Director Peter Lynch follows Stewart as he takes us through Speakers Corner and Civello Spa, which was once home to UltraSound Showbar which in turn was home to the Barenaked Ladies in a Queen West that is now as marketable as Nylon magazine and the American Apparel conglomerate. Though Stewart says "it still feels like home" the now dead and void UltraSound and Speakers Corner are just a warm fuzzy memory.

Successfully Lynch and Stewart remind us of how special Toronto really is. None of this "we're just like New York, but smaller" bullshit. They show us the individuality that is Toronto and all of its communities, burgeoning or established. It also reminds us of the great things we've let go, such as Speakers Corner. Where else in the world can you have your two cents actually mean something and be heard?

The City Sonic series are a must see at this year's festival. It embodies the heart of NXNE, discovering new music hosted by over forty venues around this great city called Toronto.