Lots of Shoegaze bands coming out of Ontario right now and if you’re from Toronto, then don’t miss the Wintergaze Festival – a celebration of shoegaze – featuring Foxes in Fiction, Heartbeat Hotel, Volcano Playground, Ostrich Tuning and Memoryhouse on December 16th at Twist Gallery. Check out Memoryhouse’s vivid video for “Heirloom” below.

Some Good Reading:
Read The Native Trees of Canada, where Leanne Shapton talks about her love for trees, leaf collection, Manitoba Maple, painting and growing up in Canada. The article recalls times when I’d find a collectible classic at a thrift store, the owner’s bookmark left inside. Sometimes, it’s an old postcard, a letter or a photograph. Other times, it’s a flower or leaf.

Also, check out Virtual Music TV for tips on how to run a successful music blog. You’ll find advice on how to get your music blog listed on aggregator sites like Hype Machine and Elbo.ws. There are also tips on how to use social media as a research tool to find new music.

My sixth installment of The Neighbourhood Mixtape is now up on blogTO. The winter-themed mixtape features tracks by Feist & Kyle Field (Little Wings), The Guest Bedroom, Sunbear, Ostrich Tuning and Steven McKay. I’d like to thank all the artists/bands, who sent and gave me permission to include these wonderful tracks for this week’s installment.

Some visuals that inspire writing:
• Portraits of Alberto Giacometti by This Recording
• Photos by Alex Prager
• ACL Kodachromes by A Continuous Lean
• Photo by Canovix