Local pop rock band Paint has been touring Ontario for the past few weeks, in the wake of the release of their new album. Making a stop in their hometown, the band played to a packed house at the Hideout right here in Toronto.
Toronto band Paint was formed back in 2009, by good friends with a strong social conscious who wanted to make great music together. And they were beyond successful. Gaining critical acclaim among multiple media outlets, playing more than 100 shows, including Canadian Music Week and North by North East, you can say that Paint is leaving their mark on the Indie music scene.
Ever the charismatic front man, lead singer and rhythm guitarist Robb Johannes warmly greeted the crowd at the Hideout. Lead by the mohawked Johannes, Paint is made up of Kid Cudi doppelganger Andre Dey on drums, the stoic Marcus Warren on bass and the bespectacled, shy looking Mandy Dunbar, who revealed herself as an absolute spitfire on lead guitar. Clearly, we’re dealing with an eclectic bunch, which just builds upon the character of their music. The band’s sound is artfully crafted, with elements of nineties brit pop, but with an unmistakable essence of Canadian rock spirit. With two albums under their belts (Can You Hear Me, released in 2009, and the newly released Where Are We Today), Paint had plenty of material with which to serenade the crowd. The set opened with “Boomerang”, the first track from the new album, with “Strangers” and “Home” being crowd favourites. Rock stars in training, Dunbar danced across the stage while coaxing edgey riffs from her guitar, tossing her hair with a broad smile that was contagious. Johannes can pose and thrash with the best of them, singing melodic hooks, with the rhythm and harmonies provided by Dey from behind the kit. While Warren chose to hang back, letting his weighty bass licks speak for themselves.
Paint continues to tour Ontario, crossing over to Quebec and the East Coast, no doubt garnering fans with very stop they make. Intelligent people making incredible music, Paint will surely be making headlines in the music scene, sharing their thoughtful lyrics and addictive tunes with fans for a long time to come.
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