Welcome one, welcome all! The time has come to present who is advancing on to the next phase of our poll for Toronto’s emerging artists. Infinite thanks to all the bands that submitted; it was a pleasure listening to their tracks!

After tallying our editors’ ratings for the Open Submissions stage, it’s time to release the results. PLease note that to avoid conflicts no local editor was allowed to vote for bands in their own scene.

Now without further ado, drom roll please… 

Total Submissions from Toronto: 15

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC), Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), Paolo De Gregorio (The Deli NYC)

Acts advancing to our Readers/Fans Poll:

1. Spells of Vertigo (Noise Rock) – 7.8

—

1. Dilly Dally (Indie Rock) – 7.8

—

3. Terrorista (Pop Punk) – 7.33

—

4. Rolemodel (Electro-Pop) – 7.16

—

4. HIGHS (Indie Pop) – 7.16

—

6. Shallow Waves (Psych Rock) – 7

—

Honorble mentions (rating average above 6):

The Dearly Bereft, New Design,Bile Sister, Ready the Prince, The Alpacas, The Honest Heart Collective

Stay tuned for the Readers’ Poll, to start within the week!

The Folks at The Deli

Drummer Byron Pagdilao and bassist/vocalist Lee Lewallen of The Electric West haven’t missed a beat since last summer’s departure of guitarist Dee Kay. New blood keeps the band pumping, and with a fresh body on the six-string, the grave-rocking post punk heralds have released a new song for 2016. "Death Birds", with its lurching rhythms and creeping feedback, comes as an early release following 100 RSVPs to their upcoming show at The Echo.

Listen to "Death Birds" and catch The Electric West howling this Thursday at The Echo with Green Gerry as they support Figs Vision. – Ryan Mo

Alyx Poska is from Orange County, CA. He likes weird show locations, #smoothmusic and critique of the capitalist wasteland. He’s the founder of diy4lyfe records & zine and co-founder of OC DIY as well as local cult leader. He is a strong proponent of genres like bummer punk, yacht rock, new weird americana and smooth music.

Diners came through Southern California multiple times in 2015, each show gathering larger and larger crowds to watch their smooth desert pop jams. With the departure of drummer Tristan Jemsek to Seattle, frontman Tyler Broderick began 2016 with a “solo” tour that featured intimate performances throughout the great state of #Kali. I was lucky enough to catch him at Bridgetown DIY in La Puente, as well as in Orange County. This show, booked by Aaron Kovacs from Lauren Records, featured three locals that tended toward the indie rock and bummer punk side of the spectrum, and all three were quite loud in Bridgetown’s boomy but narrow space.

Panoramic started off the night with two bass amps but no bass player in sight. They were one of the two power trios playing, and by the time their set started a small crowd had formed. Heavy hitters Settling played second and pushed the limits of people’s eardrums with songs from their digital single “Ava/Pretty Dream” and their demo EP. Diners was a welcome relief for the ears as people crowded around Tyler’s guitar amp and keyboard. Tyler treated the crowd to old favorites (even tracks from their first EP “Throw Me a Ten”), and songs from the latest Diners 7”, “It’s All True”, put out by Asian Man Records. His subtle musical showmanship was captured in the different performance stunts like medley-ing short songs together, grand pauses, continually rising key changes, and repeated chordal motifs that would show up randomly in other songs. The crowd was enchanted and definitely left wanting more of his unique brand of smooth ‘60s and ‘70s pop music.

The band members of Winter Break were visibly under the weather but they still delivered a tight set of songs at the end of the night from their 2015 self-titled release, and some new songs. The anticipation is building for the new Diners LP, tentatively titled Diners III according to Tyler, which will be out on Asian Man Records before the end of the year! – Alyx Poska, photo credit: Ryan Mo

2016 is a leap year, and you know what that means: February gets five Mondays! Moonlight an extra night at these FREE Los Angeles residencies. Lena Fayre graces the Bootleg after a sold out show at Chicago’s Art Institute — and possibly with new songs from an upcoming release? The bar stage gets a fifth Monday sendoff from Marjorie Fair. From Aliso Viejo to Los Angeles, trio Adult Books begin their monthlong stay at The Echo, switching it up on the third Monday with a performance at the spaced out Echoplex — read their latest interview with Lo-Pie. Pom Poms and The Controversy share four nights at The Satellite. Finally, Bright Missiles tear it up on Tuesdays at Silverlake Lounge, after Silver Snakes‘ last free Monday with AEGES, Minnow, and The Royal. – Ryan Mo

Lena Fayre at The Bootleg (21+):

Feb. 1 — with Vox, AKW
Feb. 8 — with TRACE, Lush Guts
Feb. 15 — with YASSOU, Me Yow
Feb. 22 — with Phebe Starr

Adult Books at The Echo (21+):

Feb. 1 — with The Molochs, Drinking Flowers, Terminal A
Feb. 8 — with Colleen Green, Psychomagic, Mother Merry Go Round
Feb. 15 — with Numb.er, Tracy Bryant, Wyatt Blair
Feb. 22 — with Part Time, Billy Changer, Noah Kwid (at The Echoplex)

Pom Poms and The Controversy at The Satellite (21+):

Feb. 1 — with Mothertapes, Chasing Kings
Feb. 8 — with Artists TBA
Feb. 15 — with Artists TBA
Feb. 22 — with Artists TBA
Feb. 29 — with Artists TBA

Bright Missiles at Silverlake Lounge (21+):

Feb. 8 — with Steps of Doe, Fan Fiction, Judy Gloom
Feb. 15 — with The Modern Age, Yo, The Noogles
Feb. 22 — with Pizza Friday, Deep Breaths, V.V. Friendly
Feb. 29 — with Jubilo Drive, Bedbugs, Ghosts In Pocket

This past Friday, New York-via-North Carolina singer/songwriter CF Watkins released her latest album, ‘I Am New’ and, as heard on the electronic/folk-tinged single “Linger” (streaming below), it is pleasantly plaintive. Looking back on a past lover with literary detail (“Well, I watched your hands/As they skimmed through those old books/That you once wrote in,” goes one of many quietly crushing lyrics), Watkins on this celestial track, with her preciously calm voice, ultimately goes forward with newfound vigor. CF Watkins will have an album release show for ‘I Am New’ (which features collaborations with fellow New York act, Wilder Maker) on 2/22 at Pianos Upstairs. – Zach Weg 

Brooklyn’s brothers band WRITER (James and Andy Ralph) announced today the release of their sophomore album ‘Principle Web,’ out on April 8th via Small Plates Records. While doing so they also took the opportunity to share single, "Mosquito Bitten," (streaming below). With its guttural, fuzzy, power chord propelled distorted guitars and slow melodies reminiscent of a darker, more menacing version of Weezer, the single inserts the band in the ’90s rock revival that has been taking Brooklyn by storm in the first half of the decade. Knowing the band, though (see our previous coverage here), we can expect more experimental and tense material in the rest of the record. For those who can’t wait, they can find out how their new songs sound on February 10, when the group will be playing at the Bowery Ballroom.