Grand:Pm

"We stopped genre-straddling," muses Paul Mayer, lead singer of Grand:pm a Toronto based synth-rock outfit comprised of four slickly dressed small-town boys whose coming-of-age included intense classical training, punk rock mini-tours and finally a brief stint in the Toronto jazz scene. "We were too diverse," Paul continues, "we spread ourselves too thin. We write good, tight pop songs with smart choruses. We figured why not make it our focus?" It seems to have been a wise choice. After spending six months honing their craft, building a steady following and documenting the results, the band, which also includes guitarist Paul Hicken, bassist Dustin Wood, and drummer Jeff Moore, re-emerged in July of 2005. Packing Sneaky Dees to beyond capacity, the band proceeded to rile their fans to a frenzied state, resulting in dancing that brought about fears from patrons in the restaurant below that ceiling above them might collapse. The band has continued their upward climb from that point, receiving critical acclaim for their EP Red/black, with accolades that describe their songs as single-worthy and irresistibly danceable to even the most cynical of indie scenesters. Their live show awarded them a spot as a finalist in Indie Week 2005, and caused the Edge 102.1 studios to open their doors and allow the crowd to spill out onto the street for their Steamwhistle Indie Club performance. Now operating under Cerberus Artist Management with industry vet Brian Hetherman as their manager, Paul Mayer warns of the days to come. "We've incorporated violins, hip-hop and even the Ghostbusters into our live shows. If you have it, well take it, and make it pop music. Dont be alarmed."