Naomi Klein addresses the G20 Legal Defence Fundraiser concert at the Great Hall, Toronto, November 11, 2010.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has been hosting a public hearing into last summer’s G20 protests and the police response to them, and if you’ve been following the testimony being given there, things sound pretty grim. The CCLA has been doing amazing work live-tweeting the proceedings and the stories that people have to tell are shocking and saddening. We definitely recommend taking the time to read what they’ve already recorded in Toronto over the last two days; they’ll be continuing the hearings in Montreal today. To add insult to the injury many protesters sustained in the G20 police’s lockups, they now face the prospect of lengthy legal proceedings to defend themselves against the law that was supposed to protect them. It’s easy to feel down about the whole thing.

But it’s Friday, and this is Friday FTW! which means we’re going to look on the bright side (even though yes, I know, looking on the bright side isn’t my forté). Because despite the injustice of the situation, there are lots of people working hard together to help. Last night, that took the form of a big fundraising concert at the Great Hall in Toronto, where This alum Naomi Klein, comedian Martha Chaves, musician Hawksley Workman, and electronic ensemble Lal. Funds from the concert went into the G20 Legal Defence Fund, which provides financial aid to G20 arrestees. You can donate to the fund through Toronto Community Solidarity Network, which estimates up to $400,000 in legal costs by the time all is said and done.

Our friends at Rabble were there filming the whole event, and you can watch the rebroadcast right here or on their Livestream page.

Elizabeth Powell, lead singer for Land of Talk

In this week’s edition of Tuesday Tracks we’ll take a look at a group of modern new wavers, one of the country’s best kept secrets and a wild video from a true eccentric. Sometimes sifting through the web for new music can be an arduous task. There’s just so much, but other times the songs really find you. Such is the case this week. Here’s three songs that has been on pretty constant play in my iPod this week.

First up is Bishop Morocco, a neo-new wave group that pays it’s respects to Manchester, but in the most elegant of ways. Their video for “Last Years Disco Guitars” uses the nostalgic quality of the music and pairs it with dreamy scenes of made up memories.

Next is Land of Talk, a band that I think has remained under the radar for a lot of people, but I’m not totally sure why. They’ve released two stellar albums already: Applause, Cheer, Boo, Hiss and Some Are Lakes. They return again with their third album Cloak & Ciper today. “Quarry Hymns” is from that record:

Finally, we have Hawksley Workman. The song “Tokyo Bicycle” is off his latest album Meat and a simple, straight ahead burst of enegry initially, then as the song grows it becomes as eccentric as he is.