The Hidden Cameras

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Hidden Cameras are a Canadian indie pop band from Toronto led by Joel Gibb. They describe their music as “gay church folk music,” and their live shows are theatrical and energetic, often featuring go-go dancers in masks, a choir, and a string section.

Their first album, Ecce Homo, appeared in 2001, and they soon began playing in art galleries, churches, parks, and other venues. They released The Smell of Our Own in 2003, Mississauga Goddam in 2004, and the EP The Arms of His ’Ill’ the same year. In 2005 they teamed up with the Toronto Dance Theatre for a stage show, In the Boneyard. Some songs from Mississauga Goddam were used in films like Whole New Thing, and We Oh We appeared in Sommersturm. Their track Boys of Melody was featured in Shortbus, and Lollipop became the theme for The Lollipop Generation.

Awoo came out in 2006, followed by Origin: Orphan, mastered in 2009 and released that year; its video for In the NA played at Inside Out film events. In 2010, five songs from Origin: Orphan were remixed by Hidrogenesse. The band contributed to 2011’s Have Not Been the Same – Vol. 1 and worked with Snowblink on a cover for Arts & Crafts: X. Age was released in 2014, with the single Gay Goth Scene earning several awards for its video. Later, Home on Native Land appeared on Outside Music, a long project written with friends like Rufus Wainwright, Feist, Neil Tennant, and others. Their music has appeared on labels in the UK, the US, and Canada, including Rough Trade, Arts & Crafts, and Outside Music.