Burning Boyz: The Youngest Veterans of NXNE Want to Learn From Flaming Lips

Toronto's Burning Boyz were more than a little terrified when they first played Yonge-Dundas Square for NXNE five years ago.

"We were shaking when we got on stage," singer and guitarist Flynn Tanner tells Spinner.

"I remember the first time I dropped by drum stick," adds drummer Reed Hollett. "I was so freaked out. It was like a metre away from me and I had to keep that beat going."

"I don't think we moved the whole time," says Tanner. "We just stood there and sang and played."

The Boyz' nerves were understandable. They'd only been together for a year at that point and a prime slot at the very hub of a major music, film and interactive festival was, by far, their biggest gig.

"Thousands of people were watching us," bassist Jack White (yes, that's really his name) recalls. "You don't want to make a mistake."

And there was also the fact that they were only seven and eight years old at the time.

Now on the verge of their sixth annual NXNE appearance at Yonge-Dundas Square, the band -- Tanner, Hollett, White and keyboardist Dexter Hornsby -- are practically old pros. At 12 and 13, they've been in the band for half their lives at this point, and they've grown from an adorable novelty to a serious rock 'n' roll band. Through weekly after-school practices and gigs at fun fairs, festivals and local clubs, the four boys who started thrashing around on their instruments because they liked the sound of the rock music their dads were blasting around at home have shaped themselves into legitimate musicians who've opened for the likes of Iggy and the Stooges and Devo. They've even started writing their own songs.

"As soon as we started, we weren't the greatest," says Hollett with a laugh. "So we played covers, mainly. And then, I think it was last year..."

"Yeah, a couple of years ago, we had our first original," Tanner takes over. "Now we have about eight that we play. We've had fun writing our songs together as a band, forming our different parts and then learning to play the songs live."

The Burning Boyz plan to play all eight of their own songs when they hit the stage at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, as well as a mix of their favorite covers (past takes have included the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" and a version of Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" good enough to make you temporarily forget that four Village of the Damned-aged rockers are singing about murder.)

After their set, they plan to stick around to watch headliners the Flaming Lips and take notes.

"We're really looking forward to seeing the Flaming Lips because we've heard and seen some videos and their stage performance is such a big part of it," says Tanner. "Hopefully that'll influence us a little bit. We'll be trying to learn some things from that show."

"We're not going to be walking around..." Hollett starts.

"In big transparent bubbles," Tanner finishes the thought.

"With the big confetti cannons," adds Hollett.

"But we'll try and get that for next year," Tanner laughs.

But the Flaming Lips aren't the only act that bands can learn a thing or two from at NXNE this year. With so much NXNE experience under their belts, the Burning Boyz have a little advice for any musicians who will be venturing onto the giant Yonge-Dundas stage for the first time.

"Don't let the nerves get to you and just have a fun time," suggests Hornsby. "Because it's not that often that you get to play on such a big stage in front of that many people."

Hollett agrees. "Enjoy the moment that you're up there, because it's such a great opportunity and it's not often that those sort of things pop up."

Singer Tanner, though, seems a little less convinced that his band has many words of wisdom to share with their musical peers at this point.

"I mean, you've got to remember that they're about 20 years older than us."

Burning Boyz play Spinner AOL's free concert at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto at 12 p.m. on June. 16.

View The Flaming Lips & Fwends NXNE 2012 Gallery