Elastocitizens Use TIFF 'Picture Day' Buzz for Reunion/Potential Farewell

After a week of non-stop schmoozing, star-studded galas, interviews, open bars, and thought-provoking screening after screening, most people get pretty burnt out by the end of the Toronto International Film Festival, but for Steven McCarthy, star of one the fest's biggest buzz films, Picture Day, the best and most ass-shaking party is yet to come.

To close the book on TIFF's Picture Day -- the critically acclaimed and sold out Canadian coming of age feature by writer and first time director Kate Melville -- McCarthy and his funk rock gogo dancing collective The ElastoCitizens, who also appear in the film, will be taking over Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern on Saturday. They'll also be using the opportunity to celebrate the release of a brand new EP.

McCarthy's a little worried that people might be too tired to make it out, but he believes it will be the perfect cap to all of the festivities, and a nice transition back into the more normal world of rock 'n' roll.

"I think it'll feel like a cleansing moment," he tells Spinner in between takes on a film set. On top of everything else, the acting/singing/theater-producing renaissance man is also playing a serial killer at the moment. "I think it'll feel like all of that stress and all of that energy and all of that expectation of 'What do I look like?' and 'How do I want to present myself?' [at TIFF will go away]. With this it's like you're in a room with a whole bunch of sweaty strangers and everyone's touching each other and you're getting up against each other and it feels good."

It should also prove to be an appropriate end to the ElastoCitizens' Picture Day adventure, seeing as how another gig at the very same bar ended up serving as the band's unofficial audition for the film a few years ago when Melville, a friend of McCarthy's, came to see the them play.

"The band came on and she immediately grabbed her boyfriend's hand and squeezed it as hard as she could and was like 'Steve could be the guy! He could be James! And we don't need to make a band for the movie. The ElastoCitizens could be the band!'"


The next Monday, the filmmaker took her prospective star out for drinks and asked him to be a part of her film.

"I was on board right away," he recalls. "As soon as Kate brought it up."

McCarthy was then charged with the task of getting The Elastos -- Joanne Boland, Monica Dottor, Gordon Hyland, Mack Longpre, Caroline Maraghi, Brandon McGibbon, Jason O'Brien
Melissa Jane Shaw and Brian Walterson -- on board, which wasn't exactly a challenge.

"My band consists of friends that I've had since grade six, many of whom are leading choreographers, actors, film actors in the city, and all of whom have these incredible, crazy careers. So it was kind of a no-brainer. We wanted a movie about a band and here's the best looking band in town who happens to have the chops to handle great scenes that Kate wrote. A year later we were filming the movie."

While the band play themselves in the film, McCarthy assumes the role of "James," the older rocker who charms the main character, Claire (breakout star Tatiana Maslany) and introduces the teen to the Toronto rock and art scenes.

"Kate always wants me to make sure that everyone knows that it's not autobiographical in any way, shape or form," he says with a laugh. "James was me if the band was the only thing I had in my life. He is so single-mindedly devoted to keeping the music going and if that means getting attention from someone who he might be better off not having that attention from, it's... he needs something. He needs devotion. He needs love. He needs to be adored."

If anything,McCarthy and the ElastoCitizens have too much of that in their lives these days. Part of the reason that they booked their release party for the tail end of the festival was because TIFF was the only time when the eclectic collective of performers could coordinate their packed schedules and actually get together to play.

As a result of all of this success and all of the band members' diverging projects, McCarthy's not really sure what the future holds for The ElastoCitizens as a whole.

"Part of me think that this could be the last show," he admits. "Or it could be the start of a whole new thing."

Whatever happens, though, they'll always have Picture Day.

"In a way, seeing the movie was like... I can't believe that we got preserved in such a way. Our live performance was documented by one of the world's best cinematographers. Like, we have all of this incredible footage and we're a part of this incredible thing that my friend made."