Former Tuuli, Flairs Members Form The Fantasy Defender

Ex-Tuuli and former Flairs member Dawn Mandarino has started a new band called The Fantasy Defender.

The unsigned band have been playing shows in and around Toronto this year, including stints at the 2009 Indie Week and the Nu Music Nite at the Horseshoe Tavern.

Mandarino sings and plays guitar in The Fantasy Defender, while former Tuuli member Claire Tuuli (who went by the name Claire Blake in her Tuuli days) plays keys and sings back-up vocals. The band also includes bassist Joe Gervasi and drummer Grant Scott.

The Fantasy Defender describe their sound as a mix of "melodic '80s pop sensibilities with a goth-glam sound to darken the mix." The band have a pretty wide assortment of songs on their MySpace page that you can listen to right now.

You can see The Fantasy Defender at Toronto's Rivoli on Thursday as part of the International Pop Overthrow Festival.