As is our Thursday tradition, we have dug through the mass of Canadian concert listings to give you Exclaim!'s Can't Miss Concerts, our weekly concert guide for Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. Here's what we deem your best concert bets.
Vancouver
Thursday, June 10
Laid-back East Van dudes Hard Drugs are teaming up with retro pop peddlers Lord Beginner and Edmonton's Whitsundays for what's looking like a pretty nice Thursday night at the Biltmore.
Hard Drugs
Lord Beginner
The Whitsundays
$8 at Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, June 11
Eardrum-demolishing Winnipeggers KEN Mode are escaping the Prairies and heading west for what's sure to be one intensely loud live show. Great Falls, Stoned Eyes and Sinew all lend some opening support.
KEN Mode
Great Falls
Stoned Eyes
Sinew
$12 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, June 12
By the looks of things, all that rain plaguing Vancouver is going bye-bye for the weekend, and it's a good thing for Metric. After all, cold and wet shows at the Malkin Bowl can be a bit tough, even if the band are peddling Twilight songs.
Metric
Phantogram
$36.50 with pass at Malkin Bowl (Stanley Park)
Calgary
Thursday, June 10
Australian power pop duo An Horse have come a long way in the last few years, and that can be directly related to how hard they work. This show will be their third time in Calgary in the last year, and they've gone from smaller opening slots to a headlining show at the Republik.
An Horse
Lions and Tigers and Bears
$TBA at Republik
Friday, June 11
Edmonton garage punk duo the Famines don't really dick around. They put out records, go on countrywide tours, and tear up venues everywhere they go. This Broken City show concludes a coast-to-coast Canadian tour for their recent Syllables seven-inch, and will likely be explosive. After all, they get to curl up and hibernate for a while once its over.
The Famines
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
more
$TBA at Broken City
Saturday, June 12 Six years into their career, Toronto's Born Ruffians are touring on Say It, their new album after a long absence. The album is dividing critics all over, but no one can argue with the energy and excitement caused by their raucous live set.
Born Ruffians
Young Rival
$15 at Republik
Edmonton
Friday, June 11
Before they tear up Calgary, Toronto indie popsters Born Ruffians will bring their jovial anthems to Edmonton's Starlite Room. Touring in support of their recent Say It album, their live show promises a grin-inducing good time.
Born Ruffians
Young Rival
$TBA at Starlite Room
Saturday, June 12
Alberta hip-hop heavyweights the Joe and Dragon Fli Empire headline this must-see tour of western Canadian hip-hop talent. Whether you know the work of these artists or not, take our word that they know what they're doing and go enjoy yourselves.
the Joe
Dragon Fli Empire
more
$TBA at the ARTery
Sunday, June 13
Catching KEN Mode on any occasion is always a good time, but when the Winnipeg-based metalcore tyrants are playing an all ages show, you'd be insane to miss it. On their first full North American tour in six years, the band will likely tear your face off with new material in this rare Edmonton performance.
KEN Mode
Mares of Thrace
Corrodead
Cygnus
$TBA at Avonmore Hall
Toronto
Friday, June 10
Poppy UK post-punks the Futureheads are returning to North America in support of their recently released The Chaos. And with date standing as their only Canadian stop on their brief North American tour, you may want to hit this one up.
The Futureheads
$18.50 at Mod Club
Saturday, June 11
Mellowed-out Ontario indie folk heroes the Acorn return to give us a taste of their new No Ghost LP. It's going to get epic softly, guys.
The Acorn
$12 at Lee's Palace
Saturday, June 12
Coming as part of Wavelength 504's Summer Courtyard Series, ambient music hero William Basinski is making a rare Canadian appearance. Expect loops, drones and pure ambient bliss.
William Basinski
Neil Wiernik
$15/$20 at Music Gallery Courtyard (197 John St.)
Montreal
Thursday, June 10
Montreal skronk punks AIDS Wolf team up with Pocahaunted and Rape Faction for a show that's guaranteed to get more than a little eccentric. Plus, no one whip out the wild stage antics quite like AIDS Wolf.
AIDS Wolf
Pocahaunted
Rape Faction
$8 (advance)/$10 (door) at Casa Del Popolo
Saturday, June 12
Brooklyn psych/noise/Kraut/drone/whatever heroes Oneida are back across the border to deliver one of their always stellar live shows. Trip the fuck out, dudes.
Oneida
USA Out of Vietnam
$13 (advance)/$15 (door) at Casa Del Popolo
Sunday, June 13
Folky Swedish strummers First Aid Kit are heading over the Atlantic and Montreal is fortunate enough to get a glimpse of this duo. A perfect cure for a Sunday hangover.
First Aid Kit
$25 at Green Room
Vancouver
Thursday, June 10
Laid-back East Van dudes Hard Drugs are teaming up with retro pop peddlers Lord Beginner and Edmonton's Whitsundays for what's looking like a pretty nice Thursday night at the Biltmore.
Hard Drugs
Lord Beginner
The Whitsundays
$8 at Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, June 11
Eardrum-demolishing Winnipeggers KEN Mode are escaping the Prairies and heading west for what's sure to be one intensely loud live show. Great Falls, Stoned Eyes and Sinew all lend some opening support.
KEN Mode
Great Falls
Stoned Eyes
Sinew
$12 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, June 12
By the looks of things, all that rain plaguing Vancouver is going bye-bye for the weekend, and it's a good thing for Metric. After all, cold and wet shows at the Malkin Bowl can be a bit tough, even if the band are peddling Twilight songs.
Metric
Phantogram
$36.50 with pass at Malkin Bowl (Stanley Park)
Calgary
Thursday, June 10
Australian power pop duo An Horse have come a long way in the last few years, and that can be directly related to how hard they work. This show will be their third time in Calgary in the last year, and they've gone from smaller opening slots to a headlining show at the Republik.
An Horse
Lions and Tigers and Bears
$TBA at Republik
Friday, June 11
Edmonton garage punk duo the Famines don't really dick around. They put out records, go on countrywide tours, and tear up venues everywhere they go. This Broken City show concludes a coast-to-coast Canadian tour for their recent Syllables seven-inch, and will likely be explosive. After all, they get to curl up and hibernate for a while once its over.
The Famines
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
more
$TBA at Broken City
Saturday, June 12 Six years into their career, Toronto's Born Ruffians are touring on Say It, their new album after a long absence. The album is dividing critics all over, but no one can argue with the energy and excitement caused by their raucous live set.
Born Ruffians
Young Rival
$15 at Republik
Edmonton
Friday, June 11
Before they tear up Calgary, Toronto indie popsters Born Ruffians will bring their jovial anthems to Edmonton's Starlite Room. Touring in support of their recent Say It album, their live show promises a grin-inducing good time.
Born Ruffians
Young Rival
$TBA at Starlite Room
Saturday, June 12
Alberta hip-hop heavyweights the Joe and Dragon Fli Empire headline this must-see tour of western Canadian hip-hop talent. Whether you know the work of these artists or not, take our word that they know what they're doing and go enjoy yourselves.
the Joe
Dragon Fli Empire
more
$TBA at the ARTery
Sunday, June 13
Catching KEN Mode on any occasion is always a good time, but when the Winnipeg-based metalcore tyrants are playing an all ages show, you'd be insane to miss it. On their first full North American tour in six years, the band will likely tear your face off with new material in this rare Edmonton performance.
KEN Mode
Mares of Thrace
Corrodead
Cygnus
$TBA at Avonmore Hall
Toronto
Friday, June 10
Poppy UK post-punks the Futureheads are returning to North America in support of their recently released The Chaos. And with date standing as their only Canadian stop on their brief North American tour, you may want to hit this one up.
The Futureheads
$18.50 at Mod Club
Saturday, June 11
Mellowed-out Ontario indie folk heroes the Acorn return to give us a taste of their new No Ghost LP. It's going to get epic softly, guys.
The Acorn
$12 at Lee's Palace
Saturday, June 12
Coming as part of Wavelength 504's Summer Courtyard Series, ambient music hero William Basinski is making a rare Canadian appearance. Expect loops, drones and pure ambient bliss.
William Basinski
Neil Wiernik
$15/$20 at Music Gallery Courtyard (197 John St.)
Montreal
Thursday, June 10
Montreal skronk punks AIDS Wolf team up with Pocahaunted and Rape Faction for a show that's guaranteed to get more than a little eccentric. Plus, no one whip out the wild stage antics quite like AIDS Wolf.
AIDS Wolf
Pocahaunted
Rape Faction
$8 (advance)/$10 (door) at Casa Del Popolo
Saturday, June 12
Brooklyn psych/noise/Kraut/drone/whatever heroes Oneida are back across the border to deliver one of their always stellar live shows. Trip the fuck out, dudes.
Oneida
USA Out of Vietnam
$13 (advance)/$15 (door) at Casa Del Popolo
Sunday, June 13
Folky Swedish strummers First Aid Kit are heading over the Atlantic and Montreal is fortunate enough to get a glimpse of this duo. A perfect cure for a Sunday hangover.
First Aid Kit
$25 at Green Room
