Like every Thursday, we've done the heavy-lifting and delivered Can't Miss Concerts, our weekly guide to your best bets for gigging in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Here's what's up for grabs during the next few show-packed days.
Vancouver
Thursday, August 13
With the first annual Olio Festival kicking off tonight, the event has lined up a pretty killer Unfamiliar Records showcase with Fine Mist, No Gold, Paper Cranes and the Clips. Plus, it's the Clips' last show ever.
Fine Mist
No Gold
Paper Cranes
The Clips
$8-$15 or $25 for festival pass at Red Room
Friday, August 14
Another great Olio event featuring garage pop newcomers Makeout Videotapes, Terror Bird and one of the best live bands in the city, Twin Crystals.
Makeout Videotape
Terror Bird
Twin Crystals
Sex Attack
$8-$15 or $25 for festival pass at Astoria
Saturday, August 15
If you're up for a little psych/trance/blues gospel, this show by San Francisco's Barn Owl is where you want to be. The guys also have a second "secret show" in the works, likely in some tucked-away, forested venue. The details of that one are likely to be announced during show one.
Barn Owl
Thee Holee See
$10 at Little Mountain Studios
Toronto
Thursday, August 13
If you're up for a little post-punk/new wave revival, live favourites the D'urbervilles play a hometown show as part of this year's SummerWorks Festival.
The D'Urbervilles
Forest City Lovers
$12 at the Theatre Centre
Friday, August 14
In support of this year's well-received Wave North, Torontonian folk rock trio Sunparlour Players pair up with Josh Reichmann Oracle Band for another great SummerWorks event.
The Sunparlour Players
Josh Reichmann Oracle Band
$12 at the Theatre Centre
Saturday, August 15
Okay, it's not Pixies doing Doolittle but it's hard to go wrong with the sisters Deal and their Breeders.
The Breeders
$23.50 at Lee's Palace
Montreal
Thursday, August 13
Hot-shit electro pop "Sleepyheads" Passion Pit offer up a taste of their Manners, which we're guessing is going to be a big contender when those year-end lists start rolling in.
Passion Pit
The Grates
Ruby Coast
$13/$15 at La Sala Rossa
Friday, August 14
Electro Quarterstaff called themselves an "instrumental triple-axe shred team" and promise to deliver a "tangled symphony of sludge and frantic fretboard disembowelment." Seriously, how can you not check this out?
Electro Quarterstaff
The Great Sabatini
Authors
$TBA at Il Motore
Saturday, August 15
Partying up some old-time rhythm & blues, the Family Jewels join Calgary keyboard maestro Kara Keith, who you may remember from such acts as Falconhawk, Earthquake Pills and the Betrayers.
Kara Keith
The Family Jewels
$TBA at Green Room
Vancouver
Thursday, August 13
With the first annual Olio Festival kicking off tonight, the event has lined up a pretty killer Unfamiliar Records showcase with Fine Mist, No Gold, Paper Cranes and the Clips. Plus, it's the Clips' last show ever.
Fine Mist
No Gold
Paper Cranes
The Clips
$8-$15 or $25 for festival pass at Red Room
Friday, August 14
Another great Olio event featuring garage pop newcomers Makeout Videotapes, Terror Bird and one of the best live bands in the city, Twin Crystals.
Makeout Videotape
Terror Bird
Twin Crystals
Sex Attack
$8-$15 or $25 for festival pass at Astoria
Saturday, August 15
If you're up for a little psych/trance/blues gospel, this show by San Francisco's Barn Owl is where you want to be. The guys also have a second "secret show" in the works, likely in some tucked-away, forested venue. The details of that one are likely to be announced during show one.
Barn Owl
Thee Holee See
$10 at Little Mountain Studios
Toronto
Thursday, August 13
If you're up for a little post-punk/new wave revival, live favourites the D'urbervilles play a hometown show as part of this year's SummerWorks Festival.
The D'Urbervilles
Forest City Lovers
$12 at the Theatre Centre
Friday, August 14
In support of this year's well-received Wave North, Torontonian folk rock trio Sunparlour Players pair up with Josh Reichmann Oracle Band for another great SummerWorks event.
The Sunparlour Players
Josh Reichmann Oracle Band
$12 at the Theatre Centre
Saturday, August 15
Okay, it's not Pixies doing Doolittle but it's hard to go wrong with the sisters Deal and their Breeders.
The Breeders
$23.50 at Lee's Palace
Montreal
Thursday, August 13
Hot-shit electro pop "Sleepyheads" Passion Pit offer up a taste of their Manners, which we're guessing is going to be a big contender when those year-end lists start rolling in.
Passion Pit
The Grates
Ruby Coast
$13/$15 at La Sala Rossa
Friday, August 14
Electro Quarterstaff called themselves an "instrumental triple-axe shred team" and promise to deliver a "tangled symphony of sludge and frantic fretboard disembowelment." Seriously, how can you not check this out?
Electro Quarterstaff
The Great Sabatini
Authors
$TBA at Il Motore
Saturday, August 15
Partying up some old-time rhythm & blues, the Family Jewels join Calgary keyboard maestro Kara Keith, who you may remember from such acts as Falconhawk, Earthquake Pills and the Betrayers.
Kara Keith
The Family Jewels
$TBA at Green Room
