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, September 24
Expletive-adopting improvisers Holy Fuck bring their electronic-driven rock sounds out west, and they have like-minded aural mischief makers Basketball to give them some support.
Holy Fuck
Basketball
$17.50 at Venue
Friday, September 25
Okay, Final Fantasy's long-overdue Heartland LP still isn't here yet, but we're guessing that Owen Pallett is previewing some new stuff live by now. So if you want a sneak peek, here's your chance.
Final Fantasy
Timber Timbre
$20 at St. Andrew's-Wesley Church
Sunday, September 27
San Francisco's Wooden Shjips come to Vancouver, like, never. And yeah, the retro-rock enthusiasts are coming on a Sunday, but all the rock nerds have been pumping up this show for months, so we're going to agree with them that this is going to rule.
Wooden Shjips
Von Bingen
Solars
$10 at Anza Club
Toronto
Thursday, September 24
In support of the recently released covers album/novel It Feels So Good When I Stop, Joe Pernice is doing the live thing. And folks, there's a reason why music-journo nerds drop descriptors like "immensely talented songwriter" when talking about this guy.
Joe Pernice
$18.50 at Dakota Tavern
Friday, September 25
If you're looking to catch a whole pile of Ontario pop-rockers in one go, head to Lee's tonight, where the Balconies, Oh No Forest Fires, Fox Jaws and Whale Tooth will be throwing down. And you can catch it all for a measly $7.
The Balconies
Oh No Forest Fires
Fox Jaws
Whale Tooth
$7 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, September 27
Aw, good ol' workingman's rock- does this stuff ever go out of style? According to the Hold Steady, no.
The Hold Steady
$21.50 at Lee's Palace
Wednesday, September 30
With the deluxe edition of Gonzales's Solo Piano out this week, the piano virtuoso and comedic MC super-villain is playing one of only two scheduled Canadian concerts, which he's dubbing the "Piano Talk Show." It's guaranteed to be an interesting one.
Gonzales
$TBA at Mod Club
Montreal
Thursday, September 24
When Catch 22 offshoot Streetlight Manifesto released last year's Somewhere in the Between, we were pretty pumped about it. Now, we're pretty pumped again that this ska-punk-whatever band is touring. Seriously, just wait for the horns to kick in.
Streetlight Manifesto
$20 at Club Soda
Friday, September 25
Exclaim! fave Deadmau5 brings his super-club sound - and that big mouse head - for a show that guaranteed to be full of big-room epics.
Deadmau5
$29.50 at Metropolis
Saturday, September 26
Back in an artistic rather commercial mode, Moby is out sporting his latest musical wares Wait for Me. We're not sure what his live set-up is like these days, but we've been itching for him to whip out that Mission of Burma cover for what seems like forever now.
Moby
$35 at Metropolis
Calgary
Thursday, September 24
If you can handle it, European power metal quintet Dragonforce are bringing their face-meltingly endless guitar solos to Mac Hall. It's so cheesy, but so epic. Who can resist?
Dragonforce
Sonata Arctica
$37 at MacEwan Hall
Friday, September 25
Calgary post-punks Sharp Ends are celebrating the release of their long-anticipated debut seven-inch. It's a huge line-up, rounded out by Vancouver's Timecopz, Lethbridge's Myelin Sheaths and Victoria's Vincat.
Sharp Ends
Timecopz
Myelin Sheaths
Vincat
$TBA at Broken City
Saturday, September 26
Nod your head to the hip-hop jams of The Old Prince himself, London, ON's Shad, when he comes to SAIT's Gateway Lounge.
Shad
$TBA at Gateway
Edmonton
Friday, September 25
Relive the glory days of late '90s dance punk when the Faint hook up their synthesizers at New City.
The Faint
$TBA at New City
Saturday, September 26
Hard-working New Jersey punk rockers the Gaslight Anthem will bring their heartfelt, working-class songs to light up your weekend.
Gaslight Anthem
$TBA at Edmonton Event Center
Sunday, September 27
Toronto's Owen Pallett will blow your mind with what he can do with a violin and some delay pedals when he brings his Final Fantasy project to the McDougall United Church.
Final Fantasy
$TBA at McDougall United Church
Vancouver
Thursday, September 24
Expletive-adopting improvisers Holy Fuck bring their electronic-driven rock sounds out west, and they have like-minded aural mischief makers Basketball to give them some support.
Holy Fuck
Basketball
$17.50 at Venue
Friday, September 25
Okay, Final Fantasy's long-overdue Heartland LP still isn't here yet, but we're guessing that Owen Pallett is previewing some new stuff live by now. So if you want a sneak peek, here's your chance.
Final Fantasy
Timber Timbre
$20 at St. Andrew's-Wesley Church
Sunday, September 27
San Francisco's Wooden Shjips come to Vancouver, like, never. And yeah, the retro-rock enthusiasts are coming on a Sunday, but all the rock nerds have been pumping up this show for months, so we're going to agree with them that this is going to rule.
Wooden Shjips
Von Bingen
Solars
$10 at Anza Club
Toronto
Thursday, September 24
In support of the recently released covers album/novel It Feels So Good When I Stop, Joe Pernice is doing the live thing. And folks, there's a reason why music-journo nerds drop descriptors like "immensely talented songwriter" when talking about this guy.
Joe Pernice
$18.50 at Dakota Tavern
Friday, September 25
If you're looking to catch a whole pile of Ontario pop-rockers in one go, head to Lee's tonight, where the Balconies, Oh No Forest Fires, Fox Jaws and Whale Tooth will be throwing down. And you can catch it all for a measly $7.
The Balconies
Oh No Forest Fires
Fox Jaws
Whale Tooth
$7 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, September 27
Aw, good ol' workingman's rock- does this stuff ever go out of style? According to the Hold Steady, no.
The Hold Steady
$21.50 at Lee's Palace
Wednesday, September 30
With the deluxe edition of Gonzales's Solo Piano out this week, the piano virtuoso and comedic MC super-villain is playing one of only two scheduled Canadian concerts, which he's dubbing the "Piano Talk Show." It's guaranteed to be an interesting one.
Gonzales
$TBA at Mod Club
Montreal
Thursday, September 24
When Catch 22 offshoot Streetlight Manifesto released last year's Somewhere in the Between, we were pretty pumped about it. Now, we're pretty pumped again that this ska-punk-whatever band is touring. Seriously, just wait for the horns to kick in.
Streetlight Manifesto
$20 at Club Soda
Friday, September 25
Exclaim! fave Deadmau5 brings his super-club sound - and that big mouse head - for a show that guaranteed to be full of big-room epics.
Deadmau5
$29.50 at Metropolis
Saturday, September 26
Back in an artistic rather commercial mode, Moby is out sporting his latest musical wares Wait for Me. We're not sure what his live set-up is like these days, but we've been itching for him to whip out that Mission of Burma cover for what seems like forever now.
Moby
$35 at Metropolis
Calgary
Thursday, September 24
If you can handle it, European power metal quintet Dragonforce are bringing their face-meltingly endless guitar solos to Mac Hall. It's so cheesy, but so epic. Who can resist?
Dragonforce
Sonata Arctica
$37 at MacEwan Hall
Friday, September 25
Calgary post-punks Sharp Ends are celebrating the release of their long-anticipated debut seven-inch. It's a huge line-up, rounded out by Vancouver's Timecopz, Lethbridge's Myelin Sheaths and Victoria's Vincat.
Sharp Ends
Timecopz
Myelin Sheaths
Vincat
$TBA at Broken City
Saturday, September 26
Nod your head to the hip-hop jams of The Old Prince himself, London, ON's Shad, when he comes to SAIT's Gateway Lounge.
Shad
$TBA at Gateway
Edmonton
Friday, September 25
Relive the glory days of late '90s dance punk when the Faint hook up their synthesizers at New City.
The Faint
$TBA at New City
Saturday, September 26
Hard-working New Jersey punk rockers the Gaslight Anthem will bring their heartfelt, working-class songs to light up your weekend.
Gaslight Anthem
$TBA at Edmonton Event Center
Sunday, September 27
Toronto's Owen Pallett will blow your mind with what he can do with a violin and some delay pedals when he brings his Final Fantasy project to the McDougall United Church.
Final Fantasy
$TBA at McDougall United Church
