As you gear up for the holidays, check out Exclaim!'s top concert picks for our final Can't Miss Concerts of the year. We've scoured the listings in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, so have a look to see what's in store this week.
Vancouver
Friday, December 16
Prince will be taking over the Canucks' home at Rogers Arena on Friday night. The Vancouver stop is one on Prince's final shows on his Welcome 2 Canada tour, which will undoubtedly get fans dancing up out of their seats to some of the Minnesotan's funky classics.
Prince
$38 to $250 at Rogers Arena
Saturday, December 17 / Sunday, December 18
Sitting pretty as the reigning kings of rap, Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne Tour will be hitting the West Coast for two shows this weekend. Garnering rave reviews for all their dates so far, catch Jay and Ye running through tracks off this year's Watch the Throne, in addition to solo material from both. It's anyone's guess how many times they'll do "Niggas in Paris."
The Throne Tour
Jay-Z
Kanye West
$60 to $250 at Air Canada Centre
Sunday, December 18
Influential indie rockers Dinosaur Jr. will be playing a can't miss show for fans in Vancouver on Sunday night. The band will be playing their 1988 album Bug in its entirety, and if that's not enough, multi-talented former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins is on the bill, alongside the Makeup Sex.
Dinosaur Jr.
Henry Rollins
The Makeup Sex
$25 at the Commodore Ballroom
Calgary
Saturday, December 17
Indie rock fans in Calgary won't want to skip the Indie Rock Xmas featuring music from My Dear Watson, the Collective, Savk, the Magnetic North and a whole slew of other artists. A message on the event's website jokes, "Just because you are jaded and ironic doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holiday season!" There's even a note to "hipster mom and dads" informing them of family-friendly fun like making ornaments, drinking cocoa and a visit from Santa. This promises to be an awesome night of good music and festive cheer.
Indie Rock Xmas
My Dear Watson
The Collective
Savk
$25 adult, $5 child at Arrata Opera Centre
Sunday, December 18
The Sheepdogs are rounding out a big year, which included getting on the cover of Rolling Stone and oddly enough showing up on Project Runway, with a handful of shows in the western half of Canada. Joined by Hamilton, ON rockers Monster Truck, the Regina, SK group are sure to wow crowds with their throwback classic rock stylings.
The Sheepdogs
Monster Truck
$16 at Republik
Toronto
Friday, December 16
Milwaukee, WI pop punksters Chinese Telephones will be bringing their upbeat music to Toronto fans this weekend. They'll be splitting the bill with the Steve Adamyk Band from Ottawa, who have just released their sophomore album Forever Won't Wait. Fans of pop punk won't miss out on what is sure to be a exciting, upbeat bill.
The Steve Adamyk band
Chinese Telephones
$8 advance, $10 door at Magpie
Tuesday, December 20
Tuesday evening will see some of the best in Canadian indie rock coming together for a Christmastime benefit show. Organized by Fucked Up, who will be playing this year's David Comes to Life in its entirety, the bill also boasts sets from the Sadies, PS I Love You and Quest for Fire. Funds raised from ticket sales will be going towards the COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program and the Barriere Lake Legal Defense Fund.
Fucked Up
The Sadies
PS I Love You
Quest for Fire
$20 at the Great Hall
Wednesday, December 21
Fucked Up will be taking over the Great Hall for the second night in a row for their Christmas benefit show, though they aren't slated to perform themselves on the Wednesday evening. Sloan take the headlining slot, while Rural Alberta Advantage, Ohbijou and Bonjay fill out the rest of the lineup, promising a festive night of awesome Canadian music for a good cause. Oh, and Sloan are playing their classic One Chord to Another in full. What more do you need?
Sloan
Rural Alberta Advantage
Ohbijou
Bonjay
$20 at the Great Hall
Montreal
Saturday, December 17
Critical darling Annie Clark released her third solo album under the St. Vincent moniker this year to much acclaim. Still touring on the strength of Strange Mercy, she'll be taking to the stage in Montreal on Saturday night to charm audiences. Etobicoke, ON's Cold Specks will be opening the show with her unique brand of "doom soul," ensuring that the night will be one for showcasing two very talented ladies.
St. Vincent
Cold Specks
$20 advance, $22.50 door at Theatre Corona
Saturday, December 17
An integral contributor to the no wave sub-genre of the late '70s, James Chance has been creatively merging jazz and punk for decades now. He'll be bringing his influential sound to Montreal on Saturday night, alongside Toronto garage rockers Ell V Gore and Montreal's Grand Trine.
James Chance
Ell V Gore
Grand Trine
$10 advance, $12 door at Il Motore
Vancouver
Friday, December 16
Prince will be taking over the Canucks' home at Rogers Arena on Friday night. The Vancouver stop is one on Prince's final shows on his Welcome 2 Canada tour, which will undoubtedly get fans dancing up out of their seats to some of the Minnesotan's funky classics.
Prince
$38 to $250 at Rogers Arena
Saturday, December 17 / Sunday, December 18
Sitting pretty as the reigning kings of rap, Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne Tour will be hitting the West Coast for two shows this weekend. Garnering rave reviews for all their dates so far, catch Jay and Ye running through tracks off this year's Watch the Throne, in addition to solo material from both. It's anyone's guess how many times they'll do "Niggas in Paris."
The Throne Tour
Jay-Z
Kanye West
$60 to $250 at Air Canada Centre
Sunday, December 18
Influential indie rockers Dinosaur Jr. will be playing a can't miss show for fans in Vancouver on Sunday night. The band will be playing their 1988 album Bug in its entirety, and if that's not enough, multi-talented former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins is on the bill, alongside the Makeup Sex.
Dinosaur Jr.
Henry Rollins
The Makeup Sex
$25 at the Commodore Ballroom
Calgary
Saturday, December 17
Indie rock fans in Calgary won't want to skip the Indie Rock Xmas featuring music from My Dear Watson, the Collective, Savk, the Magnetic North and a whole slew of other artists. A message on the event's website jokes, "Just because you are jaded and ironic doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holiday season!" There's even a note to "hipster mom and dads" informing them of family-friendly fun like making ornaments, drinking cocoa and a visit from Santa. This promises to be an awesome night of good music and festive cheer.
Indie Rock Xmas
My Dear Watson
The Collective
Savk
$25 adult, $5 child at Arrata Opera Centre
Sunday, December 18
The Sheepdogs are rounding out a big year, which included getting on the cover of Rolling Stone and oddly enough showing up on Project Runway, with a handful of shows in the western half of Canada. Joined by Hamilton, ON rockers Monster Truck, the Regina, SK group are sure to wow crowds with their throwback classic rock stylings.
The Sheepdogs
Monster Truck
$16 at Republik
Toronto
Friday, December 16
Milwaukee, WI pop punksters Chinese Telephones will be bringing their upbeat music to Toronto fans this weekend. They'll be splitting the bill with the Steve Adamyk Band from Ottawa, who have just released their sophomore album Forever Won't Wait. Fans of pop punk won't miss out on what is sure to be a exciting, upbeat bill.
The Steve Adamyk band
Chinese Telephones
$8 advance, $10 door at Magpie
Tuesday, December 20
Tuesday evening will see some of the best in Canadian indie rock coming together for a Christmastime benefit show. Organized by Fucked Up, who will be playing this year's David Comes to Life in its entirety, the bill also boasts sets from the Sadies, PS I Love You and Quest for Fire. Funds raised from ticket sales will be going towards the COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program and the Barriere Lake Legal Defense Fund.
Fucked Up
The Sadies
PS I Love You
Quest for Fire
$20 at the Great Hall
Wednesday, December 21
Fucked Up will be taking over the Great Hall for the second night in a row for their Christmas benefit show, though they aren't slated to perform themselves on the Wednesday evening. Sloan take the headlining slot, while Rural Alberta Advantage, Ohbijou and Bonjay fill out the rest of the lineup, promising a festive night of awesome Canadian music for a good cause. Oh, and Sloan are playing their classic One Chord to Another in full. What more do you need?
Sloan
Rural Alberta Advantage
Ohbijou
Bonjay
$20 at the Great Hall
Montreal
Saturday, December 17
Critical darling Annie Clark released her third solo album under the St. Vincent moniker this year to much acclaim. Still touring on the strength of Strange Mercy, she'll be taking to the stage in Montreal on Saturday night to charm audiences. Etobicoke, ON's Cold Specks will be opening the show with her unique brand of "doom soul," ensuring that the night will be one for showcasing two very talented ladies.
St. Vincent
Cold Specks
$20 advance, $22.50 door at Theatre Corona
Saturday, December 17
An integral contributor to the no wave sub-genre of the late '70s, James Chance has been creatively merging jazz and punk for decades now. He'll be bringing his influential sound to Montreal on Saturday night, alongside Toronto garage rockers Ell V Gore and Montreal's Grand Trine.
James Chance
Ell V Gore
Grand Trine
$10 advance, $12 door at Il Motore
