King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Courtney Barnett, PUP and 21C Festival Lead This Week's Can't Miss Concerts

Photo: Rick Clifford

BY Eric Noble-MarksPublished May 26, 2016

This week's edition of Can't Miss Concerts, from May 26 to June 1, features everything from indie-rock storyteller Courtney Barnett, to psychedelic battering rams King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, to Toronto punk rock golden boys PUP. Read on to see what's going on this week, and be sure to check our complete Concert Listings if we've missed anything.
 

Courtney Barnett

The release of Courtney Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, catapulted the Australian singer-songwriter into the mainstream. She's been on an unstoppable run since then, racking up a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and garnering acclaim for her '90s-drenched guitar hooks, rambling witticisms and energetic live show. See what the fuss is about at one of the dates below.
 
05/29/2016 Montréal, QC - Metropolis
05/30/2016 Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
 
Baroness

After a traumatizing bus crash and the departure of two members, Baroness rose from the ashes late last year with the sparkling Purple. Now, the band's taking their resurrection party on the road, bringing their particular brand of epic sludge metal to Canadian audiences this week. See them do their thing at one of the venues below.
 
05/26/2016 Calgary, AB – Marquee Beer Market and Stage
05/27/2016 Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room
05/29/2016 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom

Greys
 
Greys recently returned with Outer Heaven, their most blistering LP yet. Now, the Toronto post-punks are taking their buzzsaw guitars, thunderous drums and piercing vocals out on tour this summer. Get your mosh on at one of the shows below.
 
05/27/2016 Sudbury, ON - The Asylum
05/29/2016 Winnipeg, MB – The Handsome Daughter
05/30/2016 Saskatoon, SK – Vangelis Tavern
05/31/2016 Edmonton, AB – The Buckingham
06/1/2016 Calgary, AB – Broken City Social Club
 
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

On Nonagon Infinity, the latest from King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, the Australian psych-rockers put the pedal to the floor and don't take their feet off until the album's end (which, due to the record's cyclical design, technically never has to come). It's the kind of daring, horns-up rock'n'roll that makes the blood boil, in a good way. Though their live show may not be infinite, it'll be one hell of a ride.
 
05/28/2016 Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
 
OBEY Convention
 
2016 marks the ninth iteration of Halifax's boundary-pushing OBEY Convention. This year's lineup is led by kitchen sink experimental rapper Mykki Blanco, noise/avant-jazz provocateurs Zs and doom metal marauders Nadja. Not a bad way to spend a couple of days in May on the East coast.
 
5/26-29/2016 Halifax, NS - Multiple Venues
 
The Pack A.D.
 
Maya Miller and Becky Black have been breaking away from the pack for over a decade now with their ferocious brand of garage rock. Now, they're back on the road in support of an as-yet-unnamed LP. New music or no new music, the Pack A.D.'s sparse yet propulsive guitar and drums prove they're greater than the sum of their parts.
 
05/26/2016 Nelson, BC – Hume Hotel
05/27/2016 Calgary, AB – The Gateway (SAIT)
05/28/2016 Regina, SK – The Exchange
05/29/2016 Winnipeg, MB – The Good Will
05/31/2016 Thunder Bay, ON – Crocks
 
PUP
 
Toronto punk rock troupe PUP's name supposedly stands for "pathetic use of potential," a nasty admonishment coined by singer Stefan Babcock's grandmother. If their forthcoming sophomore LP is any example, though, it's also the least appropriate moniker since Barenaked Ladies. PUP play a thrilling brand of punk rock that's ready for the radio without sacrificing grit, heart or any other intangible. If you're in Toronto, check them out at this long-awaited hometown gig.

05/26/2016 Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
 
Wolf Parade
 
After five years on the shelf, Wolf Parade came roaring back this year with EP4 and made us all remember why we fell in love with them in the first place. The Montreal indie rock originals continue their five-show stand at Toronto's Lee's Palace this week. If you like electrifying indie, we think you'll find that Wolf Parade have a bite that's every bit as big as their bark.

05/26/2016 Toronto, ON – Lee's Palace
05/27/2016 Toronto, ON – Lee's Palace
05/28/2016 Toronto, ON – Lee's Palace

21C Music Festival

This weekend, the annual 21C Festival of contemporary composers will hit Toronto for its 2016 edition, and will features performances by Kronos Quartet with Tanya Tagaq, Brad Mehldau, Jherek Bischoff, Dawn of Midi and many more.

05/25-29/2016 Toronto, ON - Koerner Hall


Head to Exclaim!'s full Concert Listings for many more concerts and events.
 

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