The Luyas, Jim Bryson & the Weakerthans, Dum Dum Girls and Murs Lead This Week's Can't Miss Concerts

BY Exclaim! StaffPublished Feb 24, 2011

The concert bug is crawling all over your skin, which can only mean one thing: you better get familiar with the best shows to check out this weekend. Here is our list of the gigs we're most excited about for Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Vancouver

Thursday, February 24
Vancity gets rockin' tonight when CiTR 101.9 FM and Mint Records celebrate the release of Pop Alliance Compilation. The bill features stellar acts such as Slam Dunk, Fanshaw and more, as well as an art installation from local artists. Don't miss out!

Slam Dunk
Role Mach
Shane Turner Overdrive
Fanshaw
$8 to $10 at The Interurban Gallery

Friday, February 25
Surf-rocking spacemen Man or Astro-Man? will blow Vancouver's socks off with support from the pleasant tones of Octopus Project. In keeping with the space theme, Edmonton's veteran garage punk surfers the James T. Kirks will continue spreading the evil gospel of instro-punk when opening the night's festivities.

Man or Astro-Man?
The Octopus Project
The James T. Kirks
$15 at the Biltmore Cabaret

Saturday, February 26
Jim Bryson's collaboration with Winnipeg's own Weakerthans has proved fruitful indeed. Currently it's hard to imagine one without the other. The Ottawa songwriter is in town to support his latest, The Falcon Lake Incident. Local folk stalwarts Siskiyou, who are joining Jim Bryson on tour, will open the show.

Jim Bryson & the Weakerthans
Siskiyou
$17.50 at The Biltmore Cabaret

Calgary

Thursday, February 24
Hard-rocking and genre-defying Plants and Animals are in town with tour buddies Yukon Blonde. The latter's vocal harmonies and deliciously catchy choruses are sure to melt even the coldest of hearts. An Exclaim! review of Plants and Animal's latest Vancouver show states that they "sounded downright ferocious." So something for everyone then.

Plants and Animals
Yukon Blonde
$16 at Republik

Sunday, February 27
Long-running hip-hopper Murs will be dropping his lyrical science on Calgary this Sunday and we're guessing he'll come packing more than a few beats.

Murs 
$TBA at Republik

Toronto

Thursday, February 24
Touring on the back of their critically acclaimed new record, Seeds, are Newfoundland's pride and joy, Hey Rosetta! The band will unleash their kinetic and lavish folk rock on willing Torontonians tonight. Supporting Hey Rosetta! are Gramercy Riffs, whose dreamy, keyboard-laden pop rock has been gaining momentum lately.

Hey Rosetta!
Gramercy Riffs
$20 to $25 at Lee's Palace

Friday, February 25
Satan's very own spokesman Mr. Glen Benton and his fellow Deicide troopers will try their damnedest to get you on the dark lord's side. Their latest disc, To Hell With God, has earned raving reviews. So who knows what will happen when they unleash hell's fires inside the Opera House, with Canada's Neuraxis and the incredible Blackguard.

Deicide
Neuraxis
Blackguard
Pathology
$26. 50 to $30 at Opera House

Saturday, February 26
Dum Dum Girls will be in town with their irresistible fuzz pop. Supporting the recently released He Gets Me High EP, it's conceivable that the band will air brand new material from a forthcoming full-length that's coming out late this year. Brooklyn's Minks and Vancouver's Dirty Beaches are sharing the stage with Dum Dum Girls on this tour, so brace yourselves for an eclectic bill filled with fun.

Dum Dum Girls
Minks
Dirty Beaches
$13.50 advance, $15 door at El Mocambo

Montreal

Thursday, February 24
Montreal's Luyas are heralded for their successful pop experimentations. Performing in front of a home crowd, it will be interesting to see if the band can pull off the impressive arrangements and production found on their latest, Too Beautiful To Work, in a live setting.

The Luyas
Minks
$TBD at Casa De Popolo

Friday, February 25
They have Rivers Cuomo's seal of approval for doing rad covers of his band's songs and for being pretty bad-ass ladies, so it is safe to say that a night out with Sheezer will be one to remember. They are playing with special guests in Montreal so come out early and party hard.

Sheezer
$5 at Il Motore

Saturday, February 26
Noisy dance music or danceable noise music? Either way, Toronto's Holy Fuck know how to bring the ruckus, as well as rockers and ravers on to the dance floor. Holy Fuck's set is a part of the Nuit Blanches festivities, so they will be sharing the stage with a bunch of bands and DJs.

Holy Fuck
Loco Locass
We Are Wolves
$TBD at Metropolis

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