Whether you're gearing up for your next festival outing, or just looking for a show to liven up your otherwise lazy weekend, there's no shortage of quality performances lined up over the next few days. Below, you can check out Exclaim!'s picks for some of the must-see events in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, and get inspired to take in some great live music.
Vancouver
Thursday, July 19
In the 20-plus years since they formed, California punks Strung Out have spent plenty of time on the road. This time around, the band will be performing 1996's Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues and their 1998 album Twisted By Design in their entirety as part of their "Twisted in a Suburban Wasteland Tour." Thursday will see them kicking off the Canadian leg of the series, with their first of 11 dates north of the border, accompanied by pop punk five-piece Such Gold and Pennsylvania-based unit Handguns.
Strung Out
Such Gold
Handguns
$22 advance, $25 door at the Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, July 20
After a string of dates in Australia and Europe, Florence and the Machine will be touching down in North America again, playing their first show at Burnaby's Deer Lake Park this Friday. With tunes from their indie rock outfit's sophomore outing, Ceremonials, continuing to top the charts -- most recently a Calvin Harris remix of their track "Spectrum (Say My Name)" -- their performance this weekend should be filled with familiar, and crowd-pleasing, numbers. The Walkmen will be on hand to warm things up in one of the city's best outdoor venues.
Florence and the Machine
The Walkmen
$49.50 at Deer Lake Park
Saturday, July 21
Like so many indie success stories before him, Trevor Powers is reaping the benefits of a carefully crafted bedroom recording project, built on nostalgic lyrics and synth-based compositions. Barely a year ago, the 22-year-old Idahoan released his first song, "July," under the Youth Lagoon moniker, and his notoriety has been steadily growing since. With plenty of tour dates already under his belt, Powers has teamed up with Father John Misty (aka one-time Fleet Foxes drummer Joshua Tillman) to create a double bill that's tough to pass up.
Youth Lagoon
Father John Misty
$18 at Venue
Calgary
Thursday, July 19
Vancouver-based punk unit Living With Lions got a significant publicity boost last year, although perhaps not the kind most bands hope for. But while their 2011 LP Holy Shit, and its album artwork, attracted some negative government attention, it also put the band on the general public's radar, and they've been capitalizing on the exposure ever since. For their latest batch of Canadian stops, they'll be joined by the Swellers, Daytrader and Major League.
Living with Lions
The Swellers
Daytrader
Major League
$12 advance, $15 door at the New Black
Saturday, July 21
Currently supporting their fifth studio album, Freak Out!, Wyoming pop punk quartet Teenage Bottlerocket are on the road in the midst of a North American tour that included a CD release show last week, and will see the band making a stop in Calgary this weekend. Concertgoers can expect a high-octane set, with fast-paced and short-lived tunes, à la the Ramones, and plenty of bang for their buck with the addition of energetic openers the Dopamines and Elway.
Teenage Bottlerocket
The Dopamines
Elway
$12.50 at the Gateway
Toronto
Thursday, July 19
Once the solo project of frontman Zach Condon, indie folk and world music experimentalists Beirut have played their fair share of festival appearances and concert dates over the past few years. Their 2011 release, The Rip Tide, was one of their most successful offerings to date, and the group (now six members strong) are continuing in the same form this summer with a series of live dates lined up.
Beirut
Little Scream
$35 at Sound Academy
Saturday, July 21
As prolific as they are perplexing, art-punk trio Liars dropped their sixth album, the curiously titled WIXIW, back in May, and recently launched a North American tour in support of the release. The Brooklynites took a turn towards the electronic on the record, but fortunately for audiences at their live shows, managed to experiment with synthetic composition without sacrificing the dance-ready beats that have become their signature. Edmonton's own Cadence Weapon will take the stage in the opening slot.
Liars
Cadence Weapon
$15 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, July 22 and Monday, July 23
In case you were worried that you might not catch recently reunited Swedish hardcore act Refused when they roll through town, have no fear. The group will be playing two shows at Sound Academy, so the list of acceptable excuses for missing them live is pretty short. After a decade-long hiatus, they returned with a handful of festival dates back in 2010, and although their only recent release has been a reissue of 1998's seminal The Shape of Punk to Come, the band still have plenty to offer fans in a live setting.
Refused
OFF!
$35.99 at Sound Academy
Montreal
Friday, July 20
Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Iceage may have only one album to their name, but they've already earned plenty of praise. Their debut full length, New Brigade, featured an enlivened take on punk and hardcore that will undoubtedly translate into an electric live show -- something to be expected from a band that cut their teeth opening for noted show-stoppers like Fucked Up and JEFF the Brotherhood.
Iceage
Ames Sanglantes
Strong Boss
$12 at Il Motore
Saturday, July 21
If you're in the mood for some drone-heavy ambient works, Saturday will be a good time to head to Il Motore to check out Brooklyn's Oneohtrix Point Never (the pseudonym for experimental recording artist Daniel Lopatin). Last year's Replica, his sixth studio outing, was consistently ranked among some of the best albums of 2011, and with the addition of Toronto DJ SunDrips to the lineup, this should make for an entertaining, spaced-out evening.
Oneohtrix Point Never
SunDrips
$12 advance, $15 door at Il Motore
Monday, July 23
With a day off between their appearance at Lee's Palace and their next stop in Montreal, Liars should hit the stage at La Sala Rossa fairly fresh -- meaning that you can expect their set on Monday to be as disorienting and danceable as ever.
Liars
Cadence Weapon
$15 at La Sala Rossa
Vancouver
Thursday, July 19
In the 20-plus years since they formed, California punks Strung Out have spent plenty of time on the road. This time around, the band will be performing 1996's Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues and their 1998 album Twisted By Design in their entirety as part of their "Twisted in a Suburban Wasteland Tour." Thursday will see them kicking off the Canadian leg of the series, with their first of 11 dates north of the border, accompanied by pop punk five-piece Such Gold and Pennsylvania-based unit Handguns.
Strung Out
Such Gold
Handguns
$22 advance, $25 door at the Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, July 20
After a string of dates in Australia and Europe, Florence and the Machine will be touching down in North America again, playing their first show at Burnaby's Deer Lake Park this Friday. With tunes from their indie rock outfit's sophomore outing, Ceremonials, continuing to top the charts -- most recently a Calvin Harris remix of their track "Spectrum (Say My Name)" -- their performance this weekend should be filled with familiar, and crowd-pleasing, numbers. The Walkmen will be on hand to warm things up in one of the city's best outdoor venues.
Florence and the Machine
The Walkmen
$49.50 at Deer Lake Park
Saturday, July 21
Like so many indie success stories before him, Trevor Powers is reaping the benefits of a carefully crafted bedroom recording project, built on nostalgic lyrics and synth-based compositions. Barely a year ago, the 22-year-old Idahoan released his first song, "July," under the Youth Lagoon moniker, and his notoriety has been steadily growing since. With plenty of tour dates already under his belt, Powers has teamed up with Father John Misty (aka one-time Fleet Foxes drummer Joshua Tillman) to create a double bill that's tough to pass up.
Youth Lagoon
Father John Misty
$18 at Venue
Calgary
Thursday, July 19
Vancouver-based punk unit Living With Lions got a significant publicity boost last year, although perhaps not the kind most bands hope for. But while their 2011 LP Holy Shit, and its album artwork, attracted some negative government attention, it also put the band on the general public's radar, and they've been capitalizing on the exposure ever since. For their latest batch of Canadian stops, they'll be joined by the Swellers, Daytrader and Major League.
Living with Lions
The Swellers
Daytrader
Major League
$12 advance, $15 door at the New Black
Saturday, July 21
Currently supporting their fifth studio album, Freak Out!, Wyoming pop punk quartet Teenage Bottlerocket are on the road in the midst of a North American tour that included a CD release show last week, and will see the band making a stop in Calgary this weekend. Concertgoers can expect a high-octane set, with fast-paced and short-lived tunes, à la the Ramones, and plenty of bang for their buck with the addition of energetic openers the Dopamines and Elway.
Teenage Bottlerocket
The Dopamines
Elway
$12.50 at the Gateway
Toronto
Thursday, July 19
Once the solo project of frontman Zach Condon, indie folk and world music experimentalists Beirut have played their fair share of festival appearances and concert dates over the past few years. Their 2011 release, The Rip Tide, was one of their most successful offerings to date, and the group (now six members strong) are continuing in the same form this summer with a series of live dates lined up.
Beirut
Little Scream
$35 at Sound Academy
Saturday, July 21
As prolific as they are perplexing, art-punk trio Liars dropped their sixth album, the curiously titled WIXIW, back in May, and recently launched a North American tour in support of the release. The Brooklynites took a turn towards the electronic on the record, but fortunately for audiences at their live shows, managed to experiment with synthetic composition without sacrificing the dance-ready beats that have become their signature. Edmonton's own Cadence Weapon will take the stage in the opening slot.
Liars
Cadence Weapon
$15 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, July 22 and Monday, July 23
In case you were worried that you might not catch recently reunited Swedish hardcore act Refused when they roll through town, have no fear. The group will be playing two shows at Sound Academy, so the list of acceptable excuses for missing them live is pretty short. After a decade-long hiatus, they returned with a handful of festival dates back in 2010, and although their only recent release has been a reissue of 1998's seminal The Shape of Punk to Come, the band still have plenty to offer fans in a live setting.
Refused
OFF!
$35.99 at Sound Academy
Montreal
Friday, July 20
Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Iceage may have only one album to their name, but they've already earned plenty of praise. Their debut full length, New Brigade, featured an enlivened take on punk and hardcore that will undoubtedly translate into an electric live show -- something to be expected from a band that cut their teeth opening for noted show-stoppers like Fucked Up and JEFF the Brotherhood.
Iceage
Ames Sanglantes
Strong Boss
$12 at Il Motore
Saturday, July 21
If you're in the mood for some drone-heavy ambient works, Saturday will be a good time to head to Il Motore to check out Brooklyn's Oneohtrix Point Never (the pseudonym for experimental recording artist Daniel Lopatin). Last year's Replica, his sixth studio outing, was consistently ranked among some of the best albums of 2011, and with the addition of Toronto DJ SunDrips to the lineup, this should make for an entertaining, spaced-out evening.
Oneohtrix Point Never
SunDrips
$12 advance, $15 door at Il Motore
Monday, July 23
With a day off between their appearance at Lee's Palace and their next stop in Montreal, Liars should hit the stage at La Sala Rossa fairly fresh -- meaning that you can expect their set on Monday to be as disorienting and danceable as ever.
Liars
Cadence Weapon
$15 at La Sala Rossa
