The days of summer are growing shorter, and as the season winds down, most people are trying to get outside to make the most of the warm weather while it lasts. So why not buck the trend and slither to the dark recesses of your favourite venue to catch a show and enjoy your last few weeks of freedom? Here's some of the week's live highlights to check out in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.
Vancouver
Thursday, August 16
After dropping their debut album, Give You the Ghost, back in February, Minnesotan indie unit Poliça have been racking up a growing collection of fans and creating a steady stream of buzz, including some flattering words from a host of critics following their appearance at this year's SXSW festival. And if their current slate of upcoming international tour dates are any indication, the band's R&B- and electro-tinged tunes are set to conquer audiences on a global scale.
Poliça
Supreme Cuts
$13 at the Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, August 17
With their sophomore album release only a few days away, now is as good a time as any to check out a set by electro-pop duo Teengirl Fantasy. Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi will be bringing their dance-inducing tracks to the Waldorf Hotel to kick off the weekend, featuring vintage synths and beats that defy the just-push-play trend set by big-name EDM artists. They'll be joined by brooding electronic outfit, Gatekeeper, and experimentalist James Ferraro, making this one hell of a bill.
Teengirl Fantasy
Gatekeeper
James Ferraro
TBA at the Waldorf Hotel
Saturday, August 18
Nor-Cal punk rock vets Swingin' Utters are making their way up the West Coast this month, and will be playing their last show of their current tour at the Biltmore this weekend. On the road supporting their first album in eight years (and their eighth studio effort), Here, Under Protest, the always rowdy five-piece will be joined L.A.'s Roll the Tanks and surf-core outfit, the Isotopes -- a lineup that should make for a high-energy evening.
Swingin' Utters
Roll the Tanks
Isotopes
$15 advance, $18 door at the Biltmore Cabaret
Calgary
Friday, August 17
Now in the midst of their farewell tour, Burlington, ON-bred post-hardcore band Dead and Divine will be in town for the last time this Friday, as they make their way towards Toronto, and their last performance. With three successful full-lengths and a pair of EPs in their catalogue, the group have plenty of material to draw on from their nine years together, meaning that fans looking to catch one last glimpse of the band can expect a set filled with both new and old favourites.
Dead and Divine
$18.75 at the Orpheus Theatre
Toronto
Thursday, August 16
Celebrated hip-hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth haven't made the touring rounds together in a while, so their singular appearance at the Sound Academy this week will be something that fans won't want to miss. The event will see the pair performing their 1992 full-length debut, Mecca and the Soul Brother, widely hailed as one of the genre's greatest releases, in its entirety, along with DJ sets from Toronto's Mastermind and Pete Rock.
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
$25 at Sound Academy
Thursday, August 16
Nomadic sludge metal duo (and husband-and-wife team) Jucifer have, as usual, spent most of this year travelling, making stops throughout North America and Europe. And although they haven't released a record since 2010's Throned in Blood, they have plenty of material in their repertoire to draw on. Toronto's Vilipend will occupy the opening slot, after releasing their debut LP Inamorata earlier this week, along with local post-hardcore unit Kosmograd.
Jucifer
Vilipend
Kosmograd
$10 at the Garrison
Friday, August 17
With a full calendar of dates ahead of them, British metalcore quartet Architects are in the midst of several months' worth of globetrotting. On the road with their latest release, this year's Daybreaker, the group have a reputation for unrelentingly charged performances, and should have no problem engaging the crowd at the Opera House this Friday. Halifax's A Sight for Sewn Eyes and hometown group Structures will be on hand to open things up, along with Oshawa's Sleep When You're Dead.
Architects
A Sight for Sewn Eyes
Structures
Sleep When You're Dead
$18.50 at the Opera House
Saturday, August 18
Hometown country rockers Blue Rodeo have a long history together, with a nearly 30-year career behind them. The newly inducted members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame gave an enlivened performance at this year's Juno Awards back in April and are one of the many big-name acts to take the stage at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre this summer. They'll be joined by Toronto folk rock staples Great Lake Swimmers, who are currently working the festival circuit with their latest offering, New Wild Everywhere.
Blue Rodeo
Great Lake Swimmers
$23 to $84.50 at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Montreal
Thursday, August 16
If you're in the mood for a night of laid-back yet stimulating indie pop, head to Il Motore, where Young Man (aka Colin Caulfield and company) will be serving up numbers from their growing catalogue, including the recently released Vol. 1. The group's delicate pop tunes display alternately sparse and masterfully intricate instrumentation, backing up Caulfield's gently introspective vocals, which have begun to earn the attention of critics.
Young Man
The Hawks
$10 advance, $12 door at Il Motore
Saturday, August 18
On the latest stop of Architects' Canadian tour, the audience at La Tulipe can expect the same tenacious live show that the band have displayed at all of their dates so far. With a healthy back catalogue to mine, and a politically charged new album to draw from, there should be no shortage of tracks to keep the crowd engaged throughout the night. Toronto hardcore group Structures will warm things up as the openers.
Architects
Structures
$20.35 at La Tulipe
Vancouver
Thursday, August 16
After dropping their debut album, Give You the Ghost, back in February, Minnesotan indie unit Poliça have been racking up a growing collection of fans and creating a steady stream of buzz, including some flattering words from a host of critics following their appearance at this year's SXSW festival. And if their current slate of upcoming international tour dates are any indication, the band's R&B- and electro-tinged tunes are set to conquer audiences on a global scale.
Poliça
Supreme Cuts
$13 at the Biltmore Cabaret
Friday, August 17
With their sophomore album release only a few days away, now is as good a time as any to check out a set by electro-pop duo Teengirl Fantasy. Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi will be bringing their dance-inducing tracks to the Waldorf Hotel to kick off the weekend, featuring vintage synths and beats that defy the just-push-play trend set by big-name EDM artists. They'll be joined by brooding electronic outfit, Gatekeeper, and experimentalist James Ferraro, making this one hell of a bill.
Teengirl Fantasy
Gatekeeper
James Ferraro
TBA at the Waldorf Hotel
Saturday, August 18
Nor-Cal punk rock vets Swingin' Utters are making their way up the West Coast this month, and will be playing their last show of their current tour at the Biltmore this weekend. On the road supporting their first album in eight years (and their eighth studio effort), Here, Under Protest, the always rowdy five-piece will be joined L.A.'s Roll the Tanks and surf-core outfit, the Isotopes -- a lineup that should make for a high-energy evening.
Swingin' Utters
Roll the Tanks
Isotopes
$15 advance, $18 door at the Biltmore Cabaret
Calgary
Friday, August 17
Now in the midst of their farewell tour, Burlington, ON-bred post-hardcore band Dead and Divine will be in town for the last time this Friday, as they make their way towards Toronto, and their last performance. With three successful full-lengths and a pair of EPs in their catalogue, the group have plenty of material to draw on from their nine years together, meaning that fans looking to catch one last glimpse of the band can expect a set filled with both new and old favourites.
Dead and Divine
$18.75 at the Orpheus Theatre
Toronto
Thursday, August 16
Celebrated hip-hop duo Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth haven't made the touring rounds together in a while, so their singular appearance at the Sound Academy this week will be something that fans won't want to miss. The event will see the pair performing their 1992 full-length debut, Mecca and the Soul Brother, widely hailed as one of the genre's greatest releases, in its entirety, along with DJ sets from Toronto's Mastermind and Pete Rock.
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
$25 at Sound Academy
Thursday, August 16
Nomadic sludge metal duo (and husband-and-wife team) Jucifer have, as usual, spent most of this year travelling, making stops throughout North America and Europe. And although they haven't released a record since 2010's Throned in Blood, they have plenty of material in their repertoire to draw on. Toronto's Vilipend will occupy the opening slot, after releasing their debut LP Inamorata earlier this week, along with local post-hardcore unit Kosmograd.
Jucifer
Vilipend
Kosmograd
$10 at the Garrison
Friday, August 17
With a full calendar of dates ahead of them, British metalcore quartet Architects are in the midst of several months' worth of globetrotting. On the road with their latest release, this year's Daybreaker, the group have a reputation for unrelentingly charged performances, and should have no problem engaging the crowd at the Opera House this Friday. Halifax's A Sight for Sewn Eyes and hometown group Structures will be on hand to open things up, along with Oshawa's Sleep When You're Dead.
Architects
A Sight for Sewn Eyes
Structures
Sleep When You're Dead
$18.50 at the Opera House
Saturday, August 18
Hometown country rockers Blue Rodeo have a long history together, with a nearly 30-year career behind them. The newly inducted members of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame gave an enlivened performance at this year's Juno Awards back in April and are one of the many big-name acts to take the stage at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre this summer. They'll be joined by Toronto folk rock staples Great Lake Swimmers, who are currently working the festival circuit with their latest offering, New Wild Everywhere.
Blue Rodeo
Great Lake Swimmers
$23 to $84.50 at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
Montreal
Thursday, August 16
If you're in the mood for a night of laid-back yet stimulating indie pop, head to Il Motore, where Young Man (aka Colin Caulfield and company) will be serving up numbers from their growing catalogue, including the recently released Vol. 1. The group's delicate pop tunes display alternately sparse and masterfully intricate instrumentation, backing up Caulfield's gently introspective vocals, which have begun to earn the attention of critics.
Young Man
The Hawks
$10 advance, $12 door at Il Motore
Saturday, August 18
On the latest stop of Architects' Canadian tour, the audience at La Tulipe can expect the same tenacious live show that the band have displayed at all of their dates so far. With a healthy back catalogue to mine, and a politically charged new album to draw from, there should be no shortage of tracks to keep the crowd engaged throughout the night. Toronto hardcore group Structures will warm things up as the openers.
Architects
Structures
$20.35 at La Tulipe
