Brian Wilson, PJ Harvey and Jazz Cartier Lead This Week's Can't Miss Concerts

Photo: Chris Bubinas

BY Laura MacInnes-RaePublished Apr 13, 2017

Now that it's officially spring, the weather is warmer and shows are hitting cities across Canada in increased numbers, you may find that, happily, you're wearing less and going out more.
 
That's a good thing: This week's edition of Can't Miss Concerts, happening April 13 through 19, is a delightful and musically diverse list of shows. As usual, a plethora of Canadian artists will take the stage, not to mention country mainstays the Dixie Chicks, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs and much more. For a more complete list of shows, take a gander at our Concert Listings for more opportunities to celebrate the season.
 
 
Jazz Cartier
 
Torontonian wordsmith Jazz Cartier is hitting the road on his "Secret Garden" tour. With a fresh Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year under his belt for his 2016 album Hotel Paranoia, he's one of Toronto's rising hip-hop stars. Catch him this week in Manitoba or Alberta so you can see what all the hype is about.
 
04/16/17 Winnipeg, MB – The Garrick Centre
04/19/17 Edmonton, AB – The Needle Vinyl Tavern
 
Dixie Chicks
 
Your favourite country music vets the Dixie Chicks are embarking on their "DCX MMXVII" World Tour. Armed with performance experience dating back to 1989 and more than ten Grammy awards, the group of seasoned musicians are ready to take the stage once again. The Chicks have a slew of shows lined up this week, so if you are in Ontario or Quebec, why not get yourself to one of them and sing along?
 
04/14/17 Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre
04/15/17 Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
04/17/17 Hamilton, ON – FirstOntario Centre
04/18/17 London, ON – Budweiser Gardens
 
Freddie Gibbs
 
Indiana MC Freddie Gibbs returned with You Only Live 2wice last week, and is now gearing up to take some Canadian stages to spit his new tracks. In our review, we noted that, "Mechanically, the hooks that adorned Shadow of a Doubt are largely absent, though Gibbs' increased attention to melody that was displayed on the aforementioned 2015 LP remains." Check out the wordsmith at one of his dates out west this week.
 
04/17/17 Winnipeg, MB – Pyramid Cabaret
04/18/17 Calgary, AB – Commonwealth Bar
04/19/17 Edmonton, AB – Union Hall
 
Jacques Greene
 
Jacques Greene's name has been generating a lot of buzz lately, as he's finally released his highly anticipated full-length, Feel Infinite. The Montreal producer has continued to impress with his ability to weave stellar vocal samples into his danceable soundscapes. If you are a fan of the album or his previous material, now is your chance to see Greene work his magic live. Fellow DJ Suicideyear will be kicking off the shows as they take the stage this week in Greene's hometown as well as Toronto.
 
04/14/17 Montreal, QC – Newspeak
04/15/17 Toronto, ON – Velvet Underground
 
PJ Harvey
 
UK singer-songwriter PJ Harvey has got a busy season of festival appearances ahead of her, but first she's made time for some Canadian stops along the way, so if you're a fan of her latest, Grammy-nominated LP The Hope Six Demolition Project, and you live in Toronto or Montréal, then you're in luck. Experience her captivating performance style as the bold and brazen songstress hits both cities this week.
 
04/13/17 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
04/14/17 Montreal, QC – M Telus
04/15/17 Montreal, QC – M Telus
 
B.A. Johnston
 
B.A. Johnston is a one-man show whose performances usually result in him playing shirtless and showering beer onto the crowd, making it a very interactive show (whether you like it or not). Hamilton's slack-rock king released his 11th studio album, Gremlins 3, last month, and is ready for you to sink your teeth into all the fun, food-themed tracks such as "Drivethru Beef," "I Will Make Lasagna for You" and many, many more. You have four opportunities to party with him this week at the dates below.
 
04/14/17 Thunder Bay, ON – Black Pirates Pub with VHS, Shitty Dates
04/15/17 Winnipeg, MB – Handsome Daughter
04/18/17 Lethbridge, AB – Owl Acoustic Lounge with Open Channels, Bubble Wrap
04/19/17 Canmore, AB – The Drake Inn with Napalmpom
 
Little Scream
 
Montreal-based chanteuse Laurel Sprengelmeyer, aka Little Scream, treated us to the danceable Cult Following in 2016, and now she's ready to share it with us live. Her delicate but versatile voice is a perfect match for her smooth and catchy tracks, and her show will be sure to have you dancing along. Catch her in the prairies this week.
 
04/14/17 Calgary, AB – Commonwealth Bar & Stage
04/15/17 Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina
04/16/17 Winnipeg, MB – The Good Will
 
Skepta
 
Fresh after featuring on Drake's latest project More Life, UK grime MC/producer mainstay Skepta is taking his 2016 album Konnichiwa — which you may remember from our Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 2016 — on the road on his "Banned From America" tour. The rapper will be kicking off the first leg of his tour this week with the first of three Canadian dates, beginning in Vancouver.
 
04/18/17 Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
 
Brian Wilson
 
Brian Wilson, aka the mastermind behind the one and only Beach Boys, is making a trip across the pond this week. After marking the 50th anniversary of ground-breaking album Pet Sounds with a tour, popular demand saw shows added to the North American circuit for some more of that classic songwriting bliss. Brian Wilson is nothing less than a musical giant — need we say more?
 
04/13/17 Calgary, AB – Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
04/15/17 Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
 
 
Visit Exclaim!'s Concert Listings for more upcoming shows
 

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