As is our Thursday tradition, we have dug through the mass of Canadian concert listings to give you Exclaim!'s Can't Miss Concerts, our weekly concert guide for Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. Here's what we deem your best concert bets.
Vancouver
Thursday, April 1
Sweaty New Jersey punk rockers Titus Andronicus have just delivered their epic, conceptual new album The Monitor. The songs on the album demand to be heard live, which is good considering the band are playing at 917 Main tonight.
Titus Andronicus
$13 at 917 Main (formerly the Cobalt)
Friday, April 2
Washington, DC stoners Dead Meadow will bring their heady jams to the Biltmore in support of their multimedia Three Kings show. Along with their ambitious stage show, the band will also be bringing psych-folk creeper Imaad Wasif for a truly can't miss bill.
Dead Meadow
Imaad Wasif
$16 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, April 3
A truly all-in-the-family affair, this event sees the married couples in Pierced Arrows and Lullabye Arkestra team up with the father and son combo included in Vancouver locals the Vicious Cycles. It's a family reunion centred on loud, rumbling rock'n'roll!
Pierced Arrows
Lullabye Arkestra
The Vicious Cycles
$12.50 at Biltmore Cabaret
Calgary
Saturday, April 3
Vancouver post-punk quartet Taxes bring their manic, Drive Like Jehu-style anthems to newfound Calgary all ages venue Comrad Sound. The band, which includes veterans of the Vancouver punk scene, will be supported by Edmonton's Gyre Spire & Spindle and Calgary locals Stalwart Sons.
Taxes
Gyre Spire & Spindle
Stalwart Sons
$2 at Comrad Sound
Tuesday, April 6
Long-running technical metal group Dillinger Escape Plan will bring tracks from their latest epic Option Paralysis to Calgary's Republik. With support from Darkest Hour, expect your eardrums to get a pummelling.
Dillinger Escape Plan
Darkest House
$22.50 at Republik
Edmonton
Friday, April 2
Friday night offers two excellent options with Brother Ali bringing his hip-hop to the Starlite Room, but we can't resist the charm of dancy Montreal indie poppers Think About Life.
Think About Life
guests
$TBA at Brixx Bar & Grill
Tuesday, April 6
Husband-and-wife sludge punk duo Lullabye Arkestra are taking a break from their tour with Pierced Arrows to show Alberta some love. The Toronto two-piece will bring selections from their punishing two albums to Edmonton's Brixx Bar & Grill.
Lullabye Arkestra
$TBA at Brixx Bar & Grill
Toronto
Thursday, April 1
In support of their recent new album The Golden Archipelago, Austin's Shearwater will bring their hushed indie rock to Lee's Palace, with support from Wye Oak and Hospital Ships.
Shearwater
Wye Oak
Hospital Ships
$12 (advance)/$14 (door) at Lee's Palace
Friday, April 2
While the rest of the Strokes hole up in the studio to work on their band's fourth album, Julian Casablancas is still working hard to push his solo album. Catch him in Toronto for selections from that album and, hopefully, a live version of his "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" cover.
Julian Casablancas
$25 at Phoenix
Saturday, April 3
On a victory lap from their career-making Post-Nothing album, Japandroids return to Toronto for a show with indie pop heroes Love Is All. Japandroids just keep getting bigger, so catch them at the Horseshoe Tavern while you still can.
Japandroids
Love Is All
The Two Koreas
$12 (advance)/$15 (door) at Horseshoe Tavern
Montreal
Thursday, April 1
The night before he takes Toronto, Strokes front-man Julian Casablancas will bring the synth jams from his solo debut to Montreal's Le National. The real question is whether or not he'll play his cover of SNL's "I Wish It Was Christmas Today."
Julian Casablancas
$TBA at Le National
Friday, April 2
Japandroids continue their seemingly endless world tour with yet another appearance in Montreal, this time with European indie pop sensations Love Is All. These guys have been touring so long, we're starting to think the "androids" in their name actually means something.
Japandroids
Love Is All
The Two Koreas
$15 at Il Motore
Saturday, April 3
British trio the XX are still riding high from their breakthrough self-titled album. Since you probably couldn't see them at SXSW, now is your chance to check them out in Montreal. With support from JJ and Nosaj Thing, there will be a lot of interesting sounds floating around the room.
The XX
JJ
Nosaj Thing
$TBA at Metropolis
Vancouver
Thursday, April 1
Sweaty New Jersey punk rockers Titus Andronicus have just delivered their epic, conceptual new album The Monitor. The songs on the album demand to be heard live, which is good considering the band are playing at 917 Main tonight.
Titus Andronicus
$13 at 917 Main (formerly the Cobalt)
Friday, April 2
Washington, DC stoners Dead Meadow will bring their heady jams to the Biltmore in support of their multimedia Three Kings show. Along with their ambitious stage show, the band will also be bringing psych-folk creeper Imaad Wasif for a truly can't miss bill.
Dead Meadow
Imaad Wasif
$16 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, April 3
A truly all-in-the-family affair, this event sees the married couples in Pierced Arrows and Lullabye Arkestra team up with the father and son combo included in Vancouver locals the Vicious Cycles. It's a family reunion centred on loud, rumbling rock'n'roll!
Pierced Arrows
Lullabye Arkestra
The Vicious Cycles
$12.50 at Biltmore Cabaret
Calgary
Saturday, April 3
Vancouver post-punk quartet Taxes bring their manic, Drive Like Jehu-style anthems to newfound Calgary all ages venue Comrad Sound. The band, which includes veterans of the Vancouver punk scene, will be supported by Edmonton's Gyre Spire & Spindle and Calgary locals Stalwart Sons.
Taxes
Gyre Spire & Spindle
Stalwart Sons
$2 at Comrad Sound
Tuesday, April 6
Long-running technical metal group Dillinger Escape Plan will bring tracks from their latest epic Option Paralysis to Calgary's Republik. With support from Darkest Hour, expect your eardrums to get a pummelling.
Dillinger Escape Plan
Darkest House
$22.50 at Republik
Edmonton
Friday, April 2
Friday night offers two excellent options with Brother Ali bringing his hip-hop to the Starlite Room, but we can't resist the charm of dancy Montreal indie poppers Think About Life.
Think About Life
guests
$TBA at Brixx Bar & Grill
Tuesday, April 6
Husband-and-wife sludge punk duo Lullabye Arkestra are taking a break from their tour with Pierced Arrows to show Alberta some love. The Toronto two-piece will bring selections from their punishing two albums to Edmonton's Brixx Bar & Grill.
Lullabye Arkestra
$TBA at Brixx Bar & Grill
Toronto
Thursday, April 1
In support of their recent new album The Golden Archipelago, Austin's Shearwater will bring their hushed indie rock to Lee's Palace, with support from Wye Oak and Hospital Ships.
Shearwater
Wye Oak
Hospital Ships
$12 (advance)/$14 (door) at Lee's Palace
Friday, April 2
While the rest of the Strokes hole up in the studio to work on their band's fourth album, Julian Casablancas is still working hard to push his solo album. Catch him in Toronto for selections from that album and, hopefully, a live version of his "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" cover.
Julian Casablancas
$25 at Phoenix
Saturday, April 3
On a victory lap from their career-making Post-Nothing album, Japandroids return to Toronto for a show with indie pop heroes Love Is All. Japandroids just keep getting bigger, so catch them at the Horseshoe Tavern while you still can.
Japandroids
Love Is All
The Two Koreas
$12 (advance)/$15 (door) at Horseshoe Tavern
Montreal
Thursday, April 1
The night before he takes Toronto, Strokes front-man Julian Casablancas will bring the synth jams from his solo debut to Montreal's Le National. The real question is whether or not he'll play his cover of SNL's "I Wish It Was Christmas Today."
Julian Casablancas
$TBA at Le National
Friday, April 2
Japandroids continue their seemingly endless world tour with yet another appearance in Montreal, this time with European indie pop sensations Love Is All. These guys have been touring so long, we're starting to think the "androids" in their name actually means something.
Japandroids
Love Is All
The Two Koreas
$15 at Il Motore
Saturday, April 3
British trio the XX are still riding high from their breakthrough self-titled album. Since you probably couldn't see them at SXSW, now is your chance to check them out in Montreal. With support from JJ and Nosaj Thing, there will be a lot of interesting sounds floating around the room.
The XX
JJ
Nosaj Thing
$TBA at Metropolis
