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, December 3
If you're looking for some bang for your buck, this one is for you. For a measly five dollars, you can catch Vancity's Tight Solid, Pompoir, Modern Creatures and, one of the city's best live bands going, Twin Crystals.
Twin Crystals
Modern Creatures
Pompoir
Tight Solid
$5 at Honey Lounge
Friday, December 4
Alt-folk experimenters Califone are finally making their way to the West coast and we're pumped about it. Along with a proper live set, the band will be showcasing their new feature-length film. Good thing they're playing an old renovated theatre.
Califone
$12 at Rickshaw Theatre
Sunday December 6
Long-running post-rockers Tristeza are out on the road giving us a taste of their brand new Fate Unfolds full-length. Drew Andrews of offshoot the Album Leaf lends opening support.
Tristeza
Drew Andrews
$13 at Media Club
Toronto
Thursday, December 3
Party-starting electro thumpers Thunderheist set down for one of their last shows before taking a break to work on some solo projects. It may be quite a while before you get the chance to see them again, so you may want to head on down.
Thunderheist
$15 at Mod Club
Saturday, December 5
Get set for a delicious French kiss: Parisian popsters Phoenix are coming. Their Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix took the number four spot on our Pop Rocks year-end best-of list, so of course this one comes highly recommended.
Phoenix
Amazing Baby
$28.50 at Sound Academy
Sunday, December 6
Danish pop/prog weirdoes Mew touch down to give a taste of that album with the title that's just way too long to repeat. Their live album was just canned, so this is your only option if you watch to catch the dudes live.
Mew
$20.50 at Mod Club
Montreal
Thursday, December 4
Following shows in Vancouver and Toronto, the much-buzzed-about XX hit Montreal. They're opening for Friendly Fires, but in our minds, are the definite main draw. Well, unless you love those chest-shaking dance moves.
The XX
Friendly Fires
$17.50 (advance)/$20 (door) at Le National
Friday, December 5
Chilled-out folkie AA Bondy gives a little six-string action. We're guessing this one is going to be low-key to the max, but there's nothing wrong with that.
AA Bondy
$10 at Green Room
Saturday, December 6
Before heading to Toronto, Mew will warm up their weird and wild sounds in Montreal. We just hope they play the songs represented by pictures.
Mew
$20 at Le Cabaret Juste Pour Rire
Calgary
Thursday, December 3
Wear a rain jacket to this sure-to-be-messy set from metal monsters Gwar. With all the fake blood, and the blood from your sure-to--be-bleeding ears, you'll need something to keep clean. The Red Chord open.
Gwar
The Red Chord
$20 at MacEwan Hall
Friday, December 4
In support of their recent Wave North full-length, Ontario indie rockers Sunparlour Players bring their good vibes to Calgary's Broken City, with support from Ghostkeeper.
Sunparlour Players
Ghostkeeper
$9 at Broken City
Saturday, December 5
We feel sorry for the poor staff at the University of Calgary. They'll likely spend all of Friday cleaning up after the Gwar show, and then Saturday will see Hatebreed, Cannibal Corpse and Unearth show up to burn the place down again. Expect mayhem.
Hatebreed
Cannibal Corpse
Unearth
$TBA at MacEwan Ballroom
Edmonton
Sunday, December 6
The night after they have their way with Calgary, Hatebreed, Cannibal Corpse and Unearth will dish out a dose of heaviness to Edmonton. Expect to be bruised and deaf on Monday morning.
Hatebreed
Cannibal Corpse
Unearth
$TBA at Edmonton Events Centre
Wednesday, December 9
Celebrate hump day with the original horror punks when the Misfits show up in Edmonton. No, there's still no Danzig, but that doesn't mean you can't pretend when you sing along to their macabre classics.
Misfits
$TBA at New City
Vancouver
Thursday, December 3
If you're looking for some bang for your buck, this one is for you. For a measly five dollars, you can catch Vancity's Tight Solid, Pompoir, Modern Creatures and, one of the city's best live bands going, Twin Crystals.
Twin Crystals
Modern Creatures
Pompoir
Tight Solid
$5 at Honey Lounge
Friday, December 4
Alt-folk experimenters Califone are finally making their way to the West coast and we're pumped about it. Along with a proper live set, the band will be showcasing their new feature-length film. Good thing they're playing an old renovated theatre.
Califone
$12 at Rickshaw Theatre
Sunday December 6
Long-running post-rockers Tristeza are out on the road giving us a taste of their brand new Fate Unfolds full-length. Drew Andrews of offshoot the Album Leaf lends opening support.
Tristeza
Drew Andrews
$13 at Media Club
Toronto
Thursday, December 3
Party-starting electro thumpers Thunderheist set down for one of their last shows before taking a break to work on some solo projects. It may be quite a while before you get the chance to see them again, so you may want to head on down.
Thunderheist
$15 at Mod Club
Saturday, December 5
Get set for a delicious French kiss: Parisian popsters Phoenix are coming. Their Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix took the number four spot on our Pop Rocks year-end best-of list, so of course this one comes highly recommended.
Phoenix
Amazing Baby
$28.50 at Sound Academy
Sunday, December 6
Danish pop/prog weirdoes Mew touch down to give a taste of that album with the title that's just way too long to repeat. Their live album was just canned, so this is your only option if you watch to catch the dudes live.
Mew
$20.50 at Mod Club
Montreal
Thursday, December 4
Following shows in Vancouver and Toronto, the much-buzzed-about XX hit Montreal. They're opening for Friendly Fires, but in our minds, are the definite main draw. Well, unless you love those chest-shaking dance moves.
The XX
Friendly Fires
$17.50 (advance)/$20 (door) at Le National
Friday, December 5
Chilled-out folkie AA Bondy gives a little six-string action. We're guessing this one is going to be low-key to the max, but there's nothing wrong with that.
AA Bondy
$10 at Green Room
Saturday, December 6
Before heading to Toronto, Mew will warm up their weird and wild sounds in Montreal. We just hope they play the songs represented by pictures.
Mew
$20 at Le Cabaret Juste Pour Rire
Calgary
Thursday, December 3
Wear a rain jacket to this sure-to-be-messy set from metal monsters Gwar. With all the fake blood, and the blood from your sure-to--be-bleeding ears, you'll need something to keep clean. The Red Chord open.
Gwar
The Red Chord
$20 at MacEwan Hall
Friday, December 4
In support of their recent Wave North full-length, Ontario indie rockers Sunparlour Players bring their good vibes to Calgary's Broken City, with support from Ghostkeeper.
Sunparlour Players
Ghostkeeper
$9 at Broken City
Saturday, December 5
We feel sorry for the poor staff at the University of Calgary. They'll likely spend all of Friday cleaning up after the Gwar show, and then Saturday will see Hatebreed, Cannibal Corpse and Unearth show up to burn the place down again. Expect mayhem.
Hatebreed
Cannibal Corpse
Unearth
$TBA at MacEwan Ballroom
Edmonton
Sunday, December 6
The night after they have their way with Calgary, Hatebreed, Cannibal Corpse and Unearth will dish out a dose of heaviness to Edmonton. Expect to be bruised and deaf on Monday morning.
Hatebreed
Cannibal Corpse
Unearth
$TBA at Edmonton Events Centre
Wednesday, December 9
Celebrate hump day with the original horror punks when the Misfits show up in Edmonton. No, there's still no Danzig, but that doesn't mean you can't pretend when you sing along to their macabre classics.
Misfits
$TBA at New City
