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, February 18
Coming as part of the Games' Cultural Olympiad, Hal Willner's Neil Young Project is one impressive-looking piece of work. With an all-star cast that includes the likes of Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Colin James, Julie Doiron, Iron & Wine and several Broken Social Scenesters all paying tribute to the Canadian rock icon, it's guaranteed to be an interesting and maybe utterly fascinating show. For more info about the show, which is also playing Friday, click here.
Chris Brown
Vashti Bunyan
Robert Burger
Brendan Canning
Fred Cash
Jason Collett
Elvis Costello
Julie Doiron
Kevin Drew
Sam Goldberg
Emily Haines & James Shaw of Metric
Shahzad Ismaily
Colin James
Eric Mingus
Sun Kil Moon
Jenni Muldaur
Ambrosia Parsley
Justin Peroff
Ben Perowsky
Joan as Policewoman
Elizabeth Powell
Bill Priddle
Lou Reed
Alasdair Roberts
Ron Sexsmith
Teddy Thompson
James Blood Ulmer
Andrew Whiteman
Doug Wieselman
Emily Haines
$74.50, $67.50, $59.00 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Friday February 19
YACHT's See Mystery Lights was easily one of our favourite records of last year, so we're pretty pumped about this one. And it's extra sweet that the duo have enlisted a full band for this tour, roping in Bobby Birdman, Jeff Brodsky and Reuben Snyder to play under the name "The Sraight Gaze."
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
Fine Mist
$15 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, February 20
Dubbed an "anti-OWE-LIMP-ICS" show, this bill finds Vancouver punk legends D.O.A. doing their thing and presumably sticking it to the Games. Might want to leave your red Canada mitts at home for this one.
D.O.A.
Fear Of Tomorrow
Years
$TBA at Rickshaw Theatre
Toronto
Thursday, February 18
Jazzy post-rock vets Tortoise return to Toronto for a live date supporting last year's Beacons of Ancestorship. Hardly ones to disappoint, the Chicagonians are pretty much guaranteed to fulfill any and all of your post-rock dreams.
Tortoise
$18.50 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, February 21
Following 2009's stellar Love Is Not Pop, Swede-pop princess El Perro Del Mar is once again making the rounds across North America. As an extra special bonus, fellow countrywoman Taken By Trees takes the stage as well.
El Perro Del Mar
Taken By Trees
$15 at Mod Club
Monday, February 22
England's Wild Beasts don't make it over here all too often so you might want to catch these "far-reaching art school weirdoes" if their Two Dancers hit the spot last year.
Wild Beasts
$15 at Horseshoe Tavern
Montreal
Thursday, February 18
Dusty Americana-loving outfit Calexico bring their live show north of the border, tapping Canadian folk darlings Great Lake Swimmers to lend some opening support.
Calexico
Great Lake Swimmers
$TBA at Metropolis
Saturday, February 20
Before taking her live show to Toronto, El Perro Del Mar will set down in Toronto with fellow Swede Taken By Trees, the project led by Victoria Bergsman, who you may remembers from such bands as the Concretes and that whistling song about young folks.
El Perro Del Mar
Taken By Trees
$13 (advance)/$15 (doors) at Il Motore
Sunday, February 21
Canadian hardcore heroes Fucked Up join Matador label-mate Kurt Vile for a live throw-down that's guaranteed to be loud, brash and more than a little sweaty. Well, maybe not Vile's part of the show if he's in one of his more folky moods.
Fucked Up
Kurt Vile
Slobs
$15 (advance)/$18 (doors) La Sala Rossa
Calgary
Thursday, February 18
An endless list of local Calgary punk musicians have teamed up to form the Shitfits, a truly shitty Misfits cover band. Better yet, if you bring $10 you can buy a Shitfits Feces Club T-shirt! Local duo the Jeremy Clarkson open.
The Shitfits
The Jeremy Clarkson
FREE at Tubby Dog
Friday, February 19
Local indie psych group the Summerlad are celebrating the release of their fourth album, Blue Skinned, with a headlining show at Broken City. Fellow Calgarians Extra Happy Ghost!!! and Friendo guest.
The Summerlad
Extra Happy Ghost!!!
Friendo
$TBA at Broken City
Tuesday, February 23
In celebration of their fantastic DFA debut See Mystery Lights, YACHT bring their full band line-up to the Hi-Fi Club. With Bobby Birdman opening, this will be the best Tuesday night you've had in a while.
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
$15 at Hi-Fi Club
Edmonton
Saturday, February 20
Going strong after the rise and fall of the shameful "blog house" genre tag, DJ Steve Aoki will prove that he can still keep a party going strong when he spends the night spinning at the Edmonton Event Centre. He'll be joined by MSTRKRFT DJ Jesse F. Keeler, performing as JFK.
Steve Aoki
JFK
$TBA at Edmonton Event Centre
Monday, February 22
One night before making the trek to Calgary, DFA party-starting dance crew YACHT will bring choice cuts from their new album See Mystery Lights to the Pawnshop.
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
$TBA at the Pawnshop
Vancouver
Thursday, February 18
Coming as part of the Games' Cultural Olympiad, Hal Willner's Neil Young Project is one impressive-looking piece of work. With an all-star cast that includes the likes of Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, Colin James, Julie Doiron, Iron & Wine and several Broken Social Scenesters all paying tribute to the Canadian rock icon, it's guaranteed to be an interesting and maybe utterly fascinating show. For more info about the show, which is also playing Friday, click here.
Chris Brown
Vashti Bunyan
Robert Burger
Brendan Canning
Fred Cash
Jason Collett
Elvis Costello
Julie Doiron
Kevin Drew
Sam Goldberg
Emily Haines & James Shaw of Metric
Shahzad Ismaily
Colin James
Eric Mingus
Sun Kil Moon
Jenni Muldaur
Ambrosia Parsley
Justin Peroff
Ben Perowsky
Joan as Policewoman
Elizabeth Powell
Bill Priddle
Lou Reed
Alasdair Roberts
Ron Sexsmith
Teddy Thompson
James Blood Ulmer
Andrew Whiteman
Doug Wieselman
Emily Haines
$74.50, $67.50, $59.00 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Friday February 19
YACHT's See Mystery Lights was easily one of our favourite records of last year, so we're pretty pumped about this one. And it's extra sweet that the duo have enlisted a full band for this tour, roping in Bobby Birdman, Jeff Brodsky and Reuben Snyder to play under the name "The Sraight Gaze."
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
Fine Mist
$15 at Biltmore Cabaret
Saturday, February 20
Dubbed an "anti-OWE-LIMP-ICS" show, this bill finds Vancouver punk legends D.O.A. doing their thing and presumably sticking it to the Games. Might want to leave your red Canada mitts at home for this one.
D.O.A.
Fear Of Tomorrow
Years
$TBA at Rickshaw Theatre
Toronto
Thursday, February 18
Jazzy post-rock vets Tortoise return to Toronto for a live date supporting last year's Beacons of Ancestorship. Hardly ones to disappoint, the Chicagonians are pretty much guaranteed to fulfill any and all of your post-rock dreams.
Tortoise
$18.50 at Lee's Palace
Sunday, February 21
Following 2009's stellar Love Is Not Pop, Swede-pop princess El Perro Del Mar is once again making the rounds across North America. As an extra special bonus, fellow countrywoman Taken By Trees takes the stage as well.
El Perro Del Mar
Taken By Trees
$15 at Mod Club
Monday, February 22
England's Wild Beasts don't make it over here all too often so you might want to catch these "far-reaching art school weirdoes" if their Two Dancers hit the spot last year.
Wild Beasts
$15 at Horseshoe Tavern
Montreal
Thursday, February 18
Dusty Americana-loving outfit Calexico bring their live show north of the border, tapping Canadian folk darlings Great Lake Swimmers to lend some opening support.
Calexico
Great Lake Swimmers
$TBA at Metropolis
Saturday, February 20
Before taking her live show to Toronto, El Perro Del Mar will set down in Toronto with fellow Swede Taken By Trees, the project led by Victoria Bergsman, who you may remembers from such bands as the Concretes and that whistling song about young folks.
El Perro Del Mar
Taken By Trees
$13 (advance)/$15 (doors) at Il Motore
Sunday, February 21
Canadian hardcore heroes Fucked Up join Matador label-mate Kurt Vile for a live throw-down that's guaranteed to be loud, brash and more than a little sweaty. Well, maybe not Vile's part of the show if he's in one of his more folky moods.
Fucked Up
Kurt Vile
Slobs
$15 (advance)/$18 (doors) La Sala Rossa
Calgary
Thursday, February 18
An endless list of local Calgary punk musicians have teamed up to form the Shitfits, a truly shitty Misfits cover band. Better yet, if you bring $10 you can buy a Shitfits Feces Club T-shirt! Local duo the Jeremy Clarkson open.
The Shitfits
The Jeremy Clarkson
FREE at Tubby Dog
Friday, February 19
Local indie psych group the Summerlad are celebrating the release of their fourth album, Blue Skinned, with a headlining show at Broken City. Fellow Calgarians Extra Happy Ghost!!! and Friendo guest.
The Summerlad
Extra Happy Ghost!!!
Friendo
$TBA at Broken City
Tuesday, February 23
In celebration of their fantastic DFA debut See Mystery Lights, YACHT bring their full band line-up to the Hi-Fi Club. With Bobby Birdman opening, this will be the best Tuesday night you've had in a while.
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
$15 at Hi-Fi Club
Edmonton
Saturday, February 20
Going strong after the rise and fall of the shameful "blog house" genre tag, DJ Steve Aoki will prove that he can still keep a party going strong when he spends the night spinning at the Edmonton Event Centre. He'll be joined by MSTRKRFT DJ Jesse F. Keeler, performing as JFK.
Steve Aoki
JFK
$TBA at Edmonton Event Centre
Monday, February 22
One night before making the trek to Calgary, DFA party-starting dance crew YACHT will bring choice cuts from their new album See Mystery Lights to the Pawnshop.
YACHT
Bobby Birdman
$TBA at the Pawnshop
