Concert Announcements / Music News (April 10, 2009)

Although only April(btw, Happy Easter everyone), here's some early news on some upcoming festivals as well as some other concert announcements:

Eric Warner brings his annual Over The Top indie festival back this year to take place at various venues in Toronto from May 21-24. What started out as a music festival will this year at least include some films and plays. The music lineup's as follows(taken from Stille Post):

May 21:
Merbow w. Growing & METZ @ Polish Combatants Hall [tickets]
Clues w. Special Guests @ Sneaky Dee's [tickets]
Baby Dee w. Timber Timbre & Ghost Bees @ 67 Nassau [tickets]

May 22:
Mecca Normal - "How Art & Music Can Change the World" @ 67 Nassau [tickets]
Think About Life w. Tuneyards & Bayonets @ Polish Combatants Hall [tickets]
Ulysses & The Siren, The Narrative, Cool Dad & Guests @ Sneaky Dee's [not on sale online]
MV+EE, WOODS + Special Guest @ Whippersnapper Gallery [tickets]

May 23:
Five Blank Pages (Final Show) w. Oh No Forest Fires & Boys Who Say No @ The Mod Club [tickets]
Budos Band w. Word People, Kae Sun & DJ John Kong @ Polish Combatants Hall [tickets]
Tiny Masters of Today w. Windom Earle & The Superstitions @ Whippersnapper Gallery [tickets]
Shellshag, Fiasco & Special Guests @ Sneaky Dee's [tickets]

May 24:
Concert on a Transit Bus, BBQ and Acoustic Concert [not on sale yet]

While not my thing overall, the Toronto Jazz Festival has in recent years at least seemed to draw a few bands that I'd been interested in seeing if it were not for the ticket price. Thanks to The Singing Lamb for pointing out the following - Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings(with Blackburn also on the bill) bring some soul to Nathan Phillips Square on June 26, tickets $35. That same night, Jose Gonzalez brings his self-named Trio to Harbourfront's Enwave Theare, tickets $30. June 27, The Sea and Cake infuse some post-rock sonics into the festival when they play The Supermarket, tickets $27.50.

Mr. Dan Burke's drops some names who'll be taking part at his NeXT-at-NXNE showcase taking this place in June at the Silver Dollar and Velvet Underground - artists include Japan's Zoobombs, Red Mass, CATL, The Golden Triangle(from Brooklyn), The Two Koreas, The Sedatives, "PIZZA PARTY" DJs, Teen Anger, Hexes and Ohs, and Revolvers. Via Stille Post

Toronto's Gentleman Reg gets a 7.3 from Pitchfork for his newest album "Jet Black". Reg gets busy with several months of touring (US & Canada) starting with an instore on April 18 at Sonic Boom then returns home for a show at The Mod Club (opening for A Camp) on June 1 and after that returning for Pride Toronto to perform on the South Stage on June 27.

Also working their way touring through US and Canada over the next few months is Vancouver's The Pack A.D. who'll be at The Drake on April 17 and Horseshoe Tavern (w/ The Hanson Brothers & Potty Umbrella) on April 25.

Headlights will open for Loney Dear at the Rivoli on May 8. Cryptacize and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone will be at The Boat on July 8. Via Chromewaves.

Asobi Seksu will open for Yann Tiersen at The Mod Club on April 19. Via REMG.

UK's Gomez will be playin the Phoenix on May 29. The band's new album "New Tide" was just released. Check out the first single "Airstream Driver" over at their MySpace.

Randy Bachman plays a free show at Yonge Dundas Square on June 5, helping to kick off the just-over-a-week-long Luminato arts festival.