Sunday, May 10, 2009

Concert Announcements / Music News (May 11, 2009)

Like Jim Carrey in "The Number 23", a reoccurring number is enough to drive one mad, and for me it's the number 24 as in July 24. The date itself's provided quite the conundrum in terms of concert choice. Jenn Grant plays the Sirius Stage at Harbourfront that night as part of the Canadian Voices festival. The same night in my hometown of Mississauga, Toyko Police Club are set to play a presumably free show at Mississauga Civic Square [via Saddle Creek]. Finally, returning from an opening slot on the recent Kings Of Leon tour, The Walkmen (with opener Cass McCombs) will return to headline a show at Lee's Palace [via Against The Grain]. Now, if I could only see all three shows (although technically, it may be possible to see the Jenn Grant show and then head down to Lee's Palace without missing any of The Walkmen's set.) I'm least interested in Tokyo Police Club but I don't dislike them and it'd be interesting to see the turnout for them in Mississauga (I could only imagine it'd be the biggest turnout ever for any show at Mississauga Civic Square; I've been to a couple shows there for which the turnout was relatively meagre).

For your information, more Jenn Grant east coast and Ontario dates are confirmed over at her MySpace. Also, Harbourfront Centre has updated its site with its World Routes 2009 festival highlights. As previously announced The Constantines [along with Chad VanGaalen, and joining him Julie Fader] celebrate Canada Day there while Holy Fuck and Winter Gloves will rock the Sirius Stage for Beats, Breaks, and Culture on July 10. Through a bit of web surfing, I've also turned up that dd/mm/yyyy will play Beats, Breaks, and Culture on July 10 but I'd have to assume on a side stage. Newly confirmed, in addition to Jenn Grant playing World Routes' Canadian Voices festival on July 24, Gentlemen Reg will perform the following night on July 25 getting things started on the Sirius Stage at 8 pm, warming up for Stars' Amy Millan who'll headline at 9:30 pm.

The NXNE website now has a more detailed list of artists/bands confirmed for this year's festival. The buzziest artists had already been announced several weeks ago (Black Lips, No Age, Health, Matt and Kim, King Khan & BBQ Show, Fake Blood, and These Are Powers). There's a bunch of unknown entities that I hope I'll have fun in discovering something good. The big news, well relatively speaking, is that beloved Toronto band Change of Heart are set to reunite and seminal American garage band The Sonics will be playing the festival. Some web surfing's also revealed that confirmed NXNE participant Japanther are set to play a free set at Yonge Dundas Square on June 20, presumably as part of the Indie Music Marketplace which takes place at Yonge Dundas Square during the festival every year.

I don't believe it's an official NXNE show (since the Gladstone doesn't appear on the official NXNE venue list), but the show at the Gladstone on June 17 is at least during NXNE - the lineup that night'll feature Black Dice, Awesome Color, Slim Twig, and New Feelings. Tickets $12 in advance at Rotate This and Soundscapes or $15 at the door. Via Stille Post.

No upcoming Great Lake Swimmers Toronto date (let's not be too greedy - they just performed at Queen Elizabeth Theatre recently), but they have lined up other dates in Ontario and vicinity, including a stint at the Hillside Festival in Guelph.

Video: Great Lake Swimmers - Palmistry (Legion Sessions)

The Hillside Festival taking place at Guelph Lake Island July 24-26 has yet to release a more complete artist/band lineup but some web-surfing's also turned up that, in addition to GLS, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Julie Doiron will also be taking part.

Having recently released their most recent album "As Seen Through Windows" through Arts & Crafts, Bell Orchestre will tour select European and Canadian cities over the next several months, returning to Toronto for Luminato to play the Harbourfront Centre Sirius Stage on June 13.

Neko Case makes an even more triumpant return to Toronto (having recently played a two-night stint at Trinity St. Paul's), this time for what will likely/definitely be a glorious show at Massey Hall on July 14. Tickets, CA $29.50 - CA $40.50, onsale on May 15 at 12 pm EST through Ticketmaster.ca or through the Massey Hall box office.

So far Pearl Jam have only announced two headlining North American shows and Toronto is one of them (Chicago is the other). They'll play the Molson Ampitheatre on August 21 - tickets are $39.50 for lawns and $79.50 for all other seating. Tickets went onsale last Friday.

The Music Gallery Court Yard in Toronto will be presenting their “6 concerts, 1 sky” series over the course of two weekends(Fri-SUN) starting June 19-21, then concluding June 26-28. Full details over at Stille Post - not that I'm really familiar with any of the artists participating but I do suspect the music'll be more on the experimental side of things.

Coming up this weekend on May 24 for Wavelength at Sneaky Dee's, it's under the banner "Remember Toronto II: Bands Reunited" and'll feature reunited Toronto indie acts including Grasshopper, The Electric Shoes, Kat Rocket, and Tigerbomb. I believe The Electric Shoes [who eventually morphed into Prom Night Suicide Pack and now who's lead singer Steve Shoe fronts Proof of Ghosts] was the band that original Diableros drummer Phoebe Lee used to drum for. I count Kat Rocket as one of the earliest/best Toronto acts which got me into indie music in the mid-nineties. Via Stille Post.

The lineup for Virgin Festival Nova Scotia drops tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM Atlantic Time (10:00 AM EST). Maritimes, pray to God your Virgin Festival lineup doesn't suck.

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