Canadian Musicfest Announcements / Concert Announcements / Music News (February 4, 2010)

  photo by Michael Ligon
January's gone and my February concert schedule looks busy but my March schedule looks even busier not even counting this year's Canadian Music Week. So while precious little of the actual CMW(or more accurately, Canadian Musicfest) schedule has actually been announced yet, Toronto promoter Dan Burke has already announced his NeXT-at-CMW shows running March 11, 12, 13 at The Velvet Underground, The Silver Dollar and The Comfort Zone. Mr. Burke's never been shy about reminding us how he used to run his own mini-festival AGAINST CMW but has now partnered with CMW to bring in a slew of worthy acts to town. Here is this year's NeXT-at-CMW lineups: L.A.'s Nightmare Air will headline The Velvet Underground from March 11-13 with Toronto's The Two Koreas co-headling on March 13. The Dexateens from Tuscaloola, AL will play The Comfort Zone on March 12 with Toronto's Huron & Ian Blurton/Happy Endings and CATL. The Pop Montreal showcase takes over The Silver Dollar on March 12 with a stacked bill that includes Gemma Ray from the UK, Toronto's Diamond Rings, Montreal's Parlovr, PS I Love You from Kingston, and The Peelies from Montreal. The March 11th bill at The Silver Dollar will include Toronto's Dinosaur Bones, American guitar-drums duo Japanther and Toronto country-rock outfit The Treasures. Psychedelia takes over The Comfort Zone on March 13 with one-shot Montreal with The Black Feelings and two-shots Toronto with The Hoa Hoas and Action Makes. The bill at The Silver Dollar on March 13 will feature Detroit's 72Blues, and Toronto's Darlings of Chelsea as well as The Easy Targets. The Comfort Zone on March 11 will feature a reunion with Montreal hardcore act Homicide as well as the heavy rock of Diemonds. Whew! Check out all the details at Stille Post.

Also just announcing their CMW schedule is chartattack who historically have had some decent lineups for the festival, this year being no exception. The chartattack showcases for CMW will take place exclusively at Horseshoe Tavern from March 11-13. The March 11 lineup will feature Ottawa's Amos The Transparent, Guelphites Green Go, Toronto's Hollerado and Great Bloomers and Montreal's The Besnard Lakes. Things get a little more slick for March 12 with Bend Sinister, The Dudes, Jets Overhead, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Hot Hot Heat, and Paper Lions. For the final day of the festival, March 13, charttack ends off on a very high note with Yukon Blonde, The Balconies, The Wooden Sky, Two Hours Traffic and The Junction. There are a few gaps in chartattack's schedule still so it'll be interesting who they'll get to fill 'em. View the schedule(with times) over at chartttack.

Too many concerts, too little time but here's a few more to note, the next four courtesy of Collective Concerts.

The Horseshoe Tavern on March 26 will feature Jon Langord and The Sadies with Burlington Welsh Choir, and The Good Brothers. Tickets $13.50 advance($15.00 @ the door), onsale today at 10 am.

Lawrence, Kansas post-rock outfit The Appleseed Cast play Lee's Palace on April 19, tickets, $13.50 advance($15.00 @ the door), onsale today at 10 am.

San Diego's The Album Leaf play Lee's Palace on April 28, tickets $12.50 advance($15.00 @ the door), onsale today at 10 am. The band's fifth album is entitled "A Chorus Of Storytellers" and is now through Sub Pop.

Scottish indie folk pop outfit Frightened Rabbit are set to return to Toronto for a show at The Opera House on May 4. If their show in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern last July was any indication, this one should be equally pleasing. Tickets for their show at The Opera House on May 4 are $15.00 advance($18.00 @ the door) and go onsale today at 8 am. The band's new album "The Winter Of Mixed Drinks" is set for release on March 9 through FatCat Records.

Staunchly independent Toronto record label Unfamiliar Records are celebrating their 5th anniversary with what else but a live showcase. Details still are to be announced but it'll be taking place March 5. Label founder Greg Ipp will DJ the night, and the live acts will include Makeout Videotape from Vancouver, and locals The Two Koreas, Rattail, and Stop, Die, Resuscitate. Download Makeout Videotape's "Heat Wave" EP for free: http://www.unfamiliarrecords.com/download/makeoutvideotape - Password: freeheatwavedownload .... View the show poster over at Stille Post.

Courtesy of local indie record label Out of This Spark (who sadly I missed their recent 3rd anniversary celebration show) have a lovely lineup at the Tranzac's Main Hall on March 25 with Snailhouse (featuring a full band) and Evening Hymns. Tickets are $10 at the door only. Via Stille Post.

Dust off your Doc Martens, Fred Perry shirts and Ben Sherman(ok, I actually wear Ben Sherman, but I'm not a mod) as The Specials (yes The Specials!) are coming to Toronto for a show on April 19. It's at Sound Academy unfortunately. Tickets are $36.50(or $46.50 for VIP Balcony seats) and go onsale today at 10 am. Toronto's only one of seven dates in North America so that's pretty special(pun, intended). As Billboard reveals, this reunion features the original lineup minus keyboardist Jerry Dammers. Also look for the band to perform live on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on April 13.

It's a little strange to see that Specials' peers The English Beat are playing the much smaller Lee's Palace(compared to Sound Academy) on May 18, but then The English Beat as far as I know is really only vocalist/songwriter Dave Wakeling with a band that does not feature any other members of the original UK lineup(most notably Ranking Roger). Tickets for The English Beat's show at Lee's in May are $23.50 advance($27.00 @ the door) and go onsale February 5 at 10 am. Openers for the show are Toronto's Rebel Emergency.

So I got my ticket for The National who are playing Massey Hall on June 8. I opted to not go through the presales last week and then I totally forgot about logging in to ticketmaster.ca for the public onsale last Friday morning(January 29) but I ended up purchasing a ticket that night online and lucked out with a left centre floor seat in second row. How effin' sweet is that? $63 well spent I say.