Look, I’m trying to have a good summer, I really am, but every headline I read — about any topic! — sends me back to this 2016 clarion call by a Montreal futurist (not Yoshua Bengio) who once claimed to be “the little Jew who wrote the Bible.”
I’m in the mood to enjoy the riches of the world while I can. Specifically, Africa. Like that time I went to see Tinariwen play in 2017 in part because I was convinced that with a certain someone’s attempts at a “Muslim ban” that I’d never get to see non-white foreign acts tour in North America ever again. I’ll never feel that way again, right? RIGHT?
Next week I’ll talk about the many African acts playing Hillside this year, but here are two hitting Toronto, plus two reissues.
UPDATE: I totally missed the fact that AfroFest is also happening this weekend, at Woodbine Park. Always a good time, underpromoted as it usually is. The acts are mostly unknown to me, other than Alpha Yaya Diallo (Sunday at 6.30 p.m.) and ace local reggae singer Ammoye (Saturday 6.45 p.m.). Full sked is here. (Thank you, David Dacks.)
Ibibio Sound Machine – Pull the Rope
(Merge)
Ibibio Sound Machine could be an African disco band with a house gig on the International Space Station, like William Onyeabor meeting the Gap Band after both have been beamed into a fantastical future, one that both tried to conjure in the late ’70s. That future is now.
This is very much a London band: albeit one with members from Nigeria, Ghana, Australia and France, with lyrics partially sung in the Ibibio language of southeast Nigeria. There’s nothing traditional about them, but they don’t fit beside many current pop trends either. That’s to their advantage: you could book this band onto just about any bill, and they would slay.
Ibibio Sound Machine rock to the rhythms of bowel-rattling synth bass, with tight horn arrangements, new wave keyboards, funk guitar and — obviously — a killer drummer. Singer Eno Williams is a fantastic frontwoman, her voice as colourful as her outfits. The band’s first single came out 10 years ago on Soundway, the same label that brought us Bubblegum Soul Synth Boogie in 1980s South Africa, and Boogie Pop Disco in 1980s Nigeria. Ibibio Sound Machine is very much the modern extension of that music, without ever looking backwards. Each of their records is better than their last, and this is no exception.
I’ve been waiting years to see this band live: to my knowledge, they’ve never crossed the Atlantic for more than a handful of American dates. They have six Canadian shows this summer, including Wednesday July 17 at Adelaide Hall in Toronto (also: Whistler, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlevoix.)
As good as Pull the Rope is (title track, “Mama Say”), neither of their new videos look as good as this one from 2022, featuring a necessary mantra:
Etran de l’Aïr – 100% Sahara Guitar
(Sahel Sounds)
Twenty years ago, Tinariwen opened the doors to Saharan desert blues — the kind of blues that appeals to people, like me, who don’t listen to blues. There’s been no shortage of artists in their wake feeding international demand. Most of them are in the Toronto area soon. Tinariwen is playing the Phoenix on July 31. Bombino is playing Hillside this month; Mdou Moctar, who is a labelmate of Etran de l’Aïr, is playing the Concert Hall on October 9.
Unless you’re steeped in this scene, stylistic differences between these acts might seem obscure, I’d say that Etran de l’Aïr — a wedding band from northern Niger founded in 1995 — is dancier than Tinariwen and not as pyrotechnic as Mdou Moctar or Bombino.
The new album by Etran de l’Aïr doesn’t come out until September (that’s just the new single linked above), but they’re playing this Sunday July 7 at Longboat Hall.
Rail Band – s/t
(Syllart Records)
If the Rail Band is known at all outside of Africionados (what? that’s not a word?), it’s because this is the Malian band where Salif Keita got his start. Not that I assume a lay reader in 2024 knows who Salif Keita is. This is a reissue of their 1973 debut. Like the Senegalese legends Orchestra Baobab, whose records are still my go-to soundtrack for dinner parties on humid summer nights, there’s a heavy Cuban influence in these West African grooves. I’m going to let the bio tell this story instead of me:
Vocalists Salif Keita and Mory Kanté, two heroes of African music who would achieve global fame as soloists, are endlessly emotive, oscillating between silky ballads and funk screams. The band’s sound is filled out by layers of percussion, rolling guitars, and melodic horns filtered through the Caribbean.
Starting in 1970, Rail Band played five nights a week, from 2 pm til the early hours, at the Buffet Hotel de la Gare. Their audience was an international array of businessmen, young partiers, and people of the Bamako night. The band was incredibly versatile, switching genres, rhythms, and styles to meet their crowd.
Congo Funk!: Sound Madness from the Shores of the Mighty Congo River – Various Artists
(Analog Africa)
There was a time in the late 2000s when I sought out several reissues put out by the Analog Africa label, specializing in ’70s West African funk rarities. This is no longer that time, with most of the cream having been skimmed long ago. But more than a decade later, it’s still hard to go wrong with this label. Great cover art, too.
Revue-ing the situation
What the hell is going on at Toronto’s Revue Cinema on Roncesvalles Avenue, you ask? Excellent question. In the dying days of June, the 96-year-old landlord evicted the current leaseholders because he wanted to run the cinema himself. This, despite the fact that the programmers have done a remarkable job in the last 15 years not only in creating a community hub but for its inventive programming — the kind of cinema that screens The Shining every Fathers Day.
Here are the initial reports by the Star, and Barry Hertz at the Globe talking about how this is emblematic of Everything That’s Wrong With Toronto Culture Today. (Also see: this Local piece by Soraya Roberts about the bigger picture.)
What most people didn’t understand was that at no point did the landlord say he was going to close Toronto’s oldest-running theatre. He did want to axe the non-profit board—and raise the rent by 50% (ah, Toronto). He’s still an idiot, but he wasn’t going to turn the cinema into condos—the default assumption with any news like this.
The leaseholders got a court injunction and, to the best of my knowledge, the cinema remains open at least until they get a hearing. This week they have the new Amy Winehouse biopic, as well as Shaun of the Dead and Do the Right Thing and Go Fish and North by Northwest and Chungking Express and The Secret of Nimh and John Carpenter’s Dark Star and… The Rose on July 21! Streets of Fire on July 27! I’ve never seen either. The Legend of Billie Jean on July 31, featuring my favourite Pat Benatar song. Never seen that either…
Long live the Revue. And its current programmers, who help make Toronto great.
In other news, the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show is showing Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times in Christie Pits this Sunday night. Full summer sked is here.
All news no snooze
The mighty Paul Wells, friend of this newsletter, rarely writes about music—partially because it’s a trivial subject compared to the political sphere he’s best known in. But I love it when he does, like this week when he returned to his beloved Montreal Jazz Festival to give it more coverage than… well, probably anyone these days. One of the biggest festivals in Canada warrants next to no coverage anywhere. He recalls wistfully:
At the dawn of my career, at the Montreal Gazette, we had five writers assigned full-time to splitting up and assessing each of the festival’s paid indoor concerts for the next day’s paper. Festival season would kick off with a five-hour “planning meeting” at our favourite wine bar in mid-June … These days the paper publishes advance articles about a few festival shows ahead of time but carries no reviews. The French papers run very few. Copy deadlines are earlier, newsroom staffs smaller than they were.
The Bear is back. One of my favourite recent shows (with Hacks, Atlanta, Reservation Dogs and, uh, Doctor Who) is known for its killer soundtrack. I’m told that a brand-new Jennifer Castle song underscores a pivotal scene in the penultimate episode. Is there some Toronto connection there, through Matty Matheson? I haven’t seen the new season yet—too busy! But here’s the song:
T.O. SHOWS YOU SHOULD KNOW
An entirely subjective and by no means comprehensive look at Toronto’s concert calendar, tailored to musically curious people who are probably (but not necessarily) over 40. My strong recommendations in bold.
Suggestions welcome. So are advertisers! Each post gets approximately 1K unique views. Drop me a line.
Don’t live in Toronto? Most of these artists are on tour, so check your local listings. Just kidding! There are no local listings anymore. Check the artists’ websites.
JUST ANNOUNCED (mark your calendars):
Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story: July 28 at Revue Cinema, with Jeff & Steven McDonald in attendance. YES THIS IS STILL ON (see above). They play Lee’s Palace on the 29th. Tickets to this screening are almost sold out: act now!
Tonight and every night!:
The Tranzac and Drom Taberna, the two venues closest to my heart, boast several acts a night and have the most eclectic lineups — just go! The equally busy Cameron House has mostly roots vibes; jazz is always happening at the Rex Hotel. Jazzintoronto.ca’s Instagram page has daily jazz listings at various venues. For the best in Toronto’s Latin and Caribbean scene, check Lula Lounge.
Coming this week:
Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy DeVille: July 4 at Paradise Theatre 7 p.m.
Future Islands: July 4 at Massey Hall
Daryl Hall, Elvis Costello & the Impostors: July 4 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre.
Madison Cunningham: July 4 at Concert Hall
Tomb Mold, Horrendous: July 4 at Lee’s Palace
Tamara Williamson performs The Break-Up Diet: July 4-7 at the Theatre Centre
Mother Mother, Cavetown: July 5 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
City and Colour, Metric, Sloan: July 5 at Born & Raised Festival (St. Catharines) #HeartsOnFire #HaveNotBeentheSame
The Body & Dis Fig: July 5 at Velvet Underground
Psychic Weapons, Artificial Light, Timehole: July 5 at Sneaky Dee’s. Yes, that’s the correct venue, which I didn’t think still had live music. 6.30 p.m. start, before the mo’ emo crowd take over for their dance night. Psychic Weapons are the new-ish band led by Derek Westerholm of Torontopian favourites the Creeping Nobodies.
L’eclair: July 5 at the Horseshoe. This Swiss electro-jam outfit, who backed up the Zambian rock band W.I.T.C.H. recently, return after an ecstatic show at the Monarch last year.
Os Mutantes: July 5 at Great Hall. Everything is possible! Except maybe the late Rita Lee making this gig.
Cola (fka Ought), Devon Welsh: July 5 at Garrison
Band of Horses: July 5 at History. Huh: I guess Mariposa doesn’t have a radius clause.
Mariposa Festival: July 5-7 in Orillia. Featuring Band of Horses, Donovan Woods, Okkervill River, Bahamas, Maestro Fresh Wes, Ben Caplan, Bry Webb, Shad, Cat Clyde, Carleigh Aikins, Colin Linden, Jeremie Albino, B.A. Johnston. And a “special performance” by Bruce Cockburn. Tickets here. Stage schedules are here.
Alexisonfire, The Used, Counterparts: July 6 at Born & Raised Festival (St. Catharines) #HeartsOnFire
Big Shiny Saturday feat. The Tea Party, Headstones, I Mother Earth, Bif Naked, Treble Charger: July 6 at Sobey’s Stadium (York University)
Etran de l’Aïr: July 7 at Longboat Hall (Great Hall). See above.
Killer Mike: July 7 at Danforth Music Hall
Nico Paulo, José Contreras: July 7 at Baby G
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: July 8 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. CANCELLED due to illness, whole tour called off. Alternative: there’s still tickets available that night for…
Steve Earle: July 8 at Danforth Music Hall. Also playing London, Hamilton, Ottawa and Kingston that same week.
Tyler Childers, S.G. Goodman: July 9 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Jah Wobble: July 10 at Great Hall. The bassist/bandleader will be toting his new memoir and playing Public Image Ltd. songs.
Mt. Joy: July 10 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Coming sooner than later
Amanda Marshall, Colin James, Ahi: July 12 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Billy Talent, Cancer Bats: July 12 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton #HeartsOnFire
Five Alarm Funk: July 12 at Axis Club
Four Winds Music Fest feat. Bahamas, Joel Plaskett, Great Lake Swimmers, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Terra Lightfoot, Boy Golden, more: July 12-14 in Durham (the town, not the county; between Guelph and Owen Sound, near Flesherton). Info here.
Alanis Morissette, Joan Jett: July 13-14 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Ben Howard, John Francis Flynn: July 13 at History. I know nothing about the headliner, but the Irish Flynn is often mentioned in the same breath as Lankum and Lisa O’Neill.
Tokyo Police Club, Dizzy, Cuff the Duke: July 13 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton
Pup, NoBro, Daniel Romano’s Outfit, Status/Non-Status: July 14 at Because Beer Festival, Pier 4 Park, Hamilton
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wand, IronTom: July 15 & 17 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Mike Campbell (Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers): July 16 at Danforth Music Hall
Ibibio Sound Machine: July 17 at Adelaide Hall.
John Williams (clarinet): July 17 at Emmet Ray. Presented by Toronto Klezmer Society
Unwound (!), Wednesday: July 18 at Concert Hall. Note: This show is on a Thursday. The band called Wednesday is opening.
Schoolboy Q: July 18 at History
Hillside Festival: July 19-21 featuring Richard Thompson, Aysanabee, Blackie & the Rodeo Kings with Daniel Lanois & Terra Lightfoot, Bombino, Messthetics with James Brandon Lewis, Nobro, Patrick Watson, Beings (Steve Gunn, Jim White, Shahzad Ismaily, Zoh Amba), Medicine Singers w Yonatan Gat & Lee Ranaldo, Five Alarm Funk, Land of Talk, Rich Aucoin, Ashley MacIsaac and much much more. Details here. UPDATE: The weekend schedule is here.
3 Inches of Blood: July 20 at Danforth Music Hall
Totally Tubular Festival: Thomas Dolby, Tom Bailey, Men Without Hats, Bow Wow Wow, Modern English, New Romantics: July 24 at Great Canadian Casino (Woodbine Racetrack)
Felice Brothers: July 24 at Longboat Hall
Regina Spektor: July 25 at History
Controller Controller: July 25 at Low Bar (Bloor and Symington). Celebrating the 20th anniversary of History EP. Yes, you do have to turn on the red lights.
Skratch Bastid’s BBQ feat. Alchemist, Slum Village: July 27-28 at the Bentway
Slash, Warren Haynes Band, Robert Randolph, Keb Mo, more: July 28 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Redd Kross: July 29 at Lee’s Palace
Tinariwen: July 31 at the Phoenix
Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, the Linda Lindas: Aug 1 at Skydome
Heart, Journey, Def Leppard: Aug 2 at Skydome
DIIV: Aug 2 at Concert Hall
War, David Wilcox: Aug 2 at Festival of Friends, Hamilton. Free show.
PartyNextDoor: Aug 2 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. Not a fan of this act, at all, but this is the best name possible for an artist from Mississauga.
Jennifer Lopez: Aug 2-3 at Raptors/Leafs Arena CANCELLED
Electric Eclectics Festival: Aug 2-4 at the Funny Farm in Meaford, Ontario. Weirdos unite! Details here.
Sleater-Kinney: Aug 3 at Danforth Music Hall.
Big Brave: Aug 3 at Garrison
Village People, Crash Test Dummies, Ray Materick: Aug 3 at Festival of Friends, Hamilton. Free.
Zemertov: Aug 7 at Emmet Ray. Presented by Toronto Klezmer Society
Billy Idol, Platinum Blonde: Aug 9 at Raptors/Leafs Arena.
Karan Aujla: Aug 10 at Raptors/Leafs Arena.
Joel Plaskett Emergency: Aug 10 opening for Alan Doyle at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HeartsOnFire
Future, Metro Boomin: Aug 11 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Looking ahead
Avril Lavigne: Aug 12 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. The Order of Canada? Really?
Idina Menzel: Aug 13 at Massey Hall
Black Flag: Aug 13 at Rockpile. Playing music from their first four years. Likely featuring no one but Greg Ginn.
P!nk, Sheryl Crow: Aug 14 at Skydome
Washed Out: Aug 14 at Danforth Music Hall
Tedeschi Trucks Band, Margo Price: Aug 15 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Blink 182, Alexisonfire, Pierce the Veil: Aug 15 at Skydome
Avril Lavigne: Aug 16 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Midge Ure: Aug 16 at El Mocambo
Elora RiverFest: Aug 16-18 featuring Fleet Foxes, Violent Femmes, Sudan Archives, Corb Lund, Chali 2na & Cut Chemist, Wild Rivers, Bully, Moneen, Mariel Buckley, Nicolette & the Nobodies, Nyssa, Population II, more. Details here. Stage schedule here.
The Verve Pipe: Aug 16 at the Horseshoe
Simply Saucer: Aug 17 at the Horseshoe #HaveNotBeentheSame
Iron & Wine: Aug 17 at Danforth Music Hall
Brittany Howard, Julian Taylor: Aug 17 at CNE Bandshell
A Flock of Seagulls: Aug 17 at El Mocambo
NOFX: Aug 17-18 at Downsview Park. Final tour.
New Kids on the Block, Paula Abdul, DJ Jazzy Jeff: Aug 17-18 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Childish Gambino: Aug 18 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Bahamas, Jeremie Albino: Aug 18 at CNE Bandshell
Mike.: Aug 18 at History. Not joining him: Dave.
Santigold: Aug 19 at Rebel.
Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Timbaland: Aug 19-20 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Bush (X), Jerry Cantrell, Candlebox: Aug 19 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Nate Dell-Vandenberg: Aug 19 at Emmet Ray. Presented by Toronto Klezmer Society
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Aug 21 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
The Beaches, Dizzy, Valley: Aug 22 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. Beaches by the beach! Also: tix are only $30.
Passenger: Aug 22 at Massey Hall
Ducks Ltd.: Aug 22 at Longboat Hall
Moneen: Aug 23 at CNE Bandshell
Blue Rodeo, Matt Mays, Begonia: Aug 24 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre #HaveNotBeentheSame
Mae Martin, Tig Notaro & Fortune Feimster’s Handsome podcast taping: Aug 24 at Danforth Music Hall.
Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Fefe Dobson, more: Aug 24 at Burl’s Creek (Oro-Medonte)
Billy Talent, All-American Rejects, Silverstein, more: Aug 25 at Burl’s Creek (Oro-Medonte) #HeartsOnFire
Deep Purple, Yes: Aug 25 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
The Gaslight Anthem: Aug 25 at History
Cage the Elephant: Aug 27 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Sean Paul, DJ Premier: Aug 28 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Ladytron: Aug 30 at the Phoenix
Raekwon: Aug 30 at Opera House
Peter Hook & the Light (performing Joy Division and New Order): Aug 31 at History
April Wine(ish): Aug 31 at CNE Bandshell
Cigarettes After Sex: Sept 1 at Raptors/Leafs arena
Usher: Sept 2-3 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Bikini Kill: Sept 3 at History
Marika Hackman: Sept 5 at Drake Underground
The Cult: Sept 6 at History
Squeeze, the English Beat: Sept 7 at Massey Hall
Weezer, Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr.: Sept 8 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. The dream of the ’90s is alive!
Stone Temple Pilots, Live, Soul Asylum, Our Lady Peace: Sept 8 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre. The dream of the ’90s is alive! I can’t believe this and the Weezer bill hit town on the same day. Choose your team.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO: Sept 9 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Spoon: Sept 10 at Danforth Music Hall.
Sierra Ferrell: Sept 10 at Massey Hall
The Killers: Sept 10-11 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Pulp: Sept 10-11 at History. Help the aged!
Paul Weller: Sept 13 at History
Buzzcocks: Sept 13 at Opera House
Darius Jones’s fLuXkit Vancouver: Sept 13 at Guelph Jazz Festival
Supercrawl Hamilton: Sept 13-15. Featuring Explosions in the Sky, Matt Andersen, Danko Jones, the Sadies, Rich Aucoin, the Dears, Kaia Kater, much more. Details here.
Mia Sheard sings Joni Mitchell: Sept 13-14 at Hugh’s Room
St. Vincent: Sept 14 at Massey Hall
New Future City Radio (Rob Mazurek, Damon Locks): Sept 14 at Guelph Jazz Festival
Boy Golden: Sept 14 at Opera House
Explosions in the Sky: Sept 14 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Cat Power: Sept 14 at Fallsview Casino. That’s right, ’90s weirdos, you’re in your casino years now.
The Dears: Sept 15 at Great Hall. #HeartsOnFire
The Hives: Sept 16 at History.
Jessica Pratt: Sept 17 at Great Hall the Phoenix
Amen Dunes: Sept 17 at Concert Hall
Mo Kenney: Sept 17 at Baby G
Charlie XCX and Troye Sivan: Sept 18 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Phosphorescent: Sept 18 at Great Hall
Jane’s Addiction, Love and Rockets: Sept 18 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Hans Zimmer: Sept 19 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Frank Turner: Sept 19-22 at Great Canadian Casino (Woodbine Racetrack). Support acts: Henry Rollins on Sept 19, Nobro on Sept 20, the Dirty Nil on Sept 21 and Bedouin Soundclash on Sept 22.
Shovels & Rope: Sept 20 at Lee’s Palace
The National, War on Drugs, Lucius: Sept 20 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Wanda Sykes: Sept 20 at Meridian Hall
Keane: Sept 20 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Idles: Sept 20 at CNE Coliseum
Blue Hawaii: Sept 20 at Drake Underground
Big Sugar: Sept 21 at Concert Hall
Pansy Division: Sept 21 at Monarch Tavern.
Sting: Sept 20-22 & 24-25 at Massey Hall.
Vampire Weekend, Cults: Sept 24 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Bad Religion: Sept 24 at Danforth Music Hall
Korn: Sept 25 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Michael Kiwanuka, Basia Bulat: Sept 25 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
PJ Harvey: Sept 25-26 at History
Dropkick Murphys: Sept 26 at Great Canadian Casino (Woodbine Racetrack)
Claire Rousay: Sept 26 at Monarch Tavern
Neko Case: Sept 27 at Danforth Music Hall.
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame: Sept 28 at Massey Hall, featuring Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane, Keelor/Cuddy, Diane Tell.
Luna Li, Mother Tongues: September 28 at Danforth Music Hall
The Marley Brothers (including Ziggy, Damian and Stephen): Sept 29 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Kings of Leon, Phantogram: Oct 1 at Ontario Place Ampitheatre
Herbie Hancock: Oct 1 at Massey Hall
Mk.Gee: Oct 1 at History
Julien Baker: Oct 1-2 at Concert Hall
Billie Eilish: Oct 1-2 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Marcos Valle: Oct 2 at Opera House. Exceedingly rare appearance by this now-80-year-old bossa nova legend.
David Sedaris: Oct 2 at Massey Hall (in addition to sold-out April 7, 2024 date)
Stars: Oct 3-5 at Concert Hall. #HeartsOnFire 20th anniversary of Set Yourself on Fire. First two shows sold out.
Death From Above 1979: Oct 4 at History
Ron Hawkins: Oct 4 at Rivoli. #HaveNotBeentheSame
Get Up Kids, Smoking Popes: Oct 4 at Danforth Music Hall
Raffi: Oct 5 (2 shows) at Massey Hall
Lemon Twigs: Oct 5 at Lee’s Palace
Social Distortion, the Bellrays: October 5 at History
Atarashii Gakko: Oct 6 at History
Yard Act: Oct 7 at Axis Club Concert Hall
Fidlar: Oct 7 at Phoenix
OMD: October 8 at History
Nada Surf: Oct 8 at Great Hall
JD McPherson: Oct 8 at Concert Hall
The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus and Mary Chain: Oct 9 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Chromeo: Oct 9 at History
Sepultura: Oct 9 at Rebel. Farewell tour (apparently).
Mdou Moctar: Oct 9 at Concert Hall
The Black Keys, the Head and the Heart: Oct 11 at Raptors/Leafs Arena Cancelled
Nia Archives: Oct 10 at Danforth Music Hall
Billy Bragg: Oct 11 at Massey Hall
Fontaines DC: Oct 11 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Illuminati Hotties: Oct 12 at Longboat Hall
La Luz: Oct 12 at Horseshoe Adelaide Hall
Air: Oct 12 at Massey Hall. Playing Moon Safari. And completely sold out.
Hanson: Oct 13-14 at Danforth Music Hall. Oct 13 with Matthew Sweet, Oct 14 with Phantom Planet.
Johnny Marr w/ James (the band, you know, “Laid”): Oct 14 at History. In the words of one friend, “Marr plays a pile of Smiths songs in his set, sounds great, won’t cancel at random, and won’t make you feel like you’re supporting fascists if you go to his show.”
Anohni and the Johnsons: Oct 15 at Massey Hall. This artist never tours. Their last record was one of their best. This will be a treat. Presale: June 12, code: EMBANOHNI
Kokoroko: Oct 16 at Opera House
Pokey Lafarge: Oct 17 at Great Hall
Justin Timberlake: Oct 17-18 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Beat: (’80s King Crimson performed by Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai, Danny Carey): Oct 18 at Massey Hall
Xiu Xiu: Oct 19 at the Velvet Underground
Dream Serenade (10th anniversary): Oct 19 at Massey Hall. Tickets here. Artists TBA.
Cyndi Lauper: Oct 20 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Farewell tour (apparently).
Slift: Oct 20 at Lee’s Palace. Super heavy French psych rock band who make King Gizzard look like lightweights. Can we get Montreal’s Population II on this bill?
Maggie Rogers: Oct 22 at CNE Coliseum (a.k.a. Coca Cola)
The The: Oct 22 at Massey Hall. First album in a quarter-century out this fall.
Drive-By Truckers: Oct 22 at Danforth Music Hall. Playing Southern Rock Opera.
Richard Thompson: Oct 22 at Concert Hall. But you should still see him at Hillside!
Tokimonsta: Oct 23 at Opera House
David Cross: Oct 25 at Danforth Music Hall
Sisters of Mercy: Oct 26 at History. Yes, five days before Hallowe’en, and no, Public Enemy will not be opening.
Dwayne Gretzky: Oct 26 at Massey Hall
Iron Maiden: Oct 26 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Tenille Townes: Oct 26 at Danforth Music Hall
Arc du Soleil: Oct 27 at Great Hall Phoenix
Ben Caplan: Oct 29 at Allied Music Centre (inside Massey Hall)
Fucked Up: Oct 31 at Great Hall #HeartsOnFire
Thee Sacred Souls: Oct 31 at History
Devonté Hynes with Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Nov 1 at Roy Thomson Hall
Patrick Watson with Orchestre FILMharmonique: Nov 2 at Meridian Hall
Mickey Guyton: Nov 2 at… the Velvet Underground? That’s an odd choice for an Opry artist.
James Vincent McMorrow: Nov 3 at Danforth Music Hall
Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band: Nov 3 & 6 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Rescheduled from Nov 14 & 16, 2023.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor: Nov 5 at Concert Hall. #HeartsOnFire
Engelbert Humperdinck: Nov 6 at Massey Hall. FWIW this is “The Last Waltz” for Mr. Humperdinck (not his real name).
Kacey Musgraves, Lord Huron, Nickel Creek: Nov 7 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Elisapie: Nov 8 at Opera House
Ratboys: Nov 8 at Lee’s Palace
Chantal Kreviazuk: Nov 9 at Massey Hall. Celebrating 25 years of her second album, Colour Moving and Still, to be re-released on vinyl.
Danny Michel, Steve Poltz: Nov 11 at Great Hall. Together again—they’re the new Steve Martin and Martin Short!
La Femme: Nov 13 at Opera House
Suzie Ungerleider & friends: Nov 14 at Hugh’s Room
Tycho: Nov 14 at History
Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams: November 14-16, 21-23, 2024 at Skydome. Good luck! Death to Ticketmaster!
Rich Aucoin: Nov 16 at Longboat Hall
Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief): Nov 16 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Pond: Nov 19 at Danforth Music Hall
Rufus Wainwright: Nov 20 at Koerner Hall
Reuben & the Dark, Housewife: Nov 20 at Great Hall. Presented by No Music on a Dead Planet campaign.
Sturgill Simpson: Nov 20-21 at Massey Hall
Geoffroy: Nov 20-21 at Drake Underground
Caribou: Nov 23 at Massey Hall. Never underestimate how good Dan Snaith’s Caribou band is live. #HeartsOnFire
Caribou: Nov 24 at History #HeartsOnFire.
Jim Cuddy: Nov 27 at Massey Hall. Non-Torontonians: He’s also playing every possible town in Ontario this year, to promote sixth solo album.
Tokyo Police Club: Nov 27-29 at History. Final shows.
Women’s Blues Revue: Nov 29 at Massey Hall
Cuff the Duke: Nov 30 at Longboat Hall. New album in September, their first in 10 years. #HeartsOnFire
Shakira: Nov 30 at Raptors/Leafs Arena
Sister Sledge: Nov 30 at Living Arts Centre, Mississauga
Donovan Woods: Dec 5 at Massey Hall
Alvvays: Dec 5-7 at Concert Hall
The Dead South: Dec 7 at Massey Hall
Choir! Choir! Choir!: Unsilent Night: Dec 21 at Massey Hall (2 p.m. & 8 p.m.)
Aerosmith, Black Crowes: Jan 7 at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Rescheduled for the second time, more than a year after the original date. Apparently Steven Tyler’s vocal cords were in worse shape than originally diagnosed. Original tickets from November 2023 honoured.
Sum 41: Jan 28 & 30, 2025, at Raptors/Leafs Arena. Final shows of final tour.
Branford Marsalis: Feb 8 at Koerner Hall
Travis: Feb 12 at Concert Hall
Apocalyptica (Metallica string quartet): Feb 13 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Los Lobos (acoustic): March 8 at Koerner Hall
Big Smoke Brass: March 11 at Allied Music Centre (Massey Hall)
Chilly Gonzales: April 22 at Massey Hall. #HeartsOnFire
Max Richter: April 29 at Massey Hall
Talib Kweli: May 2 at Living Arts Centre, Mississauga
Be kind to each other.
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