> CONCERT SAMPLER
Thursday Bebel Gilberto, “Samba de Bencao” As part of a Brazilian musical dynasty, she has considerable bossa nova bona fides and is a major star back home — and in these parts, a loyal core of fans who eagerly await these rare visits. This time around, she’s going more intimate than usual, flanked by guitarist and musical director Masa Shimizu, and given her swaying, beguiling ways in three languages, it’s a natural pick of the week and one of the top nights of the whole winter season. (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, doors 7 p.m.)
Friday Troye Sivan, “Wild” Presenting another online-incubated phenom: the South Africa-born Australian is 20 years old with four million subscribers to his YouTube channel, a couple of film roles and now a first North American tour behind a slick debut album, Blue Neighbour
hood. The record tells his story of growing up gay in Perth (described as one of the world’s most remote big cities) and quite literally coming out to the world, and has been greeted in live performance by raptures from his equally youthful audience. (Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.)
Saturday Banners, “Start a Riot” Press play on this single, close your eyes and it’s easy to imagine Liverpool’s Mike Nelson headlining Glastonbury someday. The slow build to a big chorus, the impassioned vocals and the professional backing is an instantly recognizable formula made for bigger places: evidence that the game’s afoot in these early days of his going and comes in this quick return, from a local debut at the Drake in December to this next step up the local ladder. T.O. indie-pop trio Young Empires, a pretty wellmatched cast capable of stealing any night, start it off. (Mod Club, doors 7 p.m.)
Sunday Rae Spoon, “Written Across the Sky” Much hangs in a fine balance in the 10 songs the transgender artist presents on new LP Armour: synths and electronic percussion alongside guitars and Spoon’s evergreen vocals, melodic pop and sharply drawn verses, hope and despair. It’s not so much a turning away from the more agrarian approach of much-admired My Prai
rie Home as it is a return to a career arc of uncommon conviction and variety that 2013 multimedia project interrupted and amplified. In an appropriately off-the-beaten-path venue in Bloordale, this two-night stand is quite sold out and figures to be special. (Holy Oak, 8 p.m.)
Monday Bryson Tiller, “Don’t” Following on the example of Drake and The Weeknd — and even outright filching some of their production tricks and wounded outlook — the 23-year-old is a chill soul whose slow-melting R&B/hip-hop candy has found an audience quickly. This lead single from debut LP Trapsoul, for instance, began life as a homemade Soundcloud track that went viral 16 months ago and earlier this year gave the Kentucky native his first No. 1. For this sold-out Toronto debut you know he’ll be bringing it, along with an oft-told story of how he turned down Drake’s OVO label. (Phoenix, doors 9 p.m.)
Tuesday The Who, “Baba O’Riley” Pete Townshend is still windmilling and Roger Daltrey is still wailing — and that latter development is worthy of note. Daltrey turns 72 on this evening and last fall came through a bout of viral meningitis that put this tour on hold. Augmented by their regular touring band members, the 50th anniversary is on again for the Britrock legends who will swing by April 26. (Air Canada Centre, 7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday The Big Pink, “Hightimes” The Londoners’ first time around the block was as a duo, including a Toronto debut in 2009 at the Mod Club that made them seem destined for a good ride. Instead, it all kind of wound down and now comes their second act as a foursome, bringing in some new music including this single that aims to reboot the whole thing ahead of an upcoming album. (Horseshoe, doors 8:30 p.m.)