Canadian rock act Silverstein planning three Saturdays of fun

Canadian rock act Silverstein planning three Saturdays of fun for fans

After nearly a year of close encounters of a pandemic kind, Silverstein is ready to get “Out of This World.”

A poster for the group’s upcoming virtual concert series finds the Canadian posthardcore band channeling a Soviet Union-propaganda motif-meets-”Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

“We reached back into some ‘80s sci-fi tropes,” said Silverstein drummer Paul Koehler, calling from outside Toronto. “Back in August, we started crafting this idea to do a threepart series because we can be more engaging and build a narrative while also showcasing three unique setlists to really expand our catalog.

“It’s a totally different experience for us and bigger than we realized. It’s like putting on a show, putting together a DVD and writing an album all at once. It’s pretty wild, but it’s really fun. We want people to remember this.”

Silverstein’s “Out of This World” virtual concert offering finds the band playing greatest hits (Feb. 6); its best-selling album, 2005’s “Discovering the Waterfront,” in its entirety (Feb. 13); and an acoustic set (Feb. 20).

Each livestream gig takes place at 5 p.m. and will be offered on-demand through March 1.

After a stay-at-home year due to the pandemic, this isn’t Silverstein’s first foray into the virtual world. In the spring, the band dabbled in an at-home concert/ documentary followed by a ticketed livestream concert and in-person drive-in concerts in the summer. Like many working bands, 2020 was going to be a big year for the emo-influenced, hardcore punk-seasoned act, which is known for its intense and dynamic mix of melody and aggression.

Not only did the outfit plan on supporting recently released ninth album “A Beautiful Place to Drown,” but a massive tour was lined up celebrating the group’s 20th year together.

Ironically, “A Beautiful Place to Drown,” which came out a week before the novel coronavirus shut down the world, ended up providing fans with what could be seen as a perfect 2020 pandemic and civil unrest soundtrack. The album’s song titles include “Burn It Down,” “Bad Habits” and “Madness.”

“I feel like we made our pandemic record ahead of schedule, even with a song like ‘Infinite,’ which is basically what last year felt like being trapped in that circle,” Koehler said. “It’s pretty wild and felt more on par with what was going on.”

While Silverstein promotes the virtual concert series, it’s also expecting to return to the North American clubs in the fall, with its first show presently booked for Nov. 4 at the House of Blues Cleveland.

“Right now, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about the fall tour,” Koehler said. “This is the fourth time we’ve rescheduled. Every time we rescheduled before we were kind of like we hope things are going to be OK, but it actually seems like now there’s a plan.

“It seems the vaccine is the way forward. This is the time that we’ll actually get to finish the tour. We just need to make it work.”

SUBMITTED Silverstein is playing virtual concerts the next three Saturdays.

SUBMITTED Silverstein’s most recent album is the glass-half-full-titled “A Beautiful Place to Drown.”