ROUNDING UP SOME HOT PICKS FOR CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK
Your day-by-day guide to the best music the fest has to offer
Canadian Music Week (CMW) returns to assault the eardrums, livers and sleep schedules of Toronto music fans for six days straight this Tuesday and, as usual, there’s far too much going on in the clubs for any one person to properly absorb.
Still, one has to try. And since combing through the hundreds of band names on the CMW schedule in search of a potentially life-changing gig or two can be an overwhelming task, we thought we’d offer a few friendly nudges in the right directions.
A word of warning, though. While a CMW wristband will get you into most of the showcases listed below, there are many gigs going on this week that only accept a limited number of band and badge holders, and others that are ticketed entirely separately. It’s probably worth your while to check ahead before making the trek to the venue.
And now, your daily dose of CMW 2017 hot picks. TUESDAY Zoobombs, Silver Dollar, 11 p.m. These Japanese groove monsters are longtime friends of Silver Dollar promoter Dan Burke, so you know they’re gonna rip it up a little extra now that this legendary Toronto live-music spot is closing its doors and facing an uncertain future.
WEDNESDAY
FOONYAP, Painted Lady, 9 p.m. Iconoclastic electro-experimentation and spine-tingling vocal theatrics from classically trained Calgarian Foon Yap. One of Canada’s most original and slept-on talents.
Dune Rats, Great Hall, midnight. Snarky Australian pop-punk.
The Wedding Present, Horseshoe Tavern, 10 p.m.
The venerable U.K. noise-pop crew is still a safe live bet, three decades on from its formation in 1985.
THURSDAY
The Luyas, Baby G, 11 p.m. No two shows or albums by this spectacularly talented Montreal art-pop outfit are ever alike, but they are always breathtaking. One of Canada’s greatest indie treasures.
She-Devils, Costume House, midnight.
Eccentric Montrealers Audrey Ann Boucher and Kyle Jukka were the buzziest of all the Canadian acts buzzing about this year’s South by Bossie is a nerdy-girl gift to pop. Southwest festival in Austin.
Tanya Tagaq, Phoenix, 10:40 p.m. Just be warned that it’ll be a little scary and that any performance you take in after this will hopelessly pale in comparison. FRIDAY Hoan, Baby G, midnight. Moody, synth-streaked Next Big Thing-ness from Montreal. Where Fires Are, Stop, Drop & Roll, 10 p.m. Mercurial Leeds rockers with just a touch of “emo” about them are reputed to be a force live. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Danforth Music Hall, 10 p.m. Upstart Bronx rapper J. Dubose is filling rooms despite being all but ignored by mainstream radio.
SATURDAY Bossie, Baby G, 11 p.m. Toronto’s nerdy-girl gift to the world of pop.
Weaves, Lee’s Palace, 1 a.m. After a solid year on the road, these capricious Toronto art-punks have been absolutely burnin’ the house down onstage lately at events like South by Southwest and Junofest. This should be no different.
Partner, Longboat Hall, midnight. Insanely fun, guitar-murderin’ femme-punk popsters from Sackville, N.B.