A performance no matter your tune taste
Summer concerts bring festivals, theatres and outdoor stadiums to life
June Toronto International Jazz Festival — June 23-July 2, various venues Jazz festivals across the continent have expanded to include a wide range of genres inspired by the sound, and Toronto’s big summer jazz fest is no different, this year welcoming Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin (July 1, Sony Centre), R&B/gospel great Mavis Staples (June 27, Koerner Hall) and soulful British singer Joss Stone (June 26, Danforth Music Hall) amid its more pure-jazz programming. torontojazz.com Soul in the City and Symphony in the Gardens music series — weekly until Aug. 28, Casa Loma Take in some live music while enjoying stunning views of the skyline from Casa Loma, Toronto’s own castle in the heart of the city. On Monday evenings, the Glass Pavilion plays host to the smooth soul and R&B sounds of Juno Award-winning performer Sean Jones, accompanied by a seven-piece band and special guests. On Tuesdays, the Toronto Concert Orchestra, conducted by maestro Kerry Stratton, plays in the pavilion under the stars. casaloma.ca Carmina Burana (Toronto Symphony Orchestra) — June 22-24, Roy Thomson Hall The Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s continuing Decades Project closes its 2017 season with German composer Carl Orff’s masterwork cantata, a choral spectacular that touches on the pleasures of life: food, wine and love. Conducted by Peter Oundjian, the concert features Nicola Benedetti on violin, Aline Kutan as soprano, Daniel Taylor as counter-tenor and Phillip Addis as baritone, as well as members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto Children’s Chorus. The evening’s program will also includes Karol Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No. 2 to open the show. roythomsonhall.com July Ed Sheeran — July 7 & 8, Air Canada Centre Love him or hate him, Ed Sheeran’s earnest brand of pop keeps climbing the charts — and stirring the hearts of fans young and old alike. With 22 million albums sold and 4.7 billion Spotify streams, the British singersongwriter has been inescapable since the release of his third album earlier this year. He’s also one of the most popular touring acts around — which means local fans better get tickets for his ACC show right now. WayHome — July 28-30, Burl’s Creek Event Grounds, Oro-Medonte, Ont. Find yourself glued to the Coachella livestream every year wishing you were there? Those looking for the megafest experience can head out to WayHome in Burl’s Creek, less than two hours away from Toronto. Its third edition boasts the kind of boldface names fans have come to expect, including Frank Ocean, Solange, Imagine Dragons and homegrown talent such as Tegan and Sara, Death From Above 1979 and Jazz Cartier. wayhome.com Kendrick Lamar — July 25 & Aug. 23 Air Canada Centre Back with the universally acclaimed release DAMN., hip-hop Renaissance man Kendrick Lamar hits the ACC with special guests Travis Scott and D.R.A.M.
For perspective on how much his star has risen in recent years, look only to where he played during his 2013 stop in Toronto: the 3,000-capacity Sound Academy (now Rebel nightclub). Given the rapper’s powerful delivery, he likely won’t have trouble playing to the arena rafters this time around. August Fleet Foxes — Aug. 4 & 5, Massey Hall It’s been quite some time since we last heard from Fleet Foxes, but the Seattle quintet return after a six-year hiatus with a new release, Crack-Up, this June. The first single, a nineminute epic featuring sweeping strings and the group’s trademark soulful harmonies, should fuel fans’ anticipation for their two-night stand at Massey Hall, an ideal venue for their arresting indie-folk sound. Veld Music Festival — Aug. 5 & 6, Downsview Park Fans of electro and hip-hop will want to make the trek to Downsview Park for the sixth annual Veld fest, which boasts a stacked lineup of some of today’s most popular DJs, producers and rappers.
These will including Future, Major Lazer, Tiesto, Migos, A$ap Ferg and hometown hero Tory Lanez. Organizers are emphasizing the festival’s focus on health and safety, including a drug-free environment, water stations and roaming medical crews. veldmusicfestival.com Green Day — Aug. 18, Budweiser Stage Bay Area pop-punk trio Green Day mark three decades in rock’n’roll with this current tour supporting their twelfth studio album, Revolution Radio, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Through everything from frontman Billie Joe Armstrong’s stint in rehab to American Idiot hitting the Broadway stage, the group has continued to maintain on devotees, but keeps attracting new generations of fans along the way. Bruno Mars — Aug. 26 & 27, Air Canada Centre You have to hand it to Bruno Mars — he’s a sheer entertainer in the classic sense of the term. After all, what can’t he do? the American singersongwriter is a talented multi-instrumentalist, record producer and choreographer, putting those skills to good use in his dynamic live show. Let’s hope he busts out his earworm “Uptown Funk” — a surefire way to close out the summer on a high note.