Shows of October

Well, I did this last month, so let's try it again, shall we? Here are some of the shows I am excited about in the month of October. It's a pretty stacked month, with lots of great shows announced so far (with a few conflicting ones, too).

Big Sugar with Wide Mouth Mason at the Commodore on October 21st & 22nd.
Top of the list would have to be this show, no question. I was at the Commodore eight years ago for what was, at the time, Big Sugar's final Vancouver show and it was phenomenal. I was thrilled when they got back together, and when they announced Wide Mouth Mason -- who Gordie Johnson now plays bass with -- would be opening? well, their show at the Yale in January has probably been one of my favourite shows of the year, so that's just extra added awesome.

Chad VanGaalen at the Rio Theatre on October 15th
Even though Pop Okanagan is happening this same weekend, I am pretty sure seeing CVG live trumps an entire festival. It will be two years to the day (and, in fact, at the same venue) since I last saw him, which is far too long. (Accompanied video not mine, was taken from the last show, with Julie Fader on keys)

Kathryn Calder at the Biltmore on October 27th
Even though I've seen her a couple times this year, Calder is always incredible live. Her new album is out soon, and I am very much looking forward to seeing her live again.

Dominique Fricot with Sidney York at the Electric Owl on October 14th
Ten and a half months. That's all it took between seeing him at One Night Stand and finally seeing him perform his own material. Which is inexcusable. And of course, there's Sidney. The only time I've seen her was at a venue with sub-par sound, so I am very excited to see her somewhere that will sound good.

And the conflicts? That lies with the aforementioned Big Sugar/WMM show as well as:
Sidney York with The Ruffled Feathers & The Belle Game at the Railway on October 20th.
Zeus at the Biltmore on October 21st
The Zolas & The Liptonians on October 20th at the Electric Owl and October 24nd at St James Hall
So. There's all that. Zeus is a fantastic live band who haven't been here since the (incredible) Bonfire Ball tour. The Liptonians blew me away live earlier this year, and pairing them with The Zolas is perfect. And the show at the Railway has just an excellent lineup. There could be a way to see all the shows, but it might be tough!

Oh, and there's the last Peak Performance Project showcase with Maurice, Lindsay Bryan, 41st & Home and Rococode on the 6th at the Red Room well as Danny Michel with Jody Glenham at the Biltmore on the 13th, which should be fun, and of course, the Foo Fighters at Rogers Arena on the 25th. But as much as I love the Foos, and as great a live show as they put on, I have a feeling I won't be able to make this show unless I somehow get press, or win tickets...

Whew. That's a lot of shows.

Shows of September

I'm going to try a new thing here, where on or around the first of every month, I'll do a little blurb about the upcoming shows I am stoked about that month.
So for September, the top three shows I am most looking forward to are:

Explosions in the Sky.
These guys are firmly in my top three must see live bands, and I am so very excited by their impending show, on the 9th at the Vogue Theatre. Words can not express how much I want to see them, so instead, see this video. If you don't even have an inkling to see them live after that... I don't even know what to say.


Karkwa with Aidan Knight & The Belle Game.
 I am so glad the Polaris Prize winning band is back, as both times I have seen them have been incredible. They're at the Biltmore (where I am pretty sure they blew a speaker the first time I saw them) on the 20th, and supporting them will be none other than Victoria's Aidan Knight, who is always great live, and whose Karkwa-love rivals mine. And if that wasn't a stupendous enough double bill, The Belle Game will also playing.

Broken Social Scene.
I've seen them in a small venue during the Olympics and a large outdoor part co-headlining with Sam Roberts, and places in between, and they always put on a mind-blowing show. Now they're hitting up Malkin Bowl -- which is one of my favourite venues here -- on the 24th. You may never know who, exactly, is going to show up to be in the band; but you always know it's going to be one hell of a show.

Other shows going down I am excited about are the back to back Hollerado and Library Voices shows -- 21st at Venue and 22nd at the Biltmore, respectively. Been too long since either has been here, and both are incredibly fun and lively bands with great live shows.

And then, of course, there are the Peak Performance Project showcases. Running every Thursday for the next five weeks, they're a chance for each of the top 20 bands to show what they have. Each show is at the Red Room, and the lineups consist of:
8 - The Never Surprise, Hilary Grist, Jasper Sloan Yip, The Belle Game.
15 - Avairis, Fields of Green, Acres of Lions, Current Swell.
22 -The Oh Wells, Ashleigh Eymann, Sex With Strangers, The Boom Booms.
29 -The Matinee, Redgy Blackout, Behind Sapphire, Treelines.
With Lindsay Bryan, Maurice, 41st and Home and Rococode taking place October 10th.

So that's it. That's what I am looking forward to. See you there?

Preview: Live at Squamish 2011

Holy crap, you guys. Did you realise it is only TWO days until Live at Squamish? Remember all the fun times last year? If not, just give here a little click to be transported back in time to almost a year ago for my bloggery about the inaugural festival.

As for this year... well, it might just have the potential to top this year.


Let's start with the bands across the two main stages, shall we? We have Metric (both a full set and an acoustic set by Haines & Shaw). The Zolas. Bend Sinister. Weezer. John Butler Trio. Shad. Black Mountain. Stars. Brasstronaut. The Dudes. Kyprios. Girl Talk. The Belle Game. Hey Ocean. And a whole bunch more; I know I am forgetting some. That's a lot of amazing acts,
and luckily, there are not even that many conflicts! Just take a look at this handy schedule.

But it doesn't end there! They'll also have all sorts of other fun things, like a silent disco. What is a silent disco, you ask? Well, it's pretty much that it sounds like. You go in to the discothèque, pop on a pair of headphones and dance your ass off. As well as that, there will also be a barber shop, of all things, where you can get your hair cut by the one and only Rich Hope

And one thing I am definitely looking forward to, the Green Couch Sessions stage. The fine folks will be bringing the emerald sofa up to Squamish, and will them some great Vancouver acts like Rococode, The Matinee, Redgy Blackout, Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party, Portage and Main, Redbird, Ali Milner and a few others.

AND! The festival will also see the debut of Panda Watch. I can't say why, but I have a strong feeling that it'll be better for you to catch them. I just have a hunch, in my heart, that you will be cursing yourself if you miss their set.

If you're kicking yourself for not going, well, don't fret; it's not too late. Tickets are still available (or if you look around the interwebs you might just be able to find a contest or giveaway or two). Just head on over to the website for everything you need to know about the festival.

Hope to see you there...