Canadian Concert Round-Up

It's been a while so let's get back to everyone's favourite segment, the (sometimes) oft-bi-weekly Canadian Concert Round-Up. This one's a mixture of whats coming up soon and also a rundown of some exciting new tour dates north of the border announced for this fall by jam bands who dont make it up here very often, and a couple who do.

- The Barr Brothers, whose base of operations is in Montreal, have announced a series of shows in small-town Quebec venues, starting October 18 in Val-David. They will also hit such music meccas as Lotbiniere, Pont-Rouge, Saguenay, and Sorel-Tracy. Bet those small town shows will rock!

 - Howlin Rain has announced what will be, as far as i can tell, their first ever gig in Canada - on Sunday, October 21 in Vancouver's Rickshaw Theatre. This show is not yet posted on their website and details are sketchy at this point, however they are going to be on tour in the mid-west with Tea Leaf Green, so cross your fingers TLG will make the trip back up to BC to headline the show!

- Montreal jammers Plants and Animals has released dates for a fall/winter tour, starting with a Halloween night show (October 31 - duh) in Victoria, BC , and hitting Nelson, BC, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal.

If your really itching for some P&A - i know im looking for an excuse to see these guys again and catching them at Ottawa Bluesfest and Osheaga - the guys will be racking up some frequent flyer miles in Canada starting in a couple days. They play this Friday, August 24 at the Squamish Festival in BC, then fly almost as far across the country as you can, to L'Assomption, Quebec (where?) for August 28, then Rouyn-Noranda August 31. There's some good music this year in rural Quebec, no? Check out the guys' website for the rest of the tour dates, including St. Johns and Halifax dates. 

- great lineup for the aforementioned Live at Squamish 2012, beginning this Friday: The Sheepdogs, Plants and Animals, Tragically Hip, Wintersleep, the Pack A.D., Current Swell, Kathleen Edwards, Airborne Toxic Event, City and Colour, and more. How come i never heard of this fest before?

- Trampled by Turtles will race to Winnipeg for Thursday, August 30 for a sold out show at the West End Cultural Centre. Good on you, 'Peg. If you had your set on seeing TBT, they'll also be in Saskatoon August 31, Calgary September 1 and Whitefish, Montana just over the border September 2.

- Young the Giant is heading to Vancouver for a sold-out gig at the Commodore Ballroom on August 31. There are tix still available for their performances at Calgary's X-Fest on Sept 1 (headliners Incubus, Linkin Park, Silversun Pickups, fun., Pack A.D. and others) and September 2 at Edmonton's Sonic Boom Festival (same lineup, different name).