Apologies to readers from everywhere else, but I promised early on that Crritic! sometimes would offer my live-show picks for the Toronto area. This upcoming busy first week of fall seems like the moment. So here’s my calendar for the next couple of months—not shows I’ll necessarily be at, but were there world enough and time ... On each date, the top event listed would be my first choice.
I know I’ve missed a bunch of cool things; please tell me what in the comments.
Deepest thanks to Michael Barclay’s That Night in Toronto and Joe Strutt’s Mechanical Forest Sound for listing info, among other sources. Links and comments added on a very ad-hoc basis, sometimes to my own or others’ writing about an artist, or to their Bandcamp page, or what have you.
See some of you some of there!
Sept 20: Tom Wilson’s TEHÅHÀHAKE (Two Roads) Trio, Hugh’s Room
Sept 21: Pansy Division (goofy ‘90s queercore stalwarts), Monarch Tavern
- Mr. Pharmacist (Fall cover band), Psychic Weapons, Linsmore Tavern
- Geary Art Crawl
Sept 22: Peaches, the Phoenix
- Geary Art Crawl
Sept 24: - Vampire Weekend, Cults, Ontario Place Ampitheatre
- Lori Freedman solo (clarinet), Trio Davidson/Ng/Freedman, The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge)
Sept 25: PJ Harvey, History
- Petunia & the Vipers (old-timey), Horseshoe Tavern
- Sheesham, Lotus and ’Son (furthermore old-timey), Hugh's Room
Sept 26: Still House Plants, Only God Forgives, Standard Time
- Venus Fest: Claire Rousay (semi-Canadian!), Rempitt Goddess, Karen Ng, Monarch Tavern
- The Sattalites, Hugh’s Room
Sept 27: Neko Case, Danforth Music Hall
- The Ryan Driver Quartet “with Thom Gill as Ryan Driver,” Tranzac (I believe the real Ryan Driver is on tour in Europe with Eric Chenaux)
- Kaytranada, Ontario Place Ampitheatre
- Exit Points #53 (feat. Ray Sun, Rick Sacks, Anne Amores, James Pugliese, Daniel Ramjattan, Dave Clark, more), Array Space
Sept. 28: U.I.C., the Wabi Sabis, Bloodshot Bill with Gerard Van Herk (Deja Voodoo), Horseshoe
- Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024, “the UFO” (feat. Ecotone Orchestra, Colin Fisher, Important Hair, xodkaar, Kurt Newman, Hit Play), location details TBA on the day
- Venus Fest: Isabella Lovestory, Rempitt Goddess, We Turn to Red, It’s OK Studio
Sept 29: Cosmic Homeostasis XXV, Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge, 2:30 p.m.
Oct. 1: Book launch, Dry Your Tears to Perfect Your Aim (Book*hug) by Jacob Wren, Another Story Bookshop, 7 pm
- Herbie Hancock, Massey Hall
- Julien Baker (Boygenius), Concert Hall
- Billie Eilish, Raptors/Leafs Arena
- Track Could Bend #96 (feat. Josh Cole/Mira Martin-Gray, Laura Swankey, Brittany Pitt, Dan Pitt), Wenona Lodge
Oct. 2: Julien Baker (Boygenius), Concert Hall
- Marcos Valle (Brazil), Opera House
- Billie Eilish, Raptors/Leafs Arena
- Tom Paxton (60s folk elder. “The Last Thing on My Mind”) and the Don Juans, Hugh’s Room
- David Sedaris, Massey Hall
Oct 3: Book launch, The Sky Is a Sky in the Sky by Stuart Ross (Coach House), w/ musical guests Alexandra Leggat & Friends and Domina Eliahou, Imperial Pub, 7 pm
- Tegan and Sara, OCAD Auditorium
- Project Nowhere festival feat. Lightning Bolt, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Lee Ranaldo, Population II, La Sécurité, Pelada, Yoo Doo Right, Badge Époque Ensemble, Sam Jr., Zoon, Bambara, Luge, Motherhood, Patriarchy, more (Oct 3-5, various venues)
- Stars, Concert Hall (Set Yourself on Fire 20th anniversary)
- Cadence Weapon’s “The Entertainer” salon series of conversation, performance and DJ sets feat. Debby Friday, Standard Time (Geary Ave.) (new guests every Thursday in October)
Oct 4: Project Nowhere festival feat. Lightning Bolt, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Lee Ranaldo, Population II, La Sécurité, Pelada, Yoo Doo Right, Badge Époque Ensemble, Sam Jr., Zoon, Bambara, Luge, Motherhood, Patriarchy, more (Oct 3-5, various venues)
- Stars, Concert Hall (Set Yourself on Fire 20th anniversary)
- Ron Hawkins (Lowest of the Low), Rivoli
Oct 5: Lemon Twigs, Lee’s Palace
- Nilüfer Yanya, Phoenix
- Project Nowhere festival feat. Lightning Bolt, Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Lee Ranaldo, Population II, La Sécurité, Pelada, Yoo Doo Right, Badge Époque Ensemble, Sam Jr., Zoon, Bambara, Luge, Motherhood, Patriarchy, more (Oct 3-5, various venues)
- Stars, Concert Hall (Set Yourself on Fire 20th anniversary)
- Social Distortion, the Bellrays, History
Oct 6: Kelly McMichael, Geordie Gordon, Burdock
- Jorge Aragão (Brazil), The Axis Club
Oct 7: Toronto Public Library Salon Series, Elizabeth Renzetti: What She Said w/ Scaachi Khoul, Bluma Appel Salon, Toronto Reference Library, 7 pm.
- Trampoline Hall, curated by Lee Suksi, hosted by Misha Glouberman, the Garrison
Oct 8: ENO documentary, Fox Theatre, 7 pm (would someone in town please play this for more than one night so I can finally see it?)
- Supersuckers, Horseshoe
Oct 9: Mdou Moctar (Niger), James Brandon Lewis & Messthetics (Joe Lally/ Brendan Canty (ex-Fugazi), Anthony Pirog), Concert Hall
- The Psychedelic Furs, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct 10: Nia Archives, Danforth Music Hall
- Roger Clark Miller (Mission of Burma), Horseshoe Tavern
- Cadence Weapon’s “The Entertainer” salon series of conversation, performance and DJ sets feat. Jacques Greene, Standard Time (Geary Ave.) (new guests every Thursday in October)
Oct 11: Billy Bragg, Massey Hall
- Fontaines DC, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct 12: Illuminati Hotties, Longboat Hall
- La Luz, Adelaide Hall
Oct 14: Low Cut Connie, Horseshoe Tavern
- Johnny Marr, James, History
Oct 15: Anohni and the Johnsons, Massey Hall
- Low Cut Connie, Horseshoe Tavern
Oct 17: - Cadence Weapon’s “The Entertainer” salon series of conversation, performance and DJ sets feat. Owen Pallett, Standard Time (Geary Ave.) (new guests every Thursday in October)
- Dehd, This is Lorelai, Lee’s Palace (I’d mostly want to see This is Lorelai)
- When Country Met Soul, A Love Story with Danny Marks and guests, Hugh’s Room
Oct 18: Jake Xerxes Fussell, Longboat Hall
- Beat (’80s King Crimson w/ Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai, Danny Carey), Massey Hall
Oct 19: MJ Lenderman (new indie-rock It boy), Lee’s Palace
- Xiu Xiu, Velvet Underground
- Saami Brothers Qawwali, The Creative School Chrysalis, Toronto Metropolitan University Theatre
Oct 20: Cyndi Lauper, Raptors/Leafs Arena (farewell tour?)
- Slift (France heavy psych), Lee’s Palace
- Stranger Still (Pete Johnston/Rob Clutton/Mim Adams/Randi Helmers), Sellers & Newel
Oct 22: Richard Thompson (at 75, with a full band), Kacy & Clayton, Concert Hall
- Drive-By Truckers, Oct 22 (playing Southern Rock Opera)
- Maggie Rogers, CNE Coliseum
- The The, Massey Hall
Oct 23: Clairo (maybe my favourite pop LP this year), Alice Phoebe Lou, Massey Hall
- Vince Staples, Baby Rose, History
Oct 24: Clairo, Alice Phoebe Lou, Massey Hall
- Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Allied Music Centre (Massey Hall)
- Cadence Weapon’s “The Entertainer” salon series of conversation, performance and DJ sets, final edition feat. Lido Pimienta, Standard Time (Geary Ave.)
Oct 25: Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Allied Music Centre (Massey Hall)
- Sabrina Carpenter, Scotiabank Arena
- Tom Rush (60s folk vet, early Joni Mitchell booster), Hugh’s Room
- BA Johnston, Wax Mannequin, Block Parent, Bovine Sex Club
Oct 26: Tenille Townes, Danforth Music Hall
Oct 27: Jon Langford (the Mekons etc), Horseshoe Tavern
- Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn, Lula Lounge
Oct 29: Carolyn Mark, Sellers & Newel
Oct 30: Sunset Rubdown, Sister Ray, Concert Hall
Oct 31: Ebo Taylor (88 years old!) and Pat Thomas (Ghana), Phoenix
- Fucked Up, Great Hall
- Thee Sacred Souls, History
Nov 2: Rickie Lee Jones (an inspiration since I was 16; her own newsletter is here), University of Buffalo Center for the Arts (Buffalo, NY)
- Mickey Guyton, Velvet Underground
Nov 3: Destroyer (Dan Bejar solo), the Casbah (Hamilton)
- Carsie Blanton, Hugh’s Room
- Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Raptors/Leafs Arena
Nov 4: Trampoline Hall, hosted by Misha Glouberman, The Garrison
Nov 5: Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story screening, w/ Q&A and performance by Eugene Hütz and Sergey Ryabtsev, Royal Cinema
- Toronto Public Library Salon Series, Christopher Lebold on Leonard Cohen: The Man Who Saw Angels Fall w/ David Bezmozgis, Toronto Reference Library, 7 pm
Nov 6: Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band, Raptors/Leafs Arena
Nov 7: Kacey Musgraves, Lord Huron, Nickel Creek, Raptors/Leafs Arena
- Jayhawks, Great Hall
Nov 8: Ratboys, Ducks Ltd., Lee’s Palace
- The Halluci Nation (formerly A Tribe Called Red), Allied Music Centre (Massey Hall)
- Elisapie, Opera House
- Jayhawks, Great Hall
Nov 11: Haley Fohr (Circuit des Yeux), Bill Nace, Standard Time
Nov 14: Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Skydome
- Joel Plaskett, Great Hall
Nov 15: Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Skydome
- Joel Plaskett, Great Hall
This is a swell idea. May I steal this please?