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Music

This week’s must-see Toronto shows: June 18 to 24

contemporary color

Former Talking Heads main man David Byrne is debuting an arena-sized idea at the Luminato Festival that has an interesting unknown-quantity vibe about it.

Contemporary Color will fuse the athletic practice of competitive colour guard teams with pop music. But what exactly is colour guard?

Born of a military tradition, colour guard teams perform synchronized routines alongside university, college and high school marching bands at football game half-time shows and off-season in indoor competitions, using flags and rifle-shaped props.

For Contemporary Color, Byrne has paired 10 “elite” teams with musicians Nelly Furtado, Tune-Yards, St. Vincent, Ad-Rock and Money Mark, How to Dress Well, Devonté Hynes, Zola Jesus and others. Together, they perform choreographed routines to an original song with live accompaniment.

Byrne has dubbed colour guard an underrated and “sophisticated folk art” that he hopes to bring to mainstream attention via Contemporary Color’s world premiere at Luminato and subsequent shows at New York City’s Brooklyn Academy of Music later this month.

At the Air Canada Centre (40 Bay), Monday and Tuesday (June 22 and 23), 7 pm. Tickets from $39. luminato.com.


BUZZCOCKS Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne), Friday (June 19) Why can’t I touch it?

DIPSET, J JONES, JELLY TOOFLY, MACE MILLY & KIDD MAJOR Sound Academy (11 Polson), Friday (June 19) Get your Cam’ron shower curtains.

UNSOUND TORONTO w/ Stars of the Lid, Robert Henke, Tim Hecker, Atom + Robin Fox, Morton Subotnick + Lillevan, Ben Frost, Emptyset and more Hearn Generating Station (440 Unwin), Friday and Saturday (June 19 and 20) See preview.

TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL w/ George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Juice Money Collective, Junia T, Al Jarreau, Booker T, Patricia Cano, Gary Clark Jr. and others Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen West) and other venues, Friday to Monday (June 19-29) P-Funk kicks off the jazz fest.

INDIGENOUS ARTS FESTIVAL w/ Tanya Tagaq, Leonard Sumner, Manitou Mkwa Singers, Diyet, Eagle & Hawk Fort York (250 Fort York), Friday and Saturday (June 19 and 20) See preview.

C.R.E.A.M. ALL-AGES FEST w/ Doomsquad, Hataw, Hooded Fang, Ice Cream, Ken Park, Lido Pimienta, Moss Lime, Nancy Pants, Pantayo, Petra Glynt and more Double Double Land (209 Augusta), Saturday and Sunday (June 20 and 21) Leave the fake ID at home.

DJ PREMIER, DJ PUMP, VINYL RITCHIE Wrongbar (1279 Queen West), Saturday (June 20) Check out Wrongbar’s reno.

TENEMENT, BIG ZIT, WASTOIDS, TRIAGE, DILETTANTES S.H.I.B.G.B’s (225 Geary), Sunday (June 21) Stellar double-album pop punk outta Wisconsin.

THE MELVINS, LE BUTCHERETTES Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), Monday (June 22) Montage of sludge.

SPOON, THE ANTLERS Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne), Tuesday and Wednesday (June 23 and 24) Two nights of Spoon.

STURGILL SIMPSON Horseshoe (370 Queen West), Tuesday and Wednesday (June 23 and 24) Two nights of barn-burners.

CHRISTOPHER OWENS The Garrison (1197 Dundas West), Wednesday (June 24) Crissy Baby plays the Garry.

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