BLOOD ORANGE Danforth Music Hall, September 21
Count yourself lucky if you managed to nab a ticket to this show. Dev Hynes’s acclaimed, impressionistic and pop-funky Freetown Sound album tour only touches down in half a dozen cities, and Toronto’s one of ’em.
CHANCE THE RAPPER Echo Beach, September 27 + 28
We’ve only got a few more, er, chances to see concerts outdoors, and the independent-minded rapper gives us two when he brings his third mixtape, Coloring Book, to the 6ix.
KING Velvet Underground, October 13
The Los Angeles-based R&B trio of twins Paris and Amber Strother and Anita Bias takes the familiar R&B set-up – the harmony group – to new heights thanks to heavy doses of psychedelia and jazz.
NOT DEAD YET Various venues, October 13-16
This annual hardcore punk festival always includes a thrilling mix of local and global acts: G.L.O.S.S., Turnstile, La Misma, VCR, Barcelona, Mujercitos, Power, Triage, Vexx. And this year, 70 per cent of the shows are all ages.
X AVANT XI Music Gallery and other, October 13-16
Few festivals are as good at gender parity as the new-music-focused X Avant, whose 11th edition includes Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld, electronic music pioneer Pauline Oliveros in collaboration with Toronto’s Anne Bourne, lectures and more.
JAPANDROIDS Horseshoe Tavern, October 15
The on-hiatus Vancouver rock ‘n’ rollers surprised us when they announced a string of small-room tour dates and hinted at a new album, so expect new music at this sure-to-be-rammed show.
DIE ANTWOORD Sound Academy, October 16
The creepiest-looking South African rap crew in the game drop fourth album Mount Ninji And Da Nice Time Kid on September 16, so you know their show is going to be hella fresh. And they insist those breakup rumours are false.
SIA, MIGUEL AND ALUNAGEORGE Air Canada Centre, October 22
This inspired team-up was announced forever ago, but the thought of it still brings the chills. Expect Cher-level hairpieces from Sia, glistening abs from Miguel, helium-voiced chirps from AlunaGeorge – and the best pop songwriting around.
THEE OH SEES Danforth Music Hall, November 17
Frenzied guitar freakouts! Unpredictable behaviour! Two drummers! John Dwyer and his garage-rocking cohorts haven’t come through town since 2014, but despite breakup rumours, he’s released two albums since then, including 2016’s A Weird Exits.
STEVIE NICKS AND THE PRETENDERS Air Canada Centre, November 29
You’ll find yourself bewitched by the Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter – and singing/possibly weeping along to her incredible arsenal of hits. And count on the Pretenders to bring the rock and roll fire in their opening set.
Don’t miss: the 10 albums we’re most pumped for this fall. Get more Toronto show listings here.
carlag@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis