Samantha Savage Smith Jonathan Toubin and the Birkenstock Ball
They didn’t just swap out one form of wordplay for another when the owners of Beat Niq changed their name to Wine-Ohs — they also expanded their programming to include much more than jazz. This week they’ll attract winos of a different kind with a local indie pop showcase. Former Fast Forward Weekly cover star Samantha Savage Smith who has yet to release her sublime sophomore album will headline alongside relatively newer act Holgans and local veteran Laura Leif on Thursday 2 6. Pair some pop with your wine.
For a different sort of Thursday night party the Hifi Club will host an appearance from DJ Sliink . The New Jersey-based artist spans everything from trap to hip-hop to pop to electro and previous collaborators include the likes of Flosstradamus and Diplo so you know there’ll be very few people sitting around staring at their feet.
Another opportunity for dancing up a storm arrives on Saturday 2 8 with the return of the almighty Jonathan Toubin . The New York-based DJ has amassed a global following thanks to his unparalleled soul parties. Spinning the best 45s imaginable he always manages to get attendees on their toes.
Toubin will perform on Saturday 2 8 at The Palomino as an official after party for the opening of the Glenbow’s Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket exhibition. Toubin will be joined by guest selector Jett Thunders and warmed up by DJ Tubbs and Carl Cassidy (the latter of whom is full disclosure one of my closest friends — like a little brother or a baby son). There’ll also be performances from Fist City The Nancees The Pygmies and Quit School .
Then there’s the post-hardcore emo revival that is sweeping Western Canada. It continues on Saturday at Tubby Dog with the return of Edmonton act Book of Caverns . They were originally meant to be joined by Todos Caeran but that band backed out when their guitarist broke his arm after a nasty slip on some ice. Instead the lineup will be rounded out by War Elephant and The Illustrated .
Still not satisfied with your options for Saturday night? If you’re the socks-and-sandals type you may enjoy the Calgary folk fest’s programming for The Birkenstock Ball. The event which takes place at Festival Hall will see The Compadres and Wil grace the stage. The real question however is whether you’re tough enough to Birk your way through the snow or if you plan to wear snowboots on the way there and slip on the brown leather Jesus shoes when you get there like a wussy poseur.
Saturday’s final option is likely the exact opposite of The Birkenstock Ball as the Hifi Club will present REUPTRIPPYSHIT an evening of gang-banging trap anthems courtesy of Vancouver DJs Genie and Rico Uno . If you want to hear a shitload of Waka Flocka Flame and Migos songs pop molly and twerk like Miley this is the event for you. Hell wear some Birkenstocks to this one too. Why not?
Finally on Wednesday 2 12 you mustn’t miss Vancouver power-pop punks Needles//Pins whose 12:34 LP is the best thing to come out of Canada’s garage renaissance. Aside from bashing out the new and old hits the group will be joined by locals The Mandates and Hag Face . Plus Tubby Dog will be teaming up with Needles//Pins’ drummer Macey proprietor of Vancouver’s fabled vegetarian spot Budgies Burritos for a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration.
