April 1 concerts you’d be a fool to miss
It seems like a cruel joke that there are so many shows to pick from on Thursday April 1. To wit: Hamilton Ontario’s profoundly odd and oddly profound hard-rock troubadour Wax Mannequin will be trading tunes with ukulele popster The Burning Hell at the Palomino which would normally be an easy recommendation. But that same night at Broken City local folkie Savk will release his solo debut mere days after his former band Beija Flor plays its last show. And that solo CD is an absolute stunner with the kind of intricate guitar melodies that sound delicate when coming from your stereo but will probably have you stomping along in a live setting.
Further complicating matters rapper Brother Ali will be at the Republik showing off the skills that got him into the Rhymesayers crew. Add Fashawn (who wrapped up a tour with Ghostface Killah in late 2009) and the decision gets even messier. And that’s not even mentioning Jason Collett who’ll be mucking around at the No. 1 Legion with Zeus and Bahamas . Frankly you’d be a fool to miss any of them.
But let’s not discount the weekend. Calgary rockers have three fine options on Saturday March 27. First off local punks Downway are getting back together for a show at The Distillery. If you were a teen in the early 2000s you probably remember hearing these guys alongside the likes of The Everymen and Belvedere while you were swinging fists in a circle pit at the Multi. If not rest assured — the band’s melodic punk is a good time even without the nostalgia.
Meanwhile at the Palomino Vancouver rockers Yukon Blonde will demonstrate why they were the most acclaimed band at this year’s Canadian Music Week festivities in Toronto. That’s right — the highly scientific not-at-all-subjective report cards issued by festivalgoers have conclusively proved that Yukon Blonde rocks harder than Electric Six Hot Hot Heat Bend Sinister and every single other band that played the fest this year so you might want to check ’em out.
Or if you’re into the whole “decades-long legacy of Canadian punk and power-pop” thing your best bet would be Pointed Sticks at The Marquee Room that same night. Founded in 1978 the band was part of the first wave of Canadian punks — a proud tradition that extends up to Calgary’s own Sharp Ends which’ll open the show.
