The week kicks off with the second night of Thee Oh Sees and Sic Alps ’ two-night stand at Broken City. If there’s any sort of venue left from the night prior check them out as they’ll surely burn the venue to the ground on Thursday October 4.
Then again maybe you don’t like interesting energetic and most importantly timely music. Maybe you’d prefer to watch a middle-aged man make a mockery of his former self. If that’s the case your option for sad mediocrity this week is the return of whatever group of musicians-for-hire is backing Billy Corgan in the Smashing Pumpkins right now. The show’s at the Saddledome on Thursday October 4 and it just might be redeemed if Billy takes a break from whatever new bullshit he’s peddling and launches a rant about how Pavement sucks or what it’s like to sleep with Jessica Simpson.
For something a lot less offensive local nice guy Chris Gheran will continue fighting the good fight with the release of his fourth album Matterhorn . Dude will celebrate with an endless smile and a headlining show at The Ironwood on Friday October 5.
While you could spend your whole Friday night grinning awkwardly as you make eye contact with a folk guy there’s also an opportunity to hit the dancefloor with an appearance from rising Vancouver duo Humans who bring their house-indebted dance pop to the HiFi Club.
Sometimes a performer’s moniker says a lot about who they are. For example what makes the aforementioned Humans interesting is the real-life organic touches they add to their music. Then there’s Cypress Hill frontman B-Real who will play a solo show at Ten X on Saturday October 6. His name suggests: “Ayo be real — does anyone actually want to go watch a ’90s rap hack struggle to keep his dream alive across the street from the downtown Co-op?”
While you ponder your answer note that it’d probably be more fun than the weekend warrior punk show hitting the BMO Centre with Rise Against The Gaslight Anthem and Hot Water Music on Saturday October 6. In fact many of the people in attendance probably work for BMO or an equivalent desk job. You know the type: gross skate shoes ill-fitting navy blue Epitaph hoodies over shitty Bluenotes-bought business casual. They’re like Jim Halpert from The Office if he had a cursory knowledge of Che Guevara and an Xbox Live account. Punk is dead.
Then the BMO goes EDM on Sunday October 7. Dutch trance producer Armin van Buuren will bring legions of cologne-drenched drug addicts and car stereo experts out to dance up a storm alongside guests Jochen Miller and Chad Hardcastle . I’ve never heard or seen him but I bet Chad Hardcastle is one buff badass dude. You could probably remove the shrinkwrap from your trance compilations on his abs.
