Toronto Concerts, November 2012
Toronto concerts worth knowing about in November, 2012.
November in Toronto is a bit of a trip back to the late 60s / early 70s with The Who, Bob Dylan and Neil Young all passing through our suddenly cold city. Of course there's the usual barrage of up and comers as well — DIANA, Mac DeMarco and Paper Diamond are acts garnering significant attention right now, despite their relative youth. Halloween might be over but that just means you have to look out for the November Witch. You're weird if you know what that means. I'm not going to talk about moustaches, and I already touched on the weather so there isn't much else to say. Concert listings, here we come!
HOT TICKETS
SHEEZER / NOVEMBER 2 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $10
Join the world's first all-girl Weezer cover band (don't worry — The Blue Album and Pinkerton only) for their 3rd annual Halloween party. The 31st might've passed, but this is another opportunity to stress over what to wear (hint: fisherman apparently doesn't translate well even when you carry around a paper cut-out fish) and let inhibitions fly! Pins and Needles, a band spawned from this year's Girls Rock! Camp will open along with Planet Creature.
CRYSTAL CASTLES WITH KONTRAVOID / NOVEMBER 3 / 8PM / KOOL HAUS / $41
Ethan Kath and Alice Glass have a new album out November 12th (previously slated for the 5th), some of which you can stream right here. Recorded in Warsaw and produced entirely by Kath, the album explores various themes of oppression and hopelessness. FUN.
AIMEE MAN / NOVEMBER 6 / 7PM / THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL / $27.50-32.50
Obviously peaking with "Time Stands Still" backing vocals in 1987, Mann also appeared as a German nihilist in The Big Lebowski. Going on that information alone, it's fair to say she's the coolest person in the entire world — but if you must know: she's also released eight solo albums including Charmer, released just a couple months ago.
DAN DEACON / NOVEMBER 9 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $13.50
The American Rich Aucoin, Deacon's performances involve a ton of audience participation and interactivity. He released America back in August, featuring the single "True Thrush" which spawned one of the most fun videos EVER — it also gives you an idea of what kind of vibe to expect at his show.
AMANDA PALMER / NOVEMBER 9 / 8PM / THE PHOENIX / $20
Half of The Dresden Dolls, former eight foot bride and all-round theatrical wizard, Palmer brings her Grand Theft Orchestra to the Phoenix on the eighth. Expect not quite a concert and not quite a theatrical performance but something in between.
NOT DEAD YET: FUCKED UP WITH DIANA / NOVEMBER 9 / 8PM / THE GREAT HALL / PWYC
The first installment of Fucked Up's Long Winter Series, this night features one of the first Toronto performances by DIANA. In addition to the music there will also be dance, visual art, food, readings and maybe an army of Damien's. If that weren't enticing enough, it's pay what you can and all ages.
THE HELIO SEQUENCE / NOVEMBER 12 / 8:30PM / THE HORSESHOE / $12
Made up of Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel from Portland, Oregon, they are in the running for "Nerdiest Band Name Ever." They've just released their fifth full-length Negotiations but I can't stop listening to "Hallelujah" from 2008's Keep Your Eyes Ahead.
ARMY GIRLS WITH ELK / NOVEMBER 14 / 7:30PM / THE GARRISON / $8
As if we haven't talked about DIANA enough today, singer Carmen Elle's band Army Girls plays with ELK on the 14th. I can't help but think of Land of Talk when I hear them but Land of Talk is dead so thanks Army Girls for being there. I heard "My Kin" on The L.A. Complex once and lost my shit. I mean, a friend told me they were watching the show and heard it. Not me.
MAC DEMARCO WITH COUSINS / NOVEMBER 14 / 8PM / THE DRAKE / $10
Montreal-based DeMarco joins Halifax-based Cousins. DeMarco creates a woozy blend of soft-rock, 70s glam and a certain jangly guitar sound that reminds me of Real Estate but which I refuse to call "yacht rock." And Cousins, well, they're just kind of the the fucking best.
NEIL YOUNG & CRAZY HORSE / NOVEMBER 19 / AIR CANADA CENTRE / 7PM / $TBA
Neil Young is 66 years old and this year he's released his 34th and 35th albums — what have you done today? The most recent, Psychedelic Pill, could've just as easily been released in the late 60s/early 70s, in fact, the title track is reminescent of "Cinnamon Girl" herself.
...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD / NOVEMBER 20 / LEE'S PALACE / 9PM / $18.50
Their name has been scaring (my) mom(s) since the late 90s and their fist-pumping brand of rock has been making people move for just as long. Touring in support of their 8th studio album, Lost Songs, they've dedicated the track "Up to Infinity" to Pussy Riot and the first single "Catatonic" doesn't stray far from their roots even after all these years.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY CONCERTS
Photo by Frank Hamilton on Flickr
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