Toronto concerts worth knowing about in February, 2013.

I know these things about February: 1) it's the month of purification (that's why Purity Ring are coming through town), 2) SAD reaches its peak, 3) Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday and thus a complete waste of time, and 4) "leaplings" are the luckiest people around as they age far more slowly than the rest of us. Man, who wouldn't want to be a leapling? Doesn't it just sound so cool?

Anyway, here's what else I know. February is not the greatest month for live music in Toronto. While not as sparse as January, we're not totally out of the rut yet. That'll have to wait until CMW arrives in March. Can somebody wake me up when it's spring? Thanks!

HOT TICKETS

PURITY RING/YOUNG MAGIC / FEBRUARY 1 / 8PM / THE PHOENIX / $15
Great start to the month and a really great pairing. Way to go, Phoenix bookers! Purity Ring are a duo from Montreal and Young Magic come from all over the globe — both make electronic pop-ish music though the latter band is especially strange. One of my highlights of last year's NXNE was stumbling (literally?) onto a Young Magic show at The Garrison and being totally mesmerized.

TY SEGALL / FEBRUARY 6 / 8PM / THE PHOENIX / $16.50
He's touring on the back of his fifth studio album Twins, and the show is sure to be a great party as usual. K-Holes, Ex-Cult and local favourites Teenanger will all open. He's gone from The Shop to the El Mo to The Hoxton and now The Phoenix — catch him before he's playing at an even bigger venues.

FUCKED UP'S LONG WINTER VOL.4 / FEBRUARY 8 / 8PM / THE GREAT HALL / PWYC
The last installment! All previous nights have been amazing and I have no doubt this one will impress. Fucked Up is playing again (they opted out of playing Vol.3), along with The Sadies, Holy Fuck, Kids on TV, Maylee Todd, Odonis Odonis and Rituals. Tons more music, food, art and "etc" will be happening too. I'm particularly excited for the premiere of Marvin Seth & Stanley — an "insecure comedy" about a father and two sons reconnecting on a camping trip after years of estrangement. It stars Alex Karpovsky from GIRLS fame (?).

YO LA TENGO / FEBRUARY 9 / 8PM / THE PHOENIX / $25
The last time they were in town it was to perform scores alongside undersea films and now they're here to promote their 13th full length Fade. No matter what they do it's awesome so get out to The Phoenix to see this band.

WAVELENGTH 13: LULLABYE ARKESTRA / FEBRUARY 14 / 9PM / PARTS & LABOUR / $10
The first of four nights of music spread between Parts & Labour, The Great Hall and The Garrison to celebrate Wavelength's 13 years. Night one features Toronto's bass and drum duo Lullabye Arkestra along with Ell V Gore, Fresh Snow, This Messand Slow-Pitch.

TEEN / FEBRUARY 15 / 7:30PM / THE DRAKE / $11
Made up of three sisters from Brooklyn (one formerly of Here We Go Magic) TEEN play disinterested 60s-tinged droney pop-rock. It's pretty much a surefire recipe for "cool." Beyond that, their lead single is catchy and I can totally picture myself shuffling along to it while high on psychedelics (New Year's resolution!).

WAVELENGTH: DO MAKE SAY THINK / FEBRUARY 16 / 9PM / THE GREAT HALL / $15
Oh look it's the next night of Wavelength 13! Headliners DO MAKE SAY THINK will be joined by Evening Hymns, Sarah Neufeld, Doom Squad and Bernice. What else to say? It'll make you think? And say stuff?

BY DIVINE RIGHT W/COUSINS / FEBRUARY 16 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $10
Does Halifax's Cousins ever stop touring? I've happily caught them about five times in the past year and will be happy to see them again opening for By Divine Right. The headliners are a Toronto institution and are in the middle of something of a rebirth with Mutant Message released in 2009 and Organized Accidents out soon on Hand Drawn Dracula.

WAVELENGTH 13: COOKIE DUSTER / FEBRUARY 17 / 9PM / THE GARRISON / $10
with The Magic, Henri Faberge & the Adorables , Cell Memory & Castle If and Legato Vipers
Last night of Wavelength 13! Brendan Canning's new/old band Cookie Duster finally make their live debut after LYING to me and saying they'd play shows in NOVEMBER. If everyone can get over that devastating breach of trust I think it'll be a cool show to check out.

SOLANGE / FEBRUARY 22 / 7PM / THE HOXTON / $23
How much cooler is she than her older sister? Answer: a little bit, I think. When she released the video for "Losing You" I was like "WHY HAVE THEY KEPT YOU IN THE BASEMENT?!" Those moves, those outfits — it's time to give this girl the attention she deserves.

TRUST W/DIANA / FEBRUARY 22 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $17.50
Trust are like a big deal now, huh? I'm happy they're bringing along little old DIANA for their show at Lee's. Even though they've only released a single with no hints of when a full length will be coming out, they are kinda exploding.

MARDUK / FEBRUARY 25 / 6:30PM / ANNEX WRECKROOM / $22
Moonspell, Inquistion, the foreshadowing and Death Wolf are all opening. This show is worth mentioning because A) the names of these bands and B) upon visiting their sites they are all TERRIFYING. Sidenote: Moonspell is now the name of my first born.

IMAGINE DRAGONS / FEBRUARY 27 / 6:30PM / SOUND ACADEMY / $25
"Imagine Dragons is a four-piece rock band based in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1] The group's name is an anagram, the original word(s) for which are unknown except to the members of the band.[2]" WIKIPEDIA.COM Maybe you can try and get backstage and get them to tell you the secret anagram code?! Anyone want to take a crack at it?

BEACH FOSSILS / FEBRUARY 27 / 8:30PM / THE GARRISON / $14.50
Guitarist Zachary Smith's "side project" DIIV almost seems to have eclipsed Beach Fossils but I'm excited to hear their new album. Out February 19th, Clash The Truth is only their second studio album and I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot of it at the show.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY CONCERTS

• HANNAH GEORGAS / FEBRUARY 1 / 6:30PM / THE MOD CLUB / $15
• THE DIRTY NIL / FEBRUARY 1 / 9PM / THE HORSESHOE / $8
• DAS RAD / FEBRUARY 2 / 9PM / POLYHAUS / $7
• THE VACCINES / FEBRUARY 4 / 7PM / THE PHOENIX / $18
• LADY GAGA / FEBRUARY 9 / 7PM / AIR CANADA CENTRE / TBA
• OF MICE AND MEN / FEBRUARY 10 / 6PM / SOUND ACADEMY / $23.50
• KISHI BASHI / FEBRUARY 11 / 8PM / THE GREAT HALL / $13.50
• THE MACCABEES / FEBRUARY 11 / 7PM / THE MOD CLUB / $20
• FIREXFIRE / FEBRUARY 12 / 7PM / THE MOD CLUB / $15-20
• WU BLACK FEAT. GHOSTFACE KILLAH & SHEEK LOUCH / FEBRUARY 13 / 8PM / THE SOUND ACADEMY / $29.50
• THE TRAGICALLY HIP / FEBRUARY 14 / 7PM / AIR CANADA CENTRE / $35-89.50
• With The Arkells
• MAGNETA LANE / FEBRUARY 14 / 9PM / THE RIVOLI / TBA
• THE PLANET SMASHERS / FEBRUARY 15 / 8PM / THE OPERA HOUSE / $17.50
• RIVAL SONS / FEBRUARY 15 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $17.50
• QUEST FOR FIRE / FEBRUARY 15 / 9PM / THE HORSESHOE / $10
• THE WEATHER STATION / FEBRUARY 15 / 7PM / THE DAKOTA / $10
• TORO Y MOI / FEBRUARY 17 / 8PM / LEE'S PALACE / $20
• EMILIE AUTUMN / FEBRUARY 17 / 7:30PM / THE MOD CLUB / $20
• BON JOVI / FEBRUARY 17 & 18 / 7:30PM / AIR CANADA CENTRE / $38-236 (Yuck.)
• MESHUGGAH / FEBRUARY 19 / 6:30PM / SOUND ACADEMY / $28.50
• MAROON 5 / FEBRUARY 19 / 7:30PM / AIR CANADA CENTRE / $66-106
• INDIGO GIRLS / FEBRUARY 20 / 7PM / DANFORTH MUSIC HALL / $29.50-39.50
• ALLSTAR WEEKEND / FEBRUARY 22 / 7PM / MOD CLUB / $25
• BA JOHNSON W/WAX MANNEQUIN / FEBRUARY 22 / 9PM / THE GARRISON / $8
• SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA / FEBRUARY 22 & 23 / 8PM / ROGERS CENTRE / $29.50-79.50
• SPARTA / FEBRUARY 23 / 9PM / LEE'S PALACE / $18.50
• EELS / FEBRUARY 25 / 8PM / THE PHOENIX / $29.50
• THE RUBY SUNS / FEBRUARY 26 / 8PM / THE GARRISON / $12.50
• FISHBONE / FEBRUARY 27 / 8PM / LEE'S PALACE / $22.50
• MAJOR LAZER / FEBRUARY 28 / 9PM / SOUND ACADEMY / $30