Canadian Music Week may have officially kicked off last night, but tonight things really get underway, with showcases happening at dozens of venues across the city. While there’s been plenty of debate over whether or not the festival is still relevant–including a Torontoist roundup of thoughts from local music writers and a guest op-ed by Fucked Up’s Mike Haliechuk in this week’s The Grid–there are still a handful of bands worth checking out every night. To save you time, here’s five can’t-miss acts for Thursday night (all set times are approximate).
ARMY GIRLS
From: Toronto, Ontario
Playing: Parts & Labour (1566 Queen St. West), 10:30 p.m.
About: One of the most buzzed-about new Toronto acts at this year’s festival, Army Girls play their punk-tinged indie rock as part of a Hand Drawn Dracula showcase that also includes Rituals and Little Girls.
THE DEARS
From: Montreal, Quebec
Playing: El Mocambo (464 Spadina Ave.), 1 a.m.
About: Despite last year’s Degeneration Street receiving less-than-favourable reviews from many critics and going through several different lineups over the past few years, you can count on Murray Lightburn & Co. to put on a great show.
THE PACK A.D.
From: Vancouver, British Columbia
Playing: The Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen St. West), 11:30 p.m.
About: Scuzzy, noisy, bluesy garage rock from Vancouver’s Becky Black and Maya Miller, who released their fourth studio album last fall. What’s not to like about that?
SANDMAN VIPER COMMAND
From: Burlington, Ontario
Playing: The Silver Dollar (486 Spadina Ave.), 2 a.m.
About: Now calling Toronto home, the garage pop/rock four-piece recorded a seven-inch with Tokyo Police Club producer Jon Drew last year, and have opened for the likes of Holy Fuck, The Arkells and The Rural Alberta Advantage.
SHOTGUN JIMMIE
From: Sackville, New Brunswick
Playing: The Great Hall (1087 Queen St. West), 9 p.m.
About: If you think Joel Plaskett is the only talented Atlantic Canadian singer-songwriter at CMW this year, then guess again. Go for the tunes, stay for Jimmie’s (whose real name is Jim Kilpatrick) highly entertaining stories about life on the road and whatever else is on his mind.
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Follow Max Mertens on Twitter at @Max_Mertens.
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