Toronto's annual celebration of African culture, food and music, Afrofest has been cancelled this year due to concerns of overcapacity at its venue, Woodbine Park.
The free-to-attend festival was supposed to take place next month from August 14 to 16. Over 100 vendors and 40-plus local and international artists were expected at the event, which would've been celebrating its 38th year as the largest African music and cultural festival in North America.
"After months of planning and consultation with the City of Toronto, Music Africa has made the difficult decision not to present Afrofest in 2026. This decision is rooted in one priority: the safety and wellbeing of our community," festival organizers shared in an Instagram post.
They explained that the city has limited Woodbine Park's operational capacity to 5,000 attendees this year, which is "far below the tens of thousands who attend Afrofest each day." According to CityNews, Woodbine Park's capacity has usually accommodated up to 17,000 people at a single event, and Afrofest typically expects up to 40,000 people in a single day.
"Even with ticketing, fencing, controlled entry, and enhanced security measures, thousands more would still travel to the park expecting to participate," the caption continued. "This creates a public safety risk outside the festival gates that cannot be responsibly managed."
Organizers shared that Music Africa looked for alternative venues with city staff, but were unable to find a new location to "responsibly" relocate the festival in less than a month, and will now spend this year looking to secure a larger venue needed to suit Afrofest's operational scale for 2027.
"Afrofest will return in 2027 stronger, safer, and ready to welcome everyone back. Thank you for your patience, your passion, and your unwavering support," they concluded. "Afrofest belongs to you, and we look forward to celebrating together again soon."
You can read the full statement on Afrofest's Instagram below.
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No one could've seen this coming, honestly. Former US President Barack Obama and his gay intern are nothing if not on the pulse with their seasonal lists of the politician's favourite music, so it seemed like a safe bet that Exclaim!'s current cover stars, Saguenay's viral sensations Angine de Poitrine, would be a shoo-in.
Inexplicably, however, they are not included in Obama's 2026 summer playlist. If not them, then what, you may ask — and it's a whole lot of choices. Among them, he's listening to a track from Drake's ICEMAN, a Coldplay song from 2011 and RAYE's "WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?"
In terms of the actually on-trend picks, we've got Kelela's "idea 1" from the great new avatar, a Tyla collaboration with Zara Larsson, the Strokes' oddball Reality Awaits single "Going Shopping" and a track from the new Noah Kahan album.
Notably, Obama has seemingly sided with Charley Crockett in his feud with Jack White, including the former's "One Eyed Jack" and nothing from Frozen Charlotte. Charli xcx's Music, Fashion, Film is also mysteriously missing from this former Brat Summer-haver's latest collection.
Adding to the aforementioned CanCon courtesy of Drake, Obama's bumping Neil Young's "Heart of Gold," as well as a bunch of other oldies. He's finally going soft on us! Check out the full playlist below.
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Sure, he's been knighted, but Paul McCartney's boatload of accolades had somehow yet to include a Mercury Prize nomination — until now, that is. The Beatle's latest solo record, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, is up for the honour recognizing the year's best album by an artist from the UK or Ireland.
Today, the Mercury Prize shared the 12 nominated albums, which had to have been released between August 30, 2025, and July 17, 2026. McCartney's record joins Olivia Dean's breakout The Art of Loving, Florence + the Machine's visceral Everybody Scream, JADE's solo debut THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!, Geese opener Dove Ellis's Blizzard, the second War Child Records charity compilation, and the latest LPs from Dave, Suede, RAYE, Nia Archives, Kojey Radical and Knats.
McCartney is actually the first Beatle to be nominated for the Mercury Prize, which will be awarded at the annual awards show on October 22 in Newcastle. As is the standard with these things, some folks are up in arms about the snubs — including Lily Allen's West End Girl, Boards of Canada's Inferno, Harry Styles's Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. and many more.
Also, notably, almost all of the nominated records were at least partly funded by a major label, with more than half being released by Universal Music Group and its subsidiaries. See the full list of 2026 Mercury Prize nominees below.
Dave - The Boy Who Played the Harp
Dove Ellis - Blizzard
Florence + the Machine - Everybody Scream
JADE - THAT'S SHOWBIZ BABY!
Knats - A Great Day In Newcastle
Kojey Radical - Don't Look Down
Nia Archives - Emotional Junglist
Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
Paul McCartney - The Boys of Dungeon Lane
RAYE - THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.
Suede - Antidepressants
War Child Records - HELP(2)
SOCAN has been making moves lately. Having recently partnered with Musical AI with the goal of protecting artists against being used to train artificial intelligence, SOCAN has now announced that it's consolidating royalties in Canada by buying the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency.
This unites performance and mechanical royalties under the same organization. SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown wrote in an email to members, "This acquisition represents a significant milestone and will bring together two respected Canadian music organizations with a shared commitment to ensuring music creators and publishers are fairly compensated for the use of their work."
Since 2017, CMRRA has been owned by the American company SoundExchange; SOCAN has now reached a purchase agreement with SoundExchange to acquire CMRRA, although it's still subject to regulatory approval.
Brown wrote, "This proposed acquisition is an important step in a stronger music rights ecosystem, one that streamlines the experience for music creators and publishers." In the meantime, CMRRA is continuing to operate separately until the deal is confirmed.
She also acknowledged that SOCAN had recently experienced some issues with its online portal and distribution, and that fixing those issues "remains our top operational priority."
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Nashville, TN-via-Appalachia country folk singer-songwriter Angela Autumn is gearing up to release her new album, Believer (out September 11 via Gar Hole Records), and has now announced a string of North American tour dates supporting the project. The itinerary includes a lone Canadian gig in Toronto this December.
Autumn's headlining North American concerts begin December 4 in Chicago, IL. Days later, she'll cross the border into Canada to perform at Toronto's Monarch Tavern on December 8, before completing the remainder of the trek stateside, with things set to wrap up on December 20 in Asheville, NC.
Tickets are on sale now. Head to Concert Central for more upcoming Canadian shows.
Check out the full schedule of dates and the music video for the artist's latest single "Heavy Tobacco" below.
Angela Autumn 2026 Tour Dates:
12/04 Chicago, IL - The Hideout
12/05 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
12/06 Detroit, MI - Lager House
12/08 Toronto, ON - Monarch Tavern
12/10 Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Music Hall
12/11 Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool
12/12 Philadelphia, PA - Milkboy
12/13 Boston, MA - Rockwell
12/15 Lancaster, PA - West Arts
12/17 Washington, D.C. - Songbyrd
12/18 Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall
12/19 Durham, NC - The Pinhook
12/20 Asheville, NC - Revival
Summer 2026 will forever be remembered as the season in which concertgoers lost control of their bowels and bladders. Noah Kahan's fans are pissing and shitting all over the place, Morgan Wallen fans are befouling entire families, and Olivia Rodrigo fans are wearing diapers to shows. Now, the defecators have struck again, bringing a metal show in New Zealand splattering to a halt.
On Saturday (July 25), Devilskin were performing at Union Hall in Dunedin, and several witnesses told Stuff that someone pooped in the mosh pit a few songs in.
"The guy who was directly in front of me proceeded to shake a log down his leg," a concertgoer told Stuff. The man reportedly tried to kick it away, but stepped in it. "We shuffled to the side a metre or three, then I realized that I needed to alert security. One guard came over, and verified with me the culprit and saw the offensive material on the floor."
Somehow things got even worse: "I think the smell triggered lots of people to then vomit. The smell obviously hit them and then people started spewing in response to that," another attendee said.
A witness said that it seemed like an intentional way to spoil the night. Conversely, Daniel Leamy, the president of the Otago University Students' Association (which runs the venue), said that it wasn't deliberate. The poop perp was willingly escorted out after the "unfortunate medical incident," and no arrests have been made.
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For some reason, Kesha is asking fans to mail her their teeth.
The singer reposted a PSA to her socials yesterday (July 29), saying that, in case you missed it, she wants your teeth. No other information or context was provided, except for a P.O. box to send them to.
So, if you're curious and not overly sentimental about the baby teeth your mom has held onto, see the address to send Kesha your DNA below.
Kesha
PO Box 36277
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Supporting May's acclaimed Rumspringa, the buzzy electronic duo ear have announced a slate of fall North American tour dates — including a lone Canadian stop in Toronto.
The US-centric stint on the road kicks off with a hometown show in New York, NY, on September 12. After hitting Boston, MA, and Philadelphia, PA, ear will cross the border into Canada to perform in the basement of Toronto's East End United Church. From there, the pair will head back stateside, wrapping the tour on September 27 in San Francisco, CA.
Tickets are on sale now. See the full routing below, and visit Concert Central for more upcoming Canadian shows.
ear 2026 Tour Dates:
09/12 New York, NY - East 34th Street Heliport *
09/16 Boston, MA - Arts at the Armory ~
09/17 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church %
09/19 Philadelphia, PA - Making Time ∞
09/23 Toronto, ON - East End United Church (Basement) ^
09/24 Chicago, IL - Epiphany Center for the Arts #
09/26 San Diego, CA - CRSSD
09/27 San Francisco, CA - Portola
* with NEW YORK, Bay Kell
~ with Oral
% with Slauson Malone 1, HappyDranker
^ with wackoes
# with Quiet Light
After the long list for the second annual SOCAN Polaris Song Prize was announced last month, those 20 songs have now officially been whittled down to five finalists.
Launched last year in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Polaris Music Prize and SOCAN's 100th anniversary, the Song Prize honours the Canadian song of the year based on artistic merit, awarding $10,000 to be split between the track's Canadian performers and credited songwriter(s). The inaugural edition of the prize went to Mustafa's "Gaza Is Calling."
Songs by Angine de Poitrine, Charlotte Cornfield, PUP, Patrick Watson & Martha Wainwright and Charlotte Day Wilson featuring Saya Gray remain in the running for the 2026 Song Prize. See the short list below, and stay tuned for the winner to be announced alongside the recipient of the Polaris Music Prize at the annual ceremony and concert at Toronto's Massey Hall on September 22.
Angine de Poitrine - Fabienk
Charlotte Cornfield - Hurts Like Hell
PUP - Hunger for Death
Patrick Watson & Martha Wainwright - House on Fire
Charlotte Day Wilson - Lean (feat. Saya Gray)
Live Loud — the national partnership between non-profit organizations Matthew Perry House and Make Music Matter — is returning to Toronto for its second year this fall for another live benefit concert to support mental health and substance use health initiatives.
Expanding this year to Massey Hall on September 10, the 2026 event will be hosted by actress and musician Lauren Ash and comedian Bruce McCulloch. The performers on the bill include the Strumbellas, Aysanabee, Julian Taylor, Tim Hicks, Crown Lands, the Washboard Union, Fefe Dobson, Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, Bif Naked, Hill Kourkoutis, Aaron Solowoniuk (Billy Talent), Menno Versteeg (Hollerado), Sekou Lumumba (Big Wreck), Todd Morse (the Offspring) and Cone McCaslin and Dave Baksh (Sum 41).
"My family and I are overwhelmed by the talent, emotion, and love for Matthew at last year's Live Loud," Caitlin Morrison, Executive Director, Matthew Perry House, shared in a release. "This year, we're getting even bigger, even louder, even livelier. And it's all because of artists and supporters who believe in the missions of Make Music Matter and Matthew Perry House. I can't possibly put my gratitude into words."
"The first Live Loud showed us we're at a turning point. People are ready to talk more openly about trauma and mental health," added Darcy Ataman, Founder and CEO of Make Music Matter. "I'm thrilled Live Loud 2026 is set to shine an even brighter light on the stigma and silence that still surrounds these issues. In concert with each other, we'll keep raising our voices until everyone has access to the support they need to heal."
Tickets are available to purchase now. The proceeds will be shared equally between the two charities.
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The Callous Daoboys have announced the Heaven Across North America Tour Part II, which will bring the band, as well as Kaonashi, Girl of Glass and Wielded Steel, to a pair of Canadian cities in September.
Kicking off in Atlanta on September 4 in support of HEALTH, the four bands will traverse the US through to mid-month, when they'll cross the border into Canada for shows in Montreal (September 12, Piranha Bar) and Toronto (September 13, East End United). From there, they'll head back stateside, completing the tour at the end of the month in Oklahoma City.
Tickets are on sale now. See the schedule below and head to Concert Central for more local show listings.
The Callous Daoboys 2026 Tour Dates:
09/04 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade (Heaven) ^
09/05 Greenville, SC - The Radio Room !
09/06 Norfolk, VA - The Annex !
09/08 Washington, D.C. - Union Stage !
09/09 Albany, NY - Empire Underground !
09/11 Worcester, MA - Palladium (Upstairs) !
09/12 Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar !
09/13 Toronto, ON - East End United !
09/14 Buffalo, NY - Rec Room !
09/16 Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme !
09/17 St. Louis, MO - Red Flag !
09/18 Chicago, IL - Douglass Park (Riot Fest)
09/19 Toledo, OH - Frankie's Inner City !
09/21 Springfield, MO - Regency Live !
09/22 Jackson, MS - Hal & Mals !
09/23 Little Rock, AR - Vino's !
09/24 Oklahoma City, OK - 89th Street !
^ with HEALTH
! with Kaonashi, Girl of Glass and Wielded Steel
Masked British rapper EsDeeKid — who in fact is not Timothée Chalamet, despite fan speculation — has booked a 48-date headlining tour that will take him across the US, Canada, the UK and Europe this fall and winter.
The Council House Rat Tour will begin in Charlotte, NC, on September 12. Days later, he'll head north of the border to play two Canadian dates at Montreal's MTELUS (September 21) and Toronto's REBEL (September 22), before continuing the rest of the North American leg stateside.
The European/UK trek will begin in November and end with two dates in Liverpool in December.
Presales will begin tomorrow (July 30) at 10 a.m. local time, which will be followed by general on-sale on Friday (July 31) at 10 a.m. local time. Check out the full list of dates below, and head over to Concert Central for more Canadian tour announcements.
EsDeeKid 2026 Tour Dates:
09/12 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte
09/13 Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Spring
09/15 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount
09/17 Boston, MA - Citizens House of Blues
09/19 Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia
09/21 Montreal, QC - MTELUS
09/22 Toronto, ON - REBEL
09/25 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit
09/26 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
09/27 Minneapolis, MN - Uptown Theater
09/29 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
09/30 Salt Lake City, UT - The Union Event Center
10/02 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
10/03 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
10/05 San Francisco, CA - The Masonic
10/07 Los Angeles. CA - Hollywood Palladium
10/10 Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
10/11 Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
10/12 San Diego, CA - SOMA
10/14 Albuquerque, NM - Revel Entertainment Center
10/16 Austin, TX - Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater
10/17 Dallas, TX - South Side Ballroom
10/18 Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
10/21 Fort Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live
10/22 St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
10/24 Atlanta, GA - Coca-Cola Roxy
10/25 Nashville, TN - The Truth
10/27 Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
11/02 Helsinki, Finland - House of Culture
11/05 Stockholm, Sweden - Fallan
11/06 Copenhagen, Denmark - K.B. Hallen
11/08 Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle
11/10 Warsaw, Poland - Global EXPO
11/12 Riga, Latvia - Palladium
11/13 Kaunas, Lithuania - Zalgiris Arena
11/15 Prague, Czech Republic - Forum Karlín
11/18 Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
11/21 Zurich, Switzerland - Halle622
11/23 Milan, Italy - Fabrique
11/25 Barcelona, Spain - Paral-lel 62
11/27 Paris, France - L'Olympia
11/29 Cologne, Germany - Palladium
11/30 Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS Live
12/03 London, UK - OVO Arena Wembley
12/06 Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena
12/07 Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
12/10 Liverpool, UK - Blackstone Street Warehouse
12/11 Liverpool, UK - Blackstone Street Warehouse
It's not because their comeback album ARIRANG was universally panned by critics — although rest assured, it was — but the biggest K-pop group in the world have announced that they'll be boycotting the 2027 Grammy Awards.
All seven members of BTS took to Instagram to share the same statement today. Translated from Korean, it reads: "We have decided not to submit to the Grammys this year. I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language. Thank you to ARMY and everyone who is always with us."
The messaging seems to be in reference to the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' introduction of Best Asian Pop Music Performance as one of five new categories being added to the 69th annual edition of the awards, which were announced last month; the idols' use of "region" and "language" feels significant, because the category specifies that eligible songs must include "meaningful use" of any Asian language.
That considered, their recent English-language hit "Swim," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, likely wouldn't be eligible for consideration. Having received five nominations to date (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Dynamite," "Butter" and Coldplay collaboration "My Universe," Album of the Year as a featured artist on Music of the Spheres, and Best Music Video for "Yet to Come"), BTS join the likes of Morgan Wallen, the Weeknd and Drake, who have all previously refused to submit their music to the Grammys.
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Kiwi Jr. and Dinosaur Jr. — two "Jr." bands that otherwise have nothing to do with each other — have officially gone toe-to-toe (stem-to-claw?). The name of the game? Songs called "Blowin' Up."
Today, Dinosaur Jr. have released their version as the latest preview of their forthcoming new album, There Near (out August 28 via Jagjaguwar). Fully committed to the bit, Kiwi Jr. are releasing a whole album entitled Blowin' Up via K Records on August 7, and shared its excellent title track back in May.
While Kiwi's explosiveness comes in the form of what I imagine it would sound like to play jangle pop on a hybrid guitar-chainsaw run through a caffeinated effects pedal, Dinosaur's approach is a little more prehistoric and lumbering, igniting in its mid-tempo punk scratchiness with a heavy helping of distortion.
The Torontonians' opening line — "We are legends of horror / With '70s breasts" — is admittedly hard to beat, but the long-running Amherst, MA-formed outfit take an easy swing at detonation with, "You're about as dumb as they come."
A propos of nothing, both Kiwi and Dinosaur Jr. were both formerly signed to Sub Pop. This would be even funnier if both, or at least one, still were.
Last year, nine women came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto. Now, more women have spoken out as part of the BBC's new documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret.
The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you believe you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct and are looking for support, consult the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime to find resources in your area.
A total of 10 women spoke in the documentary, with nine sharing their stories for the first time, and four accusing him of criminal sexual conduct.
UPDATE (7/29, 11:42 a.m. ET): Leto has now responded to the allegations. "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life," he said in a statement provided by his reps. "These claims are absolutely and categorically false."
Several of the criminal accusations involve underage girls: one woman said she had sex with Leto when she was 17, and that they had discussed the age of consent being 18 but that he had "shrugged it off"; another said that Leto sexually assaulted her in a motel bathroom at 17, while another said he made sexually explicit phone calls to her at age 16 and suggested they had sex. The fourth woman said she was 19 when Leto threatened her with sexual assault (although she had told him she was 17).
Other women told the BBC they received sexual phone calls from Leto when they were young, while one woman said Leto made a suggestive comment about her "rack" when she was 14 and told his security guard to bring her backstage. He allegedly repeated the comment when the girl's mother confronted him.
The incidents occurred between the years 2002 and 2016. Two men who worked with Thirty Seconds to Mars additionally said that staff members were uncomfortable about the way Leto would interact with teenage girls.
Leto's lawyer tried to get one of the girls he had explicit phone calls with to sign a non-disclosure agreement. She refused, and the BBC saw this document (along with texts and emails). According to the BBC, its reporters have "corroborated a number of the women's accounts with friends and family who were told about the encounters with Leto at the time. In some cases, we have also seen pictures and messages that support the women's accounts."
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Willie Nelson just released his 156th album, Dream Chaser. He's clearly a very busy, very prolific man — and, at 93, it feels unlawful that a musical hero would have to be so compelled to speak out against AI data centres, but I do thank him for it.
The songwriting legend has lived in Austin, TX, since 1972, but grew up in the small town of Abbott, TX, and someone's apparently planning on building a data centre nearby. Nelson published a statement condemning the proposal for these grotesque facilities that "only destroy the environment around them," which he shared on social media yesterday (July 28).
"I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night," he wrote. "And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centres invading our land. The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data centre anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter)."
Nelson continued:
The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land. All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn't steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers' livelihoods, and not data centres that only destroy the environment around them. Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let's not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the US and especially in Abbott.
The singer-songwriter's pleas echo Texas Governor Greg Abbott's recent call for a ban on data centre development in rural neighbourhoods after a previous proposal of data centre regulations, including adding new power generation to the grid and reusing their own water. This fall, Nelson is set to publish a book of reflections entitled The Last Leaf — and legislators shouldn't let it become a sad metaphor for his hometown's environmental losses.
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Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard of the Frames and the Swell Season has died at the age of 56.
The BBC reports that Hansard died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Dublin, which was reported to emergency services just before 4:30 a.m. this morning.
As well as music, Hansard was known as an actor. He had a role in the 1991 musical dramedy The Commitments before starring in 2007's Once. The latter film earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly" alongside co-writer/co-star Markéta Irglová (with whom he subsequently formed the Swell Season).
Beyond his bands, Hansard also had a solo career, most recently releasing All That Was East Is West of Me Now in 2023.
The Swell Season reunited for the album Forward in 2025, their first in 16 years.
Hansard is survived by his wife Maire Saaritsa, and their son, born in 2022.
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French electro-house producer and DJ Kavinsky, best known for his 2010 hit "Nightcall" — which soundtracked the Drive opening credits and became the most Shazamed song in a single day when it was performed at the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony — has died. He was 50.
The Paris prosecutor's office shared in a statement that the artist born Vincent Belorgey had been found dead at his home in the French capital, while local paper Le Figaro reported that he'd been complaining of headaches for several days, and authorities think he may have suffered a stroke. A cause of death has yet to be determined, but the prosecutor's office has opened an investigation and found "no suspicious elements" at the scene.
Born in Seine-Saint-Denis, the self-taught pianist began his music career in 2005 after years as an actor, inspired by his friends Jackson Fourgeaud (Jackson and His Computerband) and Quentin Dupieux (Mr. Oizo). The latter presented Belorgey's first single, "Testarossa Autodrive," to a label, which got Kavinsky signed with Record Makers. (The SebastiAn remix of the track went on to be featured in Grand Theft Auto IV and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.)
In his early years, Belorgey toured with the likes of Daft Punk, Justice, the Rapture and SebastiAn, and is now considered among them as part of the second wave of influential French Touch artists. He released "Nightfall" in collaboration with Lovefoxxx of CSS in 2010, and it was featured in the title sequence of the Ryan Gosling-led neo-noir thriller Drive the following year, prompting it to become a huge hit. Belorgey featured the song on his 2013 debut album, OutRun.
After going on hiatus for several years, Belorgey released his sophomore LP, Reborn, in 2022. As aforementioned, "Nightcall" got a second wind when he performed it with Phoenix and Angèle as part of the closing ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The resurgence in popularity led to the recording of a new official studio version with the live collaborators from the closing ceremony, which achieved Diamond certification from SNEP, reaching No. 3 on the French singles chart.
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Casual and Pep Love of Hieroglyphics have announced a cross-Canada tour this September.
Kicking off in Victoria on September 8, the trek will bring the pair across the country to stops in Kelowna, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Oshawa through to early October. Asun Eastwood and Daniel Son will join on select dates.
Check out the dates below, and head to Concert Central for more Canadian show listings.
Casual 2026 Tour Dates:
09/08 Victoria, BC - Studio 919
09/11 Kelowna, BC - Revelry
09/13 Calgary, AB - Commonwealth
09/14 Edmonton, AB - Double Dragon
09/16 Winnipeg, MB - Sidestage
09/28 Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount
09/29 Ottawa, ON - The 27 Club
09/30 Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
10/01 Oshawa, ON - Biltmore Theatre
Honey Jam will bolster the artists that make up its 2026 season at its 31st annual showcase.
Happening at TD Music Hall (178 Victoria Street) on August 20, the show will feature 20 cross-Canadian artists playing an array of genres. The festivities will be hosted by Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe, and will feature beats from DJs Killa Kels and Mrii.
The artists performing at the 2026 concert include Ahsia, Aiyana, Dayana, Evie Mastren, Freya Milliken, Jessica Spurrell, Silver Fae, Mars Aspen, Maya Gamzu, Miranda Carlin, Nicole Lazunov, Oh Alice, Perswasian, Posic, Hanna Jones, Saraphina Knights, Sonaali and Tea Valentina. Feura and Getchnah will appear as guest artists, and the Honey Jam house band will provide instrumental accompaniment.
Ticket purchases will help the Honey Jam continue to uplift young women in music, allowing them to learn about the industry while providing performance, networking and educational opportunities.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.
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Celebrating three decades of independent Canadian hip-hop, Toronto-based label Hand'Solo Records has enlisted three generations of underground rap for a cross-country Canadian tour, which will be headlined by Vancouver's Moka Only, Copper Cliff rapper Mickey O'Brien and Prairie rap vet Epic.
The tour will begin in Vancouver on August 19. They'll play shows across Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick throughout the month, and will wrap up the outing at Halifax's Seahorse Tavern on August 29. They'll be joined by local and regional acts at each stop.
The anniversary celebrations are also promoting volume four of Basements of Badmen, Hand'Solo's signature compilation series that features Moka Ony, Epic, O'Brien and other frequent collaborators. Its second single, "Dead Words" from Truro, NS, rap group Hip Club Groove, is available to listen to now.
Tickets for select dates are on sale via Tixert. See the schedule below, and head over to Concert Central for more Canadian tour announcements.
Moka Only, Mickey O'Brien and Epic 2026 Tour Dates:
08/19 Vancouver, BC - At the Waldorf
08/20 Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room
08/21 Calgary, AB - Juliet's Castle
08/22 Saskatoon, SK - Black Cat
08/24 London, ON - Supply & Demand
08/25 Toronto, ON - The Rivoli
08/26 Sudbury, ON - The Townehouse
08/27 Montreal, QC - Muzique
08/28 Saint John, NB - Wasted Day
08/29 Halifax, NS - The Seahorse
A man who needs no introduction, Tom Morello has announced the forthcoming release of his first solo rock album — Everyone Gets Everything They Want, out September 25 on Mom+Pop — featuring appearances from Serj Tankian, Kneecap, Beartooth and Roman Morello.
In addition to sharing lead single "Date Night," the Rage Against the Machine guitarist has also announced a limited run of North American tour dates for this fall and early 2027 — the latter including a performance in Prince Albert and a smattering of Alberta concerts. The stint on the road begins September 18 in Nashville, TN. Following US gigs through the beginning of October, Morello will pick things up again Canadian-style on March 2 at Medicine Hat's Esplanade.
Additional Alberta appearances come at Camrose's Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre (March 3), Lloydminster's Vic Juba Community Theatre (March 5) and Fort Saskatchewan's Dow Centennial Centre (March 6) before the performances wrap at Prince Albert's E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts on March 8.
Tickets are on sale now. See the full tour itinerary and album tracklist details below. Check out Concert Central for more upcoming Canadian shows.
Everyone Gets Everything They Want:
1. Beth from Electronics
2. Everyone Gets Everything They Want
3. Adjourn It (feat. Serj Tankian & Roman Morello)
4. I Am Not Yours to Command
5. Soldier in the Army of Love
6. Unconquered (feat. Kneecap)
7. Date Night
8. The Last Rung on the Ladder
9. Everything Burns (feat. Beartooth)
10. Pretend You Remember Me
11. Untethered
12. They Can't Kill Us All
Tom Morello 2026–2027 Tour Dates:
09/18 Nashville, TN - Cannery Hall
09/19 Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life
09/20 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave/Eagles Club
10/03 Washington, D.C. - Power to the People 2026
03/02 Medicine Hat, AB - The Esplanade
03/03 Camrose, AB - Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre
03/05 Lloydminster, AB - Vic Juba Community Theatre
03/06 Fort Saskatchewan, AB - Dow Centennial Centre
03/08 Prince Albert, SK - E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts
Arizona-born singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun has announced a headlining tour in support of their forthcoming new album Hope Is a Heavy Thing (out September 25).
The trek will begin in Dallas, TX, on October 5. They'll make their way over to the West Coast in the days following, and will pop up to Vancouver to play a lone Canadian gig at the Hollywood Theatre on October 29 before continuing the rest of the tour stateside.
Presale tickets are live now, and general on-sale will begin on Friday (July 31) at 10 a.m. local time. See the schedule below, and head over to Concert Central for more Canadian tour announcements.
Joy Oladokun 2026 Tor Dates:
10/05 Dallas, TX - State Fair of Texas 2026
10/16 Houston, TX - The Heights Theater *
10/17 Austin, TX - Scoot Inn *
10/20 Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom *
10/21 San Diego, CA - The Observatory North Park *
10/23 Los Angeles, CA - The Bellwether *
10/25 San Francisco, CA - Castro Theatre *
10/27 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater *
10/29 Vancouver, BC - Hollywood Theatre *
10/30 Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre *
11/02 Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex - The Grand !
11/04 Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre !
11/06 Lawrence, KS - The Granada Theater ^
11/07 St. Paul, MN - Palace Theatre ^
11/08 Chicago, IL - The Vic Theatre ^
11/11 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw Concerts ^
11/12 Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall ^
11/13 Washington, D.C. - Howard Theatre ^
11/15 Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom ^
11/17 Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre ^
11/18 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse ^
11/19 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium ^ !
* with Madeline Edwards
^ with Nat Myers
! with Houston Kendrick
A. G. Cook just proved that he can make rock music, and now Charli xcx's right-hand man has produced an album for an honest-to-goodness rock band: DIIV.
A post on Reddit reveals that fans have received a business card in the mail. ZIRP! will be out October 30 through Fantasy Records, with production handled by Cook.
There's a QR code on the back, leading to diiv.net/zirp (a subpage of DIIV's official website, proving that the business card is indeed legit). The website promises, "This is the new alternative. A new genre for the 21st century." There's also a hotline.
Beyond that, there's no confirmed information from the spelling-averse group, but more details are sure to arrive in the coming weeks and months.
DIIV's album Frog in Boiling Water came out in 2024. Cook produced Charli xcx's album Music, Fashion, Film, which came out just last week.
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Acclaimed psychedelic folk singer-songwriter Linda Perhacs — who rose to fame with her 1970 cult classic debut album Parallelograms — has been reported missing.
UPDATE (7/30, 9:13 a.m. ET): Perhacs has reportedly been found. After The Daily Mail reported that a rep for the LAPD said they'd located the singer-songwriter yesterday (July 29), her Instagram account has posted an update saying the singer-songwriter has been found "safe and in a new care facility."
"We will share any further updates as they become available," the post added.
Yesterday (July 27), the 82-year-old artist's former manager Laurel Stearns posted on Perhacs's Instagram page, asking fans for help locating the musician. According to Stearns, friends and collaborators have not been able to get in contact with the singer-songwriter since eight months ago, when she was discharged from the assisted living facility in San Fernando Valley, CA, where she had resided for eight years, under the supervision of her legal guardian.
Stearns — who managed Perhacs from 2013 to 2016, working on the release of her 2014 sophomore album The Soul of All Natural Things — told Pitchfork that she had filed a missing persons report with the Los Angeles Police Department on June 6. The LAPD reportedly investigated the matter, but were not able to share Perhacs's status with Stearns or any other friends without legal ties to the musician.
Stearns's original post was circulated by the likes of Julia Holter and DubLab co-founder Mark "Frosty" McNeill. In a follow-up post, Perhacs's guitarist and co-producer Fernando Perdomo said that her friends and collaborators have reported her missing to Adult Protective Services.
"We've all been in touch with [Perhacs] since she's been in a home for memory care, and we even performed with her two years ago for her 80th birthday party," Perdomo said in a video. "Basically about six weeks ago, I did a podcast called The Dolls podcast with Abigail Devoe, and I was excited to talk to [Perhacs], so I gave her a call and found out that she had been moved out by her next of kin, and because of California law they can't tell us where she is. Well, her next of kin's number, which we had — we used to have contact with him — he's not answering phone calls, and I think he might have blocked us, which is really, really weird."
Anyone with any information on Perhacs's whereabouts is urged to email Stearns at lstearns@primarywave.com.
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