The long list for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize has been unveiled.
The 40 albums nominated for Canada's album prize were selected from a pool of 202 records, voted on by Polaris's 205-member jury.
Past winners Kaytranada, Tanya Tagaq and Daphni's Dan Snaith (who has previously won as Caribou) have made it back onto the ballot, as have past Heritage Prize winners Peaches and Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Last year's shortlisters Bibi Club and Lou-Adriane Cassidy have also returned. The 2026 long list marks the first nomination for 13 of the considered artists.
Polaris jurors will vote from the long list to determine the 10 albums that will move onto the short list. From there, the winner of the 2026 album prize will be determined, with the artist awarded $30,000 courtesy of the Slaight Music Foundation.
The Polaris Music Prize short list will be announced July 9, with the award ceremony happening September 22. See the whole list of nominees below.
2026 Polaris Music Prize Long List:
Angine de Poitrine - Vol. II
Aquakultre - 1783
Baby Nova - Shhugar
The Beaches - No Hard Feelings
Begonia - Fantasy Life
Bibi Club - Amaro
Boy Golden - Best of Our Possible Lives
Mariel Buckley - Strange Trip Ahead
Lou-Adriane Cassidy - Triste animal
Ora Cogan - Hard Hearted Woman
cootie catcher - Something We All Got
Charlotte Cornfield - Hurts Like Hell
Daphni - Butterfly
Nadah El Shazly - Laini Tani
Dominique Fils-Aimé - My World Is the Sun
Foxwarren - 2
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Laughter in Summer
Holy Fuck - Event Beat
Home Front - Watch It Die
JayWood - LEO NEGRO
Rochelle Jordan - Through the Wall
Kaytranada - AIN'T NO DAMN WAY!
Catherine Leduc - Les jours où il neige à tous les postes
Les Louanges - Alouette!
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus
Tami Neilson - Neon Cowgirl
No Joy - Bugland
Ouri - Daisy Cutter
Peaches - No Lube So Rude
PONY - Clearly Cursed
Propagandhi - At Peace
PUP - Who Will Look After the Dogs?
Julianna Riolino - Echo in the Dust
Shad - Start Anew
Slash Need - SIT & GRIN
Arielle Soucy - Passages
Tanya Tagaq - Saputjiji
TOBi - For Good Measure (at Dreamhouse Studios)
Katie Tupper - Greyhound
Charlotte Day Wilson - Patchwork
Niagara hardcore punk band Reality Denied have been announced as Balmora's replacement for the Counterparts 905 day show in Hamilton.
The lineup change comes following Balmora's breakup, only three days after the release of their debut album, due to allegations of grooming against their guitar player, Jay Torblaa.
On June 1, it was announced Torblaa would be stepping away from the band, and then the next day, a representative for Balmora told Loudwire that they weren't going to be making their next scheduled appearances.
In the midst of everything, bass player Danny Cueno made a statement on the band's Instagram Story, condemning Torblaa's actions and ending by shouting out all the promoters who have booked them and thanking everyone who "fucks with us on some real shit."
Cueno later confirmed that he wrote the statement, and that the band was done, saying he "[doesn't] real fuck with all this weirdo shit. My fault slimes. I'm out [sic]," clearly respecting the seriousness of the allegations.
It's shocking that a band known for touring with Poison the Well and Converge before ever releasing their first album would just implode like this within days — but some would argue the situation was characteristic of hardcore.
One of the spots left empty by Balmora's implosion was their opening slot on the Counterparts show in Hamilton on September 5. The supporting lineup was initially billed with I Promised the World, A Mourning Star and Balmora, but now another Ontario hardcore act have stepped up to save the day.
Reality Denied were announced as the replacement on Instagram. The comments are filled with the local hardcore community celebrating, and Reality Denied posted themselves "RD on tha big state thank you @counterpartsband."
The 905 Day show is happening at The Music Hall in Hamilton on September 5. Get there early and support some real Niagara Hardcore.
Reality Denied's last release, 2023's …Comes with a Price, is five tracks of pure, ignorant, peak beatdown. If you're into violent, tough guy hardcore, this is the band for you.
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Has anyone said anything about the synergistic timing of Angine de Poitrine's stratospheric rise to fame and polka dots being a huge fashion trend? I'm not sure if you've noticed, but even the chic fashion girlies are looking pretty Ange-coded these days.
Although he's notably not one to bandwagon (see: Metallica v. Napster, Inc.), Metallica's Lars Ulrich is also seeing spots quite literally everywhere and anywhere. In Exclaim!'s latest cover story, Sam Murdock, an art director and layout designer who works with the Saguenay microtonal duo via label Spectacles Bonzaï, revealed that the Metallica drummer travelled all the way to Amiens, France — a two-hour drive from Paris — to see (the real) Angine perform at a 250-capacity venue last month.
"I can't text [the band] every single day," said Murdock, "but you sort of pinch yourself. Who flies, like, 4,000 miles to go see [Angine] on a Wednesday? It's Lars. He could be on a guest list for any band anywhere in the world. But it was sort of magic that he decided to go see that one band."
Ulrich had reportedly watched the show from by the sound booth, air drumming throughout the set — and the band had no idea until he showed up to meet them afterward.
"Lars shook a couple of hands, trying to be low-key," Murdock recalled. "But it's hard to be low-key in that case. It's not a big delegation, no bodyguard, just casual. And the funny thing is that they [Angine] did not know he was coming. So they play their show and even that night, they were opening for another band. After the show, they're backstage and he shows up and they're like, 'Okay, we've cracked the matrix."
Check out some video and photographic evidence of the matrix-cracking below, and read Exclaim!'s full Angine de Poitrine cover story here.
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In addition to releasing an expanded deluxe version of 2025's Like Plasticine last month, Melbourne singer-songwriter Gordi has apparently made a new EP entitled Nylon — recorded to tape with a nylon string guitar and sold exclusively on vinyl at the shows on her spring tour of Australia.
However, she's now announced that she'll be bringing this new material (and some copies of the record) to North America on a fall tour, which will include three Canadian gigs. It kicks off on September 10 in Los Angeles, CA, and will see the artist perform solo at the Cobalt in Vancouver (September 16), Toronto's Sound Garage (September 30) and Montreal's Casa del Popolo (October 1).
Tickets go on general sale tomorrow (June 12) at 10 a.m. local time, with presales ongoing using the code NYLON. Find the full itinerary and the first song from the EP to go online, "Forget About Dying," below, and make your way over to Concert Central for information on more upcoming Canadian shows.
Gordi 2026 Tour Dates:
09/10 Los Angeles, CA - Zebulon
09/11 San Francisco, CA - 4 Star Theater
09/13 Portland, OR - Swan Dive
09/16 Vancouver, BC - The Cobalt
09/17 Seattle, WA - Baba Yaga
09/19 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
09/20 Denver, CO - Lost Lake Lounge
09/26 Chicago, IL - Sleeping Village
09/30 Toronto, ON - Sound Garage
10/01 Montreal, QC - Casa del Popolo
10/02 Boston, MA - The Lilypad
10/03 New York, NY - TV Eye
Athens, GA-formed hey, nothing — the duo of best friends Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips — announced their major-label debut album Hound (due August 21 via Music Soup / Interscope Records) just yesterday (June 10), and now they've shared plans for a fall North American tour behind the project, including Canadian stops in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.
The stint on the road kicks off on September 22 in Asheville, NC, with the band set to make their way across the border into Canada the following month, first for a Vancouver gig at the Hollywood Theatre on October 6. After continuing to make their way across the US, they'll return to Canadian turf to play Toronto's Opera House (October 18) and Montreal's Studio TD (October 20) ahead of wrapping the run with a hometown show on October 30.
Tickets are on sale today at 10 a.m. local time. Check out the full schedule of dates — plus the video for "Arteries," the lead single from the album — below, and visit Concert Central for more on upcoming Canadian shows.
hey, nothing 2026 Tour Dates:
09/22 Asheville, NC - Eulogy
09/24 Louisville, KY - Bourbon & Beyond Festival
09/26 Dallas, TX - Echo Lounge & Music Hall
09/27 Austin, TX - Scoot Inn
09/29 Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
10/01 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
10/02 San Francisco, CA - August Hall
10/04 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
10/06 Vancouver, BC - Hollywood Theatre
10/07 Seattle, WA - Neumos
10/09 Salt Lake City, UT - Soundwell
10/11 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
10/13 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
10/14 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
10/16 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge
10/17 Detroit, MI - Saint Andrews Hall
10/18 Toronto, ON - Opera House
10/20 Montreal, QC - Studio TD
10/21 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
10/23 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
10/24 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts (TLA)
10/26 Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
10/27 Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend
10/30 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
Norwick, UK-hailing indie quartet Brown Horse are heading back to North America once again for a tour in support of this year's Total Dive.
The new US/Canada leg will include both supporting and headlining dates, and will officially begin in Brooklyn, NY, on August 29.
A few days later, they'll gallop their way up to Canada for shows at Montreal's Beanfield Theatre (September 3), Ottawa's History (September 4) and Toronto's History (September 5) in the days following. They'll be supporting Houndmouth on all three Canadian dates.
Brown Horse will play several more US dates throughout September before heading back to the UK for more shows in October.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow (June 12). Check out the schedule below, and head over to Concert Central for more Canadian tour announcements.
Brown Horse 2026 Tour Dates:
08/29 Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool
08/30 Brooklyn, NY - Union Pool
09/01 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Showcase Lounge
09/03 Montreal, QC - Beanfield Theatre*
09/04 Ottawa, ON - History *
09/05 Toronto, ON - History *
09/07 Philadelphia, PA - MilkBoy
09/08 Washington, D.C. - Songbyrd
09/10 Greensboro, NC - The Pyrle ^
09/11 Columbia, SC - The Senate ^
09/12 Asheville, NC - Burial Beer Forestry Camp^
09/14 Charlotte, NC - Snug Harbor
09/16 Atlanta, GA - Smith's Olde Bar
09/18 Nashville, TN - The Blue Room (Americanafest)
09/20 Berwyn, IL - Fitzgerald's Sidebar
09/22 St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill Duck Room
09/24 Houston, TX - Big Top
09/25 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
09/26 Austin, TX - Mohawk Indoors
* with Houndmouth
^ with Drive-By Truckers
mgk is performing at Toronto's RBC Amphitheatre with Wiz Khalifa this Sunday (June 14), and it's now been announced that the city is getting a merch pop-up on the day of the show.
Fans (buds? Because he is weed?) can hit up the Academy at 80 Atlantic Avenue from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (or while quantities last) to get their hands on exclusive lost americana tour merch, as well as photo opps inspired by the artist's most recent single, the Fred Durst-featuring "fix ur face," gift with purchases (while supplies last) and 27 Club Coffee, mgk's own Cleveland-based brand.
Those who purchase mgk trucker hats can also get them airbrushed for free, and anyone who visits the pop-up within its first hour of opening will be given the chance to enter to win free pit tickets for the concert. Check out the full details below, and keep an ear out for Bob Dylan.
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Connecticut hardcore vets Hatebreed have announced that they've signed with BLKIIBLK for a new album on the way, as well as confirming additional overseas dates for their fall European tour — that seems to no longer feature support from Baltimore's End It.
If you've been living under a rock, you may have missed the banana incident: while opening for Terror at Toronto's Lithuanian House last Friday (June 5), End It frontman Akil Godsey took issue with an attendee being dressed in a sparkly banana suit, and offered the setlist to anyone willing to "strip the banana."
The banana man later took to Instagram to express the irony of being called out for attending a show in the nonconformist genre, calling it "exactly opposite of what hardcore is supposed to be."
This story has swept the internet, splitting the hardcore community. Many people are of the opinion that you shouldn't go to a show (especially dressed as a giant fruit) without expecting to get beat up, while others feel that Godsey siccing other concertgoers on the banana man was uncalled for.
As Jesea Lee pointed out, when Hatebreed's tour was first announced, End It were on the bill alongside Life of Agony, and the latter are now the only support act listed on the updated poster. Neither the headlining act nor the promoter has commented on the change.
Additionally, per Lambgoat, End It appear to have deactivated their Facebook page. Their other social media profiles remain active.
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Country songwriter Rebekah Hawker is embarking on a scattered tour of Canada, which will see her play shows in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
The tour will begin in Orleans, ON, at Stray Dog Brewing on June 13. From there, Hawker will play Chelsea, QC, before playing Toronto, Trenton and Sebright, ON, and then heading westbound.
After playing the Heatley in Vancouver on July 2, the musician will play Duncan, Port Alberni, and Courtenay, BC, then head to Edmonton and Yellowknife. The jaunt will end at Summerfolk Music Festival in Owen Sound on August 21.
Today, Hawker has also shared the single "Taking a Look In." Listen to it, and check out the full run of tour dates below. Tickets are on sale now, and can be found on Hawker's website.
Rebekah Hawker 2026 Tour Dates:
06/13 Orleans, ON - Stray Dog Brewing
06/14 Chelsea, QC - Motel Chelsea
06/18 Toronto, ON - Burdock Music Hall
06/26 Trenton, ON - Old Church Theatre
06/28 Sebright, ON - Farmfest
07/02 Vancouver, BC - The Heatley
07/03 Duncan, BC - 39 Days of July
07/04 Port Alberni, BC - House Concert
07/07 Courtenay, BC - Gladstone Brewing
07/15 Edmonton, AB - House Concert
07/17 Yellowknife, NT - Folk on The Rocks Festival
08/21 Owen Sound, ON - Summerfolk Music Festival
Wavelength's Summer Thing is returning to Toronto's Trillium Park (955 Lake Shore Blvd West) on August 16 for another year of all-ages music and arts programming.
Performing the 2026 edition of the one-day festival are Shad, Absolute Treat, CJ Wiley, TAURO, Janette King, Bells Larsen, Sister Ray, Diar ( ْدَيار) and Maracatu Mar Aberto. This year's edition introduces a second stage in addition to the main stage.
In addition to musical programming, the Sonic Boom-co-hosted waterfront event will also feature food, drink (licensed and otherwise) and craft vendors, as well as interactive art installations and campfire hangs.
As always, Wavelength Summer Thing is free to attend. RSVP here.
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Returning to Two Rivers Stadium at Syl Apps Community Centre in Paris, ON, on August 14 and 15, Paris Drinks Fest has unveiled its lineup of 2026 performers.
July Talk and the Strumbellas will headline on Friday and Saturday, respectively, with Tanika Charles, Loviet, Thunder Queens, Gizmo, Born in the Eighties, Absolute Treat, and Glimmerjean & Goode joining the festivities throughout the weekend.
As the name suggests, in addition to musical programming, the fest will offer wares from over 25 food and beverage vendors, including drinks from local breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries.
Weekend and single-day passes to the outdoor, 19-plus event are on sale now.
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Sudbury's Up Here Festival has just dropped the first wave of artists set to play the Northern Ontario city from August 14–16.
Sadboi, Sook-Yin Lee, Miesha and the Spanks, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Quinton Barnes, Tedy, Weird Nightmare, Boyhood, Status/Non Status, John from Dawson, Hologramme, Boutique Feelings, Lennie Rayen, Grief Debt and Samwoy are among the first acts announced for the festivities.
The theme of this year's festival is "Wake Up Now," which invites attendees to "unplug from what is keeping us dormant and harness the power of a fresh perspective," as per press notes.
Alongside the performances, Up Here will turn Downtown Sudbury into an interactive art exhibit, including visual installations by Allison Roberts and Cell Driver, murals by June, La Pupila, Miskopwagan Asin, Cat Hexes and more. Attendees can also expect surprise Pop-Up shows in unconventional spaces throughout all three dates, the Le Crac Pop-Up Bar, free Family Day programming on Saturday and the coveted Mystery Tour on Sunday.
Weekend passes, day passes and single-event tickets are all available for purchase now. Admission for kids under 12 is free. More information can be found on Up Here's website.
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Roberto Carlos Lange (Helado Negro) and Fabi Reyna (Reyna Tropical) have announced that they'll be joining forces as Helado Tropical for a self-titled album (out July 17 via Psychic Hotline), as well as a North American tour — including Canadian stops in Toronto and Montreal
The duo's stint on the road will begin on Canadian soil, supporting CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso at Toronto's History on June 23 and Montreal's MTELUS on June 26, plus a pair of stateside gigs in Detroit and Boston. Then, in August, Helado Tropical will embark on a North American headlining trek, wrapping up on November 26 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Tickets for the shows with CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso are on sale now, while those for the headline appearances become available Friday (June 12) at 10 a.m. local time. Check out the full schedule of dates below, plus Concert Central for more upcoming Canadian shows.
Helado Tropical 2026 Tour Dates:
06/23 Toronto, ON - History *
06/24 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore *
06/26 Montreal, QC - MTELUS *
06/27 Boston, MA - MGM Music Hall at Fenway *
08/12 San Diego, CA - Epstein Family Amphitheater
08/13 Los Angeles, CA - The Ford
08/15 San Francisco, CA - Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
08/18 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre
08/19 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
08/22 Mill River, NC - Hazy Hideaway Festival
09/10 Chicago, IL - Plantasia
10/23 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
10/25 Queens, NY - Knockdown Center
11/08 Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
11/10 Denver, CO - Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom
11/12 Dallas, TX - The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
11/13 Austin, TX - Mohawk
11/14 McAllen, TX - The Gremlin
11/16 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live Midtown
11/18 Atlanta, GA - The Loft
11/20 Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live
11/21 Miami, FL - ZeyZey Miami
11/26 Mexico City, Mexico - Lunario
* with CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso
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Yes, "Harmony Hall" is the name of a Vampire Weekend song, but it's also the name of one of the hottest new destinations for live music just 35 minutes north of Downtown Toronto.
The 105-year-old Vandorf Community Hall — located at 14663 Woodbine Avenue, east of Aurora in the hamlet of Vandorf, ON, just minutes off Highway 404 — is a restored heritage site that opened as a hub for live music, comedy, community events and cultural programming in October 2024.
Beneath sky-high ceilings, the warm wood-panelled venue holds 150 people, and will host a slate of exciting shows in the previously underserved area in the coming months, bringing together audiences from across the York Region and GTA to connect with artists they love.
Visit Concert Central for more Canadian tour announcements, show listings, live reviews and more.
Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar)
June 25
Buy tickets here
With his band's 1993 record 500 Pounds lauded by Jack White as the "best blues-based record ever to come out of Canada," Winnipeg-born Gordie Johnson is a certified homegrown legend. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the singer-songwriter dedicated himself to performing online (and breaking down his process in the "GJ in the SoundShack" YouTube series) before he was able to return to the road with his acoustic one-man show, which brings his catalogue to life, emphasizing Big Sugar's foundational blues and folk influences.
Wheatus
August 8
Buy tickets here
Spiritually still just a teenage dirtbag, baby? Even at your big age? You won't want to miss Wheatus performing their timeless anthems live; it feels even better than performing them yourself at karaoke!
Ashley MacIsaac
August 16
Buy tickets here
The acclaimed Cape Breton fiddler is currently suing Google after the search engine's AI overview falsely identified him as a sex offender last year. More importantly, however, Ashley MacIsaac is heralded as pre-millennial Atlantic Canada's foremost musical representative and one of the country's most renowned musicians ever.
Altered by Mom
September 5
Buy tickets here
If you've ever made a "your mom" joke, you're morally obligated to repay your debt to society by checking out one of the Toronto pop-punk power trio's exhilarating live performances. It's the least you can do (and you'll definitely walk away with one of their earworm hooks stuck in your head).
The Grapes of Wrath (acoustic duo)
October 16
Buy tickets here
As the saying goes, pressure makes diamonds. In the late-1980s/early-1990s, the Grapes of Wrath were facing a ton of it; the haters thought nothing good could ever come out of Kelowna, but they made it happen — and all without having read the John Steinbeck novel! While all three of the current members still perform together, Tom Hooper and Kevin Kane's acoustic duo performances strip the hits down to their bones.
John Muirhead
October 23
Buy tickets here
Fans of Noah Kahan are bound to feel a stick season synergy with Toronto-based indie folk troubadour John Muirhead's open-hearted songcraft. Not all who wander are lost, but the winding path that has led him to the release of his new album, The Nomad & The Never-Ending Road (out July 21), seems written in the stars.
Joel Plaskett (solo)
October 25
Buy tickets here
What is there to say about Joel Plaskett that hasn't already been said, probably by Max Kerman of Arkells? Whether rockin' with his band the Emergency or flying solo, the Nova Scotian singer-songwriter has a sterling record as one of the nation's finest, from his early days in Thrush Hermit all the way through to last year's star-studded Songs from the Gang tribute album, which reimagined some of his work in honour of his 50th birthday. Say it with me: 50 more years!
The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and MusicOntario have partnered to launch LIVE Music Toronto, a new collective that aims to represent and strengthen the city's independent live music sector.
The initiative will support independent venues, festivals, promoters and presenters across for-profit and non-profit sectors, while also providing a collective voice on local policy, resources and long-term sustainability of these spaces for both audiences and artists seeking to connect with live music.
LIVE Music Toronto will serve as an addition to the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA), mirroring the models of Les SMAQ in Quebec, the Music Venue Trust in the UK and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) in the US.
The ticketing platform Tixr will also join the collective as a founding sponsor, which marks the "first formal association dedicated solely to the local independent live sector in Toronto."
"CIMA members know that a thriving local live scene sets up the entire music ecosystem for success," President and CEO of CIMA Andrew Cash shared in a release. "With the creation of the LIVE Music Toronto membership tier within CIMA not only are live sector independents in that city connecting to each other, there is now a bridge between them and the broader CIMA community of music companies, which include labels, managers, publishers and artists themselves."
Owner and operator of Toronto's Garrison and the Baby G, Shaun Bowring, added, "Toronto's independent live venues mobilized to generate significant support during the pandemic, including the City of Toronto's creation of a property tax exemption for music venues. It's fantastic to see the establishment of LIVE Music Toronto as a formal initiative with the support of CIMA and MusicOntario."
"As both an independent venue and promoter, we are often operating in a vacuum," programmer of DROM Taberna and its arm in•summer Camille Neirynck-Guerrero said. "Being a part of LIVE Music Toronto has already hugely expanded both our community and our access to resources and networking — just through connecting us with our neighbours right here in Toronto."
The criteria for LIVE Music Toronto require that its members are Canadian-owned, controlled and operated in Toronto. Additionally, members must work outside of a major institutional ecosystem, and cannot be owned or operated by the municipal, provincial or federal governments.
Independent venues or presenters interested in joining the collective can fill out this form here.
You can find more information on CIMA and MusicOntario's respective websites.
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Ahead of Festival of Friends' 50th anniversary edition (July 31–August 2), organizers have unveiled the lineup for a special, one-night event of "intimate story, song and conversation," taking place June 25 at Hamilton's Westdale Theatre.
The concert will boast performances by Hawksley Workman, Tom Wilson, Marc Jordan, Jim Witter, Harrison Kennedy, Suzie McNeil, the Redhill Valleys, Melissa Marchese, Tomi Swick, Jamie Oakes, Chris Chambers, Jon Harvey, Jacob Moon, Mike McCurlie, Alfie Smith, Bianca Bernardi and more. Music historian/radio personality Alan Cross will host.
Tickets are available here.
While the festival proper has not yet announced the lineup for its golden anniversary, General Manager Robert Rakoczy promises "some huge names, and a lot of special guests." Stay tuned for more info.
"It is an honour to be a caretaker of this incredible institution," Rakoczy added. "I think sometimes Hamilton can take for granted what a treasure this event is, and we're hoping to provide a gentle reminder with this night of music."
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Burlington, ON's summer concert series Music in the Garden is returning to the Royal Botanical Gardens for its third edition, and organizers have revealed the lineup for the three shows taking place this July and August.
Presented by Noisemaker, Music in the Garden promises an open-air concert experience with some of Canada's most celebrated live performers. The series will kick off with a show from Dan Mangan and Joel Plaskett on July 2, and Sam Roberts will be joined by Talia Schlanger later that month on July 15.
Returning once more in August, Music in the Garden will welcome the Sheepdogs playing with Chloë Doucet on August 13.
"This series has always been about creating a space where people can slow down, take in incredible live music, and experience artists in a setting that feels close and connected," a representative from Noisemaker shared in a release.
Tickets are available to purchase now, and you can find the schedule below.
07/02 Dan Mangan and Joel Plaskett
07/15 Sam Roberts Band with Talia Schlanger
08/13 The Sheepdogs with Chloë Doucet
After 18 years, organizers behind Victoria's beloved Rifflandia have announced that they're pulling the plug on the festival.
Rifflandia founders Nick Blasko and Casey Austin announced the news across their social media channels and on the event's website, explaining that they'd hoped at least to be able to put on one final iteration of the fest this September, but "the realities of producing the festival we love made that impossible."
"Despite the joy it brought and the millions of dollars it helped circulate through our local economy, the festival was never profitable," they wrote. "Every year, ticket prices covered only a portion of the true cost of producing the experience we believed Victoria deserved, and we continued because we loved what Riff represented and hoped the audience would one day grow enough to sustain it."
Rising costs and the loss of access to a venue that could support the festival were key contributing factors in its demise, the founders explained. In the letter Blasko and Austin shared on the Riff website, they added:
As a family, and as a company, we're feeling a lot of grief as we let the festival go. It's only natural as we are saying goodbye to something we love. We expect there will be some strong feelings out there while this news sinks in. For now, we'll let things sit. But, as those who know us can well attest, we're not a family that's the greatest at sitting still. We're positive that our team at Rifflandia will continue to reach for ways to connect locally through joy, art, and belonging. It's what we love to do, and we love our city.
Since it first launched in 2008, Rifflandia has hosted countless marquee-name performers and become an end-of-summer tradition for much of the local community. Blasko and Ausin are inviting folks to share photos, videos, stories and memories in a memory bank.
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The cast of Letterkenny are reuniting for another original live show early next year, which will take them across the US and Canada from February to March 2027.
According to a post shared on Instagram, the new show will include "never-seen-before sketches and material from nine of your favourite Letterkenny buds," Jared Kesso, Nathan Dales, Michelle Mylett, K. Trevor Wilson, Dylan Playfair, Andrew Herr, Tyler Johnston, Evan Stern and Mark Forward.
The tour will begin at the Great Canadian Casino in Toronto on February 4, and they'll play Orillia's Casino Rama a day later (February 5).
After several US dates, the cast will return to Canada for shows at Vancouver's Orpheum (March 2), Calgary's Grey Eagle Casino Event Centre (March 6), Edmonton's EXPO Centre (March 7) and Winnipeg's Canada Life Centre (March 10), before concluding the tour stateside.
Presales will begin on June 15 at 12 p.m. local time, followed by the general sale on June 19 at 10 a.m. local time. See the schedule below.
Letterkenny Live 2027 Tour Dates:
02/04 Toronto, ON - The Theatre at Great Canadian
02/05 Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
02/06 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
02/08 St. Louis, MO - The Fabulous Fox Theatre
02/09 Milwaukee, WI - Miller High Life Theatre
02/11 Philadelphia, PA - The Liacouras Center
02/12 Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
02/13 New York, NY - Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden
02/15 Nashville, TN - Opry House
02/16 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
02/18 Cedar Park, TX - H-E-B Center
02/19 Sugar Land, TX - Smart Financial Centre
02/21 Allen, TX - Credit Union of Texas Event Centre
02/23 Denver, CO - Bellco Theatre
02/25 Los Angeles, CA - YouTube Theater
02/26 Las Vegas, NV - PH Live at Planet Hollywood
03/02 Vancouver, BC - Orpheum
03/03 Portland, OR - Theater of the Clouds
03/04 Seattle, WA - WAMU Theater
03/06 Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Casino Event Centre
03/07 Edmonton, AB - Edmonton EXPO Centre
03/10 Winnipeg, MB - Canada Life Centre
03/11 St. Paul, MN - Roy Wilkins Auditorium
03/12 Rosemont, IL - Rosemont Theatre
Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced their forthcoming new album OurHome (due September 18 on ATO Records) and an accompanying 2026 North American tour, which will bring them to Canada for a lone concert in Vancouver this November.
The stint on the road begins on October 3 in Austin, TX. Rodrigo y Gabriela will venture across the Canadian border for the North American leg of their tour's final date at Vancouver's Vogue Theatre on November 20 before heading overseas to continue the trek next spring.
Tickets go on general sale Friday (June 12) at 10 a.m., with various presales ongoing. Find the full itinerary and the video for the album's lead single, "Monster," below, as well as more upcoming Canadian shows via Concert Central.
Rodrigo y Gabriela 2026 Tour Dates:
10/03 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
10/06–07 Ciudad de México, MX - Poliforum Siqueiros
10/10 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
10/13 Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
10/14 Clearwater, FL - Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
10/16 Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
10/17 Charlotte, NC - The Underground
10/18 Pelham, TN - The Caverns
10/20 Washington, D.C. - The Anthem
10/21 Red Bank, NJ - Count Basie Center for the Arts
10/22 Stroudsburg, PA - Sherman Theater
10/24 Lynn, MA - Lynn Auditorium
10/25 New Haven, CT - College Street Music Hall
10/26 Northampton, MA - Academy of Music Theatre
10/27 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
10/29 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
10/30 Des Plaines, IL - Rivers Casino
11/01 Madison, WI - The Sylvee
11/03 St. Paul, MN - The Fitzgerald Theater
11/06 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater
11/07 Santa Fe, NM - The Lensic
11/08 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
11/10 San Diego, CA - Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
11/11 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet's
11/12 Ojai, CA - Libbey Bowl
11/14 San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
11/15 San Francisco, CA - The Castro
11/17 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
11/19 Seattle, WA - The Moore Theatre
11/20 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
Marci — the solo project of TOPS' Marta Cikojevic — has revealed details on the follow-up to her self-titled 2022 debut.
Mask Lady and the Late Night Girl is out August 28 via Arbutus Records, and it plays with the dualities the musician has faced in her new home of Hollywood.
"Late Night Girl is out partying and having a good time — you know, the sun's never gonna rise, we're never gonna die," Cikojevic said in a press release. "And Masked Lady is the one keeping all of those feelings inside."
With today's announcement, Marci has shared the single "Butterfly Sticker," which is just as shimmery as the tracks on Marci. Listen to it, and see the tracklist for Mask Lady and Late Night Girl below.
Mask Lady and Late Night Girl:
1. Stars Are Fake
2. Chaotic Princess
3. 99 Dimensional
4. Edge of the Knife
5. Slow Moves
6. Butterfly Sticker
7. Pay Me Now
8. Lady with the Mask
9. Hot Sexy USA
10. Liquid Heartbeat
11. Cherry Sunday
12. Ooh I Know
Electronic duo Boy Harsher are embarking on a tour of North America this fall.
The jaunt will start in Hudson, NY, at the Basilica on September 25. After a stop in Boston, the tour will cross the border to play Montreal's MTELUS on September 29 and Danforth Music Hall in Toronto on September 30.
After meandering across the US Midwest and West Coast, the Boy Harsher will return once more to Canada to play the Pearl in Vancouver on October 13. The rest of the tour will remain in the US, before terminating at New York City's Knockdown Centre on October 31.
Presale beings June 10 at 10 a.m. local time, with general on-sale happening Friday (June 12), also at 10 a.m. local. Fans can sign up for presale and get more information about the tour on the band's website. Check out the full run of dates below.
Boy Harsher 2026 Tour Dates:
09/25 Hudson, NY - Basilica
09/27 Boston, MA - Royale
09/29 Montreal, QC - MTELUS
09/30 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall
10/01 Detroit, MI - Majestic
10/02 Chicago, IL - Metro
10/04 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
10/06 Denver, CO - Summit
10/09 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
10/11 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
10/13 Vancouver, BC - The Pearl
10/15 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
10/16 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium
10/17 Del Mar, CA - The Sound
10/20 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
10/21 Phoenix, AZ - Van Buren
10/24 Fort Worth, TX - Sick New World
10/26 New Orleans, LA - Republic
10/27 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
10/28 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
10/30 Washington, D.C. - The Howard Theatre
10/31 Philadelphia, PA - Making Time
11/05 New York, NY - Knockdown Center
Sylvan Esso are back in a big way. They've got an excellent new single, "Hot Slob," out today (which is apparently portending the duo's expansive new era of independence), as well as plans for a hefty North American tour, which includes a couple dates in Canada.
In addition to a previously announced festival slot at Winnipeg Folk, Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn have now announced shows in Toronto and Vancouver. They'll first hit Toronto's History on October 19, ahead of breaking for the new year. Once back on the road (and after a bunch of US dates), they'll return to Canada for a gig at Vancouver's Vogue Theatre on February 20.
General on-sale begins at 10 a.m. local time this Friday, June 12, following presales starting at 10 a.m. local time tomorrow, June 11.
Hear "Hot Slob" below, where you can also find the band's 2026–2027 tour schedule.
Sylvan Esso 2026–2027 Tour Dates:
06/15–20 Los Angeles, CA - Sid the Cat Auditorium
07/11 Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg Folk Festival
07/31 Burlington, VT - Burlington Waterfront Park
09/12 Abiquiu, NM - Blossoms & Bones
10/01 Atlanta, GA - The Eastern
10/02–03 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
10/05 Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club
10/08–10 Durham, NC - Good Moon
10/12 Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall
10/14 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount
10/16 Portland, ME - State Theatre
10/17 Boston, MA - Citizens House of Blues
10/19 Toronto, ON - History
10/21 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
10/22 Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed Indoors
10/23–24 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
02/19 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
02/20 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre
02/22–23 Portland, OR - McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
02/25 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
02/26 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
03/01 Del Mar, CA - The Sound
03/02 Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren
03/04 Salt Lake City, UT - Rockwell at the Complex
03/05 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
03/08 Austin, TX - ACL Live at The Moody Theater
03/09 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
03/11 New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's
03/12 Birmingham, AL - Iron City
Woodstock, NY-hailing rock trio the Bobby Lees have released the final preview for their forthcoming album New Self (out June 12 via Epitaph); "Red Hot" is available to listen now.
Walking the line of baring their souls while also not taking themselves too seriously, the new single is a fire-starter that captures vocalist Sam Quartin's signature "don't-fuck-with-me" attitude.
"This song is about wanting more. More love. More connection. More attention. That insatiable desire," the band shared in a release. "Yet somehow, when we recorded this track — we were all hysterically laughing by the end of it. So, whatever that means."
The trio will be supporting the new album with a North American tour this fall, which includes a lone Canadian date at Toronto's Longboat Hall on October 20. Tickets are on sale now.
You can watch the music video for "Red Hot," and find the Bobby Lees' tour itinerary, below.
The Bobby Lees 2026 Tour Dates:
10/02 Oklahoma City, OK - Resonant Head
10/03 Tulsa, OK - Vanguard
10/08 New York, NY - Irving Plaza
10/10 Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theater
10/20 Toronto, ON - Longboat Hall
10/21 Detroit, MI - Sanctuary Detroit (Crypt)
10/22 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
10/23 Columbus, OH - Skullys Music Diner
12/08 Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
12/09 Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
12/11 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
In what some are calling a "classic Jack move," Jack White has seemingly quietly announced his seventh studio album on his Third Man Records website — must be Tuesday!
UPDATE (6/10, 9:13 a.m. ET): White has now confirmed that his new album Frozen Charlotte is due July 10, news shared alongside the single "Dollar Bill."
According to a vinyl pre-order listing set to ship out on July 10, the follow-up to 2024's No Name is a 13-track affair called Frozen Charlotte. The singer-songwriter recorded it in Nashville, TN, with Patrick Keeler (drums), Dominic Davis (bass) and Bobby Emmett (keys), with the record being characterized as "an intense rock and roll punch with never far behind blues underpinnings."
Recent pair of singles "G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs" and "Derecho Demonico" are included in the tracklist, which can be found in full below. It seems as if the statue on the album artwork (which has a very Angine de Poitrine-esque background, I might add) was created by the musician as part of his first public visual art show, These Thoughts May Disappear, which debuted at Damien Hirst's Newport Street Gallery in London, UK, at the end of May.
Frozen Charlotte:
1. G.O.D. and the Broken Ribs
2. Derecho Demonico
3. There's Nobody There
4. Raising the Grain
5. You'll Never Fix Me
6. Nobody Knows
7. Dollar Bill
8. I Can't Believe What I'm Hearing
9. Thick as Thieves
10. All Alone Again
11. She's in a Frenzy
12. Making Contact
13. Neighbors Blues