The Grey Cup is in town this weekend, and that means a bunch of bands, from Divine Brown to Great Big Sea to, well, Trooper are going to be at the Saddledome, the Telus Convention Centre and lord only knows where else to keep people pumped up for the football. But, if you’re holding a grudge that the Stamps lost, or just want to avoid crowds of football fans, fear not: Other options abound.

For one, Woodhands is playing Broken City on Friday, November 27, and this is one gawky-looking indie duo that knows how to control a dance floor. The secret is apparently dirty synths, lots of sweat and choruses that sound angry and excited all at once. Local band The Shagbots will kick things off with its reliably energetic New Wave stylings.

For straight-up, balls-out rock, you likely won’t find a better option than Blacktop Five, playing The Marquee Room on Saturday, November 28. There’s nothing fancy to what they do, just chugging riffs and lyrics about drinking, girls and cars, but really, what more do you want from your rock ’n’ roll?

If you answered that by saying “Double-kick-drums, plenty of shouting and possibly some toxic waste-themed cover art,” you’re in luck — Municipal Waste is bringing just that to The Warehouse, also on Saturday. On that bill: Cauldron, Off With Their Heads and Phobia, who’ll provide old-school metal, shout-along punk and crazy-ass grindcore respectively.

Here’s a bit of an odd pairing: Vancouver’s The Fugitives and Calgary native Kinnie Starr are sharing a bill at the Ironwood on Monday, November 30. The Fugitives play folk- and bluegrass-influenced pop with postmodern flourishes and bits of spoken word. Starr, on the other hand, specializes in lush soul grooves and bratty hip hop. Don’t get me wrong — both certainly know what they’re doing. It’ll just be interesting to see how (or if) they play off each other.

Rounding things off, British duo Simian Mobile Disco is set to bring down the house at the HiFi on Wednesday, December 2. As producers, the duo has worked with nu-ravers Klaxons, electro-diva Peaches and Brit-rockers Arctic Monkeys. As DJs, they’re working with you and the beat, playing what they like to call “good old-fashioned analogue party music.” You can’t put it better than that.