Forget the weekend. Granted, Mint Records pop-rockers The Awkward Stage and Laura Leif at Broken City on Friday is a pretty tempting lineup, but for the start of September, it’s all about mid-week madness. Choosing what to do is no simple matter.
Two years ago, you would’ve been hard-pressed to find an album as universally well received as TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain. With its mix of paranoid soundscapes, a cappella interludes and lycanthropic rockers, the album struck an impressive balance between sonic exploration and genuine pop songwriting. It’ll be a few weeks before Dear Science, the band’s followup, hits stores, but anyone craving a dose of TVOTR can check them out at MacEwan Hall on Tuesday, September 9. Roots-inflected indie rock howler Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson will be opening.
Rancid isn’t known for being particularly progressive (six albums and 15 years into their career, they still haven’t shaken the Clash comparisons), but that’s hardly the point. Tim Armstrong’s offbeat songwriting and tone-deaf (but somehow spot-on) vocals are a big part of the draw, and the band’s knack for balancing pure punk energy with undeniable hooks doesn’t hurt anything, either. The real reason to listen, though, is Matt Freeman’s relentless bass lines. Someone forgot to tell Freeman that punks aren’t supposed to be able to play their instruments — Sid Vicious must be spinning in his grave. They’ll be joined by Canadian punk legends D.O.A. when they play Stampede Park on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the choice is just as tough. Doom-and-gloomers Bloc Party likely won’t leave you with a smile on your face, but really, that’s the goal here. It’s a shame that Foals have been dropped from the bill, but Bloc Party’s moody rockers can fill Mac Hall on their own. Sleepercar isn’t a much more upbeat option, but Jim Ward’s post-At the Drive-In project (playing at The Marquee Room) is far more consistent than The Mars Volta and more interesting than Ward’s other band, Sparta. Or, there’s always Santana. It’s easy to forget, but before he started churning out bland, radio-friendly pop collaborations, Carlos Santana was widely regarded as one of the best guitarists in the business. Just pray that he doesn’t have Rob Thomas on tour with him. Santana plays the Pengrowth Saddledome on Wednesday.
