I may have closed the book on the 2005 record release calendar yesterday, but the ’05 concert season’s not dead yet.

Firstly, I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that the Toronto Calexico/Iron & Wine date has been confirmed for December 9. The bad news is… The Docks. Goddamn, people. I may have to suck it up for this one and go regardless. I can’t think of a less complimentary venue for Sam Beam’s music (besides, say, a monster truck rally – which they could probably also hold at The Docks) but I have faith/blind hope that those two acts could transcend the crappiness of the hall. No tickets info yet, but the Montreal show is costing $26.50, so there’s your ballpark. I’m not worried about it selling out, at least. Sam would have to appear on The O.C as Mischa Barton’s crazed hippie drug dealer boyfriend before they could sell 3000 tickets.

At least going to the show will provide to opportunity to pick up Calexico’s new tour-only CD, The Book & The Canal. It will feature 17 demos, unreleased and live tracks to satiate the masses until their new studio album is out in the Spring. Also, I still haven’t heard Lays In The Reins. I went to Rotate This yesterday fully intending to pick it up on vinyl, but calamity – they were sold out. Maybe I’ll (gasp) download the tracks until I can get the record at the show or find it somewhere else for a decent price. I hear it’s solid, maybe not as sublime as some might have hoped with the talent involved, but pretty damn good regardless.

Other show news – California’s Innaway have been added as support to the Echo & The Bunnymen show at the Carlu November 23. I reviewed their debut album a few months ago, and quite positively so. If I wasn’t already booked for that night, I’d probably be leaning (more) towards going.

Rogue Wave descends like vultures on the Horseshoe November 27. Their new album, Descended Like Vultures (see my clever wordplay?) is out October 25. People are saying nice things about it. I mentioned before that their debut Out Of The Shadow didn’t really do it for me but I should still give the new one a listen, I suppose.

Montreal’s Kiss Me Deadly are at Sneaky Dee’s December 8. I got a copy of their album in the mail last week. Haven’t listened to it yet but I have a good feeling about it. Based on absolutely nothing. The Subways are at the Mod Club December 9. I’m under the impression these guys are big back home in the UK? Flavour of a recent month? And finally, Anglo-Texan outfit The Earlies are at the El Mocambo on December 12.

And if you’re looking for shows in the more immediate future, check out Torontoist.

Say hello to the redesigned Prefix, now with a new hat. And thanks to Prefix for pointing to this SPIN Q&A with Metric.

As if I needed another reason to hate hate HATE local radio station CFNY (I refuse to call them “The Edge”), check this out – a photo gallery of Rob Dickinson’s visit to their station last week. Only they’ve somehow misspelled his name “Simon Collins”. I guess I shouldn’t expect too much from a radio station that trumpets themselves as “New Rock” on their billboards and then list off bands like U2, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lenny Kravitz as evidence of their bleeding edge playlist. Someone needs a molotov cocktail through their window. Update: The fixed the caption. But that doesn’t mean they don’t still suck.

Matador has posted an unreleased Laura Cantrell song for your downloading pleasure.

The Believer puts Salman Rushdie and Terry Gilliam in a room together. Ultimate fighting ensues. Via Largehearted Boy.

So if you’re wondering why today’s post is about an hour and a half later than usual, the answer’s simple – I SLEPT IN. It’s what unemployed people do. Yes, yesterday was my last day at work and now I’m living it up, slacker-style. It’s sweet, I tells ya. Of course, I’m only getting to enjoy it for one day as I’ve got a short-term contract lined up starting tomorrow… But until then? Woot. Sloth city.

np – Explosions In The Sky / The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place