Frank YangWho: Two Door Cinema Club
What: Belfast quartet whose debut Tourist History provided some of the sugariest, indie-dance sounds of the Summer
Why: Their first visit to Toronto back in May turned out to be the hottest ticket in town; these bigger digs should be able to accomodate everyone this time around.
When: Monday, October 25, 2010
Where: The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto
Who else: Openers for the show are Penguin Prison and Funeral Party. I’m not going to pretend I know anything about either.
How: Tickets for the show are $17.50 in advance but courtesy of Embrace, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to join the Two Door Cinema Club” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me before midnight, October 18.
What else: Varsity, Houston Press and The Dallas Observer have interviews with the band

MP3: Two Door Cinema Club – “I Can Talk”
MP3: Two Door Cinema Club – “Something Good Can Work”
Video: Two Door Cinema Club – “I Can Talk”
Video: Two Door Cinema Club – “Undercover Martyn”
Video: Two Door Cinema Club – “Something Good Can Work”

Billy PavoneWho: The Walkmen
What: Veteran New York art-rock act who rose from the ashes of Jonathan Fire*Eater, a fact which probably means nothing to most of their fans.
Why: They released their sixth album Lisbon in September to some of the best reviews of their career.
When: Saturday, October 9, 2010
Where: The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto (early show – doors @ 7PM)
Who else: Support comes from AA Bondy and Blood Feathers
How: Tickets for the show are $18.50 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see The Walkmen” in the subject line and your full name in the body; contest will close at midnight, October 5.
What else: The Phoenix has a feature piece on the band and Spinner talks to them about the Inteface session they recorded for them.

MP3: The Walkmen – “Stranded”

MySpaceWho: Gorillaz
What: Animated and largely unclassifiable musical project helmed by Damon Albarn formerly/currently of Blur and with a pedigree of participants that includes The Clash, Snoop Dogg and Talking Heads.
Why: Having given up waiting for the technology that would allow them to perform in their wholly animated guises, the band will head out to North America this Fall in fleshy form in support of their third album Plastic Beach.
When: Thursday, October 14, 2010
Where: The Air Canada Centre in Toronto
Who else: Pharrell Williams and compatriots in N.E.R.D. will open things up.
How: Tickets for the show range from $49.50 to $95 plus fees in advance, but courtesy of Livenation, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want Gorillaz” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me before midnight, October 7.
What else: The National Post talks to Damon Albarn about the challenges of playing live with a virtual band

Video: Gorillaz – “Stylo”

BandcampEgads, a contest that I can’t apply my (recently) new express who/what/where/why/etc concert contest format to. Was bound to happen, I suppose, and at least my laziness mechanisms are being compromised for a worthwhile giveaway of interest to more than just people in the 416.

It is, however, still limited to those interested to analog fetishists with a soft spot for pretty Canadian folk-pop – the sort that Mark Andrew Hamilton has been releasing as Woodpigeon over the last few years, and prolifically so. The Woodpigeon discography is like a set of Russian nested dolls, each album coming with a bonus album that is strong enough to stand on its own and is eventually released as its own entity… perhaps again with a bonus record. And so forth.

So it was that the CD editions of this year’s Die Stadt Muzikanten came with a second complete album entitled Balladeer – To All The Guys I’ve Loved Before. And since those songs, built from sessions with acclaimed producers Steve Albini, Howard Bilerman and Husky Hoskulds, were too good to restrict to just those handful of people who still bought CDs, it has now been released on 180-gram vinyl for the kids and as digital downloads… also for the kids.

And courtesy of Boompa, I’ve got two copies of the Balladeer vinyl available to give away to any resident of North America. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want the Woodpigeon LP” in the subject line and your full name and mailing address in the body. Contest closes at midnight, October 5.

Woodpigeon is currently on tour in Europe but will be making a stop in Toronto on October 6 to play a free noon-hour show at Yonge-Dundas Square before returning to Calgary to record another album or six.

MP3: Woodpigeon – “I Am Your Balladeer”

Frank YangWho: Phoenix
What: Arguably the biggest French rock band on the planet right now and in years, scoring copious critical praise and record sales with their nonsensical but hugely catchy dance-pop
Why: Though this is their third show in Toronto for this record, when you score with album as massively as Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has, you milk it. MILK IT.
When: Friday, October 22, 2010
Where: The Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto
Who else: They’re making the show a true international affair, bringing along Americans Wavves and inviting locals Tokyo Police Club to open things up.
How: Tickets range from $39.50 to $45.00 in advance – plus fees – but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want the Phoenix” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, October 14.
What else: Phoenix have posted up the multitrack audio stems of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix for fans to download and remix to their heart’s content. Haven’t you always wanted to remix a Frenchman? Sure you have!

MP3: Phoenix – “1901”
Video: Phoenix – “1901”
Video: Phoenix – “Lisztomania”