Winnipeg
Friday, October 19
Cadence Weapon
The Lytics
The Park Theatre
Edmonton’s former poet laureate, Rollie Pemberton, has been alone in the future for quite some time, crafting next level rap that’s so far-out creative it’s ridiculous. His latest, Hope in Dirt City, is arguably one of the best Canadian releases of 2012, landing him a spot on the coveted Polaris Music Prize shortlist for the second time in the past six years (and he’s not even from Ontario or Quebec).
Wednesday, October 31
Crystal Castles
Health
Kontravoid
Garrick Centre
Glitchy electronic act Crystal Castles are coming to Winnipeg on Halloween and they’ll have some friends along for the trip. Also joining them are noise rockers Health, who you’ll remember from that nightmarish 2009 video for “We are Water,” and former Crystal Castles drummer, Cameron Findlay (Kontravoid), who dresses like a masked-serial killer when he performs. This show is going to be mental.
Saskatoon
Saturday, October 20 (apologies, this show has been cancelled)
Grimes
Elite Gymnastics
MYTHS
Louis’ Pub
Claire Boucher (aka Grimes) enchanted us all with her Visions earlier this year, racking up loads of critical praise for her beautifully weird pop aesthetic and earning a placement on the Polaris Music Prize shortlist. The goth-pop princess cartwheels through Saskatoon with a couple of glo-stick types, New York-byway-of-Minnesota’s Elite Gymnastics and Vancouver electro-duo, Myths.
Tuesday, October 30
Men Without Hats
Amigos
Three words: “The Safety Dance.” What that could possibly look and sound like nearly 30 years after its 1983 release, I have no idea? But if you’re in the Saskatoon area you should go and find out.
Edmonton
Saturday, October 27
Shout Out Out Out Out
Edmonton Event Centre
All kinds of sonic sorcery, Kraftwerkian electronics and vocoders will collide at Shout Out Out Out Out’s Halloween weekend gig. Plus, there will probably be some zombies.
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Julijana Capone is a writer for the Spectator Tribune. Follow her on Twitter at @JulijanaCapone
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