Another month’s worth of great shows and album releases is upon us. Here’s the November list of your music must-see-and-hears.
1. The Lowest of The Low’s Ron Hawkins celebrates the release of a double LP, Rome —which is half country and half rock ‘n’ roll—with a one-nighter at the Horseshoe.
2. Wilco guitar hero Nels Cline and Zeena Parkins are among the highlights of this year’s three-day Sleepwalk Guitar Fest at The Great Hall.
3. Crystal Castles ‘ new record III hits stores on Nov. 12. They’ll give us a preview tonight at the Kool Haus.
4. Toronto’s own The Weeknd continues his run of shows at the Sound Academy in anticipation of the forthcoming Trilogy album, due in physical form on Nov. 13.
5. Arty L.A.-based hipsters Grouplove use this show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre to prep for their upcoming tour with No Doubt.
6. Aimee Mann has a fine new long player, The Charmer , out now. She also has a great cameo on the tune “Bigger Than Love,” a highlight of Death Cab singer Ben Gibbard’s excellent solo album Former Lives .
7. You can dance if you want to tonight at Lee’s Palace with Men Without Hats , whose first album in nine years, Love In The Age Of War, is out now.
8. Gallows ‘ new frontman, Wade MacNeil, showcases songs from the band’s new self-titled LP at Lee’s Palace before his month-long, worldwide farewell jaunt with Alexisonfire in December.
9. Brooklynites Yeasayer bring their percussive sounds to the Danforth Music Hall in support of their latest, Fragrant World .
10. Jimmy Webb , the man who penned all those hits for Glen Campbell and wrote the epic “MacArthur Park,” takes a bow at Hugh’s Room.
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11. Pedro The Lion’s main man David Bazan plays the best of the band’s songbook at the Horseshoe.
12. The unique musical stylings of Yellow Ostrich will be on display as they bring their just-released new record Ghost to The Garrison.
13. Minneapolis’ Motion City Soundtrack are back with a spirited new album Go and they visit the Mod Club.
14. The single most important person in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, Bob Dylan , is joined by Mark Knopfler for a night of who knows what at the ACC.
15. Montreal’s jamtastic Plants and Animals take over The Great Hall.
16. With a new book and a new album, Rock And Roll Is Black And Blue , Danko Jones have much to celebrate at the Mod Club.
17. Before he hits the halftime stage at the upcoming 100th Grey Cup, our national treasure Gordon Lightfoot completes his annual Massey Hall run.
18. Bring back the sounds of the ’70s as singer/songwriter Lobo plays his AM radio staples at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
19. Walk, run, or get in the van, but don’t miss the tale-tellings of punk legend Henry Rollins in the first of three nights at the Glenn Gould Studio.
20. Another new record with Crazy Horse and another run at the ACC for Neil Young . Los Lobos will kick the night off.
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21. Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow—a.k.a. Pinback —bring their electro-pop back to Lee’s Palace with a new record, Information Retrieved , in tow.
22. Sloan give a tip of the toque to the release of the deluxe edition of their seminal second LP, Twice Removed , at the Phoenix. (Their first and third records are pretty perfect as well.)
23. Pick up Pete Townshend’s book, Who I Am , but skip the arena show and head to the Hammer for Cuff the Duke at the Molson Canadian Studio.
24. Puck you, NHL. It’s Toronto and Montreal at the ACC when Metric and Stars hit the stage.
25. The Edge’s Jingle Bell Concert Series kicks off in fine style with The Gaslight Anthem and The Joy Formidable at the Sound Academy
26. Rest up with Carolina vs. Philly on Monday Night Football.
27. It’s a gig-of-the-year contender as Titus Andronicus bring their excellent new album Local Business to Lee’s Palace.
28. Aussie fave Xavier Rudd brings his many talents to the Phoenix.
29. While I prefer their debut, many fans cherish King Cobb Steelie’s second album Project Twinkle
30. JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound bring their high-energy, rockin’ soul to the Silver Dollar.
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