Afternoon Headlines: Au Revoir Simone to open for Broken Bells; Raine Hamilton EP release; Black Keys, Petty return to town

Lots to get through so let's dive right on in:

Add one of my favourite bands (and David Lynch's too) - Au Revoir Simone - to the Broken Bells show at the Burt on Monday, August 4th. WOO HOO!

KONGOS is at Union Sound Hall on Thursday, July 3rd w/ Blondfire.

The Black Keys will be at the MTS Centre on Saturday, October 25th.

Up-and-coming local singer-songwriter Raine Hamilton is releasing her debut EP, Small Packages, on Saturday, June 9th at Exchange Community Church.

Triple bill going down at the WECC on Thursday, July 3rd: Palm Trees w/ Paincave and Ozconscious.

Skynet is at the Ellice Theatre on Sunday, June 1st.

And finally, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers rock the MTS Centre on Thursday, August 21st.

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Noon Headlines: Pixies to play the Burt; Novillero resurfaces

Iconic alt-rockers Pixies return to Peg City for a date at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Thursday, October 9th. Tickets go on sale Friday @ 10.

Treasured local act Novillero has ended its hiatus for a one-off gig: the band will open for Library Voices on Friday, June 13th.

BESTiE is at the Pyramid on Thursday, May 15th.

Add Ghost Twin and Glass Random to the Jessy Lanza show going down at the WECC on Sunday, May 11th.

Saskatoon-based roots act Gunner & Smith will be at the Arlington Attic on Saturday, May 31st.

And finally, The Dirty Catfish Brass Band releases its debut album, Brass Riot, at the WECC on Saturday, June 28th w/ Sol James.

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Broken Bells to play the Burton Cummings Theatre

Hot off the presses:

Broken Bells (Danger Mouse and Shins' frontman James Mercer) make their debut on Winnipeg soil for a gig at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Monday, August 4th.

Tickets range from $24.50 - $39.50 plus fees and go on sale Friday, April 25th at 10 a.m.

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Headlines: Blitzen Trapper @ The WECC; S Carey @ The Park

Just a quick round-up today of some recent show announcements:

Portland's Blitzen Trapper is at the West End Cultural Centre on Sunday, June 15th.

Chad VanGaalen is at the Park Theatre on Friday, June 6th w/ Viet Cong.

Speaking of the Park, S Carey (of Bon Iver) is there on Wednesday, June 25th.

A Wilhelm Scream is at the WECC on Tuesday, June 3rd w/ Direct Hit, Distances, and Bring The Fight.

Good for Grapes is at the Pyramid on Saturday, May 3rd w/ Zerbin.

Brandy Zdan and Scott Nolan will be at the Park Theatre on Wednesday, June 4th.

And finally, the annual Bands v. Filmmakers event goes down at the WECC on Friday, May 23rd. On the bill is:

• Birdapres and Grey Jay / DAMIEN FERLAND
• Hana Lu Lu / KAYLA JEANSON
• Ridley Bent / MADISON THOMAS
• Mise en Scene / TYLER FUNK
• Les Jupes / MATHEU PLOUFFE

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You can get lost in the music for hours: The Head and the Heart @ The Burton Cummings Theatre

The Head and the Heart

The Burton Cummings Theatre

Winnipeg, MB

Monday, April 7th

True story: I gave up my Jets tickets last night in favour of attending The Head and the Heart show at the Burt.

I rarely miss a Jets game on TV (I even listened to their games while in Iceland at 3 a.m.), so it's even rarer that I give up my tickets.

But in the end I unquestionably made the right decision. The Head and the Heart (whose bassist, coincidentally, is a big Jets fan and even sported a new logo t-shirt throughout the set) put on a magnificent, inspired show. Drawing from both of their mighty fine releases, the sextet was loose, spirited, and clearly passionate about the curious brand of melodic indie-folk they irresistibly purvey.

This was on the best sets I've seen in quite some time, and I eagerly look forward to once again giving up my Jets tickets should the Head and the Heart roll through town on a game night. Unless its'a playoff game. But, hey, that's highly unlikely of happening anytime soon.

-Mykael

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Contest: Enter to win tickets to see Sunparlour Players @ The WECC

Courtesy of the good folks over at the West End Cultural Centre, I've got a pair of tickets to giveaway for Sunparlour Players show going down on Thursday, April 17th. 

If you're interested in checking out the guys, fire me off an email (on the right hand side, below the concert listings) by noon CST on Monday, April 14th with the subject line "Sunparlour Players Ticket Giveaway" and your name in the email's body. Winning name will be drawn randomly sometime that afternoon and contacted shortly thereafter, with the first name and last initial published on my Twitter account.

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Timber Timbre to play Union Sound Hall

Timber Timbre just announced a string of North American dates, and great news, Peggers, this includes a stop in the third coldest city in the world. The band will be at Union Sound Hall on Monday, June 16th.

Hopefully spring will arrive by then....

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