Top shows this week

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/09/2011 (5214 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Culture Days events are taking place all over Winnipeg this weekend, but live music remains a big part of the city’s culture, and there are lots of worthwhile shows. Here are several options:

Tonight, Quebec rock group Karkwa makes its first visit to town since winning the Polaris Prize last year when it plays the West End Cultural Centre with Aidan Knight. Admission is $15.

The WECC is a busy place over the next few days, with shows by Montreal art-rockers Besnard Lakes Friday (tickets are $21.25 at Ticketmaster and the West End), acclaimed singer-songwriter Danny Michel Saturday (tickets $19.25) and B.C. indie rock group Yukon Blonde (tickets $12) on Sunday.

The Pyramid Cabaret also hosts a big indie-rock show Saturday when hometown favourites Imaginary Cities headline a three-band bill that features Ra Ra Riot and Dinosaur Bones. Tickets are $16 at Ticketworkshop.com. The Pyramid will be filled with music nerds again Sunday night for the return of Jonathan Richman, former leader of the Modern Lovers, who has dabbled in proto-punk, rock SSRqn’ roll and folky singer-songwriter material over the last 35 years. Tickets are $20 at Ticketweb.com

Fans of Texas singer-songwriters should head down to the Park Theatre on Saturday when James McMurtry stops by with more than 20 years’ worth of songs in his brain. Tickets are $22.75 at Ticketmaster and the Folk Festival Music Store.

If garage-blues is more your thing, Vancouver duo the Pack A.D. is at the Lo Pub Friday in support of its new album, Unpersons, on a three-band bill with Sun Wizard and Shallow End. Tickets are $10 at Ticketworkshop.com

It’s taken five years for one-time buzz band the Arctic Monkeys to make it to town, but the group — whose 2006 album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, set a record for fastest-selling debut album in British history — will finally show off its post-punk/Brit-rock chops Saturday at the Burton Cummings theatre with the Smith Westerns. Tickets are $45.75 at Ticketmaster.

Well past their best-before date, Kings of Leon are another band finally making it to town next week when the former southern rockers turned radio-friendly arena alt-rockers play the MTS Centre Tuesday (election day) in support of the weakest album of their career, Come Around Sundown. Saskatoon fuzz-rock group the Sheepdogs open. Tickets are $38.75 to $81.50 at Ticketmaster.

The MTS Centre will also be busy on Wednesday when an unlikely arena band, Chicago punk group Rise Against, plays the rink a day earlier than originally scheduled to avoid the free NHL Face Off event at The Forks next Thursday. Rise Against will joined by Flogging Molly and Black Pacific. Tickets are $42.50 to $58 at Ticketmaster.

Finally, for fans of heavier music, Monday is the day — that’s when metalcore faves Underoath and local hardcore heroes Comeback Kid visit the Garrick Centre with the Chariot. Tickets are $31.75 at Ticketmaster.

rob.williams@freepress.mb.ca