fall concerts toronto

The top 10 concerts in Toronto for fall 2015

The top concerts in Toronto this fall will help you forget that those great summer music festivals are gone. The weather is starting to get unpredictable, which inevitably means we will all be driven indoors to see our favorite artists.

With lots of options to compete for our dollars, you may be willing to shell out to see some big name touring acts at the ACC (Madonna, Taylor Swift, Stevie Wonder) or perhaps something a little more no-frills at the Danforth Music Hall (Metric, Chvrches).

Let's not forget music made for down and dirty bars like Smiling Buddha (Odonis Odonis, ken Mode). Whichever way you choose to ingest your music, it will taste sweet. So back underground with you, to dream of the sunlight we'll see when we resurface in eight months.

Here are my picks for the top concerts in Toronto this fall.

Wavves - September 27 - The Opera House
Nathan Williams has been hard-at-work over the past months. With a new album called "V" set for release on October 2 he lands in Toronto just days before its official release. A handful of singles have been available since July so his crowd will not be going in blind. Expect a blast of sunshine to tide you over to next summer.

Wolf Alice - October 3 - The Adelaide Music Hall
The comparisons to Elastica and Hole might be a tad unwarranted, under selling this UK sensation for their own take on the music they grew up loving. Certainly these disciples of the 90s would have qualified for a Sassy magazine profile back in the day but they would have done so on their own merit. Undoubtedly you will leave the Adelaide humming.

A Place To Bury Strangers - October 5 - The Horseshoe Tavern
At a time when we're bearing witness to leaves slowly falling off trees, A Place to Bury Strangers blow through Toronto to finish the job. This three-piece wrecking crew lay down a path of destruction each and every time. Bring earplugs.

Luna - October 13 - The Danforth Music Hall
Luna is a perfect fall band. Once called "the best band you've never heard of" by Rolling Stone, that's likely still true. Their oft-mellow musings bring to mind The Velvet Underground and Nico. Get to know 'em.

Weights and Measures - October 17 - Soy Bomb
In 2000, I happened to stumble in to the elmo and caught this three-piece that I had no idea about. Never heard 'em and had no idea what to expect. Certainly not the juiced up Math Rock that poured off the stage. This show is burned in my brain and I'm thrilled they're back for a reunion of sorts. I've been told that this show is a one-off so now's your chance to see them before they return drummer Jeremy Gara to The Arcade Fire.

Paul McCartney - October 17 - Air Canada Centre
Even as a die-hard Beatles fan, it never occurred to me to go see Sir Paul. He was never my favorite even though he probably wrote most of their hits. Having seen footage from his last performance in Toronto (along with recently released footage of my fave behaving incredibly poorly) I'll definitely have to reconsider.

Peaches - October 20 - The Phoenix Concert Theatre
Peaches has always been an outspoken advocate for gender equality, at times to the point of confrontation. An innovator at a time when people seemed more reserved, she subverted stereotypes with performances which often drew criticism for being too racy. It will be great to see what she comes up with to support her new album, Rub.

Kurt Vile - October 25 - The Phoenix Concert Theatre
The perfect blend of all things singer-songwriter, Kurt Vile evokes Neil Young with a tip of the hat to the slacker anthems of the 90s. How will he back up his near-perfect album from 2014, Walkin On A Pretty Daze? We will find out when he drops his newest album b'lieve I'm Going Down on September 25 via Matador.

Jonathan Richman - November 12 - The Great Hall
Best known as the guy who played the interstitial music in Something About Mary, Jonathan Richman deserves to be widely known for much more. An influential songwriter from the early days of NYC artrock, Richman all but disappeared from the public eye. Currently working as a stone-mason (and loving every minute of it) he resurfaces every once and awhile to play for enthusiastic audiences.

Public Image Ltd. - November 15 - The Opera House
As revered (or reviled depending on who you ask) as the Sex Pistols were, John Lydon's legacy didn't stop with "Never Mind The Bullocks." More prolific with his outfit PIL, he's put out 10 studio albums to much critical acclaim. Their most recent What The World Needs Now... will definitely be the focal point when the band closes out Toronto's fall schedule.

What shows are you most excited for this fall? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Peaches by Alejandro Santiago.


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