We’ve been giving you our lists of who we think you should see at Canadian Music Week, but this year we thought we’d mix it up, and we’ve asked one of our favourite Toronto bands, MONOWHALES, to give us their Top 5 Picks for CMW 2019.

Note: We’ve got another one of these posts, with another of our fav TO bands coming up!

Before we get to MONOWHALES‘ picks, we want to give you the deets on their CMW show!

MONOWHALES

Date: Wednesday May 8th
Venue: Horseshoe Tavern
Location: 370 Queen St. West
Doors: 7:30 PM
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Limited tickets at the door.

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Now, let’s get to MONOWHALES top 5 band picks for Canadian Music Week 2019!

Lost Cousins

Lost Cousins are like if Animal Collective was more into smoking weed than tripping on mushrooms. Perfectly psychedelic arrangements with beautiful melodies, engaging, exciting, but still chill enough to listen to on a lazy summer day. Looking forward to seeing them live at the Riv on May 11th.

THE PAA SHOWCASE, SATURDAY MAY 11TH – Lost Cousins set time at The Rivoli 11:00 pm

Date: Saturday May 11th
Venue: Rivoli
Location: 334 Queen St. West
Doors: 6:00 PM
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Limited tickets at the door.

Website    Facebook   Twitter   Soundcloud   Bandcamp   Spotify   YouTube

Basement Revolver

Powerful, emotional indie rock out of Hamilton. These kids make totally transcendent, larger than life sounds with Chrisy Hurns’ voice either soaring angelically overtop or whispering softly in your ear. Honestly one of the coolest bands around right now.

Date: Tuesday May 7th
Venue: Cherry Cola’s 
Location: 200 Bathurst St.
Doors: 8:00 PM
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Limited tickets at the door.

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Soundcloud   Bandcamp   Spotify   YouTube

The Dirty Nil

“CAUGHT UP LIKE A CANINE HOWLING IN YOUR HEADLIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHTTTSSSS!!!!!!!”
No one rocks like these guys. We caught these fine specimens a couple times when we were over in Hamburg for Reeperbahn. Face-melting, electrifying rock that you just gotta see for yourself. PSA – they put on one of the loudest shows we’ve ever seen.

Date: Friday May 10th
Venue: Phoenix Concert Theatre
Location: 410 Sherbourne St.
Doors: 8:00 PM
Ticket Price: $40.77 (32.00 + $8.77)
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Limited tickets at the door.

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Soundcloud   Bandcamp   Spotify   YouTube

The Soul Motivators

If you’ve got a hankering for some FIRE vocals, tight soul rhythm section, and bari sax blaring in your face then this is the band for you. Shahi’s energy alone is enough to give anyone a heart attack, the woman is a living lightning bolt.

Date: Thursday May 9th
Venue: Supermarket
Location: 268 Augusta Ave
Doors: 6:30 PM
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Limited tickets at the door.

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Bandcamp   Spotify   YouTube

Flara K

These beautiful babies out of Montreal launched just last fall. A couple of the coolest people you’ll ever meet making sweet soulful electronic pop. We slept in a sweaty pile on their floor once and they were still nice to us in the morning. Check them out opening for Shay Lia + Zaki Ibrahim on the 10th!

Date: Friday May 10th
Venue: Longboat Hall
Location: 1087 Queen Street West
Doors: 6:30 PM
Ticket Price: $19.76 (15.00 + $4.76)
Concert Type: Club Series
Ages: / 19+. / All wristbands accepted. / Limited wristbands. / Concert Lottery.

Website   Facebook   Twitter   Soundcloud   Spotify   YouTube

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Trish Cassling

Writer/Photographer/Editor

Toronto Music Blogger