The Best Shows Hitting Vancouver January 2018

This month, check out indie rock in the downtown core or head to the valley for a Halestorm and more

1. Wolf Parade at the Commodore Ballroom – Friday, January 12

How a bunch of dudes from British Columbia found themselves in Montreal with a three-week deadline to throw a band together is probably a cool story for another day and another column. But such was the case when Wolf Parade was hastily formed in la belle province some 15 years ago. In 2011—after half a dozen releases—they entered into a lengthy, self-imposed hiatus to work on a big chunk of individual projects. Not necessarily rested, but certainly reinvigorated, the post-punk-revivalists will return to their home province to shake up the Commodore with tunes from their latest full-length offering, Cry Cry Cry. Don’t sit on this. These tickets will go fast!
Tickets $32

2. August Burns Red at Vogue Theatre – Friday, January 19

Taking a break from making awesome videos, August Burns Red makes a welcome stop in our town to support their critically acclaimed 2017 release, Phantom Anthem. This Pennsylvania metalcore quintet has just been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Metal Performance category, and even though they have tough competition (against heavyweights like Mastodon and Meshuggah), I personally think they’ve got this—mostly because I’m pretty sure Adele isn’t up for any awards this year so she won’t Jethro Tull this one away.
Tickets $27

3. Stone Sour & Halestorm at Abbotsford Centre – Saturday, January 27

If it seems like I feature a concert listing for Abbotsford Centre every… single… month… it’s because I pretty much do. This venue is seeing a huge load of business now that there’s no hockey in the building, and music lovers out in the Valley are eating it up. January will see Corey Taylor’s (slightly-more-diverse-than-Nickelback) Stone Sour pull out 25 years of hits along with selections from last summer’s well-received Hydrograd. And as you should never miss an opportunity to check out a band featuring a charismatic female at the helm, be sure to show up on time to catch post-grunge/metal favourites Halestorm, fronted by the lovely and talented Lzzy Hale.
Tickets from $39

4. Matt Mays at The Commodore Ballroom – Saturday, January 27

So you’re thinking music these days is missing that laid-back, organic vibe it had back when Tom Petty was still on this planet? Yeah, I get ya. That’s exactly why you should head on out to the Commodore to check out Matt Mays. Join Nova Scotia’s indie-rock troubadour on his Once Upon a Hell of a Time tour as he’ll make you remember what music felt like before all the reality shows, manufactured stars and boy bands took over.
Tickets $27.75

5. Lights at Vogue Theatre – Tuesday, January 30 and Wednesday, January 31

Going back to the topic of charismatic females for a second, accomplished singer-songwriter Lights brings her considerable flair to the Vogue for two nights. This girl is not just a singer, she’s also a fiercely talented storyteller and illustrator. Seriously, check out her super cool comic book series Skin&Earth (which is a companion piece to her new album) and you’ll understand what I’m saying. This is another situation in which you should not delay your ticket purchase, as both these performances are bound to sell out.
Tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday from $40.50