By David Topping

If you’re a fan of Guster, the very excellent, very melodic, and, as this picture aptly demonstrates, somewhat quirky band from Boston, you’d know that they pretty much never ever play a concert in Canada.
Despite their more than modest success (they’ve, like, totally been on the O.C. twice, and they’re a staple of US college radio), the closest they’ve come to anything Canadian lately is playing with the Barenaked Ladies…in a United States tour. But Guster wanted a taste of the real thing, and are stopping in Toronto in between stints in Cleveland and Washington as part of a tour is to promote their newish album, Ganging Up On The Sun, the fifth of their fifteen-year careers.
Guster rolls into town with opener Mason Jennings (no Barenaked Ladies at this one) the night of Monday, February 26 for a 19+ show at the Phoenix. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and, really, what’s cooler than a concert on a Monday night? (Torontoist will be there, too!) The tickets would normally set you back $20, but we’ve got four pairs to give away, courtesy of Eggplant Entertainment. Just enter your name and valid e-mail address in the boxes below and you’ll be entered to win one of the pairs. The contest closes on February 22.
UPDATE (January 23): The contest is now closed! Thanks to everyone who entered (there were a lot of you), and congratulations to our four winners: Mary K., Rhonda H., Todd B., and Chris S.
If you’re looking for a little sampling of Guster’s stuff, check out the streaming video for “One Man Wrecking Machine” or, of course, check out the band’s Myspace.