Photo of Matt of Epigram by Richelle Forsey

Beneath a pile of attractive shows in the city this week (Brooklyn’s Au Revoir Simone at Lee’s Palace on January 16, not one but two Elliot Brood shows at the Dakota Tavern on January 18 and 19), there lies a very distinctive show Musicologist whole-heartedly recommends.

On Thursday, January 17, Windsor’s What Seas What Shores, Toronto’s Epigram, and Tunturia will be playing at The Boat for a mere $5 cover. While each band can be classified under many labels (post-rock, ambient, experimental, prog rock, instrumental, dreamscape…), the fact of the matter is that all three bands showcased Thursday evening play gorgeous music. Popular music without the heavy reliance on vocals is unduly special. Bands such as Godspeed You Black Emperor, Do Make Say Think, and Explosions in the Sky are often admired by both musicians and music lovers alike for their ability to create atmosphere and communicate a message without a spoken language, and Thursday night’s bill will create similar sounds to those aforementioned. Conveniently located in one of the warmest venues in the city, this show will be a wonderful choice for a Thursday evening.

Full listings after the jump.

This Week

Tuesday, January 15
Whisper (Colin Fisher and Rob Piilonen) @ Somewhere There, $6
Newton Faulkner, Jim Rain, Peter Bloom Band, and Foxfire Forest @ Horseshoe, Free

Wednesday, January 16
White Williams and Ecstatic Sunshine @ Horseshoe, $10
Au Revoir Simone @ Lee's Palace, $13
Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra @ The Tranzac, PWYC
The Von Bondies @ El Mocambo, $13.50
In Transit and Locomotive 8 @ The Boat, $5
The Primordials, The Miles, and Barons and Lengthy @ The Drake, $5

Thursday, January 17
Tunturia, Epigram, and What Seas What Shores @ The Boat, $5
Broken Bricks, The Superstitions, and The Miles @ Sneaky Dee's, $5

Friday, January 18
The Lyras @ Sneaky Dee's, $5
Three Days Grace and Seether @ Kool Haus, $38.50
Elliot Brood @ Dakota Tavern
Amos the Transparent, The Just Barelys, and Kaeru @ The Drake, $5
Songs from a Room @ Silver Dollar, $5

Saturday, January 19
Solvent and Lowfish @ Rivoli, $12
Elliot Brood and Seesham and Lotus @ Dakota Tavern

Sunday, January 20
Ken Reaume and Abbey @ Sneaky Dee's, PWYC
Jully Black (La Maison de Couture Gala Benefit) @ Berkeley Street Theatre (4 pm), $75
Hamilton Trading Company, This is Picture, and Ghost Hands @ The Boat, $5

Just Announced