SPOON
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: July 25, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $65.41 from
Why: Acclaimed quintet Spoon are only playing five dates in Canada this summer, one of which is at the Capital Ballroom on July 25. That’s good news for Victoria, as the Austin-based band led by frontman Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno have made most their most Texas-sounding album yet. Lucifer on the Sofa, Spoon’s 10th full-length, is full front to back with rock, which swaggers and snarls with a pandemic-accented anxiousness — a stark contrast to the pieced-together, electronic-accented Hot Thoughts (2017). The new direction bodes well in the energy department for fans attending the band’s upcoming Victoria stop, which is just Spoon’s second show in Victoria to date and first since 2007. Don’t miss it.
LOWDOWN BRASS BAND
Where: Hermann’s Upstairs, 751 View St.
When: July 22, 9 p.m.
Tickets: $35 advance from ; $38 at the door
Why: Every day is Mardi Gras for the LowDown Brass Band, even though the seven-piece band (two trumpets, two trombones, sousaphone, drummer and rapper) hails from Chicago and not New Orleans. Myriad styles are in the mix here, from jazz and hip-hop to reggae and R&B, which has won the group a hard-earned reputation for fun-filled nights. The band will make its Victoria debut at Hermann’s Upstairs on July 22, the perfect venue — and dancefloor — for a band which gives its everything in concert. Feet are definitely going to be in motion for the duration of this gig.
ISLANDS FOLK FESTIVAL
Where: Providence Farm, 1843 Tzouhalem Rd. (Duncan)
When: July 23, 10 a.m.
Tickets: $95 from (youth 13-18 are half price; children 12 and under are free)
Why: It’s 38 years and counting for this Cowichan Folk Guild event, which offers on-site camping in addition to five stages of music from 25 acts throughout the day. The headliners certainly move the needle this year, with Harry Manx, Alex Cuba Band, Jim Byrnes, and The Bills leading the way, but there’s options galore for adventurous types who want to temporarily vacate their law chair and explore the property. Sets by area favourite David Essig and two-time Juno Award winner Shari Ulrich inside the venue’s chapel will be must-see events.
