Stepping Out with Style

What to do, what to do?

There’s so much happening this summer in and outside the city.

Where can you find Emmylou Harris, Vance Joy, The War on Drugs, Fleet Foxes, Orville Peck, KT Tunstall, Rufus Wainwright, William Prince, and lots of other musical talent, along with food, fun, and loads of happy campers? At Birds Hill Park, of course! The Winnipeg Folk Festival runs this year from Jul 6-9.

Or maybe Reggae is your thing. For the last 15 years, the Winnipeg International Soca Reggae Festival has been celebrating Soca, Reggae, and Calypso. Find multi-cultural Caribbean flavours at Old Market Square, Jul 7-9. (Free)

Who’s Good? Get with Who’s Bad - The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience! The longest-running Michael Jackson tribute band, Who’s Bad has sold out many venues in the United Kingdom, including London’s O2. (Club Regent Event Centre, 1425 Regent Ave, Jul 7)

Bring the loud. Social Distortion has been playing its combination of bluesy punk and rock ‘n’ roll for five decades now. They bring their signature sound to the Burton Cummings Theatre (364 Smith St, Jul 12)

Juno award winner Joey Gregorash is bringing the 1960s Winnipeg music scene back with his Salute to the ‘60s. It's a tribute to the time when Winnipeg community clubs were rockin’ every weekend night with local bands like Joey’s own, The Mongrels. (Club Regent Event Centre, Jul 12)

There won’t be any “Heartache On The Dance Floor” when Jon Pardi brings his award-winning honky-tonk to town. His new album, Mr. Saturday Night, offers plenty of losing and loving.

(Canada Life Centre, 300 Portage Ave, Jul 15)

A few days later, multi-platinum Danish band Volbeat, along with Halestorm, come to town with a very different sound. From small clubs in Copenhagen to headlining stages the world over, they dish out heavy metal, rock ‘n’ roll, and a dash of rockabilly. (Canada Life Centre, Jul 17)

And there’s more rock, thanks to Avenged Sevenfold. Expect a spectacular live show from a band that’s sold over 10 million albums worldwide, including two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. Plus guests Alexisonfire! (Canada Life Centre, Jul 31)

The same night, Tegan and Sara bring their Crybaby Tour to the Burt. The identical twin pop duo have been recording together for 20 years. (Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St, Jul 31)

Fans of Philippines pop should check out OPM Summer Fest 2023. OPM bands and vocalists like Gloc9, RiverMaya, IntroVoys, Glenn Jacinto and more are touring Canada with a stop in Winnipeg. (RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave, Aug 11)

Another musical omnibus: Burt Block Party brings together bands and fans for two weekends of outdoor fun. Take a look at the line-up: The Strumbellas, Stars, and Novillero (Aug 11), Billy Talent (Aug 12) Brett Kissel, James Barker Band and guests (Aug 18), Glass Tiger, A Flock of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, and Spoons (Aug 19), and a double bill with Cheap Trick and Trooper (Aug 20). Everything takes place outside the Burton Cummings Theatre between Smith St and Notre Dame Ave in a fully licensed site with bars and food trucks to complement the live music.

Filipino Pop Kings SB19 are the first Southeast Asian act to be nominated at the Billboard Music Awards for Top Social Artist Category. They play Winnipeg on Aug 13 at the Club Regent Event Centre.

Michigan rapper NF’s Hope Tour hits 47 stops from the U.S to Europe, including a show in Winnipeg. Known for his raw grit and emotional authenticity, NF has been awarded numerous multi-Platinum honours. (Canada Life Centre, Aug 29)

Speaking of multi-Platinum artists, The Chicks return to the global stage after their supremely successful U.S. tour last summer. (Canada Life Centre, Sept 13)

Miss ABBA? ABRA Cadabra – A Tribute to The Music & Magic of ABBA comes to Winnipeg for the first time with their Thank-you for the Music Tour. This family friendly extravaganza with a live band, dancers, multi-media, and costumes (of course) has audiences singing along. (Burton Cummings Theatre, Sept 16)

Canadian country star George Canyon can claim Juno, CCMA, and ECMA Awards for his 12 albums and hits like “Just Like You,” “I Believe in Angels,” “Drinkin’ Thinkin’,” and "Daughters of the Sun.” He rolls into Winnipeg with his Our Country Tour. (Club Regent Event Centre, Sept 16)

Manitoba Underground Opera loves presenting its productions in intriguing venues. Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Castor et Pollux will be performed before the 200-foot tall façade of St. Boniface Cathedral, with the title twins, originally written as male, played by women. (Saint Boniface Cathedral, 180 Av. de la Cathedrale, Aug 22- 25)

Then it’s Guiseppe Verdi’s The Corsair, set in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. Fittingly, the swashbuckling action will take place right on the deck of the historic Nonsuch. (Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert. Sept 20-23)

The Winnipeg Symphony announces a great way to introduce their 2023/24 season. Their new Thursday Classics series begins with dinner at a nearby restaurant, followed by a pre-concert chamber performance on the Piano Nobile. Each concert in the hall itself will be introduced by the conductor. Finish off the evening with a post-concert Q&A. Violinist Vadim Gluzman is the guest for the first concert of the season, featuring Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Bloch’s Baal Shem (Three Pictures of Chassidic Life) Suite for Violin & Orchestra, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, and Smetana’s Vltava (The Moldau). (Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St, Daniel Raiskin, conductor, Sept 14)

A little later, LIve at the WSO kicks off with Steven Page for an evening of solo work plus Bare Naked ladies favourites. (Burton Cummings Theatre, Sept 22 & 23)

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra looks forward to its new season with guest Awadagin Pratt (one of the “great American pianists … of our time,” WGBH) performing a Bach concerto. (Crescent Arts Centre/Crescent Fort Rouge United Church, 525 Wardlaw Ave, Anne Manson, conducting. Sept 6)

JAGGED LITTLE PILL: THE MUSICAL

Some shows you see. This show you feel - Joy, strength, love, courage, catharsis, LIFE: everything we want in a Broadway show can be found in this Tony and Grammy Award-winning new musical about a perfectly imperfect American family, based on Alanis Morissette’s world-changing music. You live, you learn, you connect, you jump out of your seat, you feel truly human… at JAGGED LITTLE PILL. (Oct 17–22, Centennial Concert Hall)