See the shows Apt613 contributors look forward to most in Ottawa-Gatineau!

After combing through the local listings, Apt613 has come up with a list of interesting concerts in December.

EDITORS’ PICKS

Jim Bryson @ Quitters Coffee, Dec. 5–6
Thus Owls @ NAC 4th Stage, Dec. 7
Lungbutter @ Pressed, Dec. 12
Born Ruffians @ Bronson Centre Music Theatre, Dec. 13
Silent Winters @ NAC 4th Stage, Dec. 13
Jonathan Pearce @ The Record Centre, Dec. 14
Dax @ Babylon Nightclub, Dec. 18
The Wooden Sky @ St. Alban’s Church, Dec. 20
Jann Arden w/ NAC Orchestra @ Southam Hall, Dec. 21
The PepTides @ allsaints, Dec. 31

Find more listings for art, music, theatre, film, dance and festivals in the Apt613 facebook calendar.

Sunday, December 1

The Carleton University Choir & Carleton Choral Ensemble

Pianist Joanne Moorcroft, soloist Deanna Singh, and organist Ian Bevelle are featured in a program of Hogan, Holst, Handel, Hayden and more. Admission is free for music students.

📍 Carleton Dominion Chalmers Centre
🕓 3pm
🎟️ $15 at the door ($10 students)

Monday, December 2

The Monroe Sisters

The Monroe Sisters headline Bluesgrass Mondays at Pressed in Centretown this week.

📍 Pressed
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ $10 at the door

Tuesday, December 3

Thirteen Strings with Kevin Mallon

The Thirteen Strings’ holiday concert accompanied by a chamber choir. Composers: Corelli, Scarlatti, Armstrong, Vivaldi.

📍 Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Wednesday, December 4

Cracker w/sg The Bushpilots

Country rock from the States with Ottawa’s Bushpilots.

📍 The 27 Club
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

The Prime Rib Big Band

Irene’s resident jazz big band rips through holiday classics and mashups.

📍 Irene’s Pub
🕓 8:30pm
🎟️ Free Admission

Thursday, December 5

Jim Bryson

The Ottawa songwriter’s first of two nights at Stittsville’s best music venue.

📍 Quitters Coffee
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Johnny Pandora w/sg Cadillac Rumble Trio

A rock ‘n’ roll band from Tokyo.

📍 House of TARG
🕓 9pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ $10 at the door

Hilltop Hoods

Australian hip hop act on a world tour. Also, holy crap! A show at Barrymore’s!

📍 Barrymore’s
🕓 9pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Friday, December 6

I Mother Earth w/sg The Standstills

The Canadian rock band of 1990’s fame is reunited with lead vocalist Edwin. $2 from every ticket sold goes to the Ottawa Snowsuit Fund.

📍 Bronson Centre Music Theatre
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Jim Bryson

Second of two nights at Quitters Coffee.

📍 Quitters Coffee
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Fliss w/sg Wychwood

Fliss is the stripped-down solo project of Felicity DeCarle (Sparklesaurus). Local “blackgrass” band Wychwood play dark and weird traditional folk songs.

📍 The Art House Café
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Saturday, December 7

Said the Whale w/sg Dave Monks, Loon Choir

Vancouver indie rock band Said the Whale call on Loon Choir for local support!

📍 Bronson Centre Music Theatre
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Organ Mood w/sg Bucko, Wellington Sanipe

Montreal band Organ Mood (Dare to Care Records) with an electronic set by Ottawa artist Bucko and local experimental musician Wellington Sanipe.

📍 Club SAW
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Thus Owls

Swedish-Canadian underground art-pop duo Thus Owls play the NAC.

📍 NAC 4th Stage
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 7:30pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Punk Goes Acoustic III

Local musicians play unplugged punk songs.

📍 LIVE! on Elgin
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Rusty w/sg Mad Ones

Toronto alt-rock. An album release for Rusty’s new record, Dogs of Canada.

📍 The 27 Club
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Sundown Jazz feat. Caelan Roberge-Toll

Contemporary jazz quartet featuring Caelan Roberge-Toll (sax), Chris Pond (bass), Valeriy Nehovora (drums), and Garrett Warner (guitar).

📍 The Art House Café
🕓 9pm (Doors at 8:30pm)
🎟️ PWYC at the door

Sly High w/sg L.G.R. Band

A tight tribute to Sly & The Family Stone plus the 11-piece L.G.R. Band playing a set of Chaka Khan hits.

📍 Overflow Brewing Company
🕓 9pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

High Waters performing Radiohead

Ottawa art-rock band High Waters perform a collection of their favourite Radiohead songs. Lead vocalist Derek Connely pulls it off! They’re the best local band for this.

📍 Irene’s Pub
🕓 9pm
🎟️ $15 at the door

Sunday, December 8

Jumpin’ Joel Flash

A pared-down trio show by the Ottawa indie rock and musical theatre band.

📍 The Art House Café
🕓 2pm
🎟️ Free

MONOWHALES w/sg Kyle Ivan

Toronto alt-rock. They just released a catchy new single “RWLYD.”

📍 LIVE! On Elgin
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Monday, December 9

Pat Moore, Pat McLaughlin & Nick Gauthier

Bluesgrass Mondays at Pressed.

📍 Pressed
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ $10 at the door

Tuesday, December 10

Born of Osiris w/sg Car Bomb,

Big-name American prog metal bands on tour.

📍 The Brass Monkey
🕓 6:30pm (Doors at 6pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Carleton University’s Alumni Association Holiday Concert

A free and family-friendly holiday concert featuring talented Carleton U alums such as Juno Award-winning vocalist Kellylee Evans, jazz saxophonist Petr Cancura, and the brother-sister soul pop duo Mack & Ben (Mackenzie and Ben DiMillo).

📍 Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Free Tickets

Wednesday, December 11

Ghost Town Blues Band

A touring blues band all the way from Memphis Tennessee.

📍 Irene’s Pub
🕓 8pm
🎟️ $15 at the door

Thursday, December 12

Anne-F Jacques, Alex Eastley, Adam Saikaley

Free, improvised music by a trio of “rotating objects, bassoon and cordophone.”

📍 Cinqhole
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ $10 at the door

Lungbutter w/sg Slow Dawn

Loud experimental trio Lungbutter (guitar, drums, voice) is here from Montreal. Ottawa weird psych/noise punk band Slow Dawn open the show.

📍 Pressed
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Becoming w/sg Andy Towse

Two young songwriters Becoming (Australia) and Andy Towse (UK) make their Ottawa debuts.

📍 Bar Robo
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ PWYC at the door

Danko Jones w/sg Double Experience, Onionface

Energetic Canadian rock trio Danko Jones are still kicking. Remember this hit?

📍 The Brass Monkey
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Friday, December 13

The Annual Christmas Songshare at the Log Drive Café

The holiday folk song share is an evening of carols and seasonal songs in a circle. Anyone is welcome to bring a song to share and lead the group, or you can call on someone else to lead it.

📍 The Nectar Centre
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Donations collected for the Parkdale Food Centre

Born Ruffians

Canadian indie rock band who released their debut record on UK label Warp Records in 2006.

📍 Bronson Centre Music Theatre
🕓 7pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

A Winter’s Night feat. Basia Bulat, Skydiggers, Donovan Woods & The Opposition

The Festival of Small Halls and NAC Presents partnered to present this weekend bill of popular Canadian songwriters. This is the first of two nights at the NAC.

📍 Babs Asper Theatre (NAC)
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Capital Chamber Choir: The Little Match Girl Passion

David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-winning choral work on the importance of community during the holiday season. Capital Chamber Choir is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

📍 St. Joseph’s Church
🕓 8pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Silent Winters

Olenka Bastian and Jonathan Chandler are the Ottawa folk duo Silent Winters, but are often seen onstage as vocalists for Amos The Transparent. Upon releasing their Silent Winters debut in 2017, the pair earned not one but two nominations for Canadian Folk Awards.

📍 NAC 4th Stage
🕓 8:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

After Funk w/sg Cardboard Crowns, Cloud City

Toronto funk, rock and soul band After Funk are no strangers to Ottawa. They’re tight from playing hundreds of shows together, including a handful at venues in town.

📍 Babylon Nightclub
🕓 9pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Saturday, December 14

Jonathan Pearce Album Release Show

Jonathan Pearce and his band play music from his new record Systems.

📍 The Record Centre
🕓 4pm
🎟️ PWYC at the door

A Winter’s Night feat. Basia Bulat, Skydiggers, Donovan Woods & The Opposition

The last of two nights at the National Arts Centre.

📍 Babs Asper Theatre (NAC)
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

London Calling: A 40th Anniversary Celebration

An all-star cast of artists (Police & Thieves, Radicals, John Carroll, Juice) perform London Calling front to back on the 40th anniversary (to the day) of The Clash’s famous album. Proceeds go to CKCU FM.

📍 The 27 Club
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Holiday Boogie Vol. 2: Harea Band + Matthew Chaffey

Music.Art.Ppl brings together musicians and visual artists for the second annual Holiday Boogie party. Queen St. Fare will be transformed into a “winter-themed” paradise with live painting, live music and djs. Harea Band and Matthew Chaffey headline the show.

📍 Queen St. Fare
🕓 9pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Pop. 1280 w/sg Scattered Clouds

NYC post punk band Pop. 1280 on a bill with experimental Hull outfit Scattered Clouds.

📍 Cinqhole
🕓 9pm
🎟️ $12 at the door

Paul Deslauriers Band

Québecois blues rock trio.

📍 Minotaure
🕓 9pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Sunday, December 15

Diogo Ramos

A musician from Brazil now living in Montreal, Diogo Ramos is coming to Ottawa to play original music from his new release, Samba sans frontières.

📍 The Art House Café
🕓 2pm (Doors at 1:30pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Serena Ryder

Serena Ryder’s “Christmas Kisses Tour” makes an afternoon stop at the National Arts Centre.

📍 Southam Hall (NAC)
🕓 4pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Monday, December 16

Girls to the Front Songwriters Circle

A monthly showcase featuring Ottawa women in music, hosted by Julie Corrigan, and this month featuring both Catriona Sturton and Kalyna Rakel.

📍 Irene’s Pub
🕓 8pm
🎟️ Free Admission

Ruby the Hatchet w/sg Dead Odyssey, Sims, HeightsPeak

American psychedelic rock 5-piece.

📍 Cafe Dekcuf
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Tuesday, December 17

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Wednesday, December 18

Dax w/sg Spitten Image, J-Havoc, TAxPTP

L.A.-based Canadian hip hop artist Dax is know for his freestyle rap videos on YouTube and went viral with his hit, “Dear God.” He grew up in Orléans, went to St. Peter’s Catholic High School, and moved to the United States to play college basketball.

📍 Babylon Nightclub
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7:30pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Thursday, December 19

Good Lovelies

Juno Award-winning folk pop band Good Lovelies are on their 13th annual Christmas tour. This year also marks the 10th anniversary to the trio’s highly popular Under The Mistletoe record.

📍 Babs Asper Theatre (NAC)
🕓 7:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Hockey Dad w/sg DZ Deathrays, Horror My Friend

A triple bill of Australian indie dance rock bands on tour through Canada.

📍 The 27 Club
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Kasador w/sg Tribe Royal, Rebelle

Kingston alt-rock band with a ridiculous drummer, Stephen Adubofuor (ERU-ERA, Mack & Ben, The 33z).

📍 Babylon Nightclub
🕓 9pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Friday, December 20

The Wooden Sky

The Toronto indie folk band’s tenth annual holiday show, which has raised over $25,000 for charities since 2009.

📍 St. Alban’s Church
🕓 7:30pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Matt Andersen w/sg Joey Landreth, Terra Lightfoot, William Prince

A blues guitar Christmas concert with New Brunswick’s finest Matt Andersen and special guests.

📍 Southam Hall (NAC)
🕓 8pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Saturday, December 21

Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas

Superb gospel and jazz from Chestnuts to Charlie Brown, featuring Roxanne Goodman, Michael Curtis Hanna, and the John Dapaah Trio.

📍 Church of the Ascension
🕓 7pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

A Jann Arden Christmas w/ the NAC Orchestra

19-time Juno Awards nominee Jann Arden backed by the NACO… Sure to be a memorable performance!

📍 Southam Hall (NAC)
🕓 8pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Kellylee Evans’s Winter Song

Juno Award-winning Ottawa jazz vocalist sings pop, r&b and gospel holiday classics, new standards, and some of her own gems.

📍 Azrieli Studio (NAC)
🕓 8pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Graven’s Jingle Jamboree

A super 613 lineup of artists featuring Jessica Pearson, Annie Martel, Still Winter Hills Jr., Danielle Allard, Doug Wallace, Kate Greenland, Sean Oliver, Tina Wallace, Subhraj Singh, and hosted by Graven.

📍 LIVE! on Elgin
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ $10 at the door

Sunday, December 22

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Monday, December 23

Glenn Miller Orchestra

The band was formed in 1956 and has been touring ever since.

📍 Southam Hall (NAC)
🕓 7pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Tuesday, December 24

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Wednesday, December 25

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Thursday, December 26

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Friday, December 27

Monster Truck

High energy Hamilton rock. SOLD OUT.

📍 The Brass Monkey
🕓 8:30pm (Doors at 8pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Saturday, December 28

Tony D’s Holiday Smash

Tony D is a staple in the Ottawa blues music scene. When he’s not touring with Juno Award-winning band MonkeyJunk, you’ll usually find him at The Rainbow.

📍 The Rainbow
🕓 9:30pm (Doors at 9pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Sunday, December 29

Email your suggestions to <gigpicks@apt613.ca>

Monday, December 30

Mononc’ Serge

An infamous Québecois musician, poet and performance artist, Serge Robert. He played in Les Colocs for four years in the 1990s, then began a solo career as Mononc’ Serge.

📍 Minotaure
🕓 8pm (Doors at 7pm)
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Tuesday, December 31

Sandy Hill New Year’s Eve Party

Party with The PepTides on NYE at allsaints event space in Sandy Hill. There are dinner seatings at 6:30pm and 8pm, and The PepTides’ show starting at 9:30pm.

📍 allsaints event space
🕓 9:30pm
🎟️ Buy Tickets

Find more listings for art, music, theatre, film, dance and festivals in the Apt613 facebook calendar.