Earlier this year, we looked ahead to the biggest and most hotly anticipated concerts taking place at Toronto’s major venues in 2025, from Metallica to The Weekend.
Fortunately for those unwilling to brave the crowds at Scotiabank Arena or the soon-to-be-built Rogers Stadium, there are tonnes of exciting performances slated to take place at smaller venues across the city. Here are the 12 shows we are most looking forward to.
Aysanabee with Sebastian Gaskin
March 21 @ Axis Club
Equipped with a deep, thick and soulful voice, Oji-Cree singer-songwriter Aysanabee first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 2022 with the release of his debut album “Watin,” which was inspired by conversations he had with his late grandfather. Two-and-half years and a couple of Juno Awards later, Aysanabee has embarked on his first ever headlining tour of Canada.
For his stop at the Axis Club in Toronto, Aysanabee will be joined by his Ishkodé Records label mate Sebastian Gaskin, the rising pop fusion artist from Tataskweyak Cree Nation who released his debut album in February.
Tickets starting at $38.25
The Magnetic Fields
March 26 and 27 @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
It’s been a quarter-century since the Magnetic Fields released “69 Love Songs,” a sprawling and experimental concept album that remains a high point in the world of indie pop. To mark the occasion, the band is on the road performing the beloved album in full over two nights in each city. If you want to get hyped for the shows, check out the band’s Tiny Desk Concert from last fall.
Two-day passes are sold out, but individual tickets are going for $66.95
FKA twigs
March 30 and 31 @ History
There will be sweat. In January, FKA twigs released “Eusexua,” a thrilling avant-pop album brimming with weird and wild songs that were custom-made for a club setting — “Eusexua,” the English singer explained is a term she came up with to describe the “sensation of being so euphoric” that one could “transcend human form.” Icy and spacious, the album feels like twigs’ wintry response to “brat summer.” So buckle up for a wild show.
Tickets starting at $89.70
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
April 23 @ Meridian Hall
Speak to any fan of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and they will tell you that seeing the band live less of a concert than a spiritual experience. Cave, now 67, in particular remains a remarkably charismatic and physical performer, one who engages with his rapturous audience as if each show will be his last. The Bad Seeds are currently on tour in support of their 18th studio album, “Wild God,” which features some of the most joyous music Cave and the Bad Seeds have made in years.
Tickets currently reselling for about $305
Lucy Dacus
April 25 and 26 @ Massey Hall
Singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus and her Boygenius bandmates have kept a relatively low profile since the indie supergroup took over the world with their debut album just over two years ago. On March 28, Dacus will re-emerge with “Forever Is a Feeling,” her first solo record in four years, and a North American tour in support of the project. The highly anticipated project will feature an impressive roster of indie royalty, including Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, Hozier, Blake Mills, Bartees Strange, Jay Som and more.
Tickets currently selling for $92.63
Allie X
May 2 @ The Opera House
Writing in the Star’s roundup of overlooked pop culture from 2024, music writer Emilie Hanskamp described Allie X’s “Girl With No Face” as an “addictive, 43-minute descent into synth-fuelled horror pop with hooks so catchy you’ll pull a muscle from excessive hair-flipping.” If you’re a fan of big-swing, experimental pop music but don’t want to break the bank, check out the Oakville native’s upcoming show at the Opera House (before she blows up).
Tickets from $40.75
Japanese Breakfast
May 5 and 6 @ Massey Hall
Japanese Breakfast, an indie pop band fronted by singer (and bestselling memoirist) Michelle Zauner, is set to release their first studio album in over three years on March 21, titled “For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women).” In February, Zauner appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where she performed her new sang “Orlando in Love” backed by a small orchestra.
Tickets from $62.05
MJ Lenderman & the Wind
May 8 and 9 @ Danforth Music Hall
The last time MJ Lenderman came to town, the show sold out in 16 minutes. The line at the merch table nearly stretched past the bar, the Star’s Ben Mussett noted in a review of the show, which he described as spirited and joyful singalong. Fortunately for those fans who weren’t lucky enough to snag a ticket, the rapidly rising alt-country star and his rollicking band are returning for two shows at the Danforth.
Tickets from $82.11
Alessia Cara
May 15 @ Roy Thomson Hall
Brampton’s own Alessia Cara returned this winter with “Love & Hyperbole,” an introspective and soulful new record that Star contributor Vernon Ayiku described as “a new artistic chapter, one that balances the weight of being a pessimist and hopeless romantic with the excitement of new-found joy.” The 28-year-old singer will get to celebrate this new chapter with her fans in the plush seats of Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall.
Tickets from $79.63
MIKE
May 28 @ The Opera House
Looking for your hip-hop fix? A prolific and experimental rapper and producer from New York City, MIKE is to return to Toronto as part of his massive 2025 worldwide tour. His latest album, “Showbiz!” arrived in January.
Tickets on sale for $40.75
Paul Simon
May 27, 29 and 30 @ Massey Hall
Legendary folk singer Paul Simon was planning to retire just a few years ago but seems to have found his groove following the release of his 2023 album “Seven Psalms.” In February, after performing “Homeward Bound” with Sabrina Carpenter at the 50th anniversary special for “Saturday Night Live,” the 83-year-old announced a string of shows at smaller venues, including Massey Hall in Toronto.
The cheapest tickets are currently reselling for over $400
Perfume Genius
June 14 @ The Concert Hall
Beloved indie artist and critical darling Mike Hadreas, a.k.a. Perfume Genius, is hitting the road to promote his latest album, “Glory,” which was produced by in-demand guitarist Blake Mills. He released a music video for the lead single “It’s a Mirror” in January.
Tickets for $55.12
