Plus, emerging singer Baby Nova performs her first-ever headline show in Toronto, while American rapper Earl Sweatshirt brings his poetic and lo-fi sound to Montreal.
This week, Mac DeMarco swings into Toronto for two sold-out shows at legendary venue Massey Hall. The British Columbia-born singer-songwriter has been extra busy this year, putting out two projects, Guitar and Dog on the Rock, and embarking on a string of tour dates throughout the year, which wraps up in his home country at the end of this month.
In addition, indie singer Serena Ryder takes the stage in Western Canada for a festive evening, while emerging artist Baby Nova performs a mix of streaming hits and unreleased tracks at her first headline show in Toronto. Rapper Earl Sweatshirt brings his newest emotionally transformative record to Montreal, and pop singer Audrey Hobert comes north of the border for a sole Canadian stop on The Staircase to Stardom tour.
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Concert of the Week
Mac DeMarco, Massey Hall, Toronto — December 8-9
In 2025, indie-rock singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco returned to the stage.
A couple of years ago, the B.C.-born artist released a nine-hour album, One Wayne G — that peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart for one week, but quickly disappeared into the ether. This year, he returned with his sixth full-length LP, Guitar, and subsequently mapped out an extensive tour, featuring a bevy of Canadian dates — including this week’s two sold-out shows at Toronto’s Massey Hall.
The show marks DeMarco’s first return to the city since 2019, when he performed almost exactly six years ago, at the now seemingly idle venue, Echo Beach. Before that, he took the stage at Danforth Music Hall in 2017. Since emerging on the indie music scene in the early 2010s, DeMarco has often played intimate venues, and this year’s doubleheader of Toronto shows is no different.
Guitar is the second release of DeMarco’s own label, Mac’s Record Label. Launched in 2019, he told Billboardthat the label wasn’t an attempt to sign indie music’s “promising up-and-comers,” but was a practical step toward one key personal objective: to “own everything,” and do things on his terms. Guitar does just that — showcasing demo-like tracks that are purposely unpolished, in the wake of AI’s reign of terror on the music industry.
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“The most important part of art is the human element, I think. Be it good or bad, that’s what I want to hear," he shared with The Independent. It's also what his fans want to hear.
In the midst of DeMarco’s tour — which kicked off in late August — he quietly released a “secret” second project, Dog on the Rock, in November via handing out CD-Rs to fans at the venue barricade. The project now unofficially lives on YouTube, but the tracks have yet to make their live debut at his recent string of shows. What fans can expect is back-to-back hits from DeMarco’s extensive catalogue, including “Salad Days, “Nobody” and the TikTok viral “Heart To Heart,” which marked the west coast native’s debut on the U.S. Hot 100 in 2023, despite its 2019 release.
Serena Ryder, Club Regent Event Centre, Winnipeg — December 4
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This holiday season, acclaimed Canadian artist Serena Ryder invites concertgoers on a musical journey that blends timeless holiday classics with Ryder’s indie-pop discography — including “Stompa” and “What I Wouldn’t Do,” which both cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 in the mid-2010s. Showcasing powerful vocals, joyful energy and heartfelt storytelling, the Toronto native is set to create an unforgettable festive evening that celebrates connection and community.
Baby Nova, The Drake Hotel Underground, Toronto — December 5
This week, emerging artist Baby Nova is playing her first-ever headlining show at The Drake Hotel Underground. Hailing from Nova Scotia, the alternative singer-songwriter is set to perform some of her biggest tracks, penned with Canadian songwriter Lowell, including “Too Pretty For Buffalo” and “Killed For Sport,” the former of which has amassed over two million Spotify streams. She’ll also treat fans to an array of unreleased tracks from her forthcoming debut album.
Earl Sweatshirt, Théâtre Beanfield, Montreal — December 6
Following the recent release of his latest record, Live Laugh Love, highly praised American rapper Earl Sweatshirt is bringing his aptly-titled 3L World Tour to Montreal. The rollout for his sixth studio album has been brief, following the announcement of his project two days before its release in August. Sharing a colourful tour poster to his social media channels, the Chicago native simply notified fans to “come see us somewhere!” And fans have delivered.
Audrey Hobert, Longboat Hall, Toronto — December 7
In September, Audrey Hobert told Billboard she was channeling her inner “control freak,” while planning her yet-to-be announced tour. Now, the time has come. The rising pop singer — known for writing chart-topping bops with best friend Gracie Abrams — is performing a lone Canadian show. Fans can expect a blend of musical theatre elements with feverish, colourful aesthetics that Hobert has curated for her debut album, Who’s the Clown? Her hit “Sue Me" debuted at No. 39 on the U.S. Pop Airplay chart in the summer.
