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Concerts

Avril Lavigne Takes the Stage at Festival d'été de Québec: Canadian Concerts of the Week

Plus, Canadian icon Shania Twain plays the Calgary Stampede, while Coldplay has four sold-out nights at Toronto’s new Rogers Stadium.

Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne

Tyler Kenney

It’s not a long weekend in Canada like it is in the U.S. but across the country, there are many events to keep music fans busy — from an indie punk performance in Vancouver and a boots stomping concert in Calgary to a highly coveted tour at Toronto’s Rogers Stadium and one of Quebec’s biggest music festivals, FEQ.

Concert of the Week

Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ), Quebec City — July 3-13


Canadian pop royalty is coming to Quebec’s capital this week. Hitmakers Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain are set to headline two nights at the 11-day festival — Lavigne takes the stage on tonight (Friday, July 4), while Twain brings her cowgirl stomping to the giant main stage July 12.

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Both artists are having a booming 2025. Lavigne released her first greatest hits album, backed by a sold-out tour and played one of Glastonbury's most hyped sets last summer, while Twain has taken on TV duties, joining Canada's Got Talent judge panel and appearing in Sabrina Carpenter's Christmas special. Aside from their FEQ duties, both are hitting the road this summer, with Lavigne performing at All Your Friends Fest and Warped Tour and Twain headlining the Calgary Stampede and Ottawa Bluesfest.

The headliners are supported by a deep roster of talent throughout the week, including Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara, pop-punk band Simple Plan, singer-songwriter George Thorogood, alt-rock veterans Pixies, Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, breakout Bronx rapper Ice Spice and the breakout star of the moment, Benson Boone, who plays tomorrow night (July 5).

One of the few Canadian festivals to program 11 days, festival producers BLEUFEU (whose execs made Billboard Canada’s Power Players 2025 list) work hard to keep passes affordable, with a general admission pass priced at $165. With international stars and rising Canadian acts on the program, it’s a destination event for music lovers across the province and beyond.

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Tickets are available here.

More Canadian Concerts of the Week

EKKSTACY, Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver — July 5

After spending time south of the border, the Vancouver pop-punk artist has returned to the city. To reacquaint himself with the local music scene, he’s performing his new album FOREVER at the beloved West Coast venue.

Tickets are available here

Shania Twain, Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary — July 5

Get ready to giddy up! Before her headlining gig at FEQ, the legend is fronting the Calgary Stampede on Saturday night, marking her return to the festival after 11 years. She also recently kicked off the event as the parade grand marshal. Known for tracks like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “You’re Still the One,” the country-pop icon is bound to bring her infectious energy and decades-spanning hits to the Western Canadian province.

Tickets are available here.

Coldplay, Rogers Stadium, Toronto — July 7-8,11-12

Three years into Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour, the British band is making their way to Toronto with the biggest rock tour of all time. Boasting a two-hour setlist that includes hits and newer tracks, fans can expect Coldplay’s whole spectacle, including stunning visuals, personalized moments and sustainable initiatives.

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Tickets are available here.

Pixies, MTELUS, Montreal — July 8-9

Leading up to their performance at FEQ on July 10, the alt-rock innovators will perform at Montreal’s MTELUS for two nights. The group is set to take the stage and play their albums, 1990's Bossanova and 1991's Trompe le Monde, in full.

Tickets are available here.

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Dan Hawie
Courtesy Photo

Dan Hawie

Record Labels

Dan Hawie Promoted to Managing Director of Last Gang Records by MNRK Music Group

Formerly with Dine Alone Records and Nevado Records, the Toronto-based label exec joined Last Gang in 2017 where he served as director of marketing and A&R.

MNRK Music Group has announced the promotion of Dan Hawie to managing director of Last Gang Records. Effective immediately, Hawie will oversee Last Gang’s finances and assume expanded leadership across A&R and brand strategy. Based in Toronto, he will report to Randy Derebegian, vp of artist development, and Chris Moncada, coo of MNRK Music Group.

"I’m incredibly honoured to carry the legacy of Last Gang forward," Hawie says. "Twenty-one years in, our ‘Us Against The World’ mentality continues to fuel everything we do. Foundational artists like Death From Above 1979, Metric, and Mother Mother are still shaping culture today, while our new guard, including Bella Poarch, Ho99o9, Loving, and Mondo Cozmo, continues to push boundaries and move the culture forward. I’m grateful to help preserve that independent spirit, and especially proud to champion such incredible art with the same passion and belief as the artists creating it.”

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