Canadian Music Fest preview: Friday.

Here's my rundown of what you might want to see on the Friday of Canadian Music Fest. There's not a lot that really excites me, but certainly more than enough bands worth seeing.

I've got my Wednesday and Thursday previews up, too.

FRIDAY (12 mar)

Sirius Satellite Radio Quebec showcase feat. Artist of the Year, Handsome Furs, Winter Gloves, Parlovr, more @ El Mocambo (First Floor).

The El Mo floor isn't really the best for dancing, but audience members will hopefully suck it up and get moving. If you're going for the more well-known HF, I recommend getting there early to see Parlovr. This Montreal band has just signed to Dine Alone Records, but more importantly is a band I think is super awesome. Like, they will grab your attention and not let go of your brain until they are finished with it. The dance party gets started at 11pm.

Winston Hauschild, Sydney Wayser, Aidan Knight, hyperpotamus, and Giant Hand @ Global Village Backpackers.

A very different show, this one features solo artists, including Ottawa's wunderkind Giant Hand, Victoria's talented Aidan Knight, Spain's semi-bizarre but perhaps arresting hyperpotamus, New York's lovely Sydney Wayser, and Vancouver's indie popster Winston Hauschild. A night full of surprises and no doubt some beautiful, astonishing moments.

Billions showcase feat. The Uglysuit, Think About Life, Plants & Animals, The Acorn, the Russian Futurists, and Winter Gloves @ Lee's Palace.

This is one of the most talked-about shows in my circles, but honestly I only love the Acorn and TAL. But they are so amazing that it's totally worth dealing with potentially less-than-amazing other bands to see them. Or maybe the other bands will impress the hell out of me, too! (They are all good, but to my mind are in the shadows of their bill-mates.) Trivia: I spoke briefly to one of the guys from Oklahoma City's the Uglysuit in Berlin. The opened a show with Shearwater and Okkervil River, but I missed their set. He gave me a sticker.

Postdata, Brian Borcherdt, and Julie Fader @ The Music Gallery.

This will sell out, and it will be very nice. You will be sitting in church pews listening to quiet, contemplative music. Postdata is a new project from one of the guys from Wintersleep. Brian Borcherdt is one half of Holy Fuck, though there's not much point in me saying so because his solo music is really very different. When she's not fronting her own band, Julie Fader performs with Great Lake Swimmers, Chad VanGaalen, and other stars of the Canadian music scene. This show is one of the few small affairs that was curated to be an entire evening, so chances are you'll be around for all the bands.

Boats, Krupke, Balthazar (Belgium), Gypsophilia, more @ Rancho Relaxo.

Rancho's got 4am last call all 5 days of the festival, so each night is crammed with bands, not all of which any one festival-goer might be interested in seeing. (Though all of which were presumably chosen so as not to suck.) The three bands on this night that appeal to me most are Winnipeg's Boats whom I've had the pleasure of seeing a couple times in the past, Halifax's Gypsophilia, and Toronto's Krupke, neither of which I've managed to catch so far. For shame, I know. Balthazar are coming all the way from Belgium! Plus, they sound fun and will totally fit with the others.

What else?

Dan Mangan (11pm), We Are the City (10pm), more @ The Courthouse.

If you missed Dan M. and WATC earlier in the festival, here's another chance to catch them. Two other BC acts are on this bill, too.

Paquin Entertainment showcase feat. Christina Martin (Halifax), Brasstronaut (Vancouver), Ladies of the Canyon, Hannah Georgas (Vancouver), Techromancer (Vancouver), and Villagers (Ireland) @ The Drake Hotel.

A nice choice to spend the night at, though the first two bands on the bill don't really go with the rest. (CMF is often for show-hopping, though, so whatever.)

One Movement presents the Aussie BBQ feat. Dead Letter Chorus, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sally Seltmann, more @ The Rivoli.

I've mentioned all these bands in earlier preview posts. These and other Australian bands share a bill.

Pop Montreal and NeXT-at-CMW present VOWLS, Parlovr, The Peelies, PS I Love You, Diamond Rings, Gemma Ray (UK), The Name(Brazil), and Girl + the Machine @ The Silver Dollar Room.

Not every band is one I'd want to see, but there are a lot of impressive acts, including Diamond Rings, PS I Love You, and Parlovr. The Name sound like fun, too. If you haven't seen these bands, I recommend checking them out. The Silver Dollar's a good place to spend at least part of CMW.

Tim Perlich presents Ian Blurton's Happy Endings, Huron, Isla Craig & the Continental Drift, catl (between sets), more @ The Comfort Zone.

Four Toronto(ish) bands, beginning with the folk-jazz stylings of Isla Craig before quickly moving onto rock, rock, and more rock.

Travis Porter presents First Rate People, Corduroy, The Schomberg Fair, Arietta, Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose, more @ Sneaky Dee's.

For me this bill isn't exciting, but there are some definite winners. Depending on where I'm at, I might drop in for Schomberg's midnight set, or Arietta's 11pm slot, or . . . you get the point.

Soft Copy, Metz, Silver Starting, the D'Urbervilles, and Ghostkeeper @ The Garrison.

This night includes too much rock for my liking, but other than the first openers---who sound too weird for me---I'd happily see any of these bands.

Lots more shows are listed on the big festival schedule.