I've mentioned Rah Rah before, but what I didn't say is that I confused this band with Ra-Ra Riot. Rah Rah is a sextet from Canada.

Rah Rah's latest album, The Poet's Dead, just came out today (October 22, 2012), via Hidden Pony Records.

They're currently in the middle of their tour, so I will swinging by their Minneapolis show, after my Gold Fields/Diamond Rings show at 7th Street, to see them and report back.

10.23 Chicago, IL @ Double Door 10.24 Cedar Falls, IA @ The Hub 10.25 Iowa City, IA @ Blue Moose Taphouse 10.27 Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe 10.30 Seattle, WA @ High Dive 11.28 Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Bar

Note: The Fine Line Café's policy is there are no re-entries, so as the night goes on, it will get more crowded... Unless people leave early.

GREAT BIG SEA greatbigsea.com

Great Big Sea is one of Canada's most beloved bands. As I previously mentioned, the band plays about 300 shows a year (having seen them a few times at the Irish Fair.)

It is no surprise that for their 20th Anniversary, the band will once again kick off a 2013 tour, starting in Anaheim, California. As part of the celebration, expect their very first Greatest Hits 2-CD set called XX, to come out October 30th. Fans may want to wait November 27th for the ultra deluxe boxset.

GREAT BIG SEA 20th Anniversary Tour - US dates

MAR 05 - Grove of Annaheim - Annaheim, CA MAR 06 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA MAR 07 - Alladin Theater - Portland, OR MAR 08 - The MooreTheater - Seattle, WA MAR 19 - The Fitzgerald Theater - Minneapolis, MN MAR 20 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL MAR 21 - The Waiting Room - Omaha, NE MAR 22 - The Boulder Theater - Boulder, CO MAR 23 - The Boulder Theater - Boulder, CO APR 14 - The Center for the Arts - Buffalo, NY APR 16 - Michigan Theater - Ann Arbour, MI APR 17 - The Warner Theatre - Washington, DC APR 18 - Keswick Theatre - Philadeplhia, PA APR 19 - Town Hall - New York, NY APR 20 - The Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA APR 21 - The Wilbur Theatre - Boston, MA APR 23 - Flynn Center - Burlington, VT APR 24 - State Theatre - Portland, ME

INDIAN HANDCRAFTS indianhandcrafts.net

Just announced today, but you can stream the entire Indian Handcrafts' forthcoming album, Civil Disobedience for Losers, today at spin.com.

Indian Handcrafts are a Canadian power-duo (drummer/vocalist Brandyn James Aikins and guitarist/vocalist Daniel Brandon Allen) and that Civil Disobedience for Losers album is coming out October 30th via Sargent House.

An interesting note about recording the new album, Allen explained that he had to record with a broken hand, "The doctor said if you go and record that's your problem if it gets worse. It was a little painful some days, but because of being there in the surroundings it was easy to get around that. It healed fine."

That's commitment.

Currently on tour:

10/27 Barrie, ON @ Fitzy's By The Bat 11/02 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern 11/10 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts* 11/11 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom* 11/12 Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus* 11/13 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East (Downstairs)* 11/15 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom* 11/16 Detroit, MI @ The Magic Stick* 11/17 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean* 11/19 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater* 11/20 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge* 11/21 Boise, ID @ Neurolux*

* with Red Fang & Black Tusk

LE VENT DU NORD www.leventdunord.com

Quebec's Le Vent du Nord (The North Wind) is releasing Tromper le temps ("Fooling Time") in the US on November 3rd.

Hurdy-gurdy player and songwriter Nicolas Boulerice explained why it's important to play traditional music in a modern world, "We are part of 2012, just like everyone else. But we think we can bring historical things more into the day to day discussion, so we can talk about what happened in the past. That is why we have always been very close to historical subjects and images, because we play traditional music, music that is often connected to the separatist movement. We aren’t always talking explicitly or directly about the issues that matter to us; we always take the detour via history."

Catch them on their US tour in support of the album in November:

11/03/2012 Austin, TX - Austin Celtic Festival 11/04/2012 Austin, TX - Austin Celtic Festival 11/09/2012 Eugene, OR - Jaqua Concert Hall 11/10/2012 Forest Grove, OR - Pacific University 11/11/2012 Portland, OR - House concert 11/13/2012 Crescent City, CA - Crescent Elk 11/15/2012 Bozeman, MT - Montana State 11/16/2012 Ogden, UT - Weber State 11/17/2012 Los Angeles, CA - Théâtre Raymond 11/30/2012 Nelson, NY - Nelson Odeon 12/01/2012 Nelson, NY - Nelson Odeon

SAID THE WHALE saidthewhale.com

The last time this Vancouver band was in Minneapolis, they had a hip hop support and previously, they had a jazz band open up! So what's in store for this Juno Award-winner band this coming November 8th at the 400 Bar? Event listing shows The Lesser Jackson on the bill. The Lesser Jackson is a classic 60's & 70's soul cover band. It should be an interesting night.

Anyway, Said The Whale is heading back on tour in support of their album, Little Mountain, out now via Hidden Pony Records.

Nov 8 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, MN Nov 9 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL Nov 10 - Vaudeville Mews - Des Moines, IA Nov 11 - Firebird - St. Louis, MO Nov 13 - White Rabbit - Indianapolis, IN Nov 14 - Howler's Coyote Café - Pittsburgh, PA Nov 15 - The Saint - Asbury Park, NJ Nov 16 - M Room - Philadelphia, PA Nov 17 - Pianos - New York, NY Nov 18 - TBC - Boston, MA Nov 20 - Beachland Tavern - Cleveland, OH Nov 29 - The Vera Project - Seattle, WA