Edmonton's live entertainment calendar is receiving a significant boost this spring with the announcement of two major solo performances. Matt Berninger, the iconic baritone voice behind the acclaimed indie rock band The National, will perform at Midway Music Hall on March 12. Shortly after, sharp-tongued British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr will bring his provocative stand-up to Rogers Place on September 25.
Matt Berninger's Intimate Solo Tour
For fans who missed The National's set at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival or simply crave more, Berninger's solo show offers a unique opportunity. The performance is part of a seven-city Canadian tour supporting his second solo album, Get Sunk. The general admission event promises an evening of his distinctive, deep vocals in the more intimate setting of Midway Music Hall.
Berninger's setlist is expected to feature solo material alongside potential surprises, possibly including his noted cover of New Order's Blue Monday. He has also been known to weave in songs from his side project EL VY and even pull National classics like Gospel and Terrible Love into his recent European solo sets.
Tickets for Matt Berninger's Edmonton show go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday via midwaymusichall.com.
Jimmy Carr's Deadpan Comedy Hits the Big Stage
Following Berninger's spring show, the fall brings a completely different energy to the city with Jimmy Carr's return to Edmonton. A fixture on British television through panel shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, Carr is renowned for his machine-gun delivery of dark, one-liner jokes and his unmistakable, staccato laugh.
His Edmonton date at Rogers Place is part of a brief Alberta swing. Carr will perform in Fort McMurray at Centrefire Place on September 24 and in Medicine Hat at Co-op Place on September 26.
Tickets for Jimmy Carr's performance are also on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through his official website, jimmycarr.com.
A Busy Season for Edmonton Venues
These announcements underscore a vibrant period for Edmonton's live event scene. Berninger's show at Midway Music Hall comes just two days before the band July Talk is scheduled to electrify the same venue. The back-to-back bookings highlight the hall's growing reputation as a prime spot for compelling musical acts.
Meanwhile, Carr's performance continues Rogers Place's expansion beyond hockey and major arena tours to include top-tier comedy, offering a diverse range of entertainment for the city. For fans of melancholic indie rock and those who prefer brutally honest comedy, Edmonton's upcoming schedule has something noteworthy to offer.