Things to do in Edmonton this week: August 9–15

This week Edmonton gets the rock gods and a solid run of genre-spanning live music, but first it gets rained on. Sunday through Wednesday sit under a wet blanket—thunderstorms rolling in over the weekend, drizzle holding through midweek, with lows hovering around 11–14°C and highs barely breaking 20°C. Plan indoor, plan early. Thursday brings hail and more thunder. But Friday clears out toward the weekend, and by Saturday the drizzle lightens; that's when you move outside.

Start with the megadose: AC/DC at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday at 7:00 PM, with The Pretty Reckless. This is the POWER UP tour, and it is the event of the week—the kind of show that empties bars and brings the whole city to one place. Tickets are moving fast. If you go, eat early. Sabor Restaurant downtown does excellent seafood in a cozy, dry room perfect for a pre-show meal before heading to the stadium.

Daniel Caesar arrives Thursday at Rogers Place at 7:30 PM with 070 Shake, an alternative hip hop artist from the United States. Caesar has built a loyal following; this is the show to catch mid-week if you can dodge the hail.

Caamp, an American folk band from Ohio, takes the stage at the Jube on Friday at 7:30 PM—a smart pick for the night the rain finally loosens. Folk draws a particular crowd in this city, and a Friday night at the Jubilee Auditorium has the feel of a real event. Grab a cocktail at Woodwork beforehand if you want to start the evening properly.

Saturday is the clearest day of the week. Meltt, a Vancouver-based alternative folk group, plays The Starlite Room at 8:00 PM with a second show later. Two sets in one night is worth the trip. And if heavy metal is your language, Killswitch Engage—the American metalcore veterans—play River Cree Resort & Casino in Enoch on Saturday at 7:00 PM; it is a short drive west of the city, about 14 kilometres from downtown.

Beyond the stages, keep an eye on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium: the Edmonton Elks take on the Toronto Argonauts at 1:00 PM. CFL in August, clear skies, and a home game—it is a proper way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Friday night also brings Top Talent Wrestling at Midway Music Hall at 6:00 PM if you want something looser and more theatrical than a concert.

For dining through the soggy stretch, Pip does outstanding brunch and sits well for a wet morning before heading out. And if you are staying in the city mid-week waiting for the weather to turn, lingnan's—the storied downtown Chinese restaurant that has anchored Edmonton family dining for over 70 years—is the kind of place where three generations gather, and where history lives in every egg roll.

If I had one night this week, it would be Sunday at AC/DC: a stadium full of Edmonton, a tour that will not circle back soon, and the kind of night you tell people about for years.