andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

The Ex isn’t just your average fair anymore – it’s the place to see some hot concerts.

The Trews will be making a stop on their current tour to play The Ex – the end-of-summer Toronto fest – on August 23. The Canadian boys have just released their fourth CD, “No Time For Later.”

Burlington band Silverstein will be rocking the CNE’s Bandshell stage the next evening, with their new material from their album, “Arrivals & Departures.” They’ll be joined by Sights and Sounds.

Brandy’s little brother and gossip target Ray J will add some R&B flavour to the lineup.

And in case that wasn’t enough variety, Mickey Rooney and his wife Jan will woo the crowds with “song, dance and his timeless humour and charm.”

For more information and a complete schedule of all the events, visit theex.com.

After eight years together, Silverstein are finally heading out on their first-ever cross-country headlining tour.

Beginning later this month, the Burlington, Ont., band will play a string of dates from Vancouver to Quebec City in support of their third full-length album, “Arrivals & Departures.”

The album, released in July, was touted by AP Magazine as one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2007 and debuted at No. 25 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

The 10-date tour will see Silverstein joined by Protest the Hero, IllScarlett and The Devil Wears Prada.

Silverstein recently shot a video for their new single, “Still Dreaming,” and are currently playing in Australia as part of the Vans Boys of Summer Tour.

After that, they head to Japan for a handful of shows with MxPx before returning to Canada for the headlining tour.

The band will follow that up with a U.S. tour that is expected to keep them busy until the end of March.

The Canadian tour dates for Silverstein, Protest The Hero, IllScarlett and The Devil Wears Prada are:

- Jan 28. Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Cultural Centre
- Jan. 30 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
- Jan. 31 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
- Feb. 1 Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
- Feb. 2 Saskatoon, SK @ The Odeon
- Feb. 4 Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Theatre
- Feb. 7 London, ON @ Cowboys
- Feb. 8 Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
- Feb. 9 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
- Feb. 10. Quebec City, QC @ L’Imperial