To Ontario Premier McGuinty.

[Another non-music post, but this here's my only truly public forum.]

To: Dalton McGuinty, Premier, Government of Ontario

CC: MPP Rosario Marchese, MP Olivia Chow, Councillor Adam Vaughan

Dear Premier McGuinty,

You and your government must not weasel out of your duty to the citizens of this city and this province. I am astonished, appalled, and frankly disgusted by your position on the calling of an independent public inquiry into what happened outside the fence last weekend.

Police officers broke the laws of this country on numerous occasions. It is impossible to escape this fact unless one deliberately overlooks overwhelming supporting evidence. It is abundantly clear to me that police officers did so, with impunity, occasional sadism, and often with a complete disregard for basic human rights. Gross violations occurred even on the lawn of your very own legislature.

Your government must take action so that we, the citizens of Ontario, can know the truth about what happened and why. I fully support the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s and Amnesty International’s calls for a public inquiry. All three levels of government---federal, provincial, and municipal---have much to account for. I had held out hope earlier this week that you respected the laws of our land, and would take swift action. Your words and deeds since then make it clear to me that you have chosen to blatantly ignore the facts of the situation. I cannot understand why you would do so, except that you must be shockingly misinformed. Please inform yourself, Premier, and work with Prime Minister Harper to open a full, independent, public inquiry. Doing so is plainly necessary, and the first step to healing the wounds that this past weekend and all the decisions taken up to it left on my city.

I firmly believe that Toronto, for all its flaws, is the best city in the world, and that Canada, for all its problems, is the best country in the world. This past weekend left me and so many other proud citizens feeling sadness and anger. Mid-Saturday afternoon the latter feeling was focused on rioters; very quickly thereafter the police earned my disdain. I am just as disappointed and enraged even now, a week later. My dismay, frustration, and anger at the governments who allowed the G20 summit to take place in my city are not gone. But what actually happened demands an inquiry, and soon. I implore you to reconsider your stated position on a public inquiry dealing with the security measures and police actions.

In addition, your government must provide a full, clear explanation of the handling of the Public Works Protection Act fiasco. You yourself, sir, must accept responsibility for misleading the people of this province. This was, at the very least, a breach of public trust. You should be ashamed of yourself. I hope you will apologize and explain yourself. It is the only honourable thing to do in this matter.

Thank you,

Jennifer Polk

Toronto, ON

Want to write your own letter?

You can contact the premier at dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

My MPP for Trinity Spadina is Rosario Marchese (rmarchese-co@ndp.on.ca); my MP is Olivia Chow (Chow.O@parl.gc.ca), and my city councillor is Adam Vaughan (councillor_vaughan@toronto.ca)

To the Toronto police.

[This has nothing to do with music, but I'm reeling and need to get this out there.]

This weekend was arguably the worst in Toronto’s history.

When Prime Minister Stephen Harper invited the G20 to Toronto, he essentially welcomed black bloc terrorists to come here, too. And come they did, as I saw myself in the many photos, videos, and reports from the scene. (I stayed in my apartment just north of downtown the entire weekend.) With the weekend over, but with my mind still reeling, I have a few words for the Toronto police and the other officers who came from all over the country to “serve and protect.”

Where were you, police, when your cars were set on fire and you let them burn? (You left them unattended on purpose, didn’t you?) Where were you when vandals smashed windows downtown, terrifying customers, salespeople, shop owners, and on-lookers? A friend of mine was on Yonge that afternoon, and saw the aftermath: shocking damage and terrified employees at American Apparel and elsewhere. There were no cops in sight, until he rounded a corner, and there you were, seemingly doing nothing. While you stood around, innocent people were left without protection.

Meanwhile, your offices—trained, armed, and in formation—were marching on peaceful demonstrators in Queen’s Park, right near the official “protest zone.” You were doing the same elsewhere, too, on Saturday. I’m sure some of the protesters were being jerks, but what can you expect? You threateningly surround people, stop them from walking in their own city, and keep so many others away.

Later, Steve Paikin's reporting on the evening happenings on the Esplanade grabbed my (and everyone else's) attention. What on earth was going on with you, police?

And yet Saturday night my main thought was of the terrorists who wreaked havoc on downtown streets. Come morning, and the news that more than 500 people had been arrested and detained, my feelings started to shift. As the hours went by and I watched videos, saw photos, and read tweets and news reports of your “tactics,” I changed my mind about you. It became clear to me that the police, as a group, had become the terrorists. There was no violence anywhere that I heard about. Except, that is, for violent acts you perpetrated yourselves. You amassed in force on demonstrators and “riot tourists” in the east end, the west end, and the heart of downtown. Trained officers were ordered to scare innocent people in ways I never thought I’d see in Canada. For shame.

This week you have a lot to answer for. And no doubt you’ll face legal proceedings, brought upon you by some of the hundreds of people whose civil liberties you took away and the dozens you beat with your batons and wrestled to the ground with inordinate force. People in Canada are allowed to assemble, walk the streets, talk to each other, ride their bikes, and to feel safe and secure while doing so. This weekend, you—by not stopping black bloc violence and by your own horrifying movements—made this city unsafe for the people who live, work, and play in it.

Break time.

I'm taking a wee break from this blog while I concentrate on the lots of actual work I have to do. You can still find me occasionally over at Sticky Magazine. I like that project a lot, and feel I can contribute something worthwhile to it once in a while. I wish I had more time and energy, but oh well. Until later!

Review: Horse Feathers w/ The Wilderness of Manitoba @ The Drake Hotel, 28 April.

This was one of those rare seated shows---as in, butts-on-floor---at the Drake Hotel's basement music venue, and, my, was it ever lovely. I'd heard of and sampled Portland, OR's Horse Feathers in the past few weeks and was seriously considering hitting up the show, but the announcement that the Wilderness of Manitoba would open sealed the deal for me.

The Wilderness of Manitoba---always Scott Bouwmeester, Will Whitwham, Stefan Banjevic, and Melissa Dalton---took to the stage just after 9pm, with their drummer, Sean Lancaric. The band doesn't always bring Sean along for gigs, and it was a nice treat for me to see them in full force in such a nice-sounding room. They started off with a couple songs from their 2009 debut EP, Hymns of Love and Spirits, namely, "The Great Hall" and "Bluebirds." The crowd was quiet and respectful to the point of being completely silent during many of the songs and little breaks between them. The first few rows were made up of people sitting on the hard floor. It made for a nice setting, with the Drake's good lighting and stage dressing. "Hermit," the first single from the WOM's first album, coming in June, was next.

The first two highlights of the set for me were "Dreamcatchers" and "Orono Park," performed next. The tribal, driving drum beat and harmonies were great on the former; the latter's banjo / guitar / ukele arrangement was beautiful, as were the Will and Melissa's harmonies and call-and-response vocal tradeoffs. And I gotta say: If audience members weren't completely sold on this band by this point, they have no souls. "Evening," a song originally penned and recorded by Will's mother, Wendy Blackburn, in the 1960s, was next, following by the newer "St. Petersburg." Both are gorgeous, and fan favourites. A couple more new songs ended the performance---"November" and "Summer Fires." The buildup at the beginning of "Summer Fires" was stunning. Just great.

Catch the WOM opening for Matthew Barber at the Mod Club on 12 May, and for Basia Bulat (and Julie Doiron) at the Phoenix on 4 June.

Download: The Wilderness of Manitoba, "Hermit" (When You Left the Fire, 2010).

Download:

Watch (below): The Wilderness of Manitoba, "Orono Park" (Southern Souls live performance, 2009).

Photo credit: WOM by Zuzana Hudackova.

After a healthy break to get things properly set up, during which we were treated to Owen Pallett's Heartland over the house system, Horse Feathers performed in the headlining spot. (Timber Timbre's self-titled album was the soundtrack before WOM's set.)

I'm not nearly as familiar with this band's output---and, indeed, it was their first time performing in Toronto---but others in the audience clearly were, showing keen appreciation during and after songs. Like Toronto's WOM, this band trades in lush 4-part harmonies and country- and folk-inspired arrangements. But there are classical elements in their ballads, too.

The band played a lovely 12-song set, plus an encore. To me, many of the songs sounded alike, but to my mind that was just fine. "Curs In the Weeds," performed two-thirds of the way through the set, seemed like their hit number; it was warmly received by those around me.

Horse Feathers will be back around this part of the world in July for the Hillside Festival in Guelph.

Download: Horse Feathers, "Belly of June" (Thistled Spring, 2010).

Download: Horse Feathers, "Curs in the Weeds" (House With No Home, 2008).

A few things: Woodhands, Delhi 2 Dublin, The Acorn, Shawn Clarke.

My favourite live band has a new remix EP out this week. Who's that, you ask? Woodhands! (D'uh.) Download the EP for free from the band's label, Paper Bag Records. Here's what you can look forward to:

Track Listing:

1. Pockets (Diamond Rings Mix)
2. Dissembler (Mathemagic Mix)
3. Dissembler (French Husband Mix)
4. CP24 (Teen Mix)
5. Pockets (Jeremy Glenn’s Stay Real Dub)
6. Dissembler (Dan’s Piano Version)

Catch Woodhands on the road this summer:

May 25 @ Habourfront Centre, Toronto (Inside The Musician’s Studio)
July 1-2 @ Sled Island, Calgary
July 3 @ Pride Festival Outdoor Main Stage, Toronto
July 12 @ Le National, Montréal (with Passion Pit)
July 15 @ Blues Fest, Ottawa (with Champion)
July 24 @ Evolve Festival, Antigonish

---

There's a weird "world music"-type Vancouver band you may have heard of called Delhi 2 Dublin. Their mix of, let's see [checking press release], "Bhangra, Celtic, Dub Reggae and Electronica" is creative. They've landed high-profile gigs like Canada Day on Parliament Hill and a free Yonge-Dundas Square performance last summer, and while I doubt indie music tastemakers like Pitchfork would approve, interesting, fun music is interesting, fun music. Their second album is out on Tuesday. It's called Planet Electric.

(That was them at Hillside Inside.) Oh, and if you like what you hear, you can "like" it on Facebook, too. If the band gets itself 7,000 fans by the end of 4 May, it'll offer up the EP version of its new album as a free download to everyone who wants it.

Delhi 2 Dublin celebrate the release of their album at the Drake Hotel on 11 May. Tickets are $15 at the door.

---

One of my favourite bands, The Acorn, whose album is due out on 1 June, have released the first single off it for free download. Head over to Paper Bag Records to preorder No Ghost. The band is in Toronto on 11 June for a show at Lee's Palace. For full Canadian tour dates, check here.

Download: "No Ghost" (No Ghost, 2010).

---

I got a CD in the mail recently from a guy named Shawn Clarke. I've met Shawn a few times at shows, and have seen him play saxophone with Olenka & the Autumn Lovers and Timber Timbre. He's also got a nice arts & culture blog that I read. Shawn's got a musical project of his own and performs around town in singer-songwriter-type evenings. And it's his own album, Like Birds Too Tired To Fly, that came for me. Why am I telling you this? Because I finally today tore off the cellophane wrapping and popped the disc into my stereo, and I loved what I heard! Seemingly simple, yet meaningful songs with strong vocals and good arrangements. I need to listen more. Right now.

Check him out.

Ticket/CD Giveaway: Brett Caswell @ Supermarket, 12 May.

Ontario roots rocker and piano pop crooner Brett Caswell and his band the Marquee Rose are releasing a debut album on 18 May called A New Balance. This will be Caswell's first offering since 2007's Love Waiting EP. Ahead of the release, the band is celebrating with a few Ontario shows, including 12 May's at Toronto's Supermarket.

Here's a taste of the new disc:

Download: "A New Balance" (A New Balance, 2010).

Download: "Needle In the Groove" (A New Balance, 2010).

Nice, eh?

Thanks to Audio Blood Media, I've got a pair of passes and a copy of the new disc to giveaway to one lucky reader! For you chance to win, email me by 11:59pm on 10 May, and put "Brett Caswell" in the subject line of your message. (I'll let you know the next day if you're a winner.) The CD release show also features Bass Lions, so should be a lovely event. Please don't enter unless you can actually attend the event, which is 19+; your CD will be at the merch table for you. And if you don't win, you can still go. Tickets, available at the door, will go for the inexpensive price of pay-what-you-can.

Fine Print: Brett Caswell & the Marquee Rose w/Half Full, Bass Lions, and Colin Moore @ Supermarket, Wednesday, 12 May, 9pm, pwyc.

Ticket/CD Giveaway: Ketch Harbour Wolves @ The Horseshoe, 8 May.

Ketch Harbour Wolves, crafter's of the no. 1 Canadian EP of 2008, are celebrating the release of a new album, Anachronisms, at the Horseshoe on Saturday, 8 May. Well, sort of: The album won't be released for real until June, but you can hear the new songs and pick up an advance copy of the new disc at this show.

Here's a track from their last EP, and you can head over to the band's website to download the whole thing for free (until 2 June). And one from the new album.

Download: Ketch Harbour Wolves, "Animals" (Dead Calm Horizon, 2008).

Download: Ketch Harbour Wolves, "Damascus" ( Anachronisms, 2010).

Thanks to the band, I've got a pair of tickets and a copy of their new CD to give away to one of you! For a chance at them, email me by 11:59pm on Thursday, 6 May. (I'll let you know the next day if you're a winner.) Please put "Ketch Harbour Wolves" in the subject line so I'm sure not to miss your entry. The only restrictions are that you must be 19+ to get into the show, and you must actually go to the show to pick up your CD!

Watch a video recorded in Kingston for the song "Body Without Organs":

Fine Print: Ketch Harbour Wolves (CD pre-release) w/ Clothes Make the Man, Sandman Viper Command, and Drink Up Buttercup @ The Horseshoe Tavern, Saturday, 8 May, 9pm, $7.

Q & A (and CD Giveaway) with Robert Gibson from Optical Sounds.

This is the fifth installment of my interview series with people in and about the Toronto music scene. Previous ones featured Mitch Fillion (Southern Souls), Mike Smith (Muskox, etc.), Randal Ball (WreckingBall Entertainment), and Ben Mueller-Heaslip (What's All This Then?! podcast).

Robert Gibson runs local record label Optical Sounds. The label's got four releases under it's belt, and some of those have garnered significant praise, raising the profile of OS and the company it keeps. It's no doubt been a big help, too, that Gibson and the musicians on his roster are fully behind each other's musical endeavours. "Part of what is making Optical Sounds such a powerful force on the local scene," according to music writer Joe Strutt, "is that they are a community of fans and friends as much as anything else. When they bring out a band, it's because it's a band that they want to hang out and listen to." To my mind, that kind of integrity is key to building a fanbase, ensuring the music the label puts out will get heard (and purchased) by the right people.

If you're into psychedelic, garagey rock and the like, keep reading for your chance to win copies of the label's last two releases on CD! (Giveaway details are after the interview.)

Jen: When did your start the label, and why? What were your intentions for it?

Robert: The label started mid July 2008. Long story short, I moved to Toronto and found myself in the middle of an unbelievable selection of bands. A bunch of bands that honestly seemed like the sweetest people ever. They all partied together and support each others artistic dreams. I just couldn't believe that bands like The Hoa Hoa's, The Disraelis and Action Makes did not have anyone in the business behind them.

I just thought - all these bands and this scene needs is a platform. A place where they can all unite and have someone do all the "business" stuff and shit bands shouldn't have to do themselves. They all seemed to fall loosely within the psych/garage genre, my favourite! So, it made sense.

We don't have any specific intentions for it. I mean, we wanted distro and we've managed that with the help of Outside Music. We want to continue to add artists have the same ideas as us an get the music heard by as many people as possible. That's about it.

If it gets bigger, we'll totally embrace it and if we just kind of maintain where we are now - well, that's fine we're quite proud of how far we've come in less than two years.

Jen: Yeah, for sure. The label and its bands seem to have a devoted and ever-growing group of supporters. How you do decide which bands you want to sign?

Robert: Again, there's no real formula here, I guess just a feeling. I've met with bands I've been keen on in the past but aren't stable or willing to put in the effort necessary for a working relationship. As if, "you're a label, doesn't this mean we made it?"

Without getting in to too much detail, I look for bands that a) have tremendous music that fits into the genre we've become known for and b) have some start up money of their own. As a label, I don't pay for a band's manufacturing. They do. And, together, we make it a priority to ensure that all money taken in is filtered to the band and paying off the debt from manufacturing costs first and foremost. After that, any profit made is split fairly. And by "fair" I mean, a large majority of it goes back to the bands.

In return, I offer them the advantages that the label has managed to amass: the name, studio space, distribution, media contacts, US and Canadian college radio contacts, industry contacts, booking, promotion, publicity, festival gigs and, of course, participation in any of our "unique venue" shows that we've become kinda synonymous with.

Jen: Your latest release is from an American band. Are there special challenges or rewards that comes from working with a group not located in your home city?

Robert: Magic Shoppe is Josiah Webb. We met him at a Hoa Hoa's and Disraelis gig in Buffalo, NY and he was just the biggest fan of what we had going on. We partied with him all night and when we woke up he was on the label. I swear that's how it went down . . . I think.

Regardless of where a band is from, like I said, if their music is what we're after - we're interested. He recorded, mixed, mastered and manufactured his debut Reverb EP a year or two prior to The Night In Buffalo and was just looking for the right place to release it. Optical Sounds was in and we couldn't be happier with it all. He even went as far as to suss out some USA colleges for us that we should be targetting. We're both in agreement that the label and the band are better off with the relationship in place.

Specifically, the distance is a bit of a challenge - he lives in Boston, MA now. So, getting together to chill and hash out ideas isn't convenient. BUT, we now have a place to crash in Boston and the label has made a small imprint in the States!

Jen: You guys were pretty busy recently, showcasing at CMW, in New York City, and then down in Austin. What's the value for your label and its bands of such trips?

Robert: Well, the value is in the experience. I said earlier (sorta) that there are no assholes in this scene. We won't tolerate it. So, it's like going on a great road trip with your besties. Epic parties and the best of laughs have accompanied us on all the trips we've taken. Obviously, the exposure we get from such gigs is a huge bonus and fan bases have expanded.

We hope our bands get the opportunity to do a lot more travelling in the future. You hear that, all you agencies and booking managers? ;)

Jen: Now that you've been at this for a bit, what are the major lessons you learned or misperceptions you had about running a record label?

Robert: Well, first and foremost I've learned too much to list here in detail. Basically, I knew absolutely nothing about the music business. I had a taste in music and people around me who were in great bands, that's it. Everything from managing band personalities, budgets, manufacturing, distro, publicity, booking, networking, etc., etc., etc. have all been learned on the fly. I'm learning every single day from everyone around me - the bands, industry friends and new people I seem to be meeting all the time. I must be getting old because I am consciously enjoying every bit of this new knowledge.

I think because I knew so little, I had very few expectations to begin with, so there are only so many glaring misperceptions. Because we're a DIY, startup label that is still relatively new, we all knew full well that we'd be learning everyday, sometimes taking a few steps back to take one giant leap forward.

The most glaring misperception I had at the beginning that we had to be a "professional" as possible. I assumed we needed this shiny, cutting edge website, publicity, someone to do pro photoshoots, a graphic designer, etc. Turns out, we don't need any of it. If the music is strong enough, fans will find it. And, if the personalities involved are engaged and helpful, these things find a way to get done.

Jen: That's good to hear. Still must be a ton of work, though! What's in the works for Optical Sounds for the rest of 2010?

Robert: So far this year, we've done CMW, SXSW, and released a Magic Shoppe EP amongst other shit . . .

We're excited for the rest of the year. I'm expecting new releases from Action Makes, Planet Creature, The Hoa Hoa's and (fingers crossed) Postcards. We're also close to confirming the addition of Revolvers to the label and we'll re-release their incredible debut (Apocolypse Surfin') that they released themselves last year. The Disraelis are in a bit of a crossroads right now and we'll know more about their plans soon. They're either going to re-group and record some of the best music this city has heard in a while or totally dis-band. Which would suck, but these things happen.

We'll be celebrating our 2 years of existence in mid-July and anyone who has taken in our "unique venue" parties in the church, legion, loft space, etc. will be happy to hear what we have planned. Stay tuned for that.

A website I've been trying to re-launch since forever will be ready this year too. Finally.

Lastly, while we're passing on NXNE this year, Halifax Pop Explosion is all set up, so, some of our bands should have their first gigs out East.

Jen: Thanks so much Robert, and good luck with all the upcoming happenings! And now . . . the giveaway details!

Thanks to Robert and Optical Sounds, you can win copies of the label's two more recent releases: CDs from Magic Shoppe and The Hoa Hoa's! For your chance at the discs, email me with "Optical Sounds" in the subject line, and do so by 11:59pm on 15 May. Make sure to include your physical mailing address in your message. I'll pick a winner at random.

Indie Music 118 (29 Apr - 5 May 2010).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. If I'm missing something you think I should list, or you have any comments, let me know. I star (*) shows that most interest me.

Like this list? Join my Facebook group or subscribe to this blog. Make sure to check the rest of my blog for show reviews and photos, giveaways, and downloads. You can get lots of other suggestions at Stillepost, the weeklies, and venue websites, etc.

On Saturday head to Queen's Park for the Freedom Festival. There will be a bunch of bands and musical acts of various kinds performing all day long (noon-8pm), and all for free. Full details here.

THURSDAY (29 apr)

* Thursday Night Confidential presents Hulepega Sound System @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 9pm, free.

* Ronley Teper & her Lipliners (2 sets) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

SynthFest Showcase #3 feat. The Peace Leeches, Hunter Eves, and Hmmm @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

The Wilderness and Benefit of the Free Man @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Diemonds, Rusted Dawn, and Fog Of Leprosy @ Bovine, 9pm, $5.

WreckingBall Entertainment presents Octobres Ending, Galore, and Ofir Gal @ The Piston, 9pm, $5 w/ canned food donation for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Fourlines @ 12:00a, Counterpoint @ 11:00p, Everyone’s Talking @ 10:00p, and This is Bombs @9:00p. Lee's Palace, 8:30pm, $6.

The Family, Dress Rehearsal, the Bats Pajamas, Backbone Beat, and Johnny Lane @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $6?

* The Long Haul, Jadea Kelly (CD release), and Joshua Cockerill @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10.

Canadian Invasion presents Amanda Mabro w/ NLX @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $10.

*Kevin Kane, Sean Macdonald, and Shelby Lamb @ Cameron House, 9pm, $10.

Groovetastic Entertainment presents Tiger Bar [Garage] Groove feat. The Tight Ship, The Ostrich Tuning, Karoshi, and WOLFCOW @ Tiger Bar, 9pm, $10 for one person, $11 for two, $7/$8 for Groovetastic members. Download a sampler including all the artists playing the show here.

FRIDAY (30 apr)

Kat Rogers @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Ian Blurton's Happy Endings, Reverse Mount Rushmore, and DJ Vania @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Revolution Love, Danger! Danger!, Chang-A-Lang, and The Quiet Revolution @ The Silver Dollar, 9pm, $6?

Smack feat. Coko Galore, Adolf Glitter, and Pinup Saints, w/ DJ Triple-X @ Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 10:30pm, $7 (b4 11pm, $10 after).

* Donlands & Mortimer (EP release), Wax Mannequin, Sean Nicholas Savage, Blue Hawaii (Braids sideproject), and Tonka Puma @ Kapisanan (167 Augusta Ave), 6:30pm, $8. All ages. Followed by...

Snakes & Ladders / Dap Duo Afterparty feat. John Milner You're So Boss, Moscow Moscow Moscow, and Hut, w/ DJ Peter Project @ 286 Lisgar St. (side door), 11:30pm.

State of Mind @ 12:00a, Stagehands @ 11:00p, and tba @ 10:00p. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $8. If anyone wants to buy a Stagehands' CD, just mention "historyjen" and you'll get it for $5 instead of $8.

Shatter The Hotel: A Dub Inspired Tribute to Joe Strummer - Official Canadian Launch Event feat. Dubmatix (live), Prince Blanco & the Clash Assassins (live), Citizen Sound (DJ set), Nate Wize (DJ set), and special guests @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8 or $15 incl. CD. Proceeds to Strummerville: The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music.

* Young Rival (CD release) w/ Make Your Exit, Songs From A Room, and People in Grey @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $10 (or $8 adv).

Dearly Beloved @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8-11pm, $10.

* Run With the Kittens (CD release) w/ Friendly Rich and BA Johnston @ The Great Hall, 8pm, $10 (adv, or $12 door incl. CD).

SATURDAY (1 may)

ARLT (from Paris) and Eric Chenaux @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 8pm, pwyc.

Fred Spek's CaMp CoMbO @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Charge of the Light Brigade (feat. Luke Sneyd) w/ Clockwise @ The Velvet Underground, 8:45pm, $5. The headliners have a new EP, freely available here.

Frailfragment, Bella Clava, and Broken Suns @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 7pm, $5.

* English Words, the Love Machine, and Davey Parker Radio Sound @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6. Download English Words' EP for free here.

* Late Night Live feat. Action Makes, Luau Or Die, and VOWLS @ Silver Dollar, 10:15pm, $5.

Courtesy Blush, This Is An Empire, and Elos Arma @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $6.

Mr. Something Something w/ guests @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $10.

SUNDAY (2 may)

* Gather Round feat. Hamilton Trading Co., Jordaan Mason & the Horse Museum, and Towns & Cities @ The Boat, 9pm, pwyc.

* Steamboat (Sundays in May and June) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

MONDAY (3 may)

Elvis Monday feat. The Caraways, Kuru, Caramel, the People Of Canada, Radio Belle, and Jilted Lovers Club @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

TUESDAY (4 may)

* Tomboyfriend @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, free. The band has a new album, Don't Go To School. I like what I've heard!

* The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Paint @12:00a, The Joy Formidable @11:00p, The Digs @10:00p, and Ten Kens @9:00p. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free. Get a free download by entering your email address in the widget below:

* Mixylodian, Gregory Pepper & His Problems @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

WEDNESDAY (5 may)

PWYC Wednesdays feat. Blood Rexdale & the Walls Are Blonde, Grounders (ex Our History of Cowboys), and Towns & Cities @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Free Boat Rentals, Drumheller, and Mimo @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Paquin Music presents Wil and guests @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $10.