Links for May 17, 2010

The schedule for this year's NXNE, taking place in Toronto at a multitude of venues from June 14-20, is now up. Arguably since last year or perhaps the year before, NXNE has been stepping it up but this year's lineup, stellar if not at least intriguing, is finally living up to what a an exciting music festival in Toronto should be. It's a shame I'll be missing the free Iggy Pop and The Stooges show at Yonge Dundas Square on June 19 in addition to whatever else is going on that day and night since I've chosen to take in the Pavement / BSS / Band of Horses show at Olympic Island (sorry but I just can't pass up Pavement even if it's quite possible I'll be going to Osheaga in Montreal later this summer where Pavement are also playing). [photo courtesy of contactmusic.com]

I'd caught bits and pieces of the webcast of The National's charity show for the Red Hot Organization which took place at Brooklyn Academy of Music this past Saturday night. In case you missed it, video clips are now up at the band's YouTube VEVO channel. And also if you missed the band's appearance on Letterman last week when they performed "Afraid Of Everyone", you can see it on YouTube.

Though Toronto resident Joe Pernice has been promoting his book It Feels So Good When I Stop and it's associated covers album since last Fall, it seems he also found time to complete work on the new Pernice Brothers album entitled GoodBye Killer set for release on June 15 through Ashmont Records. You can stream three songs from the album at the band's website and the band are also offering a free mp3 download of song "Jacqueline Susann" also from the new album. Via Exclaim.

Perhaps a little high-brow than my usual tastes but I just became aware of Martha Wainwright playing The Great Hall on June 25, as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival. Martha plans on singing a set of songs by French singer Edith Piaf. Tickets are a whopping $37 available through Ticketmaster.ca.

I'm not at all used to paying for shows at Harbourfront Centre's Sirius Stage (the last time I did was to see Neko Case in 2005 when the mainstage was sponsored by CIBC and tickets for the show were a steal at $20). Serena Ryder and Cuff The Duke play the Sirius Stage on June 29, tickets $36.50. Steep. If that doesn't rock your boat, take a gander at some of the highlights of the upcoming Harbourfront Centre World Routes free weekend festivals season. The Sadies on Canada Day! Kid Koala & The Slew Live on July 9 as part of Beats, Breaks & Culture!