One of my favorite times of the year in Toronto is coming up: NXNE Music Festival. This year’s lineup features an incredible 1000 artists and 30 films at over 50 stages across the city between Wednesday June 12th and Sunday June 16th. There’s a business aspect to this festival, but for the purpose of music lovers like you and I, I’m sticking to the live music here. Wristbands are still available for $60, which will get you in + out access to all the shows (subject to capacity, of course), single day wristbands can be yours for $30, and there’s also the option of just paying cover at single venues.
For those not interested in running around between venues, possibly waiting in line, or spending your hard earned bucks on bands you don’t know, I highly recommend you pick a venue, go early and stick it out for the night and see what the stage presents you. The Great Hall, The Horseshoe Tavern, Lee’s Palace, BLK BOX, and the Dakota Tavern are fail safes for good tunes every year. Yonge & Dundas Square also has an incredible line-up of FREE shows each night featuring headliners Ludacris, Billy Talent, Social Distortion, and certainly the most anticipated act in my social circles: The National.
Did I mention that there will be 1000 artists? Clearly I couldn’t dig through each and every artist to give you the most perfect list of recommendations ever, but I’ve surely done my darnedest. Aside from the list below, I have to give a shout out for the hilarious band names that I came across: 1992 Toronto Blue Jays, The Mouthbreathers, HORMOANS, Vagina Panther (I can’t make these things up).
for the love of awesome 