NXNE How-To Guide: Day Five

Well guys, we've almost made it. Tonight is already the last night of NXNE and it features a significantly scaled-back number of options compared to previous nights. For those of you who opt not to mingle anywhere near some other big party happening tonight for a glimpse at those Jonas Brothers, here are some great last-minute chances to take advantage of your festival wristband (or, for you at-the-door types, throw some extra gas money into the touring bands' pockets).

Mardeen is currently one of the country's best and mostly yet-unheard indie-rock bands, so if you missed their darling faces at the Rivoli on Thursday, make sure you're at Rancho Relaxo in time for their straightforward, but fiercely melodic and soaring anthems (9 p.m.). Brent Randall and His Pinecones bring this double-headed Halifax opener down a couple notches with their pretty pop ditties, and Toronto's Dan Griffin leaves the rest of the Arkells behind tonight for a solo folk-tinged set with backing band The Regrets. The Bellewoods, which started as a quiet, sort-of side project for members of Great Lake Swimmers, Raising the Fawn, A Northern Chorus, and the Diableros, close the show with their soulful indie-folk that's sure to be a strong finish to lovely Sunday evening bill.

For another dose of low(er) key stuff, head to the Rivoli where Kingston, ON's Apple Crisp Records and Toronto's No Shame co-present the bluegrassified sounds of Rueben deGroot and The Gertrudes, plus some cutesy bedroom pop (swoon) from PS I Love You, Diamond Rings (sampled solo project of the D'Urbervilles frontman John O’Regan), and Nich Worby (9 p.m.).

Turn things up a notch and visit some out of towners (further than Halifax, even) at the El Mocambo where Regina, SK's not-as-wimpy-as-their-name-suggests Rah Rah open a show featuring Liverpool, UK's riff-rockers Dirtblonde; Hollywood, CA's radio-rockers Oh No Not Stereo; and Brooklyn, NY's drama-rockers GLINT (9 p.m.). Even for all that rock and rolling, sure to rock the hardest tonight will be Wu-Tang's GZA (8 p.m.) and Chicago/Detroit too-cool kids, The Cool Kids (9 p.m.), as they transform Yonge-Dundas Square into a beat-laden haven for hip-hop heads and mere appreciators alike (with others, starting at 4 p.m.).

Starting tomorrow you can start the countdown for NXNE 2010 (you would!), but not until after reading our 2009 festival wrap-up and then taking a long, well-earned nap (we will).