By Nicole Villeneuve

Photo by sevennine from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.

You know the drill: starting today, and every day until Sunday, a dizzying array of local and international music, film, and industry events take over the city courtesy of NXNE, and Torontoist will of course be squeezing our way into as many as we can. But no one likes to show up to the party alone, so we want to make sure you’re hip to our tips too. Tonight’s scaled-back festivities are a perfect, polite introduction to what is sure to be an exhausting, but exciting weekend. Ready?
Don’t feel sad that you weren’t invited to the NXNE Opening Gala because the cool kids just crash the after party anyway; it’s at the Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West) and it actually boasts one of the strongest line-ups of the weekend. One of the city’s still-sort-of-best-kept secrets, The D’Urbervilles, set up shop in the Underground and set the bar high for the rest of the indie-synth contingent, Lioness and Woodhands. Upstairs in the Lounge, join Damian Abraham of the newly Polaris long-listed Fucked Up for FOX News updates a DJ set and some punk rock 101. The whole shebang is a co-production with City Sonic, a promising new collaborative film project made to tell the personal stories of Toronto’s music scene. Five of the films will be previewed in the Underground before the music starts, and then upstairs from 10 p.m.–2 a.m. Doors are at 9 p.m. for the low, low price of free for all wristband holders or almost free ($5) at the door before 11 p.m.
The no-need-for-an-introduction biggest ticket (and safe bet) tonight is the This Book Is Broken book launch happening at the Courthouse (57 Adelaide Street East). If you’re not a pass holder (or, even if you are, and don’t have a billion hours to line up), well, sorry. Arts&Crafts’ best take one stage in one night; Jason Collett, Years, and Apostle of Hustle are all up, plus the allure of secret special guests. Torontoist has its own guess, and it may or may not be wearing a shirt.
Starting at 9 p.m. the Dakota Tavern (249 Ossington Avenue) hosts heart-tuggingly pretty and off-the-radar Montreal folkies Victory Chimes, Caracol, and Leif Vollebekk (what’s up new Jeff Buckley), or get back to your adolescent roots by checking out Portland’s irresistible indie art-punks Jaguar Love at the Mod Club (722 College Street, 8 p.m., free with wristbands or $20). Or, if you don’t want to hang out with us at all, you can always find additional Wednesday fun with the NXNE schedule-maker.