One of the biggest complaints that Toronto hip hop artists have is that they are ignored by local media, and, for the most part, they're right. Drop the Needle hopes to help remedy this by checking in with some of the city's finest artists each month to see what's up. Photo by Mark Kasumovic. Since 1997, PHATT al has been dropping records and rocking crowds in Toronto. Back then, he was part of Tallisman's crew......

It's Canadian Music Week and that means there's an unusually large number of hip hop shows going on. KRS-One will be teachin' at The Opera House on Saturday as he continues his Stop the Violence movement. RZA dons his Bobby Digital mask on Sunday at the Phoenix. There's also grimy New York hip-hop (M.O.P. on Friday), French rap (DJ Orgasmic and Cuizinier on Thursday), and a strong showcase of local talent (Friday's Exclaim! event). Also......

Rabbit in the Moon, the legendary Los Angeles-based funky techno crew best known for their insane, pyrotechnic, costumed stage performances and dark, live beats, is headlining the last ever all-ages party at The Sound Academy, a.k.a. The Docks, this Saturday at Destiny's Together As One. This will be the first time Rabbit in the Moon has performed within city limits since 1999, which should prove to be a frenetic, immersive performance with wearable lasers,......

Photo by Media Eater. It's hard to believe that it's been 12 years since DJ Shadow dropped his groundbreaking debut, Endtroducing .... Since then, the Bay Area DJ has helped form the respected indie hip hop label Quannum Projects and released a couple of lesser acclaimed albums including 2006's hyphy influenced, The Outsider. Since then, DJ Shadow has been working with fellow crate digger and former Jurassic 5 DJ, Cut Chemist. The pair will......

Andrew Bird landed at the Opera House last night, touring in support of his critically acclaimed, brand new full-length, Armchair Apocrypha. Clad in denim and rainbow socks, Bird was the consummate showman as songs and stage banter all melted into one under multi-coloured lights. The crowd was treated to a farm animal Speak’n’Say demonstration, followed by stories of Andrew’s breakfast, and an introduction to his newfound sock monkey puppet friend, whose shoes had to......

Once a year Toronto the Good becomes Toronto the very naughty. FFN (formerly known as Folsom Fair North) is Toronto's annual fetish fair. Now in its fifth year, the Fair features everything from play areas and parties to an art tent. Festivities kick off July 20 with the Welcome to Toronto party, being held at Alibi. The next night is Agitator, FFN’s big deal sports-themed fetish blowout at the Opera House. The FFN web......

Beginning Friday and running until July 1st, the TD Canada Trust Toronto Jazz Festival is smoothly bringing over 60 swingin' musicians to play in venues all across town in what apparently is Canada's best jazz festival. Take that, Montreal! So, catch up on some free music downtown at Nathan Phillips Square, or go chill at joints like The Rex and Lolita's Lust, open with an extended liquor license until 4 a.m. (which Torontoist thinks......

One of the things that makes The National's music so brilliant—and what might make the band's latest album, Boxer, the best release of 2007—is its ambiguity. Boxer may or may not be about war (the song "Start A War" is one hint, lines like "Invite me to the war every night of the summer / and we’ll play G.I. blood, G.I. blood" in "Gospel" are another), national pride ("Fake Empire"), media control ("Apartment Story,"......

Two super-fast ticket giveaways for you today...get 'em while they're hot. First up are three pairs of tickets to see Colorado's Rose Hill Drive with Zuku tonight at Lee's Palace, courtesy of Against the Grain. If you've never heard Rose Hill Drive, think 70's rock a la Zeppelin, and for what it's worth, Rolling Stone recently named them one of the "10 new artists to watch in 2007." Up for it? If you can make......

Now that CMW is out of the way, it's time to move onto other pressing music matters -- such as, why the hell are all these really great bands coming to town and playing the Kool Haus?! Can we not get a better venue than that? We just spent three of the last seven days at that venue and had to stand near the soundboard just to get even remotely clear audio of the......

It's finally here - the week of festival hell insanity. Got your wristbands and earplugs ready? Canadian Music Week kicks off on Wednesday with the Indie Awards at The Docks, and Thursday to Saturday will have you running around town trying to catch as many acts as possible. Wristbands are $35, or you can purchase (limited) tickets at the door to most shows. Not your thing this year? There's also the Pitter Patter Festival......

At the end of the second verse of one of Bright Eyes' new songs, "Reinvent The Wheel"—a eulogy for a dead musical idol, possibly Elliott Smith—lead singer Conor Oberst laments to his fallen hero that "you never understood what we loved you for." Coming as the line does in the song, with guitar chords and drums emphatically struck together to highlight Oberst's voice and the backing vocals, the moment is both uplifting and tragic, a......

It seems pretty appropriate that we just had Groundhog Day, given that we're feeling a little bit like Bill Murray looking at the concert listings this week. Not only is there very little going on, but most of the bands who are playing seem to be here every week (Apostle of Hustle, The Tragically Hip, Hostage Life, Friendly Rich). Thus, we have nothing left to say about them! So if you've already seen these......

Part Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, part Animal Collective, part something else completely, Grizzly Bear have a unique sound that's tricky to categorize. This is not music you will necessarily dance to, but you will be moved. The Brooklyn-based band hits Toronto on Tuesday at Lee's Palace with Dirty Projectors to promote their newest (and critically acclaimed) record Yellow House. Despite ranking their last show in Toronto in support of TV on the Radio their......

Last night at the Opera House, local concert goers met their match. Toronto audiences are (in)famous for their subdued responses at live shows, which is usually expressed through a steady nodding of the head. Scottish indie group Camera Obscura provided an equally stoic performance, with singer Tracyanne Campbell delivering each song note-perfect yet devoid of any physical expression beyond the strumming of her guitar. Even the infectious single "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken"......

Concert announcements are coming fast and furious, now that everyone's back to their regularly scheduled programming. A number of festival dates are set all the way into September already, including the return of V-Fest to Olympic Island on Sept. 8-9. The festival is expanding out west this year, with Vancouver getting it's innaugural V-Fest -- although judging by the current lineup so far (headliners only), they're catering to a much younger crowd than Toronto......

I first heard about Mancunian singer-songwriter Jim Noir last April, while traveling through London. By the time I returned home, his debut album, Tower of Love, seemed to be getting attention in Toronto too, including a large display at Sonic Boom. But Jim Noir himself was not so lucky crossing the ocean. When Sean Lennon took the stage at the Opera House last week, he welcomed Noir and his band, saying he was glad they......

The year is winding down and so is the music, which is kind of nice, actually, because there seem to be a lot of tours already gearing up for 2007. Hopefully Alexisonfire isn't one of them...we have no idea how they can manage to go onstage and scream for 7 solid days (they have a few more shows this week). Insanity. Best bets for this week include Royal Wood tonight at the Cameron House......

It seems to be the week of Alexisonfire, who are playing just about every venue in the city over the next 7 days, starting on Thursday. We predict a few bruised ribs and black eyes just in time for Christmas...so kids, if you're going to the show(s), be a little gentler to each other knowing that your parents will be pissed if you're posing for the holiday photos with a shiner. This public service......

It's that time of the year--benefit concert season. There are a number of them coming up in the next few weeks, including The Holiday Jam (Sick Kids), Jason Collett & The Constantines (CARE Canada), and Bedouin Soundclash (Doctors Without Borders/War Child), so if you're in a giving mood, this may be a good way to do it while also catching some great music. Best bets for this week include Tenacious D tonight (love/hate...always entertaining),......

Everyone must be getting ready to hibernate for the winter...not as many shows this week and nothing of great interest announced recently. However, the live acts that are playing this week are pretty damn good, if we may say so. Royal Wood is at the Cameron House every Monday evening, and is the perfect choice if you're looking to chill out with a good friend and a glass of wine. Tuesday night, head to......

Another busy week in the city. Ridiculously busy. Once again, there's something decent to check out every night. We'll be hitting The Decemberists, Imogen Heap, Shout Out Out Out Out (out out out), and possibly a few more. Perhaps even Skid Row (minus Bach). What?! As if you don't miss those power ballads of the 80s! Oh, and it looks like Justin Timberlake is bringing 'sexy back' to Toronto in January. The price? Up......

Eleanor Friedberger, one half of the sibling duo that forms The Fiery Furnaces, is setting up the merch stand at the Opera House. The indie rock band from New York are just wrapping up soundcheck for their show Monday night, in support of their latest album Bitter Tea. While her brother Matt stays on stage testing out a keyboard, Eleanor comes over to introduce herself, before setting about the t-shirt display. New tour percussionist......

Busy, busy week here in Toronto. There are so many good shows to go to, that it's quite possible to be out almost every night. For example, tonight is so chock full of great shows that it's a shame they weren't spread out better over the week...we'd love to see most of these acts! Death Cab For Cutie are in town tonight and tomorrow, and according to the Toronto Sun they will be doing......

There seems to be something for everyone this week, but let's just call it the 'week of The Hip' and be done with it, since they've taken up residence at The Phoenix for four sold out shows. We're curious to know if anyone actually paid $60 + TM charges per ticket to attend all of them? 'Fess up! If that's not your thing, you can always get spewed on by Gwar tonight at the......

Compared to the past few weeks, this one's a bit quieter in the live music world, but there are still some decent shows to check out. Of note, Beck brings his two turntables and a mic to the Ricoh Coliseum tonight (too bad about the location), you can get Comfortably Numb (in a few ways, we're sure) at the Opera House or check out the moustachiod Killers at the Kool Haus on Friday, and......

Hoooo boy! Looks like somebody fed us way too much turkey this weekend. We've just come out of our tryptophan-induced comas and realized we lost an entire day. Not only do we have to deal with our tardiness, but also figure out what to do with that permanent dent in the couch. If you can manage to roll out of the house after stuffing your face all weekend, you can burn off some of......

If you're not completely burnt out from Nuit Blanche, there are plenty of quality shows to check out this week, including Joanna Newsom, Massive Attack, and Myspace darling Lily Allen. Alternatively, you Hip fans can skip out on the live music this week and save up your change for all four (yes, FOUR) of the recently announced shows at the Phoenix a few weeks from now. Can Gord Downie and pals really justify the......

This fall is shaping up to be a busy one, as everyone and their dog seems to be touring right now. If you haven't spent all of your OSAP money yet, might want to stash away a few pennies for some concert tix. However, if you've already blown your student loan on cheap beer and (even cheaper) Ikea furniture, take comfort in the fact that you can visit your local public library to catch......

It's a busy music week, this one. There's everything from samba to classical music, so all of you anti-hipsters should be pleased. Most importantly, Torontoist's 'Back to School' Party is this Thursday, and we better see y'all there -- especially you anonymous commenters. You know who you are. As always, if there's a show happening that we haven't listed, let us know in the comments. Recently Announced Oct. 4 - The Long Winters @......