blog post North by Northeast survival guide

With more than 700 acts playing NXNE this week, you may find yourself suffering from a massive case of indecision. To get you out of the program and into some shows, we’ve put together a day-by-day list of the top gigs to check out this week. 

Our list includes plenty of CBC Music crowd pleasers, a few international acts and some great up-and-comers. Take a look at our suggestions, and feel free to add your own.

Wednesday

1. Mac DeMarco with Porcelain Raft, Eternal Summers and Beliefs.
The Drake Hotel
The buzzed about solo project of Makeout Videotape's Mac DeMarco will bring to mind some of Ween's best work.

2. Tracks on Tracks Showcase with Adaline, Portage and Main and more.
The Gladstone
Electro-pop artist Adaline heads up this showcase, featuring a largely folky lineup of West Coast artists fresh off the train.

3. Il Abanico with the Aves, HiFi Phantoms, Sidney York and more.
The Painted Lady
Hailing from Bogota, Columbia (now in Brooklyn, N.Y.), Il Abanico is a bilingual duo with a promising, ear-pleasing EP you can snag for free on Bandcamp. 

Thursday

1. Arts & Crafts showcase with Bishop Morocco, Gold & Youth, Zulu Winter and more.
Rivoli
If the mopey, progressive pop of Bishop Morocco doesn't pull you in, up-and-comers Gold & Youth and Zulu Winter will sway you.

2. Julie Doiron with Baby Eagle, Daniel Romano, the Weather Station and Marine Dream.
Great Hall Lower Theatre
There's so much talent on this folk-friendly bill it's hard to tell who the headliner is, but I'm going to guess it's Radio 3 Lifetime Achievement Award winner Julie Doiron.

3. Purity Ring with Moon King, Young Magic and more.
Wrongbar
The 25,000th artist to join CBC Radio 3, Purity Ring was nearly as buzzed about as Grimes last year – and the band deserves the praise. Young Magic is another promising discovery, with its pulse-driven single “Sparkly.”

Friday

1. Plants and Animals with Eight and a Half and Matthew Good.
Yonge-Dundas Square
Hearing new material from Plants and Animals will be a highlight of this show.

2. Rah Rah with Jeremy Fisher, Erin Passmore, the Danks and more.
Dakota Tavern    
The Regina alt-rockers never disappoint, joined by a handful of great artists in regular rotation on Radio 3.

3. Odonis Odonis with Times Neue Roman and more.
Sneaky Dee's
If you want to throw yourself around a little bit to start the weekend, start with this Daps Records showcase.

Saturday

1. The Flaming Lips with Hollerado, Brasstronaut, of Montreal, Portugal. The Man, Parlovr and more.
Yonge-Dundas Square
The psychedelic alt-rock outfit makes this show pick a no-brainer. Even without the Flaming Lips, this lineup would still be a number-one pick.

2. Booze Cruise with Hooded Fang, Teenager, Bleached, Mac DeMarco and more.
207 Queens Quay West 
Hooded Fang + Bleached + beer on a boat = uncontrollable twisting.

3. Warm Myth with Sean Nicholas Savage, Topanga and more
The Garrison
Catch the entrancing sound of Casey Mecijia's (Ohbijou) new side project, presented by Weird Canada.

(Also check out the CBC Radio 3 showcase at the Horseshoe Tavern, featuring  Yukon Blonde, CATL and more!) 

Sunday

1. Amos the Transparent with Vistavision, Wazu and more.
Rancho Relaxo
Let Ottawa’s Amos the Transparent help you shake off the hangover and stick around for the electro-pop duo Wazu, who will keep you dancing until the end.

2. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah with Tasha the Amazon, Killer Mike and more.
Yonge-Dundas Square
Let the Wu-Tang clan MCs shake you out of a rock ’n’ roll rut.

3. Invasions with BB Guns, Rad Habit and more.
Crawford
Garage rockers Invasions are the standout on this bill, along with turntablist Rad Habit of Gardnervill, Nev.

Who are you planning to see at NXNE this week? Let us know in the comments.