Canadian Summer Festival Guide 2011 -- June

The annual summer bar-hopping bonanza in downtown Toronto features a bevy of international acts and free concerts at Yonge-Dundas Square. Similar to Austin's South by Southwest in terms of format, NXNE will see over 600 bands play dozens of venues along with industry conferences, celebrity interviews and guest speakers. Newcomers should plan their nightly schedules ahead of time, otherwise expect to be standing outside more often than not.

Can't Miss Acts

Devo: The 'Whip It' New Wave group are back to play a free outdoor show on June 18, which will see traffic shut down around Yonge-Dundas Sqaure while fans freak out to tunes off Devo's first studio effort in two decades, 'Something for Everybody.'

Stars: These Montreal darlings have been off the road recently as singer Torquil Campbell was focused on his band Memphis while singer Amy Millan and bassist Evan Cranley welcomed a baby into the world. Stars play a free concert June 17 at Yonge-Dundas Square.

This avant-garde festival spread out over four venues consists of eclectic international artists while serving as a platform for Montreal indie rock talent. Created in 2001, the festival has seen Xiu Xiu, Silver Mount Zion, Texas recluse Jandek and the Sea and Cake perform, among many others dubbed "world class leftfield musicians," according to organizers.

Can't Miss Acts

Junior Boys:: Hamilton, Ontario, electronic duo Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark showcase earlier hits along with their upcoming album, 'It's All True,' which is out on June 14.

Chad VanGaalen: Calgary's quirky folk-pop artist brings material from his latest record, 'Diaper Island,' on a bill with Nat Baldwin and Montreal band Adam and the Amethysts. The show is set for June 23 at Montreal's It Motore.

This multicultural event brings art, music, dance and theater to Toronto, and has grown substantially since its inception just five years ago. The music portion has seen world premieres and this year features a special 'Canadian Songbook' tribute show to Ron Sexsmith at the hallowed Massey Hall.

Can't Miss Acts

Ron Sexsmith: One of the country's most consistent singer-songwriters is honored with a lineup featuring Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew and the Band's Garth Hudson, among others. Additional artists are also confirmed for the June 15 show.

k.d. lang: Canadian singer k.d. lang plays a free outdoor concert on June 17 on the heels of her latest album, 'Sing It Loud,' with her backing group the Siss Boom Bang.

A ten-day event kicks off with four days of free concerts in Old Market Square while additional lunch hour concerts and "jazz labs" add to the festivities. In addition, there's the usual bevy of local, national and international acts from various genres performing through the city's various clubs. More than 70 artists are confirmed to perform at this year's event.

Can't Miss Acts

Robert Plant: The Led Zeppelin icon continues his musical adventures with his Band of Joy project, who tackle blues and country and even material by indie rockers Low on their recent self-titled album.

Blonde Redhead: This noise-rock outfit based in New York made inroads in the mid-'90s after getting the attention of Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley. Since then, the group has continued to make waves with releases like their latest, 'Penny Sparkle.'

Curated by CBC Radio 3 personality Grant Lawrence as well as Ian Svenonious of Chain and The Gang, this four-day fest sees over 200 bands playing at roughly two dozen venues around downtown Calgary. Formed in 2007, this year's edition includes two all-ages show at the Olympic Plaza with a who's who of established and up-and-coming bands.

Can't Miss Acts

of Montreal: The Athens, Georgia, indie rock mainstays push the envelope with a steady stream of innovative albums (seven since 2001). Led by the enigmatic Kevin Barnes, the group released their last album, 'False Priest,' through the usual formats as well as on cassette tape.

The Raveonettes: The Danish guitar-friendly duo has had their sound compared to the Jesus and Mary Chain and the Velvet Underground. Singer Sharin Foo and guitarist Sune Rose Wagner came out with 'Raven in the Grave' in early April.

Mixing free events with standard concert fare, this annual 10-day event has seen over 70,000 fans attend annually and the 25th anniversary this year is no different. The beloved festival celebrates jazz artists as well as musicians tapped into everything from blues and funk to rock and world music.

Can't Miss Acts

Tegan and Sara: The reigning twins of Canadian indie rock take a break from working on their new studio album for a handful of summer gigs, including this must-see one. The spunky duo are also planning to issue a CD/DVD package culled from their world tour behind 2009's 'Sainthood' so this concert will be a good primer for all the exclusive goodies that await T&S fans.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones: Adventurous banjoist Bela Fleck reunited last year with his original 1992 Flecktones lineup, which includes harmonica player Howard Levy, bassist Victor Wooten and drummer Roy "Futureman" Wooten. The band then turned around and churned out a new studio album called 'Rocket Science.'

While some festivals have branched out of their typical genres to get a wider, larger audience, this annual festival has primarily stayed on point in terms of jazz being the backbone since its inception in 1987.

Can't Miss Acts

Aretha Franklin: The now-lean Queen of Soul plays a free kickoff concert at Metro Square. Known for timeless hits like 'Respect' and 'Chain of Fools,' Franklin was forced to reschedule concerts last year due to health problems but her recently released 38th studio album, 'Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love,' proves she's back to wow us again.

Los Lobos: Long hailed as the best rock 'n' roll band in America, Los Angeles genre-benders Los Lobos share the stage alongside Los Lonely Boys on June 28. If you're somehow not familiar with their live show, perhaps you'll recognize the band from their recent work on the animated movie 'Rango,' featuring Johnny Depp.

Having started as a weekend jazz gig in 1980, this huge festival now 30 years strong saw over a quarter of a million people show up in 2009 at various venues throughout the nation's capital. The party starts everyday from noon and goes until the wee hours.

Can't Miss Acts

Elvis Costello: Now touring with the Imposters, Costello can always be counted on to keep things interesting with his game show song wheel. The better half to Diana Krall, Costello is on the road behind his critically acclaimed 'National Ransom.'

Black Dub: The moody rock-based project of iconic producer Daniel Lanois saw their self-titled debut get a warm reception in 2010. The group also features bassist Daryl Johnson, singer Trixie Whitley and longtime Lanois associate Brian Blade who performed on his 'Here Is What Is' disc.

Perhaps the biggest jazz festival on this side of the Atlantic, Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, which also always boasts the biggest names on the scene today, continues its legacy with the 2011 installment.

Can't Miss Acts

Sade: Famous for her smooth blend of jazz, soul and pop, Sade is touring for the first time in nearly a decade in support of 'Soldier of Love' and is set to receive the festival's coveted Ella Fitzgerald Award this year.

The Roots: When not being the house band for late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon, the Roots can be found working in the studio and collaborating. This was quite evident with their 'Wake Up!' record they created with John Legend last year in addition to their own effort 'How I Got Over.'