Said The Whale perform at Yonge-Dundas Square as part of NXNE 2010
Confession: While I've been attending NXNE for years, and love it I do, I tend to rely on my more musically-knowledgeable friends like Ashley (see below) and Janice Wong to let me know which acts I should be checking out.
Now while I totes encourage y'all to go out and get your NXNE wristbands, I should also point out there's a ton of free shows around the city as part of the festival. They're great for the casual music lover who isn't quite sure where to jump in.
Yonge-Dundas Square has free shows throughout the weekend, with Fucked Up and Descendents kicking things off on Thursday. You can't go wrong with Friday's lineup of indie pop: Diamond Rings, Land Of Talk and Stars. And on Saturday, feel free to go back in time with Devo and Men Without Hats.
If you're not in the YD Square area, you can still easily encounter some great NXNE music.
That's because free shows are also taking place at parks and record stores across the city.
Of particular note is the second annual Picnic Series, which sees NXNE artists perform acoustically in Trinity Bellwoods Park, one of the best in the city.
So be sure to get out and kick off summer with some great music in Toronto this weekend.
And follow me on Twitter @outisthrough to see where my ears (and friends) lead me.