Ending a sunny Victoria Day long weekend, Hoodie Allen kept the temperatures hot and the party vibe alive at the Phoenix Concert Theatre last night. His All American Tour made a single stop north of the border and became his All Canadian Tour for the night.

Live music picks for THURSDAY MAY 24 through MONDAY MAY 28, 2012.

THURSDAY MAY 24 / BRUCE PENINSULA / THE GREAT HALL / 1087 QUEEN W / $12 - $15 / ALL AGES

Drop everything you're doing and go to this show. Trust me, you won't regret it, because Bruce Peninsula is quite simply one of the most astounding acts I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. It's difficult to even tag them with a genre--they blend elements ranging from gospel, folk, rock, country, and a mess of others. This is a band that deserves your attention, and you won't regret giving it to them.

The Neighbourhood Mixtape is a collection of newly-released songs by Toronto musicians. The mixtape is meant to celebrate Toronto's music culture and provide a forum to listen to and discover new local music.

Each weekend I post a five-track mixtape (along with my own mini-reflections for each track) that you can download or stream as a soundtrack for the week. Here's a holiday Monday edition for Victoria Day.

A sold out crowd filled the 600 capacity gallery at 99 Sudbury on Friday for the debut of Visions. Toronto music fans were out in droves to see L.A. producer Shlohmo, but when I first arrived, it seemed like half of Toronto was in line. As I waited, party goers attempting to leave were told there would be no re-entry to the make-shift club. Some debated deserting for other parties, while others waited patiently, or yelled into iPhones: "over here, I can see you!"

Hugh's Room was filled with words and song as Juno Award-winner Old Man Luedecke packed up his banjo and came from Nova Scotia for a show Wednesday night. He spent the evening "trying not to play too many new songs," in his own words, but didn't seem to have much luck in that department. Performing material from throughout his career, including his recent collaboration with Lake of Stew, he told stories, jokes and kept the audience smiling and laughing throughout the evening.

Active Child stepped in and carried their weight at Lee's Palace on Tuesday. Fans of Balam Acab may have been disappointed to learn that the Pennsylvanian producer didn't make it into Canada for either his Montreal gig or his Tuesday show, but any fans who didn't opt for the offered refund were more than rewarded by double-headliner Active Child's performance.