That tingle in the air isn't just your spring allergies - it's the excitement of the summer music festival season peaking around the corner. Oh boy yeah! May kicks things off early with this weekend's Over The Top Fest, and shows no signs of slowing down:

WED, MAY 2
- TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS @ The Mod Club, $15
- PAT METHENY & BRAD MEHLDAU w/ Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard @ Hummingbird Centre, $55-$75
- DR DOG AND THE TEETH @ Lee's Palace, $14.50
- THE WILLOWZ, Key Witness, The Hoa Hoa's @ The Horseshoe Tavern
- JEN MILITIA, Sleeptodream, Nicknameless @ The Smiling Buddha Bar, $7
THE RATTLESNAKE CHOIR feat John Borra @ The Paddock

THURS, MAY 3
- DD/MM/YY, Ecstatic Sunshine and Rozasia (Over The Top Fest) @ Sneaky Dee's, $8
- JULIE DOIRON, Pit Er Pat and Reily (Over The Top Fest) @ St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church (103 Bellevue), $13.50
- THE HYLOZOISTS, The Explorers Club and Casper & The Cookies (Over The Top Fest) @ Tranzac, $11
- PAGE FRANCE, Five Blank Pages and Great Bloomers (Over The Top Fest) @ Whippersnapper Gallery, $10.50.
- JETPLANES OF ABRAHAM w/ Fox Fire Forest, Relief Maps @ Drake, $7
- EL-P @ Opera House, all ages, $22.50
- DEFECT DEFECT, Dangerloves @ Racho Relaxo, $8
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ Oklahoma Bomb Squad, Akroid @ The Boat, $5
- PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL BENEFIT, Lily Frost, Matthew Barber and Kaesun @ Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge), $50-$150
- LOWER CLASS BRATS @ Kathedral, $10.50
- JON BROOKS CD release w/ Greg Quill @ Hugh's Room. $14
- HEATHER MORGAN, Edgar Breau, The House Plants @ Mitzi's Sister

FRI, MAY 4
- MELIGROVE BAND, Japanther, Matt & Kim @ Mod Club Theatre (Over The Top Fest), $10/12
- MICHAEL GIRA, Peter and the Wolf (Over The Top Fest) @ Music Gallery, $20
- FLOSSTRADOMUS, Yah Mos Def and the Blanket (Over The Top Fest) @ Sneaky Dee's, $12.50
- RICH AUCOIN, The Coast, Will Currie and the County French, BA Johnson (Over The Top Fest) @ Whippersnapper, $8.
- CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE, Vague Angels and Nick Krgovich (Over The Top Fest) @ Tranzac, $10.50.
- RON SEXSMITH, Amy Millan @ Massey Hall, 178 Victoria. $29.50-$34.50
- BLACKIE AND THE RODEO KINGS, Tom Wilson, Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Barney Bentall @ Trinity-St Paul's, $25
- PARAMORE @ Phoenix
- SCANDAL with 100%WoOL, DJs David Psutka & Rumourshhh @ The Boat, 5$
- PANZRAM'S GHOST, Ugly Stick, Dirty Chinese Thieves @ White Orchid, PWYC
- THE BROWN HORNETS CD Release Party, Saigon Hookers, The Shenanigans, Dirt + Diamonds @ The Horseshoe, $8
- SIGHTINGS, Nervous Sleepers, Nifty @ Sneaky Dee's, $6
- FRANK PATRICK, Kevin Breit, Rob Greenway, Kathryn Rose, Mia Sheard CD release @ Gladstone Hotel, $15.
- JAYME STONE CD release @ Hugh's Room. $14
- A DISTANCE FROM, Sawmill Valley, Deterrence and the Fitzpatrick Incident @ Funhaus, 6:30 pm, $10.
- OBSCENERY w/68 Porno Mags, and Handsfull of Gretel @ the Central, PWYC
- THE LOVE STORY, She Keeps Bees @ Drake Hotel

SAT, MAY 5
- MT. EERIE, Ghost Hands and Anni Rossi (Over The Top Fest) @ St. Stephen-in-the-Fields Church, $14.
- GENGHIS TRON, Courtesy Blush and Clipd Beaks (Over The Top Fest) @ Sneaky Dee's $9-$10
- MATT & KIM, Page France, Explorers Club and Yah Mos Def (Over The Top Fest) @ Tranzac, 12:30 pm, $10.
- THE PHONEMES CD RELEASE PARTY with Bob Wiseman and Jason Trachtenburg
(Over The Top Fest) @ The Whippersnapper, $10/$12 door.
- AIR, Kate Havnevik @ Kool Haus, all ages, $32.50
- SONNY ROLLINS @ Massey Hall, $49.50-$89.50
- INFIGHTER, DJs Mark Holmes and Bobbi Guy @ The Mod Club, $10
- THE MAD PROFESSOR @ Lee's Palace. $20
- ARNOLD DREYBLATT, Anne Bourne, Rob Clutton, Nick Fraser, Kathleen Kajioko @ The Music Gallery, $15
- HELIX @ Horseshoe. $15
- THE ODYSSEYS @ Opera House, all ages, doors 5 pm, $12.
- IVY PALLAS, Ian George Light@ the Tranzac, PWYC
- MARCH AFTERBURNER w/ IRIE BAND, Gratefully Deadicated Soundsystem, High Plains Drifter & All Star Jam @ Revival Bar, $6 Adv

SUN, MAY 6
- DANIEL JOHNSTON and Mayor McCa (Over The Top Fest) @ Mod Club (SOLD OUT)
- MT EERIE, Our Brother The Native, Pilotram and Darling Arms (Over The Top Fest) @ Sneaky Dee's, 1:30 matinee
- WAVELENGTH 362 featuring Church & State, Sister Suvi, Donne Roberts @ Sneaky Dees, PWYC
- PETER BJORN AND JOHN @ Phoenix. $15
- NOVI SPLIT w/ To Downcast Your Eyes, Nate German @ The Boat, $5
- RAISE HELL w/ Avenger of Blood, Remain. @ Funhaus, 526 Queen W. $12.50
- THE DWARVES w/ The Heatskores, The Riptides, more @ Reverb. $13
- BRAND NEW @ Kool Haus, all ages, $20.75

MON, MAY 7
- THE KILLERS, Air Canada Centre, $29.50-$54.50
- BRANDI CARLILE @ Horseshoe, $15
- BLUEGRASS MONDAY (every Monday) @ the Local, free!

TUES, MAY 8
- LCD SOUNDSYSTEM @ Phoenix. $25
- THE KOOKS @ the Guvernment. $15
- HOT ROD CIRCUIT w/ Limbeck, The Forecast @ El Mocambo
- THE RECEIVING END OF SIRENS w/ The Sleeping, Forgive Durden @ Opera House, $14
- MARIA MULDAUR @ Hugh's Room, $32.50

WED, MAY 9
- JUSTIN RUTLEDGE w/ Eleni Mandell @ Mod Club. $16.50
- SILVERSUN PICKUPS @ Lee's Palace. $17
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ The Stance, The Primordials, The Just Barelys @The Boat, $5
- ODESSA/HAVANA feat Hilario Duran @ Lula Lounge, $15
- BAYSIDE, Sydney, These Silhouettes, Socialight @ Reverb, $15
- STATE RADIO @ El Mocambo, $13
- MARIA MULDAUR @ Hugh's Room, $32.50
- LICKIN' GOOD FRIED (every Wednesday) @ Cameron House, free

THURS, MAY 10
- THE TORONTO SONGBOOK featuring The Art of Time Ensemble: Sarah Slean @ Harbourfront Centre, $25-$36
- MONEEN w/ Choke @ Mod Club. $18.50
- RICHARD LLOYD @ Horseshoe. $15
- ROSEHILL DRIVE w/ Earl Greyhound @ Lee's Palace, $8.50
- LEVIRIDE, LoDown, Tenth Planet @ The Rivoli, $6
- JIM ARMSTRONG CD release w/ Grainne Ryan @ Cadillac Lounge. $14
- FRED SPEK'S CAMP CoMBO @ Tranzac, 7:30 pm, pwyc
- THE GUEST BEDROOM, Pants and Tie, Wordburglar, We Take Lovers @ Sneaky Dee's, $5
- TUB RING @ Kathedral, $13

FRIDAY, MAY 11
- THE TORONTO SONGBOOK featuring The Art of Time Ensemble: Sarah Slean @ Harbourfront Centre, $25-$36
- B.B. KING @ Roy Thomson Hall, $79-$134.50
- BLONDE REDHEAD, Fields @ Opera House, $22.50
- ARCTIC MONKEYS w/ Be Your Own Pet @ Kool Haus. $29.50
- MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE w/ The Black Parade @ ACC, $30-$35.50
- FRIENDLY RICH & THE LOLLIPOP PEOPLE, Laura Barrett, I Have Eaten The City, Run With The Kittens, $10/$12
- NORAH JONES @ Massey Hall, $47.50-$57.50.
- THE TOASTERS w/ The Briggs @ Lee's Palace, $15
- PLASTIC LITTLE w/ Thunderheist @ El Mocambo, $12
- THE HOLY FIELDS CD Release, with The Machines, We Are The Take @ The Rivoli, $5/
- DRAGONETTE @ Mod Club, $10.60.

SAT, MAY 12
- MANDO DIAO w/ Pop Levi, The Films @ Horseshoe, $12.50
- AMY WINEHOUSE @ Mod Club, $19.50
- TORNGAT w/ SS Cardiacs. @ Tranzac. $10
- JAMES MCKENTY & THE SPADES, CD Release @ Rivoli, $5
- LOVE KILLS CD Release @ The Neutral, $5
- FEFE DOBSON @ Siren Sounds benefit, Opera House, $26
- LAURA VEIRS @ El Mocambo, $12

SUN, MAY 13
- WAVELENGTH 363 featuring Cursed, Sailboats Are White, Flotilla @ Sneaky Dees, PWYC
- VELVET REVOLVER @ Kool Haus. $32.50
- AMY WINEHOUSE @ Mod Club. $19.50
- LISA GERRARD @ Danforth Music Hall, all ages, $35
- CHRIS COOLE, Erynn Marshall, Brian Taheny and Andrew Collins CD releases @ Hugh's Room

MON, MAY 14
- NEKROMANTIX w/ Heart Attacks, Westbound Train, Orange @ Opera House, $13.50
- COCO ROSIE @ Lee's Palace, $15
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ Tunturia, City of a Hundred Spires, The Yage Letters @ The Boat, $5
- TRAMPOLINE HALL @ Sneaky Dee's, $6
- THE LAST TOWN CHORUS @ El Mocambo, $8.50

TUES, MAY 15
- ARCADE FIRE @ Massey Hall, TOTALLY SOLD OUT FORGET ABOUT IT, GO TO MASTODON INSTEAD
- MASTODON, Against Me!, Cursive and These Arms Are Snakes @ Kool Haus, 32.50
- STEPHEN MARLEY feat Jr Gong, K'Naan @ Phoenix, $25.50
- WE'RE MARCHING ON w/ Miracle Fortress, Atlas Eyes @ The Boat, $5
- THE THREE SISTERS THREE, Say Ah! and Claire o'mahony @ NowLounge, $5

WED, MAY 16
- ARCADE FIRE @ Massey Hall, TOTALLY SOLD OUT FORGET ABOUT IT- LACUNA COIL w/ The Gathering, In This Moment, Stolen Babies @ Opera House. $23
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ Steve Puchalski w/ The Champion Heartache, Mark Nicol, Camaromance @ The Boat, $5
- KIM BARLOW CD release @ Hugh's Room, $14-$16
- GRAINNE RYAN CD release @ NOW Lounge, $14
- THE NIGHTWATCHMAN @ Horseshoe. $25.50
- MARK ROBERTSON, Roz Bell @ El Mocambo, $10

THURS, MAY 17
- TAPES N TAPES @ Lee's Palace, $15.50
- REVEREND HORTON HEAT w/ Murder By Death @ Opera House, $22.50
- BRAND NEW @ Kool Haus, all ages, $20.75
- CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE Led Zeppelin's 1 & 2 @ Phoenix. $15.50
- BEBEL GILBERTO w/ Federico Aubele @ Mod Club. $30

FRI, MAY 18
- HEAVY TRASH w/ The Sadies @ Horseshoe, $15
- APOSTLE OF HUSTLE @ Lula Lounge, $15
- ELECTRELANE, The Blow @ Lees Palace, $13
- DAMIEN RICE @ Massey Hall, $37.50-$43.50
- STEP BALL HUSTLE, Put The Rifle Down, The Simple Pleasure @ The Boat, $7
- GOD MADE ME FUNKY, Kweku & The Movement @ Revival Bar, $12/$15
- FOND OF TIGERS @ the Music Gallery, $15
- THE SLIP @ the Mod Club, $15

SAT, MAY 19
- HEAVY TRASH w/ The Sadies @ Horseshoe, $15
- !!!, Holy Fuck @ Lee's Palace, $15
- JOSH BLUE @ Danforth Music Hall, $34.50
- THE VISIT EP Release, DJ Lawrence @ The Neutral, $5/PWYC

SUN, MAY 20
- WAVELENGTH 364 w/ Woodhands, Peter Project, Windom Earle, Tetris Hold 'Em, @ Sneaky Dees, PWYC
- KOENJIHYAKKEI @ Horseshoe, $15
- KEANE w/ Rocco Deluca @ Kool Haus, $39.50
- ASHA BHOSLE, Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher, Kunal Ganjawala Bollywood concert, @ Rogers Centre, 7 pm, $25-$100.
- WORDBURGLAR as part of Toronto Poetry Slam @ El Mocambo, $5-$8

MON, MAY 21
- MICE PARADE @ Horseshoe, $12

TUES, MAY 22
- BRIGHT EYES, Gillian Welch and Oakley Hall @ Massey Hall, all ages, $34.50-$43.50.
- BO DIDDLEY w/ The Debby Hastings Band, more @ Phoenix, $40
- RIDERS ON THE STORM w/ The Bangkok Five @ Kool Haus. $48.50 up
- YEAR OF THE MONKEY @ the Mod Club, $12

WED, MAY 23
- INCUBUS @ Kool Haus, $42.50 (Rescheduled from Feb 4. original tickets honoured)
- THE FAINT Opera House @ $18.50
- HUCKLEBERRY FRIENDS, Slim Twig @ The Tranzac, $5
- TREESTAR w/Delta Rich, The Recroom & Telegram @ the Horseshoe Tavern, $4
- YEAR OF THE MONKEY feat. Tomi Swick, Tara Slone, Haydain Neale, Lindi Ortega @ Mod Club, $12/$15
- TOTO BARRIEL, Sal Ferreras and Tambuco as part of Cool Drummings Percussion Festival @ Lula Lounge, $10-$20

THURS, MAY 24
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ Bedtime Sleepyhead w/ Gypsie Pie, Sunlit Ambush, Rocket Falls @ The Boat, $5
- LUKE DOUCET @ Hugh's Room, $14-$16.
- THE CLIKS w/ We Are The Take @ Lee's Palace. $10
- JACKIE RICHARDSON and Dr. Draw as part of Jazz It Up benefit for Nellie's Shelter @ York Quay Centre Brigantine Room, $60.

FRI, MAY 25
- FEIST @ Massey Hall (SOLD OUT)
- JOEL PLASKETT EMERGENCY, Peter Elkas @ Opera House, $17.50
- JOSEPH ARTHUR, The Lonely Astronauts @ Mod Club, $18.50
- GOLDEN DOGS @ Lee's Palace. $10.50
- REPUBLIC OF SAFETY, The World Provider, We Take Lovers!, Dead & the Deathly Dying Death @ Stones Place, $8
- DANNY MICHEL, Lindi Ortega @ The Enwave Theatre Harbourfront Centre, $18

SAT, MAY 26
- FEIST @ Massey Hall (SOLD OUT)
- JOEL PLASKETT EMERGENCY, Peter Elkas @ Opera House, $17.50
- FALLOUT BOY w/ +44, The Academy Is, Cobra Starship @ Molson Amphitheatre, $29.50-$41
- THE INCIDENTALS, Mariposa, Europe In Colour @ Global Backpackers, FREE
- BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB, The Horrors @ Kool Haus, all ages, $22.50
- ECONOLINE CRUSH w/ Trevor Hurst @ Lee's Palace. $15
- THE ASSISTANTS @ The Neutral, $5/PWYC

SUN, MAY 27
- WAVELENGTH 365 w/ Femme Generation, Tonight The Chevrolet Me Down, Tasa @ Sneaky Dees, PWYC
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ Dukes Of Archipelago, Sing Leaf, There Were Valleys @ The Boat, $5
- TOCA LOCA w/ Jerome Kitzke, more @ Music Gallery, $10-$25.
- TYLA AND DOGS D'AMOUR, The Deadly Romantics and the Pariahs @ Rancho Relaxo

MON, MAY 28
- THE ROSEBUDS @ Horseshoe, $17
- THE BRAVERY, The Cinematics @ Opera House, $18.50
- PORCUPINE TREE @ Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth, $27.50
- THE MYSTERY JETS @ the Drake, $15

TUES, MAY 29
- JOAN ARMATRADING @ Danforth Music Hall, $49.50
- MENDELSON JOES @ Hugh's Room, $20-$22.49
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS, w/ Pelle Carleberg w/ Rory Lavelle @ The Supermarket
- THE MYSTERY JETS @ the Drake, $15

WED, MAY 30
- PAUL AUCOIN, w/ Casey Mecija, Laura Barrett, Brian Borzykowski @ The Boat, $5
- GWEN STEFANI, Akon and Lady Sovereign @ ACC, $52.50-$95.50
- LAVENDER DIAMOND @ Lee's Palace, $12
- JOHN BUTLER TRIO Phoenix @ $21.50

THURS, MAY 31
- PITTER PATTER NIGHTS w/ The D'Arcys, The Coast Guard (EP Release) @ The Boat, $5
- HILARIO DURAN BIG BAND @ Hugh's Room, $20-$25.
- SAINT ALVIA CARTEL CD Release, The Vapids (Cd Release), Tennesee Revenge Club, Pelt @ Horseshoe Tavern, $7
- THE FUCKING CHAMPS @ Sneaky Dee's, $10

(Photo: Rock Paper Pixels - Japanther play Friday as part of Over the Top Fest).