Live music picks for WEDNESDAY JUNE 30 through SUNDAY JULY 4, 2010.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 30 / MAVIS STAPLES plus ALLEN TOUSSAINT BAND / TORONTO STAR STAGE / NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE / $45
Gospel legend Mavis Staples and prolific New Orleans' jazz man Allen Toussaint will play the Toronto Star Stage at Nathan Phillips Square on Wednesday night, where Mavis will showcase songs from her forthcoming album You Are Not Alone, produced by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy in his band's Chicago-based studio The Loft.

THURSDAY JULY 1 / BUCK 65 / PRIMUS STAGE / NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE / FREE
For those of you sticking around the city for Canada Day, Nova Scotian hip hop experimentalist Buck 65 takes over the Primus Stage at Nathan Phillips for a free set starting at 5pm, presented by Citytv as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival.

THURSDAY JULY 1 / THE SADIES / HARBOURFRONT: SIRIUS STAGE / 235 QUEENS QUAY W / FREE / ALL AGES
After Buck 65's set, head down to the waterfront for a free set from local heroes The Sadies, kicking off at 9:30pm on the Sirius Stage at the Harbourfront Centre. Their latest album Darker Circles was released this past May to widespread critical acclaim, including a spot on the 2010 Polaris long list. Led by the charismatic brotherly duo of Dallas and Travis Good, The Sadies will undoubtedly throw a fantastic Canada Day bash, so make sure to get there early enough to guarantee a good spot.

THURSDAY JULY 1 / THE ARTFUL VANDELAYS / VELVET UNDERGROUND / 510 QUEEN ST W / $5 / 19+
The Sadies aren't your thing? Another option is to check out local prog-rock act The Artful Vandelays at The Velvet Underground as they make their return to the stage after a year-long hiatus. Armed with a new EP's worth of songs and a new drummer, you can expect to hear a lot more from TAV before the end of the summer. The Single Sheets and Labour Day will open.

FRIDAY JULY 2 / BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN ST W / $12.50 / 19+
With a sound influenced equally by Howlin' Wolf and James Brown, you know Austin's Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears are going to get the crowd going with an incomparable live rock n roll show at the Horseshoe Tavern this Friday night. Fellow Texans Hacienda are the lone openers, touring in support of 2010's Big Red & Barbacoa, which was produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach. Tickets from the original date (March 3) will be honoured at the doors.

SATURDAY JULY 3 / MACY GRAY & CHAKA KHAN / YONGE DUNDAS SQUARE / FREE / ALL AGES
On Saturday night Jazz Fest brings the party to Yonge Dundas Square for a massive free gig featuring legendary R&B vocalist Chaka Khan, Grammy-winner Macy Gray and Quebec-based acoustic trio Lost Fingers, starting at 6pm sharp.

SUNDAY JULY 4 / MINUS THE BEAR / THE MOD CLUB / 722 COLLEGE ST / $26 / 19+
In 2010 Seattle indie rock veterans Minus the Bear will celebrate American Independence Day north of the border, as the quartet just kicked off their summer tour and are currently working their way across Canada for a date at the Mod Club Theatre on Sunday night. They're riding high on the success of their fourth studio album OMNI, produced by Grammy winner Joe Chiccarelli and released at the beginning of May. Get there early for an opening sets from southern Ontario indie rock acts The Meligrove Band and The Reason.

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Lead photo of The Meligrove Band by Matthew McAndrew.