Live music picks for WEDNESDAY JULY 14 through TUESDAY JULY 20, 2010.

WEDNESDAY JULY 14 / ISLANDS / MOD CLUB / 722 COLLEGE ST / $15 / ALL AGES
Fronted by the enigmatic Nick Diamonds, Canadian indie rockers Islands make their live return to Toronto at the Mod Club tonight in support of their third album Vapours, released last September by ANTI- Records. After the demise of his former band The Unicorns, Diamonds (real name Nick Thorburn) has kept busy with numerous projects including Islands and Human Highway, and he has future plans to record an album with Honus Honus of Man Man. Brooklyn's Steel Phantoms are the lone openers.

CONTEST: Stay tuned to @BlogTO this morning for your chance to win tickets to the show or a copy of Vapours on CD.

WEDNESDAY JULY 14 / TITUS ANDRONICUS / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN ST W / $15 / 19+
For their current North American tour, New Jersey's Titus Andronicus have expanded their line-up from a quintet to an eight-piece, as members of opening act Hallelujah the Hills will round out their sound with cello, keyboards and horn players. Get there for 9pm to catch a set from up-and-coming Austin group YellowFever, whose self-titled effort was released by Vivian Girls' Wild World Records earlier this year.

THURSDAY JULY 15 / WHY? / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN ST W / $13.50 / 19+
Originally the solo moniker for Yoni Wolf but now a full five-piece band, Why?'s music has always been difficult to classify. Yoni's abstract lyrics are half-spoken/half-sung and delivered at rapid fire pace over top of music that combines bits and pieces of hip hop, folk, rock and jazz to create a wholly unique sound. Their show at the Horseshoe Tavern on Thursday night marks their first Toronto appearance since March 2008, shortly after the release of Alopecia. Since then they've released their fourth LP Eskimo Snow, and Yoni's bandmate and brother Josiah Wolf has released a solo album - which he'll show off during his 9pm opening set. In between Josiah and Why?, local act The Dress Whites will play.

FRIDAY JULY 16 / THE LOOM / EL MOCAMBO / 464 SPADINA AVE / $8 / 19+
Recently declared as one of the Best of What's Next by Paste Magazine, Brooklyn six-piece The Loom will bring the buzz north of the border for a gig at the ElMo on Friday night. Their forthcoming album Teeth has garnered the band comparisons to acts like Beirut or The Arcade Fire, and since there is no current date set for its release, their show on Friday is your best bet to get a good look at an up-and-coming act. The Loom will be joined by three Ontario acts: Entire Cities, Gravity Wave and Guelph's Mathemagic.

SATURDAY JULY 17 / THE BUDOS BAND / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR ST W / $20 / 19+
Daptone Records' all instrumental Afro-Soul collective The Budos Band bring their renowned live show to Lee's on Saturday night. Openers to be announced.

SUNDAY JULY 18 / POOR PILGRIM ISLAND SHOW 4 / TORONTO ISLAND / FREE / ALL AGES
The Poor Pilgrim Island show returns for its fourth consecutive year, showcasing the best in up-and-coming local musicians with a focus on folk, noise and improvised music. Picastro, Eucalyptus, Snowblink, Tasseomancy (formerly known as Ghost Bees), Daniel Romano, THOMAS, Drumheller, Alex Lukashevsky Trio and Not the Wind Not the Flag will play at various locations across Toronto Island, including Snake Island, the Gibraltar Centre for the Arts and the Ward's Island Beach. The music kicks off at 5pm and ends before the last ferry home - check out the full schedule on the facebook event page. For those unfamiliar with the island, you can grab a Poor Pilgrim map at Soundscapes Records.

MONDAY JULY 19 / WE ARE SCIENTISTS & LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN ST W / $15 / 19+
NME favourites We Are Scientists and Lightspeed Champion team up for a show at the Horseshoe Tavern on Monday night. Rumours will get things started at 9pm, followed by sets from Lightspeed (aka DevontĂŠ Hynes) and We Are Scientists.

TUESDAY JULY 20 / KURT VILE & REAL ESTATE / THE GREAT HALL / 1087 QUEEN ST W / $16.50 / 19+
Philadelphia's Kurt Vile and New Jersey's Real Estate stop by The Great Hall on Tuesday night for a night of hazy, lo-fi indie rock. Kurt has enjoyed great success as a solo artist since his signing with Matador Records in 2009 and while he is still an active member of his longstanding band The War on Drugs, he'll be focussing on his solo material on Tuesday night.

For more music listings, head on over to our events calendar.

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Lead photo of by Picastro taken by the author at Wavelength 500.