Live music picks for WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 through SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2012.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 / FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS / THE MOD CLUB / 722 COLLEGE / $34.75 / 19+

Everybody needs a little bit of soul and funk in their lives, but it's not a genre that you see a whole lot of these days. That's part of what makes Fitz and the Tantrums such a breath of fresh air - it's like listening to music from the '60s with a little bit of modern flavour thrown in for good measure. Founded by LA-based musician Michael Fitzpatrick in 2008, the band has only released one album thus far (2010's Pickin' Up the Pieces), but it's completely ballin' and well-worth checking out.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 6 / ALBERTA CROSS / EL MOCAMBO / 464 SPADINA / $15 / 19+

El Mocambo is officially under new ownership, and if acts like Alberta Cross are any indication, the venue could return to its former glory. This folk/Southern rock duo, comprised of Petter Ericson Stakee and Terry Wolfers, is fresh off the release of their sophomore album Songs of Patience. This show comes highly recommended - if you decide to check it out, you're in for a treat. This is dark, brooding rock at its absolute finest.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8 / BLOODSHOT BILL / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $9 / 19+

Back in April, I included Bloodshot Bill in a Hot Ticket, and at the time, I referred to his music as "batshit insane," among other things. I'm including him again because, quite frankly, if you're looking for something different and unique, you need look no further. He specializes in psychobilly music, which is a blend of rockabilly, punk, and various other genres. It's certainly not for everyone, but I'd recommend that you give it a chance. You might come away very impressed.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9 / BRETON / THE RIVOLI / 332 QUEEN W / $10 - $12 / 19+

Breton, based out of southeast London (seriously, they actually have a "base" that they refer to as BretonLABS), is more of a multimedia contingent than a band. Known for their sweeping, dreamy experimental rock and accompanying short films, this five-piece has garnered a certain degree of mystique since they debuted in 2007. Their live shows are apparently a combination of live music and screenings of their self-shot films, so if nothing else, you're in for something different than your run-of-the-mill show.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10 / CASPIAN / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $10.50 - $12 / 19+

Toronto has seen its fair share of instrumental acts over the last little while, and the trend continues with Massachusetts post-rock sextet Caspian at the Horseshoe. If complex and epic compositions are your thing, than you've come to right place - this is music that completely consumes your thoughts and forces your imagination to run rampant. And, yes, that's definitely a good thing.

For more music listings, check out our events calendar.

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Photo of Bloodshot Bill courtesy of Sean Davis on Flickr