Saturday night Ty Segall played the Horseshoe to a sold out (for weeks) crowd, in what seemed to be one of the most anticipated shows so far this year. I had been looking forward to it for months too, but became a bit wary of the raucous night ahead after having my eyes dilated earlier in the day and almost passing out because the optometrist used the word "dilated." ("What did you think Erin? You were going to have a baby through your eyes?" - my Mom). Health things make me queasy.

Live music picks for TUESDAY MAY 15 through SATURDAY MAY 19, 2012.

TUESDAY MAY 15 / PS I LOVE YOU / THE GARRISON / 1197 DUNDAS W / $10.50 / 19+
This is as polarizing a band as you're ever going to find, and on a personal level, I'm not even entirely sure what I think of them. On the one hand, PS I Love You is made up of two clearly talented musicians. And they're from Kingston, which is only a stone's throw away from Toronto, so it's nice to see some borderline-local boys enjoy some success. But on the other hand, their music is...well, it is what it is. I'm not going to pass judgment on it, as I truly believe that you should give it a listen. We'll have an in-depth look at the band later this week. Stay tuned.

"That was beautifully weird," a sweaty patron says to her friend as the ugly lights come on and we're herded out of the Kool Haus late last night. I would say that you're spot-on, sweaty patron. Indeed, Edward Sharpe and & Magnetic Zeroes even had a way of curing my relatively tender hangover on Mother's Day. That's a triumph, I'd add.

Hungover on Mother's Day? I know, I'm a first-rate son.

The last time someone from this website reviewed a Xiu Xiu gig, the show was over-run with hyperactive munchkins from the internet, to the reviewer's great disappointment. Seven years later, I can assure you that if those Xiu Xiu fans were at Lee's Palace on Saturday, they have chilled out considerably, giving everyone a chance to focus on the music.

Friday night on Dundas West, Aids Wolf devastated fans more than ever before, adding a death note to the night's brutal sonic chaos. It says something about the Toronto music scene when a famed Montreal band plays their final show not at Casa del Popolo, but at The Garrison.

I'm sad to say I've seen the mid-sized venue more packed, but turn out was high; Aids Wolf fans from Toronto and beyond had come to show their respects. Yet even as Brooklyn's Child Abuse blasted noise rock over mulleted heads in the front row just before midnight, the room had a subdued vibe. The band's decision to break up brought with it some weighty issues, which were on the minds of many people in the room.

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.

Every Sunday, 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.