This week it's all about Hot Ticket: NXNE Edition. Your blogTO music writers are tipping their hats to a few of their favorites for the upcoming North by Northeast Music Showcases. Our key picks include:

Thursday, June 8th
With a crazy delicious lineup like Born Ruffians (9 pm), Land of Talk (10 pm), Kill the Lights (11 pm), The Adam Brown (12 am) and We're Marching On (1 am), there's no need to leave The Boat (158 Augusta) all night. Miss this showcase and you've missed the Boat (ho yeah, kill me now...) -- Beth

If you'd like to clone yourself and double your fun, send your other half around the corner to the Silver Dollar (484 Spadina) to catch City Field at 9 pm. "Mr. Guy Terrifico" (aka Matt Murphy)'s newest band combines Mitchell Wiebe's edgey Fred Schneideresque new-wave vocals with a hint of Murphy's former Super Friendz garage pop. (And the rest of the Dollar's lineup that night ain't no slouch, either.) -- Beth

Friday, June 9th
Oshawa's Anagram has a die hard cult following like no other. Their shows are violently uplifting, ominously inspiring and truly unforgettable. Not for the timid and not to be missed. 1am at The Silver Dollar (484 Spadina). -- Mike

Or, for a night of great hip hop and funk, start off at the Hooch (817 Queen West) with the grin-inducing lyricism of Wordburglar (10 pm), followed by up-and-comer Doujah Raze at 12 am (think big, boom bap beats and hard rhymes). Next head over to the Drake (1150 Queen West) to end your night shakin' what your momma gave you to God Made Me Funky at 1 am. -- Panthea

Saturday, June 10th
Clothes Make The Man are one of Toronto's catchiest hard-edged pop band. Their sound will likely appeal to anyone who used to listen to punk and has now moved over to the indie side. Expect a tight show at the El Mocambo (464 Spadina), 9 pm Saturday. -- Mike

Sit tight at the ElMo for former Doughboy John Kastner's solo project at 10 pm. Kastner takes his 20+ years of punk rock punch and backs it up with a who's-who of CanRock royalty on his new album "Have You Seen Lucky". Saturday he'll be supported by Sloan's Patrick Pentland, the Weakerthans' John Sutton, and of Trevor MacGregor of Treble Charger. -- Beth

The Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen West) boasts the lovely hip-hoppy, trip hoppy Kinnie Starr (10 pm) and the divine soul of Jully Black (11 pm). Hubba hubba. -- Panthea

Stay at the Horseshoe and turn up the hand-claps next with the big n' brassy Old Soul at 12 am. Cut a loud crazy rug with The Golden Dogs at 1 am, and close out the night with BSS-er John Crossingham's Raising the Fawn at 2 am. Stumble home in complete aural bliss. -- Beth

Still can't decide?

You can browse by date, band, or venue, OR download really nifty pdf schedules for each of the 3 days on the NXNE site HERE. The mind boggles at all the venue-skipping we'll be doing next weekend, but it's a good kind'a boggle.

SEE YOU THERE!