Thursday, July 6: The sounds of the desert rustle northbound and into the Phoenix where Calexico will bring their mix of country, folk and pop music (with a Tabasco splash of WHOO-AHH!) on Thursday night. Following a similar style of Calexico-rock, Brooklyn, NY's six-piece folk-popper's Oakley Hill will open. Doors 8:30pm, Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne St), $20 in advance at all the normals (Ticketmaster, Soundscapes, Rotate). -- Garry

Thursday, July 6: World fusion icon Salif Keita comes to town this week. Ostracized for being an albino by the Mandinkan culture from which he hails, and then for choosing music as his career by the royal Malian family of which he is a descendant, Keita came out on top when 1991's Amen was the first album ever to win an African band leader a Grammy nod. Life story aside, I've heard through the grapevine he puts on an amazing live show. 9:30pm, Harbourfront Centre (235 Queen's Quay W), $26.75 advance (Ticketmaster), $30 day of. --Panthea

Friday, July 7: You can call India.Arie a lot of things -- Grammy winner, talented artist, bohemian -- just don't call her brand of music "neo-soul". She doesn't like that. 8pm, Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth Ave), $38.50. -- Ryan

Friday, July 7, to Sunday, July 9: Beats, Breaks & Culture @ The Harbourfront Centre. This is a weekend long free concert with an amazing lineup: Prefuse 73, Jamie Lidell, Cadence Weapon, The Juan Maclean, MSTRKRFT, and so many more. Konono No. 1 from Congo sounds like it has the potential to be a very unique performance. All weekend long, Harbourfront Centre (235 Queen's Quay W), free. -- MikeR