Live music picks for THURSDAY MAY 24 through MONDAY MAY 28, 2012.

THURSDAY MAY 24 / BRUCE PENINSULA / THE GREAT HALL / 1087 QUEEN W / $12 - $15 / ALL AGES

Drop everything you're doing and go to this show. Trust me, you won't regret it, because Bruce Peninsula is quite simply one of the most astounding acts I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. It's difficult to even tag them with a genre--they blend elements ranging from gospel, folk, rock, country, and a mess of others. This is a band that deserves your attention, and you won't regret giving it to them.

FRIDAY MAY 25 / THE INDEPENDENTS / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $10 / 19+

Ever heard of a genre called horror punk? Neither had I, until I came across the music of South Carolina duo The Independents. Combining elements of punk and ska with lyrics straight out of a horror flick, Evil Presly and Willy B have carved out a nice little niche for themselves over the last 20 years. Hell, they were even managed by Joey Ramone up until his death in 2001, and that's certainly nothing to sneeze at. If you're looking to try something a little different, this is the show for you.

FRIDAY MAY 25 / CURREN$Y / THE OPERA HOUSE / 735 QUEEN E / $30.50 / ALL AGES

Maybe you're not in the mood for horror punk on Friday night, and instead, you'd like some hip-hop. Curren$y, out of New Orleans, came up in the game through Master P's 504 Boyz in 2002. Since then, he's gone off on his own and made a name for himself, and he's arguably one of the more talented lyricists around. This is an all-ages show, so it probably won't get too crazy, but it should satisfy all of you hip-hop heads out there.

SATURDAY MAY 26 / JOE PUG / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $14.38 / 19+

Don't let the name fool you--there's nothing ugly about Joe Pug's music. On the contrary, this is some of the sweetest, most enjoyable folk/country music that you'll ever hear. But what makes Pug even more endearing is the fact that he absolutely loves his fans--he's a staunch believer in no service fees on concert tickets, which is a pain that we music lovers are all too familiar with. If you're looking for a pleasant night of crooning, look no further.

SUNDAY MAY 27 / LANGHORNE SLIM & THE LAW / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $11.50 - $13 / 19+

The Horseshoe continues to be the spot in Toronto for fans of alt-country, and what a one-two punch this is--Joe Pug on Saturday night, followed by Langhorne Slim and his band, The Law, on Sunday. This has all the ingredients of alt-country goodness: twangy banjos, sorrowful lyrics (but of course, there's some downright gleeful stuff, too), and a level of emotion that you simply won't find in other genres of music. Ha Ha Tonka will open.

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Photo of Bruce Peninsula courtesy of Tom Cochrane on Flickr.