Live music picks for TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11 through SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2012.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11 / RUSTED ROOT / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $28.95 / 19+

You've heard of Rusted Root, even if you think you haven't. To be more accurate, you've heard their biggest hit, 1994's "Send Me On My Way." It's been used in everything from movies, to commercials, to Boy Scouts of America promotional videos. But it would be a crime to believe that this song is the only worthwhile thing that the band has done. On the contrary, Rusted Root's music style is unique in that fuses together a medley of genres, and draws on the percussion styles seen in African and Native American music. It's really quite something to behold, and this show should be a fun little jam.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12 / CITY AND COLOUR / MOLSON CANADIAN AMPHITHEATRE / 909 LAKESHORE W / $38 - $66.50 / ALL AGES

I know there are probably a lot of Alexisonfire fans out there who will cry foul on this, but I personally never understood their allure, which is why I've always appreciated Dallas Green's work as a solo artist more than his work with the band. When he embarked on his City and Colour solo project in 2005, it took a lot of people by surprise. It was also very, very solid, and seven years later, he's released two more excellent albums and established himself as one of Canada's most talented artists. This will be one of the last outdoor shows of 2012, so don't miss out. The Avett Brothers, Hey Rosetta!, and Grey Kingdom will offer support.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 13 / JULIE DOIRON AND THE WRONG GUYS / THE GARRISON / 1197 DUNDAS W / $10.50 - $12 / 19+

If you're only able to check out one show this week, this is the one you don't want to miss. Julie Doiron has been tearing up Canada's indie scene for the better part of 22 years. She got her start in the band Eric's Trip, and since then has carved out a nice little solo career for herself. Recently, she's teamed up with Mike Peters and Jaye Schwarzer of the Cancer Bats and Eamon McGrath, and if you're curious to see what they're capable of, you won't want to miss this show. I saw Julie perform an acoustic set at Sonic Boom last September, and it was nothing short of outstanding. One can only assume that a full backing band can only make her vocal stylings stronger.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14 / VETIVER / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 368 QUEEN W / $15 - $18 / 19+

Vetiver specializes in "psychedelic folk-rock," and while I don't entirely agree with the inclusion of the word "psychedelic," there's no denying that they have a very unique and somewhat haunting sound. Led by longtime Devendra Banhart collaborator Andy Cabic, the band released their fifth album The Errant Charm in 2011 to much acclaim. Give this one a shot if you're not familiar with it - Vetiver is definitely worth your time. Habibi will open.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15 / THE SHEEPDOGS / ECHO BEACH / 909 LAKESHORE W / $42 / ALL AGES

The Sheepdogs are truly one of the great Cinderella stories in music history. After releasing several albums independently, they rose to prominence in 2011 when they won Rolling Stone's "Choose the Cover" competition, becoming the first unsigned band to be featured on the cover of the magazine. Their new self-titled album was produced by none other than Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, and his influence is definitely noticeable when you compare it to the Sheepdogs' earlier work. Yukon Blonde, The Sadies, and Zeus will open, truly making this a can't-miss show.

CONTEST ALERT

The nice folks at Live Nation have been kind enough to offer us some tickets to give away for a couple of shows this week.

The Prize

We have two pairs of tickets up for grabs for City and Colour tomorrow at the Molson Canadian Ampitheatre (on the seated platform on the lawn).

And we also have two pairs of tickets for The Sheepdogs September 15th show at Echo Beach.

How to win

We'll be posting a contest question for the City and Colour tickets at 3:00 p.m. today (September 11th) and at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow (September 12th) for the Sheepdogs.

Fine print

You must be a Toronto-area resident to win. Only one comment and answer per person. If you include multiple answers or post multiple comments you will be disqualified. Also, only one pair of tickets per winner (i.e. you can't win both City and Colour and Sheepdogs tickets). Please use a valid email address in the comment field so that we can contact with details regarding how to claim your tickets.

Contest Question for City and Colour ticket giveaway:

Name the first song off of the band's 2011 LP Little Hell. The first two correct responses in the comments section will be awarded the tickets (remember to use a valid email address). This contest is now closed and the winners have been contacted.

Contest question for the Sheepdogs ticket giveaway:

Name the last song off of the band's 2012 self-titled LP, The Sheepdogs. The first two correct responses in the comments section will be awarded the tickets (remember to use a valid email address).

For more music listings, check out our events calendar.

Looking for tickets? Check out Rotate This or Soundscapes to avoid Ticketmaster robbery.

Have an event you'd like us to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO events calendar.

Photo of The Sheepdogs courtesy of SurelyShamit on Flickr