Compiled by Zoilus with the generous aid of ace assistants ERELLA GANON, and CHRIS RANDLE.

Corrections & additions welcome. Zoilus-approved shows are marked with a *star. Special picks are **double-starred. If it's not starred, it may mean I don't find it especially thrilling, or just that I don't know or am not sure enough to recommend it. Listings will be updated weekly. All info subject to change - this is a casual effort, please do call the venues. Sources include the Stillepost.ca Toronto board, Eye, Now, ListMe.ca, Canoe.ca, Soundlist, The Whole Note, Toronto Life and, as the saying goes, you - email or post in the comments with show information and disinformation.

April
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

TUE APR. 7

** ST. DIRT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL => Tranzac lounge, 7:30 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
* Skin: A Percussion Blitz w/CARLO RIZZO => Music Gallery, all ages, $10-$25
* "Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids VII" (not music) => Tranzac, 8 pm
* Joey Comeau "Overqualified" book launch w/ readings by Emily Horne, Ryan North, Kate Beaton and Derek McCormack, music by THE GHOST IS DANCING, HEAVEN => 6 Nassau Recording Studio, 8 pm
MIKE HANSEN (turntables and electronics) & CAROL SAWYER (unspecified soundsource) => Somewhere There, 8 pm, $8
PAUL LINKLATER & HIS MURMURERS, ALEJANDRA RIBERA => Cameron House (front), 7 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
Fred Spek's CaMp CoMbO => Mitzi's Sister, 10 pm
SUNBEAR w/poetry by Damian Rogers => Graffiti's
THE NEIL YOUNG 'UNS => Cadillac Lounge
PAUL KOLINSKI, TIN STAR ORPHANS => Cameron House (back room)
THE LONG HAUL => Free Times Cafe
JOSHUA GOODMAN BAND => Gate 403, 5 pm
JULIAN FAUTH, JAMES THOMSON, TIM HAMEL BLUES => Gate 403, 8 pm
FIRE HYDRANT, DREAM AWAKE, BEAUTIFUL NOTHING, BOMBING NEVERLAND => Horseshoe, pwyc
PHILIPPE LEJEUNE TRIO => The Rex, 6:30 pm
DARRELLE LONDON, MARY MILNE, TELL MAMMA => Supermarket, $6
GREG ZAWASKI => Trane Studio
DEEP ROOTS => Orbit Room
DEREK DOWNHAM => Axis
WAYNE NAKAMURA => Dominion on Queen, 8:30 pm
JIM HEINEMAN TRIO => N'awlins

WED APR. 8

*** WILLIE NELSON, RAY PRICE => Massey Hall, $59.50-$125
** AMIR ELSAFFAR’S TWO RIVERS ENSEMBLE (Iraqi-American jazz feat. Amir El Saffar : trumpet, Rudresh Mahanthappa : saxophone, Nasheet Waits : drums, Carlo DeRosa : bass, Zaafir Tawil : oud, violin and dumbek) => Music Gallery, doors 7 pm, concert 8 pm, $15-$25
* High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ CRAZY STRINGS => Silver Dollar (every Wed.)
* THE INNARDS BROTHERS (members of the Backstabbers) => Cameron House, 6-8 pm, pwyc (every Wed.)
* SEBASTIEN TELLIER => Mod Club, $17.50
* HILARIO DURAN TRIO => Trane Studio
WORLD INFERNO FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY, THE DELINQUINTS => Horseshoe, $10.50
Taste Of Chaos Tour w/ THURSDAY, BRING ME THE HORIZON, FOUR YEAR STRONG, PIERCE THE VEIL, CANCER BATS => Kool Haus
SLOW DOWN MOLASSES => Rancho Relaxo
PERPETRATORS => Dakota Tavern
DALLAS SUTHERLAND, CHRISTINA TABOURA => Free Times Cafe
PHILIPPE LEJEUNE JAZZ BAND => Gate 403, 5 pm
PATRICK TEVLIN'S NEW ORLEANS RHYTHM => Gate 403, 9 pm
FRANK & JAY'S OLD TYME STRING BAND => Graffiti's, 6 pm
THE DON VALLEY STOMPERS => Graffiti's, evening
ERNEST LEE & COTTON TRAFFIC => Grossman's
FOLK ALARM, KEVIN BREIT => Hugh's Room, $14
SYMPHONY OF NINE, INDESCENT DISPOSAL, RANDALL BALL => Lee's Palace, $10
JAKE WILKINSON QUARTET => The Rex, 6:30 pm
MADELINE FORSTER GROUP => The Rex, 9:30 pm
MILES JONES, JOANNA BORROMEO, RASOUL & TESTAMENT => Rivoli, $10
ALLISON CAMERON (midi sax)/GERMAINE LIU (percussion)/TANIA GILL (piano)/ROB CLUTTON (bass) => Somewhere There, 8 pm, $8
LMT CONNECTION => Orbit Room
WES NEIL => Reposado
CHRIS HAWLEY => Rose & Thorne, 7 pm
JON LONG, GEORGE FLOWERS, LINDA MERCER, CLIFF ALLAN => Black Swan
BROADBELLY BAND => Brickyard
LISA PARTICELLI => Chalkers
KIRA CALLAHAN => Forte, 6:30 pm
LOUIS SIMAO, BILL MCBIRNIE => Mezzetta
BRADLEY & THE BOUNCERS => Reservoir Lounge

THU APR. 9

** Tranzac fundraiser w/ BARNYARD DRAMA, STOP TIME, ELEMENT CHOIR => Tranzac (Main Hall), 8 pm
* NICOLE RAMPERSAUD (trumpet) & GERMAINE LIU (percussion) => Somewhere There, 8 pm, $8
* ALIREZA GHORBANI (Iran) => Enwave Theatre, $25
MATT ANDERSEN => Hugh's Room, $15
THORNLEY => Phoenix, $25

FRI APR. 10

* Images Festival: Live 5: Art Since 1960 (According to the Internet) multimedia presentation (not music) w/ HANNE MUGAAS & CORY ARCANGEL (NYC) => Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen Street West, 7-9 pm
* MATES OF STATE, BLACK KIDS => Phoenix, 8 pm doors, $20 adv
* MEAN RED SPIDERS, HUSBAND & KNIFE, PACIFICTV, RAT-TAIL => Sneaky Dee's, $5
KEYSNKRATES, FREE THE ROBOTS => Supermarket, $15
WHITE COWBOY OKLAHOMA => Horseshoe, $15 at RT, SS, HS, TM
DEADMAU5, LATE OF THE PIER, THE WHIP, CARLO LIO => Kool Haus, all ages, $20-$35

SAT APR. 11

** Live Images: CLOUD EYE CONTROL, AMMO FACTORY (multimedia performances featuring Alex Lukashevsky, Matt "Nifty" Smith, Anna Oxygen and others, presented by Wavelength & Images fest) => The Theatre Centre, $12-$15
* FOGGY HOGTOWN BOYS => Dakota, 3:30 pm (every Sat)
THE PRINE SHINE => Hugh's Room, $20
HANGGAI => Hart House (Great Hall), 8 pm, free
HOT FIVE JAZZMAKERS => C'est What, 3 pm, $5 (every Sat)
JOHN BORRA BAND => Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
THE CREEPSHOW => Reverb, $10.50
THE ASSISTANTS, DJ MRK, BOBBY GUY, AND BENNY K => Mod Club, $10
CADILLAC RANCH COUNTRY MATINEE => Cadillac Lounge, 4-7 pm (every Sat)
BILL COLGATE & THE URBANE GUERILLAS, CAM MACINNES => Dominion on Queen, 4-7 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
Country Saturdays w/ THE WANTED => Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10 pm, free (every Sat)

SUN APR. 12

** JACK VORVIS/JEREMY STRACHAN duo, more => Somewhere There, 6 pm (early show), $8/pwyc
* "True Social Improv" w/ JESSE KUDLER / CHRIS COGBURN / JODA CLEMENT / CHANDAN NARAYAN, CHRISTOPHER STRICKLAND / TOMASZ KRAKOWIAK / STEVE MCFARLAND, PAU TORRES / WILLIAM DAVISON => Jamie's Area, 193 Augusta Ave., 9 pm, $5 or pwyc
* JOHN BORRA & SAM FERRARA => The Communist's Daughter, 5 pm, pwyc (every Sun)
* LUCERO, TITUS ANDRONICUS => Horseshoe, $15
* THE KENSINGTON HILLBILLIES => Cameron House, 6 pm (every Sun)
* KEVIN QUAIN & THE MAD BASTARDS => Cameron House, 10 pm (every Sun)
* BLUEGRASS BRUNCH => Dakota Tavern, 11 am-3 pm (every Sun)
Wavelength 458 w/THE THING IS, TIGHT SHIP => Sneaky Dee's, pwyc
THE NATIONALS, BRIAN COBER => Grossman's, evening (every Sun)

MON APR. 13

* THE ROSEBUDS => Lee's Palace, $10.50
* Bluegrass Mondays w/ THE HAMSTRUNG STRINGBAND => The Local, 396 Roncesvalles, free (Every Mon)
* Gutbucket Mondays w/ KEVIN QUAIN => Graffiti's, 6 pm, free (every Mon)
ROCCO DELUCA & THE BURDEN => Horseshoe, $13
SISTERS EUCLID => Orbit Room (every Mon)
RATTLESNAKE CHOIR => Dakota Tavern, 10 pm, free (every Mon)

TUE APR. 14

** ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE => El Mocambo, $15
** DAMIEN JURADO => Drake Hotel, $10.50
** ST. DIRT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL => Tranzac lounge, 7:30 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
* KREATOR, EXODUS, BELPHEGOR => Opera House
* RAUL MALO (ex-Mavericks) => Lee's Palace, $20
* METRIC, HOLY FUCK => Mod Club, all ages, 7 pm, $25
PAUL LINKLATER & HIS MURMURERS => Cameron House (front), 7 pm, pwyc (every Tues)

WED APR. 15

* RAY LAMONTAGNE, LOW ANTHEM => Massey Hall, $34.50-$49.50
* High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ CRAZY STRINGS => Silver Dollar (every Wed.)
* THE INNARDS BROTHERS (members of the Backstabbers) => Cameron House, 6-8 pm, pwyc (every Wed.)
SENSES FAIL, BLACK LUNGS => Phoenix, all ages, 7 pm, $25
THE HAUNTED, NACHTMYSTIUM, THE AGONIST, more => Opera House, all ages, 6 pm, $24

THU APR. 16

** ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS THREE (feat Peter Buck, Bill Rieflin, Scott McCaughey) => Mod Club, $20
** Funding for Taxidermian Smiles w/ SLIM TWIG, BROKEN TREE FORT, TRUDY POOT & HER PLURALS => Boat, pwyc
* DD/MM/YYYY (record release), METZ, BLACK FEELINGS => Lee's Palace, $10 (includes record)
FERN LINDZON JAZZ QUARTET => Academy of Spherical Arts, $10
HORSES, THE LITTLE MILLIONAIRES, BA JOHNSTON, HIJACK DELTA => Sneaky Dee's, $7
MURDER BY DEATH => Horseshoe, $13.50

FRI APR. 17

*** NEKO CASE => Trinity-St Paul's Church, all ages, Apr 17 & 18, $33.50 adv
** ENGLISH BEAT => Lee's Palace, $23.50
* Saddle Up!: The Country & Western Dance Party (2nd anniversary) => Canadian Corps Hall, 201 Niagara, $5
* WOODHANDS, THE CARPS, FAMOUS PLAYERS => Phoenix, $10
BOX ELDERS => Rancho Relaxo
11th ANNUAL WINNIPEG SOCIAL => Horseshoe, $10
MARIA TAYLOR => El Mocambo, $10

SAT APR. 18

*** NEKO CASE => Trinity-St Paul's Church, all ages, Apr 17 & 18, $33.50 adv
** QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT, PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT, CATL => Horseshoe, $11
** NO MEANS NO => Lee's Palace, $15.50
* OHBIJOU => Opera House, $13
* FOGGY HOGTOWN BOYS => Dakota, 3:30 pm (every Sat)
GARRETT MASON => Silver Dollar, $10
MARTIN SEXTON, CHRIS TRAPPER => Mod Club, $20
STARFUCKER, KUROMA, more => Sneaky Dee's
HOT FIVE JAZZMAKERS => C'est What, 3 pm, $5 (every Sat)
JOHN BORRA BAND => Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
CADILLAC RANCH COUNTRY MATINEE => Cadillac Lounge, 4-7 pm (every Sat)
BILL COLGATE & THE URBANE GUERILLAS, CAM MACINNES => Dominion on Queen, 4-7 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
Country Saturdays w/ THE WANTED => Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10 pm, free (every Sat)

SUN APR. 19

** JEREMY STRACHAN/MIKE SMITH duo => Somewhere There, 6 pm (early show), $8/pwyc
* Wavelength 459 w/NEW FEELINGS, FLOWERS OF HELL, SNOWBLINK => Sneaky Dee's, pwyc
* DOBET GNAHORE (Ivory Coast) => Lula Lounge
* JOHN BORRA & SAM FERRARA => The Communist's Daughter, 5 pm, pwyc (every Sun)
* THE KENSINGTON HILLBILLIES => Cameron House, 6 pm (every Sun)
* KEVIN QUAIN & THE MAD BASTARDS => Cameron House, 10 pm (every Sun)
* BLUEGRASS BRUNCH => Dakota Tavern, 11 am-3 pm (every Sun)
YANN TIERSEN => Mod Club, $20
THE NATIONALS, BRIAN COBER => Grossman's, evening (every Sun)
JACK'S MANNEQUIN, MATT NATHANSON, LOW VS DIAMOND => Sound Academy, all ages, $28.50

MON APR. 20

* Bluegrass Mondays w/ THE HAMSTRUNG STRINGBAND => The Local, 396 Roncesvalles, free (Every Mon)
* Gutbucket Mondays w/ KEVIN QUAIN => Graffiti's, 6 pm, free (every Mon)
Blair Packham's 50th Birthday w/ANDY KIM, WENDELL FERGUSON, MIA SHEARD, more => Hugh's Room, $12
SISTERS EUCLID => Orbit Room (every Mon)
RATTLESNAKE CHOIR => Dakota Tavern, 10 pm, free (every Mon)

TUE APR. 21

** FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, EUGENE MIRMAN => Massey Hall, Apr 21 & 22, $49.50
** THE HANDSOME FAMILY, MARISSA NADLER => El Mocambo, $13.50
** ST. DIRT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL => Tranzac lounge, 7:30 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
APPLESEED CAST => Horseshoe, $10
KINGS OF LEON, * THE WALKMEN => Air Canada Centre, $49.50
TRAVIS => Sound Academy, $34.50
FRANCOIS MULDER (cd release) => Hugh's Room, $10
PAUL LINKLATER & HIS MURMURERS => Cameron House (front), 7 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA => Lee's Palace, $20.50

WED APR. 22

** FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, EUGENE MIRMAN => Massey Hall, Apr 21 & 22, $49.50
* ELIZA GILKYSON, MARY GAUTHIER => Hugh's Room, 8:30 pm, $27.50 adv, $32.50 door (Apr 22-23)
* JUSTIN T. EARLE => Horseshoe, $12.50
* LILY ALLEN, NATALIE PORTMAN'S SHAVED HEAD => Phoenix, $27.50
* High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ CRAZY STRINGS => Silver Dollar (every Wed.)
* THE INNARDS BROTHERS (members of the Backstabbers) => Cameron House, 6-8 pm, pwyc (every Wed.)
THE ALL AMERICAN REJECTS, SHINY TOY GUNS => Phoenix, all ages, $25.50
BISON BC, BALL HARNESS => Annex Wreckroom, $10

THU APR. 23

** WINDY AND CARL, BENOIT PIOULARD, LAMBS LAUGHTER => Whippersnapper Gallery, $12
** FOUR TET, VOWLS => Wrongbar, $18.50
* ELIZA GILKYSON, MARY GAUTHIER => Hugh's Room, 8:30 pm, $27.50 adv, $32.50 door (Apr 22-23)
* BUSH LEAGUE, CANAILLE => Tranzac, 10 pm, pwyc
* LADYHAWK => Horseshoe, $12.50
ALESANA, DROP DEAD, FEAR BEFORE, more => Opera House, all ages, 6:30 pm, $18.50
PARKWAY DRIVE, STICK TO YOUR GUNS => Reverb, all ages, $12
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, MADINA LAKE => Phoenix, all ages, $18.50

FRI APR. 24

** CHAIN & THE GANG (feat Ian Svenonius), THE HIVE DWELLERS (feat Calvin Johnson), TROPICS => Whippersnapper Gallery, all ages, 8 pm, $11
** BELL ORCHESTRE => Courthouse, 57 Adelaide E, 8 pm doors, $15 adv
* HEY ROSETTA! => Lee's Palace, $10
* SPIRAL BEACH => Horseshoe, $12
BRUTAL TRUTH, THE MURDER SQUAD TO, more => Annex Wreckroom, all ages, 6 pm, $20

SAT APR. 25

** GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS => Queen Elizabeth Theatre, all ages, $20
* BAT FOR LASHES => Mod Club, 7 pm, $15
* PETER BJORN & JOHN, CHAIRLIFT => Phoenix, 6 pm, $20
* SHOUT OUT OUT OUT OUT => Lee's Palace, $15
* FOGGY HOGTOWN BOYS => Dakota, 3:30 pm (every Sat)
* THE HANSON BROTHERS => Horseshoe, $13.50
GAVIN ROSSDALE => Danforth Music Hall, all ages, $35.50
COMPLICATIONS, OMEGAS, SWITZERLAND => Rancho Relaxo
HOT FIVE JAZZMAKERS => C'est What, 3 pm, $5 (every Sat)
JOHN BORRA BAND => Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
CADILLAC RANCH COUNTRY MATINEE => Cadillac Lounge, 4-7 pm (every Sat)
BILL COLGATE & THE URBANE GUERILLAS, CAM MACINNES => Dominion on Queen, 4-7 pm, pwyc (every Sat)
Country Saturdays w/ THE WANTED => Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10 pm, free (every Sat)

SUN APR. 26

** FEUERMUSIK => Somewhere There, 6 pm (early show), $8/pwyc
* WALE, UCB GO-GO BAND => Mod Club, $16
* Wavelength 460 w/THOMAS, UNIVOX CHORAL ENSEMBLE, THE SKELETONES FOUR => Sneaky Dee's, pwyc
* JOHN BORRA & SAM FERRARA => The Communist's Daughter, 5 pm, pwyc (every Sun)
* THE KENSINGTON HILLBILLIES => Cameron House, 6 pm (every Sun)
* KEVIN QUAIN & THE MAD BASTARDS => Cameron House, 10 pm (every Sun)
* BLUEGRASS BRUNCH => Dakota Tavern, 11 am-3 pm (every Sun)
THE NATIONALS, BRIAN COBER => Grossman's, evening (every Sun)

MON APR. 27

** TOM PAXTON => Hugh's Room, $25
* M. WARD => Phoenix, all ages, $23.50
* FRENCH KICKS => Horseshoe, $10.50
* Bluegrass Mondays w/ THE HAMSTRUNG STRINGBAND => The Local, 396 Roncesvalles, free (Every Mon)
* Gutbucket Mondays w/ KEVIN QUAIN => Graffiti's, 6 pm, free (every Mon)
NOAH & THE WHALE => Mod Club, $12.50
SISTERS EUCLID => Orbit Room (every Mon)
RATTLESNAKE CHOIR => Dakota Tavern, 10 pm, free (every Mon)

TUE APR. 28

** MOUNTAINS (Thrill Jockey), MATTHEW "DOC" DUNN, AYAL SENIOR'S SPACECHURCH => Music Gallery, $5-$10
** ST. DIRT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL => Tranzac lounge, 7:30 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
* THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART => Lee's Palace, $10
Paganfest 2009 w/ KORPIKLAANI, PROMORDIAL, more => Opera House, all ages, 6 pm, $32.50
STEPHANIE CADMAN & CELTIC BLAZE (cd release) => Hugh's Room, $20
PAUL LINKLATER & HIS MURMURERS => Cameron House (front), 7 pm, pwyc (every Tues)
THE SOUNDS => Mod Club, all ages, 7 pm, $21

WED APR. 29

** BURAKA SOM SISTEMA, EGYPTRIXX => El Mocambo, $15
* ELVIS PERKINS => Horseshoe, $15
* High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ CRAZY STRINGS => Silver Dollar (every Wed.)
* THE INNARDS BROTHERS (members of the Backstabbers) => Cameron House, 6-8 pm, pwyc (every Wed.)
ADELE => Massey Hall, all ages, $39.50
JEFF BIEN (cd release), GEORGE KOLLER, RICK LAZAR, REBECCA CAMPBELL, more => Hugh's Room, $20
108, SOUL CONTROL, I RISE, HUNTER, RAH => Siesta Nouveaux

THUR APR. 30

** JOHN DOE & THE SADIES => Horseshoe, $17.50
** Exclaim! 17th Anniversary w/ THUNDERHEIST, more => Phoenix, $15
* DIANA KRALL => Massey Hall, 8 pm, $75-$125
* THE DEARS => Mod Club, 7 pm, $20
MICHAEL BERUBE => Fleck Theatre, Apr 30-May 2, $22.50-$27.50