What? The sun-spattered, psychedelic swathes of Brazilian tropicalia featured on Kassin+2's Futurismo (available now on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label) might be the ideal sound to hit it poolside with a cold cerveja this summer.

After a last-minute cancellation by Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, Austin, TX’s Peter and the Wolf took the stage last night (May 4) at Toronto’s Sneaky Dees venue and concluded the four-day Over the Top festival at the notorious PWYC (Pay What You Can) indie showcase, Wavelength.

Awaiting a set from local heroes Crystal Castles, fans were content to thrash out their anticipation in a sweaty cluster of keffiyahs and Kanye shades last night (Feb. 21) at Toronto's Wrongbar until the puckish duo took the stage.

Who? Guitarist Dorian Dumont and lead singer Quentin Delafon aren't lying; they actually met as teenagers in the suburbs of Paris. Bored with their day jobs as promotional call centre employees and under-paid waiters, the two friends created the "Fuck Nicole" single in 2005, an ironic plea to the waifish starlet Nicole Richie.

Who? Casting aside their suburban garage rock roots, Toronto's Moshe Rozenberg (drums/keys/vocals), Jordan Holmes (guitar/vocals), Matt King (keys/sax), Tomas Del Balso (guitar) and Mike Claxton (bass/ guitar/vocals) bonded during Brampton YMCA shows and formed indie outfit DD/MM/YYYY, yes, named after the calendar.

Brooklyn songbird Sharon Jones strutted onstage like a woman done wrong, taking time to groove with no less than five audience members plucked from the packed crowd at the Phoenix last night (Nov. 13). "I gotta get my mojo working!" she testified, tossing her long braids and cocking a hip as concertgoers sashayed in the aisles.