GlassnoteWho: Givers
What: Almost unsettlingly chipper Louisiana pop outfit whose ubiquity in dorm rooms across the continent seems inevitable.
Why: Their debut album In Light was just released this week but they’ve already been on the road for a month to bring its peppy peppiness to your ears.
When: Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Where: The Garrison in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Support comes from Pittsburgh’s Pepper Rabbit; truly a trans-American bill
How: Tickets for the show are $13.50 in advance, but courtesy of Embrace I’ve got a pair of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to Giver” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, June 17.
What else: Givers are profiled by The Guardian, The Times and Spinner and their album is streaming in whole at NPR right now.

MP3: Givers – “Up Up Up”
Stream: Givers / In Light

Frank YangWho: Drive-By Truckers
What: Veteran Athens, Georgian southern rock ambassadors and all-around ass-kickers. If you really need an introduction, then I don’t want to know.
Why: They released their eleventh album Go-Go Boots back in February and there was no way they weren’t going to tour it through town; we just had to wait our turn.
When: Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Where: The Phoenix in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Toronto’s own Beauties are opening up all the Ontario dates on this tour, including this one.
How: Tickets for the show are $29.50 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away to the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to go Drive-By Trucking” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me by midnight, June 13.
What else: The Kitchener-Waterloo Record has an interview with Trucker Mike Cooley.

MP3: Drive-By Truckers – “Used To Be A Cop”

FacebookWho: Architecture In Helsinki
What: Geographically-confused Australians who’ve gone through stylistic and personnel changes since their twee-friendly 2003 debut Fingers Crossed
Why: Their just-released fourth album Moment Bends finds the quintet getting just a little bit funky. And seeing as how it’s turning into Winter in the southern hemisphere, seems as good a time as any to head north of the equator for some touring.
When: Saturday, June 11, 2011 (early show!)
Where: The Mod Club in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Hooray For Earth – who clearly have an appreciation for all hemispheres of the globe – support
How: Tickets for the show are $20 in advance but courtesy of Embrace, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away to the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Architecture In Helsinki” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, June 8.
What else: Frontman Cameron Bird annotates the new record for Pedestrian TV.

MP3: Architecture In Helsinki – “Heart It Races”
Video: Architecture In Helsinki – “Contact High”

Nadya LevWho: Zoë Keating
What: Canadian-born, USA-based, self-proclaimed “avant-garde” cellist, formerly of goth-cello act Rasputina.
Why: She released a new album last year entitled Into The Trees.
When: Saturday, June 4, 2011
Where: The Great Hall in Toronto (19+)
Who else: The show is billed as, “An evening with”, which generally means no support.
How: Tickets for the show are $20 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away to the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Zoe Keating” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that in to me before midnight, June 1.
What else: The Houston Press has an interview and The AV Club a very helpful primer to her works – watch it and you’ll probably want to go to this show.

Video: Zoe Keating – “Into The Trees” (live)

Ruvan WijesooriaWho: Sondre Lerche
What: Norwegian singer-songwriter who’s frequently jumped genres, but always remained smooth, charming and oh-so Scandinavian.
Why: Album number seven, a self-titled affair, is due out on June 7. Those songs aren’t going to road-test themselves.
When: Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Where: The Mod Club in Toronto
Who else: Nightlands and Kishi Bashi open up. Nope, don’t know anything about them either.
How: Tickets for the show are $18.50 in advance but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got three pairs of passes to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Sondre Lerche” in the subject line and your full name in the body, and have that to me before midnight in whatever time zone I’m in at the time on May 27.
What else: Daytrotter recently posted a session with Lerche and Metromix has an interview.

Video: Sondre Lerche – “Domino”