Pier Nicola D’AmicoWho: Blonde Redhead
What: New York-based, Italo-Japanese art rock trio who’ve evolved from dissonant noise to ethereal beauty over eight albums and 18 years.
Why: Last here in Fall 2010 behind Penny Sparkle, the band won’t have a new full-length out until next Spring but that’s no reason they can’t get out of the studio and stretch their legs a bit.
When: Monday, July 15, 2013
Where: The Adelaide Music Hall in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Toronto’s Darcys have been named as support.
How: Tickets for the show are $22.50 in advance but courtesy of Young Lions Music Club and MRG Concerts, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away for the show. There’s two ways to enter – if you’re an Rdio user, you can add your favourite BR tune to the YLMC-assembled playlist to enter, and if you’re not, you can email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Blonde Redhead” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Enter both, if you like; the contest closes at midnight, July 13.

MP3: Blonde Redhead – “Here Sometimes”
MP3: Blonde Redhead – “Misery Is A Butterfly”

Mariana JulianoWho: CSS
What: Brazil’s most famous electro-punk ensemble whose name would be a whole lot more Googleable if they just went with Cansei de Ser Sexy instead of the acronym but I digress.
Why: Despite some lineup changes that included the departure of producer/multi-instrumentalist Adriano Cintra, the band just released their fourth album Planta earlier this month.
When: Thursday, July 4, 2013
Where: The Opera House in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Los Angeles’ IO Echo support.
How: Tickets for the show are $26 in advance but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got five pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see CSS” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, July 2.
What else: 303 Magazine has an interview with the band.

MP3: CSS – “Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above”
Video: CSS – “Hangover”

Frank YangWhat: Toronto Urban Roots Fest, the inaugural edition of a new multi-day festival that’s aiming to do what Bluesfest does for Ottawa and the Jazz Festival does for Montreal – namely bring in a lot of bands that have little to nothing to do with the festival’s titular genre but make great music. And let’s not get pedantic about the “urban” part, hey?
Who: Arkells, The Barr Brothers, Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura, Neko Case, The Cat Empire, Dawes, Justin Townes Earle, Alejandro Escovedo & The Sensitive Boys, The Felice Brothers, Fitz & The Tantrums, Flogging Molly, Hannah Georgas, The Hold Steady, Larry and his Flask, The Lowest Of The Low, Matt Mays, JD McPherson, The Joel Plaskett Emergency, Xavier Rudd, The Sadies, She & Him, Skydiggers, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Whitehorse, The Wooden Sky, Yo La Tengo
When: July 4 to 7, 2013
Where: Garrison Common at Fort York, Toronto
How: Single-day tickets for the show range from $50 to $60 in advance, but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got one pairs of passes for each day of the festival to give away. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to TURF” in the subject line and your full name in the body along with which days, in order of preference, you’d like to attend – consult the schedule for who’s playing when. Contest closes at midnight, July 2, 2013.

Terri LoewenthalWho: Rogue Wave
What: Indie-pop outfit founded in Oakland a decade ago and anchored by drummer Pat Spurgeon and singer/guitarist/namesake Zach Rogue, because “Schwartz Wave” would have been a pretty bad band name.
Why: They released their fifth full-length Nightingale Floors at the start of June, and are now on tour to support it.
When: Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Where: The Mod Club in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Brooklyn’s Caveman opens up.
How: Tickets for the show are $19.50 in advance but courtesy of LiveNation, I’ve got two pairs of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see Rogue Wave” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, June 23.
What else: MTV Hive and Metro have feature pieces on the band.

MP3: Rogue Wave – “Publish My Love”
MP3: Rogue Wave – “Endless Shovel”
Stream: Rogue Wave – “College”
Stream: Rogue Wave – “Siren’s Song”

Warp RecordsWho: !!!
What: Sacremento-based electro-punk outfit known for their unpronounceable name, sweaty dance parties, and, well, that’s plenty to be known for, don’t you think?
Why: They stopped by last Summer, but now with their brilliantly-titled Thr!!!er out and an opportunity to play an even smaller – and thus sweatier – room, why wouldn’t they come back?
When: Monday, June 10, 2013
Where: The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto (19+)
Who else: Yeasayer/of Montreal/Caribou/Born Ruffians alumnus Sinkane opens up.
How: Tickets for the show are $16.50 in advance but courtesy of Collective Concerts, I’ve got one pair of passes to give away for the show. To enter, email me at contests AT chromewaves.net with “I want to see !!!” in the subject line and your full name in the body. Contest closes at midnight, June 9.
What else: There’s interviews with the band about the new record at 7Digital, The Guardian, and Showbams.

MP3: !!! – “Hello? Is This Thing On?”
MP3: !!! – “AM/FM”
MP3: !!! – “Jamie, My Intentions Are Bass”
MP3: !!! – “There’s No Fucking Rules, Dude”