Pitchfork

Here comes the latest annual North by Northeast, Toronto's answer to that one thing with the similar name. This year's NXNE goes down June 12-15 at a plethora of Toronto locales, and much like its southerly counterpart, bands, filmmakers, journalists, industry types, and fans will pour into the Big Smoke to rub elbows and pump fists in equal measure.

So who's making the trek to Toronto this year? Well, far more names than a reasonably-sized paragraph can contain, so here are the highlights: My Morning Jacket, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, the Besnard Lakes, Evan Dando, Peanut Butter Wolf, Sloan, These New Puritans, Julie Doiron, Swervedriver, Redd Kross, Sheek Louch, the High Dials, French Kicks, Black Diamond Bay (featuring the Dears' Patrick Krief), the Diableros, Uncut, Young and Sexy, and Carina Round. On the not-strictly-musical tip, one could also stop into an interview with musician and sound tech pioneer Thomas Dolby.

And, just like SXSW, there's a film festival component to North by Northeast. Of particular note is the debut of the premiere episode of "The Side Street Project", which finds Holy Fuck, Buck 65, and Emm Gryner jamming on Springsteen's "State Trooper", Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", and Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me". NXNE is also hosting the first public screening of The Last Pogo, which captures a chaotic Toronto punk show from 1978 and all the ensuing madness. And filmmaker Bruce McDonald will apparently be filming his sequel to 1996's Hard Core Logo at and around the fest, as well as screening his documentary on Toronto rockers Die Mannequin. A full lineup for all entertainment is available through the NXNE website.