Toronto's music geeks are tuning their must-see lists and preparing for a string of late nights as Canadian Music Week rolls into town, filling downtown venues with five days of concerts, seminars and music-related films.
Now in its 27th year, the event brings together the major players in the country's music industry, supplementing them with acts and speakers from around the world.
KISS frontman and media mogul Gene Simmons will rock the event from the keynote speaker's position, discussing his life in the spotlight and his other business endeavors.
Participants in the four available conference streams will cover the intricacies of digital media, working in radio, how to succeed as an executive and learning the business aspects of being a musician.
For those coming from the spectator side of the musical world, the week's onstage offerings include recognized names such as Bloc Party, Sloan, Serena Ryder, SNFU, A-Trak, Anvil and Naughty by Nature -- as well as more than 500 other local Toronto, Canadian and international artists.
While the music festival officially begins on Wednesday and ends Sunday, the bulk of the shows are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Many eager concert-goers opt for an all-access wristband and hit several venues each evening, making for an even more bustling streetscape than usual on the Toronto's busiest arteries.
Fans looking for some downtime can also take in one of the films offered during the daylong "Music for the Screen Festival" hosted by the National Film Board on Saturday.
Finally, no major meet-up would be complete without the requisite string of awards shows.
CMW boasts four of its own: the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards; the Crystal Awards, which recognize those in the world of radio; the Canadian Radio Music Awards; and the Indies.
