inTO: Your Toronto Music Calendar for July

This month’s Toronto Music calendar is jam packed with lots of variety

Catch Ages and Ages at the Drake on July 20th.

Out of nowhere summer came with a vengeance and turned up the heat. We’re doing the same music –wise, as the summer concert series and music festivals are in full swing.

The Vans Warped Tour will be making its annual journey to Toronto Friday July 4^th at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.  The tour includes legendary hardcore outfit TERROR, and melodic pop-punk band CLOSE YOUR EYES; hip hop alternative AIR DUBAI, and a host of other bands. Celebrate Fourth of July with our American neighbours. Get your tickets here.

Not looking for that next alternative band or unsure what EMO music actually is? Then spend the weekend July 4^th through 6^th with a Caribbean flare as BACARDÍ Festival Libre will be transforming Toronto’s Distillery District into the largest licensed outdoor patio in Toronto for a three day festival. The free festival features live music, dancing, local artisans and vendors, sampling and curated menus, celebrating rum cocktail culture. No tickets needed, just come on over. More information can be found here.

Spend your Saturday July 5^th with INK Entertainment and hip-hop group Deltron 3030 at Tattoo Queen West. Deltron 3030 features master lyricist Del The Funky Homosapien, DJ Kid Koala and super-producer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura. Together as Deltron 3030, they created an underground hip hop album loved by fans and critics alike. Now, over a decade later, they released the long-awaited follow-up to their debut, titled Deltron 3030: Event II. It’s an evening of nostalgia and funky beats. Get your tickets here.

Need an excuse to blow off steam on a Wednesday? Join Hundred Waters at Drake Underground on Wednesday July 9th.

Need a midweek excuse to go partying and get your groove on? Join Hundred Waters at Drake Underground on Wednesday July 9^th. They’re in town with a new record The Moon Rang Like a Bell. Deemed for creating intricately experiential music with “intimate” vocals, their shows are always packed and fans always have a great time. Get your tickets here.

Trinidad’s Machel Montano will be at Nathan Phillip’s Square to help get you in a Carnival kind of mood this month.

The countdown to 2015 Pan Am Games is on as Nathan Phillips Square will unveil the countdown clock with free concerts, fireworks and athletes on July 11^th and 12^th. Toronto-based reggae master Dwayne D’Bandit Pitt ramps up the crowd on Friday night along with Burlington’s own Walk Off The Earth, best known for amazing cover arrangements and the 5 peeps 1 guitar version off Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know.” Then join Toronto Raptors star Greivis Vasquez on Saturday for some coaching tips on your three-point shot and later, whine your waist to Trinidadian Soca sensation Machel Montano. No tickets needed, and more information can be found here.

If your Friday night is more in tune with DJ rivalry than Soca, you’re in luck as Red Bull Thre3Style heads back to Toronto with the Canadian East Qualifiers at the Hoxton on July 11^th. The competition format remains the same; a 15-minute original mix, judged on originality, creativity and crowd engagement, will decide it all. The top three DJs from the East and West Final will head to Vancouver for the National Finals in July. Only one DJ will get the coveted chance to represent Canada at this year’s Red Bull Thre3Style World Finals in Baku, Azerbaijan. Canada’s DJ Hedspin won the competition back in 2011 so Canada has a good record to take it again. Get your tickets here.

Friday July 11^th Flow 93.5 presents Atlanta hip-hop recording artist Future at the Sound Academy. The debut studio Pluto helped put the 25 year-old rapper in everyone’s view as all five of its singles charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012. Now hot off the heels of the success of his latest single “Move That Dope” featuring Pharrell Williams, Pusha T and Casino, Future proves he’s here to stay and ready to entertain Toronto crowds. Get your tickets here.

Portland, OR. six-piece Ages and Ages is back in Toronto playing The Drake on July 20^th.With the recent launch of their sophomore record, Divisionary, the band’s fan club has grown to include NPR, who included them in their SXSW

Armin Van Buuren plays VELD music festival at Downsview Park for some Toronto Music

favorite acts roundup. I recently learned an interesting part of lead-singer Tim Perry’s story.  Growing up, he had a speech impairment making it impossible for him to communicate verbally; then as an adult, he ended up writing this album all in his head during a 10-day silent meditation retreat where he was unable to read, write, or speak; a poetic full circle. Get your tickets here.

INK Entertainment will present the third annual VELD Music Festival on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3 at Toronto’s Downsview Park. VELD Music Festival’s long awaited full 2014 line-up has been announced, consisting of over 30 globally- renowned DJs and artists. You can read last year’s post here to get yourself ready for what’s sure to be another fist- pumping good time. Torontonians will continue to be spoiled by great EDM acts as Digital and Veld work to outshine each other. As if having Dash Berlin and Tiesto on the same stage weren’t enough, the headliners for the 2014 Veld Festival include Grammy Award winning DJ Calvin Harris, along with megastar Armin Van Buuren, one third of EDM trifecta Swedish House Mafia, Sebastian Ingrosso and Dutch DJ Martin Garrix, best known for the track “Animals”. Get your tickets here as they always seem to go too fast.

@VIPRene