Where to start? There’s just so much good stuff going on in July that it’s hard to wrap my head around it all. Of course, thanks to the efforts of Jen—the ever-diligent concert-goer who seems to be everywhere at once—I don’t need to worry about compiling listings, as she’s done all the work for me. Check out her blog or Myspace page for more details and while you’re at it, why not sign up for her Google group and keep in the loop with more events in the world of local indie music than I can even fathom?

So, while Jen’s got us covered for the smaller scale local stuff, a quick look at the listings at Rotate This and Soundscapes reveal even more goodies. A few non-Canadian shows that strike me right off the bat are TV On the Radio at The Phoenix on July 2 (a bit too pricey for me, but I saw them years back at the Horseshoe and they were pretty damn awesome) and Bon Iver at Lee’s Palace on July 22 (much more reasonable and someone whom I highly recommend after having seen him at Soundscapes a few months back).

Those of you looking for something a little more raucous would be wise to check out King Khan and the Shrines during their two-night stint at The Horseshoe on July 23 & 24—Speaking of which, the recently released quasi-best-of collection, The Supreme Genius of King Khan and the Shrines, is definitely worth a listen if you like scrappy and cocksure rock ‘n’ roll.

Of course, for my money it’s all about July 19, as not only is Andre Ethier at The Horseshoe, but The Tranzac is playing host to a mouth-watering lineup for it’s open house—check this out: Fembots, Castlemusic, The Burning Hell, Jenny Omnichord, Great Aunt Ida and Tusks among many others! Hot damn you better believe I’ll be there with video/photo gear in tow.

Round that all out with the supreme triptych of Miracle Fortress, Ruby Coast and Think About Life at Sneaky Dee’s on July 26 and you really can’t go wrong this month.

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King Khan and the Shrines - Torture

Finally, while it’s a bit early, there’s one more thing I’d like to mention, as it’s for a good cause: Aug. 1 at The Opera House you can catch The Coldplayers (a Coldplay tribute-band) in support of Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Canada. Check out ticket info here and help raise some money for charity!