> CONCERT SAMPLER
Some upcoming concert highlights from Aug. 15 to 21:
Thursday
Tech N9ne. Veteran Kansas City MC paints his face and spits out dark rhymes so fast that at times you barely know what he’s on to — a true indie spirit, he’s never been easy to pigeonhole, but the last two releases, including just-out Something Else, have generated some steam. Add a touring schedule that’s taken him to pretty much everywhere on the planet, and it should make for Techies old and new journeying to this Ford Country redoubt for the first of two nights, with a return date Sunday the 18th at the same time. (Rockpile, doors 8 p.m.) Friday
The Wooden Sky. Gavin Gardiner’s mellow folk-rock crew have a touring history that’s leaned off-the-beatenpath in the past, and they’re at it again. They’ll literally be on the march for this “Travelling Adventure” show, taking their sound and the audience out into the streets and lanes around Ossington and ending at the Great Hall’s BLK BOX Theatre on Queen W. Expect a few wrinkles along the way. It’s a SummerWorks show, produced by award-winning outdoor theatre pro Jennifer Brewin. (Lower Ossington Theatre, doors 7 p.m.) Saturday
Nosaj Thing. The day-long Foundry BBQ is the summertime sequel to last March’s excellent Foundry Series — and it’s notable in particular for the spacey hiphop-rooted instrumentals and accompanying visuals of L.A. electronic musician Jason Chung. He gets the 1 a.m. slot in the main room at 99 Sudbury, followed by Box of Kittens, who also open the day in the other location. With a deep marquee that includes New Yorkers John Roberts and Tim Sweeney, and Toronto trio How Does It Make You Feel. (Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, 2 p.m., and moving over to 99 Sudbury, 10:30 p.m.) Sunday
Beres Hammond. The soulful, smooth baritone that recalls the American R&B stars he grew up listening to may have a rasp now, but Jamaica’s top crooner, with links back to the island’s rocksteady era, remains in the game into his late 50s, with this tour and the January release One Love, One Life the latest evidence. He’s down as headliner along with family fivesome Morgan Heritage for what’s being billed as the inaugural Toronto Reggae Fest, going Saturday and Sunday in the Portlands. (Sound Academy, doors 2 p.m. both days.) Monday
Gogol Bordello. “I’m friends with chaos,” longtime bandleader Eugene Hutz said in a recent interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Fans of the band already know that, and revel in the eight-piece’s shows that are manic mashups of all kinds of global sounds. New album Pura Vida Conspiracy is the calling card here — not that they’d really need one, as the beloved gypsy punks are in for back-to-back nights Monday and Tuesday that sold out ages ago. (Danforth Music Hall, doors 7 p.m.) Tuesday
Adam Ant. You know what you want, you child of MTV. Antmusic. Goody Two Shoes. Stand and Deliver! What the flamboyant Mr. Ant, née Stuart Goddard, actually wants is a waistcoat, a feathered Napoleon hat, and your attention, as his revival continues. With an eye-catching, double-drummers band dubbed the Good, the Mad & the Lovely Posse, and trailing a wide-ranging comeback album Adam Ant is the Blueback Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter — whew — it’s a case of going from one Wild Frontier to another and sounds like a whole lot of fun. (Phoenix, 8 p.m.) Wednesday
Cousins. They’ve been around some, and keep it simple but scuzzy, as in the pounding drums of Leigh Dotey and the distorted guitar of Aaron Mangle, plus a whole lot of wailing. They were scorching when the Sampler caught them at Parts & Labour over the winter, and with other past gigs at many of the city’s finer rock ‘n’ roll clubs (they’ll be back next month, with the Dodos at Lee’s), they know these streets well. With T.O. mirth-poppers Gay and a DJ set from ex-BSS Brendan Canning — but note the happy-hour start time, in a show that’s free and part of a promotional product launch. (Horseshoe, doors 4 p.m.)