Get ready, because North by Northeast (NXNE) is running from Wednesday, June 17 to Sunday, June 21. Toronto has tried its hand at a number of summer festivals, from Rogers Picnic to the Virgin Festival, but nothing has ever quite worked out like North by Northeast (NXNE). The music, the drinking, the energy – not only is it Toronto's best summer music extravaganza, but it's also the most Martiniboys.com friendly. As close to fifty venues open their doors to multifarious musicians, NXNE is not only a chance to check out the best music from Canada and beyond, it's also a chance to indulge (and overindulge) in Toronto's thriving bar scene.

Joining frequent festival favourites like The Drake and The Horseshoe are first timers like The Painted Lady and the mid-renovation Cabin Five (formerly Black Betty). Grabbing a one or five day festival pass allows you to not only jump from concert to concert, but also from bar to bar without paying multiple covers. And many, including Sneaky Dee's and The Velvet Underground have applied for late liquor licenses, and will keep slinging suds until 4 am.

With so many venues booking so many bands, it's impossible to be familiar with every act playing (there are close to 500 after all), so your best bet is to purchase an all-access wristband ($25 for one day, $50 for all five days), keep your eyes and ears peeled for who's collecting the most buzz, and hit as many shows as you can. But if you don't feel like dishing out the dough, there's quite a bit of free content, and surprisingly this year, it's pretty damn good. Considering their reputation for raucous, unpredictable live performances (see: recent arrest in India), it's a bit curious that NXNE would choose Black Lips as their marquee band for Thursday's free public programming at Yonge and Dundas Square, but between them, Burning Brides, and Canada's own Melissa Auf Der Maur, it's one of the best NXNE showcases, free or otherwise. Sunday evening also touts some enlightened programming, with a mainstage chock full of hipster rap from Ninjasonik, The Cool Kids, and the legendary GZA (Wu Tang, represent).

If you do decide to experience it to the full, chances are you'll be a bit overwhelmed. One surefire way to battle anxiety is to forego the wristband route, pick a venue, find a single act you like (or have heard of) and stick it out for the whole night. If you decide to go this route, one of your best bets is the two day (Wednesday and Thursday) Arts & Crafts showcase at The Courthouse. The Toronto Broken Social Scene-operated label will showcase some of their best talent, including Apostle of Hustle, The Happiness Project, Jason Collett, Still Life Still, Zeus, and a "very special guest" (my guess would be Kevin Drew), and since their roster is so full of accolades, you're likely to find something you like.