This Week in Music: M.O.P. kick off Canadian tour in Toronto, The Airborne Toxic Event, and Vampire Weekend

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This Week in Music rounds up the latest news, releases and concerts coming to Toronto.

IN THE NEWS

M.O.P. kick off Canadian tour in Toronto

It's almost criminal that Lil' Fame and Billy Danze, known as M.O.P. (Mash Out Posse), haven't received more attention. The duo has been around for 20 years and has maintained a strong underground following, and yet their only true sniff of mainstream success came in 2000 with their single "Ante Up." It's a shame, because M.O.P. is one of the stronger duos in hip-hop. This month, they're embarking on a Canadian tour, and they'll be kicking it off right here in Toronto at the Mod Club. They'll be joined by Bronze Nazareth, 2012 Canadian Beatbox Champion Scott Jackson, and Tragic of Philly Moves.

THIS WEEK'S HOT TICKETS

TUESDAY MAY 14 / THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT / DANFORTH MUSIC HALL / 147 DANFORTH / $34 / ALL AGES

I was convinced that the Airborne Toxic Event were going to be the next big thing when I first heard their self-titled 2008 debut album. The strength of their first single, "Sometime Around Midnight," and the unique sound that the band brought to the table seemed to be a sure thing. And while they haven't exactly reached great heights of fame, they've continued to churn out solid records and have amassed a very loyal following.

TUESDAY MAY 14 / RALEIGH / HORSESHOE TAVERN / 370 QUEEN W / FREE / 19+

Raleigh, a trio out of Calgary, recently came onto my radar, and I'm very quickly falling in love with their sound. While much of their material has a straight-up pop sound, it's also deeply rooted in folk, and their songs run the gamut from simple to complex. Since there's no charge to get into the Horseshoe, you really ought to head down there and have a listen.

THURSDAY MAY 16 / VAMPIRE WEEKEND / SONY CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS / 1 FRONT ST E / $45.23 - $58.48 / ALL AGES

The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts is a bit of an odd venue for a band like Vampire Weekend, but then again, what do I know? The New York quartet's third album, Modern Vampires of the City, is set to be released on Tuesday, and the lead single, "Diane Young," is getting a fair bit of play on Toronto radio right now, so you can probably expect to hear a fair bit of newer material.

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CONCERTS