There's some interesting stuff going on this week, including some that I imagine will be hard and heart-wrenching, but worth it.

As always, if there is not a description with the show, it has been described in a previous entry.

Love at the End of the World, Sam Roberts Band's highly-anticipated third album debuts in-stores and online today. Recorded in their hometown Montreal, the album takes you on a socio-political road trip "from the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro" ("Love at the End of the World"), through the stripmalls of North America ("Stripmall Religion") and its final destination "Detroit '67". Love also contains the catchy lead single "Them Kids".

The photograph above was taken during the taping for their MTV Live show airing on Saturday, where the band previewed most of their new tracks to the media and contest winners. Unfortunately majority of the crowd were teenage fans of Panic at the Disco, who were slated to play after. Nonetheless the Canucks held their own and may have taught Panic a thing or two. If you're more a Sam fan and want to be one the first to own the new album plus a gorgeous signed limited edition Chemical City lithograph poster, continue reading for contest details.

Spring Cleaning season is in full swing, and now that Victoria Day has come and gone, we're ramping up for summer and all you've got is your busted and broke-looking bling to show off. Enter The Franken-Jewellery Swap. If you have a taste for DIY, this is going to be right up your alley.

Everyone brings their old jewellery, and the idea is to break 'em down, and mash 'em up - creating new jewellery from the raw materials. For a mere $5, all the necessary tools are provided, as are refreshments, music, and surely a bevy of interesting people with fun stories behind their treasures. It's like going to get parts for your car from the junkyard, except decidedly more social and creative.

Get ready for a showdown this Thursday as the Power Ball and D-List Ball square off in a head to head battle for the hearts and wallets of the local arts community.

The Power Ball, now in its tenth iteration has long been heralded as one of the must attend art-parties of the year. But for some, the party is seen as pretentious and with a $160 price tag to attend all but inaccessible to most Toronto artists.

The Toronto area is one of the best places to be in North America for getting OTA (over the air) TV signals. You just have to know how to harness these signals, and over 18 high definition channels can be yours free.

Of course, nothing is ever completely free as you do have some prerequisites. What you need is a newer HDTV that has a built-in ATSC tuner, or you can invest in getting a separate receiver unit. If the built-in receiver is not getting you enough of a signal there are a few inexpensive options available. A small indoor UHF antenna should dramatically increase signal strength. These are not so easy to find these days, but a few calls to a good television retailer should get you one.

A big plus for receiving these signals in the GTA is having a south-facing window or deck. Most Canadian signals are broadcast from the CN tower, so line of sight will help a lot. Additionally, almost all of the available US signals are coming from the Buffalo area, so point your antenna there.

About two weeks ago, Chuck Swirsky, the voice of the Toronto Raptors, decided to leave Toronto after ten years and return to his former home in Chicago. The split between Swirsky and our beloved basketball team was amicable, with Swirsky claiming family reasons and personal commitments for his departure.

It's no question that Swirsky will be missed. Whether you liked his style or not, he was definitely one of the most colorful commentators in the NBA, and has earned several accolades for his excitable play-by-play. The video below demonstrates some of his play-calling skills: