The Spinto Band @ Mercury Lounge 6/9

Bred in Deleware, The Spinto Band offers a familiar yet refreshing sound. How is this possible? Listen to their new hit, "Mandy" and you'll say to yourself, 'I swear I've heard this before!' I'm not talking about a Vanilla Ice/Bowie and Queen type situation. This is no rip off. This 6-piece band just makes you feel comfortable. Catchy like the Magnetic Fields and earnest like Sondre-Leche, you'll want to check out this band if you haven't already. Do it sooner than later this Saturday @ 11:30 or at

http://www.myspace.com/thespintoband or http://www.spintoband.com/.

ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI @ Fillmore NY (Irving Plaza) – 6/8

With a band and stageshow as large as their name, Architecture in Helsinki delivers an exciting night out for everyone and will be playing at the newly renamed Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza. The Melbourne, Australia octet blends horns and synths and other various instruments to embellish what is, at its core, an indie pop sound. Their last two releases have been critically acclaimed and their fanbase has grown to include the likes of David Byrne and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. You’ve got a chance to check them out tomorrow. Now what is it about the architecture in Helsinki anyways?

RIYL: Broken Social Scene, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Enon, Oppenheimer

The Clientele @ Bowery Ballroom, Fri 6/8

Usually I adhere pretty closely to the old piece of wisdom that says: if you’re in a band, and you sound at all like the Monkees, it’s probably about time to hang up the old tambourine.

Enter The Clientele. These cheery British balladeers, who may evoke a little Davy Jones from time to time, do it only in the most tasteful and unapologetic of ways. Blending pure pop with more than a touch of the psychedelic, The Clientele are a blast from the past and a breath of fresh air all at once. There’s no pretension here, and the lack of angst is as refreshing as you'd think it would be.

Wistful, sincere, and definitely cheesy- The Clientele do it all, and while they may not become your favorite band of the year (although they just might), these indie vets have a style not often heard these days, and are definitely a great act to catch live. Tickets are only $15, so start your weekend off with a little British invasion and you’ll be feeling groovy before you can say bloody fantastic. Myspace | Website

The Stills w/ vhs or beta - Wednesday 6/6 @ Don Hills - $15

These Canadian rockers have been ripping the New York Scene pretty consistently for the past four years. They've been around the world and back on major national and international tours...I say this only to highlight the rarity of seeing a band this established, playing such an intimate venue as Don Hills. Add to it that buzz band VHS or Beta will be spinning DJ sets - this is one show you won't want to miss. Don't thank me now - buy me a drink at the concert.

Method Man and the Gza @ Webster Hall - Tuesday 6/5 - $15

I remember when I was a kid, kicking it in the courtyard of middle school during recess...all the boys in the crew gathered around jostling to be, for that day, their favorite member of the Wu Tang Clan. I always tried to be Method Man but somehow always ended up settling for the legendary ODB. The Wu Tang Clan was very instrumental in taking the torch from the forefathers of Hip-Hop and running it in to it's dominance over Pop Culture for the next decade plus. I've never had the pleasure of seeing the Wu-Tang Clan, rolling out Deep with the Clan’s 10 plus members, or any of their numerous offshoot solo projects. Not going to miss the opportunity to check out two of these living legends, Mr. Meth and the Genius, live in concert this coming Tuesday at Webster Hall.