This Saturday, a swarm of music lovers–from the most indie-devoted hipster types to the middle-aged mom types (”That Brandon Flowers is just sooooo cuuuuute”)–will descend up the Toronto Islands for two days of dirtying up the pristine beauty of the park, pissing off slow-going island residents and enjoying some of the biggest and best acts from Canada and abroad.

While the troubled Amy Winehouse will be the most notable absence (though she was well enough to appear earlier this week at the Mercury Awards in London), there’s plenty of other talent to keep non-film festival-goers occupied.

Canadian bands are featured prominently on both days, with Stars, Metric and Tokyo Police Club (all three playing on Sunday) likely drawing the biggest crowds. Not to be missed is the recent addition of The Constantines (also on Sunday), though the amazing energy of their club shows may be lost on a huge, midday stage.

Some lesser-known acts–Toronto bands DD/MM/YYYY, The Most Serene Republic and Noah’s Arkweld–will definitely satisfy those looking for hometown flavour. Brooding types will be checking out New York’s Interpol on Saturday and England’s nearly identical (but worthy in their own right) Editors on Sunday.

The highlight of the festival, however, will be a headlining performance by Bjork on Saturday night. The last time the eccentric Icelander played Toronto, she filled the island all on her own, and her return visit is not to be missed. One hopes, however, that festival organizers will have ironed out the kinks that limited the Flaming Lips’ much-anticipated headlining set to only 20 minutes last year.

Smashing Pumpkins will headline on Sunday in their first Ontario appearance since Summersault 2000 in Barrie. But with a mediocre new album and only half of the band’s original line-up, the performance will likely be little more than an aging Billy Corgan attempting to reprise ’90s rock glories.

There’s also still one act yet to be revealed–a TBA Saturday slot on the main Virgin Mobile stage–which could mean a hot, last-minute addition. With the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in town Friday night for a Vice magazine-sponsored club show, and Winehouse rumoured to be making her way across the pond for the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday, there are definite possibilities of a great surprise. Or maybe Richard Branson can get into an extended water-fight with the audience. It gets mighty hot against the front railing.

Check back this weekend for full festival coverage from andPOP.






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