It's a funny ol' place, this Ithaca. One minute you're desperately trying to unstick your frozen tongue from the flagpole following a somewhat foolhardy stab at self-amusement; the next every single cool Canadian band in history is playing in town.

Tonight rock music's answer to chamomile tea, Cowboy Junkies, will be ensconced at the State Theater. Since they brought the glories of church acoustics to the most committed atheist, you can probably count on a mighty fine performance (though don't be surprised if they've kicked it up a notch or two from the old days -- Michael Timmins apparently believes age and feedback should advance in step).

Friday your very own IC Bureau of Concerts has helped to bring Montreal's Stars to the State, and this reporter is kinda thrilled. For the uninitiated, Stars are another of those semi-orchestral pop treats that have become the specialty of Canadian indie gods Arts&Crafts (Broken Social Scene, Feist, Constantines, Dears). They sing real purty-like, and their newer stuff just sounds BIG (though I remain a devotee of earlier tracks like "Elevator Love Letter"). With students from "that other school" also getting a deal on tickets, they may be going fast. Best get on it lest the cool kids think you...um...less cool.

And just in case your thirst for Canadiana remains unslaked, head (New) Pornographer A.C. Newman will be here March 10 to prove once and for all that red hair and power pop are not mutually exclusive. Dude's got more hooks than a one-handed pirates convention.

No matter where you end up this weekend (well, okay, I probably shouldn't leave that quite so open-ended), we want to hear about it, see pics, et cetera. Use that comments thingie, people.

And if you get backstage with Amy Millan from Stars, let her know I think she could kick Feist's ass any day of the week.