Between Fucked Up at the No. 1 Legion on April 11 and Cannibal Corpse at MacEwan Hall on April 13, fans of heavy music shouldn’t have a hard time getting their fix this week. If you’re looking for an early start, though, there’s always The Sharp Ends with The Exploding Pigs at The Marquee Room on Thursday, April 9. The Sharp Ends have been mentioned more than a couple of times in this column, and for good reason — their darkly energetic post-punk is one of the best live shows in town. The Exploding Pigs are pretty far from dark, but their dumb-as-shit, fun-as-all-get-out garage rock will have the crowd pogoing in no time flat.

For those who prefer grooving to moshing, there’s always Junior Boys at the Warehouse, also on Thursday. Canada’s sultriest pop duo knows how to make synths drip with sex, so make sure to come prepared. Opener Max Tundra is a little less smooth, but a whole lot more straight-up fun — a mix of pre-programmed beats and live performance that’s beyond eclectic and entirely unpredictable. Chances are Tundra (a.k.a. Ben Jacobs) won’t be stuck in opening slots much longer.

On Saturday, April 11, roots fans have a decision on their hands. Calgary’s own Tim Hus will be at the Ironwood Stage, putting a tear in many a beer and inspiring a few involuntary foot stomps. On the other hand, The Palomino’s got a four-part lineup that’s hard to argue with — there’s local alt-country outfit The Collapse, Vancouver troubadour Joseph Blood, the glorious (and prompt) return of The United Steelworkers of Montreal and the ever-raucous Cowpuncher. If you’ve got even a moderate taste for twang, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Lastly, when former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker gave a lecture on song lyrics at this year’s South by Southwest music festival, the first example he gave of near-perfect songwriting was Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind.” Considering that song is still affecting, even after Stars on 54’s bastardized house version from the late ’90s, Cocker might just be on to something. Find out for yourself when Lightfoot plays the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Monday, April 13.