For those of us who were not lucky enough to get to Austin this year for their annual South X South West Music & Arts Festival, or if you did not want to be stuck in the insufferable Texas heat shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others, Toronto offers a nice alternative for just about a 90 minute drive.  On June 11-17th, North X North East, the week long music, film, and arts festival will hit the streets of Toronto for an 18th year.  The lineup, while maybe not as jammed jacked as it's southwestern counterpart, still offers a formidable and diverse list of acts, which is capped off by a free show by the Flaming Lips on Saturday the 16th at Younge and Dundas Sqaure, right in the heart of the city.  Other notable acts are the rockin The Men, electronic duo Purity Ring, freak funkers Of Montreal, and many more.  For the full lineup, tickets, participating venues, and info on everything that is NXNE, you can visit their website here.  Keep an eye on the blog for further coverage as the festival approaches.