Canada has been responsible for some terrific talent throughout the years and has some great music festivals to boot, yet it’s Toronto’s long running North by Northeast that dazzles like a musical borealis.  It’s hard to believe the festival is in its 17^th year, but its easy to see the appeal. NXNE is driven by a core of loyal volunteers who make this thing run rather smoothly and they’re dedicated in mixing a handful of breakout indies with a slew of under-the-radar acts. This year’s festival included strong sets from Stars, Twin Shadow, Wild Nothing, Cults and DD/MM/YYYY as well as up-and-comers Guards and Dirty Beaches. Hive braved the great white north this past weekend for some choice action shots — check out the full gallery below.