By Joshua Errett

Calling Beat, Breaks and Culture the Toronto Electronic Music Festival is a bit of a pickle. Supposing the ‘electronic’ refers to the “computer generated visual performance, film and video” and “live Canadian and international electronic artists,” there’s still a real gap between the ‘electronic artist’ tag and the highlights Platinum Pied Pipers. Featuring Detroit’s finest rapper/producer Jay Dee, the PPPipers, along with Jean Grae, graffiti art and the film Freestyle, represent the festival’s strong hip-hop flavour – making the ‘electronic’ aspect an aftertaste. Not to say Denise Benson or Out Hud are an aftertaste, but more so that this is an odd collection of artists to file in one cabinet. But then again, if the worst part of a festival is the name, you have yourself a worthwhile event.
Highlights include:
Friday
Platinum Pied Pipers, 9:30-11:00pm CIBC Stage
Jean Grae, Pueblo Unido, and Musiklee Inzane, 11:00pm Brigantine Room
Saturday
The Quantic Soul Orchestra, 9:30-11:00pm CIBC Stage
Out Hud, 8:00pm CIBC Stage
Holy Fuck, We Are Wolves, Andrew Allsgood, 11:00pm Brigantine Room
Jake Fairley and Adam Marshall, 11:00pm Lakeside Terrace
POP, LOCK AND LOAD II (breakdancing), 3:00pm Brigantine Room
FREESTYLE: The Art of Rhyme plays Saturday at 6:30pm and Sunday at 1:30pm in The Studio Theatre.
For more info, here‘s the place to be. And by the way, it’s FREE.