Events: August 2009 Archives

MUSIC: Elvis Monday is a long-standing staple of the Toronto indie music scene at twenty-five years, featuring performances by Cowboy Junkies, Blind Melon, and Peaches. Current darlings Whale Tooth play tonight. Mad Highway, Frank Nevada, and People of Canada round out the lineup for this always worth-a-look showcase. The Drake Hotel Underground (1150 Queen Street West), 9 p.m., FREE.

MUSIC: The squeaky wheels of Toronto get the grease this weekend. Poor ticket sales and feedback were enough to prompt Virgin Festival organizers to bail on Burl's Creek and settle on the Molson Amphitheatre as the festival's new venue. That means there won't be any tents or toasted marshmallows, but your concert ticket will garner you free same-day admission to Ontario Place and the CNE. V-Fest is boasting a line-up of more than thirty bands, with Ben Harper and Relentless7, Pixies, and Franz Ferdinand taking the stage on Saturday. Sunday's notables include Nine Inch Nails, Pet Shop Boys, and Our Lady Peace. There will also be plenty of Can-con this weekend with Sloan, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Thunderheist, Plants and Animals, and The D'Urbervilles. Molson Amphitheatre (909 Lakeshore Boulevard West), Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m., $39.50 and up.

ART: At tonight's opening of their latest spook show, "A Recession of Mortality," Syphilitic Mermaids Magazine brings you the ghost-themed work of contributors SBK (previously known as Sketchbookkid and also known as 'Lil) and Triumphene. Best known for her abstract graffiti ghosts and as illustrator of Tiny Tommy Comics, travelling artist and photographer SBK will be showcasing five mural-sized renditions of her ghostly line drawings, as well as some of her photos. Montreal-based illustrator and artist Triumphene (a.k.a. Eli W. Rockmell) will contribute her own cartoon murals—rumoured to include a depiction of the ghost of your first pet. The show also celebrates Canadian DIY, with a selection of chapbooks and other handcrafted releases, as well as live music by VIVIV, Kram Ran, MANT, and DJ Lord Lankan. Fountain253 Gallery (1267 Bloor Street West), 7 p.m., FREE/PWYC.

PERFORMANCE: At today’s launch of the Scotiabank BuskerFest, Australia’s Alakazam will attempt to jump through a really, really small hoop (a tennis racket, de-strung we assume) faster than anyone has before. Meanwhile, Mayor David Miller returns to celebratory cake-cutting duties following his recent mayoral hoop-jumping. More than a hundred street performers, corner clowns, musicians, and contortionists will be vying for our attention over the next four days. All proceeds from the festival's entry fees go toward Epilepsy Toronto, with performers earning what money they can by passing the traditional hat. St. Lawrence Market area (50 Front Street East), 12–10 p.m., FREE (with donation).

       

Torontoist stopped by the Gladstone Hotel last Tuesday for the launch party of two exciting new documentaries airing on the CBC starting this Thursday night. This Beat Goes On and Rise Up chronicle Canadian music's growth in the '70s and '80s, respectively. The films were made by the two key players responsible for 2006's Shakin' All Over, which dealt with the '60s: director Gary McGroarty and writer/researcher Nicholas Jennings. Jian Ghomeshi narrates. Viewers are treated to an impressive collection of clips: concert footage, television appearances, and music videos, as well as interviews with classic and contemporary Canadian pop stars (think rock royalty like Burton Cummings sandwiched between Hot Hot Heat and k-os).

ART: In celebration of Amnesty International's sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a mural is being unveiled as part of "Project: Urban Canvas." The project came together under the leadership of the Art in Action team, along with consulting services donated by Mural Routes. The goal of the mural series—created by community members and artists armed with colourful palettes, not to mention heaps of creativity and enthusiasm—is to raise awareness about human rights violations that are occurring worldwide. The artwork at Midland Park is one of thirty murals across the city—some completed, others still in progress—representing the Articles in the UDHR. Midland Park (Ellesmere Road and Midland Avenue), 6 p.m., FREE.

FILM: Waterlife is an award-winning documentary that follows the troubled waters of the Great Lakes from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean through various perspectives—those of humans, wildlife, and even water molecules. The film, a stirring call to arms that explores issues surrounding the Great Lakes and our environment, health, leisure, politics, and commerce, features earnest narration by the Tragically Hip's Gord Downie and an emotive soundtrack by the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Rós, Sam Roberts, Robbie Robertson, and Brian Eno. The film, which was the Canadian Feature winner at this year's Hot Docs Festival, is being screened tonight and the following two evenings, with Director Kevin McMahon in attendance for a Q&A session on Thursday night. NFB Mediatheque (150 John Street), 7 p.m., $6 ($4 for students, seniors, and NFB members).

FILM: From the director of Scared Sacred comes Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action, a film about spiritual activism and the people who practise it. The documentary showed at both Hot Docs and the Vancouver International Film Festival, and in celebration of the DVD's release this week there will be a screening at the Royal Theatre, followed by a Q&A with director Velcrow Ripper. The Royal Theatre (608 College Street), 7–10 p.m., $25 (price includes a copy of the DVD).

Sometimes you just gotta sit down over burgers and fries with people who don't seem to even really get how talented they are. We did this recently with Katie Crown, Sara Hennessy, Nick Flanagan, and Chris Locke at the Rivoli, home of the weekly comedy series Laugh Sabbath, in which the four are regulars; we were also joined by Laugh Sabbath's producer and publicist, Leslie Aimée Gottlieb. The series celebrates its three-year anniversary this Sunday night with a special show hosted by The Flirts and featuring musical performances by Greg Alsop and Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club.

SPORTS: Toronto is still under the sway of football club fever following Real Madrid’s recent clouting of our Toronto FC. On Saturday, soccer lovers and music fans will mix together at Athletes for Africa's 5v5 Charity Soccer Tournament. Teams of five players each have raised nearly twenty thousand dollars in advance of Saturday’s Cherry Beach games, the proceeds from which will go to a new youth centre in northern Uganda. The most successful fundraising team gets to play against the recently revealed “mystery” celebrity team consisting of Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, Ted Leo (of Pharmacists fame), two members of Great Big Sea, soccer whiz Steve Elias, and Athletes for Africa founder Adrian Bradbury. Other well-known players headlining their own teams are Broken Social Scene’s Brendan Canning and Eon Sinclair of Bedouin Soundclash. There are prizes for all attendees (players and fans), including possible invites to see Modest Mouse play the private after-party at the Sound Academy. Cherry Beach Fields (275 Unwin Avenue), Saturday 2–8 p.m., FREE to watch.

              

The Ex opens today, and as noted in Urban Planner and Newsstand, admission is cheap! These images were taken a couple of nights ago on the midway as the last preparations were being made for the opening.

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

It was ninety years ago today that east-enders were first able to enjoy fine entertainment at the theatre that underwent numerous name changes between its opening as Allen’s Danforth and its current incarnation as the Music Hall. Growth in what was considered suburbia in 1919, along with the ease of reaching Danforth Avenue via the recently opened Prince Edward Viaduct, persuaded the Allen’s cinema chain to build a high-quality theatre in the neighbourhood.

FILM: Film Fort practises an interesting (read: awesome) method of screening films: they set up a giant canopy of bed sheets and project the films under them. Not only is watching movies under a big fort cool, the films they choose to screen are also pretty rad, and tonight's lineup is one of this outsider-film-loving group's best. Curated by Naomi Hocura, Seconds Under The Sun will feature several short Japanese animations, some of which have never been shown in North America. Check out their website for interviews with some of the featured artists, then check out the show where there will be beer, Japanese snacks, a raffle, and "Japanese psych grooves." Function13 (156 Augusta Avenue), 8:30 p.m., pay-what-you-can.

DANCE: Thrill The World has been something of a worldwide social phenomenon for three years now, and this year's event, scheduled for October 24, holds a special significance after Michael Jackson's passing. This is why Thrill the World Toronto is readying the troops with a "Thriller" practice session every Monday night in August at the University of Toronto's Wycliffe College. This year, they're officially registered with Thrill The World, and, like every year, they're trying for the world record—why not help them get there in the year that will most likely be the biggest yet for synchronized zombie dancing? University of Toronto, Wycliffe College (5 Hoskin Avenue), 7:15–8 p.m., FREE.

Torontonians seeking fresh seasonal fruit in the city tend to head to neighbourhood farmers markets or pray that their local grocery store has something other than produce shipped in from faraway locales. But lurking within parks and residential neighbourhood is a wide variety of edible treats growing wild or being nurtured by community activists and green thumbs. For the second year, urban forest advocates LEAF organized an edible tree tour on Saturday to show off the city’s harvest.

Walking into Actionable, one of the first things you’ll notice is the Warner Brothers logo projected onto a screen…only the letters are reversed, spelling out the initials of performer Bob Wiseman. The backward order also represents the backward, frustrating ways of the music industry that Wiseman has experienced over the course of his career. Over the course of the stories and songs that make up Actionable, you’ll learn that lawyers from the major labels aren’t amused when you jokingly decide to pick up a name that a star is not using at the moment, claim relation to an industry executive, and drop the name of a major soft drink manufacturer when singing about 1970s Chilean politics. No wonder a former Rolling Stones manager once called the business “the industry of human happiness.” While often amusing, a melancholy tone underlies much of the material, especially during one song about personal identity.

FESTIVAL: Streets are for People celebrate the fifth PS Kensington—Blackout Anniversary Edition, making it six years since a giant power failure inspired huge community success. Needless to say, the schedule is full of all-acoustic music sets and attempts to re-create those off-the-cuff neighbourhood barbecues. Note that this also marks the midpoint for this year’s Pedestrian Sunday season—enjoy it while you still can. Kensington Market, 1–7 p.m., FREE.

Montparnasse is the name of an area of Paris (Left Bank, 14th arrondissement, named after Mount Parnassus) and also the name of a certain bit of Parisian mythology (early 20th-century epicentre of artistic productivity and site of correspondingly legendary bacchanalia). Montparnasse is the play at SummerWorks that explores these intersecting worlds, examining what it might take to make your way through them in both the practical and mythological senses. Co-authored and co-performed by SummerWorks veterans Maev Beaty and Erin Shields, Montparnasse tells the story of two American ex-pats, one diving headlong into the revelry and one pursuing the loftiest of artistic aspirations, both working as nude models to make ends meet all the while.

FESTIVAL: As part of the Dundas West BIA's Samba On Dundas street festival, today's "Duwest Neighbourhood Day" is a celebration of the mosaic of merchants along the street. There will be face painting at Sun Milk, a free Cuban percussion workshop at Lula Lounge, free all-natural popsicles for the kids at Multiple Organics, art exhibits, sales, and tons more. For entertainment, Samba Elegua and dancers from Samba Brasil Entertainment will perform on various street corners throughout the festival. Dundas West between Lansdowne and Rusholme, 2–5 p.m., FREE.

On the night of the Great Lightning Storm of '09, we were tucked away in the sweltering Theatre Centre on Queen West, watching Toronto Noir and wondering if the thunder was coming from inside or out. The dramatic weather paired perfectly with these moody tales of love, jealousy, and murder that were adapted from a collection of short fiction published last year under the same name.

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

In Daniel Barrow’s Every Time I See Your Picture Cry, the overhead projector is liberated from its usual role in tossing static images onto a surface. A kaleidoscopic parade of illustrations flow across the screen, as revolving overlays keep limbs and other objects in constant motion.

Everyone has a story for that night when the lights went out.

d'bi.young's new one-woman show benu is one of the strongest pieces we've seen at this year's SummerWorks. Although this production, directed by Natasha Mytnowych, is technically a workshop presentation, and young does perform the show script-in-hand, her thrilling performance style makes her play seem more put together than a lot of non-works-in-progress.

ART: Coinciding with International Youth Day, the Art Gallery of Ontario is celebrating ten years of youth programming with the launch of two special exhibitions. "InTENse: Ten years of Teens Behind the Scenes at the AGO" is a retrospective exhibition featuring projects—from zines and graffiti murals to fashion design and multimedia projects—created by members of the AGO Youth Council over the past decade. "InTENSION: a video residency reflecting on ten years of youth programming" features the work of former program participants who have returned to create new projects, sharing memories and reflecting on works from the AGO's permanent collection. Tonight's launch party will feature tours provided by past and present members of the Youth Council, dance artists, a DJ battle, and remarks from AGO Director and CEO Matthew Teitelbaum. Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas Street West), 6–8:30 p.m., FREE.

The Israeli-Palestinian peace process, so we are often told, is full of missed opportunities. So too, unfortunately, is QuipTake's production of Apricots, which takes that process and the conflict that underlies it as its subject. There is no shortage of material to work with, and the play opens quite promisingly with duelling speeches by the leaders of Israel and Palestine, punctuated with interjections by a bombastic and self-congratulatory American president. The premise of that scene—in which the politicians say what is really on their minds, what we all know is really on their minds, but what protocol will forever prevent them from saying out loud—is precisely what a play on this particular topic calls for: using the truth as a tool to skewer the pretensions and prejudices of everybody involved.

Torontoist, like nearly every other web publication staffed by the appropriately web-savvy, boasts its fair share of geeks. And when we say geeks, we mean geeks—the kind whose browsers dedicate at least one tab to Memory Alpha, while jumping between MSN conversations debating the Wilsonian overtones of James T. Kirk's less-than-subtle foreign galactic policy.

FILM: Already a favourite of Torontoist, Nollywood Babylon is kicking off a three-night stint tonight at the NFB Mediatheque. This NFB-produced documentary explores one of the largest film industries in the world, based in one of the poorest nations in the world: Nigeria. The B-movie aesthetics and the clash of "traditional mysticism and modern culture" makes for a fascinating look at this largely unexplored area of Nigerian life. NFB Mediatheque (150 John Street), 7 p.m., $6 ($4 for students, seniors, NFB and DOC members).

TEDxTO, the independently organized TED conference focussed on "What's Next," which we previewed in July, has spent the better part of today periodically announcing their thirteen speakers and those speakers' topics for their September 10 event via—like you couldn't guess—Twitter. And while it's far too early and the topics far too broad to make anything better than make an educated guess as to how good it'll be, it's, well, looking rather good.

Late last week, Torontoist had the chance to attend an exclusive tasting of the much sought-after, but until now relatively difficult to obtain, miracle fruit—the famous berry that, once ingested, makes sour and bitter foods taste sweet. The berry's properties have been known to Western scientists since as early as the eighteenth century, but it has nevertheless kept a fairly low profile until the past few years when "flavour-tripping parties," like the one we attended, started cropping up everywhere. In late 2008, the berries even made a cameo in an episode of CSI: NY where a flavour-tripper died after unknowingly drinking poison (this is TV; they actually aren't that potent). Curious Toronto gastronauts will be happy to know they don't need to wait any longer to get their fix.

This sentence is leading off this review. This sentence is intended to mimic the speech pattern that dominates the first segment, and recurs at transitional points among the other pieces, of Red Machine: Part Two. This sentence is telling you that this production is the middle portion of a trilogy that began at this year’s Fringe. This sentence hopes not to alarm as much as the sentence in the program where one of the two directors hopes that the audience will “let yourself be as curious and confused as we are” about this work in progress. This sentence won’t deny that we experienced curiosity and confusion while watching the three short pieces taken from the point of view of different pieces of a writer’s brain. This sentence is proof of how the language games of the first piece etch themselves in the brain, though it may be up to you whether this is appealing or, as repeated at the end of the production, if “this is a sentence” of the legal kind.

MUSIC: The Friendly Fires—a U.K.-based punk-funk band—have arrived in Toronto fresh off their stint at Lollapalooza and are ready to rock Lee's Palace. Unfortunately, if you don't already have tickets, the show is sold out. But you're in luck! Brought to you by the punk-cool local jewellery designers at Speech, the band will be DJing at The Social once their 10 p.m. set at Lee's is finished, jumping on the decks and drinking to their own success. Promised fun includes two-dollar drinks (from 10–11:30 p.m.) and Speech jewellery give-aways. The Social (1100 Queen Street West), 10 p.m.–2 a.m., FREE.

"Today, we're going to go from Manila, Philippines to Toronto, Canada," began Byron Abalos as he stood before a rapt group of about twenty SummerWorks tourists, ready to embark on the inaugural run of the Lola Lita SummerWalk ("Lola" means grandmother in Tagalog). "It’s going to be a very personal tour, looking at Queen West through the eyes of my Lola Lita."

MUSIC: Bruce Peninsula’s Matt Cully created Poor Pilgrim a few years ago as a weekly independent music series. The former showcase has since evolved into an annual Summer Solstice day trek following site-specific music events scattered around the Toronto Island. The strike waylaid those plans a bit this year, but better late than never. Cully advises bringing your own flashlights, food, and drinks, and getting to the Ferry Dock early to allow for the weekend crowds. Toronto Island Ferry Dock, Hanlan’s Point Ferry (9 Queens Quay West), 3:45 p.m., FREE (plus $6.50 for the ferry).

What happens during the night shift? That's the simple question which provokes Suburban Beast's new docudrama show The Art of Catching Wild Pigeons by Torchlight. An off-site performance at Rolly's Garage on Ossington (note: a real garage, not the name of a hipster bar), Wild Pigeons invites you into a sleepover blanket fort—complete with flashlights—to listen to a group of actors in plaid shirts sing Neil Young songs and tell "ghost stories." The stories in the script, created by Jordan Tannahill, are all taken from real interviews the actors conducted with various night owls: a prostitute, an insomniac, night-shifters at Tim Horton's and Wal-Mart, a Nunavut prison guard, and many others. Each story is accompanied by a slide show, and occasionally a shadow play with the aid of blankets and flashlights (note to Suburban Beast: the shadow stuff worked really well, but there wasn't enough of it; more shadow puppets, please).

ART: London, Ont.–based artists James Kirkpatrick—also known as graffiti artist and rapper Thesis Sahib—and Jamie Q are launching their self-published, silk-screened zine and companion assemble-it-yourself paper sculpture kit, A Journey Through Time & Shapes. Working under the name Dusty Peas, the duo put together this package during a residency at the Roberts Street Social Centre in Halifax. Their style involves using images that are built up through colourful paintings and collage techniques. The zine features sixteen pages of whimsical art that "combines absurdity and abstraction through intuitive freestyle processes." With some scissors and a bit of glue, you'll be able to build your own spacecraft model with the accompanying paper sculpture kit. Both are available in a limited edition of a hundred copies, so be sure to snap one up this afternoon or place your order online. Art Metropole (788 King Street West), 1–3 p.m., FREE.

How lucky are we that the "artistic funhouse" (a.k.a. the SummerWorks Performance Gallery) is on for seven more nights (August 7–9, 13–16)? Yesterday, we took in the debut soirée at the atmospheric Gladstone Hotel, not knowing what to expect, and left agape at the stunning performances that are practically being given away for free (PWYC). On any given evening, as many as seven different five- to eight-minute shows are available for patrons to peruse at their leisure, taking place in the rooms (including the restroom) and hallways on the second floor. The doors to the balcony facing Queen Street are thrown open to the summer evening, letting the sounds of the city meld with the eclectic mix of performances that make up the Gallery. Below are some we particularly enjoyed.

Urban Planner is Torontoist's daily guide to what's on in Toronto, published every morning. If you have an event you'd like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you've got any—to events@torontoist.com.

Hello, Toronto! Drama Club has been taking it easy ever since a certain mid-July theatre festival, but we're back in action to give you the scoop on SummerWorks, August's indie answer to the Fringe. Some of you may remember how the festival got revamped and re-branded last year thanks to then-new Artistic Producer Michael Rubenfeld, who added such elements as a Music Series and a "Performance Gallery" at the Gladstone Hotel to the theatre festival, and also limited it to the Queen West strip. All this and more continues at the fest this year, and while we're not entirely sure about this year's roadkill visual motif (or the now annual tradition of sexist and kind of indulgent promotional videos), it's exciting to see the festival grow and develop.

DRINK: Toronto’s Festival of Beer (on until August 9, but Saturday is SOLD OUT) has moved to Bandshell Park this year to more easily accommodate the expected thirty thousand beer-swilling participants. This year, 250 brands of beer will be represented at the festival, accompanied by sizzling barbeque from Napoleon Gourmet Grills and great music from headliners 54–40 (Thursday), Arrested Development (Friday), and Elliott Brood (Sunday). Women considering heading down to the festival tonight might want to consider buying a ticket for the Girl’s Guided Beer Tour—a women-only tour with plenty of extra perks for the same price as regular admission. Exhibition Place, Bandshell Park (210 Princes' Boulevard), 4–10 p.m., $50.

Once upon a time, the computer world was viewed in only 256 colours. It was an era when consumers were wowed by aliased text and speckly, dithered sunsets. JPEG was an unknown acronym, and GIF was king. And before video, there was the animated GIF.

FILM: On the heels of a well-attended Ottawa screening, filmmaker Greg John is bringing his first independent documentary to town for two evenings. Operation Imani: Ideas for Sustainable African Development follows John onsite in northern Tanzania as he works with the Imani Vocational Training Centre in an effort to establish complete sustainability and self-reliance. Throughout the fifty-five minute film, John explores creative solutions to poverty in Africa with an emphasis on simple but innovative technologies. Proceeds from tonight's screening at the Royal (as well as tomorrow evening's screening at Revue Cinema) will be donated to the school and community that John has worked so closely with since 2005. He'll be in attendance for the screenings, so stick around for a post-film discussion and Q&A session. Royal Theatre (608 College Street), 7:15 p.m., $10 (tickets available at the door or online).

DANCE: Dusk Dances are well into their fifteenth season, bringing contemporary and traditional dance to scattered parks across the GTA. This year, Dusk Dances are performing in three different locations—the first being Earlscourt Park last month. Starting tonight they will have their second run at Withrow Park, presenting five eclectic dance pieces inspired by the park itself. Once dusk descends, music from Samba Squad will start the show. Audience members will be led to each dance piece, set up in different areas of the park and lasting ten minutes each. Withrow Park (725 Logan Avenue), 7 p.m., pay-what-you-can.

WALKING TOUR: Looking for a new spin on the merits of Yonge Street's "gaudy" appeal? Perhaps a reasoned argument detailing the connections between the work of Toronto-born architect Frank Gehry and singer/pop-phenom Christina Aguilera? Then "Chicken Fat Perambulation #2" might be your type of historical walking tour. Hosted by Adam Sobolak (author of Pioneers Of Modern Design: From Britney Spears to Christina Aguilera and executive member of the Toronto Architectural Conservancy), this walkabout is billed as "metatouristic linear street theatre" and will be more of an "'arts performance' in the guise of a guided walk." The walk will start at the northwest corner of Yonge and Front streets and proceed north every two hours until they hit Steeles Avenue (definitely not for the couch-potato set). Northwest corner of Yonge and Front streets, 4–6 p.m., pay-what-you-can ($5 or $10 suggested).

ART: The Toronto Public Space Committee’s brilliant Art Attack! spends the day at the beach. The organization hosts a sandcastle-building day, open to anyone who shows up with a shovel and some imagination. Actually, the shovel is optional. They did send a long list of other suggested items, but it included “cute dogs,” “palm trees,” and “your engineering friend with extensive structural knowledge,” so we'll leave it to you to use your best judgement. Ashbridges Bay Beach, south of Greenwood bathing station, 4 p.m., FREE. (rain day scheduled for August 9).

The fourth edition of Torontoist's patio series—where staff and readers and commenters gather under the late-afternoon sun on the city's finest patios to mingle—heads east to the Globe Bistro (124 Danforth Avenue, right by Broadview Station). Join us this Wednesday, August 5, starting at 5:30 p.m. We'll see you then!