Results tagged “drakeunderground”

Iceland was made for you and me.

Next Saturday, Toronto Poetry Slam brings you the last slam of the season, with some of the city’s brightest and wordiest battling it out for the last remaining place in the semi finals. Finalists will have a shot at the 2008 Toronto Poetry Slam Team, which competes at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and the US National Poetry Slam (this year to be held in Madison, Wisconsin).

Photo from Plexifilm.

Musicologist is Torontoist's weekly concert listings. Check back in every Monday for more.

Musicologist is Torontoist's weekly concert listings. Check back in every Monday for more.

One of the first things aspiring journalists learn is to keep themselves out of the story, if not completely, then as much as possible. "No one cares about you," is how one editor once put it.

There are as many types of poetry as there are different styles of music. Books of poetry are usually confined to a shelf or two at a local bookstore, but if you want to buy a CD, you visit an entire store dedicated to music. When someone professes to like poetry, the reference is probably to a favourite type of poetry, and not all poetries—just as a jazz afficionado might dislike Country and Western, or a pop music fan might hate Metal.

Every two weeks "What's The Frequency, Campus?" will highlight some of the intriguing shows and special programming happening on Toronto's campus and community radio stations.

The most unusual aspect of Monday night's quiet jam at the Drake Underground was the absence of annoying chatter during three folk-rock solo sets. Everyone knows Toronto keeps it real by keeping still, but normally a quieter show means restless drinkers hoping to catch up with friends while they absently watch a show as if it's background music. Astoundingly, the audience remained almost completely and respectfully silent throughout Baby Eagle, again through Woolly Leaves, and again for Sackville, New Brunswick's Julie Doiron.

It seems pretty appropriate that we just had Groundhog Day, given that we're feeling a little bit like Bill Murray looking at the concert listings this week. Not only is there very little going on, but most of the bands who are playing seem to be here every week (Apostle of Hustle, The Tragically Hip, Hostage Life, Friendly Rich). Thus, we have nothing left to say about them! So if you've already seen these shows, it is advised that you take this time to rest up because the end of February and month of March are going to be insane for loads of high quality live music.

For live music junkies, the week between Christmas and New Year's can offer very little in terms of quality shows. The folks at The Drake Hotel are trying to remedy the situation with their What's In The Box? week of shows. Running from the 26th to the 30th, the Drake Underground and Lounge are featuring the best acts from 2006. Each day is five dollars and features five bands, leading to a nice "5 Bands 5 Days 5 Dollars" slogan.

If you're not completely burnt out from Nuit Blanche, there are plenty of quality shows to check out this week, including Joanna Newsom, Massive Attack, and Myspace darling Lily Allen. Alternatively, you Hip fans can skip out on the live music this week and save up your change for all four (yes, FOUR) of the recently announced shows at the Phoenix a few weeks from now. Can Gord Downie and pals really justify the $60 admission fee these days? Could they ever? On a similar note, Guns N' Roses are coming to the ACC in November -- should they be asking fans to shell out up to $85 to see a bloated Axl Rose trying to slither around the stage, caterwauling 'Sweet Child O' Mine'? Wouldn't that just be painful to watch? Are we asking too many questions? Okay, we'll stop.

Looking to check out some live music this week? Here's your listing of what's happening around the city between August 7-13.

We've all been to record release parties and book launches, but a party to celebrate the latest music video? Local indiepop crooner Gentleman Reg asks, "why not?" by hosting an event this Friday at the Drake Underground.

Torontoist first heard of Toby Young soon after the launch of his debut book How To Lose Friends And Alienate People. Young, a British magazine editor and writer, tries to cross the pond and make it at Graydon Carter's Vanity Fair. The book was a recounting of Young's misadventures in the New York media world and because journalists like nothing more than talking about each other, the book was widely reviewed, inflated Young's reputation (for good and bad). It even got the book made into a play in London's West End and optioned for a film.

When public debates flare up over whether graffiti is art or vandalism, the heat they generate doesn't even come close to that of the fires that rage within the culture itself over whether art on legal walls, painted in a graffiti style is "real" graffiti. The one thing graffiti opponents and practitioners seem to agree on is the defining element of risk and illegality that is central to the art and act we call graf.

this weekend!).

Ok, the headline is a little misleading. Spacing isn't being turned into a blockbuster Hollywood film. We think the magazine would be better suited as a Canadian indie production that becomes a sleeper hit, and wonder who'd play Shawn Micallef and Matt Blackett?. But Torontoist digresses.

, an old-timey-style radio play about fear of old age and death. Also horseracing. Joe Cobden, an award-winning Montreal actor, will be performing the show, which he wrote with a little help from Torontoist's own J.Kelly (who also has some info about the evening, but no explanation why the J is missing from the poster).

fans, will make its Canadian premiere in the Drake Underground tonight at midnight (which is technically tomorrow at 12AM. Technically.). The film shows after a $5 Hewitt concert, so it's unclear as to the admission cost for just the film. Read a few reviews here.

Wait a second...Isn't this a hip music venue that serves that nice fresh fruit salad? Yes to the music venue, and doubly so to the fresh fruit salad. But the Drake's hipster appeal is not the reason that there's a ginormous line every weekend - that's more so because of the luv-hungry 905ers go there to get lucky. Perhaps it's just the dichotomy between the Drake Underground (the aforementioned hip music venue) and the two upper levels, but the West Queen West establishment looks like it's become the new home to the most obvious and abhorrent pick-up moves in the city. ("You may remember me from the airport scene..."). We'd wish you good luck there tonight, but if you can get in, there's really not much luck needed.

will make no mention of the Chretien government, and will most likely lay off Canada altogether. The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen W) houses the film in its basement (pronounced 'the Drake Underground') tonight at 9:30pm, with the doors at 8:00pm. After-party includes the Alchemy Trio (featuring Richard Underhill), Great Bob Scott, Lee Hutchinson, and a "rare" set from DJ Gringo Star (formally known as Sir Spinner Fine Vinyl).

, as The Valentinas invite unnamed members of Controller.Controller for their first show (wow!) and the recently named Michaux Machine also make their debut. Starts at 10pm, and should be gluttonously better than the anaemic Razorlight show. Three bux!