Results tagged “horseshoetavern”

Though film shoots in our city have really taken off in the last fifteen or twenty years, they did make movies up here before we gained any kind of rep as “Hollywood North.” It’s fun to watch some of them old movies at least partially because they’re better, on average, than a lot of what’s made nowadays. On the other hand, they present more of a challenge for us here at Reel Toronto.

A couple of years and handfuls of shows can do wonders for a band with the potential that the Great Bloomers were oozing when Torontoist first saw them fill a sweaty Drake basement more than a year ago. Today, the Great Bloomers release their full-length debut, Speak of Trouble, on MapleMusic. A continuation of the danceable indie roots-rock from their self-titled 2007 EP, Speak of Trouble demonstrates a marked musical maturation and an embracing of eras past, complete with narrative lyrical recollections of youthful hope and exploits and an already-classic sound reminiscent of warm AM radio textures.

As a film location, Toronto's bread and butter can easily be summed up: generic thrillers and TV movies. Heartwarming tales of the human spirit (like Good Will Hunting), or true-blue blockbusters (like The Incredible Hulk) are merely exceptions that prove the rule.

FILM: Spiritual dreams, full-blown hallucinations, and alpha-wave highs, all without drugs? Sign us up! Award-winning documentary FLicKeR tells the story of Canadian artist and visionary Brion Gysin's dream machine: a bright light placed inside a rotating cylinder that matches with the alpha waves in our brains (the results are pretty incredible). Check out the premier tonight, and please don't try to make your own machine—we don't want you locked up at home staring at a lightbulb shoved into a toilet paper roll. The Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor Street West), 9:15 p.m., $8 for members, $11 for non-members.

WINE: Prepare to enjoy fine wine, food, and persistent denial of the coming world economic collapse and food shortage as the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo opens today. Strap on your BlackBerry, put on your suit, and get drunk the luxurious way—by drinking tiny glasses of expensive wine as you pretend to be interested in a random brochure on stainless steel grape skin processing in Southern France. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building (222 Bremner Boulevard), tonight from 2–10 p.m., Saturday from 12–10 p.m., Sunday from 12–6 p.m., $15.

MUSIC: There comes a time in every band's career when they bid farewell to their fanbase and stop playing shows forever. Tonight, that band is Shitt Hottt, who are having their last hurrah at the Horseshoe Tavern. It's not just a goodbye show—they'll also be releasing their new (and final) EP, The Low Five. There will be a free giveaway of Shitt Hottt collectors items including t-shirts, CDs, and handjobs from band members. Did we mention they're not even the headliners? Yeah, this is actually a show for Mint Records band The Pack A.D., and The Speaking Tongues and The Schomberg Fair will also be playing sets. It's gonna be crazy! Horseshoe Tavern (370 Queen Street West), 9 p.m., $8.

BENEFIT: Best Buddies Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes individual friendships between students and intellectually disabled youth, is having their thirteenth annual gala fundraiser this evening. The gala will be hosted by eTalk Daily's Tanya Kim, and will feature a performance by Chantal Kreviazuk and an appearance by special guest of honour Shirley MacLaine. Muzik (15 Saskatchewan Road), 6:30 p.m., $750.

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute.

It wasn't long ago that Torontoist was rapping about Five Blank Pages' CD release; Last Blush, their first full-length, was just unleashed onto the white-belt world last October, but this weekend marks a significant change in the band's line-up. Since growing from Noyan Hilmi's solo project to a full-fledged band, the group has consisted of Hilmi, sister Chelen Hilmi, and wife Pinar Ozyetis. The band added bassist Rajiv Thavanathan later on, and has been kicking around Southern Ontario's indie scene with their really, really adorable pop music ever since. Saturday, February 2, however, will be Chelen and Rajiv's last show with the band. The two are moving on to focus their energies on other projects, both musical and non-musical, and Five Blank Pages have promised the "most funnest and craziest show we can" to show them off in style.

Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains of 2007––the people, places, and things that we've either fallen head over heels in love with or developed uncontrollable rage towards over the past twelve months. Get your dose, starting Boxing Day and running into the new year, three times a day––sunrise, noon, and sunset.

In celebration of 60 years and counting for the local, legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Joel Plaskett Emergency will be performing six consecutive shows this week beginning Monday, each day playing in chronological order an album in their discography of full-lengths. After seeing its days as a blacksmith shop, a strip club, and of course the host of some of the most legendary first time Toronto performances including Willie Nelson, The Talking Heads, and Neutral Milk Hotel,...

Toronto’s Five Blank Pages have been making delightful, rough-edged indie rock for the last four years, and with the release of Last Blush this Friday, the band enters an exciting new stage in their sonic development. Their first full-length record since morphing from frontman Noyan Hilmi’s solo project noyz in 2003, Last Blush promises to deliver the same fragile-voiced power of their 2004 EP, Spaces to Occupy and Abandon, a well-received slice of Brampton-bred pop that managed to recall Elliott Smith at the same time as the slightly more raucous bands that put their hometown on the musical map. Having made the 905 / 416 leap to Toronto, the band, composed of Hilmi, wife Pinar Ozyetis, sister Chelen Hilmi, and non-relative Rajiv Thavanathan, will be celebrating their new records’ release at that most Torontonian of venues, the Horseshoe Tavern, this Friday, October 19. Featuring openers Tin Bangs, Infighter, and Elephant, this will be awesome, so you should probably go.

There are a few good reasons to check out C’mon’s CD Release Party this Friday, September 21, at the Horseshoe Tavern. The most important, however, is to watch bassist Katie Lynn Campbell do that insane thing where it appears like her body is about to snap in half she’s leaning so effing far back. That is how rock ‘n’ roll C’mon are; severed spines be damned! Among the other reasons to be kickin’ it at Queen and Spadina this Friday are Ian Blurton’s beard, the presence of new solid drummer Dean Dallas Bentley, and the fact that C’mon are one of the loudest bands in this city. Like Hogtown’s own Motörhead, but with less warts and proper microphone technique. Sort of.

Even though Brooklyn has been part of New York since 1898, the calibre of talent that comes out of there these days almost makes it seem like a separate city again (and if it were, it would be the same size as Toronto!). Tonight, Brooklyn-based Project Jenny, Project Jan are performing at our very own Horseshoe Tavern for the Toronto stop of their tour, which has already taken them to Philly, Boston and Montreal. Joining them on the tour are Brighton-based electronica legends Fujiya & Miyagi.

When deciding who to see at this year's Over The Top Festival, we luckily opted to check out Halifax's Rich Aucoin. Between his musical pedigree (he's the brother of the Hylozoist's Paul Aucoin) and the fact that his EP was synched up to How The Grinch Stole Christmas, we knew he would at least be interesting. His set turned out to be far better than just interesting, so it seemed natural to give his Personal Publication EP (Independent) a proper review.

One of the things that makes The National's music so brilliant—and what might make the band's latest album, Boxer, the best release of 2007—is its ambiguity.

Have you always been the type of person to kick ass and take names? Here's your chance to do just that with Toronto's own Pillow Fight League, who are holding open tryouts this weekend.

Swedish garage rock band Mando Diao seem to be quite fond of making up words. First, their band name came to singer Bjorn Dixgard in a dream, then they named their recent release Ode to Ochrasy, which is a made-up term meaning, well, we're not sure exactly, since we've read so many variations on the story. What's not made up, however, is the fact that the band is in town tomorrow night at The Horseshoe, with supporters Pop Levi & The Films. It's true. In fact, courtesy of Against the Grain, we have 2 pairs of tickets just for you. If you want to go, send an email with your full name to carrie@torontoist.com, along with the answer to this skill-testing question: What's better? Swedish meatballs, Ikea or blondes. Entries 4 and 6 win the prize.

There are quite a few bands in town tomorrow evening and we happen to have tickets to two of the shows, courtesy of Against The Grain.

One of the greatest collaborations in Canadian musical history is coming to an end tomorrow night at Massey Hall. The Rheostatics are bidding farewell to bassist Tim Vesely, who is leaving the band to spend more time with his young family and dedicate more energy to his side project, The Violet Archers. The break-up is amicable. Well, as amicable as these things can be. Custody of the Tarleks has yet to be determined.

After personally emailing us to confirm that they won't be detained and given a "special Canadian inspection" at the border, San Francisco's Birdmonster are happy to finally be allowed in our fair land, and will be headlining a show at The Horseshoe this Wednesday, March 28, in support of their latest album No Midnight.

Toronto-based band We're Marching On (or WAMO if you prefer) are back from hiatus as guitar player Tim has returned from China. The band is celebrating by kicking off a short Ontario tour and promoting their EP Argh! Umph! Ahhh! at the Horseshoe tomorrow night.

Torontoist caught-up with Dave Azzolini and Jess Grassia of The Golden Dogs recently. Having finished a radio interview, they were rushing to pick up the rest of the band and proceed to The Docks for 2007 Indie Awards. Torontoist interviewed them in their van as all this happened—because such is Canadian Music Week. (And apparently we enjoy bands and their vans.)

Tonight, the Horseshoe Tavern plays host to the Pitchfork/Secretly Canadian Indie Rock Triple-Header. This is a chance to see three awesome bands you've probably never heard of... but who everyone will be talking about in a few months. If you want to get ahead of the curve, read on.