As the subject for a serious music book, Céline Dion––amazing or not––seems like an odd choice. In the latest book in the 33⅓ series, however––a series which typically looks at albums like the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds or Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures or the Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St.––Carl Wilson, probably Toronto's pre-eminent music critic, takes it upon himself to "[strive] to understand Céline's global popularity," in the process "fac[ing] the question of what......

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. Toronto is a city full of great venues and great people helping to put on great shows. Sure, we're......

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but sometimes remaking other people's songs brings a whole new level of originality. New performers are well-advised to have a signature cover tune to help attract fans familiar with the original, and artists like Tori Amos and Barenaked Ladies have made cover songs a staple of their shows. The Beatles, Dylan and The Rolling Stones are among the most-covered artists, and there are more than 3,000......

Since 2004, signs have hung on the southeast corner of Maple Leaf Gardens promising an historic Loblaws Real Canadian Superstore. "Soon you'll discover a store filled with fresh flavours, shops and services," the billboards cheerily stated, but the Gardens at Church and Carlton has loomed a decrepit shell since it went dark in 2001, despite some minor action hosting the filming of Cinderella Man. The last Leafs game was on February 13, 1999, where......

Only fifty years left for sea fish. Unless, of course, we do something wacky and start serious conservation efforts immediately. For those interested in eating ecologically responsible seafood, here is help. Former Pizza Pizza head arrested for income tax evasion. He apparently "forgot" to pay over $650,000 in income taxes. A federal report says the Toronto Port Authority is just fine and recommends expansion of the island airport. In case you missed it: Toronto......

Toronto may be the business capital of Canada, but it's often an old dog with few new tricks. We also uncomfortably proclaim ourselves the cultural capital, not because Southern Ontario has much of its own, but because we import the most from elsewhere. Yet, something is drawing our local musicians westward. The "Big Four" record companies and most independent labels are based in our city, but Terry McBride of Nettwerk Management is turning the entire......

There's a whole wide world out there, and here's the proof: DCist revels in The University of Maryland's basketball triumphs, marvels at Metro's security strategy, and applauds DC local Katie Couric's new gig. Phillyist is all about the Philadelphia Film Festival. OK, not all about -- they still have time for loitering, underage sex, and random wacky news. LAist would have to send a camera around the world to get shots as bizarre as Katie's......

Places you might find Emily Haines and her trademark short-skirt: - Opening for the Rolling Stones. - Listening to Sonic Youth. - Eating Gnocchi at Terroni. - Singing with Broken Social Scene in January. (Though when playing with BSS, it's tight jeans as opposed to the mini-skirt.) - On Torontoist's contest page. To win a copy of her band's latest album, Live It Out, and a Metric tee-shirt, please send an email over here including......

Bob Geldof, the Nobel Prize winning, hunger hating, debt relieving, musician and activist, officially announced Toronto as the Canadian location for Live 8. With less than a month to go before the July 2nd concert and Canada Day events taking place all over the city the on the 1st, planning Live 8 is going to involve a lot of tough decision making. Where is it going to be? Who’s going to play? Torontoist comes through......

The Beatles 1964 album Beatles For Sale is no longer simply an album but a way of life. On Dec. 15, rare and not-so-rare Beatles memorabilia goes on the auction block in Toronto. Canadian auction house Empire Auctions will offer a 45 of the single "Love Me Do" with the red-and-silver Parlophone label, Yellow Submarine artwork from animation artist Ron Campbell, and nine other early Beatles singles. Among the other items up for grabs, there's......