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Urban Planner: May 27, 2010
Urban Planner is Torontoist’s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].
Zeus plays the Mod Club tonight. Photo by Kieran Roy, courtesy of Canvas Media.
EXHIBIT: Refugee camps provide asylum for hundreds of thousands of refugees across the world near war-torn regions like Darfur and Liberia, and starting today and running until May 30, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) will recreate the conditions of a refugee camp in Christie Pits Park. The exhibit, which was first launched in France in 1995, will feature MSF nurses, doctors, and logisticians providing visitors with interactive tours that introduce them to the challenges faced by the world’s 42 million refugees and displaced persons. The camp will include a shelter, food distribution area, water supply, cholera treatment centre, nutrition treatment centre, and vaccination tent. Christie Pits Park (Bloor Street West and Christie Street), 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m., FREE.
WORDS: Eighteen years ago, poet Jay MillAr began publishing chapbooks, an endeavour that, in 2003, he transformed into BookThug, a publishing house devoted to experimental literature in both chapbook and trade form. BookThug embraces poetry, prose, and criticism, but also places special emphasis on visual and conceptual literature. Tonight, it will launch its spring catalogue, featuring readings by Cara Benson, Mark Laliberte, Andrew Hughes, Mark Goldstein, and Jason Dickson. All titles will be available for purchase at the event, which will also feature live music. Supermarket (268 Augusta Avenue), 6 p.m., FREE.
FILM: In late 2007, Vancouver-based filmmaker Sean MacPherson shot a feature-length movie for a paltry $1,500 within the confines of his cramped 400 square foot apartment. The result was Happy To Be Here, a comedy examining a troubled relationship between a father and son and featuring a soundtrack co-written by Bend Sinister‘s Dan Moxon. Although the film was embraced by the European scene (like Cannes’ 2009 Marché du Film), it was largely ignored by Canadian festivals, inspiring MacPherson to self-screen the film across the country, including a showing tonight in Toronto. The Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Avenue); 7 p.m.; $7/members, $13/regular, $6/kids and seniors.
MUSIC: Zeus, who have been performing for years with Jason Collett, have been called The Band to Collett’s Bob Dylan. But like Levon and co., Zeus is no ordinary back-up act. The Toronto-based quartet are known for their ’70s–influenced melodies and sunny power-pop harmonies, and released their debut, Say Us (a punny riff on the pronunciation of “Zeus”), earlier this year. Tonight, they headline their biggest Toronto show yet, joined by Matt Murphy and Danielle Duval. Mod Club Theatre (722 College Street), doors 8 p.m., $12.