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Summer Festivals in Toronto

contact June 14th, 2008

While we’re on the subject of summer festivals in Toronto, here are some more coming up:

OLYMPIC ISLAND 2008
Date & details: Olympic Island. $49.50 at Rotate This, Soundscapes, Horseshoe, Ticketmaster. June 7.
Who’s playing: Your favourite sensitive nü-romantic types: Toronto/Montreal Arts & Crafts indie darlings Stars and mopey Yank college rock idols Death Cab For Cutie. The latter are from Seattle, so odds are they write songs in the rain, which explains a lot.
What to bring: A Slip ’n’ Slide, to turn your tears into joy.
What not to bring: A bag to take home cellphone company brochures —?this year’s Olympic Island fest is sponsored by “you: the local music fan.”

HARBOURFRONT CENTRE
Date & details: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. All summer long. See www.harbourfrontcentre.com for complete details.
Who’s playing: Only top talent from every culture in the world. Everyone from dub originator Lee “Scratch” Perry (June 30) to Afrobeat scion Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 (July 2) to electro-indie veterans Ladytron (July 4) and loads of world music artists whose fame in their own countries guarantees that some portion of the city will throng to the stage.
What to bring: An open mind; in some cases, a translator.
What not to bring: In a staggering number of instances, money — many of these top-drawer concerts are partly paid for by your tax dollars, a fact that can do double-duty as a heckle.

NORTH BY NORTHEAST
Date & details: June 12-15. Check www.nxne.com for info.
Who’s playing: Whoever they can rope into playing in a sweltering club even when it’s already hot outside. Which means upstart post-punkers These New Puritans, D-Block rapper Sheek Louch, southern rockers My Morning Jacket and plenty of bands you’ve never heard of, spread across 50 venues.
What to bring: A backup plan in case your show of choice fills up quick with greasy industry types.
What not to bring: A leather jacket, unless you plan on drowning in your own sweat.

TD CANADA TRUST TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL
Date & details: June 20-29. See www.torontojazz.com for complete schedule.
Who’s playing: Some new faces (indie-hip-hopsters The National Parcs and Grand Analog), some old faces (Al Green, Dr. John), and some very old faces (Dave Brubeck, who at 88 can still handle “Take Five” with its odd 5/4 time better than you, young whippersnapper).
What to bring: Carefully sculpted facial hair; your concentrating-on-jazz face.
What not to bring: Jazz hands; a microwave oven — ack, my pacemaker!

EDGEFEST 2008
Date & details: July 12. Downsview Park, 75 Carl Hall. $80.50 at Ticketmaster.
Who’s playing: The titans of alt.rock radio (Linkin Park, Stone Temple Pilots, Sam Roberts Band, The Bravery) will try to fill a space so big you could park the Titanic in it and still have room for Scott Weiland’s ego. Almost.
What to bring: Piercings, testosterone, angst.
What not to bring: Black leather shorts. Ouch.

VANS WARPED TOUR
Date & details: July 19. Downsview Park, 75 Carl Hall. $43.25 at Rotate This, Sonic Temple, Ticketmaster.
Who’s playing: Who cares, it’s the best mall-punk show of the year and we finally don’t have to go Barrie to see it. But for reference, Angels And Airwaves, Relient K, The Academy Is…, and more are on the bill.
What to bring: Wallet chain; hair gel; skateboard for getting from one side of the venue to the other.
What not to bring: Your carefully prepared rant about which bands have sold out since last year’s Warped, and/or since 1977.

THE ROGERS PICNIC
Date & details: July 20. 1pm. Historic Fort York, 100 Garrison. $49.50 at Rotate This, Soundscapes, Play De Record, Ticketbreak, Ticketmaster.
Who’s playing: A very trendy bunch — Vampire Weekend, City and Colour, Cat Power, Animal Collective, Dizzee Rascal, Born Ruffians and more. It’s basically an indie fan’s wet dream, if indie fans had wet dreams and weren’t totally asexual and didn’t have genitals made of Nerf.
What to bring: Oh my god, you’re wearing that?
What not to bring: Oh my god, you’re wearing that?

ROCK THE BELLS 2008
Date & details: July 20. Noon. Arrow Hall, 6900 Airport. $75-$175 at Rotate This, Ticketmaster.
Who’s playing: A hip-hop dream team — A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, The Pharcyde and more. Did I say hip-hop? By that I mean, Hip-Hop-Before-Soulja-Boy. You knew that. Nah’mean?
What to bring: A backpack; Haterade to pour on anyone who admits any fondness whatsoever for Akon.
What not to bring: A checklist of acts to see, since based on the last RTB, you shouldn’t count on the entire lineup making it over the border.

V FEST
Date & details: Sep 6-7. Toronto Island. $87; $159 for both days at Ticketmaster, Future Shop.
Who’s playing: All aboard the time machine, we’re going back to 1996! Foo Fighters, Oasis, Paul Weller, Spiritualized… admittedly, a lot of people slept through the NickelCreed era, so pretending it never happened is probably a sound business strategy. For the modern-minded, Wintersleep, Constantines, Robyn and way more round out the otherwise-excellent two-day lineup.
What to bring: 10-year-old copies of the NME to get yourself in the zone.
What not to bring: One of those internets I keep hearing about. I asked Noel Gallagher and he said he’s not sure, but he thinks he already has one.

[source]

Toronto Jazz Festival Starts June 20

contact June 12th, 2008

toronto jazz festival
This festival is not to be missed if you’re anywhere in the vicinity of Toronto. Or not. Some highlights feature Al Green, so you must see the Rev (June 19) if you’re tired of being alone, because if anything, he’s still in love with you. Ahmad Jamal will be there (June 23) too! And - A surprising guest, a very old timer in jazz, Dave Brubeck (yeah, he’s still alive!) will be kickin it with y’all (July 2) and taking at least 5 minutes to play his signature tune. If you have no idea who he is, you will surely recognize his tunes, and at 88 years old, he will amaze you.

There will be lots of music and lots of artists and venues so the best thing to do is download a schedule and go from there. Get tickets online at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 416-870-8000.

For more information: toronto jazz

I Am Elvis

contact April 30th, 2008

elvis
No, I’m not really the King, but you’ll find a bunch of Elvis impersonators May 1 at the Gladstone Hotel’s Melody Bar. Don’t miss tomorrow’s fun event; there will be 5 Elvis Tribute Artists performing live, the youngest of them is only 12 years old!

I Am Elvis
Gladstone Hotel, Toronto
Thursday, May 1, 2008
7-9:30pm
Melody Bar
Free

Warm and Fuzzy Stories: Toronto Butcher Wins $14M Lotto

contact April 4th, 2008

From the star:

“Every time he bought a 6/49 lottery ticket, Jose Lima prayed he’d win the big prize and promised God to share his boa sorte, good fortune.

He’s doing just that.

Canada’s newest millionaire – the 52-year-old father of two who won $14.5 million in the 6/49 draw – is giving each of his 50 employees at O Nosso Talho butcher shop $5,000.

On April 3, the fifth anniversary of his father Joao’s death, his generosity will spread even further when he gives away 22,680 kilograms of chicken legs to thank his customers and help Toronto’s needy.

Gilberto Andre, a 10-year veteran behind the meat counter, was with Lima, who manages the busy shop, when he checked his numbers.

“When I told him he’d won, he hugged me,” said Andre who described Lima as a very caring, kind man.

“For me, he’s a great person who never says no. We’re all very happy for him. And it’s such a good thing that he’s doing, sharing his good luck with us. I don’t know if anyone else would do that.”

Lima admitted he’s still in a state of shock and it’s too early to decide what to do with the money.

“The first thing I will do is to keep my promise to my employees and the people. I’ll decide what to do with the rest of the money later.”

Also at the top of his list is his…”

Read the article

Canadian Baseball Team’s Going to the Olympics

contact March 15th, 2008

From the star:

“They gleefully sang O Canada on the bus back to the hotel and again on the street after they arrived at the Howard Prince in Taichung, Taiwan.

Against the odds, the national baseball team qualified for the Beijing Olympics on Thursday and the jubilant players celebrated in the same way they did when a berth for the 2004 Athens Games was secured – by singing the anthem over and over.

“We’ve sung O Canada at least four times already,” said veteran infielder Stubby Clapp of Windsor, Ont. “Here we go again Canada, come on with me!”

The emotional display of national pride came after a 4-3 win over South Korea ran Canada’s record to 5-1 at the final Olympic qualifier, and guaranteed it a finish in the top three. South Korea and Taiwan, both 5-1 too, claimed the other two berths up for grabs at the tournament.

Washington Nationals prospect Matt Rogelstad of New Westminster, B.C., hit a three-run homer in the first while Cleveland Indians youngster Nick Weglarz of Stevensville, Ont., added a solo shot in the fourth to lead the way.

Cincinnati Reds product James Avery of Moose Jaw, Sask., held South Korea to a run on four hits in four innings and after Mike Kusiewicz of Ottawa recorded the final out, the Canadians partied into the wee hours on the eighth floor of their hotel, as players hooted, hollered and contemplated their achievement.

“To hear the national anthem sang on the bus so many times, we stopped at the hotel and we got off and before the players would go in the hotel they were singing outside and all the people were looking at us,” said manager Terry Puhl. “It really was quite a scene.

“It’s been a great night and a great tournament.”

Canada’s performance in Taiwan has been especially impressive since…”

Read full article

Rest in peace: Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey

contact March 4th, 2008

From ctv.ca:

“Legendary blues and jazz guitarist Jeff Healey has died, his publicist said Sunday. The Canadian musician had battled cancer his entire life.

“It was something he fought with considerable bravery,” his publicist, Richard Flohil, told Newsnet late Sunday.

Healey, 41, had lost his eyesight to a rare form of the disease, retinoblastoma, at the age of one.

The musician had performed with such acclaimed guitar players as B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and George Harrison.

His full name was Norman Jeffrey Healey and he passed away Sunday in the city of his birth, Toronto, at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Healey first began playing guitar at the age of three and formed his first band while still a teenager, according to his website. He played with a very distinctive style, laying his guitar on his lap….

Article

Scenes of Toronto in Movies

contact February 13th, 2008

Milla Jovovich climbing down the wall of City Hall, helicopters and approaching zombies, and Toronto being nuked in Resident Evil - Apocalypse.

Brinks truck blowing up in Nathan Phillips Square in The Kidnapping of the President.

Train crashing through a wall of Union Station in Silver Streak.

Santa Claus with a gun pushing his way down an escalator in the Eaton Centre in Silent Partner.

Danny DeVito climbing over cars in traffic jam in Other People’s Money.

Claude Van Damme’s chase through the Zanzibar strip club and down Yonge Street in Maximum Risk.

Crowds rushing out of the University cinema in Strange Brew.

Racing car chase along University Avenue and Molson Indy in Driven.

Exploding bomb at Woodbine race track in Bait.

Geena Davis standing across from Honest Ed’s sign in The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Rock band Lighthouse playing at U of T in Frankenstein on Campus. Other bands that have had acting rolls include Rough Trade, Bare Naked Ladies, and The Tragically Hip.

Man alone in the world in the future shot at the new Science Centre, Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future.

Crowd outside of the CN tower in the climax of Canadian Bacon.

A TD bank tower containing a drug bank in Half Baked.

Casa Loma as the school for training the X-Men.

U of T in so many films like The Skulls, Superstar, Good Will Hunting, PCU and horror ones.

[Source: FIT]

Toronto Teen Wins $1.4 Million

contact February 6th, 2008

WATERLOO, Ontario, Feb. 4 (UPI) — An 18-year-old Canadian man with just six months background playing poker has earned $1.4 million in a German tournament.

Mike McDonald of Waterloo, Ontario, northwest of Toronto, is too young to legally play in most Canadian provinces and the United States, but since turning 18 in September, has racked up some impressive wins in London, Prague, Macau and Aruba, his mother told the Waterloo Record.

Saturday night was the biggest win for McDonald, who saw through repeated bluffs by German poker veteran Andreas Gulunay in Dortmund, the report said.

Speaking to the newspaper by telephone, the teenager said he’ll continue playing until he’s had enough.

“I see these guys who are playing 60 hours a week when they’re old, and none of them seem very happy,” McDonald said. “I don’t want to make this my long-term career … I might like to go back to school and get a real job.”

He said he’d also like to buy a used car, although he hasn’t got his drivers license yet, the report said.

Quotes About Torontonians

contact January 10th, 2008

rihanna
“I like Toronto; the people are really chill.” ~ Rihanna

The Gift of Glenn Gould

contact December 20th, 2007

glenn gould complete collection

For the longest time, I couldn’t listen to The Goldberg Variations without thinking about Hannibal (The Cannibal) Lechter from Silence of the Lambs - let alone eat fava beans.

It made me sad because I love this recording by Glenn Gould. Luckily, I did overcome it and disassociated the two. Finally. Yay.

My baggage aside, one of the best things you can do for your life, is to stop everything and JUST listen to beautiful music for a while. You don’t have to spend the entire day doing this; just spend some allotted time to step away from the chaos of life, and just…chill. And chilling with music rules. Some of you are so used to multi-tasking and always doing a million things at the same time. You know I’m talking about you. Your days are filled with a continuous string of tasks back to back to back sans cesse, if you know what I mean. Calm, serenity, quiet, peaceful - well, these words do not exist in your life’s vocabulary.

Cut it out!

Do yourself a favor and find great music, like Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection

So…..WHY am I writing about Glenn Gould on this Toronto blog? I thought you’d never ask. Glenn Gould was born in Toronto on September 25, 1932. Thought you’d like that bit of trivia.

About Glenn Gould: The Complete Original Jacket Collection
Each of the 60 single and 9 double CDs consists of the exact recordings as first issued on vinyl and looks like a miniaturised form of the original disc: the CDs are in cardboard slipcases in the original design, and the CD itself is designed to look like a LP.

Supplemented by two bonus CDs, the limited “Glenn Gould Complete Jacket Collection” comprises 80 CDs mounted in a high-quality display case with a booklet of more than 240 pages. This booklet contains a new, detailed essay by the German Gould specialist Michael Stegemann on Glenn Gould and the LP recording era along with texts and repertoire details to all recordings in the edition, plus a listing and depiction of the records with reissue dates for repertoire that has appeared before.

The bonus CDs include the last great interview that Glenn Gould gave the American journalist Tim Page in 1981 and an essay on Johann Sebastian Bach and the fugue that Gould recorded in 1972 for a bonus LP. They also feature a number of late recordings that never appeared on vinyl: fragments of the “Italian Album” and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll in its orchestral version — Gould’s recording debut as conductor and his last recording of all, made on 8 September 1982 with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Another rarity is Gould’s own film music to George Roy Hill’s Slaughterhouse Five from 1972.

National Film Board, Toronto Mediatheque

contact December 18th, 2007

This gem is THE place to watch the best in Canadian animated, documentary, short and feature films in the state-of-the-art personal viewing stations. There are always new titles added monthly to a growing database of 1500+ films.

mediateque torontoFree admission.

Weekend animation workshops for kids ages 3-13; $5 per child with guardian. Mon.-Tue. 1-7p.m.; Wed. 10a.m.-7p.m.; Thu.-Sat. 10a.m.-10p.m.; Sun. 12-5p.m.

Mediateque
150 John St (at Richmond St W)
Toronto (Osgoode subway station)
M5V 3C3 Canada
416.973.3012

Hours of Operation
Monday & Tuesday, 1 – 7 pm
Wednesday, 10 am – 7 pm
Thursday - Saturday, 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday, Noon – 5 pm

Fees for Digital Viewing Stations
Unlimited Day Pass - $2
Annual Unlimited Pass - $12
Annual Unlimited Family Pass - $15
Red Carpet Pass - $50

Celebs Born in Toronto

contact December 4th, 2007

mike meyers austin powersLots of celebrities were born in Canada, and in particular, in our great city of Toronto. I thought you’d like to see which celebs are from Toronto, so the next time you see them in-person (yeah, like when?) you can say, “Hey you Canuck!” They’d appreciate that, eh? Ok. Maybe not. Here they are, anyway, fyi:
Dave Foley (1963) - Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 1/4/1963
Mike Myers (1963) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 5/25/1963
Jim Carrey (1962) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 1/17/1962
Rick Moranis (1954) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 4/18/1954
John Candy (b. 1950 - d. 1994) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 10/31/1950
Lorne Michaels (1946) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 11/17/1946
Neil Young (1945) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 11/12/1945
Robbie Robertson (1944) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 7/5/1944
David Cronenberg (1943) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 3/15/1943
Christopher Plummer (1927) Born: Toronto, Ontario, Canada on 12/13/1927

Second City Toronto

contact November 14th, 2007

second city toronto nightlife
Comedians Dan Akroyd, Gilda Radner, Mike Meyers, John Candy, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short - all started their careers at the fabulous comedy club, Second City. It’s where all of the up and coming funny guys and girls hang out. Get your dose of hardy har hars while you’re staying in this great Canadian city.

There’s a dinner theater and it features revues, comedy sketches and late-night improv sets. Dinner and show packages are available, and Leoni’s Italian Kitchen serves up heaping portions of southern Italian fare, from pastas to fish, steaks and pizzas.

Second City
51 Mercer Street
Toronto, ON M5V 9G9
Canada
Telephone: 416-343-0011
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 8pm - Friday and Saturday 8pm, 10:30pm

Music This Week in Toronto

contact November 5th, 2007

Monday, November 5
The Waterboys @ Music Hall Theatre, $40–45
Koop and Mocean Worker @ Mod Club, $24.50
Megan Hamilton, Jon McKiel and The Eatons @ the Horseshoe, free

Tuesday, November 6
Ani DiFranco @ Music Hall Theatre, $47.50
Athlete @ Lee’s Palace, $17.50
Swayzak @ Mod Club, $12
Jenny Owen Youngs @ Varsity Theatre, free

Wednesday, November 7

Marc Cohn w/ Amy Correia @ Mod Club, $35
Ani DiFranco @ Music Hall Theatre, $47.50
Mobius Band w/ Tigercity @ the Horseshoe, $11.50
The Weatherthans @ the Phoenix, $25

Thursday, November 8

The Weatherthans @ the Phoenix, $25
The Police @ Air Canada Centre, $59.50–225
Two Hours Traffic @ the Horseshoe, $8
Say Hi, The Velvet Teen and The A-Sides @ Sneaky Dee’s, $10

Friday, November 9
The Academy Is… @ Guvernment, $21.50
My Brightest Diamond @ the Drake Underground, $13.50
Band of Horses @ the Phoenix, $16.50
Jully Black @ Mod Club, $15
Sea Wolf @ El Mocambo, $10
Ohbijou, Basia Bulat, Bruce Peninsula and Bocce @ Lee’s Palace, $10
Melissa Laveaux @ Hart House Arbor Room, free
Grainne Ryan, Jonathan Seet and more @ the Rivoli, $6

Saturday, November 10
Battles and White Williams @ Lee’s Palace, $15
Paul Brandt w/ Shane Yellowbird @ Music Hall Theatre, $39.50
Caribou @ Opera House, $15
Rock Plaza Central @ Music Gallery, $10
XYZ Affair, Hexes and Ohs and The Craft Economy @ the Drake Underground, $5

Sunday, November 11
Razorlight @ the Phoenix, $16.50
Juliette & The Licks @ Mod Club, $17.50
The Bicycles, The Blankket and more @ Sneaky Dee’s, PWYC

Recently Announced

November 20 - And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ Lee’s Palace, $20
December 13 - Apostle of Hustle @ Lee’s Palace, $15

[via The Torontoist]

A Focus On The Environment - Dr. David Suzuki

contact October 27th, 2007

david suzukiThis doesn’t have anything to do with hotels or restaurants or places to see or dance or drink but it DOES have something to do with you and the world - plus it’s taking place in Toronto, so I thought I should post about it. My absolute hero of the world, David Suzuki (he rules so much!) is giving a talk this Monday, October 29 at 7pm. Be there or be a jackass. Oops, excuse my rudeness.

David T. Suzuki PhD, Co-Founder of the David Suzuki Foundation, is an award-winning scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster. Since 1990, the David Suzuki Foundation has worked to find ways for society to live in balance with the natural world that sustains us. Focusing on four program areas – oceans and sustainable fishing, climate change and clean energy, sustainability, and the Nature Challenge - the Foundation uses science and education to promote solutions that conserve nature and help achieve sustainability within a generation.

Click here to purchase tickets online

For more information contact:

Emma Roche
416-533-9481
eroche@rsgc.on.ca

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