October 6th-8th Drawing Lines: Figure Studies of Toronto City Council @ Toronto Free Gallery, 1277 Bloor St. W. An exercise in civic engagement! Exhibition runs Thursday and Friday from noon to 5 pm and Saturday with a reception from noon to 6 pm.

WEDNESDAY

7 pm “After All” Opening Reception @ Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd. Curated by Clare Samuel and Agi Gutkowska, “After All is a colloquium of micro-disasters and subtle apocalypses, little mistakes and lonely wanderers, absences and distortions, created by eight young visual artists. Both melancholy and acerbic, the works speak to the aftermath of arbitrary and fictitious disasters. Darkness has already descended, and the sensation is one of being unsettled for good, and yet, escape routes and alarm-bells appear to be built-in to each misfortune.” With DJ sets by LazerFace and Nuphonique, hors d’oeuvres and Steam Whistle beer on sale. Until 11 pm. Exhibition runs until October 27th.

7 pm The Free Project @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. An event to raise money, awareness and support for SKETCH, a charitable organization that offers free arts programming, facilities, mentorship and more for homeless and at-risk youth in the city. With live music and spoken word performances, raffle prizes, art/CDs/books/buttons for sale and a huge art piece to be created by those attendance! Entrance is free with the donation of a pre-loved book or CD, otherwise PWYC.

THURSDAY

7 pm Cuff The Duke In-Store Performance @ Soundscapes, 572 College St. To celebrate the release of their new record Morning Comes, Cuff The Duke we will be performing for free!

7 pm 16th Annual SpeakEasy Illustration Show @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. The collective imaginations of 22 of Toronot’s best illustrators whose work features original styles, techniques and media. PWYC ($4 suggested donation).

7 pm “Bad Dreams” Opening Reception @ gallerywest, 1332 Queen St. W. Toronto-based artist Brette Gabel explores the context of nightmares through intricate quilts and visual mementos. “Brette draws inspiration from a collection of classic horror films such as, The Shining, Psycho, The Exorcist, The Omen and The Nightmare On Elm Street franchise. By confronting feelings of shock and sensual comfort each quilt becomes relevant to the story and to its owner. This public observation allows viewers an opportunity to connect fears of isolation with lurking questions commonly experienced in our minds.” Until 10 pm. Exhibition runs until October 28th.

7:30 pm “Cairo 20×20” Opening Reception @ The Mascot, 1267 Queen St. W. “Cairo 20×20 is a unique look into the capital city of Egypt as portrayed by 20 Egyptian artists and designers. Each person was given a 20×20 cm canvas and asked to portray what their city meant to them, using any medium.” Until 11 pm.

10 pm No Rule @ Blondie’s, 1378 Queen St. W. Garage rock, psychedelia, punk, no wave, metal, grunge and stoner rock + $3.50 tall boys.

FRIDAY 

7 pm Ohbijou In-Store Performance @ Soundscapes, 572 College St. Ohbijou performs! For free! 

7 pm “The World Turned Upside Down” Opening Reception @ Narwhal Art Projects, 680 Queen St. W. Lauchie Reid’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. “In this new body of oil paintings, Reid continues his role as a documentarian, exploring the role of traditional portraiture as a relevant and timeless method of celebrating human achievement while rejecting the notion of reserving these rites to specific social classes. As much autobiographical as fantastical, Reid reimagines his friends, family and heroes in historic settings, playing homage to their integrity and passion. Often depicting masked figures, Reid uses constuming to conceal their desire, intentions and fears. Reid skill as a painter lends each persona an air of grandeur and intimacy not often revealed.” Until 10 pm.

9 pm The Little Red Umbrella Variety Spectacular @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. A stripped-down version of Tomboyfriend will play rock n’ roll as the Tomboyfriend House Cabaret. Author Bonnie Bowman will read parts of her new book Spaz, about a guy with a weird foot fetish. Comedian Jordan Foisy will make you laugh. Cody McGraw will present a live version of his popular offensive advice column, “Ask Cody.” Adam Bunch, author of the Toronto Dreams Project Historical Ephemera Blog, will tell stories about drunk authors in Toronto. No cover and 10% of bar sales going to support the AIDS Committee of Toronto.

10 pm Yacht Rock @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A night of dancing to the smoothest music you’ve ever heard in your life. $5 to step aboard.

10 pm Whatevs @ 751 (downstairs), 751 Queen St. W. Steve Rock plays 90’s hip-hop and gangsta rap all night long. Loose morals and $10 mini pitchers of bar rail in effect.

10 pm Swift Ones @ Crawford, 718 College St. Hip-hop, pop, punk, UK pop and guilty pleasures! Oh yeah, and free swag courtesy of PETERSAYDENIM all night. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10 pm The Sweats @ Crawford, 718 College St. DJs Caff, The Dirty Frenchman and Plan B invite you to sweat it out to the sounds of rap, dancehall and tropical party bass.

10 pm Fuck Dance, Let’s Drink @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. DJs Booth, Grahmzilla, Dougie Boom and ghettogoldmatt kindly share their favourite music that they don’t often get to play out.

10 pm The Big Cheese @ The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W. A night of guilty pleasures and innocent pains featuring your favourite songs you never tell people about. With DJs Neil Armstrong (Global Ambassador for Adidas and Jay-Z’s tour DJ circa ’08-’09), The Fromage-A-Trois (Lissa Monét, Big Jacks and Royale), and Mozzarella Mic Control. Style code in effect. Limited $15 advance tickets available at Play De Record, Livestock and online.

10 pm Pop Kult! @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. With DJs Nancy Whang (who has worked with the likes of The Juan MacLean and LCD Soundsystem), Hal Kilmer and Elect Blake + visuals by Jeff Hayward. $15 advance tickets available at Mansion (605 College St.), Soundscapes, Rotate This, Play De Record and online.

10 pm Cut Your Bangs @ Double Double Land, 209 Augusta Ave. DJ Motherbox (a.k.a. Chris Randle) and DJ Don’t Levack in Anger (a.k.a. Chandler) play hip-hop, R&B, West African jams, riot grrrls from Hanna to Minaj, anthems from the disco/house interzone and pop music from everywhere. They’ll both probably throw on Lil’ Kim eventually. $5.

10 pm Vive Magazine Bow Tie Party @ The White House Studio, 277.5 Augusta Ave. Rock a bow tie however you want. In the hair. On the shoe. Armband bow tie. Belt-tie! The classic around-the-neck-tie. Prove your sartorial swagger. Music by DJ Marko Orlic and photos by the resident Vive photog. $5 with bow tie, $7 without.

10 pm Sweat Pants @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Coolin Cregg plays sweet, sexy, sweaty tunes for you to rock, bump and wind too.

10 pm Night Crawlers @ Naco Gallery, 1665 Dundas St. W. DJs Nik Red and Murr present a hot night of dirty disco classics, freedom house and emancipating dub.

10 pm Shabamzy BootyWiggles Free Concert @ The Ballroom Bowl, 145 John St. What you can expect: speaker dancing, tambourine shaking, breast protruding, rock swagger, half Jager half tequila popping, Beatles covering, making friend madness + 200% more GoGo staging dancing sexiness. Gather up your friends, book a lane and be amazed.

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. RnB, hip-hop, pop and 90’s dance music from North America and Europe. Only one rule: no Pearl Jam. Free before 11 pm with student ID, $5 otherwise.

11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A heavy dose of classic hip-hop and R&B with special guest DJ X and residents Numeric and Ted Dancin’. $10.

SATURDAY

8 am We Are Wychwood @ Wychwood Barns Community Gallery, 76 Wychwood Ave. Photojournalism of the important people, pets and products of Wychwood Barns, Artscape, the Stop and the Community Gallery. Until 5 pm.

1 pm October Girls’ Cupcake Ride @ Bake Sale, 3076 Bloor St. W. Start at Bake Sale and end at Miss Cora’s in Kensington. Check out their Facebook page for bike rules and more information.

10 pm The Parkdale Soul Revue @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Dance hits from the best of the sweet soul 60’s and 70’s with DJs Mark Pesci and Kristal Kent. Drink specials before 11:30 pm. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.

10 pm Lucky Bitches @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Two ice stallions serve it up hot with a glamour positive party for anyone who knows what it’s like to be a lucky bitch. The guiltiest of pleasures all night: 90’s hip-hop, contemporary hitz, 80’s velvet jamz, forgotten gemz.

10 pm Neat Neat Neat @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Celebrating one year strong! Punk, Brit-pop, shoegaze, mod, new wave and power pop tunes.

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The ladies of Bangs & Blush are throwing another sexy, sweaty dance party! 60’s pop, soul and rock n’ roll. $5.

10 pm Business Woman’s Special @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. It’s time to give thanks for sweaters, scarves, seasons changing and specials of the Business Woman nature. With DJs Phil V, Nino Brown and Sammy spinning, and Kimon + a cornucopia of Thanksgiving props manning the photo booth. $5.

10 pm Tiger Bar Bounce @ Tiger Bar, 414 College St. DJ Elektrotank spins indie rock, chill-wave and electro bangers. $4 beers and $13.50 for 4 shots of Jager or tequila (sharing is caring).

10 pm Sugar Bush @ Naco Gallery, 1665 Dundas St. W. DJ Home Rekha plays you those ass-shaking, scream-a-long, grinding, foot-stomping tunes, which she eloquently describes as, “Uh, like, stuff with girls involved, I guess. That you can dance or, you know, get busy to. Tina Turner to PJ Harvey to Karen O, whatever.”

10 pm Rock & Roll Radio DJ Night @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. Join The Rock & Roll Doctor, host of Rock & Roll Radio on CIUT 89.5 FM, for a night of musical revelry. Maximizing the resources of popular music: R&B, rock n’ roll, soul, country, reggae, rap, misc. pop, etc.

11 pm My Favorite Robot @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. The brains behind fast-rising label My Favorite Robot smash together a monthly showcase of forward-thinking dance music, taking disco, techno and electronic goodies from the streets. $10.

SUNDAY

9:30 pm Muskox @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. Local musicians Muskox present a Sunday night snugglefest where they’ll be shredding through all their tunes acoustic-style in a warm and friendly manner. PWYC.