*Note: Motown Party at 751 has been moved to next Saturday, April 14th. 751 will be open though.

April 5th-8th The Bazaar: A Pop Up Shop by RAC Boutique @ Loft 580, 580 King St. W. Toronto retailers collaborate to create a four-day shopping extravaganza! Featuring a variety of items including women’s and men’s spring/summer 2012 apparel, accessories, lifestyle goods, vintage, consignment, samples and reduced fall 2011 inventory. Participating vendors include RAC, Robber, LAB Consignment, 69 Vintage, Jacflash, Tosca Delfino swim, Fashionably Yours, and more. Runs Thursday 6-11 pm, Friday and Saturday 10-7pm, and Sunday 11-6 pm. (Launch party Thursday night featuring DJ Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene, snacks, and beverages including cocktails by Absolut Elyx Vodka, Kronenbourg Beer, SmartWater and VitaminWater. RSVP to info@racboutique.com.)

WEDNESDAY 

7 pm “Here & There” Opening Reception @ Steam Whistle Brewery, 255 Bremner Blvd. A comparison between life in the country and life in the city. “The show will touch on the city’s environmental impact and the effect urban expansion has on surrounding wildlife drawing attention to the compromises animals are forced to make in order to thrive within an urban sprawl. This show will feature 5 artists who mesh a series of explorative ideas into a visually intriguing exhibition on the relatable topic of life – from one extreme to the next.” Until 11 pm. Show runs until the end of the month. 

9 pm Comedy at The Ossington @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. With comedians Ron Sparks, Nick Flanagan, Adam Christie, Desiree Lavoy, John Hastings, Allison Dore, Chris Locke, and amazing mystery guests! Hosted by Sara Hennessey, Greg Alsop, Jeremy Mersereau, and Steph Kaliner. PWYC. 

THURSDAY 

6 pm “Half of Less Than Ten” Opening Reception @ Le Gallery, 1183 Dundas St. W. New body of work by Amanda Nedham. “Inspired by Napoleon’s love letters to his wife Josephine, this show imagines monuments which explore the impassioned and often dubious ambition driving the conquest of the body. Only in death, in trying to put a body back together, can we arrive at these irreducible artifacts which aim to hold onto and unravel these narratives.” Until 9 pm. 

8 pm “Under the Influence” Opening Reception @ Don’t Tell Mama Gallery Space, 108 Ossington Ave. (second floor). “Deadboy’s show takes recognizable imagery and combines them in ways that cause passersby to stop and think. Taking a cue from his personal influences, Deadboy invites viewers into his own interpretations, allowing what influences one person to alter how they view his art. Someone may see a controversial image while another sees the truth. ‘Under the Influence’ will definitely have you questioning who controls what you see, hear and think.” Until 11 pm. Show runs until the end of the month. 

10 pm VIVE Magazine Presents… The Rainbow / Playas Punch @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, VIVE Magazine + DJs Kidsexual and Super Rap ring in the long weekend with a burst of Easter colours/neons/pastels and anything but black! Downstairs, DJ The Bass6 plays party bangers. $5 playas punch, $11 quarts of Heineken and Corona, and $15 PBR pitchers. $5. 

10 pm Curse These Metal Hands @ Margret, 2952 Dundas St. W. Bowie, Brit-pop, electro, classic hip-hop, french sleazy 60’s crooners and cheap PBR dance party. 

10 pm Hot Sauce @ Neutral, 282-A Augusta Ave. The Good Kids present a soul/hip-hop/rock/whatever-they-feel-like night to kick off Easter weekend! 

10 pm #WHITEGIRLWASTED @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. With DJs Jr. Flo, Kid MK, DeMiggs, and James Redi. $10. For guestlist requests, email guestlist@wrongbar.com

FRIDAY 

10 pm Pop Lobster @ Magpie, 831 Dundas St. W. This lobster knows no pop boundaries! You may or may not have the opportunity to dance to the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Blondie, Destiny’s Child, Le Tigre, Britney Spears, Robyn, Motown, indie, new wave, disco, and more! 

10 pm The Cold Sweat @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. A big blast of vintage soul, deep funk, and rocksteady with DJ Double K alongside rude boy sax player Dennis P. Guest DJ Anousheh will also be touching down with a box of 45s. 

10 pm Bangs & Blush Present: Beatlemania! @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. The ladies of Bangs & Blush take you on a MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR of 60’s soul, rock n’ roll and tons of Beatles songs in-between! Come TWIST AND SHOUT! $5. 

10 pm Soul Block Party / Rap & Bitches @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJs Fase and Splattermonkey play Motown, stax, and oldies R&B and soul. Downstairs, DJ kungfucandy plays hip-hop and R&B while mixing in some hits from your favourite ladies. $5 before midnight, more after. 

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 Black Box Disco @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Live sets by Guy Dallas and Live Action Fezz + DJs John M and Ell V play techno, EBM, acid, NYC, coldwave, and minimal synth. PWYC. 

10 pm Keep In Touch: Spring Initiated Party @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. DJs Jaybe and Samurai keep you moving to hip-hop, reggae, electro, soul, R&B and top 40s till you drop. $5 for girls, $10 for guys + one free drink ticket until 11 pm. $10 for everyone after midnight. 

10 pm Back-A-Yard @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St. A night of sunshine vibes with Pie & Mash DJs. The best reggae, ska, dub, and dancehall tunes! 

10 pm Scissors @ Bar Neon, 1226 Bloor St. W. A dance floor-boozy-queer lady rager! DJs Fawn BC and Sokes play sexy house. $5. 

10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. Easter surprise at midnight! $5. 

10 pm firstBASS @ Salvador Darling, 1237 Queen St. W. DJs Curtis Savage and Paulinator play funky house music. 

10 pm Sweat Pants @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Coolin Cregg plays his/your favourite songs all night. ’95(ish) to ’05(ish) rap/RnB/reggae/dancehall, sexy tunes, new joints, old jams, sweat pants. 

10 pm Pop Kult! @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. With DJ Oliver from L.A. and locals Members Only, Hemingway, and Jesse Bryans. $10 advance tickets available at Rotate This, Soundscapes, Play De Record, and online (guaranteed entry). For $10 reduced guestlist (subject to capacity), email names to guestlist@themansioninc.com

10 pm Rollin’ & Scratchin’ 90’s Throwback @ The Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave. Purely 90’s jams all night long with DJs The Makeover (Jeremy Glenn and Rod Skimmins) and R&S + special guests. $5 before midnight. 

11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Classic hip-hop and R&B super jams all night long from special guest DJ Agile + regulars DJ Numeric and Dalia. Vintage rap videos on the screens! $10. 

SATURDAY 

1 pm Toronto Girls’ Cupcake Ride Season Opener @ Prairie Girl Bakery, 18 King St. E. Girls-only bicycle ride in the name of cupcakes! Meet at Prairie Girl Bakery before riding eastwards to Life Is Sweet (2328 Queen St. E.). RSVP and check out the Ride Rules at their Facebookpage

8 pm Pillow Fight Toronto 2012 @ Yonge & Dundas Square, 1 Dundas St. E. Bring a soft, feather-free pillow and wait for the signal. This year’s theme: bunnies! Be sure to swing lightly, avoid swinging at people without pillows or with cameras, remove glasses beforehand, deposit pillows in donation boxes or take them with you. Bunny ears encouraged! Presented by Newmindspace and ImprovinToronto

9 pm Ladies Army IV Bike Polo Fundraiser @ Bike Pirates, 1292 Bloor St. W. The ladies of Bike Polo T.O. have been working hard on their skills and want the chance to show them off at this year’s Ladies Army IV polo tournament in Lexington, Kentucky. In order to send the gals away in style, they’re holding a fundraising party! Featuring a raffle with great prizes from local businesses, VJ/DJ Slow Cook + DJs Puppies, Serbsuperb and Ghetto Cyborg, and tons of dancing! 

10 pm Evveryday Wavvy @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. DJs Smells Gvcci and Coolin Cregg select splashy drug rap all night long. 

10 pm Least Squares @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. DJ Brandon Sek and guests play music for your drinking and dancing pleasure. 

10 pm Chronologic @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A dance party through the ages! Pop and antipop from since the end of history (i.e. music from 1890 to 2013, played in chronological order). $5. 

10 pm Pacific High @ The Beaver, 1192 Queen St. W. DJs Scott Seewhale and Colin Bergh play only the best dymaxion house music all night long. 

10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A sexy, sweaty dance party thrown by the Bangs & Blush ladies! 60’s pop, soul and rock n’ roll. $5. 

10 pm Reality Bytes @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. Travel back in time to the 90’s! DJs 4est, Lindzrox, Jrox, and special guests spin all your favourite dance, hip-hop, electronica and alternative 90’s tunes. Free before 11 pm, $5 after. 

10 pm Signals From Earth: Tim & Jim Edition @ Margret, 2952 Dundas St. W. Join DJs Tim Hanna and Jim Bravo as they send out yé yé signals and mix sounds from earth (out-of-this-world garage and psych) on 33-45 RPM vinyl. 

10 pm Pay Day @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Isosceles and Stew Innes play open format from 10 to midnight followed by old school hip-hop from midnight to close. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after. 

10 pm Slowed @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Slo-mo tunes with DJs Torro Torro and Lucie Tic + guest DJ Craze from Miami (three times DMC World Champion and Kanye West/Yellawolf tour DJ). $15. 

10 pm Pro Partyin’ / Back in the Day @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs, DJs G-Spot and Sonny Dunn play funk, soul, boogie, hip-hop, reggae, and lots and lots of Whitney Houston. Downstairs, DJ Law and guest Aphillyaded spin the best of all the classics with music videos GALORE! $5 before 11:30 pm, more after. 

10 pm Rip It Up @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ Davy Love and guest DJ Starboy (an old-school mod/scooterboy with impeccable tastes in music) play R&B, garage, soul, doo-wop and down and dirty rock n’ roll records for your listening, dancing and drinking-along-with pleasure. 

10 pm Sydney Blu @ The Hoxton, 69 Bathurst St. Miami-based Canadian DJ Sydney Blu stops by with special guests Simon Jain and Gray Moonen. $15 advance tickets available at Rotate This, Soundscapes, Play De Record, and online

10 pm Secret Models @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. One big room, full of bad bitches! DJs Secret Models play hits straight from your high school semi-formal. 

10 pm Ice Machine @ The Embassy, 223 Augusta Ave. Minimal synth and cold wave musics with DJs Jason Solvent and David L. 

10:30 pm Tapette: Édition Tout Nu @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. Spring has sprung les putains! So leave your coats at home and dance ’till the tulips come out of the ground to some good French shit, oui? Expect lots of Ivory Coast soca hits this month among many other fun French dance choons. 

SUNDAY

9:30 pm Crosswires #7 @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. A Sunday night series brought to you by Doc Pickles, co-founder and emcee of Wavelength. Featuring performances by Dave MacKinnon (album release party), Canaille, and Ben Veneer + General Chaos Visuals and DJ selector Acacia Christensen. Sponsored by Steam Whistle. PWYC. 

~ Caitlyn Holroyd

(For event submissions, email caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com)