March 30th-31st The Wild Westside Warehouse Sale @ Muttonhead Collective, 163 Sterling R., studio 9B. Get your paws on samples, one-of-a-kind pieces, and discounted stock from a collection of Canadian designers all made right here in Canada! Mounds of never-before-seen Naked & Famous denim and dress shirts for men and women, meticulously designed menswear garments and accessories by Metsa and 18 Waits, and unisexy apparel by Muttonhead. Please bring your own shopping bags. Runs Friday and Saturday from 10-7 pm; visa, mastercard, and cash accepted.
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Mustache Rides @ Crawford, 718 College St. A night of live music by Joel French, Sam Coffey, Clint Rogerson, and a few surprises + DJ Joel Fresh playing the best of pop/punk/rock/glam from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. $5 until midnight then free.
10 pm Fantasia with DJ Unicorn Porn @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. DJ Unicorn Porn (uh, best DJ name ever?) plays post-punk, proto punk, future funk and other sounds.
10 pm HumbleMania 39 @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Live acoustic set by Elwins + the premiere of the latest session of Live in Bellwoods featuring Murder By Death. Vinyl dance party afterwards!
10 pm Snakepit @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. A weekly queer dance party! With guest DJ Steve Rock playing hip-hop, rap, and RnB.
10 pm Keep Calm @ Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W. Calvin C and Justin P play your favourite indie pop songs to help you forget it’s only Wednesday.
THURSDAY
7 pm The Gala of Light @ Easy & The Fifth, 225 Richmond St. W. An evening with a goal to raise awareness and funds for a charity that is serving our own city with impressive and high impact. Hosted by television personality Sarah Taylor and featuring a silent auction, delicious appetizers, cocktail reception, and live music by DJ Lissa Monet and Ysovani. Auction items include a weekend stay at The Thompson Hotel NYC, Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection Jewelry, a TNT Gift Card, a signed Toronto Maple Leaf jersey, and more. Cocktail attire. $100 tickets available online, with all proceeds supporting ofStreetHaven.
7 pm West Queen West Meet Your Neighbourhood Party @ The Great Hall (third floor salon), 1087 Queen St. W. A unique opportunity to share a cool neighbourhood experience! An evening of socializing, eating, drinking, and dancing inside the rarely seen third floor salon of the historic Great Hall. With DJs Muscle & Heat. Learn about your neighbourhood, the exciting community projects taking place, and ways to get involved.
10 pm The Philip Tetro Madonna Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The ladies of Bangs & Blush join forces with the world’s first-ever Madonnaologist/Madonna enthusiast/television personality Philip Tetro to bring you one helluva Madonna party! 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, girl groups, gay anthems, guilty pleasure pop songs and A SHIT LOAD OF MADONNA! There will also be Madonna films and videos shown all night long to dance along to. Costumes and incredible outfits suggested. $5.
10 pm Switched On @ Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W. DJs Jaime Sin and Pam Hong play indie rock, alt pop and campus radio jams.
10 pm Midnight Static @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. A few years ago, two best-bud DJs Diana M. and Gave Knox started a night at a bar to play robot-themed disco music from outer-space. A bunch of people came and told them they were amazing and then became DJs themselves. A bunch more came and left after last call as couples. Then Diana and Gabe decided to end the night on a high note and move on. By popular demand, they’re back for one night only!
10 pm Rap & Bitches / Eff Emm Ell @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs: DJ kungfucandy plays hip-hop and R&B while mixing in some hits from your favourite ladies. Downstairs: booty-shaking east coast, krunk, and rude boi classics + giveaways from The Baitshop, King Shit Mag and host Bongzilla. $5 before 11:30 pm, more after.
10 pm An Evening With King Britt @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. King Britt brings together experimentation, improvisation and DJ-ing to form a subgenera he calls eclectronica. He’ll be joined by several surprise guests + support from Toronto indie-dance duo The Wheel Wells. $10.
FRIDAY
6 pm “Past, Present, Past-Present” Opening @ Cooper Cole Gallery, 1161 Dundas St. W. Canadian artist Tessar Sebastian Lo debuts a new series of paintings and sculptures. “His latest body of work emits an unique combination of hardship and relief, with an underlying theme of overcoming fears and adversity. He continues to explore basic tendencies and nature, culminating one’s knowledge of self, relative to our surroundings. Lo invites the viewer to get lost in the space between subconscious and conscious realities.” Until 10 pm. Exhibition runs until April 22nd.
6 pm “No Cover” Opening Reception @ Cooper Cole Gallery, 1161 Dundas St. W. Canadian artist Mark DeLong “creates scenes which blur the line between abstraction and the representational. With a focus on color and composition, DeLong’s paintings and sculptures can be read in a variety of ways. His conceptual imagery and vibrant pallet allows the mind to wander and the viewer is invited to draw a narrative on their own accord.” Until 10 pm. Exhibition runs until April 22nd.
9 pm Bedlam All Girl Pillow Fight Revue Presents: Fooled @ Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W. Extraordinary women prove their powerful pillow prowess on the mats in a full night of fights, swag, and gags! First 50 people through the door also get a surprise! $15 advance tickets available at Rotate This (801 Queen St. W.), Borderline (425 Queen St. W.), and Silver Snail (367 Queen St. W.) or $20 at the door.
10 pm Shindig! One Year Anniversary @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Shindig! celebrates its first birthday! The best 50’s and 60’s rhythm and blues from the 7” 45 rpm vinyl collections of resident selectors Splattermonkey, General Eclectic and Double K. Dust off your dancing shoes and look sharp, ’cause Amena Assaily and our own Becca Lemire will be snapping your pics! $5.
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.
10 pm Panic @ Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St. W. The ultimate retro party with DJ Lazarus spinning the kind of retro that changed your life. 70’s, 80s and 90’s, new wave, classic alternatives, ska, Brit-pop, dance, shoegaze, post-punk and more. This month’s spotlight is The Smiths. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after.
10 pm Way Out @ Salvador Darling, 1237 Queen St. W. Resident DJs Kaewonder and Dougie Boom + special guest Andrew Allsgood play psychedelic new and ancient.
10 pm Ignition / Grilled Cheese @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs: bumpin’ n’ grindin’ RnB, hip-hop, reggae and club musics (and more than enough R. Kelly classics) upstairs with DJs Caff and Rei Von. Downstairs: DJs Jon Chetty and James Redi play Motown, disco, hip-hop and reggae while Fundament holds it down front and centre with a mic, a George Foreman grill, a stack of cheesy slices and a fresh loaf. Yes, FREE GRILLED CHEESE ON THE DANCE FLOOR! $5 before 11:30 pm, more after.
10 pm Smithfits @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Punk, new wave, and Brit-pop with DJs Mark Pesci, Scott Wade, Scott Waring, and Chris Colohan. $5.
10 pm Subterra Sessions @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. Several layers of underground electronic music. DJ Sins spins the best in new gloomy witch house. Session 2: DJ Hangedman spins the danceable and atmospheric cadence of IDM. Session 3: DJ Saucy Miso spins hard beats inspired by French-style electro artists with a smattering of EBM inspired beats. Session 4: DJ Acerbius spins classic tech electro style with a pinch of evil. $2 before 11 pm, $5 after. $2 discount with non-perishable food bank donation.
10 pm TXGR @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. An all-inclusive dance party for trans men and women, queers, trans-questioning men and women, and the men and women who love them, fuck them and can’t live without them. All they ask in return is that you dance and make out, a lot, and, as always, respect one another. With DJs Katie Ritchie, Sissy Fuss, Kyra, and Golden Malicious. PWYC.
10 pm Mighty Real @ Cold Tea, 60 Kensington Ave. DJs The Robotic and LeatherDATA play acid, disco, and funky house.
10:30 pm Itzsoweezee @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A feel-good house party atmosphere! DJs Illo, Drastik, Tom Wrecks, and DeMiggs play music to make you dance, smile and holler. Free cocktail hour from 11 pm to midnight courtesy of Hennessy Black. For guest list line bypassemailguestlist@itzsoweezee.com (closes at 11:30 pm). $10.
SATURDAY
7 pm “Censored: Spud’s Ford-Inspired Art Show” Closing Party @ Don’t Tell Mama Gallery, 108 Ossington Ave. Your last chance to check out some amazing art, grab a cheap beer, and bitch about the mayor! Until 11:30 pm. Official afterparty at Crawford (718 College St.) featuring Spud Bomb drink specials.
8:30 pm Earth Hour @ around the world. More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for EarthHour 2011 alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change!
10 pm Shake It, Don’t Fake It @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. A strange and groovy vinyl dance party! DJs Grand AM and F The Man play soul, funk, and rare groove. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Soulvation @ The Press Club, 850 Dundas St. W. DJs Laura and Cindy spin Motown classics and northern soul floor-shakers all night long. Dance-offs and conga lines welcome!
10 pm Sugar Hill Gang / Return of the Double Dragons @ Crawford, 718 College St. Upstairs: local legend DJ Grouch and special guest Blaster play hip-hop, rap, reggae, and club. Downstairs: DJs Freeza Chin and Shai (a.k.a. the Double Dragons) play the best in reggae, dancehall, and soca + a touch of hip-hop and old school. $5 before 11:30, more after.
10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A sexy, sweaty dance party thrown by Bangs & Blush! 60’s pop, soul and rock n’ roll. $5.
10 pm Brendan Canning DJ Set @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene spins an all-vinyl set of eclectic music to keep you movin’!
10 pm It Isn’t Anything! @ Marget, 2952 Dundas St. W. A night of shoegaze and noise-pop classics from the Velvets to My Bloody Valentine and beyond. Wear your floppy fringe and your best Breton shirt and get down with the scene that celebrates itself!
10 pm Grand Funk @ Augusta House, 152-A Augusta Ave. The Payback Crew DJs play all funk on all 45s. $5 before midnight, $10 after.
10 pm Love Handle @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJs Catalist and Famous Lee throw an all-vinyl boogie funk dance party.
10 pm Vitalic @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. DJ set by Vitalic with special guests Filthy Gorgeous and The Wheel Wells. $15 advance tickets available at Rotate This, Soundscapes, and online. For guestlist requests, email guestlist@wrongbar.com.
10 pm Vanishing Point @ Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W. DJ Lauren Raham plays post-punk, disco-not-disco, weirdo beats, and new finds.
10:30 pm Over & Over @ A secret loft with an expansive patio. A disco dance party that goes into the wee hours of the morning. With DJs The Gillespie Brothers, Ali Black, and our favourite, Pooyan. Stay tuned to their Facebookpage for more details.
10:30 pm Room Temperature Vol. 8 @ Muttonhead Collective, 163 Sterling Rd., studio 9B. A pop-up monthly party with a focus on the best in disco, house, and boogie. Given the recent weather, they thought it would appropriate to turn the loft into a spring break oasis – dress up is encouraged! With resident DJ Parasol and special guests Members Only, who run the Evening Standard party at the Drake Hotel. Check out their fun promo video here! $2.
11 pm Galapagos Presents: Aquarius Heaven @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. DJ Aquarius Heaven (Brian Brewster) is an ex reggae dancehall and hip-hop singer. It was pure chance that Brian became involved with the electronic music scene after he moved to Paris in 2005, where he meet the Parisian electronic music trio dOP. After spending hours in the studio with the three musicians, Brian’s musical sound was profoundly changed. Local DJs My Favorite Robot and Aaron Santos support. $10.
SUNDAY
10 am Clothing Community Swap @ Evergreen Brickworks, 550 Bayview Ave. De-clutter and revamp your wardrobe by trading gently used clothes at the Brickworks’ first clothing swap! Open to men, women, youth and children, with all un-swapped clothes donated to a local United Way Agency. Drop off your gently used, unwanted clothing, belts, shoes or purses (no jewellery) between 10 am and noon, shopping will begin at 1 pm.
7 pm Strip Search: Toronto Burlesque Festival Fundraiser @ Revival, 783 College St. Watch as a dozen sexy performers battle it out to become 2012’s Strip Search Champion, as well as to win fabulous prizes AND a spot in this summer’s 5th Annual Toronto Burlesque Festival! Judges include industry icon Tanya Cheex, past co-winner Dew Lily, legend of Canadian Burlesque Irish Mist, and Naked Toni from The Naked News. $20 advance tickets available at Nearly Naked, Hell’s Belles, and online or $25 at the door.
9:30 pm “La Planète Sauvage” Screening @ Holy Oak, 1241 Bloor St. W. With the aid of some super-high-tech equipment (i.e. a projector and a large white sheet), Holy Oak will be transformed into a cinema-bar! Free screening of the 1973 animated film “La Planète Sauvage” + fresh popcorn and most likely a themed drink special (related to the film).
~ Caitlyn Holroyd
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