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02/29/12
The Victim Party exists somewhere between homage and innovation, taking liberally from the punk rock canon and packaging it into a joyous fist-pump of danceable, sing-along anthems. The list of bands that current members have played for in the past reads like a downtown bathroom stall wall, coated in the stickers of some formidable GTA bands.
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02/29/12
Ever wondered why we have a leap year, who thought of it and whether you're working for free today? Clearly you have because it's the fifth most popular search term on Google right now and every news outlet is carrying the story. We grabbed a coffee and sampled the buzz around the net.
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02/29/12
Evil tyrants, cruel teens and human traffickers are among the bad guys in the unwelcome spotlight of TIFF's annual Human Rights Watch film series. The fest, which starts today and runs until March 8 at the Bell Lightbox, assembles nine documentaries from around the world that showcase humanity at its darkest. Here are four that caught our eye.
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02/28/12
If you watched Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony then you were witness to Hollywood's continuing shoddy treatment of women. From the lack of female director nominees to Angelina Jolie making headlines with her right leg, Tinseltown has a lot of ground to make up when it comes to its representation of women. Cue the aptly named documentary Miss Representation.
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02/28/12
Deep in the heart of Corktown, a small group gathers once a week to celebrate a great Canadian pastime. Some in this group are lifelong devotees with quick reflexes and polished skills. Others come to rediscover a game they loved when they were young. A few are discovering it all for the first time. But they all come together to take part in a cultural tradition that is bigger than all of them — table hockey.
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02/28/12
Children of the ’80s won’t ever forget the first time they watched the film adaptation of Michael Ende’s novel about a young boy named Bastian and his epic adventure in Fantastica (probably because that huge dragon-who-looks-like-a-dog scared the bejesus out of us.) This staged version introduces the tale to a new generation.
Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front Street E., 416-862-2222. To March 17.
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02/27/12
Alcohol and testosterone are the key fuel sources for all-guy comedy troupe MANTOWN. But they have some serious comedic chops, having appeared in fests across the country and performed with the likes of Hercules actor Kevin Sorbo. We chat with MANTOWN member (and Adam Levine lookalike) Adam Cawley about being comedy hunks, alcohol poisoning and why Ryan Gosling would make a great show guest.
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02/25/12
Shards of ice fly as a sculptor gets to work at the Bloor-Yorkville ice fest on Saturday afternoon. The artist pictured was one of around a dozen taking part in the festival's ice-carving competition on Yorkville's Cumberland Street. A clear preference for animal shapes was in evidence among the carvers present, with squirrels, moose and eagles making appearances.
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02/24/12
Sunday night is Oscars night. That means one thing: Oscar parties. The coolest kids will be the ones who know everything there is to know about this year’s best picture nominees. Haven’t had the time to see them all? Not a problem. Below, a crash course in the best Hollywood has to offer.
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02/24/12
Toronto’s Sexapalooza opens this afternoon, promising a “safe yet titillating” adult consumer show. Curious about whether you should head to this show? We don’t blame you. Here’s what you need to know.
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02/23/12
Parents of students in a York Region school arts program that's in danger of closure have voiced their fears of "cookie cutter education" in a musical YouTube vid. In the vid, two seriously peeved puppets slam in song the region's school board trustees for considering closing the area's only specialized elementary arts program, at Baythorn Public School.
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02/22/12
Seeds, which officially opens at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts on Thursday, is not typical theatre — it’s documentary theatre. Montreal playwright Annabel Soutar created her script using exclusively the words of real people, including herself (portrayed by Liisa Repo-Martell). The dialogue is taken verbatim from court transcripts, news broadcasts and recorded interviews.
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02/22/12
The impossible dream — like that recurring one where you’re a skilled hacker who not only knows how to kick some serious butt, but can also throw down some killer beats — isn’t all that far from reality when you’re a student at Parkdale’s Academy of the Impossible. In just over a month since it opened, the new school is quickly creating believers out of the city’s wildest dreamers.
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02/22/12
There’s something so sweet about the The Elwins that listening to them is kind of like eating too much candy and spoiling your dinner. And not feeling bad about it. Sugary melodies wrap around jangly guitars and jaunty drums to create a playful vibe, but there’s a touch of moroseness buried in lead vocalist Matthew Sweeney’s delivery that gives the songs a delicate quality; the type of thing you cherish and return to.
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02/21/12
Four morphine-addicted criminals try to rob a bank, and it all goes wrong. Why hasn’t Quentin Tarantino made this into a movie yet?
Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 55 Mill Street, 416-866-8666. Feb. 21 – March 28.
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02/17/12
One of the great under-the-radar talents in Canada is Eamon McGrath. With a new album on the way, the DIY punk folkie with the distinctive voice and relentless energy decided to play his entire new album almost two months before it is officially released at a special show on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Bovine Sex Club on Queen Street West in Toronto.
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02/17/12
I admit it: I stopped reading the Harry Potter books after book four (the progressive thickness of the books, plus my adult ADHD kicking in, may have been a factor). So, you can understand my skepticism about watching Potted Potter, a parody that condenses all seven Potter books into a 70-minute performance. But, as it turns out, no prior knowledge of J.K. Rowling’s world of wizardry is necessary for watching this Mirvish production.
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02/16/12
In an age where news is broadcast almost as fast as it happens, it seems impossible that any celebrity, no matter how passé, could die without any media attention. That’s exactly what happened to Neil Hope, who played Derek “Wheels” Wheeler on Degrassi: The Next Generation, Degrassi Junior High and The Kids of Degrassi Street.
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02/16/12
Owned by the aptly-named Jason and Rachel Hazzard, Parkdale’s newest café is devoted to the mighty pinball machine. After growing up on a pinball diet, it dawned on the adult Mr. Hazzard that “you can actually buy these things when you’re a grown up!” A collection ensued, and the next logical step was to open up The Pinball Cafe. Current fans include folks from the Toronto Pinball League in addition to champion player Sean O’Neill.
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02/15/12
When it was announced that The Bachelor’s train wreck of final roses and hot tub dates was rolling into Canada this year, I was asked to write a story about the reality TV show’s arrival. It wasn’t until after I perused its ridiculously chipper application form and its sign-your-life-away fine print that I realized there was more than just a story here, there was a journey. My journey of attempting to marry meet Canada’s most eligible bachelor.
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02/15/12
Harmonies swell and surround you, clinging to the air like moisture to the outside of a cold glass in a sweltering basement room. Feet stomp and plastic picks hit metal strings while fiddle and electric guitar manoeuvre through songs like a seasoned waitress in a crowded bar. This is The Pining: five (sometimes six) ladies singing and dancing their way through some of the most joyously bittersweet songs this side of the 49th parallel.
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02/14/12
These days, there’s no shortage of extreme sports out there. Now, Ultimate Tazer Ball has joined the fray. Played in an indoor soccer arena, the sport pits teams of four burly, taser-wielding men against each other — all of them looking to throw a 24” ball into a large net. Yes, it’s a real thing, and fans of football, rugby and, well, stun guns, might actually enjoy it. And Toronto, of course, hasn’t failed to get in on the action.
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02/14/12
A young girl’s battle with leukemia turns into a fantastical, musical journey as she battles to get her health back.
Theatre Passe Muraille, Backspace,16 Ryerson Ave., 416-504-7529. Feb. 16 - March 4.
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02/13/12
I do not get to experience New York City and Broadway as often as I would like, but I was in Manhattan over a year ago to visit my daughter and had the pleasure of seeing In the Heights with her. It was a sweet, high-quality musical about Hispanic immigrants in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, above Harlem, most of them from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
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02/10/12
Kathleen Edwards and her new album Voyageur are making a big splash south of the border. Sure, her association with Justin Vernon, of Grammy-nominated Bon Iver fame has surely helped. But, don’t kid yourselves, this is a solid record on its own with or without Vernon twiddling the dials in the control room — a very Kathleen Edwards record.
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02/09/12
Years ago, a laid-back, musically-inclined dude from Barrie, Ont. named Afie Jurvanen moved to Toronto. Sure, he could have been a star out of the gate, but he was too damn busy backing up other local musicians such as Jason Collett and Leslie Feist.
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02/09/12
First, The Clone Wars was animated. Now, The Phantom Menace has been released in 3-D, and we're powerless against George Lucas' jedi mind trick (ahem, cash grab). Starting tomorrow, geeks, nerds and dorks will unite to witness the re-release of Episode I in all its three-dimensional glory. Expect the pod racing scene and lightsaber duels to be worth the hype, but losing Qui-Gon Jinn again in 3-D? Not so much.
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02/09/12
If you don’t know Corin Raymond’s music, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with his face. Over the last few weeks he has graced the pages of newspapers and appeared on network news channels. And it’s no wonder his latest endeavour is capturing people’s imagination: much like his music, it’s steeped in Canadian tradition that’s thicker than maple syrup. This songster has set out to fund his upcoming live album with fan-donated Canadian Tire money.
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02/08/12
Alison Mosshart didn’t just command the stage at The Kills’ Kool Haus concert last night — she prowled it, barely able to contain her energy between songs. I only hope those bemoaning the death of rock ‘n’ roll were in attendance to get their fill of a gritty, swaggering rock that rarely rolls through town.
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02/07/12
The 2008 Tony winner for best musical, set in a Hispanic community in New York City’s Washington Heights ‘hood, is like the West Side Story of our time, complete with all the angsty forbidden love and sexy dance numbers one can stand.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, 416-644-3665. Feb. 7–19.
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02/06/12
In just four years, The National Theatre of the World has proven itself to be one of Toronto’s top groups of funny makers. Combining theatre with comedy and music, the multi-talented company produces four popular improvised shows (Impromptu Splendor, The Carnegie Hall Show, The Soaps, and The Script Tease Project) in hopes of bridging the gap between theatre and improv.
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02/03/12
Chris Hardwick reviews gadgets, writes for Wired, runs a successful blog, acts and does stand-up. Oh, and he’s also a huge nerd. He’s like this generation’s Bill Nye the Science Guy, but cooler. We caught up with Hardwick, who’s performing stand-up for two nights over at Comedy Bar next week, to chat about comedy, Skyrim and the revenge of the nerds.
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02/02/12
For those of us who will only be tuning in to the Super Bowl for Madonna’s half-time performance, how about jams with a bit more verve? U of T’s New Music Festival (which also premiered Rob Ford: The Opera) comes to an end this Sunday with a performance by the TorQ Percussion Quartet at Walter Hall. Preview the set here, including three tracks inspired by the saga of a washing machine. Did we mention it’s free?
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02/01/12
How much do you know about Black history in Canada and in Toronto? How much is there to know? “The average sixteen-year-old in Canada can tell you something about slavery and abolition in the United States,” Toronto author Lawrence Hill once remarked, “but do we know that the story of African-Canadians spans 400 years, and includes slavery, abolition, pioneering, urban growth, segregation, the civil rights movement and a long engagement in civic life?”
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02/01/12
Ontario Place is getting a revamp. According to the Globe, most of the park will be closed until 2017 as a panel led by John Tory (yes, that John Tory) tries to figure out how to make it a profitable, must-visit destination. While turning this quintessentially boring “amusement park” into something mind-blowing is no small order, we think it can be done with a bit of imagination. Below, our suggestions for making Ontario Place amazing.
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