This weekend @ The Beaver (Sept 2 to Sept 7, 2009) - YOU'VE GOT WHAT I NEED Wednesday September 2nd Wes Allen + Roozbeh Soulful Gold - Golden Soul Door 11pm + no cover......FRANTIC CITY Thursday September 3rd Frantic Tim + Flipped Out Phil Garage, 60's Pysch, Soul, Punk, Big Beat All on 45" vinyl Door 11pm + no cover......LISP LEARN TO WALK Friday September 4th Pat. C + CTV news at noon Everything from Sebadoh - Whitney Door 11pm + no cover......LOVE SAVES THE DAY Saturday September 5th Jaime Sin + Will Munro Classic, NYC,Gay, Cosmic, Italo, Slow, New Disco Dance Party Door 11pm + no cover......LONGWEEKEND SPECIAL RIOT GRRL EVENT Sunday September 6th Lisa Foad and Friends bring you a nite of Riot Grrl pleasures A Celebration of Women in Rock / Punk Door 10pm Cover? Tba more info tba - check the Beaver Group's Page......RHINESTONE Monday September 7th Lex Vaughn + Shane MacKinnon Country, Honky Tonk Door 10pm + no cover......Have a great last week of Summer! The Beaver Cafe, 1192 Queen St. W. http://www.thebeavertoronto.com/
Every Wednesday in August -Fresh to Def a party by and for 2-Spirit, Trans//Queer Indigenous, Black and Peeps of Colour @ Gladstone Hotel Melody Room from 11pm to close.
September 9th- Vaginal Davis theme night w/ Designer Impostor from NYC, weirdo dance gay pop band
September 16th- Fresh to Def hosts Hump Day Bump Closing Party
September 23rd- DJ La Bomba
September 30th- FRESH TO DEF MONTHLY DANCE CREW NIGHT Crew & DJ TBA
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=97878904560 Email: mailto:freshtodefwednesday@gmail.com1214 Queen Street. West 11pm to 2 am. No Cover. Queer West Toronto, Ontario
Wednesday September 9 to 13 - THE JUNCTION ARTS FESTIVAL @ Dundas Street West between Keele Street and Quebec Avenue
GET DOWN TO IT: · The Junction City Square: At Dundas Street West and Pacific Avenue, it is the centre to the five-day celebration, the spot for the weekend beer tent and the place to find the train platform (specially built for the 2008 Junction Centennial); the 2009 Main Stage.
· Visual Arts: A festival foundation, the Juried Art Exhibit and Junction and impromptu galleries along Dundas West go for the full five days. The new Artist Laneway, featuring visual, sculpture and installation artistry, will be there to discover (during weekend street closure only, Sept. 12 & 13).
· Musical Arts: The Junction City Square’s train platform will act as the Main Stage for live music and headlining performances (dates TBA). Musicians will also play in unexpected settings in local shops (Sept. 12 & 13).
· Literary Arts: Back for the second year with an increased presence, the literary component will feature writers and poets in unusual venues and experimental ways; sponsored by Junction publishing company BookThug, http://www.bookthug.ca/ (Sept. 12 & 13).
· Performance Arts: There’ll be dancing in the streets – dance, theatre and comedy performers wind there way in and out of Dundas West shops and buildings (Sept. 12 & 13).
· The Green Village: The third annual Green Village is a specific area during the weekend street closure presenting materials, speakers and workshops on environmental initiatives such as building green, painting green and rooftop gardens (Sept. 12 & 13).
· The KidZone: Is a FunZone with kid-friendly arts and crafts, face painting, games, rides and more (weekend only, Sept. 12 & 13).
· Artist Vendor Market: Creative types, artisans and yummy food and drink vendors make for interesting and fun weekend shopping (Sept. 12 & 13).http://www.junctionartsfest.com/
Thursday September 10 - OMG another Big Flaming Gay event! "Saddles" @ The Dakota Tavern.
Join us for a night full of amazing talent, some wicked performances, incredible items for auction, and help save animals, at the same time!
Come out to help us support the amazing work of the Farm Sanctuary (at Roosters Inn, Port Perry). Every penny raised will be going directly to support rescued animals, and help the Sanctuary expand and build new shelters.
Hosted by the always beautiful and most charming "Miss Fluffy Souffle", doors open at 8pm for our SILENT AUCTION
PERFORMANCES starting at 10pm By: Amy Campbell, Flare, Keith Cole, Miss Kitty Galore, Gentleman Reg, J. A.T., Jolene Devoe & Jonathan Osborn, Joann MacKell & the Paradise Rangers, Lucas Silvera (from the Cliks, Samantha Martin and Sandra Park, Shane MacKinnon Suzy & Moxy and more...
The Details: The Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, just above Dundas W. on east side of street. Cover $10. Performances start at 10 pm to close. Queer West, Toronto Ontario. www.thedakotatavern.com
Saturday September 12 - NO PANTS NO PROBLEM #2 @ Sneaky Dee's. This is the second NO PANTS NO PROBLEM party of the year, the annual one the night before the AIDS Walk for Life. This is a no brainer. Its an underwear dance party, so when you come to the door you take your pants off (skirts don't count), and hang them in the pant check. If you want to come but don't feel like you've had enough to drink to take your pants off, then you can just pay the $5 penalty and come on in. The nice thing is this money goes to a good cause, the AIDS Walk for Life. So yeah come have fun at the kissing booths, safer sex booth or just dancing to the dance floor hits! No pants $5, w/pants additional $5 penalty, Sneaky Dee's, College and Bathurst.
Sunday afternoon September 13 - Gay West Bicycle Club @ Toronto Island Bicycle Tour.
Leisure club ride for Sunday afternoon September 13 (rain Date Sept 20) Noon to 4 pm. Meetup at Colbourne Lodge Road and Queensway (bottom of High Park road). Cycle across to Martin Goodmen trail. Eastward to ferry docks. Island ferry $6, roundtrip. Cycle though islands to Wards Islands. Stop of lunch and libations along the way. Bring you camera. Don't forget your helmet and bottle water.
We will visit the Sonic Boardwalk, by Robert Mulder and Kristi Allik, is a sound installation located on the Ward's Island boardwalk that generates a microsound landscape activated by the kinetic imprint of passing visitors. Presented by New Adventures in Sound Art, as part of the Sound Travels Festival. http://:%20www.soundtravels.ca/and SYNTHECYCLETRON Installation on Centre Island . Visitors and cyclists that encounter the "Synthecycletron" generate power by pedaling on stationary bicycles which in turn activate synthesizers and generate sounds connected to their movements. http://www.soundtravels.ca/
Club news today: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/gwbikeclub/The Yahoo group is where the active members hangout . We are also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7366448476 We now have 47 members. Since June 14 when we started with O
The Details: This events is FREE. www.QueerWest.org/bikeclub.php Don't forget your helmet and bottled water. More Information call Michael @ homo bike central 416-879-7954
Tuesday September 15 - Mexican Independence Day @ Naco Gallery Café
Naco’s aim this time is to expose you to what really is a Mexican celebration, with great music, fantastic food and real culture. Please come and celebrate with us on Tuesday September 15th from 8pm to 1am.
We will be serving traditional hominy and pork soup, Mexican beer and Tequila Mixed drinks with great music by: “El Aguacero.” Kali Nino and Alejandro Monsivais “Mariachi Fuego.” Rob Dickson -Trumpet, Romulo Delgado- Guitar, Osvaldo Rodriquez- Violin and Oscar Perez- Guitarrone.
Aztec Ceremony by “The Toronto Aztec Dance Group.”
Mexico's Independence from Spain occurred not on "Cinco de Mayo" (May 5th, 1862), but on September 16th, 1810. Mexico celebrates the Fifth of May to commemorate the victory of the Mexican army over the occupying army of France at Puebla in May of 1862. Mexico was known officially as "La Nueva España," (New Spain) the most important Spanish colony in the New World. Its supreme ruler was King Ferdinand VII of Spain, whose representative in Mexico was the "Virrey" (Viceroy). One of the leaders of the movement of independence was Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the pastor of the nearby parish of Dolores. When he learned on September 15th, 1810, that the Queretaro conspiracy had been discovered by the Spanish authorities, he had no choice but to begin the rebellion.
Every September 15th we follow the ritual that rings the historic bell and "gives the GRITO". The Cry honors all those who sacrificed to make Mexico free: "Long live the Heroes of our Independence!".
The Details: NACO’S Gallery and Cafe 647-347-6499 at 1665 Dundas Street West, across from St. Helen's Portuguese, Catholic Church, between Lansdowne and Brock Avenue, southside.. TTC: If Subway Lansdowne Station, southbound bus to Dundas, short walk east. Dundas Streetcar to Brock, short walk to middle of block. Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario
Friday September 18 - 80's GLAM PORNO SLAM! @ Metro Theatre. MC’s for the evening: Sweatshop Hop! Also Live photo shoot by ALEX vs ALEX (http://www.alexvsalex.com/)
Live performances by: Henri Faberge and the Adorables (www.myspace.com/hfab) Kids On TV (www.myspace.com/kidsontv) Melleefresh www.myspace.com/melleeefresh)
DJ’s: Vaneska Spydabrown
About the exhibit: About the exhibit: Explicit Fantastic is a multidimensional exhibition, which will explore the issues of sex and sexuality in contemporary culture by introducing international and alternative perspectives. The exhibition will focus on the works of living contemporary artists from different cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations and feminist perspectives and who use sexuality and the body as means of expression through mediums such as painting, photography, film, sculpture, installation, performance and music.
Film/video: curated by RM Vaughan Keith Cole & Michael Caines, Kelly McCray, Lisa Pereira, Deanna Bowen, Kirsten Johnson, Dayna McLeod, Scott McEwan & Michael Holmes, Pete Dako, FASTWURMS, Natalie Wood, Peter Kingstone, Jared Mitchell, Peter Kingstone, Dayna McLeod, Lisa Pereira & Bennett Jones-Phillips, Kelly McCray, Dawn Boyd
The Details: Metro Theatre , 677 Bloor Street West Cover $10 before 10pm $15 after (free drink ticket with admission) rafi.projects@gmail.com 9pm to close. www.metrotheatretoronto.com
Saturday September 19 - Infamous, Outrageous, Controversial "Rag"dance party & cabaret @ Rearview Mirror in Kensington Market.
Cunt rock with DJ 4est, DJ Snickers and DJ De Sod, Music, Dancing, Laughs, and, of course, cabaret! . http://www.therearviewmirror.info/ www.myspace.com/dj4est
Rag has played in a number of clubs in west Toronto over the last four years, it was a Sneaky Dee's in 2005. Get this! invitations are sent out on Tampon Boxes Rearview Mirror, 193½ Baldwin St, 9.30 pm to 2.30 am Monthly Queer West, Toronto Ontario
Saturday September 19 - SWAGGER & Spilled Milk present... RECESS, with DJ Blackcat & (our resident) DJ Lissa Monet http://lissamonet.com/ www.myspace.com/simpleelissa http://www.dj-blackcat.tk/ www.myspace.com/djblackcat1 10 pm-3 am
So school has just started but you’re already looking for a break from the studying… well we’ve got just the thing. We’ve partnered with local dj extraordinaire Blackcat to offer exactly what teacher ordered– a super sexy jam. Of course we’ve got the prizes & presents to give away cuz we love you so much + this one features a raffle with proceeds going to Gay West Community Network Inc. (Queer West)
We'll be doing an on-site raffle where guests can purchase raffle tickets for a "Recess package" which includes back to school themed gifts from out various sponsors (such as clothing, accessories, sex toys, etc.). 50% of the money raised from the raffle will be going directly to Queer West.
With a mandate of “creating exciting reasons for queers to leave the house”, SWAGGER is transforming North America’s LGBTQ scene!
(Sponsors: Good for Her, Come As You Are,Naco Gallery & Cafe, Fuze, Havana Club Rum, BANG! Fitness, Choreographer and Dancer Kay-Ann Ward “formula” by Bella, Pretty Sweet Custom Cake Creations. We also partner with community organizations supporting queer people of colour, including: Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP) Bracelet of Hope Campaign)
The Details: RECESS, lovinyourswagger.wordpress.com/events/10 pm-3 am at Club Z., 812 Dundas Street West, Queer West, Toronto Ontario. /
Saturday September 19 - Smokin Mirrors @ Salvador Darling Sharon Mirrors' new party night at SALVADOR DARLING w/ MISS MARGOT! Sharon Mirrors & the scintillating MISS MARGOT host SMOKIN' MIRRORS, Intimate drag performances, shocking appearances and much more await you! You gotta see the space! Its sexy cozy, avant-garde and the staff is damn hot! Join us as we spin punk, electro and pop music, interspersed with the occasional impromptu performance by your hosts etc! 1237 Queen ST West, west of Dufferin, southside smokinmirrors@bell.net Queer West, Toronto Ontario
Thursday Evening September 24 - Gay West Bicycle Club Guided Spin Tour of six Art Galleries in West Toronto
Michael is organizing another a tour of West Toronto six art galleries. We meet at Trinity Bellwoods Park by the Queen St. gate (@ Strachan) between 6:30 - 7 pm. The tour starts at 7 pm, the whole thing should wrap up by around 9:30 pm. There is curator at each gallery stop. Some galleries provide free snacks, pop or bottle spring water for visitors.
Club news today: About http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/gwbikeclub/ The Yahoo group is where the active members hangout . We are also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7366448476 We now have 47 members Since June 14 when we started with O General Event Pictures and Slide Show of Gallery Spin Tour Aug 27 now online: http://www.queerwest.org/bikeclub.php
The Details: This events is FREE. www.QueerWest.org/bikeclub.php More Information call Michael @ homo bike central 416-879-7954
Sunday September 27 - THE WORD ON THE STREET Free Queen’s Park Celebrate reading, writing, and literacy at Canada’s largest book and magazine festival: The Word on the Street. Visit any of the 250 book, magazine, and literacy exhibitor booths to discover new writers, new publications, and new talent. Take in readings, ask questions, and get your books signed by almost 200 authors, performers, and storytellers. Enjoy great pro- gramming all day at any one of 18 performance venues, which include a Bestsellers Stage, Children’s Activity Tent, and the Wordshop: The Place for Writers. http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/
ART EXHIBITIONS
'PLAIN VIEW' New Work by JAMES FOWLER @ GALLERY 533 Opening September 3rd, exhibit runs Sept 1 to Sept 30James Fowler was born in Germany in 1971. He now lives in Parkdale. He attended York University for Film Studies. Fowler started to draw and paint at an early age and was greatly influenced as a child by his visits to his Grandmother in Montréal who painted and sculpted and by his Great Grandfather who was a portrait and landscape painter and graphic designer. Fowler has exhibited his work in the United States and in Toronto, where he maintains a full time studio practice. His work can be found in private and corporate collections In Canada, the United States and Europe.
I aim to capture the bustling motion and excitement of both a busy urban environment and an active plain of imagination. Sometimes this is manifested in my work through literal depiction of cities and neighbourhoods through non-traditional landscape painting and cartography. I find that colours and patterns found in the architectural vernacular of a city project its essence upward and these same cartographic identifiers easily lend themselves as landmarks to both emotional and psychological landscapes. The parallel between the recognizable and the imagined is joyously intentional.
New attitudes and impressions live on to identify places both real and imagined through every change and I like to depict the impressions we take away from physical journeys and emotional destinations. These maps are the places seen in the appreciators interior world. They’re charted or uncharted with order and direction and the occasional hint of playful chaos. Colours suggest the attitudes and maturity when visiting these real or imagined places. I always hope to illustrate a transient view of the world physically and existentially.
" I seek to recreate the animated gestures of these ever vibrating landscapes, striking a balance and harmony between the rigid man-made infrastructures and the organic and fluid way of the earth’s natural geography. In creating these paintings I hope to evoke the same lively wonder one gets when flying into a new big city for the first time when we try to take everything in or the lasting impressions stored in our memories of travelling anywhere far from home." Fowler said
Images of past work avaialble available at: www.flickr.com/photos/21578322@N06/sets/72157621237096518/
The Details: GALLERY 533 at 533 Richmond Street West (Entrance on Portland St. street map) Toronto ON http://www.gallery533.ca/ http://www.jamesfowlerart.com/
LANGUAGE IS LANDSCAPE - Opening show for Heather Hicks - show dates: August 31 - September 30, 2009ARTIST STATEMENT: a language is landscape is everything that the body has come to believe about speaking
We generally accept that a landscape is constantly changing; shape-shifting through conversations between seasons and time and tides and space, so why not then the character of that conversation? Of communication itself?
As an educator in the public school system, I sometimes find it difficult to teach about language in a way that celebrates words as entities that are atoms of oral stories and therefore fluid... changeable... a product and medium of individual experience.
As an artist who believes that drawing is a part of language and that marks on paper are as letters are to words... I find it difficult not to.
When we teach and learn the definitions of words as singular entities – disconnected from the history of alphabets and languages as products of the societies that they evolved in – we infer that the meaning currently attached to them and the potential of their application in communication is static:
true false good bad straight gay boy girl
We suggest that one can be either one or the other or no-thing at all.I would argue that in doing so, we are complicit in perpetuating rigid binaries where there could be continuums... of condoning the establishment of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ in each new generation.
Both art making and teaching share the potential to be transformative political acts. They are opportunities to acknowledge and engage in what should be a collective responsibility for facilitating positive social change; opportunities to challenge the things that societal hierarchies tell us are important and valid and “true”.
Words can mean more than one thing at the same time, and all things are more than the names we call words.
Heather combines painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and poetry in her multi/interdisciplinary art practice. Her installations take form in a variety of spaces and scales: from her small, hand-bound book works, to large format pieces which meld architecture, image and text. Her poetry and imagery have been published in Vallum, Misunderstandings Magazine, Canadian Women Studies, and The International Feminist Journal of Politics. Heather is also an elementary school teacher in Toronto and has been teaching creative arts and bookmaking programs to children and adults for the past 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Fine Art, Honours from Queen's University and an ISP postgraduate diploma from Toronto School of Art.
The Details: NACO Gallery Cafe Street:, 1665 Dundas St. West, 647-347-6499 Email: nacogallerycafe@gmail.com http://www.nacogallery.com/
I have been following Heather Hicks for years. Her work is amazing. *Everyone* should check this show out!
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