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06/30/11
For culture-goers, national holidays tend to be stay-at-home-with-the-Paris-Review days more than out-and-about-town days. However, one place that will be open this Canada Day is the Royal Ontario Museum. On July 1, the museum opens four new galleries to the public. Here's a sneak peek at what to expect:
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06/30/11
Have you spotted someone randomly lying face down in a weird place lately? Chances are they were planking. This so-called “art” has been the meme of the moment since earlier this year, and it doesn’t look like it’s ending anytime soon. Personally, we think it’s a pretty ridiculous pastime, but being good sports, we thought we would help out our local plankers (planksters?) with our list of the most ridiculous spots to plank in Toronto.
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06/28/11
Robbie Robertson is having a good year. He’s got a new hit record, he’s been immortalized on a postage stamp and he received The Order of Canada. The founder of the seminal music group The Band, Robertson released How to Become Clairvoyant —his first solo album in more than 15 years — this spring. Squirrelled away in the posh confines of the Windsor Arms Hotel in Yorkville, we sat down with one of the most iconic rock legends this city has ever produced.
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06/23/11
Alannah Myles made it look easy. Seemingly from out of nowhere, the Toronto native burst onto the scene with the worldwide hit “Black Velvet.” But the reality was that it was exhausting, and the struggle took its toll. Myles dropped off the map for years as she recovered. Now back in the saddle, she is ready for a comeback.
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06/22/11
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, otherwise known as Bollywood’s Oscars, is set to make its North American debut at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on Saturday. With over 40,000 visitors expected, the event is a spectacle not to be missed. For those of us unfamiliar with the celebrity talent that will walk the traditional green carpet, here are the top five (beautiful) faces to keep your eye on.
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06/20/11
In post-G20 Toronto, attitudes toward the police force seem to have changed drastically among a notable chunk of the city’s population. Claims that police tactics were too heavy-handed, secretive or outright prejudiced reflect problems that some communities have been experiencing long before the ill-fated summit, say organizers of tonight’s Rethinking Toronto Police forum.
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06/17/11
Have you been trying to figure out what’s going on with the construction at MuchMusic’s back lot lately? Scratched your head over the wristband hoopla that’s been in the news? That’s probably because you’re not 14, but the MuchMusic Video Awards are going down this weekend, and the star-studded awards fest isn’t looking too bad this year. Here are five reasons why.
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06/17/11
The recent revival of the synth pop sound of the 80s — combined with a generation of aging hipsters yearning relive their misspent youth — is providing the perfect storm for Men Without Hats’ Ivan Doroschuk to once again urge his fellow citizens to dance if they want to, and leave their friends behind (cue the dancing dwarf in the English countryside!).
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06/16/11
With NXNE in full swing last night, The Garrison was the place to be. New York band The Postelles were in full rock-star mode, proving without a doubt that they are a band to watch out for. The band took the stage at 11 p.m., following a supreme shoegazer effort by Baltimore's Lower Dens that left the crowd in a despondent mood, contemplating what it all meant. But that soon changed.
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06/16/11
Less than a year after launching her first self-published book, Poser, Caitlin Cronenberg is at it again. The 26-year-old photographer has teamed up with New York-based art director Jessica Ennis to create The Endings — a book of breakups. Or, perhaps more aptly explained: a book of photos of re-enacted breakups.
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06/15/11
Forest City Lovers are good. More than just a buzz band, the Toronto group, fronted by the wondrous Kat Burns, continues to defy convention and produce arresting and melodic pop gems that reflect a unique sensibility. The band is scheduled for a number of concerts this week for North by Northeast, and we caught up with Burns for a chat.
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06/13/11
Singer-songwriter Chad VanGaalen is appearing at the North By Northeast music festival this Saturday, right on the heels of the release of his latest album, Diaper Island. The Calgary musician’s latest effort sees music that is stripped of the pervasive electronica that characterized him previously. In its place is a bare-bones indie rock that might just make him even more popular. But can the reclusive rocker handle more success? We spoke with him to find out.
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06/10/11
Forget truth or dare and toothpaste pranks: Tonalism isn’t your typical slumber party. This all-night ambient music event from L.A.’s non-profit radio collective dublab is coming to Toronto for the first time ever tonight. For 12 hours, The Music Gallery will be filled with ambient sounds and visuals — inspired by the far-out music happenings of the 1960s — featuring bass-heavy electronics from Southern California, as well as showcasing some local talent.
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06/10/11
Toronto’s culture scene is about to go into overdrive with today’s kick-off of Luminato, the city’s uber-festival of arts and creativity. Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the 10-day festival with over 150 events promises to be a spectacle not to be missed. But with such an extensive catalogue of awesome creativity, it’s near-impossible to see everything. We made the daunting selection process easier for you with our top-five list of what we’re most excited to see.
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06/08/11
After hosting 18 parties in the past three weeks, most people would be dead on their feet. Not Rachel Beauparlant. The young entrepreneur is vivacious and energetic as she discusses her newest venture, Breakout Studios. Housed in a 6,000 square foot space at Bayview and Eglinton, Beauparlant and her partner, David Leese (of Loots Lounge), have built Breakout into every artist’s dream space.
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06/06/11
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis will grace Roy Thomson Hall’s stage tomorrow night to mark the 20th anniversary of the iconic feminist film Thelma & Louise. For those who aren’t familiar with the movie (and for those who are) we break down what makes this film so iconic and, well, awesome.
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06/03/11
Short stories often make great theatre pieces, from Chekhov’s work to the lesser-known but brilliant adaptations by the wonderful American poet Robert Lowell. So when I heard that Soulpepper’s Diego Matamoros, one of Canada’s finest and most beloved performers, had joined with one of this country’s most impressive directors, Daniel Brooks, to collaborate on bringing Jorge Luis Borges’ mystical, haunting story, The Aleph, to the stage, I was ecstatic.
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06/02/11
Lets face it, jocks corner the market on everything from football to foosball, but yoga is often the kryptonite of physical activity for these mighty but inflexible Adonises. Toronto yoga teacher and self-described jock Michael DeCorte feels differently, though. We caught up with him to find out just what the deal is with Jock Yoga: his athlete-friendly incarnation of the ancient practice that’s being taught at yoga studios across the city.
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06/01/11
Louise Pitre is red hot these days. The Canadian actress has played some of the most sought-after roles in musical theatre history (the lead in Mamma Mia! is just one in a series of impressive performances) and tonight she performs a solo concert entitled La Vie En Rouge, which will be recorded live for an upcoming CD. We tracked down the bilingual diva for a quick tête-à-tête before the show.
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