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Today in Toronto: In the Miller Mood, Rez Abbasi Quintet and The Original Carmina Burana

In the Miller Mood The Toronto All-Star Big Band is committed to reviving the style and sound of the 1930s and ’40s, an era when big bands reigned. This show channels Glenn Miller, whose hits— standards such as “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo”—have become shorthand for swing. Find out more »

Rez Abbasi Quintet Pakistan-born composer and jazz guitarist Abbasi is all about dismantling walls—in his case, the ones that separate jazz from traditional South Asian music. It sounds a little earnest, but Abbasi has a light, self-aware touch: his first two recordings in this novel genre were called Snake Charmer and Bazaar. Find out more »

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The Hype

Leave It to Bieber

April 26, 2012 | 3:04 pm

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Justin Bieber is officially milking this whole Mariah Yeater thing

Justin Bieber knows how to beat a dead horse. By now, we all know that Mariah Yeater lied about mothering the Biebz’s baby (note: Eden Wood would still very much like to have Bieber babies), but he won’t let up—he’s taken to tweet-taunting the young lady, and now he’s announced that a song on his upcoming album Believe is about the woman who falsified claims of Biebsy’s less-than-a-minute man status. Bieber told the Daily Mail that his album will take its cues from more rarified influences: Black Eyed Peas, Fergie and, um, Jesus Christ.

The Hype

The Velvet Rope

April 26, 2012 | 3:02 pm

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Party Pages: Members of the TSO play a private show at a Distillery District warehouse

On Tuesday night we popped into Airship 37’s Hangar Space in the Distillery District to take in an intimate and exclusive performance by four members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Hosted by chichi social club The Society and The People Wine’s, a New Zealand winery launching its products in Canada, plenty of Toronto creative types showed up in their urban-chic finery to hear TSO musicians Peter Seminovs (violin), Sergei Nikonov (violin), Eric Nowlin (viola) and Igor Gefter (cello). The quartet performed a pair of pieces, Mozart’s “Divertimento No. 1” and Tchaikovsky’s “String Quartet No. 1,” for a mostly rapt audience (though the majority sat spellbound, a few attendees had apparently showed up for the abundant vino, and had to be shushed, rather aggressively, on a number of occasions). Admittedly, a high-concept notion of pairing melodic notes with tasting notes fell a bit flat, as the People Wine’s Anna Hine’s mid-performance comparisons between the music and the drink felt awkward and contrived. Overall, however, the night was a success: the wine proved aromatic, the music transcendent and the TSO members charming—Nowlin, who served as the de facto emcee, worked the crowd with surprising aplomb.

Click here to see a photo gallery of the scene at The Urban Symphony »

The Hype

To-Do List

April 25, 2012 | 12:40 pm

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The Weekender: Itzhak Perlman, the Indie Wedding Show and six other items on our to-do list

The Weekender: FAT, Prisoner of Tehran and the Red Hot Chili Peppers

1. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
L.A. rockers Anthony, Flea, Chad and Josh (who replaced original guitarist John Frusciante in 2009, when he amicably split with the guys in favour of a solo career) are in town supporting their latest album, 2011’s I’m With You. Many songs in their 30-year career have been hits, garnering six Grammy wins and 60 million albums sold—though “Under the Bridge” is probably one of the better ones. April 27 and 28. $55–$75. Air Canada Centre, 40 Bay St., 1-855-985-5000, ticketmaster.ca.

2. ARTS AND FASHION WEEK
Arts and Fashion Week, Toronto Fashion Week’s edgier, alternative cousin, is a four-day extravaganza of photography exhibits, live music, installations and many trips down the 100-foot runway. Now in its seventh year, events are boundary-pushing and plentiful—The Dressing Room Project features installations and video projections from 12 artists, and is always a hit among attendees. To April 28. Day pass $35, weekly pass $75. 213 Sterling Road, fashionarttoronto.ca.

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The Hype

To-Do List

April 25, 2012 | 7:30 am

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Today in Toronto: Paris 1994/Gallery, Rivers and more

Lee Oskar, David Rotundo and Enrico Crivellaro For harp fans, this is harmonica heaven. Danish-born Oskar’s signature jazz-funk sound gave War, the band of which he was a founding member, its unique off-the-wall vibe. He squares off here with acclaimed local blues harpist Rotundo and well-travelled guitarist Crivellaro. Find out more »

Paris 1994/Gallery A multimedia spectacle that involves dance, film and the spoken word, this two-hander navigates the treacherous territories we call love and memory. Nominated for three Dora Awards, the performance explores the many ways in which lovers grow—or don’t grow—as each reconstructs a shared past. Find out more »

Rivers Toronto Dance Theatre’s ever-inventive choreographer Christopher House interprets the many moods of the late Ann Southam’s Rivers, a minimalist 17-movement work for solo piano, performed live by pianist Christina Petrowska-Quilico. Find out more »

The Hype

The Beat

April 19, 2012 | 10:28 am

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Broken Social Scene’s Justin Peroff to host invitation-only pop-up concert on Ossington with new band Eight and a Half

It may only seem like yesterday that Broken Social Scene went on hiatus and Kevin Drew went a little nutty on Twitter, but drummer Justin Peroff is back in the music game with Eight and a Half (which also includes Dave Hamelin and Liam O’Neil from The Stills), and the band will be performing a pop-up concert at 109 Ossington on April 26. Label Arts and Crafts refers to Eight and a Half as a “new, very real band,” hoping to put an end to thoughts that this may just be yet another side project in a long line of post-BSS side projects.

The Hype

To-Do List

April 19, 2012 | 7:49 am

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Today in Toronto: Death Cab for Cutie and Riverdance

Death Cab for Cutie Frontman Ben Gibbard may be best known to the gossip rag–reading world as Zooey Deschanel’s ex, but to the faithful he’s the wry yet vulnerable voice of Death Cab. Codes and Keys, their most recent album, marks a shift away from heart-on-sleeve guitar pop to almost goth-like atmospherics. The group is touring with an orchestra this time out and plans to rework songs from their back catalogue. Find out more »

Riverdance This perennial audience favourite, now on what it’s calling its final tour of North America, somehow manages to neutralize all highbrow criticism. The show claims to be a celebration of Irish culture, which in this case means buxom cuties and bubble-butt gentlemen in emerald green, vigorous stepping and unfettered sentimentality. It’s like St. Patrick’s Day in Las Vegas. Find out more »

The Hype

To-Do List

April 18, 2012 | 12:32 pm

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The Weekender: An Evening With Measha Brueggergosman, Riverdance and six other items on our to-do list

The Weekender: Riverdance, And Yet It Moves and CN Tower Climb

1. AN EVENING WITH MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN
The divine Ms. M—opera singer, reality TV judge and heart disease spokesperson—gets back to her roots with this intimate two-set concert promoting her new album, I’ve Got a Crush on You. April 20. $49.50-$58. Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church, 427 Bloor St. W., 1-855-985-5000, ticketmaster.ca.

2. CN TOWER CLIMB
While most Saturdays find us sleeping in or going to our favourite brunch place for Caesars, this weekend we feel inspired to do something a bit more active: scaling the CN Tower—all 1,776 steps of it—to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund’s conservation efforts. Check-in runs from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. April 21. Minimum donation is $75. CN Tower, 301 Front St. W., wwf.ca/cntower.

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The Hype

To-Do List

April 18, 2012 | 7:30 am

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Today in Toronto: Dancing Queen and Oil and Water

Dancing Queen Two enfants terribles of Toronto’s queer scene join forces for a show that, title aside, has little to do with ABBA (sorry, Mamma Mia fans). Performance artist Keith Cole choreographs Sky Gilbert’s play about the love triangle that occurs when a young buck moves to the big city and becomes acquainted with a pair of older men. Gilbert directs. Find out more »

Oil and Water The terrific Newfoundland company Artistic Fraud returns with a new production by playwright Robert Chafe and Siminovitch winner Jillian Keiley. After surviving a shipwreck, African-American sailor Lanier Phillips is welcomed by the town of St. Lawrence in this based-on-a-true-story tale of race and redemption. The tale is augmented by a boatload of a cappella gospel and folk singing. Find out more »

The Hype

The Beat

April 17, 2012 | 1:06 pm

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The Flaming Lips, Bran Van 3000, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah and more to play NXNE

The roster for this year’s North by Northeast music and film festival is already shaping up nicely, with free Yonge and Dundas Square concerts announced for The Flaming Lips, Bad Religion, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah and Matthew Good. Other confirmed guests include Of Montreal, The Men, 2:54, Bran Van 3000, The Black Belles, Art vs. Science and more, and there’s even a gala presentation of Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy on June 14 at The Royal (Welsh himself will be in attendance). Those hoping to put off sleep to experience waiting in lines and listen to some good old-fashioned tunes can now buy tickets and wristbands.

The Hype

The Beat

April 17, 2012 | 11:28 am

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Measha Brueggergosman is having a good year, but it wasn’t always so good

Measha Brueggergosman (Image: Damien D.)

On Thursday at Markham Theatre and Friday at Trinity St. Paul’s Church, soprano Measha Brueggergosman will be performing songs from her new album I’ve Got a Crush on You. Brueggergosman tells the Star that this album isn’t opera-heavy, and that it was made because she “felt the urge to procreate.” In 2009, the singer underwent heart surgery which led her to write the album track “Whole to my Half” about her supportive husband, and in 2011—after she suffered the loss of twins in utero—she began to work on her management, website and public relations, which has led to a hosting gig on Canada’s Got Talent and a tour for her album.

The Hype

Leave It to Bieber

April 13, 2012 | 3:33 pm

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Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift are an item—musically, that is

Taylor Swift (Image: Eva Rinaldi)

It appears Taylor Swift is over the accusations of blowing up a boat with fireworks by Justin Bieber, because it’s been announced that she teamed up with him to write a song for his upcoming album. There’s no word on whether she’s going to add her folksy vocals to the track, but given the Biebz says that “everything is so different and that’s why I’m so happy with this album,” we can see it becoming a reality. Just make sure you’re on solid ground when this twee bomb goes off.

The Hype

The Beat

April 13, 2012 | 1:55 pm

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Kevin Costner’s band Modern West to be among acts at Boots and Hearts Country Music Festival

Kevin Costner (Image: Brennan Schnell)

Kevin Costner revealed last night that he will be sharing the bill with Tim McGraw, Kid Rock, Carrie Underwood, Alabama and Paul Brandt at the Boots and Hearts Country Music Festival from August 10 to 12. It’s probably too soon to make a Bodyguard joke, so we’ll just call the venue—Motorsport Park in Bowmanville—his new field of dreams.

The Hype

The Velvet Rope

April 12, 2012 | 4:02 pm

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Cormarama packed The Garrison with musicians, journalists and friends to help save Derek McCormack’s life

Spirits were high at Cormarama at The Garrison on Tuesday night, with the New York Times arts editor Adam Sternbergh, Toronto Life’s editor-in-chief Sarah Fulford, Globe arts editor Gabe Gonda, musicians Joe Pernice, Matthew Barber, Doug Paisley and Jason Collett and writers Nathalie Atkinson, Jason McBride, Claudia Dey and Stephen Marche helping raise funds for author Derek McCormack. Over 300 people attended the event, and unlike most functions, which take some time to get into full swing, the bar was packed by 7:30 p.m. Despite the circumstances behind the event (McCormack is suffering from a rare form of cancer), friends and strangers sipped spirits merrily as they listened to readings from Sheila Heti, who crafted a great monologue mixing McCormack interview snippets with Lana Del Ray lyrics (McCormack is a fan of the collagen-lipped songstress), and Joey Comeau, who performed a rather macabre (but hilarious) oration that fictionalized the murders of Margaret Atwood and Anne Marie Macdonald. Those unable to attend the event can still buy art or make a donation at Art for Derek. If you missed Cormarama, check out the party »

The Hype

Leave It to Bieber

April 12, 2012 | 10:50 am

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Has Justin Bieber created a monster? Carly Rae Jepsen overtakes the Biebz’s top spot on the U.K. charts

Carly Rae Jepsen’s single “Call Me Maybe” just hit number one on the U.K. charts, dethroning former status holder and mainstay Justin Bieber. The Biebz, in his infinite tweeness, is taking this very well and is, naturally, pointing out that he did discover her. Before the Biebz, no one on the planet really knew who Jepsen was (outside of Canadian Idol fans)—the single actually debuted in September 2011 with the aid of a VideoFACT grant, but there was nary a viral video or Tumblr to be found (full disclosure, the author of this post created that Tumblr). It wasn’t until Biebsy, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and other rich and famous teens put together a fan video for the single that the world took notice, so we think it’s pretty clear who’s calling the shots in this manager-client relationship (Bieber, after all, can change someone’s life with one little tweet).

(Images: Justin Bieber, Boyfriend; Carly Rae Jepsen, Call Me Maybe)

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