Nuit Blanche - October 1 - 7 pm 'til Sunrise

This will be another first for me. Nuit Blanche is the French term for an all-nighter. With my raising, usually an all-nighter involves copious amounts of alcohol, and/or a very vigorous... err... friend... so meandering about and checking out art installations all over the downtown will be a change of pace. Then again, there are enough bars in the downtown core to make the combination bar-hop-art-crawl into one multi-headed hydra of awesomeness.

The idea started in Nantes, France in 1984, and quickly became an international sensation. Nowadays, over 120 cities worldwide have a night, or several nights that they shut down city streets, and have all manner of art - sculpture, light, performance, painting - you name it, it's probably there.

This year's will be the 6th event in Toronto, and feature 130 installations all over the downtown core. They've got a handy map and night planner app for smartphones to help you plan your trapsing. I'm going with the age-old travel method of tagging along with people who've been paying more attention than I. That'll free me up to pay more attention to my rigorous training regimen for the Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer tournament that I'll be spending dawn-til-dusk playing in. Burning the day at both ends FTW.

So, enough fluff. What's on my hit list for the night?

Sans Façon - "Limelight" - Glasgow, UK

The concept is simple - they replace ordinary streetlights with spotlights, making the street into an impromptu stage, where we're the performers. The artists say that their "work aims to question places and invites a renewed outlook at everyday situations." Maybe a little overstating, but it'll be fun to see how people ham it up in the glow...

Grosvenor Street, just west of Yonge.

Kurt Firla, Elliott Mealia and Po-Mo Inc. - "Ride the Rocket" - Toronto, ON

Kind of like a simulation ride at an amusement park, this bad boy is going everywhere and nowhere at once. Dreamed up by animators and comedians, it's a stationary street car that will "visit" all kinds of far flung locales, with a trained "TTC driver" (who we all hope will stay awake for the duration...) to guide the tour. Probably a big line for this one.

600 Bay Street.

Christine Irving & Interactive Art - "The Heart Machine, 2010" - Toronto, ON

Flames shooting 25 feet in the air from a 16 foot high symbolic representation of the human heart? The only thing that could make that cooler (and cause a corresponding jump in the demand for natural gas in the Province) is if it shot flames in the air on command from passers-by. Oh, wait, they thought of that. Touch the sensors that represent the arteries, and try not to toast any pidgeons in the process. People got to play with this at Burning Man this year. Now it's our turn. To be fair, it's supposed to be 9 degrees on Saturday, so we need it a little more than those dirty hippies in the desert, right?

640 Bay St.

Artist Bloc - "The Happiness Project" - Toronto, ON

Each room in the studio building is designed as the artist's take on happiness... then people will be in there musing about happy thoughts, while orchestral music plays in the background. I may just curl up here for a nap... 134 Ossington Ave.

Of course, these are just four that caught my eye out of what I've seen so far. There are tons of things to see on this night... and you should never refuse the opportunity to have your city become your playground.

I'm bringing my camera.... this may be that catalyst for that T.O. Slideshow I've been pondering for this thing.

My Son The Hurricane

So, my very first night of bandventuring in the Tdot turned up a wicked find. I'm not quite sure how to categorize these guys - maybe a live band mashup? I've been describing them to friends as "ska/funk/rockers with some white boy nerd rap mixed in," though I'm not sure if that even covers the spread. They're a standard rock band, plus a vocalist (sometimes two), but what really makes them amazing is the 7-piece horn section. Three saxamaphones, two trombones, plus three trumpets and/or a flugelhorn and/or a sousaphone. They call themselves a brass funk band, but I'm not sure if that tells the story.

Annnyhoooo... I caught them at the Horseshoe, which is one of the big stops along the way for any band of significance, or should-be significance. For some reason they were on at 10 - a little early for how good they are. I'm hope that the next time they're back, they'll be one of the main acts. They absolutely killed it. Big big sound, great energy, and a well-put together set made them stand out in what was a solid lineup for the night.

These kids have been together for two years, and they're already tight. Actually, I'd say they were better live than they are on the video. I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here. Check their Facebook page for show dates, or follow them on Twitter.

Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer - October 1, 2011

Hockey and charitable efforts - two great Canadian pastimes. On October 1, 2011, hundreds of teams from all walks of life will be spending from dawn until dusk playing good, hard road hockey on the asphalt of Ontario Place. All of the proceeds raised go to Princess Margaret Hospital's cancer research programs. Check the link for the tournament info here.

Though the deadline for registration is just about upon us - September 23rd - donations can still be made to players and teams in support of this worthy cause. Make a donation, then come on down and catch a little stick action at Ontario Place.

Who says Torontonians don't care?

Chess - The Musical - 24 Sept - 30 Oct

Chess - one of my all-time favourite musicals is returning to the Princess of Wales Theatre for a fairly short run.

Chess is set in the height of U.S./Soviet tensions during the Cold War. A hotshot American chess master, plays the Soviet world-champion in two tournaments. I suspect the inspiration comes from the 1972 "Match of the Century" between grandmasters Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. There's political intrigue that plays out like a chess match, and the champions vie for the attention of The American's Hungarian assistant - though for very different reasons.

It's a British cast, all of whom are quite accomplished, and none of whom I think I've seen before. The show ran to rave reviews in the U.K., and Toronto is one of the first stops on the tour. From what I've heard, the director has done an amazing job of staging what can be a very difficult show to direct, and the effects are supposed to be swell as well. Good thing the cast is strong, because the score in this one is nothing short of spectacular. It demands at least three powerful voices to play The American, The Russian, and Florence. Tim Rice had a big hand in the writing, and it even resulted in a pop hit - One Night in Bangkok. Rest assured that's as cheesy as it gets. Songs like Anthem, Pity the Child, and I Know Him So Well are downright moving. If you don't like this one, you should probably just give up on musical theatre in general... and maybe seek counseling for being dead inside. Just sayin'...

Tickets run from $35-130 depending on the day, time, and where you park your butt.

Soul in Motion - 9 Year Special Event - Drum n' Bass

So you like drum n' bass, do ya? The lads at Soul in Motion have been throwing down fantastic jams for 9 years now, and they're showing no signs of stopping. Their anniversary event is sure to be a smasher, with two top headliners from the UK. Now why do I love SIM? Because they back quality headliners with only top-shelf local talent. No chumps on a I-book-you-you-book-me basis approach the decks at their jams. Quality, cover to cover.

$20 in advance, $100 bottles. Can I get a hellllls yes?!?!

Full details at DJ Spinz's website, or check the Facebook page. B'oh!

What's good in Toronto?

Here we are, in one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities. We're mixing and mingling with the well over 5 million people in the GTA in a glass and stone playground stocked with all sorts of incredible sights and sounds. The only trouble can be finding what's good on any particular night. I've been there. Hell, I am there rather frequently. Luckily enough, I've been blessed to make some great friends here with a huge variety of interests and their fingers on the pulse of this town. It's an exciting time to be here. Toronto is booming. There's great density building in the core, we're becoming a global financial force, and every day people from all over the world are coming to rest here, and bringing their experiences and cultures with them. We're one of the world's most livable cities, and one of the most diverse. Sure, our mayor is a douche, but with a little elbow grease, we can make the most of his reign, and do a little living while we still can.

I'm on a mission to explore as much of this city as I can, and share the best of it with you. Food, drink, music, art, theatre, film, festivals, people, events, sights, sports and even some escapes from the city - I'll dabble in it all, and distill it down to the good stuff.

Eventually there will be a slide show, and maybe an events calendar.

Some essential urban survival knowledge I'll be chasing:

Mission: Wings

The debate rages. Who makes the best wings in Toronto? Well, that's a matter of personal taste, so to speak. My criteria? Above average size, heat & flavour in the sauce, good service, and cheap, frosty pints. A good wing joint is an art, not a science, and trust me, I'll be going with my gut.

Caesars

For the uninitiated (read: foreigners), the Caesar is one of those things that sounds terrible on paper, but is a big glass of awesome in real life. It's the ultimate hangover cure, and if my first months in Toronto are any indication, that's something I'll be needing. Om nom nom!!!

Bands

Toronto is jam packed with great music of all sorts, and is a big stop on any band's tour calendar. I'm spending time and effort to check out up & coming local bands and shows that'll be a blast to see and hear. I also keep an eye on the concert calendar for the big venues, and I'll post up shows that excite me. No, there will be no mention of Ke$ha in this blog. Ever. Besides that one. Srsly.

Brunch

Whether it's a big ol' $5 platter of heart attack from a greasy spoon, or a pricey platter of smoked salmon eggs benny, weekend mornings/afternoons aren't complete without it.

I'm always on the lookout for tips... so let me know about your favourite places. We may not like the same things, but odds are, if you're awesome, we probably do.