By Ron Johnson
Toronto music icon Andy Kim is best known for his ’60s and 70’s pop gems such as the chart-topping “Rock Me Gently,” “Sugar, Sugar” and “Baby, I Love You.” Kim has sold over 30 million records. In the past decade, Kim has reinvented himself as a music force here in the city with new music … Continued
By Ron Johnson
The title of Ron Sexsmith’s new album Hermitage is a play on words. When he first moved out of the big city of Toronto to the sleepy theatre town of Stratford, he was planning on embracing his inner hermit and never leaving the house. The age of the hermit was upon him. Not so fast. … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Chef and restaurateur Grant van Gameren’s classic diner Harry’s Charbroiled is back and now available to order through UberEats. The past few months have been a rollercoaster ride for fans of the landmark Parkdale burger bar. In October 2019, Grant van Gameren announced he was closing the long-running late-night spot, which first opened in 1968 … Continued
By Ron Johnson
It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for the economic well-being of millions of Canadians. Musicians, who rely heavily on revenue from touring to make ends meet, and other artists are in trouble. It’s not a lucrative career for most at the best of times. With news of entire tours being … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Canadian rock queen and Juno award-winning artist Sass Jordan has been making music for more than 30 years and sold over a million albums in the process. She released her first album in nearly a decade last month. Rebel Moon Blues on Stony Plain Records is Jordan’s ninth studio album, but her first playing the … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Movie theatres were some of the first casualties of the COVID-19 shutdown, and little is changing. But this week, a number of Toronto cinemas are pushing forward with online offerings. There is hope that these will act as a funding stop-gap. In addition, the programming could help to keep local film houses front of mind … Continued
By Ron Johnson
The latest in our series of quarantine reads features Sonia Beeksma. ETALK, Canada’s top-rated entertainment news TV show, has added her fresh new voice to the mix. Since 2016, the talented broadcast journalist has been at CTV Morning Live covering everything from traffic to entertainment and fashion. Now, she’s parlaying her decade of experience and her … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Toronto native Basia Bulat released her beautiful new album Are You In Love? late last month right when the COVID-19 pandemic had everyone staying home and social distancing the heck out of this thing. It’s a challenging time to release new music, but her fans were thrilled to have anything to latch onto to get … Continued
By Ron Johnson
The Toronto Fringe performing arts festival is cancelling this year’s event due to COVID-19. The 32-year-old festival issued a statement this morning. “It seems unbelievable that this staple of the Toronto arts community will not happen this summer,” says Lucy Eveleigh, executive director of the Toronto Fringe. “The Fringe is a platform for so many, … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Dining room closures have left the restaurant industry in crisis. More than a million hospitality workers have been laid off from their jobs and, as of April 1, many restaurants are now burdened with overdue rent payments. In an industry where profit margins are known to be thin, operators across the country won’t have the … Continued
By Ron Johnson
Bif Naked is an iconic Canadian rock star and something of a spiritual guru for those who follow her social media feeds. The first single “Jim” off her upcoming album is now out and she also has a book of poetry and cartoons coming soon called Razorblade Chewing Gum. Her spring tour is no longer, … Continued
By Ron Johnson
At today’s update on the city of Toronto’s COVID-19 measures, Mayor John Tory announced that the city is cancelling all public events through to June 30 including the Pride Toronto Festival. The team at Pride Toronto was quick to issue a press release upon hearing the news stating that they were going to be working … Continued
