They may have formed in Toronto, but The Rural Alberta Advantage’s inspiration lies in the prairies. This indie-rock threesome marries gritty vocals, energetic guitar riffs from Nils Edenloff (Canada’s answer to Jeff Mangum) and Amy Cole’s honeyed voice with punchy beats from monster drummer Paul Banwatt (also one-half of Woodhands).
The heat in Toronto right now is reminiscent of what one would normally encounter in a tropical jungle. Naturally, my wardrobe solution to this is to wear what I like to call my “Tarzan” dress. With its jagged hem and all-over leaf print, my reasoning behind its nickname should be quite obvious.
You may not know it — or even like it — but Jen Agg has changed the way Toronto eats. She is the matriarch of the Black Hoof empire, which has shaken Toronto’s culinary foundations and spawned some of the city’s hippest and hottest chefs.
It’s hard enough finding someone you can get along with in this city, so, gentlemen, when you find a good woman who’s up for roughing it in the great outdoors (without a tent!), hold on to her tightly and never let her go. Unless you see a bear; then use her as a human shield.
Backstage, five kids are concentrating hard. They are on stilts, wobbling about, with only moments to correct their balance before lumbering on stage. While they hover, parents are “oo-ing” and “ahh-ing” in the main arena, going giddy over the mini-trampoline act, in which kids are dazzling the crowd with flips. There is some serious flippage going on. Meanwhile, junior wannabe-clowns spend their time practicing goofy walks and wacky voices. This is life inside Harbourfront Centre’s circus camp for kids.
After a series of seasonal pop-ups around town, Bridge + Bardot opted to pop-up for good at Dundas and Ossington. The work of Rose Broadbent and sisters Gurjeet and Gagan Bassi, the strip’s latest haunt offers up more of what the ’hood does best: vintage and pre-owned threads. Joined by goods from local labels such as Muttonhead, Ka’Kia and Cuchara, the gals have plenty of picks for the urban clotheshorse.
With the king of crustaceans normally holding court as one of the most expensive menu options citywide, it’s not often you’ll find a bargain on this decadent aquatic dish. But with lobster prices tumbling, the timing is fortuitous for Lobster Love, a one-night event at the Evergreen Brick Works on July 19.
Toronto singer/songwriter Slim Twig has pegged Aug. 21 for the release of Sof’ Sike, described as a “dramatic left (er, make that a right) turn follow-up to 2009’s Contempt! and replaces analog drum machines and scratched record samples with psychedelic rumblings of live instrumentation.” A tour announcement is forthcoming, and Slim is also prepping additional releases for the fall.
Every week, we round up the best events from the city’s fashion scene. In this edition: custom jewellery in Kensington Market, cool events at Miracle Thieves, a couple of summer sales and free beer at Philip Sparks.
Rescue Vintage, the newest boutique to hit the fashion-friendly Ossington strip, combines high-end vintage clothing and jewellery with items from contemporary designers — all of it hand-picked by owner Renee Kaylor.
There was a sense of sadness in the air at the opening night of Million Dollar Quartet. The pleasant, occasionally thrilling musical is a re-enactment of a magical moment in modern cultural history when, on Dec. 4, 1956, four of the early giants of rock ‘n’ roll — Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins — met and jammed together in the Memphis studio of Sam Phillips’ Sun Records.
An impressive number of breweries have opened in Ontario in the last year or so, but on top of their quantity, it’s worth marveling at their diversity. And of the new crop, Bellwoods Brewery on Ossington is possibly the best.
