As with NOW, NEXT has to have great listings — online of course — at nextmag.ca, and we publish the best of them in print. Using a platform developed by our colleagues in the alternative media, our listings are free to use and we encourage all local producers, artists and community groups to utilize them to reach thousands of people at no cost.
EXT is the new NOW. I can say this with confidence, having started NOW with a group of friends back in the ’80s — I sold my interest in 2016 — and having started NEXT in 2020 with a new group of young journalists as well as NOW veterans. First a national arts magazine, in spring 2023, we rebooted NEXT as Toronto’s new progressive voice and champion of independent arts.
The reasons for starting NOW have only become more pressing today. We launched NEXT in a city where independent media voices are disappearing and a growing arts scene has even fewer places to be covered as legacy media slashes entertainment journalism.
Toronto has an amazing arts scene — live music, theatre, film, visual art and more. And the progressive community that often helps this city be its best is almost completely media disenfranchised. Our goal is to showcase — in print and online — the best arts in Toronto while also providing reporting and dialogue on local Toronto issues from a city-building point of view.
We are hyper-local in our news coverage, featuring reporting in The Closer section of the print magazine, with ongoing and breaking news and commentary online. NEXT publishes 60,000 copies that are distributed through all subway stations, select GO stations, street boxes and 400 other outlets. We will eventually be monthly — about halfway there now — with fresh content online throughout the day, every day.
People kindly tell me NOW had a significant impact on them and their city. I seek to have the same impact with NEXT; Toronto and the amazing citizens and creators in it deserve nothing less.
All the best,
Michael Hollett Editor/publisher, NEXT (2020 – present) Editor/publisher NOW (1981 – 2016)
— Look for our Fall Guide Arts preview in print this September and new content online all summer at nextmag.ca
Follow our NEXT listings here
Ottawa’s Pony Girl bring their dreamy, synth-powered art rock to NXNE. Full NXNE preview in this issue
After breaking through with an Indigenous JUNO nom, Logan Staats has headed to Nashville to chase his country music dreams
8
Dora-winning actor Daren A. Herbert has been swimming in history with a steady stream of roles in historical shows, and his latest is Come Home — The Legend of Daddy Hall 26
Jon Bon Jovi tells NEXT he was determined to tell the truth about his band in a new documentary series while Beach Boy Mike Love tells us it’s time to remember his band is about fun fun fun
32
Toronto-based comedian and award-winning head writer for Canada’s Drag Race, Brandon Ash-Mohammed is currently one of Canada’s brightest comedy stars 40
After over a year of Olivia Chow’s City Hall, it’s time to issue the mayor and council their One-Year Report Cards. There will be a few detentions!
The 6 can’t-miss things happening in Toronto this summer
When: Sat., June 15, 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Green Parking lot, Queen and Dennison
Why: North by Northeast (NXNE) presents Mississauga popstar Alex Porat, fresh from headlining the Axis Club, free, at the new NXNE Queen West Day Party (parking lot at Queen and Dennison). She’ll be topping a lineup that also includes Luna Elle (4:40 pm), Elyse Saunders (3:45 pm), The Boneheads (2:15 pm), Vincent Darby, Dozie (1:30 pm), Allydice (12:20 pm), Lavender Town (12;15 pm). Porat’s dance powered set is at (5:35 pm). Also features beer gardens, food trucks and local vendors. At night, NXNE takes over 22 of Toronto’s best live music venues from June 12–16 with 275 bands. Festival passes are $29 and single shows average $20.
When: Sat., June 1 – Sun., June 30
Where: Venues across Toronto
Why: You can tell from the rainbow-washed bank logos on every corner that Pride is coming, one of the biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the word. Go to the Dyke March (Sat., June 29) and the Family Parade (Sun., June 30) — especially if this is your first time — but don’t miss events happening across the city all month, such as Farra N Hyte’s “Love Letter” to Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (Tue., June 18, 12 Alexander St.), celebrating the iconic venue’s 45-year history of being an essential space for queer voices and art in Toronto.
When: Wed., July 3 –Sun., July 14
Where : Venues across Toronto
Why: Discover the next big play, musical, TV show or other multi-talented, Toronto-based artist before the fame and accolades started rolling. The Toronto Fringe Festival is where acclaimed TV shows like Kim’s Convenience and musicals like D a Kink in My Hair , The Drowsy Chaperone and Life After first debuted. Toronto’s literally bursting with talented artists, so discover the next Broadway hit while it’s still on Queen Street.
When: Fri., Aug. 16 – Mon., Sept. 2
Where: Exhibition Grounds, 105 Princes’ Blvd.
Why: It’s cheesy, loud, corny and charming, and a celebration of all things deep fried and foolish, The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is back for its 145th year. We might complain, and the Air Show pisses off us and the people living under it, but we’ll be roaming its sticky streets again. Watch for Bandshell acts soon.
When: Fri., Aug. 2 –Sun., Aug. 4
Where: Downsview Park, 35 Carl Hall Rd.
Why: Veld is Canada’s largest EDM festival up at Downsview Park — a short subway ride away or next door if you’re a student at York. Friday promises a show-stealing “HOLO” performance by Eric Prydz. Saturday features superstars Kaskade and Steve Aoki and on Sunday, Ray Volpe and Boys Noize close out the festival. Get your tickets (and your glowsticks), because if you love to move to bass and beats, this year’s Veld isn’t one you want to miss.
When: Sat., June 15 & Sun., June 16
Where: Fort York National Historic Site, 250 Fort York Blvd.
Why: Na-Me-Res offers comprehensive Indigenous housing and support with cultural respect. This festival celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day, featuring traditional dancing, drumming, giveaways, and craft & information booths. The Grand Entry will take place at noon and the Powwow will run for the entire afternoon. 1 2 3 4 5 6
Michael Hollett
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Art Director
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ow do we make ourselves feel better about having to work?
That’s the question that songwriting duo Pascal Huot and Yolande Roche ask on the title track of Pony Girl’s lush and emotive 2023 album, Laff It Off. Originally, Laff It Off was a punk joke song that turned into something they could dance to, a jam about not wanting to have a day job, Roche explains over a video call from her home outside of Ottawa. In between her answers, she gets up to stop her dog from interrupting.
This cheeky sarcasm is just one of the many facets on the album, representative of Pony Girl’s world of storytelling. From stage fright to sex work and cynical optimism, Laff It Off nds the Ottawa indie art-rock group embracing introspection with softer sounds and curiosity. Their guitar-driven,
electronic melodies are mesmerizing, further complemented by Roche and Huot’s thoughtfully intertwined vocals. The group recently won Single of the Year for Laff It Off at the 2024 Capital Music Awards and will be taking their show to a number of Canadian festivals, including NXNE in Toronto on Fri., June 14, at the Garrison.
“Pascal and I both love to collect bits of information — things that inspire us or just words that t together and sound funny,” says Roche. “We’re trying to build a world where maybe it’s not just us talking about our feelings but characters that we
can embody through our music that tell just odd stories are just interesting stories or funny stories or sarcastic stories.” On stage, the duo tell these stories by personifying those characters with a theatrical air. Roche plays clarinet and keys and sings together with Huot, who is the main vocalist and guitarist in Pony Girl. The two friends are the core of the group, and they are joined by Mili Hong on drums, Julien Dussault on guitar and Greggory Clark on bass. Their live shows don’t necessarily replicate the recordings on their album; the band imbue electricity into their set to bring Hout’s characters in the song to life.
Pony Girl derived their band name from one of Huot’s doodles. Fitting, for a lyricist who nds songwriting inspiration portraying characters who are extensions of himself, whether that’s a moment he happened to eavesdrop upon or a phrase that stands out to him. Laff It Off’s character portrayals are connected by world-building interludes, inspired by hip hop and R&B artists like Frank Ocean. These instrumentals are used
as a palate cleanser to naturally guide you to the next song on the album.
Things have changed since the band rst started 11 years ago.
Although they lament the idea of taking up day jobs, it is a reality that most artists have to face.
Huot works as a graphic designer and video editor — a convenient and stable job to support his new family — and Roche uses her background in classical music to teach the clarinet to young people, which she describes as the healthiest relationship to work she’s had in a long time.
After wrapping up a big Canadian tour for their last album cycle, the band members were feeling disconnected. They took a much-needed break and worked on some of their personal music projects. When they regrouped, they decided to revisit the reasons why they were together: to create music that makes their hearts sing.
“We try to remind each other that we’re doing this because we love each other and we’re doing this because we want to have fun on stage and this should not be an experience that stresses us out, and then we go home feeling
like energy has been taken away,” says Roche.
Laff It Off is actually a sister album to 2022’s Enny One Wil Love You, which leans more towards an electronic in uence. They recorded both albums together, and it wasn’t until they were done recording that they noticed that two distinct aesthetics had developed and were perhaps worth giving each its own space.
Both Hout and Roche are detail-oriented people, asking what the purpose of every note is during the songwriting process. They hold each other to a high standard, nding the golden nugget of each jam session, which is sometimes only 10 seconds worth of material.
“Maybe this is a weakness of ours, but we go through everything with a ne-toothed comb,” says Roche. “We consider everything from the sounds of syllables not owing well down to each chord.”
Already shifting focus to the next project, Pony Girl has been writing and jamming at a friend’s cottage to create the next album. They started recording in Victoria, B.C., with their frequent
collaborator Austin Tufts (from the indie art rock band, Braids) as producer. There’s still lots of work to be done, and Roche hesitates to talk too much about the new album because it will inevitably evolve as they continue to work on it, but she speaks about it with an animated spirit. With more than 30 demos to begin with, they’ll pare it down to their best album yet.
In their upcoming fth LP, release date yet to be nalized, Pony Girl will be exploring bombastic characters they’ve never played before, with Huot embodying a goo er, Talking Heads vibe and developing his showmanship through this new channel. Roche promises this will be an album that will really make people move, with a mix of electronic sounds and a livewire energy that’s captured in the band’s playing.
“I’m really looking forward to taking the lead on some
Watch the video for Pony Girl’s “Laff It Off”
songs and I think the energy of this next record is even more explosive,” says Roche. “And we are pushing each other to really produce next-level shit that I don’t think we’ve been able to achieve before because we have that kind of newfound mindset of gratitude and love and friendship going into each of these recording sessions.”
Who: Pony Girl, part of NXNE w/ The High Loves (8 pm,) Nat Vazer (9 pm), Sea of Lettuce (10 pm), Jane’s Party (midnight)
When: Fri, June 14, 11 pm
Where: Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. Who: Pony Girl, part of NXNE w/ The High Loves (8 pm,) Nat Vazer (9 pm), Sea of Lettuce (10 pm), Jane’s Party (midnight)
When: Fri, June 14, 11 pm
Where: Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.
Get the full NXNE schedule here
North by Northeast (NXNE) is
back for its 29th year taking over 23 of the city’s best clubs to present 275 emerging acts from around the world. Each venue has ve acts with 40-minute sets starting on the hour, rst set at 8 pm with a few exceptions.
By NEXT MagazineThe best way to experience the festival is with a $29 pass that gets you into all venues throughout the festival’s ve days, June 12 through 16. Most genres are represented, including hard rock, avant-garde, jazz, hip hop, country, indie pop, R&B, punk and more.
The festival groups its venues from C’est What and Bar Cathedral, downtown east, a Kensington market cluster, a strip on Queen West from Spadina to Bathurst and more, all designed to encourage club-hopping.
New elements this year include the Garage Band NXNE People’s Choice audience award, voted on by fans from now until the end of the festival. The grand prize winner and two runners-up
Who: Noah Malcolm
When: Wed., June 12, 10 pm
Where: Cameron House, 408 Queen St. W.
From: Prince Edward County
Genre: Country
If you like: Jason Mraz
Why you should go: The Canadian artist has a diverse musical background — from acoustics to classical training — and this can be seen during his live performances as he takes in uences from what he has learned and delivers an engaging show with smooth vocals and charming showmanship.
Who: Jess Reiss
When: Wed., June 12, 10 pm
Where: Jean Darlene, 1203 Dundas St. W.
From: Australia
will receive prize packages at an awards night, Sun., June 16, at the Rec Room.
While the festival’s focus remains on presenting emerging acts in the cubs, a free outdoor show is back — the NXNE Queen West Day Party, just off Queen at Dennison in the Green P — this time deep in the club area, with headliner Alex Porat, six other acts, a beer garden, food trucks, vendors and more.
Comedy creeps back into the festival at Smith House, which features two floors of talent with comics on the main floor and hip hop and R&B upstairs. Check out our editors’ picks and start building your own personal NXNE schedule.
Genre: R&B / Soul
If you like: Yebba
Why you should go: The Sydney-born artist was heavily inspired by music from the ’70s and that’s evident when listening to her smooth and ethereal love songs that hook the listener with catchy grooves.
Who: Mak Ro
When: Thurs., June 13, 11 pm
Where: Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W.
From: Tennessee
Genre: R&B/Pop
If you like: Jahkoy / 11:11
Why you should go: The Filipino American duo have a unique and soulful sound that takes in uences from a range of genres like pop and R&B. They’re “obsessed with sound” and continuously ex-
When: Wed., June 12, 10 pm
Where: Tapestry, 224 Augusta Ave.
From: Toronto Genre: R&B
If you like: Lianne La Havas
Why you should go: Just sit back and relax as Brazilian-born artist teté takes you to another realm with her stunning vocals and subtle instrumentals with a Latin twist.
periment with new arrangements as they look to evolve to the next sonic level.
Who: Talia Schlager
When: Thurs., June 13, midnight
Where: Horseshoe, 370 Queen
St. W.
From: Toronto
Genre: Indie, folk, roots
If you like: Caroline Policheck
Why you should go: Former fulltime now occasional CBC radio host, Schlanger recently packed
Massey Hall’s TD Music Centre for a dreamy set that featured her personal songwriting and willowy musical imagery. Her recent album is produced by Cowboy Junkies’ Mike Timmins, and her shows are legend for cool special guests.
Who: Saint Clarence
When: Thurs., June 13, 10 pm
Where: Smith House, 171 College St.
From: Belgium
Genre: Hip hop
If you like: Mike Dimes
Why you should go: The rapper originally hails from Nivelles, Belgium, but is now based in Toronto. He’s quickly gaining a reputation as a huge talent in the city with trap beats, melodic vocals and clever wordplay.
Who: DBMK
When: Thurs., June 13, midnight
Continued from Pg 11
Where: Bar Cathedral, 54 The Esplanade
From: New York
Genre: Pop
If you like: COIN
Why you should go: If you’re thinking about going to see DBMK, just listen to their new track MAYBE and you’ll be instantly convinced. The pop track is full of energy and good vibes that will get any party started in seconds.
Who: Brekky Boy
When: Thurs., June 13, 10 pm
Where: The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.
From: Australia
Genre: Edgy instrumental Jazz
If you like: BadBadNotGood
Why you should go: Edgy, aggressive and highly skilled instrumental jazz from Australia. Transcendental tracks will take you to the edge of the Outback and other, otherworldly places. Join them from an unforgettable musical walkabout.
Who: Samantha Marie
When: Thurs., June 13, 8 pm
Where: Cafe Pamenar, 307 Augusta Ave.
From: Florida
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
If you like: Sabrina Carpenter
Why you should go: The Florida-born artist possesses an incredible talent for songwriting, with deep and introspective vocals and a refreshing versatility in her music as she ows between gritty guitar jams and dance tracks.
Who: Ayla Tesler-Mabe
When: Thurs., June 13, 11 pm
Where: The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.
From: Vancouver
Genre: Indie
If you like: Chappell Roan
Why you should go: The young Canadian artist arrived on the scene in 2017 as lead guitar for Calpurnia, Finn Wolfhard’s rst band. Following the band’s split, she has gone from strength to strength with incredible vocals and breathtaking guitar skills that make her one to watch.
Who: Con the Artist
When: Thurs., June 13, 11 pm
Where: Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave.
From: Toronto
Genre: Indie
If you like: The Kid Laroi / Aidan Bissett
Why you should go: Whether it’s the transient psychedelic guitar, playful lyrics or bouncy drumbeats, Con the Artist creates incredibly engaging music that is exciting and innovative in equal measures.
Who: Good Boy Nikko
When: Fri., June 14, 8 pm
Where: Paddock, 178 Bathurst St.
From: England
Genre: Indie Pop
If you like: Al e Indra
Why you should go: The Dream
Pop duo from Northern England encapsulate everything that’s great about the genre with innovative use of synths and dreamy vocals.
Who: Tennyson King
When: Fri., June 14, midnight
Where: Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W.
From: Hong Kong/Mississauga
Genre: Indie folk
If you like: Nick Drake
Why you should go: Emotional songwriting beautifully sung as Tennyson King plays both modern and traditional Chinese instruments and creates moving songscapes. Just returning from massive tour of Asia, including Jadefest.
Who: Wrona
When: Fri., June 14, 10 pm
Where: Tapestry, 224 Augusta Ave.
From: Poland
Genre: Punk
If you like: Kultur Shock
Why you should go: If you’re looking for something unique and different and wanting to immerse yourself in a new world of music, look no further than the four-piece punk band from Warsaw.
Who: Meteor Airlines
When: Fri., June 14, 9 pm
Where: Tapestry, 224 Augusta Ave.
Continued on Pg 14
When: Thurs., June 13, 10 pm
Where: Bar Cathedral, 54 The Esplanade
From: Toronto
Genre: Dark pop
If you like: Peaches, Nina Hagen, Mitski
Why you should go: We saw Aiko Tomi in Taipei, Taiwan, in April at Jadefest and she was riveting — and fun. Her show is energy and audacity — with beats. When Tomi spotted someone with a massive snake in the crowd before her show — no, an actual snake — she convinced the owner to let her use it in her set. When she used the beast in her Madonna-inspired track, Animals Awake, it was so natural it seemed like it must have been planned well in advance. She doesn’t always pull a snake from out of the crowd, but Tomi does feed on the energy of her audience, daring it to follow her on a dance-powered journey rich in re ecting her Asian heritage.
Continued from Pg 13
From: Morocco
Genre: Rock
If you like: Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Why you should go: The beauty of a festival like NXNE is that it showcases local talent from Canada but also exposes people to a diverse mix of music from across the world. This is certainly the case with this Moroccan band as they produce songs in their mother tongue, Tamazight, and perform Amazigh rock — which has themes related to Amazigh history, values and customs.
Who: Janes Party
When: Fri., June 14, midnight
Where: The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W.
From: Toronto
Genre: Indie pop rock
If you like: Arkells, Hall and Oates
Why you should go: These upbeat, indie popsters provide a dance-fuelled set that’s lled Lee’s Palace and the ’Shoe. Bring a fresh feel to tracks inspired by Yacht Rock and ’70s pop. Better get here early because NEXT cover stars Pony Girl are also on the bill.
Who: Kings of Queens
When: Fri., June 14, midnight
Where: Horseshoe, 370 Queen St. W.
From: Kingston, ON
Genre: Indie rock
If you like: Arkells
Why you should go: Fun, optimistic indie rock from Kingston. We dare you not to smile with these upbeat tracks that have more hooks than a tackle box, singalong choruses and wailing
lead guitars just when they’re needed.
Who: Jay Glavany
When: Fri., June 14, 10 pm
Where: Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W.
From: Toronto
Genre: R&B/Hip hop
If you like: River Tiber
Why you should go: The Cameroonian Canadian is a supremely talented artist who blends his ethereal and dreamy vocals with soft R&B beats whilst rapping about love and loss. He’s another shining light in a city that is a hotbed for R&B talent.
Who: The Backsteps
When: Sat., June 15, 8 pm
Where: Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave.
From: Kingston, ON
Genre: Rock
If you like: The Buzzcocks
Why you should go: From the moment you start listening to a song by The Backsteps, you’re instantly hooked. The retro vocals combined with the catchy hooks and instrumentals make for an incredible experience that is made to be heard live.
Who: Blair Lee
When: Sat., June 15, 11 pm
Where: Collective Arts Taproom, 777 Dundas St. W.
From: Toronto
Genre: Indie pop
If you like: Gracie Abrahms + Lizzy McAlpine
Why you should go: The Toronto songwriter recently released her sophomore EP, Limbo, which further showcased her ’90s-poprock sound that wouldn’t feel
out of place in a teen movie from that era. The clever production and instrumental blend the present day and ’90s perfectly as she has created a niche for herself in this liminal space.
Who: Waxlimbs
When: Sat., June 15, 11 pm
Where: Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave.
From: Toronto
Who: SYTË
When: Sat., June 15, 8 pm
Where: Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave.
From: New York Genre: Pop
If you like: CHVRCHES
Why you should go: The alt-pop duo, made up of Nita Kaja and Drin Tashi, have created an exciting world of music through their band as they write and produce tracks that are impossible to not dance along to and fall in love with.
Get the full NXNE schedule here
Genre: Indie Rock
If you like: Mitski
Why you should go: There is something unpredictable, mysterious and beautiful about a Waxlimbs performance. The band incorporates visual arts with their signature sounds at live shows, which makes for a memorable experience in an intimate venue.
Who: SHEBAD
When: Sat., June 15, 11 pm
Where: Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W.
From: Guelph
Genre: R&B
If you like: Alicia Keyes, BADBADNOTGOOD
Why you should go: Smooth, jazzy R&B from funky crowd pleasers SHEBAD highlight a packed Lovetown records bill stacked with bands guaranteed to get you dancing.
Who: Anitta
When: Wed., May 29
Where: History, 1663 Queen St. E. Genre: Baile funk
Why you should go: The global superstar will perform at History as part of her rst-ever North American tour. It will give fans the chance to experience Brazilian funk in an endorphin-boosting party atmosphere.
Who: Charley Crockett
When: Wed., May 29
Where: Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. Genre: Country
Why you should go: Quickly becoming one of the biggest names in country music, Charley Crockett hits the road in support of his latest album, $10 Cowboy.
Who: Luke Hemmings
When: Thurs., May 30
Where: History, 1663 Queen St. E. Genre: Pop/rock
Why you should go: The 5 Seconds of Summer frontman will embark on his rst solo headlining tour as he supports his recent EP Boy — which came out April 26. The Australian is expected to play tracks from his new EP, his 2021 debut album When Facing the Things We Turn Away From and even a cover of The Cure’s Friday I’m in Love.
Who: Canadian Music Week
When: Sat., June 1- Sat., June 8
Where: Various Genre: Festival
Why you should go: The annual music business and networking event in Canada returns for its 42nd year, featuring a major conference, awards, club showcases and limited ticket access to some bigger acts. The Left of the Dial Tribute show to beloved local radio DJ Dave Bookman, featuring a night of Replacements covers should be a highlight, Thurs., June 6, Garrison.
Who: Jim Cuddy
When: Tue., June 4
Where: Hugh’s Room, 296 Broadview Ave.
Genre: Roots
Why you should go: The Blue Rodeo founding member heads to Hugh’s Room for a special record release party in support of his new album, All the World Fades Away. NEXT gives the album a rave 5-N review. He plays Massey Hall with his son Devin Cuddy on Wed., Nov. 27.
Who: D4VD
When: Wed., June 5
Where: The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.
Genre: Pop
Why you should go: Fresh off supporting SZA on her arena tour of the U.S., D4VD embarks on his own headline tour, which includes a date in Toronto. The pop star has, at the tender age of 19, been making waves recently with his innovative DIY pop that has captured the imagination of millions around the world already.
Who: Sophie Ellis-Bextor
When: Sat., June 8
Where: The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.
Genre: Pop
Why you should go: Following the success of Saltburn and that infamous dance scene, Sophie Ellis Bextor’s Murder on the Dance oor has had an incredible resurgence in popularity and catapulted her back into the limelight. The British artist will head to Toronto for an atmospheric night full of oor- ller tracks.
Who: Scenic Route to Alaska
When: Mon., June 10
Where: The Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W.
Genre: Alternativ
Why you should go: Edmonton
Continued on Page 17
Who: Orville Peck
When: Wed., July 3, 7:30 pm
Where: Budweiser Stage
Genre: Creative country
Why you should go: Gorgeous voice, gorgeous dude — our favourite masked man, Canada’s, country-innovator and fashion king Orville Peck hits the big lakeside stage, and we couldn’t be happier. It’s been too long coming as this trendsetter’s star has continued its steady rise from his stunning debut album Pony (2019) to this year’s spectacular duets collection Stampede: Vol. 1, featuring his already classic track Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other with Willie Nelson.
Queens & Kings, Dali Van Gogh, Live Animals, TRUSS, Avalon Stone, Junko Daydream
Continued from Page 15
indie rockers head to Toronto for a headline show at the ’Shoe. The trio will play tracks from their latest album, Lasts Forever, featuring their catchy melodies and smooth vocals.
Who: Toronto International Jazz Festival
When: Fri., June 21 – Sun., June 30
Where: Multiple venues
Genre: Various
Why you should go: One of the biggest events on the Toronto arts schedule returns for its 37th year as the International Jazz Festival takes over the city for 10 days of music from some of the top names in jazz and beyond. Ticketed festival highlights include Andre 3000’s rst Toronto show in a decade as he will perform tracks from his ute album, New Blue Sun (Fri., June 28, Massey Hall) and Hiatus Kaiyote (Wed., June 25, History). Watch for the lineup of free outdoor shows soon.
Who: Hot in Toronto
When: Sat., June 22
Where: Downsview Park, 70 Canuck Ave.
Genre: Rap
Why you should go: One of the biggest events of the summer will take place in Toronto as hip hop giants descend on Downsview Park for a night to remember. The likes of Lil Wayne, Akon, 2 Chainz and Lil’ Kim will grace the stage over a legendary day for the Hip hop purists.
Who: Barenaked Ladies
When: Thurs., June 27
Where: Sobey’s Stadium, 1 Shoreham Dr.
Genre: Pop
Why you should go: York U tennis stadium launches — again — as a concert venue with BNL, Sam Roberts Band and K.T. Tunstall. Shaggy plays same venue Sat., June 29.
Who: Gentle Sparrow
When: Fri., June 28
Where: Cameron House, 408 Queen St. W.
Genre: Folk
Why you should go: The indie folk singer-songwriter Eastern Ontario honed his craft by performing at parties and events and improvising personalized songs on the spot for his roommates during lockdown. Now he’s gone on to develop an impressive live show that stuns audiences across the country.
Who: Niall Horan
When: Fri., June 28 & Sat. June 29
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. Genre: Pop
Why you should go: The former One Direction band member has carved out an impressive solo career for himself following the band’s split in 2016.
Who: Electric Island
When: Sat., June. 29 & Sun., June 30
Where: Ontario Place, West Island, 955 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Genre: EDM
Why you should go: The concert+picnic series is the perfect place for EDM lovers in Toronto as huge artists like Diplo (Sun., June. 30), Keys N Krates (Sun., June 30) and Charlotte De Witte (Sat., June 29) hit the stage over a jam-packed weekend.
Who: Lloyd Banks
When: Sun., June 30
Where: Lee’s Place, 529 Bloor St. W. Genre: Rap
Why you should go: The U.S. rapper, who gained fame as part of 50 Cent’s G-Unit, will head to Toronto to celebrate 20 years of The Hunger for More. The 2004 album will evoke nostalgia as Lloyd Banks will perform tracks like I’m So Fly and Warrior Part 2 — his collaboration with Eminem.
Who: Janet Jackson
When: Wed., July 3
When: Mon., June 10
Where: The Axis Club
Genre: Alternative
Why you should go: The Sonic Youth co-founder supports her solo album, The Collective, with a headlining tour across North America.
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. Genre: Pop
Why you should go: The iconic Janet Jackson will bring Together Again to Toronto this summer — a tour that marks her 50th anniversary in the industry. Fans can expect an incredible show with a high production value as Jackson will perform hits like That’s the Way Love Goes and All For You to a sold-out arena.
Who: Killer Mike
When: Sun., July 7
Where: The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave. Genre: Rap
Why you should go: Don’t miss your chance to see a rapper at the top of his game. Killer Mike became an important rapper beginning with his mid-2010s work as co-frontman of Run the Jewels, including amazing appearances at NXNE 2014. Now a solo act, the rapper achieved mainstream fame earlier this year for his success at the Grammys — including Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.
Who: Schoolboy Q
When: Thurs., July 18
Where: History, 1663 Queen St. E.
Genre: Rap
Why you should go: The U.S. rapper will kick off his Blue Lips Weekend headlining tour with a show in Toronto as Schoolboy Q showcases his unique style and inventive ows. The rapper
from South Central L.A. rose to fame with hits like That Part and Man of the Year and has huge collaborations with the likes of Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky.
Who: Method Man & Redman
When: Sat., July 20
Where: Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St.
Genre: Rap
Why you should go: Hip hop legends Method Man and Redman will be embarking on a joint Canadian summer tour, which stops off at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre. The duo has been collaborating since 1994 at the peak of their powers and they continue to blow audiences away 30 years later.
Who: Greg Hawkes Performing the Music of The Cars
When: Sat., July 20
Where: El Mocambo, 464 Spadina Ave.
Genre: Rock
Why you should go: Greg Hawkes returns to Toronto and the saxophone player from The Cars will perform the band’s famous hits like Drive and Just What I Needed
Who: Toronto’s Festival of Beer
When: Fri., July 26 – Sun., July 28. Where: Bandshell Park, 100 Prince Edward Island Cres.
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Genre: Festival
Why you should go: Two perfect worlds collide as beer and music take centre stage at the Beer Festival. There will be over 100 vendors providing the beer and live music performances by the likes of Cypress Hill (Fri., July 26) and Taking Back Sunday (Sun., July 28.)
Who: Redd Kross
When: Mon., July 29
Where: Lee’s Place, 529 Bloor St. W.
Genre: Rock
Why you should go: The California rock band will kick off a busy 2024 with a tour of North America this summer, before releasing an album, a memoir and a documentary that will give fans an incredible look behind the scenes of Redd Kross.
Who: Caribana
When: Thurs., Aug. 1 – Mon., Aug. 5
Where: Various
Genre: Rap, soca, reggae
Why you should go: The Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana) is North America’s largest Caribbean carnival featuring the legendary parade and concerts both planned and impromptu There will be various events running throughout the weekend, including the Carnivale Music Festival on Sat., Aug. 3 at a TBD location with a huge lineup including Rick Ross, Polo G, Lola Brooke and Jadakiss.
Who: Will Linley
When: Thurs., Aug. 1
Where: Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. Genre: Pop
Why you should go: Born and raised in Cape Town, Linley has gone from writing songs in lockdown to a national concert tour in a matter of a couple of years. The South African has built up a community of fans that resonate with his soulful pop tunes.
Who: Veld Festival
When: Fri.. Aug. 2 – Sun., Aug. 4
Where: Downsview Park, 70
great live acts in recent years with incredible special effects, vocals and ingenuity. The artist will put this on full display at a huge headlining show at Rogers Centre with big support acts, including Sheryl Crow and The Script.
Who: Blink-182
When: Thurs., Aug. 15
Canuck Ave.
Genre: EDM
Why you should go: Cementing a reputation as one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the country, Veld Festival returns to Downsview Park with an A-list lineup full of the biggest names in the EDM genre, with acts that are guaranteed to put on an incredible show, including Martin Garrix (Sun., Aug. 4) and Steve Aioki (Sat., Aug. 3.)
Who: Jennifer Lopez
When: Fri., Aug. 2 – Sat., Aug. 3
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. Genre: Pop
Why you should go: Jenny from the block will head to Toronto as part of her This Is Me... Live tour, which marks her comeback after a ve-year hiatus. J.Lo will perform from her Greatest Hits, including On the Floor and If You Had My Love
Who: Fate Gear
When: Tues., Aug. 6
Where: Lees Palace, 529 Bloor St.W.
Genre: Japanese metal, steam punk
Why you should go: Bad ass steampunk girl band from Japan kicks ass in their rst Canadian tour.
Who: Boots and Hearts Music Festival
When: Thurs. Aug. 8 – Sun., Aug. 11
Where: Burl’s Creek, 240 8 Line S.
Genre: Country
Why you should go: One of Canada’s biggest country music festivals returns to Burl’s Creek, ON, for a weekend that celebrates the genre with A-list acts like Jason Aldean (Sun., Aug. 8) and Cody Johnson (Fri., Aug. 9.)
The outdoor venue can hold up to 100,000, people so expect a busy but lively atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Who: P!nk
When: Wed., Aug. 14
Where: Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way.
Genre: Pop
Why you should go: P!nk keeps showing why she is one of the
Where: Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way
Genre: Rock
Why you should go: The poppunk legends will embark on a huge stadium tour across North America, including the 39,000-capacity Rogers Centre. There will be an incredible sense of nostalgia with hits like I Miss You and All the Small Things, but the band also keeps pushing to evolve and release new music and there will be a nice blend between the two.
Who: Childish Gambino
When: Sun., Aug. 18
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. Genre: Rap, R&B
Why you should go: Childish Gambino recently announced his rst tour in ve years, which includes a date in Toronto this summer. Donald Glover has gone on to achieve further mainstream success as an actor and a writer over the last few years, but the Atlanta star will be gearing up to make further waves in music as he did in 2016 with the modern classic Awaken, My Love! album.
Who: All Your Friends Festival
When: Fri., Aug. 23 – Sat., Aug. 24
Where: Burl’s Creek, 240 8 Line S. Genre: Indie rock, Punk
Why you should go: Two days of indie and punk heroes including Billy Talent, All-American Rejects, Silverstein and Gob on Friday and Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, Dashboard Confessional, Fefe Dobson on Saturday.
Who: Blue Rodeo
When: Sat., Aug. 24
Where: Budweiser Stage, Ontario Place, 909 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Genre: Country
Why you should go: Canadian legends Blue Rodeo are back for their annual love-in by the lake, joined by Nova Scotia indie rocker Matt Mays and 2024 Juno-nominee, The beautifully voiced Begonia.
When: Mon. Aug. 12
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 40 Bay St. Genre: Pop-punk
Why you should go: The genre-de ning Canadian artist will embark on her rst Greatest Hits tour, including a huge date at Scotiabank Arena. Lavigne will also be releasing her Greatest Hits album on Wed., June 21 as she tweeted, “Can’t do a greatest hits tour without a greatest hits album!!!”
Logan Staats is well on his way to becoming Canada’s newest country star — after first breaking through as a folkie.
The rich voiced singer-songwriter, born on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and raised in nearby Brantford, has been nominated for a slate of honours throughout his folk career, including a JUNO nom and several Native American Music Awards for his heartfelt tracks. In a few weeks, he’ll be featured in the International Indigenous Music Summit in Toronto alongside singer-songwriters from across Canada.
As he dives headfirst into a country career, Staats is fine-tuning his sound and the people around him — he’s recently signed with a new manager, and as he works on his next album, he’s dividing his time between Ontario and Nashville, a must for any country artist.
“The writing process for my new record has been a really incredible journey,” says Staats over a crackling phone line, boisterous and passionate as he speaks. “It’s a crazy time but also a time for me to redefine myself.”
Although Staats says his first two albums, A Light in the Attic and Goodbye Goldia, did “really, really well,” he’s interested in pivoting away from folk music (or what he calls “a Lumineers vibe”) and playing more squarely within the confines of the country genre. His voice is
husky and robust, lending itself perfectly to the shift in the sound.
“I want to grow a little bit and evolve as an artist,” he says.
“I’m listening to a lot of Americana, country, soul, artists like Tyler Childers. The best way to get the country feel is to immerse yourself in it, so I jumped in with both feet in Nashville.”
An artist he says he looks to for inspiration is Chris Stapleton, who he says has mastered imbuing country music with “a little bit more substance than what’s going on in the pop-country crossover world.”
He adds that he’s learning new ways of playing guitar and piano, including finger-picking techniques specific to the country genre.
Although Staats says he seldom gets nervous playing gigs, Nashville is a different beast.
“When I got here, it was like I was restarting everything,” he says. “I had to find my footing. These are Nashville musicians and songwriters. They are so good. It forces you to elevate your game, and it’s really brought excitement for the music back to me. I’m learning again.”
It’s not easy being far from home — “I’m halfway across the world and still embodying Six Nations and my Mohawk roots,” he shares. “I’m so vulnerable and in such a different landscape. But it’s still so important to me — I still want to honour my community and
myself.”
When in Ontario, Staats records at Jukasa Media Group, a recording studio in Six Nations of the Grand River. “It’s a worldclass studio,” says Staats, “and it’s right here in my backyard.” Jukasa is the home of one of Staats’s most popular tracks, a haunting folk tune called Deadman.
“I wrote Deadman when I was in a really dark, fragile, vulnerable place,” he divulges. “As I finished it, I was going through this medicine process, this medicine journey for myself. When I finished it, I became a healthier person. That was really special for me. I walked into the studio with my sister, played the song and built it around live performance. It’s just raw and as it is. We recorded it in the first take and said, ‘There it is.’ It worked out perfectly.”
While Staats has big plans for the future — a change in genre, as well as the constant change in scenery between Six Nations and Nashville — his priorities as an artist have stayed consistent.
“It’s all about the music,” he says. “I’m really, really focused on writing and making this next record. I’m learning these new guitar licks and chord progressions. It’s a different process than I’m used to. and it’s been really eye-opening and amazing … I’m soaking up as much of this country stuff as I can and still, always, hoping to honour my community.”
Celeigh Cardinal
What: Indigenous Music Summit
Where: TD Music Hall, 178 Victoria St. When: Fri., June 14
Juno Award-winning folk singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal performs alongside Staats, Fri, June 14 as part of the International Indigenous Music Summit from Mon., June 10 to Fri., June 14. The Summit features panels, networking and showcases of Canadian and international Indigenous artists at various Torornto venues.
Jim Cuddy
All the World Fades Away
Genre: Roots
Sound: Beautifully sung, sometimes heart wrenching ballads and uplifting songs of celebration
If you like: Blue Rodeo, Jackson Browne, Gordon Lightfoot
Release: Fri., June 14
Best track: You Belong
Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)
Why you should listen: Not only is Jim Cuddy a gifted singer, but as a songwriter, he has an amazing skill at capturing feelings of a moment in time, either by fondly looking back or directly dropping listeners into the experience. A talented storyteller with many touching tales to share. His best solo work yet.
Mid Spiral: Chaos
Genre: Jazz
Sound: Psychedelic-infused jazz
If you like: Robert Glasper, Yussef Dayes, Ezra Collective
Best track: Wire & Wonderful Release: Now
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should listen: Toronto jazz collective’s experimental EP Mid Spiral: Chaos emulates Afrobeats, lm noir ambiance and psychedelic aesthetics harkening back to the jazz clubs in the early ’90s to 2000s for a cerebral yet trippy experience of going to a trendy café alone to get work done after hours. Heady, satisfying next step from
Potatohead People
Eat Your Heart Out
Genre: Electronic
Sound: Groovy amalgamation of downtempo R&B and hip hop with a hint of funk
If you like: Beatchild, Ivan Ave, Elaquent
Best track: Last Night (ft. Redman, Kapok)
Release: Now
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Jake Vaadeland
Retro Man… More and More Expanded Version
Genre: Bluegrass
Sound: Sounds of ’30s Appalachia updated and authentic for today
If you like: Jimmie Rodgers, The Sadies, Johnny Cash
Best track: Be a Farmer or a Preacher
Release: Now
Rating: NNNNN (Out of 5)
Why you should listen: Saskatchewan’s Jake Vaadeland and his Sturgeon River Boys dazzled us at their Toronto debut at NXNE 2021, a festival highlight that year. He masterfully updates a vintage classic country sound and makes it his own like k.d. lang once did. An emerging star.
Elaquent Obrigado!
Genre: Electronic
Sound: Breezy and smooth bossa nova production with hip hop beats
If you like: K Le Maestro, Potatohead People, Anzola
Best track: Suco
Release: Now
Rating: NNNN (Out of 5)
Why you should listen: Take a trip to vibrant Brazil as Guelphbased producer Elaquent’s new EP mixes his signature sounds of electronica, lo- hip hop and neo-soul with bossa nova. Obrigado was inspired by his trip to Rio de Janeiro and his new release sends you there to soak in the tropical, soothing vibes of the South American nation.
Why you should listen: Vancouver’s Nick Wisdom and AstroLogical’s sixth studio album features a stellar guest list including Redman and Kapok and looping, downtempo production of R&B and hip hop for those who are missing out on a relationship or dreaming of nding a partner at the right place at the right time.
Arkells
Disco Loadout (Volume 1)
Genre: Pop
Sound: Breezy pop classics
If you like: Trans-Canada Highwaymen, Hall and Oates, Dwayne Gretzky
Best track: Dancing Queen
Release: Now
Rating: NNN (Out of 5)
Why you should listen: Hamilton pop-rockers The Arkells have done a “Motown set”, even full shows, since their early days, so, perhaps this album was inevitable. Doesn’t have the thematic unity of Trans-Canada Highwaymen’s recent Explosive Hits Vol. 1, but Max Kerman handles the classic vocals well and the band is super tight, performing favourite tunes. They had fun and so will you.
illie Eilish’s newest record, Hit Me Hard and Soft, feels both a logical and inevitable continuation from her last two albums as well as something new. It has all the hallmarks of her music: impeccably layered and breathy vocals, growling synthesized bass, bossa nova grooves and songs that expertly transition from melancholic and intimate to expansive dance breaks.
The production by Eilish’s brother and collaborator, Finneas, as always perfectly walks the line between lo-fi bedroom pop and something slicker than we would expect from any other chart-topping artist. Those who love the angst of previous Eilish records will still find plenty to mope to on this record, but don’t be surprised if songs like Birds of a Feather also have you dancing while reliving the feeling of being head over heels in love.
While Eilish has never been the person to cater to what’s commercially viable, this album seems especially understated, drawing influences from a fun combination of contemporary jazz fusion and Mezzanine-era Massive Attack. In a time of TikTok and short attention spans, it’s exciting to see multiple songs with long run times, a couple getting up to the over five-minute mark. Conversely, with other popular albums from the last couple of years, like Tortured Poets Department having a whopping 31 songs on the track list, this album
has only 10, and every track feels very intentional. At a fairly short run time of 47 minutes, I almost wish there was even more to listen to; however, after growing up so publicly, Eilish is clearly being choosy about what to show and share with us, which is understandable. Speaking of the public eye, Eilish’s sexuality has been the topic of too much debate and commentary over the past couple of years, but it must be said: 2024 has been the year for sapphic pop, and Billie Eilish has come to join the party! The album’s second song Lunch is, to put it simply, super gay. It is also the only song on the album that feels like it has the makings of a traditional hit — and as a member of the community myself, it is incredibly gratifying to see the lead single be one that is so unabashedly queer. It will be going on many a sapphic playlist, right alongside Renee Rapp and Chappel Roan songs.
I’m hesitant to call this album “mature” as that is a quality that I believe Eilish’s music has always had, and this album is by no means upbeat or happy, but there is a sense of peace and self-assuredness in the songs that I imagine can only come from stepping away from the public eye and embracing all parts of oneself. I look forward to blasting this album as I, too, try to find myself in my 20s.
Brighid Fry is a songwriter and lead singer in the band Housewife.
Billie Eilish
Hit Me Hard and Soft Genre: Pop Sound: Danceable ear worms with a personal touch
If you like: Chappel Roan, Renee Rapp, Weyes Blood Best track: CHIHIRO
Release: Now
Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)
Why you should listen: Billie Eilish has been dazzling the ears of anxiety-ridden depressed teens (many of us who have now entered our 20s) for eight years now, and this record is classic Billie but with a grace and feeling of being settled that feels new. Hit Me Hard and Soft is a fun and genre-bending collection that will draw many of us onto the dance oor. Perfectly timed to land just before Pride month, this will no doubt be the soundtrack to Pride parties all over the world.
aren A. Herbert has been swimming in history. The Dora-winning stage and screen actor’s last couple of theatrical projects have been historical ctions set in tumultuous political times. The most recent was Soulpepper Theatre’s March adaptation of Three Sisters, set in Nigeria during the Biafran War. And three months earlier, in Cahoots Theatre’s Sweeter, he played a Florida farmer living 20 years after the American Civil War.
This month at the Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, he’s taking on the titular role in the world premiere of Audrey Dwyer’s Come Home — The Legend of Daddy Hall, directed by company artistic director Mike Payette. John Hall, nicknamed “Daddy” because he’s said to have fathered 21 children, saw three centuries, from the late 1700s to the early 1900s. It’s likely his age even pushed above 110. Although the historical record
regarding this legendary gure is foggy, he seems to have lived many lives in the span of one.
Of Mohawk and African descent, Hall scouted for Tecumseh during the War of 1812 before being captured and enslaved by Virginian soldiers. He later escaped by way of the Ohio River, making his way to Canada, where he participated in the 1837 Farmers’ Revolt and became Owen Sound’s town crier. The team behind Come Home — The Legend of Daddy Hall isn’t stressed that few historical details are available. The blurriness of the record may even be part of what makes this “legend” interesting. “We do have to fill in a lot of gaps. And there’s so many differing little pockets of information,” says Herbert in a mid-rehearsal Zoom interview with NEXT.
“But because of all that, we get to extrapolate a little bit from here and a little bit from there
and blend it into something. And I’ve been involved with the play’s development long enough that I’ve learned some beautiful things, which have helped paint me a picture of Hall.”
Multiple times during our conversation, Herbert emphasizes how difficult it is for him to comprehend the grand sweep of Hall’s life. “It’s not really fathomable for me — just the sheer length of time he’d been on the Earth and the things that he saw and was involved in, the things he did.”
But Herbert finds it helpful to connect Hall’s experiences with his own. Herbert is from Bermuda, where he served in the military. He tells me about the adrenaline-pumping experience of doing a live-fire exercise in a Kenyan forest.
“The only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat,” he says. “All the other sounds became
so small. Even cracking branches.” When a noise came out of nowhere, it would “jam his entire system.”
Herbert says he thinks that kind of “sensory sensitivity” must have been ever-present during Hall’s journey north.
“Any sound could be someone with a rifle coming to snatch him and take him back.”
More than anything, though, Herbert is grateful the show has given him the chance to learn about Hall, whom he hadn’t known about before reading the play. “Why didn’t I hear about this? Why didn’t I know more about this person?
This is an amazing story,” he says. “There’s part of me that says we need to be screaming about this person. This person should be honoured and reflected on. There’s statues and paintings … of lots of people. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be one of them.”
Come Home — The Legend of Daddy Hall
Cinematic horror play muscles its way to Buddies
What: Come Home — The Legend of Daddy Hall
Where: Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave.
When: Wed., May 14 to Sun., June 9
Why you should go: Prolific stage and screen actor Daren A. Herbert stars in Tarragon world premiere as John “Daddy” Hall, a little-known historical figure who scouted for Tecumseh during the War of 1812, escaped slavery and lived for over 100 years, mostly in Ontario.
The
Luminato Festival, Wed., Jun. 5 - Sun., Jun. 16
The international arts festival returns to downtown Toronto with two major theatrical productions. American director Geoff Sobelle’s acclaimed HOME, about the lifespan of a house, will play the huge Bluma Appel Theatre, promising large-scale visuals. And Luminato is collaborating with Soulpepper Theatre to present Haley McGee’s fantastic solo show Age is a Feeling. The festival is also playing host to a
couple pieces of performance art, including the R.A.V.E. Institute and Outside the March’s R.A.V.E., an immersive dance oor experience.
Toronto Fringe Festival, Wed., Jul. 3 – Sun., Jul. 14
Fringe is Ontario’s largest theatre and performance festival, and you can tell: every year, it takes over the streets, this time hosting 80 shows across 10 venues. The programming, selected by lottery, won’t be released until
Jun. 5, but since tickets to each show are less than a beer at a Jays game, there’s no need to fret: just grab a physical program, ip through until you see something interesting and head over to the theatre. What’s there to lose?
SummerWorks Performance Festival, Thurs., Aug. 1 - Sun., Aug. 11
While the Fringe lineup is randomly selected, the team behind this smaller fest tends to go for shows with an experimental air — work that blurs the lines between performance art, dance and theatre. The festival also spotlights the artistic process, including a proliferation of “labs” next to the full productions. It’s scrappy, summery and always intriguing.
Wicked, Wed., Jun. 5 - Sun., Jul 21 (Princess of Wales Theatre)
This blockbuster Wizard of Oz prequel by Stephen Schwartz, last here in 2018, is worth seeing whenever it comes to town because it’s a great showcase for the actors taking on the roles of Glinda, future good witch, and Elphaba, titular wicked one: the soprano-versus-mezzo showdown never gets old.
Stratford Festival, Now - Sun., Oct. 27
The iconic summer-long theatre festival, a two-hour drive (or $34 round-trip bus ride) away, unites an enormous acting company to perform classics at a scale you’ll see almost nowhere else in Canada. They’re best known for productions of Shakespeare, and there’s three this year, including a Twelfth Night set in the 1960s. But they’ve also got musicals (Something Rotten!, a brilliant satire of the Renaissance, depicting the Bard as a rock-star prick), world premieres (Get That Hope, a play by Andrea Scott, set in Toronto’s Little Jamaica) rock-solid 20th-century repertoire (Edward Albee’s funny The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?), along with strange old scripts few others would dare take on (London
Assurance, from 1841). And a big part of appeal is getting to explore Stratford, a city small enough to feel like a secret but expansive enough to not become crowded as thousands of fellow theatregoers ood the streets.
Shaw Festival, Now - Sun., Dec. 22
Niagara-on-the-Lake’s antique vibe feels a good deal less authentic than that of Stratford’s. But Shaw, the theatre festival it plays host to, very much has a pulse. This year its centrepiece is the crowd-pleasing My Fair Lady, running straight through to the holidays and starring Tom Rooney (rejoice!). Like Stratford, they’ve got some funkier fare, too. I’m particularly looking
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Created by Divine Brown
Directed by Weyni Mengesha
abandoned on a remote island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Indoor
The Wrong Bashir, Tue., May 21 - Sun., Jun. 9 (Crow’s Theatre)
forward to seeing Snow in Midsummer, a classical Chinese drama directed by Nina Lee Aquino. Outdoor
By Heidi SchreckDirected by Weyni Mengesha
The Caged Bird Sings, Mon., Jun. 10Wed., Jun. 26 (Aga Khan Museum)
By Michael Healey
A Modern Times Stage Company presentation produced in association with Theatre ARTaud, this adaptation of Rumi’s 13th-century Persian poem Masnavi will take over the Aga Khan’s courtyard, playing to audiences in the round. Written by Rouvan Silogix, Rafeh Mahmud and Ahad Lakhani, the world premiere promises to explore Su mysticism, ideas of Fana llah and the literal and metaphorical prisons we nd ourselves in.
The nal show of the Crow’s season is this comic Toronto premiere from B.C. playwright Zahida Rahemtulla. Directed by Paolo Santalucia, it features 10 actors, including Sharjil Rasool as the titular Bashir, a bohemian philosophy podcaster who nds himself unwittingly thrust into the spotlight when he is chosen to assume a distinguished religious position that his parents have eagerly accepted on his behalf.
Aportia Chryptych: A Black Opera for Portia White, Fri., Jun. 14 - Sun., Jun. 16 (Canadian Opera Company Theatre)
Directed by Chris Abraham
Based on Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy by Josh O’Kane
Hamlet, Sun., Jul. 21 - Sun., Sep. 1 (High Park)
cREATED BY INS CHOI, RAQUEL DUFFY, KEN Mackenzie, gregory prest, mike ross, poems by dennis lee
By Ins Choi
By Akosua Amo-Adem
Directed by Djanet Sears
Directed by Weyni Mengesha LADIES OF
Created by Hailey Gillis and Raha Javanfar BILLIE,
This winter, Canadian Stage will take on the Canadian premiere of Fat Ham, a modern-day Hamlet set at a cookout. But, rst, the company is bringing the original text to the High Park Amphitheatre for its annual Dream in High Park presentation of pay-what-you-wish Shakespeare. Like usual, the script will be heavily cut, this time down to approximately 90 minutes. The last couple Dream in High Park presentations, As You Like It and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, lacked weight, so it’s nice to see a tragedy in the slot for the rst time since the pandemic. Especially with the platinum cast director Jessica Carmichael has put together, including Qasim Khan (in the title role), Stephen Jackman-Torkoff, Raquel Duffy and Christo Graham.
This operatic world premiere by HAUI and Sean Mayes reclaims the story of Portia White, the rst Black Canadian concert singer to achieve international fame. Spoken word, rap, folk songs, hip-hop, R&B and classic opera repertoire collide in an explosive score that seeks to break down musical silos and unite artistic and cultural communities. Already essentially sold-out.
The Last Timbit, Wed., Jun. 26 - Sun., Jun. 30 (Elgin Theatre)
BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY:
The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers, Sat., Aug. 17 - Sun., Sep. 1 (Withrow Park) Shakespeare in the Ruff is back at its paywhat-you-can, Bard-remixing mischief with The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers, a riff on The Tempest written by Makram Ayache and directed by Kwaku Okyere. The title sorceress is Sycorax, a character discussed but not seen in the original play; Ayache will combine new writing with Shakespeare’s words for the purpose of telling her story.
Isle of Demons, Thurs., Aug. 8 - Sun., Aug. 25 (Guild Park & Gardens)
Every summer, Scarborough’s Guild Festival Theatre presents a whole slate of shows in a lovely outdoor space called the Greek Theatre, complete with towering, marble-coloured columns. The most exciting of this year’s offerings is the Toronto premiere of Isle of Demons, by Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Robert Chafe. The historical drama, billed as “part tragedy, part thriller,” follows Marguerite de La Rocque, who in 1542 was
We’re not endorsing this corporate musical about a group of strangers who wait out the snowstorm of the decade in a Tim Hortons, just acknowledging it’s occurring. That said, the team is actually pretty stacked, with music and lyrics by Anika and Britta Johnson as well as a book by Nick Green, so expect tunes with a little more depth than, say, a Funny Girl parody entitled “Doughnut Rain On My Parade.”
A Streetcar Named Desire, Wed., Jun. 12 - Sun., Jul. 7 (Soulpepper Theatre)
In 2019, this jazz-soaked production of Tennessee Williams’s classic drama inaugurated Weyni Mengesha’s time as artistic director of Soulpepper. It was a huge hit then and will be again. Designers Lorenzo Savoini (set), Rachel Forbes (costumes), Kimberly Purtell (lighting) and Debashis Sinha (sound) will return to conjure the intoxicating New Orleans setting.
ringe is Ontario’s largest theatre and performance festival, and you can tell: every year, it takes over the city, this time hosting 80 shows across 10 venues. The programming is selected by lottery, making it wonderfully eclectic — and, since tickets are cheap and the theatres open late, it’s easy to see multiple shows a day. Our favourite way to experience Fringe is to pick up a physical program and choose a couple plays from artists we love, a couple that look strange and a couple we know nothing about. But the full schedule won’t be available for perusal until June 5, so here are a few projects to watch. (Details subject to change.)
ROSAMUND — A New Musical (Chaos & Light — begins Wed., July 3)
For those in search of the rowdy and experimental, a reimagining of Sleeping Beauty may not be the most obvious selection. But this new musical’s top-tier cast, which includes AJ Bridel and Gabi Epstein, makes ROSAMUND a bargain at Fringe prices. Writer Andrew Seok’s The Man with the Golden Heart was popular last Fringe, and there aren’t a ton of other musicals on offer this year, so we predict this show will
do nicely at its unconventional venue of Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church in the Annex.
Are you lovin’ it? (Theatre Group GUMBO — begins Thurs., July 4)
Playing the Tarragon Extraspace and set in a parody fast food restaurant called WacDonalds, this Kayo Tamura-directed show from Osaka, Japan, went over well at the 2019 Edmonton Fringe, reportedly delivering the exact kind of bizarre mayhem Fringe audiences want; the Edmonton Journal review recounts “giant intestines, limbo dance,” a “French fry versus samurai sword” duel and a “love letter from Jesus.” Sold.
Crime After Crime (After Crime) (Sex T-Rex — begins Wed., July 3)
Sex T-Rex tends to be one of the safest bets at Fringe. The imaginative comedy troupe (Conor Bradbury, Julian Frid, Lowen Morrow and Seann Murray) has been performing in Toronto since ’08, including at many, many festivals. Its lauded Crime After Crime (After Crime) mixes three popular crime lm genres: 1950s lm noir, 1970s heist and 1990s buddy cop. The satire-laced chaos will unfold at the Tarragon Mainspace.
GRINGAS (First Born Theatre Company — begins Thurs., July 4)
This Mercedes Isaza Clunie play about seven Latina teenagers attending a Spanish-language camp in an attempt to reconnect with their roots won third place in the Fringe’s New Play Contest this year. Now it’s getting a Zoe Marin-directed staging courtesy of First Born Theatre Company, a group that aims to launch the careers of emerging artists.
UnMute (Limbus Work — begins Fri., July 5)
Since, in general, Toronto doesn’t have much devised theatre, we’re always eager to check out whatever co-creations are on offer at Fringe. This one, at the Tarragon Mainspace, exploring “different aspects of Asian experience in the face of rampant anti-Asian sentiments,” looks promising. Created by Felix Hao, Meilin Wei, Nick Wang, Shel Sun and Victor Zhang.
You, Hamlet (DopoLavoro Teatrale — begins Wed., July 3)
Before you see Hamlet at High
Park this August, check out this immersive play at East End United church on the Danforth. A hybrid of roleplay game and art installation, the show promises to let the audience play the Dane. “Moving through different environments,” they will interact with Hamlet’s side characters, becoming Shakespeare’s co-author. It’s directed by Daniele Bartolini, who has a ton of immersive theatre experience, so we have faith You, Hamlet will be engaging not just in concept but in execution too.
Your Tickets Today!
Friday June 21, 2024
Jon Bon Jovi determined to tell the truth about one of rock’s biggest bands
Bon Jovi’s new album and revealing documentary show no quit in arena rock star
By MICHAEL HOLLETTorty years into leading one of the most successful arena rock bands in history, Jon Bon Jovi tells me his biggest thrill remains songwriting.
We’re Zooming discussing the excellent new, surprisingly honest, four-part rockumentary on his band, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story and why he’s excited about the upcoming new Bon Jovi album Forever, that preview tracks suggest is classic hook-riddled, anthemic Jersey gold, Athletic and youthful, Bon Jovi shows no signs of the health challenges that have put future touring plans in jeopardy, the singer still recovering from throat surgery last year.
“Writing a song for me, that’s the greatest pleasure I get in the process,” Bon Jovi says. “And then, the desire to record it, to see if what is in the notebook is legit. And then, ultimately, to share it with an audience.”
In the film and in person, Bon Jovi comes across as driven and focused. I’m introduced as “Michael,” which the personable Bon Jovi immediately shortens to the more familiar “Mike.”
“I never intended to have a problem let alone a big surgery like this,” says Bon Jovi of treatment intended to restore some
of the singer’s diminished vocal range caused by a chronic throat issue.
“Now it’s that phrase, ‘Let go and let God’ — it’s just out of my hands. Given the opportunity, I’d like to tour. But, unlike a lot of journeymen that I’ve met over the years, it’s not my motivating factor. I really don’t live for the applause. I don’t live for room service and a suitcase and a hotel room; I dread that idea. But given the opportunity to go out there and support the new album, I’d like to.”
The new album, Forever, is out June 7 and, as shown in the doc, which depicts Bon Jovi’s surgery recovery, he is being characteristically methodical and focused on getting his voice back where he wants it. He has been systematically working out, both his body and his voice.
This workmanlike approach is consistent with the image of Bon Jovi that emerges in the series, a young kid in New Jersey determined to make it as a musician and prepared to put in the work. In some ways, the show can function as a “How To” on getting into rock and roll.
“I wouldn’t mind if that next-generation boy or girl who chooses to get into the business sees what it takes,” says Bon Jovi. “It’s not about singing shows on television, it’s about
writing a song and not only writing the song but writing it over and over and over again”.
Growing up in a working-class family in New Jersey, Bon Jovi was hustling for a career in music from his mid-teens.
“I had a single-minded focus as a kid,” says Bon Jovi, “and I found I didn’t think of it as work. I found it to be incredibly fun and exciting and it gave me a reason to want to get up. Then, I would call it seizing the day, and I would not have had it any other way — that was, to me, fun.
“Maybe a lot of it had to do with where we were brought up, how we were brought up, that those impossibilities seemed possible.”
Bon Jovi explains a lower drinking age in New Jersey back in his teen years was key to his ability to start learning his craft by playing in professional bars.
“The drinking age in New Jersey in 1979, ’82 was still 18 years old. So, you could be 16 and slip into a bar and cut your teeth performing in front of a real crowd. That wasn’t a high school dance. So, you’re thrust into the major leagues, like it or not, by playing in these bars because these were recording acts that you were opening for or witnessing. You were there with some of the now-known greatest songwriters in rock and roll. You were in the company of greatness. I had no
responsibilities yet. I didn’t have a family; I didn’t have a traditional career path chosen.
“And I had the support of my mom and dad, which I think was good. Their attitude was if you’re going to be in a bar, at least we know where you are. And, without any of that looming responsibility that comes five years later, or a drinking age difference of 21 — at 16, I couldn’t have snuck in those bars. By the time I was 18, I might’ve had to save for higher education, or is it a trade calling, or is there the need to pay the bills? When you’re 16, I was fortunate, I could still live at home.”
“I joined an originals band that wasn’t mine, but I knew the only way to achieve any kind of legitimate success was by performing your own material. I was learning every day — in essence, that was higher education and that band was short-lived, but that’s okay. It was a step down the road in the right direction.
“And that’s when I learned, okay, I’ve got to form my own bands. I have to learn how to write songs better. I have to go out there and obviously become a better and better singer and a performer. So that was fun. It really was fun. And in your early days going on the road, just seeing the world for the first time, all of those experiences are
fantasies for most kids.”
With a life largely lived in public, what motivates Bon Jovi to put his career under the microscope as this series does, and, so honestly.
“You only get one chance to have a 40th anniversary. I was only ever focused on the present or the future, but I do think it was worthy of a look back at four decades of the band while I was going through my vocal surgery and writing this new record.”
It deserved to have the truth told by each of the individuals as they saw it, I was only ever trying to tell the truth.”
Beach Boy legend Mike Love has a giant smile and wears a trademark ball cap as he appears on our Zoom call, and after I “time stamp” the interview, stating my name and magazine, he giggles and declares pointedly, “Hello. I’m Michael Love from the Beach Boys.”
Love is like that older uncle that won’t say fucked up things at the Thanksgiving dinner.
Love has been painted by some as the “bad guy” in Beach Boy lore, having sued Brian Wilson to get songwriting credit and back pay, but a new doc and, speaking with the singer, suggest he had a legitimate beef, a grievance carried out by his uncle, Brian’s dad Murry — and the courts agreed.
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story
Where: Disney+
What: Miniseries, 4 episodes, 55 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: A surprisingly honest and fully engaging look inside 40 years of the Bon Jovi monstersof-rock machine. A rst-rate rockumentary that reveals an engaging, hardworking and super-focused Jon Bon Jovi.
NEXT: New album, Forever, out June 7.
But speaking with Love and watching the largely upbeat lm, it seems the singer and the band would like people to remember that they made upbeat music and enjoyed making it with each other.
Asked if the lmmakers and Love himself are trying to remind us all of the positivity of the band, he screws up a mischievous smile and says, “If you don’t mind, I would say there was some Fun Fun Fun involved.”
“Good Vibrations and Wouldn’t It Be Nice, these were all songs of joy and happiness. And the sur ng songs and the car songs, they’re all fun. And that’s true,” he says noting that “in today’s world,” there’s room for more fun.
Love and almost-original member Bruce Johnston tour with a group of musicians as the Beach Boys, with Wilson’s blessing, and says, “Thousands of people sing along and a lot of them are very young people, the teenage years, and having a great time to all of this fun music.
“The music has a life of its own; it’s perhaps immortal in a way.”
Despite all the upbeat efforts, Love does acknowledge that the lm helps correct the idea that he somehow wasn’t a key creative contributor.
“There were 75 songs that I cowrote with Brian or contributed to, some more, some less. There were 35 songs that were part of the negotiation.”
Murry Wilson sold off all songwriting rights to the Beach Boys’ early work for US$700,000 in 1969, a catalogue that has generated hundreds of millions since. And it was all done without consulting his son or the band.
“See, when Brian and Dr. Landy [Eugene Landy, Wilson’s dis-
credited caregiver] led a suit [in 1989] to get the publishing back from the people who bought it from my uncle Murry, they were supposed to compensate me because it was very clear that I had been disenfranchised. I hadn’t been given the credit for writing what I did. But they reneged. When they got $10 million, they didn’t give me anything and they didn’t repair the damage of what my uncle did.
“Brian was having his problems, I didn’t want to beat up my cousin who was going through problems, but I did have to go to court to establish the truth, the reality of who wrote what, and we wrote them together.
“So that got recti ed some-
Beach Boys
Where: Disney+
What: Movie, When: Now
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: As Beach Boy feuds and Brian Wilson’s mental health issues dominate thoughts of this band, this doc reminds us of their musical importance and the “fun fun fun” at the heart of so much of their music. Fun inside stuff on Beatles/ Beach Boys rivalry, who really surfed and more.
what, maybe not all, but still. I mean, when you write every word to California Girls and you don’t see your name on the label, that’s a tough one. You don’t anticipate your uncle doing that to you.
But, like a surfer catching a wave, Love shakes off the bad memories and notes, “That is in the distant past, and in the present, we’re having a fantastic time appreciating the effect of this music that still uplifts people. In light of what’s going on in the world today, I think in direct proportion to that, having music that uplifts and makes you happy is a fantastic thing. For us, it’s been a lifelong blessing, but it’s even more poignant.
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ a satisfying prequel to ‘Fury Road’By MICHAEL HOLLETT
Apost-apocalyptic world has never looked better as Mad Max creator George Miller, who directed and co-wrote this excellent new instalment, builds on the momentum of the previous, superb Charlize Theron-starring Mad Max: Fury Road.
The lead bar was set very high with Miller’s last instalment and the challenge was met. The story is compelling, still feeling fresh, unlike the tired offerings of the MCU. The lmmaking is gorgeous, the art direction inventive and outrageous, the sound is powerful and key in a lm with minimal dialogue and one lead who is mute much of the lm, with thunderous chords of dread and tonal crashes lling the space left in the dialogue and the massive landscapes of this beautiful lm.
Technically, this is a prequel to Fury Road, and we are getting the back story to Theron’s extremely pissed off and revenge-seeking Furiosa character in that lm.
Chris Hemsworth as Dementus is classic supervillain bad, easy to hate but demanding of respect for his bad-guy inventiveness, cutting quips and the brutal
but creative, medieval ways he eliminates enemies. Dementus has all the ragged glory of Mad Max bad guys, wearing a lthy cape while carrying a teddy bear and powering a multi-motorcycle rig that looks like a Roman chariot.
As with Fury Road, women are the main heroes in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, including the titular lead expertly played by Anya Taylor-Joy, and it is still satisfying and fresh seeing women kicking major ass in a mega-million-dollar worldwide action ick. Furiosa doesn’t have a lot to say, her weapons work, inventive attacks and escapes often saying all that needs to be said.
The story, and there really is one, is told in chapters as we advance from Furiosa’s kidnapping as a child by Dementus, her life as Dementus’s “daughter” — she isn’t buying it — to her eventual “freedom” and lust for revenge.
The battle scenes don’t have the seen-it-all-before feel of MCU smash-a-thons, the jerry-rigged weaponry, patchedtogether “hybrid” monster truck vehicles and gasp-inducing
ghting methods all consistently inventive, exciting and fresh. At over two hours, the lm never drags: the characters are all strong and suf ciently world wise and witty; the story worth telling; the machines and weaponry worthy of marvel and the settings impossibly epic and brutally gorgeous.
Miller proves there’s lots of life — and death — left in the Mad Max franchise. While movie exhibitors wring their hands looking for the next Barbenhiemer, count on Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga to be this year’s summer smash hit.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Where: In theatres
What: Movie, 148 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Sci- , Action Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: Never has a post-apocalyptic hellscape looked more beautiful as George Miller wrings all the beauty out of the Australian desert in an excellent new instalment of the Mad Max universe.
hether you’re into documentary, horror or experimental lm, or if you’re bringing the whole family; in theatres, at home, in parks – or on the river -- check out our guide to the best the city’s screens have to offer.
A Quiet Place: Day One
What: Movie, 100 mins.
When: Fri., June 28
Where: In theatres
Genre: Horror
John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place was an unexpected smash in 2018: Who could have predicted the guy from the of ce would write and direct the horror movie of the year? Krasinski also directed the pretty good followup Part II but has passed the baton to Michael Sarnoski (I guess he was busy directing the kid’s movie, IF ). A Quiet Place : Day One stars Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn and is set in New York City on the day the ruthless alien monsters with amazing hearing attacked. Wondering what happened to Emily Blunt’s character and her brood from the original lm, don’t worry, there is a Part III already in the works.
Kinds Of Kindness
What: Movie, 164 mins.
When: Fri., June 21
Where: In theatres
Genre: Drama
Why you should go: Why you should go: It’s been just over two months since his oddball Victorian spectacle, Poor Things, nished its awards run, and the gears are already turning on the would-be provocateur’s new farce, Kinds of Kindness. Starring Emma Stone once again, the cast is rounded off by a who’s who of young Hollywood talent, including Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Hong Chau and Hunter Schaffer. Although the plot is under wraps, we know it follows three disparate stories in contemporary America.
Despicable Me 4
What: Movie, 95 mins.
When: Fri., July 3
Where: In theatres
Genre: Family
Why you should go: Why you should go: Minion mania may have mellowed a bit in the last few years but these mischievous yellow guys remain a reliable source of fun for all ages. In this latest outing, Gru and the family (with the newest, littlest member) must thwart the supervillain Maxime Le Mal while navigating their own chaotic household. Sure, four Despicable Me movies, on top of two Minion spin-offs, might seem excessive. But with its expressive animation, endearing characters and the madcap slapstick of the minions, this is certainly high-caliber family fare.
Maxxxine
What: Movie, 103 mins.
When: Fri., July 5
Where: In theatres
Genre: Horror
Why you should go:Why you should go: Who could have predicted that Ti West’s 2022 throwback horror lm X, about a group of would-be pornographers setting up camp in rural Texas, was the beginning of a genre-bending, era-spanning trilogy? The lm was followed up with the stylish prequel Pearl, set in 1918 and deeply indebted to 1940s and ’50s melodrama. The nal chapter, Maxxxine, follows X’s nal girl Maxine (Mia Goth) as she makes her way to Hollywood for a shot at fame. There, she revels in the excesses of ’80s L.A. while being pursued by real-life serial killer, Night Stalker.
Deadpool and Wolverine
What: Movie, 130 mins.
When: Fri., July 26
Where: In theatres
Genre: Action
Why you should go: Why you should go: As the movie theatre superhero supremacy seems to be winding down, we are starting
to see increasingly random outings from the Marvel and DC universe. In Hollywood B-movie tradition, here is a classic monster mashup! Starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the lm puts the two superheroes together when Deadpool is recruited to protect the multiverse.
Blink Twice
What: Movie, NO RUNTIME
When: Fri., Aug. 23
Where: In theatres
Genre: Thriller
Why you should go: Why you should go: While Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut is slightly sullied by foregoing its original title, Pussy Island, for something more family-friendly, Blink Twice still has an intriguing trailer and stellar cast. Channing Tatum plays a charming tech billionaire who invites a waitress (Naomi Ackie) and her friend (Alia Shawkat) to his luxurious private island, where the festivities soon turn sinister. While the premise is not exactly new (in the last few years, we have seen at least three lms and one HBO miniseries featuring rich people on an idyllic island committing murder), Blink Twice has enough star power and beautiful people to be, at the very least, a couple of hours of eye candy.
I Saw the TV Glow
What: Movie, 100 mins.
When: Fri., May 24
Where: In theatres
Genre: Horror
Why you should go: The early responses to Jane Sheonbaum’s new lm, I Saw the TV Glow, have been pretty hyperbolic, setting expectations high. Following the word-of-mouth success of We Are All Going to the World’s Fair, a creepy microbudget horror about a sinister Internet game. I Saw the TV Glow treads similar terrain (with a marked uptick in budget) with a group of young people who investigate a sinister TV channel. The lm begins a limited run at the Revue theatre on May 24.
Robot Dreams
What: Movie, 102 mins.
When: Fri., June 7
Where: In theatres
Genre: Family
Why you should go: Why you should go: Equal parts charming and heartbreaking, Robot Dreams is a kid-friendly, inventive animated lm. But be warned there is an existentially sad section in the middle. In the lm, a lonely dog orders a robot online, and a beautiful friendship blooms between the two. But a day at the beach ends with the robot rusting stiff and too heavy to move, and he spends a long winter on the sand, dreaming of being reunited with his friend.
Directed by Pablo Berger, this wordless lm is an ode to the transformative power of friendship and the chaotic charm of New York City.
Cora Bora
What: Movie, 92 mins.
When: Fri., June 14
Where: In theatres
Genre: Comedy
Why you should go: I If you’ve watched HBO’s Hacks, chances are you’re a fan of Megan Stalter. After gaining social media fame during the pandemic for her hilariously unhinged Instagram videos, she took a small role in the beloved HBO show and ran away with every scene. The new queer dramedy Cora Bora is her biggest and meatiest role yet.
Directed by Hannah Pearl Utt, Cora Bora follows a edgling singer-songwriter (Stalter) who returns from L.A. to Portland to reconnect with her girlfriend but discovers that someone has taken her place. Cora Bora balances cringe comedy with a compassionate story of a failure to launch.
Fancy Dance
What: Movie, 92 mins.
When: Fri., June 21
Where: In theatres
Genre: Drama
Why you should go:
Coming off the whirlwind press tour for Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone brings her inimitable screen presence to Fancy Dance, an indie by Erica Tremblay. In the lm, Gladstone plays an Indigenous woman trying to hold on to her niece after her sister goes missing. As the two women travel to attend a powwow, they’re hounded by police and their family members.
Balancing tense, moody drama with real issues of missing Indigenous women and Indigenous kids adopted into white families, Fancy Dance should be a thought-provoking watch.
What: Movie, 104 mins.
When: Fri., June 28
Where: In theatres
Genre: Drama
Why you should go: Controversial French director Catherine Breillat returns with her rst lm in a decade, the provocative and nuanced Last Summer. Despite being a remake of the Danish lm Queen of Hearts, this lm is all Breillat — intimate and fearless in its examination of desire and sex. The lm follows a successful married defence attorney whose life is turned upside down when her 17-year-old, troublemaker stepson moves in. As an affair develops between the two, Breillat keeps them in precise, unforgiving frames that shift the bucolic beauty of her luxurious French country home into something fraught and full of desire, transgression and manipulation.
What: Movie, 101 mins.
When: Fri., July 12
Where: In theatres
Genre: Horror
Why you should go: For horror fans, there are a few options at the theatre this summer: the apocalyptic prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, another exorcism movie starring Russel Crowe (The Exorcism) and lms by both M. Night Shyamalan (Trap) and his daughter, Ishana (The Watchers). But perhaps the buzziest among them is the moody horror Longlegs, starring Nicholas Cage and indie horror star Maika Monroe (It Follows). Monroe plays an FBI agent on the tail of a brutal serial killer. Directed by Oz Perkins (son of Psycho’s Anthony Perkins), the lm looks grim and grimy in the best way.
Mayworks Festival
What: Movie, 115 mins.
Continued on Page 38
Continued from Page 37
When: Fri., May 24 – Fri., May 31
Where: In theatres
Genre: Thriller
Why you should go: The Innis Town Hall at the University of Toronto is one of the best venues for free lms in the city. The student union hosts an exciting lineup of entertaining and thought-provoking lms during the school year. Before it closes for the summer, catch two free lms as part of the Mayworks Festival of Working People. First is the revolutionary classic The Battle of Algiers, an unforgettable and deeply in uential lm. The following week, catch Tomorrow’s Freedom, a wide-ranging documentary on the imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouthi.
Taututavuk (What we see)
What: Movie, 82 mins.
When: Tue., May 28
Where: In theatres
Genre: Drama
Why you should go:
Year-round, Toronto Public Library branches offer free weekly screenings (check your local branch for its schedule).
But a standout this summer is a screening of the Indigenous drama Taututavuk (What We See) at the Toronto Reference Library. Directed by sisters Carol Kunnuk and Lucy Tulugarjuk, the lm follows two sisters (played by the directors) as they struggle to stay connected and grounded during COVID-19.
Toronto Outdoor Picture Show
What: Festival
When: Wed., June 19 - Sun., Aug. 25
Where: Various
Genre: Various
Why you should go: The Toronto Picture Show returns with a series of films about the workplace, catch all-time favourites like 9 to 5 (1980), Out of Sight (1998) and Empire Records (1995) as well as recent gems like Sorry to Bother You (2018), Perfect Days (2024) and Someone
Lives Here (2023). The films will screen throughout the summer in Fort York, Christie Pits Park, Corktown Common and Bell Manor Park. Movies on the River
What: Movie
When: Fri., July 19 and Fri., August 31
Where: Humber River Paddling Centre
Genre: Various
Why you should go: For that very special night out, try Movies on the River. Combine your loves of nature and cinema: rent a canoe or kayak (or bring your own boat) and paddle with a guide to a oating screen for the main attraction. If you’re brave, you can catch Steven Spielberg’s ground-breaking 1975 blockbuster, Jaws. Or if you’re in the mood for calmer waters, bring the kids to their screening of the less treacherous Finding Nemo.
Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film
Festival
What: Festival
When: Fri., May 24 to Sat., June 1
Where: Various
Genre: Various
Why you should go: Why you should go: This pride month, one of the city’s most beloved festivals returns with an exciting and unexpected slate of short and feature-length lms as well as parties and panels. Check out a documentary about a three-generation family made up exclusively of queer women (Unusually Normal ), or one about the Nêhiyaw artist George Littlechild shot on 16mm lm. And catch the Aubrey Plaza-starring My Old Ass or the Eliot Page-starring Close to You. Other standouts include We Forgot the Break Up, a romantic drama set in Toronto’s music scene, and Winter Kept Us Warm, considered among the rst Canadian gay lms.
Toronto Jewish Film Festival
What: Festival
When: Thurs., May 30 to Sun., June 9
Where: Various
Genre: Various Why you should go: Now in its
32nd year, the TJFF returns with a slate of fascinating documentaries, dramas and comedies exploring the multiple facets of Jewish life and identity. Some standouts include Between the Temples, a comedy by Nathan Silver starring Jason Schwartzman as a singer who is unexpectedly reunited with his music teacher, played by Carol Kane; The Goldman Case, a taut courtroom drama that dramatizes the 1976 murder trial of Pierre Goldman; and Midas Man, a biopic about Brian Epstein, the man who discovered The Beatles.
Clueless Slumber Party
What: Movie, 97 mins.
When: Thurs., June 27
Where: Fox Theatre
Genre: Comedy
Why you should go: Since its release nearly 30 years ago, Clueless has been the quintessential soundtrack for countless slumber parties. Amy Heckerling’s pitch-perfect modernization of Jane Austen’s Emma handily
transports the story to an elite high school in Beverly Hills. Hilarious and endlessly quotable, Clueless is a razor-sharp satire with a killer wardrobe. So put on your PJs and relive those salad days or experience this all-time teen classic for the rst time on the big screen.
35 on 35: Do the Right Thing
What: Movie, 120 mins.
When: Fri., July 12
Where: The Revue
Genre: Drama
Why you should go: The Revue will be screening a series of lms turning 35 this year on a 35mm print. And what is a more appropriate summer classic than Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing ? Set over the course of one searing day in Brooklyn, Lee’s lm deals with race, gentri cation, hip hop and gender relations with inimitable style and humour. Series also screens Showgirls (June 24 & 25), Bring Me the Head Of Alfredo Garcia (July 19) and Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Sept. 6).
Wild Style
What: Movie, 82 mins.
When: Sun., June 2
Where: The Paradise Theatre Genre: Documentary
Why you should go: Contours is the buzzy new series at The Paradise that highlights films inspired by or featuring the fine arts. Don’t miss the underseen 1982 film Wild Style , the film follows a young graffiti artist (Lee Quiñones) who’s courted by the art world. Featuring performances by hip hop artists like the Rock Steady Crew and Grandmaster Flash, Wild Style is a time capsule of a specific time and place and a stylish ode to art form as resistance.
Asia Heritage Month at Hot Docs
What: Movie
When: Fri., May 24 - Fri., May 31
Where: Hot Docs Cinema
Genre: Various
Why you should go: Before temporarily closing Hot Docs celebrates Asian Heritage Month with nine lms that explore Asian identity. Highlights include Enter the Clones of Bruce, David Gregory’s doc about the cult of Bruce Lee and the cottage industry of imitators that sprung up after his untimely death; the
What:
When: Fri., June 7
Where: In theatres
Genre: Horror
Why you should go: Ishana Shyamalan’s disturbing tale of a young artist stranded in an immaculate forest in western Ireland, the strangers she is trapped with and creepy creatures she faces. Yipes.
neon-tinged The Last Year of Darkness, a drama set in Chengdu’s queer nightlife; and a talk with Lies and Weddings author Kevin Kwan.
Ness Murby: Transcending
What: Series, 6 episodes 30 mins.
When: Fri., May 24
Where: CBC Gem
Genre: Documentary
Why you should go: Why you should go: A six-part documentary on Canadian Paralympian Ness Murby. This rousing and honest series follows Murby, who lost his sight as a child, and his family as he works to become the rst openly trans male athlete in the Paralympics.
Hit Man
What: Movie, 115 mins.
When: Fri., May 24; streaming Fri., June 7
Where: In theatres, Net ix
Genre: Thriller
Why you should go: Why you should go: Richard Linklater’s latest was an unexpected critical hit at Venice and TIFF last year. Funny, sexy and unexpected, the film follows an undercover cop (Glenn Powell)
who poses as a hitman and meets a lovely lady in the process. After last year’s surprise hit Anyone but You with Sydney Sweeney, is Glen Powell going to be the face of the rom-com renaissance?
Emily in Paris, Season 4
What: Series, 10 episodes, 30 mins.
When: Thurs., August 15
Where: Net ix
Genre: Comedy
Why you should go: The unexpected smash hit Emily in Paris returns for its fourth season this summer. In the two-part fourth season, the overtly cheerful American marketing executive and Parisian transplant gets a new love interest, visits a new city and nds herself in a lot of drama. Is this the season where Emily nally learns French? Tune in to nd out!
STAX: Soulsville U.S.A.
Where: Crave
What: Miniseries, 4 episodes, 58 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: This spectacular, inspiring and ultimately infuriating documentary tells an amazing music story of Memphis-based, Black showcasing soul
record label, Stax while powerfully locating it in the context of the tumultuous ‘60s and ‘70s society around it.
Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza
Where: Paramount+
What: Miniseries, 3 episodes, 55 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: This self-egrandizing series is more an infomercial celebrating Lollapalooza. Cofounder Perry Farrell is unbearable, lit like an oracle for his interview segments, he drops what he clearly considers bon mots with absurd regularity followed by lingering reaction shots — he even occasionally smugly licks his lips — giving us plenty of time to contemplate his cleverness. His obvious self-satisfaction borders on self-parody.
Celebrating Cyndi Lauper
Let the Canary Sing
Where: Paramount+
What: Movie, 96 mins.
When: Tue., June 4
Genre: Documentary
Why you should watch: Cyndi Lauper is nally getting the respect she deserves both as an
artist and activist, especially her work as an ally for the LGBTQ+ community and we’re hoping this is a documentary worthy of this pioneering legend.
Jim Henson Idea Man
What: Movie, 107 mins.
When: Fri., May 31
Where: Disney +
Genre: Documentary
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: Why you should go: Ron Howard’s excellent documentary on the legendary puppeteer Jim Henson is a thoughtful exploration of the artist behind some of the most beloved characters in children’s entertainment from The Muppets and Sesame Street . Henson was as inventive and talented as he was good-natured and introverted. He also longed to be seen as more than “just a kids’ show puppeteer” and struggled with the uneven reception of his film work for “grown-ups.” This warm-hearted documentary features interviews with Henson’s family members as well as archival footage from his famous TV shows and his own film work, including experimental films.
ome of the comedy world’s hottest acts come to Toronto this summer. Eric Andre is the king of absurdism while Jimmy Carr and Jim Jefferies rule over roast and satire. Joe Pera’s gentle, folksy charm offers contrasting sunny serenity. And catch local favourites like Nour Hadidi and Mike Balazo.
What: Michael Balazo: Thanks for Murdering My Grandfather, The Ma a! (Not)
Where: Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. W. When: Wed., May 29
Why you should go: Toronto’s
Michael Balazo co-hosts the Evil Men podcast and is a regular on the Comedy Bar’s premium showcase Laugh Sabbath. Before performing at the Edinburgh Fringe — a launch pad for the U.K. comedy scene — he’s “previewing” his new show, which he describes as “proof that men would rather talk about how their grandfather was murdered by the ma a than go to therapy.”
Who: Joe Pera
Where: Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave. When: Fri., May 31
Why you should go: Buffalo’s Joe Pera crosses the Rainbow Bridge and Talks with You, (his Adult Swim show). Known for his meek appearance and soft-spoken delivery that might just put you to sleep — if you listen to his podcast, Drifting Off with Joe Pera, that is — his shaggy-dog-storystyle comedy won’t fail to make you laugh either. His most recent special, Slow & Steady, is currently available for free on YouTube.
What: The Eric Andre Show Live Where: History, 1663 Queen St. E. When: Fri., June 14
Why you should go: The reigning king of absurdist comedy and host of Adult Swim’s anti-talk show, The Eric Andre Show, is bringing his world-touring “live” edition of the program to History. Andre turned counterculture, cringe humour into huge, international success, most recently
starring in a Super Bowl ad for Drumstick ice cream bars to cement his certi ed mainstream status. After 12 years of hosting his post-modern, post-irony talk show, this might be your only chance to see it happen live and in person.
What: Anthony Rodia
Where: Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.
When: Sat., June 15
Why you should go: Italian-American comedian Anthony Rodia used to be the nance manager of a luxury car dealership. Even though comedy has only been his full-time gig for ve years, he’s already found huge, viral success on social media with his characters Uncle Vinny and Zia Lucia — so much so he’s even launched a brand of wines named after them. Based on his old-school vibe and delivery, you’d never guess he wasn’t a grizzled veteran of the comedy club circuit.
What: Aakash Gupta
Where: Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front St. E.
When: Sat., June 22
Why you should go: Indian actor and comedian Aakash Gupta was the co-winner of the Hindi-language stand-up competition show Comicstaan’s second season in 2019. He’s since found breakout success, selling out shows across India. If you understand Hindi and love live comedy, don’t miss this rare opportunity to see an Indian comedy superstar like Gupta performing in Canada.
What: Rachel Feinstein
Where: Comedy Bar Danforth, 2800 Danforth Ave.
When: Fri., June 28 & Sat., June 29
Why you should go: A nalist on Season 7 of Last Comic Standing, actress and comedian Rachel Feinstein is known for co-hosting The View and her frequent collaborations with friends Amy Schumer (Trainwreck, Inside Amy Schumer) and Judd Apatow (HBO’s Crashing).
Who: Nate Jackson
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 190 Princes’ Blvd.
When: Sat., June 29
Why you should go: Known for his portrayal of WWE wrestler
Junkyard Dog in NBC’s Young Rock, stand-up comedian Nate Jackson has also appeared on Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City on Comedy Central.
What: Comedy Bang! Bang!
Where: Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave.
When: Sun., July 28
Why you should go: A podcast, TV show and institution since 2009, Comedy Bang! Bang! remains one of the most in uential forces in alternative comedy. Hosted by writer and comedian Scott Auckerman, Comedy Bang! Bang! features hilarious, recurring characters played by some of the biggest names in sketch comedy.
What: The Charm Offensive with Jim Jefferies and Jimmy Carr
Where: Scotiabank Arena, 50 Bay St.
When: Sat., Sept. 7
Why you should go: The hosts of Comedy Central’s Jim Jefferies Show and Channel 4’s 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, respectively, Australia’s Jim Jefferies and England’s Jimmy Carr are individually masters of roast comedy and unafraid of courting controversy.
What: Laugh Sabbath
Where: Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. W. When: Every Thursday
Why you should go: Comedy Bar’s excellent, long-running weekly show features some of the best stand-up in the country, including regulars like Jackie Pirico (featured in NEXT Spring 2024).
What: Nour Hadidi & Friends
Where: Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. W.
When: Sat., June 1, Sat., July 6, Sat., Aug. 3
Why you should go: Nour Hadidi (featured in NEXT Winter 2023) hosts this monthly showcase of local talent at Comedy Bar, which is reason enough to go — but count on excellent guest sets.
What: The Nubian Show
Where: Yuk Yuk’s, 224 Richmond St. W.
When: Sun., June 30, Sun., July 28, Sun., Aug. 25
Why you should go: Hosted by the “Godfather of Comedy” Kenny Robinson, it’s a stage that helped launch the careers of superstars like Russell Peters.
ulnerability seems like a fundamental attribute of performing stand-up comedy. In how many scenarios would you feel more emotionally vulnerable than being alone on a stage, speaking into a microphone and trying to make a room full of people laugh?
“That’s what I thought!” says Brandon Ash-Mohammed, a Toronto-based comedian and award-winning head writer for Canada’s Drag Race. “I thought that was vulnerable enough!”
Ash-Mohammed is currently one of Canada’s brightest comedy stars. He appeared in 2022’s LOL: Last One Laughing Canada on Amazon Prime, alongside national treasures such as Caroline Rhea, Colin Mochrie and Kids in the Hall’s Dave Foley. He has been a writer and “Toronto correspondent” for CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes since 2021. His work as head writer of Drag Race recently won him a Canadian Screen Award in 2022, and his album Capricornication was named one of the “Best Comedy Albums” of 2020 by NPR’s Bullseye.
We’re discussing the idea of be-
ing vulnerable in comedy, which he says was the “genesis” of his upcoming one-man show, “The Reclusive Chanteuse”, happening at Factory Theatre as part of the “We’re Funny That Way” LGBTQ2S+ comedy and music festival on Sat., June 1.
“I got this review for my album where I got four stars, and the reason I didn’t get ve stars was because they said I wasn’t, like, vulnerable enough,” says Ash-Mohammed. “And I kind of didn’t like that because it was kind of saying that ‘Okay, if you’re a minority of some sort, you need to share some of your trauma with us — your minority trauma with us.’ That is vulnerability for them.”
Ash-Mohammed never shies away from getting personal in his act. On Capricornication he delves into growing up with an “ethnically ambiguous” name, coming out to his family, dating, relationships and being gay, Trinidadian and thicc.
“Meanwhile, my straight, white, male counterparts — they wouldn’t have to be vulnerable in their comedy at all, and everyone would just be like ‘ha ha ha, this is jokes’.”
Exploring this idea of “vulnerability” in comedy is what led him to “Reclusive Chanteuse”, even if it means pushing himself outside his comfort zone as a performer.
“I do have a fear of being vulnerable, and I’ve always had a fear of being vulnerable.”
The show will be a mix of standup, music, storytelling and audience interaction, where audience members can pick subjects for him to talk about.
“I am scared to do it,” he says about the unpredictable aspect of audience participation. “That is always my biggest fear — of not having full control over everything, and not, like, having everything pre-pre-pre-planned.”
Indeed, that level of control is easy to spot when watching him perform, as his material is tightly polished and precisely delivered every time he’s on stage.
The challenge for him with this new show, he says, is about getting to the “next level”. “I’ve noticed recently… I’ll go on stage, and when I can just [relax and] have fun, that is, like, the most fun I have, and then it’s, like, the best I do, when I’m having the most fun on stage.”
Ash-Mohammed
Watch the TikTok Clip
Brandon Ash-Mohammed
The Reclusive Chanteuse
What: Brandon Ash-Mohammed: The Reclusive Chanteuse
When: Sat., June 1
Where: Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St.
Why you should go: See one of Canada’s biggest comedy stars pushing himself out of his comfort zone and go to the ‘next level’.
Summer may be the off season for most dance companies, but between festivals, galas and free all-day events, there are still plenty of chances to check out a show in between ice creams and swimming pools!
Fleeting
What: Spring showcase of contemporary dance
Where: Fleck Dance Theatre
When: Fri., May 24 – Sat., May 25
Why you should go: What’s better than one contemporary dance? How about ve? The Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre nishes its season with this packed quintuple bill, which includes two premieres and three audience favourites by ve different choreographers.
Don Quixote
What: Spanish comedy with a balletic twist
Where: Four Seasons Centre
When: Sat., June 1 – Sat., June 9
Why you should go: Comedy, Spanish air, romance and the sweet sound of classical guitar combine in this North American Premiere of Carlos Acosta’s lauded remount! Follow Don Quixote, a daydreaming self-proclaimed knight, and his sidekick Sancho Panza, a witty farmer, as they seek glory and love in the landscape of 1600s Spain. With the promise of amenco air and vibrant costumes, this tango between two dance styles is the most anticipated dance event of the summer!
Dance Immersion
30th Anniversary Gala
What: Celebration of African Diaspora dance
Where: Lyric Theatre — Meridian Arts Centre
When: Thurs., June 6
Why you should go: Time to dust off your prom dresses and
coattails and sip a cocktail at this gala fundraiser from Toronto charity Dance Immersion, which has been producing, supporting and promoting dancers of the African Diaspora for three whole decades! With a short doc screening, performances from seven different artists and ticket prices directly contributing to the charity’s future works, tickets are likely to sell out fast.
Jewels
What: An international ballet mainstay showcasing ballet styles from around the world
Where: Four Seasons Centre
When: Wed., June 15 – Sun., June 22
Why you should go: George Balanchine’s 1967 ballet ends The National Ballet of Canada’s season. Without a plot, this show has three central acts set to music by three different composers to show off various gemstones. A treat for fans of Balanchine, Emeralds mines the depths of 19th century France, Rubies picks away at a jazzy routine and Diamonds polishes off the evening with grand Imperialist Russia!
Short&Sweet: Toronto Edition
What: Three-minute numbers from an eclectic range of artists
Where: Toronto Dance Theatre
When: Mon., July 8
Why you should go: This annual event has a large roster of artists from all corners of the dance world ghting for your applause in short three-minute windows of opportunity! Like scrolling through TikTok, it’s hard to know who or what will appear on stage, but expect the wild, zany and extreme as dancers pull out all the stops. After all the performances are nished, the audience is encouraged to take to the dance oor and party the night away!
Dance @ The Square
What: Full-day free event
Where: Albert Campbell Square
When: Sat., Aug. 3
Why you should go: Soak up the sun and have a snack at this
By: Helen Victoria Tonerfree all-day event! With casting currently still in progress, check the website closer to the event to pick your must-see numbers.
Toronto Fringe Festival
What: Lottery-selected
Where: Various Toronto venues
When: Wed., July 3 – Sun., July 14
Why you should go: As Ontario’s largest theatre and performance festival, The Toronto Fringe Festival has artists submit shows that are then selected by lottery!
Ranging from dance to theatre to ambiguous performance art and performed at traditional theatres, parking lots and street corners — there’s something for everyone. Events range from ticketed to free and short to long, so check out the schedule once it’s posted and spend an evening out or pop by on your way for groceries!
Performance Festival
What: Ten days of contemporary performances
Where: Various Toronto venues — stay tuned for a schedule
When: Thurs., Aug. 1 – Sun., Aug. 11
Why you should go: Since 1991, Summerworks has been promoting contemporary art! Programming has not been posted, but updates will be posted to the festival’s website and social media.
Toronto International
Tap Dance Festival
What: Tap dance at the forefront
Where: The Harbourfront Centre
When: Thurs., Aug 15 – Sun., Aug. 18
Why you should go: Enjoy shows, workshops, panel discussions and nightly jams at this popular event that showcases the heart and passion of the tap dance community. The festival opens with a screening of Restorative Culture, a documentary about local Indigenous tapper Johnathan Morin, and continues with performances that range from traditional jazz to R&B street style!
Even if it’s in the name of helping blue-collar, working-class folks, it’s still subsidizing cars at the expense of funding that could be put towards transit and cycling infrastructure.
Why: She’s opposed building modular supportive housing in her ward, imsily claiming she’s concerned about the safety of nearby seniors, but she’s also been a strong advocate for action to curb anti-Asian racism and intimate partner violence.
Who: Jon Burnside
Where: Ward 16, Don Valley East
When: First elected 2014
Grade: C-
Why: A former cop, Burnside unsurprisingly supports dumping truckloads of cash at police headquarters. To his credit, though, he represents the ward that’s home to the Science Centre, and he opposes the premier’s half-baked scheme to destroy it, recognizing the terrible impact it would have on his community.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Needs to learn that not every problem can be solved with more cops and heavy-handed enforcement.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes)
Needs to improve: With a housing emergency underway in the city, it’s hard to have any patience for her imsy, NIMBY concerns about building critcal housing in her ward.
(Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Kandavel needs to back up his tough election talk on progressive issues, like income inequality, affordable housing and child care, with some equally tough votes now that he’s on council.
Who: Brad Bradford
Where: Ward 19, Beaches— East York (East end)
When: First elected 2018
Grade: D
Why: This mouthy right winger was crushed in a mayoralty election trying to import U.S.-style aggressive, polarizing campaign against Chow. Bradford keeps re- ghting his losing election, trying to be the motor-mouthing voice of opposition to the mayor and her progressive agenda.
Who: Shelley Carroll
Where: Ward 17, Don Valley North
When: First elected 2003
Grade: B
Why: The perfect Liberal councillor, Carroll works the left-ofmiddle skillfully and is able to achieve a lot without pissing off many.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (No)
Needs to improve: Just like a Liberal, Carroll is great at paying lip service to progressive causes — but when push comes to shove, she’s just as likely to side with council’s conservatives on key votes as the progressives.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes)
Needs to improve: Needs to learn that a kneejerk opposition to everything Chow proposes is just ludicrous — even Doug Ford nds points of agreement with the mayor.
Who: Parthi Kandavel
Where: Ward 20, Scarborough Southwest
When: First elected 2023
Grade: B-
Who: Lily Cheng
Where: Ward 18, Willowdale
When: First elected 2022
Grade: B-
Why: Considered to be one of several “progressive” candidates vying for the open Scarborough seat in 2023, Kandavel worked hard to give the impression he would be part of the mayor’s inner circle if elected. Since then, though, his NIMBY-minded opposition to building housing and cycling infrastructure doesn’t bode well for whether he can be trusted to deliver.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium
Who: Michael Thompson
Where: Ward 21, Scarborough Centre
When: First elected 2003
Grade: D
Why: The long time Scarborough councilor Thompson is facing two sexual assault charges making their way through court. He’s an old-school back-slapper who works hard for his ward, is not afraid to hold a grudge and is best not crossed. Has lots of power with budget role. Uncritical fan of the cops.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (No) Needs to improve: With the criminal charges currently against him, Thompson simply needs to resign. It’s hard to stomach him voting on issues like staff integrity, the police budget, bail reform, etc., with those charges looming in the background.
Who: Nick Mantas
Where: Ward 22, Scarborough—Agincourt
When: First elected 2021
Grade: D
Why: The thing we know him for best, now, is that he’s the councillor who went on a $16,000+ taxpayer-funded trip to Italy — which went so far over budget he needed council to approve a big, fat cheque to bail him out.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Clearly, he needs to work on understanding that overseas fact- nding missions on behalf of the city aren’t all-expenses-paid vacations.
Who: Jamaal Myers
Where: Ward 23, Scarborough
North
When: First elected 2022
Grade: B+
Why: The TTC chair did a great job calling out
Burnside and Holyday’s bullshit during the budget debate — Burnside for wanting to hike TTC fares despite not ever taking transit himself and Holyday for wanting to slash the system’s budget despite not checking his math with TTC staff.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Nonetheless, he’s supported measures to crack down on fare evasion. If transit is a public service we pay for with our tax dollars, shouldn’t we put those resources towards making it more affordable — or, even better, free?
the police and dismantling the Gardiner Expressway. Last year, she voted against a motion by Matlow simply to make eliminating homelessness a goal for the city to strive towards. How heartless is that?
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Her record on council suggests that she’s more interested in putting highways over heads than roofs.
• Naming “Rob Ford Stadium” — Dec. 13, 2023
• Vote to amend budget to increase police budget by $12.6 million — Feb. 14, 2024
Who: Paul Ainslie
Where: Ward 24, Scarborough—Guildwood
When: First elected 2006
Grade: C+
Why: Once an ally of then-mayor Rob Ford, Ainslie fell out with Ford after publicly criticizing him for his humiliating, absurd scandals. Ten years go by, and now, Ainslie has voted in favour of naming a stadium after that same, scandal-riddled mayor. Talk about being council’s “mushy middle.”
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Despite being a Tory loyalist, he’s shown he can get with the program now that City Hall is under new management. Consistency is key, though.
• Motion to investigate ways to save the Science Centre — July 19, 2023 Follow our ongoing reporting on this issue
Who: Jennifer McKelvie
Where: Ward 25, Scarborough—Rouge Park
When: First elected 2018
Grade: D
Why: Another Tory loyalist, McKelvie is against defunding
Strata’s five-year plan, experimental burial, MOCA wraps GTA show and more in Toronto galleries’ summer season
What: New Strata: Five Years (Misbah Ahmed, Shannon Garden-Smith, Andrew Harding, Cadence Planthara)
When: Now until Sat., June 8
Where: Hearth, 1267 A St. Clair Ave. W.
Why you should go: Presenting work from the four artists who were featured in Hearth’s inaugural 2019 exhibition, New Strata — an independent queer art collective operating out of a garage — New Strata: Five Years marks the gallery’s new location while revisiting the theme of stratification and time in a world cleaved from itself half a decade later.
What: Moments in Modernism
When: Opens Fri, June 14
Where: Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), 317 Dundas St. W.
Why you should go: The AGO brings its massive modernism collection together in anticipation of the pieces being deposited in the new gallery wing, with construction beginning this year. The collection features the works of international art stars, including Andy Warhol, Helen Frankenthaler, Jules Olitski, Gerhard Richter and Mark Rothko, with a focus on Canadian artists, including Alex Colville, Rita Letendre, Jack Bush, Agnes Martin, Guido Molinari and Norval Morrisseau.
What: Danielle Dean Out of this World
When: Now until Sat., June 15
Where: Mercer Union, 1286 Bloor St. W.
Why you should go: British-American artist Danielle Dean’s first institutional solo exhibition in Canada features an uncanny 25-minute short film titled Hemel. Shot on 16mm, the work observes the artist’s hometown of Hemel Hempstead post-Brexit, compounding historical archives and personal histories to destabilize the town’s rhythms.
What: Mnemonic silences, disappearing acts (Kasra Jalilipour, Jordan King, Kama La Mackerel, Hazel Meyer and Cait McKinney, Lan “Florence” Yee)
When: Now until Fri., June 21
Where: Art Museum at the University of Toronto, 7 Hart House Circle
Why you should go: Curated by Dallas Fellini, this exhibition contends with the absences and modes of censorship within queer and trans archives through revisionism and cathartic reimagining. Pink peg boards decorated with digitization materials, 3D renderings used to curb biases and pellucid, hand-embroidered textiles abound.
What: Ryan Foerster Greay Matter
When: Now until Sat., June 22
Where: Cooper Cole, 1134 Dupont St.
Why you should go: The exhibition’s name, which plays on gradients in dialect, abridges its multimodal approach: Foerster’s sculptural photography and video work layers the tangible and the virtual object — image, lumber, camcorder footage — in an effort to anarchize expectation and blur boundaries.
What: Kara Hamilton Live Wire, Tender Stakes
When: Now until Sun., June 22
Where: Cooper Cole, 1134 Dupont St.
Why you should go: A sculptural installation of collected objects that Hamilton terms “agents of hope,” Live Wire, Tender Stakes presents a reverse alchemy, pulling together currencies of the natural world without attempting to translate their value into the language of late-stage capitalism.
What: Burial of This Order (Jane Jin Kaisen)
When: Now until Sun., June 22
Where: Gallery TPW, 170 St. Helens Ave.
Why you should go: This remarkable exhibition shows three experimental films by the artist, the titular one being about a symbolic funeral procession for a world order built on hierarchies. A troupe of performers
stage elaborate rituals in an abandoned resort in Jeju, South Korea, in their “[refusal] to dance to this cosmic song of division.”
What: Liberation in Four Movements (Erika DeFreitas, Ja’Tovia Gary, Amir George, Onyeka Igwe, Donna James, Elsa James, Michaëlle Sergile)
When: Now until Sat., July 27
Where: Art Museum at the University of Toronto, 7 Hart House Circle
Why you should go: Curated by Ingrid Jones, Liberation in Four Movements centres Black radical thinking by way of scholarship, embodied practices and moving image media, with reference to Fred Moten’s “Blackness and Nothingness: Mysticism of the Flesh.”
What: Greater Toronto Art 2024
Triennial Exhibition
When: Now until Sun., July 28
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, 158 Sterling Rd. #100
Why you should go: Spotlighting 25 artists and collectives, GTA24 is an effort to build sustainable ways of living and caring for each other through our artistic commitments. The exhibition spans the museum’s three floors, embracing Toronto’s geographic and cultural ambiguities through exhibitions, presentations and performances.
What: Terence Gower: Embassy
When: Now until Sun., Aug, 11
Where: The Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay W.
Why you should go: Featuring over a decade of Gower’s mixed-media inquiries into the architecture of the United States, Embassy uses postwar materials and historiography to contend with structures of power extant within diplomatic architecture. The exhibition involves four large-scale sculptural installations and is interspersed with documentary footage and archival research — a kind of detective story sprung into stationary
What: Jackson’s Wars: A.Y. Jackson before the Group of Seven
When: Now until Feb. 2025
Where: Michael Canadian Art Collection, 10365 Islington Ave., Kleinburg, ON
Why you should go: An exploration of painter A.Y. Jackson’s work before 1920 and the Group of Seven’s formation. Co-curated by Douglas Hunter and Sarah Milroy, it showcases rare paintings from his studies in Europe and his evocative depictions of Quebec and Ontario. The exhibition includes his impactful First Work War battlefield scenes, reframing his legacy.
Who: Olivia Chow
Where: Mayor, citywide
When: First elected 2023
Grade: A
Why: Even the right has to be impressed by Chow’s ability to get things done, a signi cant upgrade in achievement after the all-talk-little-action reign of tax-phobic John Tory. Chow has wrung out deals with the feds, the province and even Rogers — subway cell connectivity — that her predecessor failed to do. Her deal-making has occasionally seen her on the strange side of some issues. Her backing down on her budget battle with the cops seemed like a failure, but it might have just been a judicious retreat; she didn’t have the council votes to win the ght. And she handed off the battle to save Ontario Place to Councillor Ausma Malik to get a provincial deal on highway funding. That was another expedient deal since the province can just expropriate city land on the site, which it did recently. Her backing to name Etobicoke Stadium after disgraced mayor Rob Ford seems like grimy dealmaking, and steamrolling the new name for Yonge-Dundas Square showed a disappointing lack of community
By: NEXT Magazineconsultation. Perfect? Of course not, but Chow is the best mayor this city has had in decades.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: She’s the most consultatve mayor ever but a few misteps to dealmaking or speed came at the cost of community credibility. Will have to be on constant guard as she balances dealmaking with ideals.
— even though he voted against doing anything about it.
The new mayor and city council have been on the job for just over a year —time for a report card! Looks like a few councilors are due for detention
able housing, funding essential city services or anything else he deems as “overreach” (i.e., anything that’s not more money for the police). Maybe he thinks he’s the second coming of Rob Ford? (How pathetic is being a poor imitation of that guy on council?)
Who: Vincent Crisanti
Where:
Where: Ward 1, Etobicoke North
When: First elected 2010
Grade: D+
Why: If there are two things he hates, it’s taxes and people having fun. He’s been one of the strongest opponents of the vacant home tax and alcohol in parks. He also tried to justify support for more surface parking lots as being important for “tourism” — because what else draws a crowd like barren asphalt? Still, there are glimmers of hope in his voting record. He supported declaring homelessness an emergency in the city
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: He needs to spend less time whining about taxes in the Toronto Sun and more time considering what actually makes a city a desirable place to live. (Here’s a hint: It’s not gutting city services so your wealthy, multiple-home-owning constituents can get even more tax breaks to buy up even more real estate.)
Who: Stephen Holyday
Where: Ward 2, Etobicoke Centre
When: First elected 2014
Grade: F
Why: Despite apparently being proud of his status as council’s ultra-conservative naysayer, Holyday isn’t a martyr for a supposed “silent majority” opposed to the mayor — he’s just a contrarian who votes against taking any measures to make this city a more livable, compassionate place. He says “No” by default to any measures on building afford-
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (No) Needs to improve: Where to start? Chow has shown she’s willing to compromise with almost anybody — even a councillor like Holyday. Yet his colleagues have said there’s no point in trying to work with him on most issues — they already know what his answer will be.
(“No.”)
following that motion with another to implement important police reforms, having her name on that huge increase to an already overpaid police service has done real damage to her progressive credibility — even if she was only a loyal team player for the mayor, who was, ultimately, the one calling the shots on this reversal.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: She has her work cut out for her to earn back the trust of progressive voters, even though her suburban constituents may not be as bothered by it. Still, she’s shown in other important votes that her values are usually in the right place.
Who: Amber Morley
Where: Ward 3, Etobicoke— Lakeshore
When: First elected 2022
Grade: B-
Why: Despite being one of several progressive, rookie councillors elected in 2022, she didn’t just vote for an increase to the police budget of $12.6 million; she was the one to propose it. Despite
Who: Gord Perks
Where: Ward 4, Parkdale— High Park
When: First elected 2006
Grade: B+
Why: Is longtime progressive Perks tired? With fellow traveller Chow as mayor, this should be his time but it feels like Perks has settled in as a grumpy, “get
off my lawn” guy. We hope he nds his mojo and an issue that he can put his heart into and use this progressive council moment to make happen. Perks seemed to relish his role as a long-time, outspoken opponent of successive conservative mayors Rob Ford and John Tory. Now, with progressive Chow in charge, he’s fallen in line as a loyalist to her rule. Does he still have that same re under him, though, now that he’s on the side of authority and power?
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Re-light that re that saw him as a mischievous and effective council troublemaker. Perks came under serious attack in the last election for not being more engaged with his community. Is he wishing he had followed Mike Layton and Joe Cressy out the door and into a cushy public sector job instead, or can he rediscover that spark now that City Hall is under new management?
Who: Frances Nunziata Where: Ward 5, York South— Weston When: First elected 2000 Grade: D
Why: A long-time Ford-Tory loyalist, Nunziata shoots from the hip — whether or not it’s backed up with facts. She’s not actually a fan of local democracy, though — dismissing deputations to the budget committee as being biased against the police and, thus, not even worth considering. That attitude’s a big problem when she’s the one running council meetings as the speaker, especially considering she’s been phoning it in for years and struggles to stay calm and in control. Seems to think “Ready to Blow” is the perfect vibe to perma-project, but why is she so pissed? Lifetime civic politician has major chameleon skills but not a lot to show for her very extended time in of ce.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: It’s time to get out of the speaker’s chair. She impatiently rules over council meetings like an incompetent
Judge Judy. Council is chaotic enough without a schoolyard bully failing to maintain order.
bully failing to maintain order.
Who: James Pasternak Where: Ward 6, York Centre When: First elected 2010 Grade: D
Why: This grumpy old-school councillor is micro-focused on his ward with no larger vision of the city. Railed against drinking in parks with a puritanical fear of change that feeds a parochial vision of Toronto reminiscent of the Gardiner-Lamport days.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Mind-bogglingly, he argued spending more on the TTC’s state of repair would take funds away from expanding the system.
servative who’s willing to play ball with the new, progressive mayor thanks to their history of working together in the old, pre-amalgamation days of Metro Council. He even called the mayor a “charming young lady” in her rst council session as mayor. What a (patronizing, misogynistic) gentleman.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Encouragingly, he’s supported building more cycling infrastructure, a real estate speculation tax and has even been vocal about trans rights on council, but, on the whole, he’s still a pro-cop, anti-tax conservative.
city’s ght to save Ontario Place, with the mayor sidelined by her Gardiner deal.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Malik has a lot on her shoulders as one of Chow’s top deputies. She can take a page from the mayor’s playbook and build unexpected alliances to further cement her status as not just another progressive but a real leader on council.
but Matlow rubs many at City Hall the wrong way, which can lead to him being isolated on council and unable to nd allies for his priorities. His drift from council’s mushy middle to becoming an outspoken progressive is certainly welcome, even if it has sometimes felt a bit performative. Did he simply sense which way the winds were blowing when he jumped into the mayoral race before Chow stole his thunder?
Grade: D+
Who: Anthony Perruzza
Where: Ward 7, Humber River—Black Creek
When: First elected 2006
Why: Perruzza initially refused to apologize for making an “obscene gesture” at Paul Ainslie during a session of council back in December. The minutes of that session read: “Councillor Perruzza responded with ‘Yeah. What’s it to you?’” to Ainslie when confronted about it. Disruptive and buffoonish, his car-centric voting record makes it hard to believe he was once an NDP MPP. His antics suggest he prefers being the class clown to being a councillor.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Yes), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Unless he can learn to play nice, it might be time to retire — leave governing the city to the grown-ups.
Who: Mike Colle
Where: Ward 8, Eglinton—Lawrence
When: First elected 2018
Grade: C+
Why: Like Doug Ford, he’s a con-
Who: Alejandra Bravo
Where: Ward 9, Davenport
When: First elected 2022
Grade: A+
Why: After three failed attempts to get a seat on council in 2003, 2006 and 2014, and then a failed federal campaign in 2021 — which she lost by only 76 votes — she nally has the chance to show us what we’ve been missing out on. A long-time progressive activist, she’s prioritized building parks over parking lots, people over bloated police budgets and keeping Ontario Place public. An exemplary record.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: The battles to save public gems like Ontario Place and the Science Centre from the premier’s privatization plans need a progressive champion like her to keep up the ght on council.
Who:
Ausma Malik
Where: Ward 10, Spadina—Fort York
When: First elected 2022
Grade: A+
Why: The most consistent and articulate progressive voice on council, Malik has represented her downtown ward’s interests well in addition to bringing a city-building perspective to larger concerns. She has led the
Who: Dianne
SaxeWhere: Ward 11, University—Rosedale
When: First elected 2022
Grade: C+
Why: Saxe feels like a suburban councillor dropped into an inner-city ward with her beige approach to city building, having remained pretty ineffectual in helping navigate the complex issues of preserving Kensington Market.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Residents, activists and staff alike have complained, publicly and privately, about her invisibility in the community. She needs to show some interest in her constituents’ concerns when outside of the council chambers.
Who: Josh Matlow
Where: Ward 12, Toronto- St. Paul’s (Midtown)
When: First elected 2010
Grade: A
Why: Matlow would have been a good mayor — before Olivia Chow stepped up and grabbed the crown. No sourpuss, Matlow has been a strong ally for Chow’s progressive agenda while remaining a vocal advocate for local issues in his ward. Great champion for city-wide issues like saving the Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Place, housing and transit.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: We like him,
Who: Chris Moise
Where: Ward 13, Toronto Centre
When: First elected 2022
Grade: C+
Why: Moise was expected to be a stalwart of council’s progressive wing when elected as part of a slate of rookie councillors representing downtown. Instead, he promptly cosied up to John Tory and even endorsed Ana Bailão for mayor. Yet, since Chow won that contest, he’s re-aligned himself with the progressives. It seems Moise prefers to stay close to whoever is in power rather than rock the boat.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (Absent), Increased police funding (Yes), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: Moise mostly moves with the mayor — whoever that mayor might be. In his words, he’s not in it to “join a team,” but, if he’s really as independent as he claims, he needs to show he’s not just a follower.
to show he’s not just a follower.
Who: Paula Fletcher
Where: Ward 14, Toronto—Danforth
When: First elected 2003
Grade: B+
Why: One of council’s veteran progressives, Fletcher has smoothly moved from staunch opposition to valuable ally with the change in mayor.
Key votes record: Ford Stadium (No), Increased police funding (No), Protect Science Centre (Yes) Needs to improve: If she loses marks for anything, it might be her old-school approach on issues like keeping parking cheap.
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