Dundas and Bay

Weekend Radar: November 21 + 22, 2009

Photo: "Blues" by Ian Muttoo, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21 and SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

Saturday, November 21:

VIDEO GAMES | Gamercamp
If heaven were designed using 8-bit technology, it would look like Gamercamp. The event brings together developers and enthusiasts to celebrate the games that many of us nearly went blind from playing when we were kids. Speakers will look back at how early video games shaped the gaming industry and continue to influence software development, and current developers including Michael Todd from Spyeart will reveal some new projects. Best of all, the day ends with a party of unlimited game play on vintage games from the Replay Arcade Museum. Time to nerd out, people!
Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Ossington Ave., $20, 1 pm - 9:30 pm

COMEDY | Laughology and the World Laughter Games
This event isn't about comedy, it's about laughter. As Albert Nerenberg's Laughology explains, laughter has the ability to make your stronger, healthier, and even sexier. The documentary that reportedly caused laugh riots when it premiered at Hot Docs examines the phenomenon of contagious laughter and features Doug Collins, the man with the most contagious laugh in the world. Before the screening there will be a demo of competitive laughing, in which two people go head to head with the goal of making the other person seem the funniest.
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W., $8, 7 pm

MUSIC | Bonjay EP Release Party
Dance hall duo Bonjay finally release their debut record Gimme Gimme tonight after years of playing live shows that teased us with their potential. Bonjay only has one goal when they play, and that's to get everybody real sweaty, real fast. The relatively confined space of Terranga is a perfect place for the release party, and no doubt the pair will bring their big, spicy, West-Indian beats. Poirier and Valeo open.
Terranga African Restaurant, 159 Augusta Ave., $8, 10 pm

MUSIC | The Toronto Jazz Orchestra Opening Concert
For the past eleven years the Toronto Jazz Orchestra has brought new graduates from the city's top university and college music programs together to play jazz in the old fashioned big band style. The TJO kicks off its 2009-2010 season on Saturday with an afternoon show in tribute to legendary drummer Buddy Rich. The 18-piece orchestra will cram itself into the Rex to play some of Rich's most popular tunes including the Channel One and West Side Story suites.
The Rex Hotel, 194 Queen St. W., PWYC, 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm

STREET FESTIVAL | Light Art Food
Bloor Street between Dufferin and Landsdowne is not normally an overly cheery stretch of road, but tonight it will be transformed into a neon-lit outdoor art fair with LED sculptures hanging from lightposts, stores lit up with special displays, and local restaurants offering tasting menus. Several bars along the street are hosting parties, including a Red Green and Blue themed jam at Café Stella which will feature slide show and a menu of only red, green and blue foods. Grab a partner, go for a stroll and restaurant hop the night away.
Bloor St. between Dufferin and Landsdowne, 4 pm to 8 pm

Sunday, November 22, 2009:

MUSIC | Sicilian Jazz Project
The Sicilian Jazz project first impressed audiences in 2004 when it debuted at the Distillery Jazz Festival. Since then, the seven-piece ensemble has released a full length CD which was nominated for a 2009 Juno Award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year. The group is led by guitarist and composer Michael Occhipinti, and blends traditional folk music from Sicily with modern jazz.
Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., $15 advance, 7 pm

COMEDY | Hour of Power!
Sarah Hennessey and Nick Flanagan host this comedy show at the Riv tonight as part of the club's weekly Laugh Sabbath Sunday comedy series. Hennessey is an up and coming stand up who's created enough of a following to do a few solo shows around town. She's tipped as a comic to watch in the coming years, as is part-time comic/freelance writer/punk band frontman Nick Flanagan. Other comics on the bill include Alana Johnston, Tim Gilbert, and Christ Locke.
The Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., $5, 9 pm

MUSIC | Wavelength: Parlovr, Provincial Parks, and Young Mother
Haven't been to the Garrison yet? Well now's the time! Come see Montreal post pop trio Parlovr (pronounced either "parlour" or "parlover", they apparently don't care) tear up the joint along with Toronto's own melancholy Provincial Parks and noise rock outfit Young Mother, who don't so much play songs and make a lot of sounds which they call "abandoned space station ambience." If that don't get yer toes tapping, I don't know what will.
The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W., PWYC ($5-$10 suggested), 10 pm

Continuing events:

FOOD | 2009 Gourmet Food and Wine Expo
Since Thursday Toronto's top restaurants have turned the Metro Convention Centre into a giant cocktail party. Creations from the city's best chefs are on offer along with samples of incredible wines. Members of the Independent Wine Education Guild are giving tips on how to buy and taste wine, and the Tutored Tastings Program gives visitors access to rare vintages. Meanwhile, on the Food Network Stage celebrity chefs discuss and prepare some of their top recipes. This is real gourmet stuff we're talking here, the real cream of the crème brûlée.
Metro Convention Centre, South Building, 255 Front St., $35, Saturday 12 pm - 10 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm

FILM | Eh!U European Film Festival
This not-so-cleverly titled film festival brings the best of European cinema to the land of the hoser for the next two weeks. Now in its fifth year, the festival will have screenings of 26 movies from 23 European countries and every single show is free. Highlights include Austria's The White Ribbon, winner of the Palm D'Or at Cannes this year, and France's A Prophet, which won the Cannes Grand Prix.
Various locations and times

EXHIBITION | The Everything To Do With Sex Show
Since Friday the ETDWSS has been stimulating the body and soul (but mostly the body) at Exhibition Place with all the best of everything related to getting it on. A fashion show and carnival parade, body spray art demonstrations, seminars on how to find the perfect sex toy, and even a full scale dungeon are but some of the highlights that have made this one of the biggest shows of its kind in the world. Sure to be a very naughty weekend. Runs til Sunday.
Direct Energy Centre, 100 Princes Blvd., $20-$25 single day, $27.50-$35 weekend pass, Saturday 11 am - 12 am, Sunday 11 am - 6 pm

For full listings, head on over to our events calendar.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO calendar, contact us directly, or use our handy Facebook app.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.


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