DJ Sprinkles is the deep house alias of Terre Thaemlitz, an American-raised, Japan-based musician, writer and activist whose DJ sets and wider work stand apart from the mindless euphoria that enthralls large swaths of dance music culture.
The reissue of her 2009 album, Midtown 120 Blues, two years ago shone a brighter spotlight on her music. However, that melancholic tribute to Manhattan’s transgender clubs of the early 90s represents only a fraction of her musical output, which also encompasses ambient, jazz and Soulnessless, a nearly 30-hour piano solo released in a single mp3 file and dubbed “the world’s longest album in history.”
Over 15 solo albums and several singles, Thaemlitz – who identifies as queer and transgender – has pushed back against the boundaries between genre and identity by slipping in samples and sounds that disrupt club culture’s bro-noying status quo with humour, camp and queer politics.
Her upcoming gig in Toronto, a rare local appearance, sounds like a special one. Booked by Work in Progress (who recently brought Lena Willikens and organized last year’s Discwoman party), the event is a daytime garden party in a DIY loft space above an auto shop that begins in the afternoon and lasts until midnight.
With Invisible City Editions and CL. At 190 Richmond East on September 25, doors 4 pm. $15-$20. eventbrite.com.
TRADE WITH MISTER WALLACE at Black Eagle doors 10 pm. $5-$10 at the door. September 10.
BROOKE ANNIBALE, AOIFE O’DONOVAN at The Great Hall 7 pm. $16.50. September 15.
LOVEFINGERS, ROBERTO, POOYAN at Bambi’s doors 10 pm. September 16.
THE BELLE GAME, SUSTO at Horseshoe Tavern doors 8 pm. $10.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. September 19.
THE HUSTLE: EDITION 20 WITH WALDO, KAVALE, ELCEE THE ARTIST, KAYDEE at Drake Hotel doors 9 pm. $20, adv $15. universe.com/thehustle20. September 22.
JANE’S PARTY, MIDDAY SWIM at Horseshoe Tavern doors 9 pm. $7. horseshoetavern.com, ticketfly.com. September 23.
AMERICAN LIPS, ACID PRIEST, BART, ISKA DHAAF at The Silver Dollar doors 9 pm. $7. September 23.
SLOW DOWN MOLASSES, HUSH PUP at The Baby G Record release show. Doors 9 pm. $10. September 24.
HENRIK SCHWARZ, JAMIE KIDD, GERA, ALBERTO JOSSUE B2B ALEKSANDER KOJIC at Coda doors 10 pm. $25-$35 adv. coda.wantickets.com. September 24.
DJ SPRINKLES, INVISIBLE CITY EDITIONS, CL at 190 Richmond East Daytime loft party. 4 pm-midnight. $15-$20. eventbrite.com. September 25.
MICHEL PAGLIARIO at Phoenix Concert Theatre Canada Walk Of Fame Festival. Doors 8 pm. $10.70-$25. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketmaster.ca. September 29.
ILLENIUM at The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. September 30.
ELLIOTT VINCENT JONES, CINDY LEE, BERNARDINO FEMINIELLI, JESSE FUTERMAN (DJ SET) at The Baby G 9:30 pm. $10. October 8.
JACUZZI BOYS, POSSUM, GOODBYE HONOLULU, GOOD KIDS at Silver Dollar 8 pm. $9.50. ticketfly.com. October 10.
LISA LEBLANC at Rivoli doors 8 pm. $15. masseyhall.com. October 14.
SARAH NEUFIELD, DIALECTICA at Music Gallery 8 pm. $20, adv $15, stu $10. October 15.
OOOZING WOUND, CELLPHONE, LUGE at The Baby G doors 9 pm. $8. ticketfly.com. October 16.
JUSTIN RUTLEDGE, JOSHUA HYSLOP at The Great Hall doors 8 pm. $20. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. October 22.
LENNON THROUGH A GLASS ONION at Isabel Bader Theatre 8 pm. $44.50-$49.50. ticketfly.com. October 27-29.
TRASH TALK at Hard Luck doors 8 pm. $17.50. On sale September 2. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. October 28.
TUPPER WARE REMIX PARTY at Lee’s Palace doors 8 pm. $20. On sale September 2. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. October 31.
ANNA LUNOE, VINDATA, DJ SLIINK at The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. November 5.
TRAP THEM, YAUTJA at Velvet Underground doors 9 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. November 7.
NICK CARTER at Danforth Music Hall doors 7 pm, all ages. $35.50-$55.50. On sale September 2. ticketmaster.ca. November 9.
NQ ARBUCKLE at Horseshoe Tavern doors 9 pm. $15. On sale September 2. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, horseshoetavern.com, ticketfly.com. November 11.
EMERGENTS I: VOLUR & WAPITI at Music Gallery 8 pm. $12, stu $8. November 17.
NIYKEE HEATON Danforth Music Hall doors 7 pm. $22.50-$26. On sale September 1. ticketmaster.ca. November 20.
A$AP FERG, PLAYBOI CARTI, ROB STONE at Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 8 pm, all ages. $32.50-$55. ticketmaster.ca. November 27.
ANIMALS AS LEADERS, INTERVALS, PLINI at Opera House doors 7 pm. $29. rotate.com, ticketfly.com. November 28.
THE HEAD & THE HEART at Massey Hall doors 7 pm. $39.50-$59.50. On sale September 2. masseyhall.com. November 30.
JAMES CHANCE & THE CONTORTIONS, RAMBUNCTIOUS at Rivoli Rescheduled from September 7 & 8. Two shows, at 8 & 11:30 pm. $30, both shows $50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com,ticketweb.ca. December 10.
PUP DANFORTH MUSIC HALL at Second show added. Doors 7 pm. $13.50-$18.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketmaster.ca. December 15-16.
Get more show listings here.
