Stage
Sharron Matthews Superstar: Jesus Thinks I’m Funny! Cabaret diva Sharron Matthews is the real thing: funny, sexy, and able to sing up a storm. Check out her new show, which runs Saturday and Sunday, before she takes the production to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival it’s then the vehicle for Matthews’ London West End debut. See listing.
Shaken And Stirred III How about some laughs to forget the heat? Check out this Saturday night blend of stand-up and improv, featuring Bruce Hunter, Danny Freedman, Candace Lovett and others. See listing.
Music
Art Department Toronto house duo Art Department have been making some major wave over the past year, and they’re playing two gigs this weekend. First, a late night club party at Footwork on Saturday, and then again the Sunday afternoon for a boat cruise on the Stella Borealis.
Heavy T.O. A huge Montreal heavy metal festival has added a Toronto edition this year, which takes over Downsview park Saturday and Sunday. There are a ton of big names on the bill, so expect every headbanger in town to be there.
The Weeknd The mysterious Toronto outsider-R&B singer (or group?) the Weeknd play his/their debut live gig this Sunday at Mod Club. See listing.
Sia This just might be the last show Sia ever plays in Toronto, so if you’re a fan, you’ll want to be at the Phoenix Sunday. See listing.
EMA Ex-Gowns vocalist EMA is getting a lot of attention for her noise folk sounds, and for good reason. Check her out Saturday at the Garrison. See listing.
Movies
Captain America: First Avenger Get in on the opening weekend action in this adaptation of the Marvel comic, starring Chris Evans. Check out our review here. See listing.
Friends With Benefits See if this comedy, about two pals (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) who add sex to the friendship, is worth the big buzz. See listing.
Art
Bloor Alt Art Fair Part of the Big On Bloor festival, for which Bloor is closed to traffic between Dufferin and Lansdowne, BAAF includes tables by galleries, collectives and emerging artists, and performances by Adriana Disman, Julian Higuerey Nunez, Daisuke Takeya and Nils Fisher. See listing.
George S Zimbel Now living in Canada, U.S.-born photojournalist Zimbel, famous for his pictures of Marilyn Monroe, shows photographs of children, many taken in the east-coast U.S. cities in the 1950s and 60s, at Stephen Bulger Gallery. RSVP to attend his talk Saturday. See listing.
Tirgan Iranian Festival As part of the weekend of Iranian culture, photographer Sanaz Mazinani curates Visions Of Eternity, a show of work that uses the motifs of Iranian art to bring ancient history into conversation with the present. Plus Persianissimo, a show of Iranian poster design. At Harbourfront Centre. See listing.
Community
Raise the Rates Solidarity Feast This event hosted by OCAP and others, subtitled United We Eat, Divided We Starve, helps to keep the focus on the shockingly low levels of social assistance. It features free food, music, and a planning session aim at protesting cuts to the Special Diet Allowance benefits. Saturday at noon. Free. Allan Gardens. See listing.
