Dave Foley, of The Kids in the Hall, returns to stand-up and has new TV project in the works

10:19 am

Venerable T.O. comedy troupe Kids in the Hall never really went away. They’ve pursued solo projects, many to great success, but they’ve managed to stay friends, and as a result, we get treated to fantastic reunion shows somewhat regularly. One of the many fantastic pleasures of life in Toronto.

I opened up a club in Montreal recently, and having need of a knock-out performer to open it up, I called upon Kid in the Hall Dave Foley. Wait, you say, is he even a stand-up? The answer is yes. Foley started out as one, way back when he was 17, at Yuk Yuk’s in Toronto.

You might say he’s gone back to his roots. Things haven’t been so smooth for Foley over the past decade or so. After the hit sitcom News Radio, the good offers just dried up. He found himself in a series of low-budget films, jobs taken to meet child support payments calculated at his megawatt career high. He hosted a poker tournament TV series. “I don’t even play poker,” he told me.

To make matters worse, he couldn’t even work in Canada while his child support lawsuit settled. The police would have arrested him the minute he crossed the border. It took a few years before his legal wranglings were settled and he could accept work in his home country. But then, slowly, things started to turn around. He started doing stand-up again and put a lot of attention into the crafting of an act. A lot of actors doing stand-up simply try to milk their fame until something better comes along. But Foley put real work into it, developing risky, intelligent material that often got him into trouble in clubs, especially in the Bible belt. Foley is an outspoken atheist. His material isn’t so much anti-religion as pro-science. Still, there’s a lot of squirm-worthy bits that would make any person of faith uncomfortable.

His show begins with a playful dissection of gender roles based on the misconception that many people have of Foley, assuming he is gay. The Kids in the Hall flirted openly with cross-dressing in the series. There were no women in the group, and Scott Thompson cast a long queer shadow. It’s one of the more revolutionary things about the sketch troupe, but it led to some comical confusion in Foley’s life that he shares with audiences.

The long closing bit is a controversial take on the last taboo word. The racial epithet that got Michael Richards in so much hot water a few years ago. Foley would probably criticize me for not using the actual word in this column, which is the point of the bit.

There’s a collective gasp in the audience when he throws the word around so freely, but he’s obviously no racist. He’s using the word to expose our hypocrisies in dealing with race, language and liberal guilt. It’s a shocking piece in the best way.

Foley has a new sitcom coming out on CTV, a comedy about a PR firm. What they call a “workplace sitcom” in the tradition of News Radio. The show, Spun Out, just might put Foley back where he belongs. He’s one of our best comic actors, and he deserves to be in a hit show. I only hope he won’t abandon his stand-up when it happens.

Post City Magazines’ humour columnist, Mark Breslin, is the founder of Yuk Yuk’s comedy clubs and the author of several books, including Control Freaked.

Snack local at the Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair

5:07 pm

Buying local feels good. Whether it’s food, apparel or furniture, knowing the roots of a purchase can make one feel connected to the product in a way that just can’t happen at a supermarket.

To that end, on Dec. 1, the Artscape Wychwood Barns will host the first Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair. The event is the brainchild of Leslieville Cheese Market owner Michael Simpson.

The Tasting Fair will gather together smaller-scale producers of high quality food, and give these merchants a platform to sell their goods to an eager audience. Featuring artisanal foods such as baked goods, charcuterie and craft beer from over 40 national vendors (like Toronto’s own Sanagan’s Meat Locker, Stratford’s Monforte Dairy and London’s Organic Works bakery), ticket holders may spend the day sampling the best Canadian cuisine has to offer, while being able to meet the brewmasters and chefs that created the products they are enjoying, for a unique, fulfilling, and filling tasting experience.

$35. Canadian Artisan Tasting Fair at Wychwood Barns, Dec. 1, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets available online.

The Social List: Chris Noth and Katharine McPhee dazzle at Toronto’s Bliss Ball

2:43 pm

The Dilawri Foundation’s Bliss Ball returned for a second year with a spectacular evening of glamour and entertainment. The event, catered by chef Mark McEwan, was held at the Estates of Sunnybrook and featured live performances by X Factor's Nicole Scherzinger and Smash star Katharine McPhee. TV host Mario Lopex emceed. Proceeds will go to support The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

Wanted: this butter-soft leather sweatshirt from Markoo

11:10 am

It’s no secret that leather is fashion’s fabric du jour. Sadly, for all you PETA supporters out there, no longer is it relegated to the respectable but extremely limited corners of fashion, the accessories market. For the past few seasons, leather was seen in everything from vests to baseball caps, pleated skirts to track pants, even T-shirts made from pristine, laser-cut leather showed up on the runways (and in your local Zara).

What makes leather such a desirable material, aside from its luxe factor, is its versatility. A firm piece of leather can give structure to a motorcycle jacket or a boxy top. A pliable, buttery soft piece of leather makes for an excellent pair of skinny pants. And ingenious fashion designers from all over are taking advantage of leather’s moment in the sun and producing unexpected pieces, like camisoles and circle skirts, from a fabric that’s traditionally been associated with tougher subcultures such as punk & bondage.

Tania Martins and Mona Koochek, the talents behind Toronto’s Markoo Studio, are two such designers. The pair are fairly new to the design game—they’ve only been collaborating as Markoo since the Martins-owned Carte Blanche on Queen West closed its doors in March 2012—and are already making big waves here in Canada. After seeing their leather elastic sweatshirt in black, Markoo’s successes made total sense to me. Made from my favourite kind of leather, the buttery kind, this slouchy-in-all-the-right-places sweatshirt cinches perfectly at the waist, and packs a subtle amount of shine.

$415. Available at RAC Boutique, 124 Cumberland St., 647-352-4433, or by custom order at [email protected]

Ecks and the City: My new, crystal clear mind

10:09 am

If I told you that for only one dollar, you could help find inner happiness, balance, relaxation and even prosperity in your life, you probably wouldn’t believe me.

But at House of Energy, located in Kensington Market, all it takes is a rock or crystal to turn your life into something more desirable to you. (Hey, it’s cheaper than a shrink.) For as little as a dollar, why not try something different, right?

Crystals are becoming popular because, as Oswald “Ozzy” Montano, co-owner of House of Energy, says simply, “It’s difficult to live a city life. There is a lot of stress, with jobs, technology, balancing family and career, the economy. People will try anything to keep a calm … balanced life.”

And, according to Montano, having even a small crystal rock can help. And whether you keep it in your pocket, on your desk at work, around your neck, it can change your life.

House of Energy opened in April 2012 and the family-run store knew it was on to something instantly. (They could easily pay rent and their expenses.) The store features more than 260 different crystals and rocks from all over the world.

“There is definitely a trend now. We have old people, young people, mothers, [and] even teenagers come in with specific issues they are having, whether they are hoping for that promotion or having trouble sleeping. There is definitely an awakening when it comes to this business,” Montano says.

(There was a two-page feature in one of my daughter’s teen magazines about celebrities and their favorite crystals!) One lawyer, who was a regular client, became so interested in their crystals, which changed his life, that he quit being a lawyer for a more laid-back lifestyle.

Even when it comes to something so simple, like playing a better poker game, they have a crystal for it (the green aventurine, which is the “stone of optimism” and sells for $3, like most of their hundreds of stones). Ozzy Montano, his wife Talitha and her mother, Jasmine, make the store and entering visitors extremely comfortable, offering a hot cup of one of their homemade superteas.

Now, let’s be honest: How much does the average person really know or believe that crystals can help you? On a recent trip to Miami, I somehow ended up at a mythical rock store. When I tell Montano this, he says that happens more than you would think — ending up at a store like that, almost as if the store were telling you where to go and to walk in. I bought a green crystal at that store. The purpose of the crystal I bought was to bring prosperity. I was told to put it in a glass of water and drink the water. I did. That day, I received a royalty cheque from one of my books. So am I a believer?

Yes. I also bought my daughter, who has trouble falling asleep and making decisions, a couple black onyxs, which is a stone of inner strength, which calms nervousness, quells anxiety, soothes hot tempers and brings reason to passion. She leaves them under her pillow or keeps them in her locker at school.

“If you don’t believe, then it probably won’t work.”

“Of course many people want to keep their crystals or stones discreet, just because, if you work on Bay Street, people may not understand,” he says. So what do they do with people who just don’t believe? “Well, it’s like saying that you don’t believe a certain medicine will work for you. If you don’t believe it, then it probably won’t work. But even affluent people are seeing and starting to understand and want the metaphysical to help them change whatever issues they have in their lives.…”

When you first walk into the store, the owners suggest you go to the crystal collection, laid out with all their stones and crystals, and “just feel what you are drawn to.”

It is a beautiful collection. I was drawn to a “bloodstone.” I read the little explanation of it.

It read, “Metaphysically, bloodstone is used to either promote a calm, tranquil atmosphere that is grounding or to revitalize insufficient energy. A great stone for mental exhaustion.” Um, yeah. I was drawn to the right stone! I’m totally mentally exhausted! I was also drawn to the amethyst, which is not just a pretty purple stone, but also provides common sense and flexibility in decisions.

“Wear when sleeping or when awake to reduce anger, depression, grief, impatience and nightmares.”

But it’s not just buying a crystal that you feel you need to help you overcome whatever it is in your life. You have to “program” your crystal, meaning once you have chosen your crystal and identified what you want it to help you with, you need to spend some time connecting with it. Holding a crystal in your hand is one of the simplest ways to connect with your crystal’s energy, while you focus on the purpose of your crystal. Then you can ask your crystal to help you with whatever you have programmed it for.

OK, so I lied. I was also “drawn” to a citrine stone, used for problem solving, memory issues, will power, optimism and confidence. It reduces anxiety, fear and depression.

Montano has another way of explaining how crystals work: “Why should we doubt history? These rocks are thousands of years old. Why do queens or kings have crystals in their crowns? Because it amplifies their intention when it seems that certain goals are impossible. It’s not just to look pretty.”

As for me, the total cost of my crystal purchases was less than $12. If they don’t work, what have I lost? But I have a feeling they will

Post City Magazines’ columnist Rebecca Eckler is the author of Knocked Up, Wiped!, and her latest books, How to Raise a Boyfriend and The Lucky Sperm Club.

Haute heavyweights hit Ossington at limited time pop-up shop

2:37 pm

A pop-up shop debuts on the Ossington strip (where else?) next week featuring the curated goods from two of Toronto’s fashion boutique frontrunners. AWOL Gallery, a pioneer on the Queen West Gallery District scene since its establishment in 1999, will be playing host to the affair, housing collections from LAB Consignment and RAC Boutique, which will range in styles from elegant to eclectic.

Toronto-based shop LAB Consignment, which began as a pop-up in 2009, and became an online boutique exclusively this past fall with the exception of a private showroom that requires booking in advance, will be featuring both new and "gently used" items by haute heavyweights such as Equipment, Elizabeth + James, Alexander Wang, Helmut Lang, Chloe, Hermes and more. RAC Boutique will be showcasing its standard mix of international and emerging designers including Unttld, Markus Lupfer, Rachel Comey and Ganni (which is incidentally the star of its own pop-up shop at Pop Up 120 just up the street, not affiliated with either RAC or LAB).

Unlike many of the pop-ups on the Toronto scene of late, RAC Pop Up will not be lingering for an undisclosed time period, and will be open for less than a week, so we suggest you pop in while you can.

RAC Pop Up at AWOL Gallery, 78 Ossington, open Nov. 19-24

Great Debate: Is acclaimed architect Will Alsop's Alaska condo design too over-the-top for Uptown Toronto?

1:49 pm

YES:

Belina Karsen, chairperson, Uptown Yonge Neighbourhood Alliance

Gracious tree-lined streets, dignified early-20th century brick homes, unique little shops. When I moved to North Toronto from Vancouver in 2004, I was immediately taken with the uptown Yonge area. Although I’ve moved three times since then, I’ve remained in the same neighbourhood.

My neighbours and I take pride in the distinctive character of uptown Yonge. This is why we are opposed to the 11-storey, avant-garde condo proposed for the corner of Yonge and Strathgowan. Designed by Will Alsop, “Alaska” would neither fit in with its context nor comply with the zoning bylaw and city policies for mid-rise development. Why? First, because the significance of neighbourhoods is encoded in the official plan (OP), a legal document that articulates the city’s urban planning policies. The OP stipulates that a new development adjacent to a neighbourhood must “fit harmoniously” into its context.

With a “tabletop” design reminiscent of the Rosalie Sharp Pavillion at OCAD, Alaska in no way respects the dominant aesthetic of the area. Second, if the current proposal is approved, Alaska would set a precedent for future development along this section of Yonge Street, opening the sluice gates for similarly inappropriate developments — and a radical transformation of the fundamental character of uptown Yonge. Although I’m not opposed to development — growth and change are necessary for a city’s vitality — I am opposed to development that disregards both the legal framework and the feedback of residents. Why can’t Alaska’s team build a building that complies with our urban planning policies and that enhances the pre-existing character of uptown Yonge? For despite the claims of Alaska’s proponents, our neighbourhood deserves this respect.

NO:

William Alsop, owner and head architect, Alsop Architects

That part of Yonge Street — Yonge and Strathgowan — which is roughly halfway between Eglinton and Lawrence, is a part of the street that doesn’t belong to either of those two places, it feels very much as though it is somewhere else. And for that reason, the whole quality of Yonge Street drops away at that midpoint.

What we’re trying to do is to create something that is a good-quality piece of architecture that’s absolutely genuine, something that makes this a point whereby we might stretch the variety of shops and things. And, we feel that the area needs a bit of height, too. We actually were a bit brave, and we went about five meters above the planner’s recommendation for height. Also, there’s no sidewalk there, and so we’d like to put one there. Young children in the area have to cross the road to walk to school because they can’t walk along the street. We’d also like to plant trees, plus more things. Everyone hates change. But, keep in mind that further down, toward Eglinton, there are something like 30 mid-rise buildings. Some are under construction and some are in the planning stage. So, you know, cities evolve and change, and that’s what we like about cities. But it just seems to me that in this particular part, which is surrounded by well-formed neighbourhoods on either side, [they] don’t want anything to change at all. Well, I think that’s unrealistic. Change happens, which is why I’m not really fond of master plans, actually, because it’s trying to do too much all at once. It tends to stultify the sort of evolutionary process I’m referring to, which I think is a natural process. It’s the way that we are.

I’m very confident that doing this will have a very positive effect on that part of Yonge Street. And I hope it does, of course.

Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: a spicy red wine to pair with red meat

12:02 pm

Ruby colour with a tawny note; spicy, raspberry and vanilla oak on the nose; medium-bodied, sweet raspberry flavour with a lively acidic spine. Well-made with good length.

Food match: lamb; grilled sausages

Las Rocas Garnacha, 2010, Calatayud, Spain, $15.40. LCBO #269977

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards and has been inducted into the New York Media Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame. He can be heard on 680News.

Theatre Review: The Valley

4:55 pm

At the Toronto premiere of Joan MacLeod’s new drama The Valley, the audience is split in two, each side sloping down to the stage with opposing perspectives. The Valley depicts Sharon (Susan Coyne), a good mother trying to protect her teenage son Connor (Colin Mercer), and a good police officer, Dan, trying to protect his community. Just as Tarragon is presenting The Valley, an inquest is examining three recent cases of fatal shootings of mentally ill people by Toronto police.

From Dan’s perspective, a spoiled rich kid on drugs has stopped Vancouver’s sky train at rush hour and is waving a weapon at commuters, and then the kid’s mother wants to blame the police for her son’s problems. From Sharon’s perspective, her mentally ill son takes fright, waves a handful of rolled up paper, and gets assaulted and hospitalized by a cold-eyed cop. In the hands of multi-award-winning Victoria-based playwright MacLeod, each troubled character is portrayed realistically and seen in a sympathetic light. The cop is not uncaring, he’s just doing his job, but both at home and on the job he doesn’t know how to recognize or cope with people who have mental illness. To enhance MacLeod’s balanced depiction of the constable, Ian Lake (Dan) gained perspective by shadowing police officers on duty in Stratford while completing his sixth season at Stratford Festival.

Graeme S. Thomson’s economical set is central to this production’s effectiveness. To get to my seat, I had to walk through the set — static spaces in its four corners (kitchen, bedroom, living room, police office), a door at each end, and in the centre of all, a grey circle where characters are alternately isolated, separated, and brought together. The set combines with Richard Rose’s direction to evoke an intimacy which makes you feel as if you have been brought into the home of each character to hear his or her most personal story. The split in the audience, echoing the split in Connor’s mental state, ceases to distract as each of the four powerful actors draws you in.

During intermission you will see a wall in the lobby inviting audience members to post anecdotes of their first interactions with police, just as each of the characters relates such anecdotes in the show. On that wall and on the stage, the anecdotes are not all positive and not all negative. It is commonplace to occasionally consider police — and parents — to be a “necessary evil”. Most people will, at some point, sympathize with or even experience firsthand what their parents have had to endure. Fewer people devote much thought to what it must be like to be a police officer. In The Valley, MacLeod does not approach the problem of bad cops; she helps us look at cops as people. Dan is devoted to being a good police officer, a good father, and a good husband. No one can fill any of those roles flawlessly. In the same way, Dan doesn’t expect people he deals with on his job to be flawless. He says, “It isn’t bad people we’re dealing with; it’s regular people making bad choices.” Police are regular people, too. On the other hand, police are armed and dangerous, and when they get nervous, the only thing keeping their guns in their holsters is their training and their own personal judgment.

Dan’s wife Janie (Dora winner Michelle Monteith), who has her own checkered past, first defends her husband against Sharon’s publicized accusations of brutality, then questions whether Dan had been thinking clearly when he encountered Connor. She points out the two of them had a big fight before he went to work that day, but he denies that he carries the strife of their home life with him while he’s on the job.

After Sharon’s official complaints about police conduct get her nowhere, MacLeod’s play looks at the potential of alternative approaches to resolving unsatisfactory police interactions. Fittingly, this happens to be Corrections Canada’s Restorative Justice week.

Early in the play, frequent sprinkles of laughter are provoked first by familiar moments of family interaction and later by moments of discomfort. An exploration of the important and delicate roles of the consummate protectors — parents and police — this is not a “fun” play, but a timely, thoughtful and valuable one. It was good to be facing half the audience so I could see, as actors took their bows, a few audience members wipe away tears.

The Valley, Tarragon Theatre, runs until Dec. 15

Evan Andrew Mackay is a Toronto playwright and humorist who writes about culture and social justice. Find more of his writings at goodevaning.wordpress.com.

First Draught: a Weizenbock for the coming winter

3:49 pm

As with other examples of the style, Mill Street Brewery’s Weizenbock does not fit our preconceived notions about German beer. It’s dark and strong, brewed with ale yeast and full of sweet, fruity flavours.

End-to-end this beer is packed with those characteristics of overripe fruit that, when combined with a healthy dose of warming alcohol, go so well with long, chilly evenings.

In more detail, the Weizenbock pours a hazy amber-brown with a caramel-tinged cap. The aroma leans to fallen crabapples and the sweet candy-like notes that beer guides call “bubblegum”.

The flavour starts quite sweet with a middle of roasted malt and yeast-create esters that combine to create a passable resemblance to banana bread.

Those walk-through-an-orchard flavours and aromas will become more complex with a bit of age. A few months will also take the edge off the subtle, but noticeable alcohol heat in the background.

The Weizenbock is part of Mill Street’s Holiday Celebration Sampler that includes their Distillery Ale, seasonal favourites Cobblestone Stout and Vanilla Porter as well as mainstays Tankhouse and Mill Street Organic. The mix pack is available at the LCBO and the Weizenbock can be found in pubs, including the two Mill Street operates in the Distillery District.

Mill Street Brewery’s Weizenbock, part of the Holiday Celebration Sampler six-pack, $13.85, LCBO #361170

In addition to covering beer, new restaurants and food trucks for Post City, David Ort writes about food and drink for several Toronto publications including his own site, Food With Legs. He is also the author of the upcoming Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook. For more of his thoughts on food, beer and life in general, follow him on Twitter or get in touch at [email protected].

Weekend Warrior: The Ugly Sweater Run, Gluten Free Garage, Seinfeld Trivia, Matt Braunger

3:26 pm

Looking for something a little different this weekend? These suggestions will rouse even the most dedicated homebody off the couch. In this edition, we have an ugly sweater run, a real-life game of Clue at the ROM, gluten-free eats, comedy from Matt Braunger, and an opportunity to prove your Seinfeld trivia prowess.

The Ugly Sweater Run

When: Nov. 16, 11 a.m.
Where: Downsview Park
Details: Throw an itchy and colourful twist into your weekend workout routine at Toronto’s first annual Ugly Sweater Run. The 5 km route follows city streets and parks, and features holiday-themed checkpoints along the way. Entry is $55 at the start line or $49 if you pre-register. A discount is available if you enter as a four-person team, and there will be two frosty beers, a toque, and a fake moustache waiting for you at the finish line. A portion of all proceeds supports The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada.

Murder at the ROM Scavenger Hunt For Adults

When: Nov. 16
Where: Royal Ontario Museum
Details: This is a must for Sherlock wannabees with a tendency to lean to the darker side of things. Teams of amateur sleuths skirt about the museum, patching together clues in hopes of determining exactly how a curator has been murdered. Things are bound to get juicy, with the promise of a Game of Thrones-style tale of lust, greed and revenge. Tickets are $29.99 and must be purchased in advance from the Urban Capers Scavenger Hunts website.

Gluten Free Garage

When: Nov. 17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Artscape Wychwood Barns
Details: Finally, an event celebrating gluten-free delicacies. With more than 60 vendors holding court, the $10 event promises samples aplenty, guest speakers and food trucks to boot. Be sure to bring an appetite. A portion of all proceeds supports the Toronto chapter of the Canadian Celiac Association.

Matt Braunger

When: Nov. 16, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Where: Comedy Bar
Details: You've seen him on Conan, The Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Chelsea Lately, so he must be relatively funny.

These pretzels are making me thirsty: Seinfeld Trivia Night

When: Nov. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kitch
Details: Think you know everything about the show about nothing? Prove you know how to speak Sein-language and are “master of your domain” at this fun monthly trivia event.

Rock 'n' Roll Revival Hour: Deep Dark Woods, Viletones, Austra, Gregory Hoskins

1:30 pm

Going deep

Deep Dark Woods is back in Toronto tonight for a show at Adelaide Hall. It'll be the first time the band has touched down in the city with their new, boy wonder guitarist Clayton Linthicum in the house. With their new player comes a cool new sound as the band ventures aggressively into bold sonic territory on their fine new album, Jubilee. Head woodsman Ryan Boldt first heard Linthicum and his cousin Kacy Anderson in a small town in Saskatchewan, close to his home.

"It was three years ago, he was 15 and his cousin was maybe 12 or 13," says Boldt. "They were better than pretty much every band I've seen going right now. Pretty weird, 15 and 12 and pretty much better than everyone. When Burke (former guitarist Burke Barlow) decided to leave the band in December of last year, it was the perfect opportunity for Clayton to get involved. His cousin is still in high school, so they don't really play a whole lot yet."

According to Boldt, a number of songs on Jubilee were the result of his and Linthicum's collaboration. And much of the album was recorded in a remote cabin with the band and producer Jonathan Wilson squirrelled away for a couple of weeks intent on making the magic happen.

"We definitely went stir crazy that's for sure, three weeks in a cabin with seven dudes," says Boldt. "But it was a lot of fun. It had been so long since we actually got together and deployed music for the fun of it again, you know. We weren't really thinking about anything other than having fun and playing music. That's the way music is supposed to be. And you can kind of tell on on the record, for sure, I think."

There are many songs on the album that will keep the long-time fans happy, but also enough upbeat, jam numbers to carve out larger territory for the seriously talented group to actually get some increased and much-deserved attention. The showstopper might be the final track on the album, the sprawling 10+ minute song, "The Same Thing," that is epic.

Boldt explains: "Since getting Clayton it has opened up a whole new type of Blues music that we could start playing. Like Howlin' Wolf sort of blues stuff. I just thought I'd try and write a blues song and that's what came out. It turned out to be this Pink Floyd of jam in the middle…. It is probably, one of my favourite tunes on the album."

Deep Dark Woods plays at Adelaide Hall tonight. Go, have your fun.

Last stand

Legendary Toronto punk band Viletones is back playing a show at the Phoenix on Friday, Dec. 13. Ya, Friday the 13th. Seems a fitting night for the last Viletones concert. Joining vocalist and original member Steven Leckie for the historic show is a killer lineup of local luminaries Ian Blurton on lead guitar, Scott McCullough of Rusty on guitar, Damon Richardson of Danko Jones on drums and John Sutton of Weakerthans on bass. Ya, that qualifies as a super-group and guarantees a memorable night of loud and proud music as Viletones celebrate their final gig. Check out this video for a taste of the band in all its decrepit glory.

Sticking with it

Long-time Toronto musicians Gregory Hoskins and Gary Craig are celebrating the release of a new album The Map of Above, The Map of Below with a show at the Drake Underground on Nov. 26. Hoskins has been a favourite of the Toronto music scene for years, including his fine work as Gregory Hoskins and The Stickpeople back in the '90s. The roots/folk duo's performance includes special guests Captain Dirt & The Skirt. Check out this incredible song "Providence Line" from the new album.

The colour of money

Juno Award-winning singer and songwriter Dallas Green has announced a new set of Canadian tour dates in support of his hit City and Colour record The Hurry and The Harm. Tickets go on sale Nov. 16 for his spring date May 9 at Air Canada Centre in his hometown of Toronto. His latest album is certainly more amped up then earlier soft and sensitive releases, but it will be interesting to see how his sound fills the cavernous arena. Check out City and Colour below.

The forgiven

Breakout Toronto sensation Austra released a new video for their tune "Forgive Me," off their latest release Olympia. The band is also releasing a single of the song along with two new "B" sides "Hopeless Place" and "Holy Place," which will be available digitally on Nov. 26 at the Paper Bag Records store. Austra is Katie Stelmanis, Maya Postepski and Dorian Thornton and are joined on tour by Ryan Wosniak.

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