By Karen Bliss This year’s Canadian Music Week (CMW) is bigger then ever. “The live scene is coming back in Canada, Toronto particularly. I think that’s important. We are using close to 60 venues, so that’s reasonably healthy,” says Neill Dixon, CMW president. “The festival is very multi-national now. The majority of bands are from Canada, […]
Entries Tagged as 'Arts'
Annex gets taste of largest ever CMW
March 9th, 2011 · Comments Off on Annex gets taste of largest ever CMW
Graphologist Annette Poizner holds talk at OISE; Gleaner reporter a believer
March 7th, 2011 · 3 Comments
By Rebecca Payne Poizner first encountered graphology in her early twenties, when she was in Israel and had her handwriting analyzed. “It blew me away,” she said of the formative experience. She then hired a clinical graphologist and spent three hours a day in private study with him in Jerusalem. She went on to do […]
A work of heart: Michael Golland’s paintings to benefit artists with disabilities
February 9th, 2011 · 3 Comments
By Tracy Chen This Valentine’s Day, people will have the chance to reach for hearts of a different variety. Michael Golland, contemporary artist and longtime Liberty Village resident, is creating a wall of 40 heart paintings. These hearts will premiere at the “A Work of Hearts” event in Liberty Village. A portion from the sale of these paintings will go towards the Laser Eagles […]
Local storyteller releases new children’s novel
January 19th, 2011 · Comments Off on Local storyteller releases new children’s novel
By Eddie Mumford “Even though my neighbourhood has changed drastically, it still basically looks the same … so I thought it would be fun to think about what it was like in another time,” says storyteller group founder and writer Celia Lottridge, on why she set her new childrens’ book The Listening Tree in Seaton Village. The […]
Home from the Odyssey: Artist returns to her Annex roots
November 23rd, 2010 · 1 Comment
By Liivi Sandy Every environment is a new palate to explore for artist Erica Brisson. The 27-year-old grew up in the Annex with the neighbourhood driving her creativity. Erica has been on the road for eight years, studying art history and studio art at Concordia University in Montreal, and then working at the Banff Centre for the […]
Façade facelift: Lee’s Palace iconic mural is back
November 19th, 2010 · Comments Off on Façade facelift: Lee’s Palace iconic mural is back
By Beth Macdonell In 1987, Al Runt was working behind the bar at Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor St. W.). He was let go for drinking on the job, but the owner, “Mr. Lee,” noticed Runt was a talented painter. According to Runt, Mr. Lee was looking to attract cool eyeballs from Queen to Bloor. Mr. Lee noticed that […]
She said “Meow!”: Burlesque revival at Revival Bar
November 9th, 2010 · Comments Off on She said “Meow!”: Burlesque revival at Revival Bar
By Eddie Mumford It’s a cabaret! Or at least it will be, as locals and fans from afar purchase their tickets for the new vaudevillian show Swing into the Night. The premiere at Revival Bar, will take place over the last three Sundays of November, featuring headlining swing bands like Danny & the D’ Notes. […]
Welcome to Happyview: Neigbourhood dad hosts one-man show
September 14th, 2010 · Comments Off on Welcome to Happyview: Neigbourhood dad hosts one-man show
By Bethan Evans Have you ever thought to yourself, Children’s theatre is entertaining for my kids, but I am bored to tears after the curtain opens? Michael McMurtry did and decided to do something about it. “I wanted to create something that entertains kids, but is also sophisticated and will appeal to their parents as […]
Watch the Watchmen: ‘90s frontman works to balance music and real life
September 12th, 2010 · Comments Off on Watch the Watchmen: ‘90s frontman works to balance music and real life
By Karen Bliss Danny Greaves, vocalist from the popular ‘90s rock band The Watchmen, still plays live with the band, but he’s been working on solo material, composing for film, and has ventured into the restaurant biz. The Watchmen—Greaves, guitarist Joey Serlin, bassist Ken Tizzard and drummer Sammy Kohn—broke up in 2003, but for the […]
Boast about The Coast
September 10th, 2010 · Comments Off on Boast about The Coast
By Karen Bliss Toronto indie rockers The Coast, who celebrate the release of its sophomore album, Queen Cities, on Sept. 23 at the El Mocambo, began life in the Annex. Frontman Ben Spurr and guitarist Ian Fosbery were living on St. George Street at the time and called their band The July 26th Movement. “We […]
Scott Pilgrim vs. The Annex
August 12th, 2010 · 3 Comments
The popular graphic novels make use of many Annex locations. Image courtesy Oni Press. By Tim Legault As Bryan Lee O’Malley, creator of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, sat signing a stack of his sixth and final volume in the series (Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour) in preparation for the book’s launch party, he recalled Publishers […]
World-renowned pianist opens TSM Festival with a stunning all-Schumann program
July 21st, 2010 · Comments Off on World-renowned pianist opens TSM Festival with a stunning all-Schumann program
By Emily Dontsos If master pianist Anton Kuerti’s spectacular opening night performance for the Toronto Summer Music Festival on July 20 is any indication of what to expect from the festival’s 12 remaining concerts, then classical music lovers are in for a treat. Held at the architecturally and acoustically astounding new Koerner Hall in The […]