Toronto is the cultural centre of
English-speaking Canada and has
gone to great expense to maintain
a wide-ranging programme of
performing
arts , from theatre and opera
to ballet and classical music.
Predictably enough,
ticket
prices vary enormously, but
T.O. Tix (Tues-Sat noon-7.30pm;
tel 416/536-6468), on Level 1 of
the Eaton Centre, sells spare
dance and theatre tickets at
half-price for that day's
performances, though note that you
have to buy the tickets in person.
As for film, Toronto's mainstream
cinemas
show Hollywood releases long
before they reach the UK and, as
you'd expect from a university
city, it has good outlets for
art-house stuff. The city of the
Cowboy Junkies obviously has some
life in its
music scene,
and though many local bands who
hit the big time move to the
States, the city does have its
fair share of venues, especially
for
jazz , Several bars and
clubs sponsor a range of modern
and traditional jazz, and there
are free open-air jazz concerts at
various downtown locations
throughout the summer.
For listings and reviews check
out either of the city's main free
newspapers, eye and Now
. In addition, both the Ontario
Tourism Travel Information Centre,
in the Eaton Centre, and Info T.O.,
in the city's Convention Centre at
255 Front St W, have two other
free publications with listings,
an Annual Visitors' Guide
and Where . However, their
reviews are bland and uncritical.
For happenings in the Gay Village,
see Xtra , the city's third
free newspaper.
Performing arts
Du Maurier Theatre at the
Harbourfront Centre , 231 Queens
Quay W (tel 416/973-4940).
Renovated from a 1920s ice house,
this new theatre puts on
theatrical and musical shows in a
lakeshore setting. Ford Centre for
the Performing Arts ...
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more >>
Cinema
Bloor Cinema , 506 Bloor St W (tel
416/532-6677). A student favourite,
with an excellent programme of
international and art-house films;
mostly two shows daily. Carlton
Cinema , 20 Carlton St at College
subway (tel 416/598-2309)....
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more >>
Bars, music venues and clubs
Acme Bar & Grill , 86 John St
(tel 416/340-9700). A cross
between a jazz club and a sports
bar, with a selection of over
eighty different single-malt
scotches. A good spot to go after
watching the ballgame at the
nearby SkyDome. ...
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more >>
Clubs
Bamboo , 312 Queen St W (tel
416/593-5771). Once a rattan
furniture warehouse, this place
now boasts a large live-music
dance club (mostly reggae and
salsa) and Caribbean-Asian
fusion food.
The Joker , 318
Richmond St W (tel
416/598-1313). Heavy techno
features at this large club of
multiple piercings and black
clothes. Not for the
faint-hearted.
Lava Lounge , 507
College St (tel 416/966-LAVA).
This is a great-looking space of
curvy red banquettes and
blurping lava lamps. The DJ
booth emits lounge, trance and
new Latin. Good food too.
Whiskey Saigon , 250
Richmond St W (tel
416/593-4646). Big nightspot
with three floors and a wide
range of music - rock and funk
through house and disco.
Festivals
Toronto is strong on festivals
and here is a selection. In late
June, there's the outstanding Toronto
Downtown Jazz Festival (tel
416/928-2033), which usually
overlaps with the week-long Toronto
Gay & Lesbian Pride (tel
416/92-PRIDE), culminating in a
whopping Pride Day Parade. Late
July and early August sees the Caribana
(tel 416/465-4884), a West
Indian carnival with a fantastic
parade plus music and dance, as
well as the Beaches Jazz
Festival (tel 416/698-2152).
In early September, the widely
acclaimed Toronto
International Film Festival
(tel 416/967-7371) is a ten-day
showing of new films from around
the world. The most sedate
annual event is perhaps the International
Festival of Authors , held
at the Harbourfront Centre in
mid to late October (tel
416/973-3000).
