WEDNESDAY
9 pm Groove Thing @ Thoroughbred Food & Drink, 304 Richmond St. W. DJ Caff plays all R&B, new jack swing, hip-hop, soul and future R&B feels inside the brand-new bar/resto, Thoroughbred Food & Drink.
9 pm Lifted @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. A weekly eclectic and esoteric dance party, built around a psychedelic, dubby, jazz-laden, electronic sound. Not focused on one particular genre or stuck in any given era, Lifted’s sole purpose is to glorify the groove and revel in rhythm. It is music to move the body and sonancy to sedate the soul, in a space where superior sound is fundamental.
10 pm Liquid Karaoke @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Colin Bergh, James McDonough, Nadia Belerique, and Jeff Hayward are your hosts. $4 Jameson and $5.50 pints before midnight.
10 pm Home Based @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. A night filled with good hip-hop, good people, and good vibes with DJs Sanga Genesis, James Redi, and special guests. Every Wednesday.
10 pm Natural Wednesdays @ Studio Bar, 824 Dundas St. W. Swirve Music and Babylon Warchild present a new hip-hop series by the heads, for the heads. Featuring a fresh roster of up-and-comers and OGs that changed the game + an in-house 12-round battle league, with the winner taking home a $500 cash prize.
THURSDAY
7 pm “POSER” Opening Reception @ #Hashtag Gallery, 801 Dundas St. W. Prolific Toronto street artist POSER takes over the walls of #Hashtag Gallery. His self-titled show brings his familiar, friendly, energetic style of art indoors to a variety of different mediums. This collection branches out from site specific works, and tackles the challenge of making portable work with the same impact that encompass a little bit of Toronto in each piece. Show runs until October 19th.
10 pm Strangelove @ Weldon Park, 569 College St. The return of a Toronto cultural institution. Every Thursday. $5.
10 pm #ThrowbackThursdays @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Every Thursday, come get a taste of tunes from: J-Lo, DMX, Spice Girls, Will Smith, Aqua, Ludacris, Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg, S Club 7, Jay-Z, Hanson, Ace of Base, Savage Garden, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, and many more. $5.
10 pm DJ Downunda @ Crawford, 718 College St. Trap, rap, RnB, and bangers! Hosted by Miss Olivia and Kermit. $5 bar rail + $4 shots and jello shooters.
10 pm Fat Laces @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Big Jimmy Mills, the scratch-monster, spins old school hip-hop.
10 pm Èbony Presents: 1 Year Birthday Bash @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Èbony is turning one, so to celebrate, they’ve recruited none other than the demolition man Kevin McPhee to help provide some extra ammunition behind the decks. Techno, house, dance sweats, surprises, no cover.
FRIDAY
10 pm SoulSkank @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. Funk, soul, reggae, ska, and dancehall in its most raw form! This month, DJs Nico and Voltairea fill in for residents Gramera and Double K + Dennis P on the sax. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Birthday Sex @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Just Like Honey edition. Diego Bros play ’90s + ’00s hip-hop and R&B jamz all night long. (October babies, post your birthday requests on the Facebook page.) Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Chris Bear / Prince Innocence / Jeff Hayward @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W.After the Beach House show! DJ sets by Chris Bear (Beach House/Grizzly Bear), Prince Innocence, and Jeff Hayward.
10 pm Bougie @ Studio Bar, 824 Dundas St. W. Toronto Collectives Get Home Safe, Cruel, BadHabits, and BestfriendKY Present: Bougie. Music by Christometh, HRMXNY, and Happy Boy Tona. For guestlist or table reservations, email rsvpbougie@gmail.com.
10 pm Yacht Rock @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A night of dancing to the smoothest music you’ve ever heard in your life. $5 to step aboard.
10 pm Big Primpin’ @ Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W. Hip-hop and hot times for homos, their friends, and admirers. With DJs Max Mohenu, Kevin Ritchie, and Blackcat. For guestlist, email bigprimpin@gmail.com. $5.
10 pm Girl & Boy 90s Dance Party @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. A pulsating dance party rocking the retro sounds of the 1990s! All your favourite dance, pop, hip-hop, R&B, and so on and so on and so on. $5.
10 pm No Sleep ‘Til Brooklynn @ Brooklynn, 1186 Queen St. W. Make new friends. No dress code. No bullshit. Mickey “bottle service” available. $5 with guestlist before 11:30 pm, $10 otherwise.
10 pm Building Blocks @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ General Eclectic and friends take you from A to Z of good dance floor music! Funk, soul, reggae, dancehall, disco, hip-hop, Brazilian, Latin, and rock. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Marmalade & Buttahfingaz @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop, soul, RnB, rap, trap, south.
11 pm Y2K: A Millennium Dance Party @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W.A party devoted to the best jams of the early-to-mid 2000s, brought to you by Good Kids. Guilty pleasures, one hit wonders, chart toppers, and everything in between! With DJ Caff. $7 advance tickets available online, $10 at the door.
SATURDAY
7 pm Scotiabank Nuit Blanche @ various locations. A FREE all-night contemporary art event featuring more than 120 art projects created by hundreds of artists. This year’s event will feature four exhibitions, including three new neighbourhood locations (Fort York, Bremner, Chinatown/Spadina) and more than 70 independent projects. Until 7 am.
8 pm Bellwoods Block Party @ 198 Walnut Ave. Eat, drink, shop, dance! Enjoy local designers, artists, vintage dealers, and food + drink vendors along with live music just steps from the park on a quaint, private lane way. Featuring local love from: Diggy The DJ, Headmistress Accessories, Blanc de Noir, Peach Berserk, Shop Wanderlust, Owl and Oak, and Eskape Hardie. Until 1 am.
9:30 pm LZRQST #5 @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St. W. BWV returns to Sex Laser yet again for a night of house and techno, this time joined by all around super cool fellas, Tired Girls. $3 drinks before 11 pm.
10 pm Motown Party @ 751 Queen St. W. Motown, northern soul, and remixes with DJs Fawn BC, Misty Rock’n’Roll, and Splattermonkey. $5 before 11 pm, $10 after. $8 advance tickets available online.
10 pm With It @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. DJ Nico and special guest Juarez Laredo (guitarist for Pow Wows) pay tribute to mod culture of the 1960s with a night of mod, soul, R&B, garage, and more. $5.
10 pm PPParty @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Why all the the P? ‘Cuz this party is golden! 24 Karat hits from all decades. $5.
10 pm SILO: Night Bass @ 567 Queen St. W. A weekly gathering for those seeking refuge from the banality of everyday life. Dark, intimate, and underground. Taking Toronto back to the roots of dance culture. No gimmicks, cheap tickets, and a vibe that is destined to free your mind body and soul. This week only, SILO invades the upstairs of Tattoo for Jack Beats, AC Slater, and Hannah Wants. They also have 4AM LAST CALL. (Enter through the front door.) $20 advance tickets available online.
10 pm Nautiluss + Basic Soul Unit @ Bambi’s, 1265 Dundas St. W. Nautiluss and Basic Soul Unit take over the sweaty lil basement that is Bambi’s.
10 pm Pay Day @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. DJs Isosceles and Stew Innes play hip-hop, RnB, and party jams. Free before 11:30 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Screech Karaoke @ The Steady, 1051 Bloor St. W. Come as you are and sing anything you want! $4 Screech and Cokes (liquid courage) all night. Video dance party intermissions. Hosted by Nancy Bocock.
10 pm Tapette: édition Nuit Blanche @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. There will be two Yelle concert tickets to give away! DJ Phil V playing french disco and house magic all night. $5 or free with your Hercules & Love Affair concert ticket.
10 pm Shake, Rattle & Roll @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. Spend the night together with the Bangs & Blush ladies! ’60s pop, soul and rock ‘n’ roll to drink, dance, and get messy to. $5.
10 pm Lucky Bitches @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Two ice stallions serve it up hot with a glamour-positive party for anyone who knows what it’s like to be a lucky bitch. The guiltiest of pleasures all night: hitz that span the ages, ’90s hip-hop, contemporary hitz, ’80s velvet jamz, forgotten gemz.
10:30 pm Life & Times @ Johnny Jackson, 587 College St. A celebration of “Life & Time” through music. With DJs Skitz, Kosi, and B-Easy. Dress Code: No hats, hoodies, or baggy clothing. $10 guestlist.
11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. ’60s pop, rock, soul, funk, garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.
11 pm Never Forgive Action @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. A monthly dance party paying tribute to the golden age of hip-hop! DJs Numeric, Ted Dancin’, and Dalia spin classic jams from the sweet spot of 1986 to 1994. $10.
SUNDAY
10 am Parkdale Flea @ Goodfellas Gallery, 1266 Queen St. W. Antiques, vintage, collectables, designer objects, local artisans, crafts, food + drink, and more. Free entry for all!
7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.
~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com