January 15th-25th Come Up To My Room @ The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. CUTMR takes over all floors of the 125-year-old historic hotel, inviting the creative community to take the temperature of contemporary practice and to explore the space between design, fine art, craft, landscape design, performance, and sound installation. Open 12-5 pm Monday through Friday and 11-7 pm Saturday and Sunday.
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.
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
6 pm Douglas Coupland: Our Modern World Opening Reception @ Daniel Faria Gallery, 188 Saint Helens Ave. “Among the many characteristics of his practice, Coupland is known for his re-contextualization of contemporary cultural trends and how they are articulated by the latest technology. Our Modern World addresses larger societal obsessions by revealing the artist’s personal ones. These examinations are divided into three new bodies of work: Deep Face, Trash Vortex and The Montecristos.” Until 8 pm.
10 pm Dance Fabio Dance Vol. 1 @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St. Party like Fabio! Liquor will be flowing like his hair and tunes will be pumping like his muscles. DJs Fbomb and Caff spin indie, Beyonce, white girl jumping music, R&B, deep house, rap, and that jack your body music.
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. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
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 SexyGood @ Valentino Men’s Shop, 974 Bloor St. W. Jordan Gardner (Èbony), Metoux, and DJ ECK play house ‘n’ techno in the basement of a sexy, new, and unscathed location.
10 pm Garbage Night @ The Red Light, 1185 Dundas St. W. The sights and smells of the infamous Garbage Night party in Kensington have gusted and tumbled down the street to Dundas West. Trash rock, dirty dance, garbage hip-hop, smelly techno, and more with DJs Hot Mess, Toxic Avenger, Can I Borrow Your iPad, and DolphinWave.
FRIDAY
8 pm Opening Party: Winter 2015 @ Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, 231 Queen’s Quay W. A FREE party to celebrate the opening of the major group exhibition, The Unfinished Conversation: Encoding/Decoding. The exhibition will be on display January 23 to May 18.
9 pm Midnight MRKT @ 2nd Floor, 461 King St. W. Toronto’s sexiest night MRKT returns with drinks, street style, food, and local retailers. Music provided by DJs George Thoms, Johnny Hockin, Just B, and Lucie Tic. Until 1 am. $5 at the door (bring cash for the good goods).
10 pm Do You Love Me? @ Johnny Jackson, 587 College St. A ’60s dance party featuring nothing but hits by The Beatles, James Brown, Roy Orbison, The Contours, The Supremes, Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, Elvis, The Ronettes, The Crystals, Jackson 5, and many more!
10 pm Loose Joints @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. DJs Matt Cully (Goin’ Steady, Chronologic) and Wes Allen (The Big Sound, Doing it to Death) play their favourite records of all time. Deep dark suts, soulful funk, spiritual jazz, left field disco, scuzzy punk crunk, workout kraut, neon boogie, and more.
10 pm All That @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. A ’90s night like no other! DJs Streets and LK play mostly hip-hop, dirty R&B, and club kid jams. $5.
10 pm Brass Tacks @ The Shop under Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W.Diggy the DJ throws down hip-hop bangers all night long! Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm This @ Unlovable, 1415-B Dundas St. W. Gabe Knox and Geoff Snack play souped-up minimal synth designed specifically for dancing.
10 pm Turbo Two Tone @ Handlebar, 159 Augusta Ave. VHS voodoo dreams + not your dad’s dance by Damn Aykroyd and Mike Reynolds.
10 pm Fuck It @ Clinton’s, 693 Bloor St. W. The ladies of Bangs & Blush invite you to another night chocked full of the best and worst from the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s – only the guiltiest of pleasures will be played! $5.
10 pm Nite Moves @ Sex Laser, 1369 Dundas St. W. DJs Dr. J, Koray Özel, and special guest Bles-sed play a selection of afro, boogie, funk, hip-hop, R&B, house, and more.
10 pm Get Buck @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Hip-hop, soul, RnB, soca, dancehall, and deep grooves with DJ Nino Brown.
10 pm No Sleep ‘Til Brooklynn @ Brooklynn, 1186 Queen St. W. Make new friends. No dress code. No bullshit. Mickey “bottle service” available. Music $5 with guestlist before 11:30 pm, $10 otherwise.
10:30 pm Tapette: Édition Je Vous Salue Party @ The Henhouse, 1532 Dundas St. W. The first Tapette of 2015! Featuring all your fave french dance hits and house you didn’t even know you loved from DJ Phil V. $5.
11 pm BADLQQK @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. With Giorgio Versani, Meech, Rynecologist, and Skinnyninny. $10.
SATURDAY
8 pm DJ Skate Night @ Harbourfont Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. Good Kids transform the city’s most scenic outdoor skating rink into the coolest dancefloor in town. What better way than with The Motown Party? DJs Sean Caff, Steve Rock, and Misty showcase the best and brightest music from the Motown, Stax, and Tamla labels. Until 11 pm.
10 pm Party & Bull$hit 2 Year Anniversary @ Parts & Labour, 1566 Queen St. W. Family Business celebrates two years of their raging hip-hop dance party by taking over both floors of Parts & Labour! Come prepared to rap/dance along all night! Sponsored by Tromba Tequila. Free before 11 pm, $5 after.
10 pm Love Design Party @ The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St. W. Magical Fairy Utopia meets Club District, with special guest and groovy beats from New Chance. Get lost in the fantasy land of artist Alexandra Mackenzie and get ready to dance! Expect amazing curated music and never-seen before gifs.
10 pm Shameless Karaoke @ The Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar, 1214 Queen St. W. Join host Wil McLean for an outrageous, ridiculous, knock-your-socks-off fun night of karaoke. Gargle that salt young Celine because they’re ready for you!
10 pm Beam Me Up Bonus Edition: DJ Bruce & Steven Zika @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. Beam Me Up welcomes New York City’s strong selectors DJ Bruce and Steven Zika for a one-night affair of disco debauchery at the Piston! Setting the party up right are residents A Digital Needle and Cyclist. $10.
10 pm Foxtrot @ The Garrison, 1197 Dundas St. W. Your favourite psych, mod, glam, and rock ‘n’ roll tunes from the ’60s, ’70s, and present day courtesy of DJ Weird Dad.
10 pm F’unreal @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Music for your dancing pleasure with pals Well Said, Slater, L-Sos, Kek, and Ty. $5.
10 pm Sweat Pants @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. DJ Coolin Cregg spins hip-hop, soul, RnB, and dancehall.
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 Hip-Hop Karaoke: Round #96 @ Revival Bar, 783 College St. It’s cold outside, but things get pretty heated on the HHK stage. Browse their catalogue of classic rap jams and get ready to show and prove. Or if you’re the strong silent type, then just grab a drink and cheer on performances! Hosted by Abdominal and More Or Les with DJs Numeric, Dalia, and Ted Dancin’. $10.
10 pm Retro Guilty Pleasures @ Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St. W. An unabashed night of huge retro hits and one hit wonders! Expect to hear popular artists like Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, Culture Club, Huey Lewis, and Pat Benetar, to one hit wonders Boys Don’t Cry, Baltimora, Taco, and more. $5.
11 pm Shake A Tail @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St. ’60s pop, rock, soul, funk, garage, ska, ANYTHING! Always humid. $5.
11 pm Stuck On Stupid @ The Drake Underground, 1150 Queen St. W. DJs Fase and Dougie Boom throw a no-holds-barred, anything-goes, sky’s-the-limit, all-out dance-a-thon! Expect hits and not-so-hits, jams old and new. $10.
SUNDAY
7 pm Brass Facts Trivia @ The Ossington, 61 Ossington Ave. Test your knowledge and win prizes! Hosted by Famous Kirk Hero. Until 10 pm.
9:30 pm Karaoke Sundays @ The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave. Karaoke, every Sunday night! Hosted by Cajo.
~ For event submissions, email Caitlyn Holroyd at caitlyn_holroyd@hotmail.com