blogTO | Posts by Roger

blogTO | Posts by Roger http://www.blogto.com/ Toronto blog Copyright 2013 Sun, 19 May 2013 17:27:37 EDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Killing Joke get the crowd rowdy at Lee's Palace Killing Joke may be best known for their post-punk industrial rock influence on a generation of acts including Nirvana, Faith No More, Tool and Nine Inch Nails. I know them best for their raucous 1985 single, Love Like Blood, which dominated the alt-goth dance floors well into the '90s.

So it was with both nostalgia and curiosity that I approached Wednesday night's show at Lee's Palace.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/04/killing_joke_get_the_crowd_rowdy_at_lees_palace http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/04/killing_joke_get_the_crowd_rowdy_at_lees_palace Music Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:36:46 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2013-04-25T23:36:46 Walk Off The Earth buoyant at the Danforth Music Hall Walk Off The Earth have grown on me. Since their quirky 5-people-playing-one-guitar interpretation of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" (now approaching 150 million YouTube views) they've captured the ears and minds of many.

The Burlington, Ontario's band have actually been around since 2006. And their chemistry is undeniable, as I discovered on Friday night at The Danforth Music Hall.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/04/walk_off_the_earth_buoyant_at_the_danforth_music_hall http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/04/walk_off_the_earth_buoyant_at_the_danforth_music_hall Music Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:57:23 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2013-04-14T21:57:23 Nick Cave gets menacing at Massey Hall Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are like the Quentin Tarantino of pop music. So to see them live on a dimly lit stage provided an extra dash of eeriness to the experience. The iconic neon Massey Hall sign was out (for Earth Hour) when Cave took to the stage. Perhaps this contributed to the ominous tone last Saturday night during Canadian Music Week's most anticipated shows.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/03/nick_cave_gets_menacing_at_massey_hall http://www.blogto.com/music/2013/03/nick_cave_gets_menacing_at_massey_hall Music Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:21:30 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2013-03-25T21:21:30 Short run for Psycho Bitch in Kensington ends today Calling yourself a Psycho Bitch is one thing. Telling your personal story to a live audience about your battles with mental illness is quite another. Combine the two and you've got a cathartic, intense performance, starring writer/performer Tamara Lynn Robert.

Psycho Bitch is billed as "a comedic tale of a mood disordered, medicated, sweetheart of a mess." Playing for just three performances at Kensington Market's intimate Electric Theatre, it's a must-see for anyone who's known someone living with mental illness.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2013/02/short_run_for_psycho_bitch_in_kensington_ends_today http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2013/02/short_run_for_psycho_bitch_in_kensington_ends_today Theatre Sat, 09 Feb 2013 15:18:18 EST Theatre Roger Cullman 2013-02-09T15:18:18 Geekish brings board games geeks together at CSI Annex Do you identify as Geekish?

Amongst other things, Geekish is an indie design company — founded by York University/Sheridan College design graduate Jessica Li — that produces witty board-game-inspired products for young adults. They held a community board game event on Saturday at the Centre for Social Innovation Annex Lounge. Upon arrival, I soon found myself socializing amongst other board game lovers I had just met.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/12/geekish_brings_board_games_geeks_together_at_csi_annex http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/12/geekish_brings_board_games_geeks_together_at_csi_annex Sports & Play Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:51:09 EST Sports & Play Roger Cullman 2012-12-16T18:51:09 The Toronto Motorcycle Show unveils hot new rides The Toronto Motorcycle Show is like visiting an adult toy store for those who ride. Just when the Toronto riding season is over, we get to preview hundreds of new 2013 motorcycles, scooters and ATVs at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in a space the size of three football fields.

Since my riding season was cut short two months ago due to a freak scooter-motorcycle accident, this weekend's Toronto Motorcycle Show made for a much welcome respite from my early off-season downtime.

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]]> http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/12/the_toronto_motorcycle_show_unveils_hot_new_rides http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/12/the_toronto_motorcycle_show_unveils_hot_new_rides Sports & Play Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:29:47 EST Sports & Play Roger Cullman 2012-12-08T17:29:47 Henry Rollins brings his loud mouth to Toronto Henry Rollins is a self-professed work slut. Not a workaholic -- a term he is quick to eschew.

Rollins' three-night stand at the Glenn Gould Studio continues his 100+-shows-a-year work ethic over the past 30 years. This time round, his spoken word performance -- or "mile-a-minute verbitude" as he calls it -- rewards audiences with a two-and-a-half-hour-long monologue rife with astute observations, social commentary and entertaining storytelling like no other.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2012/11/henry_rollins_brings_his_loud_mouth_to_toronto http://www.blogto.com/arts/2012/11/henry_rollins_brings_his_loud_mouth_to_toronto Arts Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:02:53 EST Arts Roger Cullman 2012-11-20T19:02:53 Despite a few misfires, Regina Spektor still shines Regina Spektor is far from perfect. But she's perfect enough for her fans.

Spektor stopped a song for a do-over on two separate occasions during her Thursday night concert at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, admitting she screwed up. Then she gave a sheepish grin and started again as the crowd cheered her on.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/10/despite_a_few_misfires_regina_spektor_still_shines http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/10/despite_a_few_misfires_regina_spektor_still_shines Music Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:16:02 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-10-12T20:16:02 Gossip full of campy fun at The Phoenix Gossip put on a campy fun show at The Phoenix entering last weekend, while others began celebrating Nuit Blanche. Dedicating the show to Will Munro, singer Beth Ditto knew her crowd well and pandered well to them. As the drunken boy next to me pointed out just before the show began — as he almost spilled an entire cup of beer on my arm — I'm the one straight guy at the party.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/10/gossip_full_of_campy_fun_at_the_phoenix http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/10/gossip_full_of_campy_fun_at_the_phoenix Music Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:35:40 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-10-01T22:35:40 Gotye not just one-hit wonder at Molson Amphitheatre On Thursday night, Gotye proved that he's much more than somebody that you used to know by demonstrating his talents--singing, drumming, playing a multitude of instruments, and entertaining the undersold Molson Amphitheatre crowd.

If you've only heard the one song, you're missing out--Gotye's Making Mirrors album is full of lush arrangements and intricate instrumentals, and some of them are even as hummable as his breakthrough hit. Live, the songs translated well on the big stage, buoyed by a bevy of animated projections that can be described as a trippy amalgamation of Ren & Stimpy, Yellow Submarine and The Jetsons.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/09/gotye_not_just_one-hit_wonder_at_molson_amphitheatre http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/09/gotye_not_just_one-hit_wonder_at_molson_amphitheatre Music Fri, 21 Sep 2012 22:50:17 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-09-21T22:50:17 Peter Gabriel is generous with the hits at the ACC Peter Gabriel is one of those popular singers from my youth that I never got to see live. Fast forward 25 years and he's celebrating the quarter-century anniversary of the release of his So album — the one that spawned mega-hits such as "Red Rain," "Sledgehammer," "Don't Give Up," "In Your Eyes" and "Big Time."

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/09/peter_gabriel_is_generous_with_the_hits_at_the_acc http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/09/peter_gabriel_is_generous_with_the_hits_at_the_acc Music Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:51:18 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-09-20T17:51:18 Amaluna shines as Cirque du Soleil's latest masterpiece Amaluna, the latest masterpiece to come from Cirque du Soleil, might not be perfect, but it's one hell of a treat.

The circus experience these days involves more extravagant combinations of drama, choreography, light and sound than ever before. And Amaluna, directed by Diane Paulus, reaches new heights for Cirque, capturing the imaginations of audiences in Toronto's Grand Chapiteau in the Port Lands.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/arts/2012/09/amaluna_shines_as_cirque_du_soleils_latest_masterpiece http://www.blogto.com/arts/2012/09/amaluna_shines_as_cirque_du_soleils_latest_masterpiece Arts Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:24:46 EDT Arts Roger Cullman 2012-09-11T00:24:46 Rubgy league action at Lamport needs more fan support In Canada Rugby League action, the United States Tomahawks prevailed 28-24 over team Canada Wolverines in a hard-fought game at Lamport Stadium on Saturday night in game one of the Colonial Cup series.

This was my third rugby game, having seen the Wolverines take on the Jamaican Reggae Warriors and the Lebanon Cedars recently.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/09/rubgy_league_action_at_lamport_needs_more_fan_support http://www.blogto.com/sports_play/2012/09/rubgy_league_action_at_lamport_needs_more_fan_support Sports & Play Sun, 09 Sep 2012 20:52:51 EDT Sports & Play Roger Cullman 2012-09-09T20:52:51 Covenant show off their survival skills at The Mod Club Covenant's return to The Mod Club for the second time in just over two years gave Toronto's largely goth-industrial set a dark and danceable night of electro-pop music.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/08/covenant_show_off_their_survival_skills_at_the_mod_club http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/08/covenant_show_off_their_survival_skills_at_the_mod_club Music Fri, 24 Aug 2012 23:04:40 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-08-24T23:04:40 Shuffle Demons put on a Cluster Funk at Lula Lounge The Shuffle Demons are back with a vengeance with Cluster Funk, their first new studio release in 19 years, which had its CD release party Thursday night at Lula Lounge.

After seeing them a couple of years ago at The Orbit Room, I knew they were up to something special again. They started their set on the street -- where they first earned their cred -- in front of the club, and went on to the stage to play a double set of electrified jazzed-up funk.

]]> http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/07/shuffle_demons_put_on_a_cluster_funk_at_lula_lounge http://www.blogto.com/music/2012/07/shuffle_demons_put_on_a_cluster_funk_at_lula_lounge Music Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:43:12 EDT Music Roger Cullman 2012-07-27T22:43:12