Photo: "It's breaking up 2" by Pete A. McLeod, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for FRIDAY FEBRUARY 12, 2010... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

MUSIC | Art of Time presents Shostakovich: A Portrait
Like his Troskyite patrons, Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich had a troubled relationship with Stalin's regime and despite his obvious genius, his political allegiances led to periodic bans on his music throughout the 1930s and 40s. 80 years later he is recognized around the world as one of the 20th Century's greatest composers. The Art of Time Ensemble, Toronto's most innovative classical music collective, honours Shostakovich with a multi-media performance of two of his pieces that includes narration by Canadian stage great RH Thompson, a new live cinema work by Peter Mettler, and dance by Dreamwalker Dance Company artistic director Andrea Nann. Runs til Saturday.
Enwave Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, $19-$39-$49, $25 students/seniors/artists, Friday and Saturday 8 pm

FILM | The Pleasure Principle
Experimental film collective Pleasure Dome presents a triple bill of late 60s counterculture tonight, providing a glimpse into Canada's nascent undeground film culture. The title of Buffalo Airport Visions was inspired by filmmaker Peter Rowe's experience of picking up Nico from the airport prior to the Velvet Underground's performance at McMaster 1968, and includes footage of that year's University of Toronto Psychedelic Festival. David Hofsess's trippy Palace of Pleasure will receive its first public screening since 1968; watch for the scene in which a shirtless David Cronenberg climbs into bed with a naked man and woman and for poems from an unknown writer named Leonard Cohen. David Martin's To Paint the Park was thought to have been lost decades ago and depicts an allegorical drug-fueled pursuit of two lovers. Visual anthropologist Stephen Broomer will be on hand to discuss the cultural relevance of the films.
Cinecycle, 129 Spadina Ave. (in the alley), $8, 8 pm

MUSIC FESTIVAL | Winterfolk Roots and Blues Festival
Over 100 artists will be performing on six stages along the Danforth as part of this weekend's eighth annual Winterfolk Festival. The festival aims to focus both on local community artists while at the same time showcasing some of the country's finest folk talent. Auditions held across Ontario helped put together a lineup that includes the Sultans of String, Crabtree and Mills, the Swamp Ward Orchestra, Rick Taylor, and Laura Fernandez. All concerts are free, except for one ticketed concert on Sunday night. The fest kicks off tonight with action at all four venues and six stages.
Dora Keogh: 154 Danforth Ave., Black Swan: 154 Danforth Ave., The Willow: 193 Danforth Ave., Mambo Restaurant: 120 Danforth Ave., Most shows free, Friday 7 pm - 1 pm, Saturday and Sunday 1 pm - 1 am, Monday 1 pm - 6 pm

PARTY | Can't Stop Esther
From her early days as trashy pop princess to her more recent attempts to kidnap African babies, Madonna has always been able to grab our attention. Tonight Toronto's Madge enthusiasts vogue the night away at the 9th Can't Stop Esther party, a multi-media dancefest spanning the Queen of Pop's entire career. DJ Dr. Baggie will be spinning the tunes and music videos and Madonna tribute groups Madgesty and Aldonna will perform, with prizes being given out for best Madonna costumes.
Revival, 783 College St., $7, 10 pm

FESTIVAL | The Great Hall Opening Weekend Showcase
Sitting on the corner of Queen St. W. and Dovercourt Rd., the historic Great Hall is one of the city's architectural gems. Once housing Toronto's first YMCA, for the past several years it has served as a gallery and performance venue playing host to dramatic works and live music. This weekend it launches a new, renovated space in the grand building-appropriately called the Main Hall-with a series of events including a show by Montreal folk artist Shane Murphy and Nadia & the Tchotchkes tonight. The Cream Tangerine Gallery will also be opening the vault to display the Great Hall Archives, a visual retrospective tracing the building's history from 1889 to the present.
The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W. Concert: $10, 8:30 pm, Gallery: Free, Monday - Friday 10 pm to 3 pm, 6 pm - 10 pm, Saturday 11 am - 11 pm, Sunday 12 pm - 7 pm

MUSIC | Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents David Clayton-Thomas
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra returns to Massey Hall for the first time in ten years tonight, and they could have hardly made a stranger choice of who to do it with. Taking over as lead singer in the acclaimed jazz combo Blood Sweat and Tears in 1968, Toronto native David Clayton-Thomas's voice helped land the band brief commercial success before he piloted BS&T to one of the most rapid critical nose-dives in music history. Still Clayton-Thomas is a multi-Grammy Award winner and a powerful voice, and his big band comes to Massey for two nights to be joined by the 66-piece TSO in performing his hits including as The Spinning Wheel and God Bless the Child.
Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., $25 - $59, Friday and Saturday 8 pm

PARTY | Come Get Some
Fans of Clinton's Fuck the Internet party will want to check out Come Get Some, Bloor St. W.'s indie-tastic Valentine's dance. Brought to you by the same partiers behind FTI, you can expect the usual rock and retro hits but with one major twist: slow songs. So pretend like its your high school dance and this is your only chance press up against another warm body until semi-formal at the end of the year. Get in close, sway to the music, and feel the love baby.
Clinton's Tavern, 693 Bloor St. W., Free before 11 pm, $5 after, 10 pm doors

PARTY | Midwinter Night's Dream
Diaspora Dialogues presents the second and final night Midwinter Night's Dream tonight, transforming the swanky Roof Salon at the Park Hyatt into a literary carnival. Inspired by the famous masked carnivals of Venice, Midwinter Night's Dream will feature performances from musicians, poets and storytellers. Ask the masked poet to write you your own personal poem or have a fortune teller reveal your destiny through literary quotes while enjoying a drink or listening to readings from the Scribes. Tonight's party is hosted by legendary stage actor and former artistic director of Canadian Stage David Storch and will feature the sounds of world music ensembleAutorickshaw. Tickets available by calling 416 944-1101 x 277 or by emailing Diaspora Dialogues
Roof Salon at the Park Hyatt Hotel, 4 Avenue Rd., $20 for one night, 7 pm early show, 9 pm late show

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