Photo: "1954" by skandinavia, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for FRIDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2010... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

FILM | Soundtrack for a Revolution
For all the enjoyment and inspiration it brings us, it's hard to imagine music actually affecting political change in the 2010s. But during the civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s, protest songs were outlets for black people to sing words that they could never directly say. Having already won a slew of awards and film festivals around the world and shortlisted for an Academy Award, Soundtrack for a Revolution explores the music that empowered Americans fighting for equal rights, matching rarely seen archival footage with performances by Wyclef Jean, the Roots, Joss Stone, and the Blind Boys of Alabama. The film begins its regular run at the Bloor Cinema tonight with a screening hosted by former MuchMusic vj Michael Williams and featuring a live performance by Toronto soul singer Saidah Baba Talibah. Runs til February 23.
Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St. W., $12 Friday, $8 Saturday - Tuesday, Friday - Saturday 7 pm, Sunday 4 pm, Monday 4:30 pm, Tuesday 9 pm

GALLERY | We Came in Droves
The A Space Gallery hosts this exhibition by two artists who both view the body as a site of history and culture. South Korean-born Insoon Ha works primarily in sculpture and media installation, and her latest work explores her impressions of the American military presence in her homeland. An immigrant from North Vietnam who fled to Canada during the "boat people" exodus of the 1970s, Jimm Tran uses self-portraiture to examine the scars of history and his own transgendered identity. Curated by Reena Katz, the exhibition opens tonight with a reception and a performance Legion, a dramatic work by Ha. Runs til March 27.
A Space Gallery, 401 Richmond St., Opening Reception 6:30 pm - 9 pm

THEATRE | Grimm too
Theatre Smith-Gilmour continues its 30th anniversary season with the premiere of Grimm too, a dramatic interpretation of the famous Grimm Brother's fairy tales. Reviews aren't in yet, but there's no doubting the credentials behind the production. After all, Michele Smith and Dean Gilmour have been nominated for 24 Dora Awards between them and have produced some great works throughout their long career, whether it be by reinterpreting Russian masterworks in their acclaimed Chekhov Cycle or creating original Recession-era comedy in Spent. Boasting an all-star cast that includes Adam Paolozza, Pregna Desai, and Dan Watson, Grimm too takes us into a dark world of imagination where the words "happily ever after" don't necessarily apply. Runs til March 21.
Factory Studio Theatre, 125 Bathurst St., Tuesday - Thursday $20, Friday $25, Saturday $28, Sunday $10 advance or PWYC, Tuesday - Saturday 8 pm, Sundays 2:30 pm

FILM | The Room
Tommy Wiseau has achieved every filmmaker's dream. In 2003 he wrote, directed, produced and starred in The Room, a film so funny that it's achieved a huge cult following and has been compared to comedic masterpiece The Big Lebowski. The only problem is, Wiseau wrote The Room as a drama. The film has been called one of the worst movies of all time, but ironically that hasn't stopped it from being screened monthly at independent movie houses across North America, giving Wiseau a longevity he couldn't hope to duplicate with a serious film. Like the Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Room is best experienced in theatres because of its audience participation component, with audiences yelling out their favourite lines and tossing nerf footballs and plastic spoons to coincide with the unintentional comedy unfolding on screen.
The Royal, 608 College St., $12, 11:30 pm

PARTY | Hip Hop Karaoke's 3rd Anniversary
Hip Hop Karaoke celebrates three years of letting you unleash your inner emcee tonight, and to mark the occasion they're bringing in a true hip hop heavyweight in Jurassic 5's Chali 2na. As pointman for the West Coast undeground crew Chali 2na released some of the best hip hop of the late 1990s, so if you're going to get up on the same stage as him and spit some lyrics you better make sure you've mastered your flow. HHK is always pretty fun, but this one's going to be something special. Get ripped, have fun, but remember the cardinal rules: No freestylin' (we don't trust you) and no n-word (nuff said).
Revival, 783 College St., $15 before 11 pm, $20 after, 9 pm

PARTY | Youngblood w/ DVAS and Dinamo Azari and Magicforce
The Supermarket's Friday night Youngblood party gets bumping with some talent imported from la Belle Province tonight in Montreal disco-electro outfit DVAS, darlings of influential French music blog Valerie. DVAS will be performing a live set preceded by all-vinyl Italo classics and remixes from Dinamo Azari and a live performance from Magicforce. As always, Youngblood resident dj Ludwig Black will be spinning the best in chillwave, trancefaze, psychdisc, and boopbeep.
The Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., $5 before midnight, 9 pm

For full listings, head on over to our events calendar.
Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO calendar, contact us directly, or use our handy Facebook app.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.