Photo: "Untitled" by Jarett E. Hather, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2010... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

FILM | The White Stripes Under the Great White Northern Lights
In 2007 Detroit rockers the White Stripes embarked on an ambitious project. Having never toured Canada, the influential band decided if they were going to do it at all they might as well do it all the way. They vowed to play a show in every Canadian province and territory, a feat that would have been memorable enough even if they hadn't brought along filmmaker Emmitt Malloy. Luckily they did however, and Malloy ended up shooting a rock 'n roll documentary that's been compared to such classics of the genre as Gimme Shelter. Capturing the band's performances and their interactions with communities that will likely never again be visited by musicians of this rock star calibre, the film is an essential document of one of our generation's most iconic bands. Runs til March 4.
The Royal, 608 College St., $10, $8 students, Friday and Saturday 9:15 pm, Sunday and Monday 7 pm, Tuesday 9:30 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9 pm

MUSIC | Parallels CD Release
Local electronic trio Parallels are sitting pretty. They've amassed a considerable amount of buzz without even releasing a full-length record and shunning interest from major labels hasn't stopped the band from winning over critics and fans with their self-produced band of synth pop. Tonight they finally drop their long-awaited debut LP Visionaries at Wrongbar, joined by dark disco duo Trust. Music fans in this city are dying to embrace Parallels, and tonight should be one hell of a celebration.
Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W., $10 advance, 9 pm

GALLERY | Inside the Solar Temple of the Cosmic Leather Daddy
Will Munro's latest exhibition is inspired by the iconic images of ancient Egypt, but you're not about to see it hanging next to the King Tut exhibit at the AGO. Infusing ancient iconography with images from the 1970s queer leather fetish scene Munro proudly proclaims "Behold the solar anus!" For all its comic potential however, the show speaks to some serious issues as Munro revisits the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, worshiping its victims in an effort to grant them eternal life just as the Egyptians honoured their dead. Runs til March 27.
Paul Petro Gallery, 980 Queen St. W., 7 pm

PARTY | 3rd Annual NuFunk Festival
Sure, we all boast every once and a while of our ability to "get funky". As in: "I'm going to this sweet party tonight, and things might get funky." Or "Bro! That girl I met at the bar last night came home with me and we got funky!" But who among us can really bring the funk when the chips are down? The folks at the third annual Nostalgia 77 will be manning the decks to bring you the best grooves from across the ages, joined by local funkadelic djs John Kong, General Eclectic and ?uescequecest.
Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., $10, 9 pm

BOOKS AND LIT | Child Soldier: Banned in Canada?
As Canadians, we often take for granted our ability to bask in intellectual freedom. We may not have to deal with dictatorial governments shutting down our press or thought police breaking down our doors, but is our freedom limited in subtler, equally sinister ways? PEN Canada convenes a panel of some of this country's brightest literary minds tonight to discuss Orwellian language and our human rights obligations as part of Freedom to Read Week. Joining the discussion will be eminent philosopher Mark Kingwell, author Afua Cooper, and journalist Judy Rebick. Hosted by the CBC's Carol Off.
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St., $10 minimum donation to PEN Canada, 7 pm

LECTURE | Magic Wand Ownership Lectures: The Quantum Physics of Harry Potter
If there's anything more nerdy than a grown-up Harry Potter fan, it's a grown up Harry Potter fan who's obsessed with physics. Break out your pocket-protectors and that way cool cloak your mom made you and head down to the debut of the Magic Wand Ownership Lectures, which attempt to get to the reality behind the spells of everyone's favourite boy wizard. U of T physics PhD candidate Krister Shalm will use live demonstrations to answer such questions as what is parseltongue really? Can I pass through walls? And are there magic powders that can transport physical objects?
McLennan Physics Lab, 255 Huron Street, Rm 103, Free, 7 pm

MUSIC | Matthew Barber Free Show
Fresh off the release of his fifth studio album True Believer, Toronto troubadour Matthew Barber plays a free lunchtime show at Chapter's flagship John Street store, of all places (since when do they have concerts?). Barber's new record makes the case yet again that he is one of this country's most consistent songwriters and an artist who will likely be a mainstay on CBC radio for decades to come. I can think of worse things to do on your lunch break than spending a few minutes being charmed by Barber's alt-country ballads.
Chapters Festival Hall, 142 John St., Free, 12:30 pm

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