SATURDAY, JUNE 18TH

MUSIC | NXNE: Devo, Men Without Hats, Cults, and more
NXNE continues to deliver music to the people! This lineup carries on with the new and hip-retro theme, featuring enigmatic and genre-defying TO ensemble DD/MM/YY, NYC Indie-pop band Cults, Gentlemen Husbands, Nightbox, The Burning Boyz, and Richard Duguay. Our two blasts-from-the past, Men Without Hats and Devo (who have been touring and recording again for several years), close the show.
Yonge/Dundas Square 12PM FREE

MUSIC | Natasha Atlas and Minor Empire @ Luminato
Luminato continues bringing you some great free outdoor music throughout the weekend! This afternoon, local East/West group, Minor Empire, will unleash a major sound for your enjoyment. This project is headed by guitarist and composer Ozan Boz, and features the most prominent players from Toronto's 'specialized' world-fusion camp. Natasha Atlas will follow, and will deliver a set not to be missed. This Transglobal Underground alumnus has a unique musical presence, blending Arabic music and electronic genres, including drum 'n' bass, and hip hop. She has collabed with Jean Michel Jarre, Nigel Kennedy, Belinda Carlisle and many more.
David Pecaut Square (55 John Street) 2PM FREE

CULTURE | Films That Move: Hungry for Change
Films That Move has put together an interesting event this morning, dubbed "Hungry For Change", revolving around the ubiquitous hot topic of "food sustainability". There will be a short film shown, followed by a Q & A, discussions, a raffle, and an open "community market" where you can sample locally grown and "urban-farmed" produce. There will be plenty of information on opportunities for funding your own urban farming project, like-minded local businesses, and more.
George Brown College (300 Adelaide Street East) 10AM FREE

FILM | Notes from the Kuerti Keyboard
Another event as part of NXNE's film component, this screening will be the Toronto premiere of the short film, "Notes from the Kuerti Keyboard". This promises to be a film with a sense of humour, as it will feature one of Canada's preeminent musical talents, Anton Kuerti, executing a sonata by Beethoven on an antique typewriter. A tip of the hat to Leroy Anderson, to be sure. There will definitely be some laughs in the theatre this afternoon! One of the film's directors, David Eng, will be in the house.
NFB Mediatheque (150 John Street) 12:30PM $25/NXNE pass

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SATURDAY RADAR

• Roncy Rocks!
• Entire Cities NXNE at the Dakota w. Horse Feathers, Secret Cities etc.
• Brian Wilson - The Gershwin Songbook

SUNDAY, JUNE 19TH

CULTURE | Static Zine + Via Sky Blue Sky launch
A double launch this aft at Sky Blue Sky on Bloor. Static Zine, a brand new arts and culture mag celebrates its inaugural issue, and a new web-based video series, Via Sky Blue Sky, debuts as well. It's kind of like Daytrotter and Southern Souls: bands will be filmed as they perform at the sandwich shop, and explore the vicinity on Bloor. Slated to rock today are The Ruby Spirit, Bravestation, Forest City Lovers, and more. Baked goods and storytelling are also part of the deal.
Sky Blue Sky (605 Bloor Street West) 2PM FREE

MUSIC | Tasa and Nitin Sawhney @ Luminato
Another awesome (and free) outdoor show goes down today as part of Luminato. This time it's a double-bill of hot Indo-fusion vibes. Tasa is a local ensemble led by tabla maestro Ravi Naimpally, that fuses jazz with Indian music in an interesting and exciting way, doing justice to both genres beautifully. This Luminato "closing day" concert will conclude with a set by Nitin Sawhney. Sawhney is a true artist and culture maven who received too many awards to list, and has worked with Paul McCartney, Sting and others. He combines Indian sounds with many other genres and delivers an original blend that is worth catching live.
David Pecaut Square (55 John Street) 2PM FREE

LITERATURE | Brick at the Toronto Small Press Book Fair
The "small press" is a vital part of any city or community's literary growth. It is the platform for emerging writers to get their first exposure, or their first sobering feedback from a publication's editorial staff. This afternoon, the Toronto Small Press Book Fair will take place at Hart House, and it is the place to be for those who are interested in keeping in touch with 'grass roots' literary happenings, or just as importantly, for those who wish to show their support for the hard work that goes into creating journals and magazines such as Brick, Broken Pencil, The Descant, and many more.
Hart House, U of T (7 Hart House Circle) 11AM FREE

MUSIC | TWM + Buying Shots Present: The Officially Unofficial NXNE Afterparty!
One last kick at the NXNE can tonight at Rancho! Both Two Way Monologues and Buying Shots For Bands present this showcase and afterparty that will extend your festival experience. A great lineup will rock the proverbial Casbah: Good Times Running, HONHEEHONHEE, Dora Alexander, The Elwins, Armen at the Bazaar, and No Breakup. This will be a memorable way to end a great week of music!
Rancho Relaxo (300 College Street) $6/Free with NXNE pass

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SUNDAY RADAR

• Celebrate Bloor
• The 9th annual Day of Delight
• Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photo by dan cronin in the blogTO Flickr pool