SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD

ACTIVITY | DJ skate nights begin
DJ Skate nights begin tonight! A true sign that Winter is here, and many have indeed been looking for such a sign! This year there will be a total of ten DJ Skate nights - all free - running until February 19th of 2012. Each week will have a different thematic twist. For example, an Asian culture party and a Black History Month celebration will be incorporated into different Skate Nights in the early New Year. As always, top-notch local DJ talent has been recruited to make your skating soundtrack something to remember, and fresh each week. This will be a unique musical experience each week, with a wide ranging lineup of DJ talent, including DJ Medicineman (CIUT-FM), Promise DJs, DJs from FLOW FM, Cherry Bomb DJs, and more.
Harbourfront Centre @ Natrel Rink (235 Queens Quay West) 8PM FREE

MUSIC | BioDiesel & Chameleon Project
If 'livetronica' is your thing or you are curious, you will want to check out this very cool double-bill tonight at the Monarch Tavern! BioDiesel is a group centered around the heavy drumming chops of Johnny Rabb, and live bass and laptop/synth work fills out the sound with influences coming from all modern musical corners, including breakbeat, D'n'B, house, and so much more. These guys have been touring heavily, so you can count on them to be in top form tonight. Chameleon Project are an established, newly revitalized TO band that are on the same page stylistically, but with more of a live element that is augmented by electronics: soulful, funky, morphing jams always abound at their gigs. This is going to be a great night of cutting-edge music - be prepared to dance!
The Monarch Tavern (12 Clinton Street) 9PM $12

ART | Kid Icarus Presents a Handmade Holiday
TO's coolest handmade art shop and silkscreening studio presents their second "Handmade Holiday" gift show. This is a great opportunity to get some holiday shopping done, and keep things 'local' at the same time. There's no doubt you will find some great things for those on your list. There will be a wide assortment of local crafters and artists selling handmade items like poster art, clothing, toys, jewelery, and more. Mystery loot bags are available in limited supply at the door, and there's nothing like adding an element of the 'unknown' to your shopping experience! This is a great way to support local artists and get some Holiday shopping done.
St. Stephen-in-the-Fields (103 Bellevue Avenue) 11AM $2 / $5 includes "mystery giftbag"

MUSIC | TWM: Lordy Lordy/Buffalo, The Unquiet Dead, Dave Whitty at Rancho
Rancho Relaxo and Two Way Monologues have your dose of new music for tonight! Lordy Lordy are on the bill, and this local band has a nice blend of folk/psych, and a retro sensibility that will surely be a good time. Buffalo are also on the bill, and will deliver some of their brooding alt-folk vibes. Also on the bill tonight are Newfoundland transplant, singer/songwriter Dave Whitty, and Windsor's The Unquiet Dead - a tight, great sounding band playing what is now being called "Americana". Should be a great night of organic, folky sounds!
Rancho Relaxo (300 College Street) 9PM $7

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SATURDAY RADAR

• TRAILER PARK BOYS @ QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE
• 102.1 The Edge Jingle Bell Rock: Arkells @ Sound Academy
• ((( CHRONOLOGIC )))
• TYGA - LIVE IN TORONTO - #LASTKINGS CONCERT

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH

MUSIC | TorQ Percussion Quartet Album Launch Concert
TorQ Percussion Quartet launch their new album, "Two + Two" tonight at Lula Lounge. This is a "New Music" ensemble that is able to make things accessible while fulfilling their mission, and retaining their musical integrity, so to speak. They are a young group, kind of a next gen Nexus, and their new album features music by Christos Hatzis, John Cage, and other composers of note. In addition to 'typical' performances and recordings, these guys spend a lot of time doing educational sessions in schools across the country. TorQ Percussion Quartet has received plenty of kudos, including the 2009 Mississauga Arts Council award for "Best Emerging Performing Arts Ensemble".
Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas Street West) 7PM $5

CULTURE | Mostly What Is Unsaid - No Order -- Art in a Post-Fordist Society
"Mostly What Is Unsaid" is an event put together by the venue, Art Metropole, Fuse Magazine, and Scapegoat: a bi-annual journal. These events are meant to be catalysts for political and cultural discussions. Today, the Italian publication, No Order, will be introduced by its founders Marco Scotini and Andris Brinkmanis. No Order is an annual magazine that features essays, art, interviews, and other formats that aim to question and deconstruct "cognitive capitalism" in one way or another. Whatever pre-conceived notions or beliefs you bring in with you to this event, you will be challenged and engaged. There will be an open discussion following Scotini and Brinkmanis' presentation.
Art Metropole (788 King Street West, 2nd Floor) 2PM PWYC ($10 suggested)

COMEDY | BOCCHE FRESCHE Festival of New Italian Canadian Comedy
Some "fresh" Italian comedy goes down this evening! This festival was a huge hit in Montreal last year, and it promises to be a blast once again. There will be a big lineup of live stand-up comics, including Mark Debonis, Nonna Maria, Martha Chaves, Marco Bernardi, and many more. This is also an LGBT-positive event, and this will bring the festival's diversity and multi-layered nature into focus, and challenge the audience's preconceptions about Italians and Italian culture.
Royal Cinema (608 College Street) 6:30PM $25

DANCE | IMPROMPTEASE 3: Burlesque Improv & Cabaret Mayhem - 1 Year Anniversary
Impromptease celebrates its 1st anniversary tonight at Augusta House in Kensington Market. This is a strange and unpredictable event, full of sexy moves, music and drinks - what more do you need? A long lineup of male and female performers will be randomly selecting cards contributed by the audience, containing instructions regarding the musical accompaniment, costumes, and props to be used, and the performer must follow these guidelines, and deliver an 'impromptu' burlesque performance. There's a video preview you can check to see what this event might be like, and things seem to be pointing in the "outta hand" direction!
Augusta house (152 Augusta Avenue) 7:30PM $15

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SUNDAY RADAR

• The Mediatheque on Ice! Holiday Screenings
• Carlo Meriano's Sticka Ikebana launch w/ Carnival Moon, Atherton, more!
• ILYA GEFTER Artist Talk

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 Carl W. Heindl in the blogTO Flickr pool