SATURDAY, JANUARY 28TH

FUNDRAISER | Jake's Collection: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead
Rock and roll saves lives! Jake's Collection is a fund established to raise money for research into Ewing's sarcoma. It is named after Jake Wagman, a 10-year old kid from right here in TO who was diagnosed with this illness less than a year ago. Tonight at Lee's Palace, a benefit show for Jake's Collection will go down, featuring Mars Hotel - a Grateful Dead cover band (named after the band's 1974 studio album), and The Gratefully Deadicated Sound System, a DJ act fueled by a massive collection of 'live Dead,' yielding masterfully curated sets, blended together to create a non-stop trip of sounds spanning the band's 30 year career.
Lee's Palace (529 Bloor Street West) 9PM $12

BOOKS & LIT | Girl Fight book launch
The TO launch of Faye Harnest's "Girl Fight" happens this afternoon at Type Books. Harnest's latest is a story of teen conflict, revenge, competition and struggle.... everything that adolescence is about! The "teen drama" in this story, however, takes on a very physical shape, with (as the title implies) fighting in full focus. Harnest will be reading from "Girl Fight" this afternoon, and there will be refreshments to be enjoyed.
Type Books (883 Queen Street West) 3PM

MUSIC | Castor Deadstock Launch with Teenanger & Cut Flowers
It's a 'double layer' event tonight at Parts & Labour on Queen West. While Castor Designs shows off its product line on the main floor, with DJs spinning some tracks, a release party for the Deadstock Compliation LP will go down in the "Shop" below. There will be sets from Metz, Teenanger, Cut Flowers, and some special guests. The Deadstock compliation looks cool, and also includes tracks by Quest For Fire, Young Mother, and Anagram. The connection between the two events? Castor Designs did the compilation cover art. I'm sure there's more to the story, too, but you can only figure that mystery out if you go!
Parts & Labour (1566 Queen Street West) 9PM FREE

FILM | The Street Fighter Trilogy
A Sonny Chiba triple-feature tonight! Chiba is known widely as one of the first martial artists to achieve celeb status for his fighting skills! This Japanese trilogy came out originally in 1974, and Chiba plays the rogue character Takuma Tsurugiin in all three films. There is a sweet deal in place tonight: catch a single film for eight dollars, two for fourteen dollars, or all three for eighteen dollars plus a beverage!
Projection Booth (1035 Gerrard Street East) 7PM $8 / $14 / $18

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SATURDAY RADAR

• Yoga Without Borders
• Sacred Balance Debut EP Release and John Kameel Farah Concert
• ComTruise

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH

MUSIC | Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples is a soul and gospel legend. Her family's group, The Staples Singers, was one of the most important American musical groups of the latter half of the 20th century. Active since the late forties, their renditions of classics like "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" influenced every folk singer of the '60s. They appeared at many Fillmore West shows in San Francisco alongside rock icons from the era, and appeared in several important music films, most notably "The Last Waltz." The Staples Singers is where it all began for Mavis, and she has been going strong on her own for a while, even collaborating with Bob Dylan (for which she was nominated for a Grammy), and also with John Scofield on his tribute album to Ray Charles, "That's What I Say."
Koerner Hall (273 Bloor Street West) 8PM $33.50 +

COMEDY | Live At The Drake: Stand Up Series
Tonight is the first "Live At The Drake"! This is a new series of stand up comedy events that will be filmed at TO's own Drake Hotel. There are two shows going down tonight, with two separate lineups: the afternoon show will feature Arthur Simeon, Hunter Collins, and Bryan O'Gorman, while the evening show will boast the lineup of Christophe Davidson, K. Trevor Wilson, DeAnne Smith. Do arrive early as this is expected to be a well-attended event!
The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West) 4:30PM and 7:30PM $10

POETRY | Word Up: Spoken Hurricanes & Music
An interesting and eclectic evening of spoken word and music tonight at the Holy Oak. Four performers with something to say, and a bit of edge to capture your attention! Lishai, Alessandra Storm and Jamilah Malika are spoken word artists, Lishai is a notorious slam poet, Storm hails from Montreal, and Malika is from here in TO, where she is known as part of the outspoken and politically charged duo, Abstract Random. Songwriter Amai Kuda is a local musician who is also on the bill. Should be good!
Holy Oak CafĂŠ (1241 Bloor Street West) 7:30PM PWYC

MUSIC | KINOBE & The African Sensation
Ugandan multi-instrumentalist and singer, Kinobe is making international waves, and opening some ears to African music and rhythms! Along with his backing band, The African Sensation, Kinobe will be sharing a wide array of Ugandan and African musical vibes, and showcasing a number of different acoustic instruments from the region throughout this performance. This is one to catch for all fans of world music and global fusion.
Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas Street West) 7PM $20

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SUNDAY RADAR

• gramercy riffs / the bb guns / cobra / food fight: girls rock camp toronto
• Sunday Scene with Sarah Parsons
• Jill Peacock @ Musideum

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 simon.carr in the blogTO Flickr pool