THEATRE | Penny Plain
How do marionettes fare in an apocalypse? In Penny Plain, an adult puppet show by Ronnie Burkett, an elderly woman sits in her chair, listening to the apocalypse happening live on the radio as a slew of strange characters caught up in the chaos come through her living room. The international tour of Penny Plain celebrates 25 years of the Theatre of Marionettes and opens tonight at Factory Theatre for one-month engagement.
Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst Street) 8PM

MUSIC | Wale Live at the Phoenix Concert Theatre
Roc Nation rapper and hip hop artist Wale makes his return to Toronto tonight, playing the Phoenix for a mid-sized crowd. Currently on tour to promote his latest album AMBITION, Harvey Stripes, S Dizzy, Ronny Orleans and Jigz The Flyer will join Wale onstage at this event which also celebrates the launch of Blocktrade Music, an online micro label that distributes instrumentals to recording artists. General admission tickets are still available for $30 at all ecko unltd stores and on TicketPicket.com.
Phoenix Concert Theatre (410 Sherbourne Street) 8PM $30

MUSIC | Stray Birds Release Party
Toronto folk band Shawn Clarke and the Green Hearts celebrate the release of their debut EP Stray Birds tonight at Bloor West's Placebo Space by playing a show and hosting a mellowed out party afterward. The band, taking inspiration from Bob Dylan and Neil Young, add romance and vocals that exude boyish charm to their layered sound of banjos, accordions and mandolin. Fun fact: Frontman Clarke is a former member of Olenka and the Autumn Lovers and Timber Timbre, who is now backed by his own group of four local musicians. Ryan Warner is set to open and for an extra $4 cover, you walk away with the new album.
Placebo Space (1409 Bloor Street West) 8PM $6

ART | A Refusal of Images
A Refusal of Images seeks to examine the unfolding of political events through mobile device recordings, a key element to historical documentation in the modern age. Deeming shaky, civilian recordings as "abstract," this exhibit curated by Vicky Moufawad-Paul ties our current viewing practices to the problems of accessibility and control. English artists Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin join Toronto's own Rehab Nazzal in presenting the conflict zones of Afghanistan and Palestine in images that are not what one would expect in moments of violence. The opening reception of A Refusal of Images takes place tonight at A Space Gallery and runs until March 3rd.
A Space Gallery (401 Richmond Street West, Suite 110) 7PM Free

MUSIC | James and Blackburn, Rebel Rebel, The Abbreviations
Ontario indie is on the menu tonight at Rancho Relaxo with three bands from across the province playing a live show of pop and rock music. The night starts out with Hamilton natives The Abbreviations, an old favourite at the Rancho, followed by Toronto's Rebel Rebel, a project lead by seasoned performer Travis Caine, who is well-known on the indie circuit. Closing the show will be the Indie Machine's artist of the month, Toronto indie alt rock three-piece James and Blackburn, who recently released the full-length album Island Universe. The music begins at 10PM.
Rancho Relaxo (300 College Street) 9PM $6

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR:

• Pissed Jeans with Anagram and TV Freaks
• NOW: A Collaborative Project with Sean Martindale and Pascal Paquette
• EXHIBIT 27
• EDITIONS part one
• White Girl

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For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photo by Ian Muttoo in the blogTO Flickr pool