SATURDAY, APRIL 9TH

MUSIC | Mike Watt & The Missingmen
Bassist Mike Watt has been a part of punk rock for over 30 years! From his early efforts on the SST label with his band, The Minutemen, to his most recent gig as bassist for the reunited Stooges, there's no stopping this guy, as he's constantly touring to the point where he is in danger of being "under recorded"! His current solo album, recorded with The Missingmen, "Hyphenated Man," consists of 30 short songs inspired by the work of Renaissance artist Hieronymus Bosch. It's this release that brings him and the band to town tonight, and things are sure to rock! Dearly Beloved and Greys will open.
The Horseshoe (370 Queen Street West) 9PM $15

FUNDRAISER | Toronto Bakes for Japan
Some delish treats for a great cause! Make your way out this morning to the Evergreen Brickworks for an amazing bake sale with all proceeds going to the Japanese Red Cross Society. Some of TO's finest bakers and pastry shops are contributing, and music will be provided by Graydon James and the Young Novelists. The cause continues tomorrow at various yummy locations throughout the city, all of which will be donating funds from the day's sales, as well.
The Evergreen Brickworks Farmers Market (550 Bayview Avenue) 9AM to 1PM

ART | "Fabrications" Textile Art Show
Sheree Rasmussen has an amazing sense of colour, and this is apparent at a glance. Her style carries many modern influences, such as Matisse and Klimt, but space, geometry and colour seem to be the guiding principles, and textiles and other mixed media seem to play a role, as well. This Toronto-based artist was nominated for a Governor General's Award while a student at Ontario College of Art and Design. She has also done her share of travelling, and even spent a decade living in Denmark. Her current work will be showcased in her solo exhibition, "Fabrications."
Studio Vogue Gallery (216 Avenue Road) 5PM (reception)

MUSIC | Narnyard Records 3 CD Launch, featuring Evan Parker
It's an important night for improvised music in TO. Barnyard Records is releasing three CDs at one event, and the musicians associated with these releases are all key players in Toronto's underground "avant/free jazz" scene, very much associated with the 'hub' venue Somewhere There. An important guest will be in the house, Evan Parker, who is featured on one of the three albums, "Evan Parker, Wes Neal & Joe Sorbara - At Somewhere There.' Parker is an internationally recognized British free-jazz saxophonist who has worked with the likes of Cecil Taylor, Derek Bailey, Anthony Braxton, and others. He has also even collaborated with Jah Wobble, Spring Heel Jack, and Spritualized! Also, AIMToronto Orchestra will be launching their release, "Year of the Boar", and the quintet of Rampersaud Shaw Neal Martin and Krakowiak will be celebrating their CD, "Halcyon Science130410.' Come out and support this music!
Bathurst Centre for the Arts (918 Bathurst Street) 8PM $20

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SATURDAY RADAR

• Veggielicious
• The Last 90s Party
• Wonder Women

SUNDAY, APRIL 10TH

CULTURE | WrestleCrisis: Deluxe
"A Tribute To Videogames" is the order of the evening at this intriguing event that uses wrestling, and its associated drama, to create what the organizers have termed "Combat Opera". This inaugural WrestleCrisis will help support the charity Child's Play, and will open with a musical performance by Boss Fyte. The tussle then ensues at 7PM.
Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Avenue) $15 6:30PM

MUSIC | The Go! Team
The very eclectic and edgy English band, The Go! Team, play tonight at The Opera House. Their sound is an aggressive blend of post-punk guitar stylings with a garage vibe, but also blended with hip-hop, funk and some Bollywood vibes thrown in. These guys are a band with musical energy! As their name implies, they are all about "motion" and movement, and their tracks are designed to make this happen in their listeners! They are touring their latest release, "Rolling Blackouts", and have received good critical feedback for this album, including several "thumbs up" for more developed songwriting, and exporing new some new directions.
The Opera House (735 Queen Street East) 7PM $23.50

LITERATURE | Draft 6.5
The Draft Reading Series is an event held regularly in the Leslieville area featuring both emerging and established writers, who read for fifteen minutes each, in alphabetical order (to keep things on an even keel, and avoid having a 'featured' writer). Things are known to be "fast paced, and very eclectic", and often go outside of the writers' collective comfort zones. A publication, "Draft", is printed specifically for distribution at this event, and is included with the cover charge. Today's readings are dubbed "Draft 6.5", and will include Jill Battson, Andrew Daley, Steve McCabe, Sarah Selecky and Halli Villega.
Merchants of Green Coffee (2 Matilda Street) 3 pm $5 (includes a copy of Draft)

MUSIC | Tiger Bar Rocks!
A cool showcase of local bands at the Tiger Bar tonight! Girl + The Machine are an interesting act that have played some big fests in town, including the Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair last Summer, and sport a sound that is similar to Metric, with a high tech-rock vibe. Other acts on the bill include the reggae stylings of Likkle More, The Tricky Ones, Daniel Mager, and Truthful Lies. This is a good opportunity to get a taste of some emerging Toronto musical talent.
The Tiger Bar (414 College Street) 8PM $10

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR SUNDAY RADAR

• Poor Boy Clothing Presents
• I See Stars @ The Phoenix
• Yoga in Motion

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 Scott Snider in the blogTO Flickr pool.