CONFERENCE | SCREENS 2011
A big, two-day conference begins today in TO - Screens 2011.This conference is a new incarnation of the FITC Mobile conference that used to focus primarily on Flash development, and is now new, improved, and 'renamed' - with a broader focus on "mobile, tablet, and set box development". The content of these lectures, seminars and workshops is geared towards both novice and experienced programmers, and will approach concepts from a largely technical standpoint, but will also be sure to take aesthetic and cultural matters into consideration. Both today and tomorrow will be crammed with information and workshops, with an evening networking event also planned. With over 400 expected to attend this event from all over the world, you will surely have a chance to do some schmoozing on a global scale!
MTCC - North Building (255 Front Street West) 8:30AM

BOOKS & LIT | Mansfield Press T.O. Fall Launch
Mansfield Press is a small TO-based venture that first emerged in 2000 with four books of poetry by some established poets: Ann Shin, Margaret Christakos, Diana Fitzgerald Bryden, and Corrado Paina. Since then they have grown nicely, have come to feature fiction as well, and expanded their editorial staff. Tonight at The Boat, Mansfield celebrates its Fall releases: "How I Wrote Certain of My Books", by George Bowering, "Lover Through Departure: New and Selected Poems", by Rishma Dunlop, "Hooligans", by Lillian Necakov, and "The Crystal Palace", by Carey Toane. There will be readings by Risha Dunlop, Lillian Necakov, and Carey Toane. Ben Walker will deliver a musical performance, and there will be door prizes! Mansfield Press' publisher, Denis De Klerck, and editor Stuart Ross will be hosting the event.
The Boat (158 Augusta Avenue) 7PM

MUSIC | Heavy Cream w/ First Base, Voodoo Trash & Troubadour
Nashville, TN's Heavy Cream will rock out fiercely tonight with their special blend of R'n'R and "Stonehenge punk". This is a four-piece with a 3 to 1 girl/boy ratio that provides some interesting musical energy. Their sound is simple, raw, stripped down, with plenty of guitar fuzz and edgy vocals. There's a bit of a next gen Cramps thing happening here - sonically - but that's not the whole story. Supporting these special visitors are local simpatico rockers First Base, Voodoo Trash, and Troubadour. File this one under "heavy".
Parts & Labour (1566 Queen Street West) 9PM $8.50

COMEDY | She's Got a Shape Tour
Some of your favourite local female comics are hitting the road! Cheap Smokes, Ladystache, Julia Hladkowicz and Diana Love are teaming up to provide a comic caravan that will hit five different cities this week, delivering laughs and good times where Ontario needs them most! Cheap Smokes and Ladystache have performed around TO at Toronto Sketchfest, and they are both dynamic duos to be reckoned with! Julia Hladkowicz is essentially ubiquitous around Toronto comedy stages, and Diana Love, the self-professed "comic / writer / jerk" will be along for good measure. Come on out tonight and see these gals off, and have a few laughs in the process.
Comedy Bar cabaret space (945 Bloor Street West) 9PM $10

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR

• Beyond the Cage at the Horseshoe Tavern
• Class City: An Improvised History of Toronto
• LMFAO, Far East Movement, Natalia Kills, Frankmusik, Rye Rye, Colette Carr @ Air Canada Centre

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Photo by Dominic Bugatto in the blogTO Flickr pool