The creative folks at Newmindspace continue to bring you fun, free events that draw together friends and strangers to create public art in Toronto. The next event is happening tomorrow night (Saturday November 22) on the U of T front campus. Grab your earmuffs and go help light up the night!

Tomorrow night, we will attempt to create an art installation that is higher than the CN Tower. Over the course of four hours, we will slowly raise a glowing string by balloons, attaching brightly coloured LEDs every foot or so. Throughout the event, the dazzling string will reach dizzying heights and drift gently in the wind.

Join us for an evening of LED stargazing, hot chocolate, and music from Xofer and Dingokiller.

Dress warm, bring a refillable mug, and be ready for a free afterparty (and the spirited subway trip there with friends.)

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22 2008
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO FRONT CAMPUS
15 KING’S COLLEGE CIRCLE (College & McCaul)
7 PM – 11PM

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Like to laugh? CHECK. Like to laugh at current, irreverent or just plain X-rated stuff? CHECK. Like to laugh for cheap (especially if you’re student) – or even for free ? CHECK.

Then head on down to comedy mecca The Second City (56 Mercer St, close to King and John), for their newest show Barack to the Future, playing every night until the end of December. Don’t be fooled by the name – the fast paced skit comedy show doesn’t just poke fun at our arguably comical neighbours down south; it covers a range of topics from racoons to steamy Cuban lovers to a hilarious little game show called Too Far, which consciously pushes the limits of good taste by riffing on each day’s headlines (it’s the kind of humour that makes you laugh, then groan at yourself for laughing).

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Chick Corea and Return to Forever played a one-date show at the Sony Centre (formerly the Hummingbird) on Wednesday, as part of their first reunion tour in more than 25 years. It was the classic lineup: Chick Corea on keys, Al Di Meola on guitar, Stanley Clarke on bass and Lenny White on drums.

And wow. Like, wow.

These guys, after first pioneering jazz-rock back in the 70’s, still know how to jazz-rock da hi-zouse. All four of them must be in their sixties by now, and they kept alluding to their age throughout the show. At one point, the bassist walked up to the microphone and said, emphatically: “In this age of boy bands, [long pause], we are a MAN band”, then strapped his bass back on and they proceeded to rock out with the coolest, grandest of tunes.
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If you know anything about modern dance, congratulations, you already know more about it than me! Watching the Australian edition of “So You Think You Can Dance” does not make me an authority on the subject, though I enjoy self-delusion as much as the next armchair expert.

It boded well, though, when the audience at the Sony Centre (formerly the Hummingbird) for the Friday night performance of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater was noticeably excited even before the curtains went up. I’ve never seen a dance performance begin with a documentary, but that’s what this one did – and to good effect, because there is a lot of history behind this performance, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company’s founding.

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Photo from Dummers in Exile gallery

For all you beat-niks out there, there’s a drum circle happening tonight at Trinity Bellwoods Park from 7-11pm

(Get it? Beats? Beat-niks?

Sorry… I tried).

It’s free, fun and all ages, and gives you a great chance to enjoy the balmy spring weather before it starts raining again tomorrow.

WHAT: Drum Circle (Drummers in Exile)
WHEN: Today (Tuesday May 13), 7-11pm
WHERE: Trinity Bellwoods Park, see map
$$$: Free!
@: http://www.drummersinexile.com (has links to pictures and videos)

If you’re not a drummer but just like the beats, go along and groove to the music anyway.

The snow may have finally melted, and you may be gratefully putting those Uggs back into storage for another year. But wait… there’s joy to be had from the ice yet. Or ON the ice, to be more precise. Enter the Imperial Ice Stars, performing their latest production Swan Lake On Ice at the Sony Centre (formerly the Hummingbird Centre).

I have to admit I was a tad sceptical of the show when I first saw the posters in the TTC a month ago. Mostly because they were EVERYWHERE, and what with commercial juggernauts like Disney On Ice on my mind, I was afraid this one would be cheesy, or at least that it wouldn’t hold up next to the ballet. But, blogUT got media passes for the opening night yesterday, so who was I to say no? (Taking one for the team – that’s me).

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Do you have more time than money? Do you have more energy than money? Do you have more goodwill than… well, you get the point.

In keeping with the trend for social activism in the past few posts, blogUT brings you tidings of Timeraiser: a charity art auction, where instead of money, you auction your time to volunteer at non-profits!

What could be better: make the world a better place, get artwork in exchange.

Even cooler? The event is hosted in the trendy Distillery District. Now you can be cool AND care.

WHAT: 5th Toronto Timeraiser
WHEN: Saturday April 5th, 2008. Doors open at 7pm
WHERE: Distillery District, Fermenting Cellar
$$$: Pledge what you can afford (min. 20 hours), plus $20 ticket
WWW: http://www.timeraiser.ca/en/Toronto-2008