Out in Toronto: Jan 21-27, 2016

Choice events in the city this week


Thursday, Jan 21

The Gay Heritage Project

Gay history is all the rage these days. You can’t walk down the street without tripping over a stack of recently published books on the subject, but who has time to comb through a tome? A Dora Award–winning play returns to the local queer theatre with its entertaining and easy-to-digest answer to the question: Is there such a thing as a gay heritage?

Runs until Sunday, Jan 31, various showtimes. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. buddiesinbadtimes.com

Friday, Jan 22

Hard

The city is littered with the bones of dead parties and the corpses of clubs. DJs roam the Village with headphones on, looking forlorn. That’s why it’s particularly gratifying to be able to list a new monthly dance party. This new jam features NYC-based DJ Nita Aviance and his opener Scooter McCreight spinning house, and slutty performances all night long.

10pm. The Black Eagle, 457 Church St. For more info, visit Facebook.

Saturday, Jan 23

The Toronto Gaymers’ Queer Pubcade: The Mario Party

Try not to hit a bomb with your golf club. Fight a Mega Goomba. Meander around a map while screaming at your fellow nerds. What’s not to love about an event dedicated to playing Mario Party? Mario Kart and The Jackbox Party Pack are also on hand. Prizes are awarded to those who win Mario Party. For more information, contact info@torontogaymers.ca.

4pm. The Marquis of Granby, 418 Church St. facebook.com/torontogaymers

Deep 003

 

Here’s another new party! One of the focuses of this party is cruising, which is facilitated by dim lighting and a friendly atmosphere. The other focus is the outrageous and glam DJs Produzentin and Buzz, who spin techno and tech house. According to billing, “these kweens turn it out not only on the wheels but with their wildly imaginative and hilarious lewks.”

10pm. The Black Eagle, 457 Church St. blackeagletoronto.com

GirlPlay: DJ Showcase

And, finally, something for the sorely neglected girls. GirlPlay Toronto presents a sexy club night in the Village. Ladies are invited to “fill your weekend gap with some hot newness” at a party in a charming three-floor venue. There’s a selection of music — on one floor, DJ Femmebot spins house; on another, DJ Foxxtrott spins top 40 and hip hop.

10pm. Smith, 553 Church St. For more info, visit Facebook.

Tuesday, Jan 26

Subculture Futures: A Conversation

What does it mean to bring the ballroom scene — which draws its passion and style from a history of marginalization — into the mainstream? In this forum, Mother Trouble Nuance and Mother Tko Monroe and Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage Scholars-in-Residence Matthew Sergi and Julia Fawcett discuss this and a variety of similar questions.

7pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. For more info, visit Facebook.

(For more event listings, visit dailyxtra.com/lgbt-events)

Jeremy Willard is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor. He's written for Fab Magazine, Daily Xtra and the Torontoist. He generally writes about the arts, local news and queer history (in History Boys, the Daily Xtra column that he shares with Michael Lyons).

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