IN Toronto Magazine: June 2012

FOOD WHERE TO FIND EXCITING TASTES

GAY & LESBIAN

CITY LIVING

|

ICON CAROLE POPE IS STILL THE BOSS

JUNE 2012

ARAB CANADIANS

KAMAL AL-SOLAYLEE’S SEARCH FOR HOME HIP HOP FROM MC JAZZ

THE POETRY

OF PRIDE

E! D I R P EVIEW PR

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intorontomag.com PUBLISHER Patricia Salib EDITOR Gordon Bowness DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Ryan Lester DESIGNERS Nicolรกs Tallarico, Jenny Watson OUR MISSION Inspire gay men and lesbians to live life to the fullest.

Expand the gay and lesbian community by valuing diversity and individual choice.

Celebrate Toronto.

Provide readers with compelling news, information and entertainment.

ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES (416) 551-0444 info@intorontomag.com EDITORIAL INQUIRIES (416) 551-0449 editorial@intorontomag.com PRODUCTION ads@intorontomag.com In Toronto is published by The Mint Media Group all rights reserved.

542 Parliament St, Toronto, ON, M4X 1P6 THE MINT MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT Patricia Salib DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Reggie Lanuza DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Ryan Lester EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Lidia Salvador THIS ISSUE CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Paul Gallant, Krishna Rau PHOTO CREDIT Meaghan Ogilvie, Untitled 4, Underwater Series ll

CONTRIBUTORS Nicola Betts, Mary Dickie, Derek Dotto, Alice Lawlor, Glenn Mackay, Adam Segal, Margaret Webb, John Webster, Andrea Zanin

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ON THE COVER Photography by Glenn Mackay

PhoTo | VidEO | digital | SalES | rEntalS | SErViCE

CONTENTS

ISSUE 25

VIEWS | LIVING & DESIGN | INSIGHT | LISTINGS | ART & ENTERTAINMENT | SEX

8

11

8 11 22 24

22

THIS IS EAST YORK? John Harvey and Eric Bianchini’s modern haven

by Derek Dotto WHERE EXCITING TASTES ARE HAPPENING A radical new breed of chef is taking root in Toronto

by Margaret Webb THE FIFTH SEASON Luminato’s Jorn Weisbrodt and festival preview

by Gordon Bowness THE QUEER HIP-HOP MOVEMENT The grand, gorgeous ambitions of MC Jazz

by Mary Dickie

7

WHERE’S ROB FORD? Readers sound off

15

BI-CURIOUS MAMA with Adam Segal

16

JUNE EVENT CALENDAR & LISTINGS

18

VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY by Derek Dotto

19

PRIDE PREVIEW by Gordon Bowness

29

CAROLE POPE MAKES LANDFALL by Mary Dickie

31

KAMAL AL-SOLAYLEE’S LOVE LETTER TO TORONTO

by Alice Lawlor

33

THOSE PESKY ERECTIONS with Andrea Zanin

34

CAUGHT IN THE ACT scene photography

24

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TORONTO TALK EXCHANGE

John Webster

SOUND OFF WHERE’S ROB FORD?

→ Notwithstanding Mayor Rob Ford’s attendance at a PFLAG event in May, his ongoing refusal to

attend Pride over its 10-day run has inspired our readers to suggest all manner of events he might find appealing

ROB FORD BAKE SALE?

“Since we have to close the streets off anyway, why not

only fitting that a boat cruise in

extend the festival by one

his honour, the Big Gay Gravy

night and have Rob Ford Pride

Boat Cruise, become an event,

Kick Off Street Closing Gala?

not only for this year, but going

Do a Mardi Gras North theme.

forward, leading up to World

Permit the area so that the bars

Pride.”

can serve on the street. Charge

MICHAEL MULLEN, PETERBOROUGH

a toonie to cover costs and

What would your Rob Ford Pride event, real or imagined, look like? Let us know.

Send suggestions to editorial@intorontomag.com or post a comment on our website. There’s a prize! All submissions received before Mon, June 11 will be entered in a draw for two tickets to the Digital Dreams Music Festival over Pride/ Canada Day weekend at Ontario Place.

the remainder gets donated “The Rob Ford Sprint... con-

to the gay-related charity of

testants must ride a bike, wear

his choice. We get an awe-

pink or be a reporter (for the

some party, he gets in our good

Star).”

books, the timing doesn’t inter-

RYAN L, TORONTO

rupt his family weekend, a

PRIDE UP CLOSE

charity gets cash and a prec-

get Mr Ford to attend the Pride

edent is set for an awesome

Parade: Substitute floats with

Dumpty’s Pride Goeth Before a

mayoral traction moving for-

subway trains riding down

Fall Quiche Eating Contest?”

ward. Win-win-win-win... n’est

Yonge. The mayor gets to lead

WALTER P, TORONTO

ce pas?”

the caravan of revellers along-

ROB L, TORONTO

side his brother.”

“How about Humpty

Check out our interview with Pride Toronto executive director Kevin Beaulieu discussing his first year at the helm of Toronto’s largest festival, online at intorontomag.com.

“My picture shows a way to

OCTAVIO CONTRERAS, TORONTO

Michael Erickson

“Given Rob Ford’s absence, yet again, from Pride, it seems

intorontomag.com

7

LIVING & DESIGN

O PE N H O U S E

SHARP ANGLES Medical illustrator John Harvey and Eric Bianchini, who works for Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources, have carved a niche for themselves, quite literally, gutting an old commercial space in East York and turning it into a modern industrial haven →

Story Derek Dotto | Photography Nicola Betts

8

June 2012

LIVING & DESIGN

From the outside, you wouldn’t think anyone could live here. What did this place used to be?

JH: It was called Maple Leaf Hair Styling. We have a feeling it was quite a large salon at one time.

EB: When we first looked at the building, the barber shop had been reduced to the first 10 feet of the ground floor and the rest of it was divided into two separate apartments.

One of the industrial aspects, aside from the use of exterior lighting inside, is the ceiling.

JH: Once the place was gutted, we decided to sandblast the exposed beams. I like the combination of surfaces. The darkness and the warmth of the wood — the nail holes and the screws sticking out — it’s a relief from the white, plainer surface of the drywall. It makes a nice combination.

Was it necessary to completely gut the building?

EB: The apartments were pretty awful but we saw the potential. We basically tore it down to the bare bones.

JH: Our architect convinced us that the right thing to do was to start from scratch. So we started with a concrete block, beams and a subfloor.

Another great feature is the kitchen island.

JH: Our architect told me about this steel frame sitting in an alley. It was all rusted up. I picked it up and brought it here. I sanded all the rust off and coated it with a urethane. I had the electrician electrify it for appliances.

We love the industrial look. This really represents what we had in mind.

You received possession of the building in the spring of 2009 with ambitious plans to overhaul it in six months. How did that go?

JH: I was blissfully ignorant at first.

Well, maybe not so much blissful but definitely ignorant. It was only after we hired the framer that I realized there was no way I could have attempted this by myself. But we kept plugging ahead.

EB: Money was the biggest issue and things kept getting pushed back month after month after month.

You finally moved in last September, after a year and a half of renovations. The place has more warmth than you’d expect from an industrial space.

JH: It ended up being a little homier and cozier than we planned. It’s still a modern angular space. You’ve got wood. You’ve got metal. And you’ve got drywall. I like that it’s very plain.

I really enjoy seeing the sharp angles, the square angles.

EB: There’s nothing we’ve done to the house that we regret. We’ve never said, “Oh my god, we shouldn’t have done that.” → PROJECT ROOMS John Harvey and Eric Bianchini (above) kept the industrial concrete floor on the main floor where Harvey’s workspace is (next page, second from the bottom) — great for mucking about with paint. Much of the art in the home is by Harvey, from his art school days. All the living spaces are on the second and third floors.

There are also some very refined features. Why did you decide to go with hardwood flooring?

JH: The original plan was to have a raw plywood subfloor coated in a clear epoxy but for various reasons, a lot of which had to do with my exhaustion, we switched to hardwood. The aesthetic would have been more complete. With this floor it went in another direction. It went a little more suburban and a little less industrial. But I’m glad we switched.

EB: I like the contrast of the new floor with the old ceiling.

What made you want to move into a commercial space?

JH: Houses are generally broken into little rooms, rooms for the kids and parents. They don’t lend themselves to, say, painting, making a mess, sculpting, which are things I’ve been wanting to get back to. I wanted enough space to muck about, drop paint on the floor and not worry about ruining it. The ground floor is concrete, so I can just wipe up or paint over it.

EB: Before this we were living in an open concept loft space on King West and we liked it so we wanted to find something similar.

King West to East York, that’s quite the change of neighbourhood.

EB: I was a little apprehensive at first.

Continued on page 10

intorontomag.com

9

LIVING & DESIGN Continued from page 9

I’ve lived in the east end but never this

I’m sensing this “love of stuff” was

far east or north. But it’s great: There

a bone of contention when you two

are a lot of mom and pop shops.

decided to move in together.

JH: I really like that about this area. It’s

JH: Yes, it was.

still got family-owned grocery stores and

EB: There were a few arguments. Even

butcher shops that are excellent. I was

now, I don’t think there’s any clutter,

living under the impression that we’d be

but John feels I have too many things

on the frontier. You know when you’re

around.

downtown for a long time and you just

JH: He has a coffee mug collection and

imagine that there’s nothing out there.

he doesn’t drink coffee.

There’s also something about not having a highrise in your line of sight.

How long have you been together?

JH: Six years? We were just trying to fig-

Speaking of elevation, you decided to

ure that out, weren’t we?

add a third floor early on.

EB: We don’t really know when we met

JH: It just wasn’t enough room. We

so we say December first.

couldn’t have any residential use of

JH: We DO know when we met.

the ground floor, so basically all liv-

EB: We met on the swim team [Toronto’s

ing space would have been limited to

LGBT Downtown Swim Club] in 2005.

the second floor and it wasn’t enough.

John was the first guy I ran into. We were

Our architect convinced us to add a

both locking up our bikes in front of the

third storey. At the last minute, a con-

pool. I was like, “Oh my God, if they’re all

flict arose between the building code,

as good-looking as John, I’m going to be

our designation and city zoning. So

in trouble.” I asked him, “Is this where

that was pretty stressful. In the end

they swim?” He said, “Yeah, I’ll take you

we only had to make minor changes to

in.” He introduced me to the coach and

the drawings: It mostly involved paying

some of the other swimmers. That was

more money. The whole place is still

nice. We started dating about a year later.

under 2,300 square feet.

So if you survived the gutting and Was it overwhelming having such a

rebuilding of a house, you can prob-

large blank slate to work with?

ably survive anything, right?

JH: Our architect, Breck McFarlane,

JH: It was very stressful. I was publish-

gave us some books to look at and I also

ing a book at the time. It was insane.

trusted his aesthetic. I knew him and

If Eric hadn’t been there it would have

his aesthetic and it’s very sophisticated

been unimaginable for me. Even with

and restrained. He had seen our apart-

all our fights.

ment and knew what we liked.

EB: We didn’t have that many fights.

EB: We like things pretty simple.

I think the hardest thing for me was

JH: You like a little more stuff than I do.

paying rent and mortgage a year longer

EB: A little bit.

than I had planned.

JH: Eric likes stuff and I’d be happy with hardly anything.

You said you still have some minor

EB: I manage to place things without

work to do including building a deck

creating clutter.

extending out of your third floor bedroom. Then what?

I did notice a lot of knickknacks,

EB: [to John] I don’t know what you’re

including a china cabinet full of

going to do when you’re done. You love

superhero-laden tumblers.

working on these small projects.

EB: A lot of it is me, I guess. I like to col-

JH: I really do. I love working on the

lect things but I have to restrain myself.

house. I can’t let things sit. I guess I’ll

Growing up, I was into Dungeons and

have to finally get back to my art. I won’t

Dragons, comics and all that, so some

have a choice. But that was the reason

of that’s still with me. I’ve actually

for moving here in the first place. •

DE-cluttered.

10

June 2012

LIVING & DESIGN

FOOD

RADICALS OCCUPY (THEIR OWN) RESTAURANTS → The

personal is political… and what’s more personal than the food you put in your body?

Story Margaret Webb | Photography Nicola Betts

I

haven’t felt this giddy about the eating scene since the local food movement exploded nearly a decade ago. Why go out to restaurants that serve bland industrial slop when I can get picked-that-morning tastiness at my favourite city farmers’ markets? I’ve connected with local farmers to fill our freezer with “organic-plus-plus” meats — heritage, grass-fed, free-range — that shame factory-farmed meats and

the chefs who serve them. Heck, the chickens we get from Lover’s Creek Farm are so free range I have to take care not to run over them when I pull into the lane for my order (along with the orders of a half dozen friends who are turning our Mini into a delivery truck).

Having grown up on a farm, I get the economics — if we don’t support our local farmers, we’ll lose them, and be condemned to suckle on the

teat of big food and agribusinesses who reap profits from addicting eaters to cheap, high-fat/salt/sugar processed food. Our globalized industrial food system not only tastes bad, it’s killing us. You’ve heard about sky-rocketing obesity, cancers and diabetes. Consider why: When we eat something, we’re basically having sex with that food as well as everything that food has taken into its system. After all, we take those

substances into our deepest bodily recesses where they, in turn, feed the reproductive processes of our cells and become part of us. Do you really want to be having sex with the likes of Monsanto and their genetically engineered soybean and corn seeds grown in chemically laced soils often fertilized with barely processed sewage sludge? Or meats Continued on page 12

intorontomag.com

11

LIVING & DESIGN Continued from page 11

12

pumped with antibiotics and growth

For Cod and Country, called on chefs

hormones?

to take the lead in resetting expecta-

The only condom to shield you

tions about food as desire — fetishiz-

from that nastiness is to eat organic.

ing the rare, the expensive, the insa-

(I wish I could claim credit for

tiable appetite. “We face a crisis

this

you-are-the-food-you-have-

of scarcity,” he said. “Chefs [with

sex-with idea, but it comes from

their food choices] have the power

esteemed University of Guelph pro-

to make people and the earth sick.

fessor of veterinary science, David

So we have the power to make

Waltner-Toews, author of Food, Sex

the earth and people healthy.” He

and Salmonella).

urged restaurants to stop dishing off responsibility to diners to

Toronto chefs have come to real-

make ethical choices, pulling out

ize that the ingredients they serve

the sustainable seafood charts and

have to be at least as good as what

haranguing servers about whether

savvy eaters are enjoying at home.

the fish was raised or caught sus-

Or why go out? Yet the monumen-

tainably or swam in the pesticide

tal challenges — sourcing scarce

swill of some factory farm. Instead,

supplies, forging new connections

chefs should limit themselves to

near Cambridge who are showing us

with local farmers and fishers,

serving only sustainable options,

how to turn that strange bounty into

learning the politics, health impli-

then unleash their creativity to

exotic treats.

cations and cooking techniques —

make those “limits” delicious. That

Toronto chef Doug McNish, author

can hamstring creativity. Menus

way, we can all relax and get back to

of Eat Raw, Eat Well, is one of the

often featured the work of the pro-

enjoying dinner.

local young radicals dishing on the

Jason vanBruggen

Over the past decade, the best

→ T ERROIRISM Chef Michael Stadtländer near Honeywood, Ontario, at last fall’s Foodstock protest against the proposed Mega Quarry. Look for a similar event, Soupstock, in Toronto this fall.

ducer (rightly so) and the accoun-

Tama Matsouka Wong, author of

possibilities of a more plant-based

The chef cooks for just 12 guests at

tant (passing on increased costs)

Foraged Flavour, sees through the

future. The guy turned his body

a time, and he grows about 60 per-

with little more than a side-serv-

doom and gloom of scarcity to a

into a laboratory of radicalism and

cent of the ingredients on his 100-

ing of righteousness from the chef.

future of more possibility. Indeed,

lost more than 100 pounds on an

acre farm, sourcing the rest from

It was tasty and expensive and then

she sees a delicious future in weeds.

organic vegan diet (with a little exer-

nearby farms. As Stadtländer says,

it got boring.

The

forager

cise thrown in). Like many chefs, he

when you eat here, “You are eat-

But now we have a generation of

pointed out that our industrial food

started out cooking pub grub and

ing the land.” The restaurant has

chefs raised on the ethos of local

system has narrowed food choices

watched his weight soar and health

been named one of the 50 best in the

food champs such as Jamie Kennedy.

to about 60 plants (the majority of

plummet. Now the 27-year-old pro-

world and is easily Canada’s most

With the protocols and politics in

our calories are supplied by just 12

motes “kale as the new beef.” In

interesting. He recently opened a

place, these young upstarts are start-

industrial plants.) “Most modern

minutes, he whipped up vegan kale

more affordable sister restaurant,

ing to strut their stuff. Impatient to

health problems are not diseases,”

crisps that tasted like the richest

Haisai,

flex their creative vision, they’re giv-

she said, “but nutritional deficien-

sour-cream-and-onion chips, prov-

Worth a stop and a sleepover is the

ing the finger to big investors, indus-

cies.” Letting nature do its thing and

ing that a raw vegan diet can be deli-

historic village of Creemore, home of

trial food suppliers, show-off wine

collecting that bounty can expand

cious and easy. “I want no chemicals

Creemore Springs Brewery, the 100

lists, white tablecloths, and the suits

our choices to the thousands and

in my body,” he said. “Most of our

Mile Store and several art galleries.

and ties, instead taking up power

gives us the healthier and more

food is from agribusiness, grown by

What I love most about these

tools to bang together DIY hole-

diverse diet our hunter-and-gath-

huge corporations. I want to support

food radicals is that they’re no lon-

in-the-wall eateries in sometimes

erer ancestors enjoyed. Turning us

people doing the right thing and the

ger content just to source locally:

grotty pockets of town to serve real

into a nation of weed eaters is pretty

food tastes better. [Raw, vegan, nat-

They’re

local food with sizzling style and tat-

far-fetched in the short term, but

ural] is what food was for our ances-

beyond our palates, to the street.

tooed attitude. At affordable prices.

innovative chefs and foragers (who

tors.” It will soon be the food of the

Stadtländer teamed up with chefs

And people are packing the joints.

serve as their think tanks) can show

Über-rich too as the luxury Muskoka

across Canada to start the Canadian

They recently gathered, these

us the way. And when some dis-

resort Taboo recently hired him as a

Chefs Congress, which promotes

“New Radicals” as they’ve been

ease infects single-species corn or

consultant to inject a little raw into

education of local food systems. And

dubbed, at the Terroir Symposium

soybeans or those seeds unleash

their menu.

last fall, again led by Stadtländer,

on local food in Toronto, to explore

some

hor-

But the most rad leader of the local

some 70 Toronto-area chefs hosted

how to push farther into sustain-

ror, we’ll be thanking the likes of

food movement remains an old rad-

Foodstock to protest a proposed

able food frontiers — without los-

farmer Mark Trealout

(Kawartha

ical, Michael Stadtländer; a weekend

mega quarry that would destroy

ing the fun.

Ecological Growers) who uses down-

trip out of the city to his Eigesninn

2,000 acres of prime farmland in

One speaker, Barton Seaver, a

time to gather wild greens as well

Farm restaurant near Creemore and

Central Ontario and threaten the

Washington, DC, chef and author of

as chefs at Buca and Langdon Hall

Collingwood is a foodie dream trip.

water supply of the entire region.

June 2012

lawyer-turned-food

genetically

modified

in

nearby

taking

Singhampton.

food

politics

LIVING & DESIGN

Farmers wondered if anyone would

from domination by transnational

show up on that brutally cold and

corporate food companies.

rainy October day. But some 28,000

This may well be the food move-

concerned eaters donned rubber

ment’s

boots and bussed it two hours to the

Stonewall. The shame is that the

defining

moment,

its

hinterland to show their support.

LGBT community has not joined

This fall, chefs and eaters will take

with the “occupy food” forces in any

the fight to the streets of Toronto

numbers, which is odd as it fights

with Soupstock. They’re fighting

for things queer folk hold dear: The

to protect the best farm land in

right to decide what you put in your

Canada and also our food system

body and who puts it there.

NEW RADICALS WHERE EXCITING TASTES ARE HAPPENING

Beast Meat with a twist. 96 Tecumseth St. (647) 352-6000. thebeastrestaurant.com The Bellevue A delirious diner experience. 61A Bellevue Ave. (647) 350-8224. thebellevue.tumblr.com.

Buca Artisinal charcuterie, Italian style. 604 King St W. (416) 865-1600. buca.ca.

Cowbell Pioneer in the whole-animal movement. 1564 Queen St W. (416) 849-1095. cowbellrestaurant.ca.

The Gabardine One of the only hip places in the financial district.

372 Bay St. (647) 352-3211. thegabardine.com.

Grand Electric Fantastic Mexican. 1330 Queen St W. (416) 627-3459. grandelectricbar.com.

Hopgood’s Foodliner East Coast fare updated. 325 Roncesvalles Ave. (416) 533-2723. hopgoodsfoodliner.com.

Keriwa Café Local, seasonal, aboriginal-inspired. 1690 Queen St W. (416) 533-2552. keriwacafe.ca.

Parts and Labour Hipster scene, stylish food. 1566 Queen St W. (416) 588-7750. partsandlabour.ca.

Raw Aura Organic Cuisine Familiar foods prepared in a novel way (nothing heated above 43C). 94 Lakeshore Rd E. Mississauga. (905) 891-2872. raw-aura.com.

Ruby Watchco Fresh and fantastic, like dining with a chic family, but dished up by TV’s Pitchin’ In star, chef Lynn Crawford. 730 Queen St E. East (416) 465-0100. rubywatchco.ca.

Yours Truly Prix-fixe fare inspired by availability. 229 Ossington Ave. (416) 533-2243. yours-truly.ca.

WORTH THE TRIP OUT OF TOWN

Eigesninn Farm Michael Stadtländer’s original playpen; considered one of the best restos in the world. Private bookings only. (519) 922-3128.

No website.

Haisai Restaurant and Bakery Stadtländer’s whimsical new resto in town. 794079 Country Rd, RR2. Singhampton. (705) 445-2748. haisairestaurantbakery.com.

100 Mile Store Local and organic produce. 176 Mill St. Creemore. (705) 466-3514. 100milestore.ca.

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LIVING & DESIGN

RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

— with Adam Segal → “I’ve been married to my husband for seven years and we have a wonderful five-year-old little boy. Our relationship is mostly good but I can feel disconnected from him. Our lives are increasingly busy — our time together doesn’t always feel inspired. Recently, I’m having more and more thoughts and fantasies about women.

I’m a woman and have always identified as straight (and been very aroused by men), but have also had occasional bisexual feelings. Lately, though, I’ve been craving a sexual experience with a woman. It’s starting to feel very distracting, an obsession. I’d like to tell my husband but I’m not sure how to go about it and I’m terrified that he’s going to freak out and feel very threatened.”

Sandra While your question seems fairly straightforward

(Should

I

present and that the draw toward

tell?

women is more occasional. Sounds

And, if so, how?), you’re in for a

like you’ve been comfortable iden-

fairly complex answer. I think

tifying as straight until now and

there is more going on here than a

it’s totally up to you whether you

little bi-curiosity. Anytime we find

want that to change. If not having

ourselves on a fantasy binge, it’s

a chance to be sexual with women

usually a sign that we are having

leaves you deprived, you’ll have to

some unmet needs or sitting on a

consider if you want to change the

heap of unresolved feelings. I just

boundaries of your relationship.

think it’s vital that you investigate

Moving a relationship into non-

why these fantasies have surfaced

monogamous territory is a huge

so intensely at this time and what

undertaking and would take a lot

they could be helping you escape.

of careful and honest negotiat-

It may sound obvious, but I want

ing. If you don’t realistically want

to assure you that there is noth-

to hook up with women at this

ing wrong with same-sex desire

time, then the question is whether

nor with daydreaming about being

it would simply feel freeing to

with other people. Before voicing

let your hubby know about your

your occasional same-sex desires

desires and have this part of your

to your husband, sort out how

sexuality come out of the shad-

you, yourself, are feeling about all

ows to live a little. You’re right to

of this and what you might want

think that your news could shake

from him — if anything. Are you

him up — there’s no perfect way

wigged out because you’ve been

to tell him. The potential benefit of

so consumed by fantasies in gen-

your disclosure is that such hon-

eral or because it’s been lady lust

esty creates intimacy — and could

in particular? If there is a therapist

help create the kind of connection

or friend you can speak with about

you’ve been missing.

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all of your feelings, it will help you approach your hubby with more confidence.

Your letter indicates that your attraction to men has always been

ADAM SEGAL The writer and therapist works in private practice in downtown Toronto.

Ask him your relationship or mental health question at relationship@intorontomag.com.

438 King Street Toronto, Ontario

LISTINGS & EVENTS

JUNE IN THE CITY

1 AH WILKENS Porcelain auction, first of two days

10

14

VIVEK SHRAYA Screens What I Love About Being Queer

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Free gig at Luminato

CLASSY LADY Sandra Battaglini opens

David Hawe

PATRICK WANG In the Family opens

9

16 DAWN WHITWELL Hosts Comedy Girl at Buddies

Art & Photography LOOKING FORWARD, LOOKING BACK The Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives presents a retrospective of the the first 25 people inducted into the National Portrait Collection back in 1998. Included are kd lang and Svend Robinson by Maurice Vellekoop, Richard Fung by Gilberto Prioste, Gloria Eshkibok by Millie Knapp and Jane Rule by Catherine Grant. 7:30pm10pm. Tue-Thu. Until Mon, June 11. CLGA. 34 Isabella St. (416) 845-3290. clga.ca.

BEING SCENE Workman Arts’ travelling group show exploring mental illness, curated by Jamie Angell, Christina Zeidler and Lisa Walter. Featuring Claudette Abrams, Joey DAMMIT!, Lisa Faiz, Vija Francis-Celmins, Michael Morbach, Alan Parker, HMS Skycastle, Jane Watson, among others. 9am-9pm daily. Until Sun, July 29. Hart House. 7 Hart House Circle. workmanarts.com.

17 KATY PERRY Performs at MuchMusic Video Awards

23 BETTYE LAVETTE Heats up Nathan Phillips Square for the jazz fest

THAT’S SO GAY Sholem Krishtalka curates a group Pride show featuring Stephen Beckly, Cecilia Berkovic, Johnny Forever, Hannah Jickling, Helen Reed, Kyle Lasky, Elisha Lim, Mikiki, Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay, LJ Roberts and Andrew Zealley.

Noon-5pm. Wed, June 6-July 29. Reception. 7pm-10pm. Thu, June 28. Gladstone Hotel. 1214 Queen St W. (416) 531-4635. gladstonehotel.com.

TEL-TALK What is telling, what is talking, what is private, what is public? New book and exhibit documents the nine-month series of installations involving that endangered species, the phone booth. Featuring Julie Voyce, Hitoko Okada, Sheila Butler, Stuart Keeler, Dyan Marie and more. 6pm-9pm. Fri, June 15-July 14.

Telephone Booth Gallery. 3148 Dundas St W. (647) 270-7903. telephoneboothgallery.ca.

DEREK ROOT Obscured by Clouds, minimalist but lush new paintings from the

28

PAUL HUTCHESON Comedy at Buddies

Vancouver artist. Opening. 6pm-8pm.

Thu, June 7. Until July 7. Monte Clark Gallery. 55 Mill St, bldg 2. (146) 703-1700. monteclarkgallery.com.

FEET AND MIRRORS The National’s principal dancer Aleksandar Antonijevic’s evocative photographs of the company backstage and in rehearsal. Sun, June 3-17. Four Seasons Centre lobby. 145 Queen St W. (416) 345-9595.

10X10 LGBT photo portraits by Adamo de Pax, Allyson Scott, Sonja Scharf, John Monteith, Sue Lloyd, Renee Navarro, Alex Nursall, Guntar Kravis and JJ Levine.

Opening. 7pm. Thu, June 28. Until July 20. Gladstone Hotel. 1214 Queen St W. (416) 531-4635. 10by10photographyproject.com.

PAUL PETRO CONTEMPORARY WinWin, recent biotechnology-inspired video/ audio work by Nell Tenhaaf. And new work from Olia Mischenko. Opening.

7pm-10pm. Fri, June 15. 11am-5pm.

30 DJ PAULO Prism’s main event

Wed-Sat. Until July 14. 980 Queen St W. (416) 979-7874.

Dance NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA The North American premiere of Hamlet by Germanbased US choreographer Kevin O’Day, created in 2008 for Stuttgart Ballet. In the lead role Guillaume Côté, Piotr Stanczyk and Naoya Ebe will offer fascinating studies in contrast. Heather Ogden, Sonia Rodriguez and Elena Lobsanova switch off as Ophelia, with Jirí Jelinek reprising his role as Claudius, along with Keiichi Hirano and McGee Maddox. The music/soundscape is by John King with set and costumes by Tatyana van Walsum. $25-$177. 7:30pm. Fri, June 1, 2, 6, 7, 8. The spring mixed program remounts Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, a sensation from 2010, surely one of the sexiest things ever done by the

LISTINGS & EVENTS

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National. Set to unsettling music by Jack White, arranged by Joby Talbot. It’s a must-see. Performed with Maurice Béjart’s Song of a Wayfarer, a duet for two men that explores youthful despair, set to Gustav Mahler’s luminous songcycle. Plus the deceptively simple, endlessly delightful Elite Syncopations by Kenneth MacMillan with music by Scott Joplin. $21.50-$151.50 Wed, June 13-17.

Four Seasons Centre. 145 Queen St W. (416) 363-8231. national.ballet.ca.

Fashion & Design NORITAKE PORCELAIN A large auction of Noritake and other Japanese art deco pottery and porcelain, from the collection of the late Marilyn Derrin. Preview. 2pm5pm. Auctions. 7pm. Fri, June 1. 11am.

June 2. AH Wilkens. 299 Queen St E. (416) 360-7600. ahwilkens.com.

JADE RUDE Hold Me, over-sized

illuminated text installation by the local designer and artist. 11am-7pm. Tue-Fri. 11am-6pm. Sat. Until Sat, June 30.

Made. 867 Dundas St W. (416) 607-6384. madedesign.ca.

Film & Video IN THE FAMILY Patrick Wang’s first

feature is a tearjerker drama about the legal limbo a US father (played by Wang) has to endure after his partner — and biological father to their child — is killed and their six-year-old son is taken away.

Starring Sebastian Banes, Trevor St John and Brian Murray. Opens Fri, June 1. inthefamily.com.

WORLDWIDE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Runs Tue, June 5 to 10. Always plenty of LGBT offerings. On the Canadian front: a new comedy from Josh Levy, The Immigrant, stars Scott Thompson as a washed-up comedian deported back to Canada; Liar Continued on page 18

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LISTINGS & EVENTS

Continued from page 17

IN SPOT VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY Story Derek Dotto

Versatile, reliable, sharp: Three words that define Victorinox Swiss Army’s famous knife — equally applicable to the company’s fashion offerings. “It combines functional design with innovative materials to ensure comfort and ease,” says Joachim Beer, president of the brand’s parent company, Global Fashion and Retail.

Finally, Canada is getting more than just a taste.

Since 1891, when founder Karl Elsener first invented that pocket knife in Ibach-Schwyz, Switerland, the goal was to remain on the cutting edge. “Our philosophy is based on combining flawless quality with reliability,” says Beer, “functionality with innovation, refined features with absolute perfection and iconic design.”

Victorinox will try to carve a new niche in the Canadian market at its first North American flagship location in the heart of Yorkville, at the corner of Bloor and St Thomas. While the brand is already available at other retailers in Canada, this is the first chance for Canadians to have the full product range at their finger tips — iconic cutlery pieces flanked by travel gear, timepieces and fragrances. Located on Toronto’s Mink Mile, the main attraction is likely to be apparel.

The ready-to-wear collection aligns function and form to create an elegantly restrained aesthetic.

18

June 2012

→ FUNCT IONAL S T YLE With Victorinox apparel think The North Face meets Prada.

Think The North Face meets Prada.

“Victorinox customers are youngminded urban individuals who are active, mobile and appreciate quality, iconic design and innovation,” says Beer. That travel-conscious innovation comes in the form of water-repellent blazers, dress shirts with underarm ventilation, and swim trunks in microlight nylon. These pieces can be found in Victorinox’s classic, if not conservative, palette of red, navy and black which is enhanced this season by fresh citrus hues.

Not to be outdone, the space itself is a marvel of design with a nod to both the past and the future. Developed by international architecture and design firm Blocher Blocher Partners, the 3,400-square-foot space combines natural materials such as oak walls and exposed brick with industrial elements like concrete floors and steel fixtures.

Once Victorinox has dipped its toe into the chilly white north and decides the temperature is just right, we could start to see its familiar cross logo pop up all over the country. But for now, it’s one more thing Toronto can brag about.

VICTORINOX SWISS ARMY 95 Bloor St W. (416) 929-9889.

by Adam Garnet Jones; and The Myth of Robo Wonder Kid, an anime music video from Joel Mackenzie. Also look for the US comedy Cougar Lesbians Go to College by Joshua Funk. worldwideshortfilmfest.com.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BEING QUEER The Almost Not Quite Collective presents the premiere of Vivek Shraya’s new short film featuring 34 queers speaking to one big question. Followed by a Q&A, a special performance by Opera Arcana featuring GB Jones and Minus Smile and dance party with DJs Mama Knows, VS and Leila P. Installation by Jes Sachse. $5$10 sliding scale. 8:30pm doors. 9pm screening. 10:15pm performance & dance. Sat, June 9. CineCycle. 129 Spadina Ave. vivekshraya.com.

HOWARD’S END As part of TIFF’s Books on Film series, celebrated director James Ivory discusses his Oscar-winning film from 1992, the third Merchant Ivory production based on an EM Forster novel. Eleanor Wachtel hosts. $35. 7pm.

Mon, June 18. TIFF Bell Lightbox. 350 King St W. (416) 599-TIFF. tiff.net.

Print & Readings FLAMINGO RAMPANT BOOKS Local indie publisher launches two gender-independent kids’ books written by S Bear Bergman, The Adventures of Tulip, Birthday Wish Fairy, illustrated by Suzy Malik, and Backwards Day, illustrated by KD Diamond. 3pm-5pm. Sun, June 17. The 519. 519 Church St. flamingorampant.com.

PROUD VOICES Pride’s reading and spoken word series moves offsite to Glad Day Bookshop and Toronto Women’s Bookstore. From Fri, June 29 to July 1, everyone from Nina Arsenault and Alec Butler to Kristyn Dunnion, Sky Gilbert and Waawaate Fobister parade through Glad Day. 598A Yonge St. (416) 961-4161.

TWB events TBA. 73 Harbord St. (416) 922-8744. womensbookstore.com.

the top tier of Canadian singers: Jill Barber, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Ranee Lee, Elizabeth Shepherd, Jackie Richardson, Diana Panton, Lily Frost, Carol McCartney and host Heather Bambrick ($40.50-$45.50. 8pm. June 26. Koerner Hall. 273 Bloor St W). Also look for Bambrick to join Richardson and the Russ Little Trio ($20. 7:30pm. June 30. Old Mill. 21 Old Mill Rd), Sondheim Jazz Project with vocalist Alex Samaras bending Broadway to his own devices ($10.

7:30pm. June 24. Cherry Street Restaurant. 275 Cherry St.) and Ori Dagan ($15. 10pm. June 30. Now Lounge.

189 Church St). Fri, June 22-July 1. torontojazz.com.

Jazz & Classical

Rock & Pop

TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Your ears will bleed for joy in this version of Symphony of a Thousand, Mahler’s Symphony No 8. Featuring vocalists Adrianne Pieczonka, Erin Wall, Andriana Chuchman, Susan Platts, Anita Krause, Richard Margison, Tyler Duncan, Robert Pomakov, Amadeus Choir, Elmer Iseler Singers, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto Children’s Chorus joining an expanded TSO under the baton of Peter Oundjian. $49-$179. 8pm. Wed, June 13 & 14. There’s also a cool, late concert of Shostakovich’s Symphony 11. $25-$59.

10:30pm. June 9. Roy Thomson Hall. 60 Simcoe St. (416) 593-4828. tso.ca.

TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL Some of the marquee concerts include superstar funkstress Janelle Monae on opening night ($62.50. 8pm. Fri, June 22. Nathan Phillips Square. 100 Queen St W), Detroit soul queen Bettye LaVette with the Big Sound opening ($25. 8pm. June 23. NPS), guitar wizard George Benson with Teresa Levasseur opening, ($72.50. 8pm. June 26. NPS), Canadian legend Peter Appleyard and the Sophisticated Ladies, aka

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT As part of Luminato, Wainwright gives a free concert, featuring the first-look at his new unabashed pop CD Out of fhe Game, produced by Mark Ronson. 9:20pm. Sun, June 10. Preceding his concert is The Rufus Songbook, where musicians like Krystle Warren, Teddy Thompson, Royal Wood, Alejandra Ribera, Sarah Slean and Andrew Rodriguez interpret Wainwright’s music. Free. 8pm. David Pecaut Square.

55 John St. luminato.ca.

NXNE North by Northeast music and film festival runs Mon, June 11 to 17. There are free outdoor shows at Yonge-Dundas Square throughout the fest. Big names like The Flaming Lips, Bad Religion and Matthew Good headline. For a fresh dose of queer rock, check out the new acidjazz sound of Kelly and the Kellygirls.

11pm. Fri, June 15. El Mocambo. 484 Spadina Ave. $50 music pass; $25 one-day. nxne.com.

CAROLE POPE Thu, June 21 at Buddies in Bad Times. See page 29.

FORTE The Toronto Men’s Choir presents Songs My Brother Taught Me, a

LISTINGS & EVENTS

→ T HE LOOK Kris Knight by Adamo de Pax and Patricia Wilson by Guntar Kravis, in 10x10 at the Gladstone.

program of songs by gay composers like Benjamin Britten, Cole Porter and Elton John, plus premieres of commissioned works by James Collins and Jeff Straker. $30. 7:30pm. Sat, June 23.

Church of the Holy Trinity. 10 Trinity Sq. (416) 323-3358. forte-chorus.com.

Sports ANNE MURRAY CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC

Anne Murray, Tom Cochrane, Roberta Bondar, Kurt Browning, Blake McGrath and more tee off in pantsuits to raise money for Colon Cancer Canada. Tue, June 26. Angus Glen Golf Club. Markham. coloncancercanada.ca.

PRIDE AND REMEMBRANCE RUN The 17th edition of this fun 5km run and 3km walk raises money for the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line and the HIV and AIDS Legal Clinic of Ontario. 10am. Sat, June 30. Starts at the corner of Church and Wellesley. priderun.org.

CANADA CUP The Cabbagetown Gay Softball league hosts a popular softball tourney, again returning to the Lakefront West Park in Oshawa. Fri, June 29-July1. cgslsoftball.com.

Stage SANDRA BATTAGLINI Classy Lady, the Canadian Comedy Award-winner’s new one-woman show charting her rise to “ladyhood.” $25. 8pm. Thu-Sun. Thu, June 14-24. Alumnae Theatre. 70 Berkeley St. (416) 591-1417. brownpapertickets.com.

FUNNY GIRLS AND DYNAMIC DIVAS The music and comedy cabaret celebrates 10 years supporting Sistering, a local agency serving homeless, marginalized

and low-income women (sistering.org).

Featuring Liberty Silver, Sandra Shamas, Elvira Kurt and more. $75. 6pm. Thu, June 14. Bluma Appel Theatre. 27 Front St E. (416) 366-7723. stlc.com.

BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES The LGBT cultural hub presents Queer Pride, a great series of cabarets, comedy, theatre, parties and more. Includes O Manada, Boylesque TO’s stripped-down and dirty homage to the true north. $20 adv; $25 door. 9pm. Fri, June 15. Strip Spelling Bee is what you think it is… demented fun. $10. 11pm. June 15.

Tallulah’s Cabaret. Body Politic is a reading of Nick Green’s play looking at the rise and fall of the seminal Torontobased gay and lesbian publication. PWYC. 2pm. June 16. Comedy Girl is funny queer women daring you not to laugh.

With Zoe Whittall, Carolyn Taylor, Allyson Taylor, Heather Gold, Andrya Duff, Lindy Zucker, Ashley Moffatt and Mariko Tamaki; Dawn Whitwell hosts. $15. 8pm. June 16. Free Jane is Sky Gilbert’s open mic night featuring a sneak peak at Hope Johnson’s new play. Free. 8pm. June 17. PrideCab is the hallmark of Buddies’ Queer Youth Arts Program, featuring Sean Casey, Reece McCrone, Ethan Resendes, Jackie Rowland, Shauna Sloan, Katherine Sly and Philip Turkiewicz. Free for 25 and under; $10 for the rest. 8pm. June 20.

Shawn Hitchins’ Fire (Crotch) Sale is Hitchins’ “final” farewell cabaret performance featuring new and pre-loved material, Sue Newberry, Andrya Duff and others. $20. 8pm. June 21. Young, Gifted and Black is a reading of a new play crafted by Project: Humanity. PWYC. 8pm. June 27. Tallulah’s. At 6:30pm is Café Scientifique, a panel discussion front-line service providers and community experts. black-cap.com.

Paul Hutcheson’s Pride Package II is throbbingly funny comedy from Hutcheson and guests Mike Albo, Kristen Becker, Susan Fischer, D’yan Forrest, Robert Keller and more. $10-$20. 8pm. June 28. Bitch Salad Gives Back finds Andrew Johnston returning to host a night of fierce female comedy featuring Christina Walkinshaw, Emma Hunter, Julia Hladkowicz, The Cheeto Girls, Gavin Crawford and more. Partial proceeds go toward the AIDS Committee of Toronto and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. $20.

8pm. June 29. Homo Night in Canada comedy showcase returns with Kristen Becker, Ian Lynch, David-Benjamin Tomlinson, Marco Bernardi, Richard Ryder, Dawn Whitwell and the Queer Comedy Collective, among others; The B-Girlz host. $25. 8pm. Sat, June 30.

Buddies in Bad Times. 12 Alexander St. (416) 975-8555. buddiesinbadtimes.com.

Causes & Events FRIENDS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET In support of

the Triangle Program’s Scholarship Fund for kids wishing to pursue postsecondary education. With host Luba Goy and an appearance by Rick Mercer. $60. 6pm-10pm. Thu, June 7. Dim Sum Continued on page 20

IN SPOT PRIDE PREVIEW Story Gordon Bowness

coinciding this year, Sun, July 1 is

→ ROCK ON , SIS T ER Bif Naked makes her Toronto Pride debut on Fri, June 29.

the perfect opportunity to cele-

fresh (aka Melleny Brown, owner

brate uniquely Canadian values like

of Play Records) joining up with

diversity, equality and tomfoolery.

SpekrFreks

With Canada Day and Pride Day

and

Billy

Newton-

Pride changes up a few things

Davis at the Central Stage Saturday

this year: There’s a new stage and

evening. Over at the Wellesley

extended performance hours over

Stage that night, Don Berns, aka

Pride weekend, Fri, June 29 to July

Dr Trance, hosts the evening por-

1. The new North Stage and Trans

tion of Dirty Disco, 12 hours of

Space will be at Dundonald and

great DJs, including Tom Stephan

Church, Friday evening to Sunday.

of Superchumbo.

And main stages will run until 1am

The Brown Out program (7:15pm

certain nights: The DJ Central Stage,

to 8:45pm) Saturday evening on

on Church between Alexander and

the Village Stage at Church and

Maitland, and the South Stage at

Wellesley features Sikh Knowledge

Church and Wood, will stay open

from Montreal — East meets the

’til 1am on Friday and Saturday;

West Indies with his unique hip-

the big Wellesley Stage, across from

hop fusion. The stage closes with a

the subway, will run ’til 1am on

blowout from Scissors DJs Fawn Big

Saturday.

Canoe and Sokes going ’til 12:30am.

Another

new

wrinkle

finds

Because there is no beer garden at

the Dyke March ending in Allan

the Village Stage there’s more free-

Gardens.

that

dom of movement; it’s easy to join

marchers will welcome a chance

in the dancing. And DJ Blackcat gets

to relax and gambol amongst the

the coveted final spot of the week-

greenery. And see the opposite page

end, finishing up at 11pm.

Organizers

think

for changes to the Proud Voices literary series.

Also

on

Sunday,

much-loved

Blockorama returns to the Wellesley

Pride weekend kicks off at the

Stage with superstar DJ and pro-

South Stage on Friday evening

ducer from Montreal, jojoflores,

with a new party, the KiSS FM

expected to again to bliss out par-

Kiss Off, at 7pm, followed by sta-

tiers just after 10pm.

dium rockers The Cliks (8:30pm) and Canadian writer and rocker Bif Naked (9:30pm).

Other highlights include Mellee-

PRIDE TORONTO For updates go to pridetoronto.com. intorontomag.com

19

LISTINGS & EVENTS Continued from page 19

→ KELLY & T HE KELLYGIRLS Rock the El Mo for NXNE on Fri, June 15.

King. 421 Dundas St W. (416) 596-2280. triangleprogram.ca.

POWERBALL The Power Plant celebrates 25 years of innovative contemporary art with LA DJ Alex Merrell and art from Philippe Blanchard, Sarah Febbraro, Jesi the Elder and more.. $165. 8:30pm. Thu, June 14. 231 Queens Quay W. (416) 973-4018. thepowerplant.org.

INSPIRE AWARDS Community celebration produced by the Pink Pages with hosts Paul Bellini and Mandy Goodhandy and DJ Craig Dominic. $40.

8pm reception; 9:30pm awards. Fri, June 15. Casa Loma. 1 Austin Terrace. inspire-awards.ca.

MUCHMUSIC VIDEO AWARDS A performance by Katy Perry ups the pandemonium quotient. Airs live. 9pm. Sun, June 17. MuchMusic.

NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA GALA

The Diamond Gala, in celebration of the company’s 60 years, features an hour-long performance of short works, including recent work by Matjah Mrozewski and world premieres by Robert Binet and Guillaume Cote. Followed by a glamorous cocktail reception. VIP tix include a post-show dinner. $1,500

gala dinner; $55-$133 performance and reception. 6:30 performance; 7:30 reception. Wed, June 20. Four Seasons Centre. 145 Queen St W. (416) 345-1944. national.ballet.ca.

AIDS VIGIL Songs, readings and performances of healing and recovery.

Free. 9pm-10:30pm. Thu, June 21. AIDS Memorial. Cawthra Square Park. 519 Church St. (416) 392-6878. the519.org.

RAINBOW FLAG RAISING City Hall (but probably not the mayor) officially proclaims Pride Week. Noon. Fri, June 22.

Nathan Phillips Square, at the stage.

100 Queen St W. pridetoronto.com.

BACK TO OUR ROOTS 2 An indie Pride celebration commemorating the actual anniversary of NYC’s Stonewall riots.

Music, workshops and more with Blackness Yes!, Kiki Ballroom Alliance and Six Degrees Community Accupuncture Free. 1pm-11pm. Sun, June 24. The 519 and Cawthra Square Park. 519 Church St. THE PRIDE PROM Under the Queer Blue Sea, end-of-year celebration and grad party for Toronto’s LGBT high school students and their friends.

With hosts The House of Monroe and beats by DJs Lauren and Quinces.

Sponsored by The Triangle Program and Supporting Our Youth. $15. 8pm1am. Mon, June 25. Buddies in Bad Times. 12 Alexander St. (416) 324-5077. soytoronto.org.

Parties & Dancing UNMASKED A masquerade dance party with open bar to raise money for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR), Canada’s only charitable foundation dedicated to eliminating HIV/AIDS through research.

The theme is “fire and ice.” With DJs Eddie Martinez, Jamal and a performance by Sofonda Cox. $100. 9pm-4am.

Sat, June 2. Polson Pier. 11 Polson St. canfar.com/unmasked.

THE MONSTROUS BALL Buddies’ mix of performance art, fashion, music and dancing. Featuring a Gaga runway show, performances by Tyson James, Kimberly Persona and Nina Arsenault, plus a full-facility late-night party with DJ Miss Margot and Cassandra Moore. $10. 10:30pm. Thu, June 28 (dance parties Friday and Saturday, too). Buddies in Bad Times. 12 Alexander St. (416) 975-8555. eccehomotheatre.com.

GREEN SPACE ON CHURCH The 519’s series of free outdoor parties returns offering the perfect mix of high energy music, easy-going vibes and community get-together. Thu, June 28 to July 1; all proceeds support The 519’s amazing programs. Kicks off with Starry Night with celebrity bartenders and performances by the Toronto AllStar Big Band, Sofonda Cox and music

by Alessandro and Phil V. 7pm-midnight. June 28. One World sees superstar DJ Frankie Knuckles teaming up with local star Deko-ze and more.

4pm-midnight. June 29. Backyard Beats during and after the Dyke March has Yes Yes Y’All and Delicious setting the stage for headliner DJ Ana Paula.

1pm-midnight. June 30. the519.org.

LIBIDO The Dyke March fundraising party with DJ Linguist, Dainty Box and more. 9pm-2am. Wed, June 27. Gladstone Hotel. 1214 Queen St W. (416) 531-4635. gladstonehotel.com.

PRISM A series of six circuit parties running from Thu, June 28 to July 1; $170 all access pass. The outdoor Aqua party moves back to the lakeshore at Sugar Beach with DJs Manny Lehman, Honey Dijon, Aron and more.

Price TBA. 2pm-9pm. Sat, June 30.

137 Queens Quay E. The Main Event features DJs Chus & Ceballos, Paulo, Micky Friedmann and more. The Guvernment/Koolhaus. $65. 10pm-8am.

June 30. 132 Queens Quay E. Revival feature Peter Rauhofer, Dave and Gerardo, Javier Medina and Sofonda Cox. $70. 10pm-8am. July 1. The Guvernment/Sky Bar. Tickets from Priape.

501 Church St. prismtoronto.com.

DIGITAL DREAMS FESTIVAL Afrojack, Richie Hawtin, Duck Sauce, Steve Lawler, Chuckie, R3hab, A-Trak, Hed Kandi, Dubfire, Nic Fanciulli, Mark Knight, Designer Drugs, Art Department and more. $70 one day; $110 for both. Noon-midnight. Sat, June 30 & July 1. The Flats, Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. Ontario Place. ticketmaster.ca. •

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A RT & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

L U M I N AT O

SUMMER STORM → Jorn Weisbrodt

rides a tornado of creativity into town

Story Gordon Bowness | Photography Lucie Jansch

L

uminato, Toronto’s sprawling arts festival in June, is a strange beast. New Yorker writer Hilton Als… a War of 1812 installation… Yves Saint Laurent’s makeup artist… Somali-Canadian rapper K’Naan…. How is this one festival?

The festival’s new artistic director, Jorn Weisbrodt, is undaunted

by Luminato’s identity problem.

22

June 2012

In fact he’s excited by the possibilities presented by all the oddly shaped spaces between seemingly ill-fitting festival offerings.

“It felt like it wasn’t one festival,” says Weisbrodt. “It felt like it was seven festivals. It was music, it was dance, it was theatre, it was magic, it was this, this, this and this.

“My approach is to try to bring

these art forms into one room and try to connect artists and their work, really make it a place for creation, where artists of different backgrounds and nationalities meet to have an exchange and an opportunity to create something new.”

Much of this year’s programming was set by the time Weisbrodt came on board. “The big blocks

were already in place,” he says, “thrown down on the grounds of the festival. You still have to put them together to create the building that is the festival.

“How do you connect the different programming? How do you connect artists and their ideas?

How do you enrich the experience of the festival? How do you encourage people to move from

A RT & ENTERTAINMENT

→ ONCE IN A LIFE T IME Luminato artistic director Jorn Weisbrodt (right) calls Einstein on the Beach (opposite page) one of the great masterworks of the 20th century.

JUST CONNECT: WEISBRODT’S MUST-SEES AT LUMINATO

one aspect of the programming to the next?”

The

ancillary

programming

around a Beethoven concert is one example of Weisbrodt’s connective

drive.

Toronto

pianist V Tony Hauser

Stewart Goodyear will play all 32 of Beethoven’s sonatas in one sitting (though broken up into three concerts one after the other). “That’s 11 hours of music by heart,” says Weisbrodt. “It’s like running three

before each performance. There’s

marathons in a row. When I first

also a panel after one performance

heard about this, I thought of it

with scientists from the Perimeter

almost as a performance art piece

Institute for Theoretical Physics in

in a gallery…. So to emphasize

Waterloo discussing the science of

this, we commissioned Indonesian

the opera.

artist Melati Suryodarmo to create

Weisbrodt did bring another

a performance art piece that you’ll

high-profile project to Luminato:

see at the same time.”

the first stop of boyfriend Rufus

Weisbrodt

also

Einstein on the Beach “It is probably the most important opera of the last 50 years and ranks among the finest works of art like Munch’s “Scream,” Pollock’s drip paintings, Wagner’s Ring, or “Strawberry Fields Forever” by the Beatles. Would you miss a Beatles concert if a friend offered you a ticket?” $49-$175. 6pm. June 8 & 9. 3pm. June 10. Sony Centre. 1 Front St E. Stewart Goodyear: The Beethoven Marathon (with performance by Melati Suryodarmo) “Find out if what you see will help you to hear better. And then stroll over to the ROM to see Jorinde Voigts drawings, a silent version of Beethoven’s Sonatas for the eyes.” $35-$85 (per concert). 10am.

3pm. 8:30pm. June 9. Koerner Hall. 273 Bloor St W. Robert Lepage’s Playing Cards “For everyone who wants to know how the drama of the Iraq War can affect even the superficiality of Las Vegas and ever wondered how you can create a tornado on a stage.” $45-$90.

7:30pm. June 13-16. 2pm. June 17. Four Seasons Centre. 145 Queen St W. Carretilla Initiative “For the really culturally hungry, who want to eat an artwork to consume more art, I suggest you check out Rainer Prohaska in a different venue each day as he assembles modular kitchen units to ever new sculptural configurations depending on the recipe that is being cooked.” Free. June 9-17. Various locations.

La Belle et la Bête “For everyone who thinks their relationship sucks and does not believe that opposites attract. Here live actors and holographic imagery create a new form of theatre for all adults and those who will be over 12.” $49-$99. 7:30pm. June 8, 9, 11 & 12. 2pm. June 9. 3pm. June 10.

Bluma Appel Theatre. 27 Front St E.

commissioned

Wainwright’s North American tour

rising German art star Jorinde Voigt

supporting his new Mark Ronson-

to create a cycle of large drawings

produced pop album, Out of the

based on the Beethoven sonatas.

Game. Wainwright also joins the

at the city. By way of example he

improvisations. It was an incredi-

“Her show is at the ROM so you can

already programmed tribute to his

talks about being in Berlin in 1995

ble atmosphere. That’s kind of the

stroll over and see it after the con-

mother Kate McGarrigle who died

when environmental artist Christo

ideal, the dream that a festival can

certs. So you’ll see how another

in 2010.

wrapped the parliament building,

inspire.”

artist interprets Beethoven.”

“I made sure everyone at the fes-

the Reichstag, in fabric. “At first

Certainly not on the grand scale

The highlight of the festival is

tival was on board about the Rufus

I wondered if it was really neces-

of Christo, but the newly config-

a remount of Robert Wilson and

concert. There is nothing worse

sary… Christo,” he says rolling his

ured festival hub at David Pecaut

Philip

groundbreaking

than the artistic director push-

eyes. “But it really was the most

Square will help give Luminato its

opera, Einstein on the Beach. Of the

ing his mediocre wife soprano to

incredible experience. It changed

own special vibe. The hub is home

four-plus hour opera, Weisbrodt

get the starring role at an opera

the city; people were transformed.

to all the free concerts and more

says, “It is really like looking into

house,” he says, laughing. “Luckily,

Everyone was so friendly… and

and is defined and shaped by the

paradise. There were so many

Rufus is not a mediocre artist and

Berliners are not a friendly people.

“Windscape” ribbon installation

scenes where I started crying

the family are not mediocre art-

There was this lightness to every-

by architects Jack Diamond and

because it is so beautiful.” Again

ists. They are Canadian and they

thing, the idea that you could have

Donald Schmitt.

while he didn’t program the opera,

belong to the best of music in

a new start, that we were released

“A festal is like a living organism,”

his fingerprints are all over it. For

Canada.” Modelled after a similar

from this oppressive, dark, brood-

says Weisbrodt. “I often describe it

the past four years, Weisbrodt

McGarrigle tribute last year in New

ing symbol of Nazi Germany that

like a fifth season, because it has

was the director of The Watermill

York, Love Over and Over features

hadn’t been used for decades.

a very defined period and it comes

Center in Long Island and execu-

Kate’s sister Anna, her daugh-

And all of a sudden when Christo

back every year at the same time.

tive director of RW Work, repre-

ter Martha Wainwright and other

threw this light grey shimmering

And I hope this festival brings its

senting and managing Wilson’s

family members joined on stage by

fabric over it, it grew into noth-

own set of emotions, and thrills

work.

approached

Emmylou Harris, Bruce Cockburn,

ing… it was gone. You could pull

and experiences, and that it really

Luminato four years ago about the

Ron Sexsmith, Jane Siberry and

it away and it was gone. It had

sweeps you off like a beautiful

revival of Einstein. “I put together

others.

this lightness that competed with

summer storm.”

Glass’s

Weisbrodt

all the co-commissioning partners

Out of all the festival’s interdis-

the clouds and the sky. And peo-

so I was a driving force behind this

ciplinary dialogue, the German-

ple gathered… and communicated

revival,” says Weisbrodt, who’ll

born Weisbrodt is hoping for noth-

with each other. They used the

discuss the opera 45 minutes

ing less than a new way of looking

fabric backdrop for their own little

LUMINATO Festival hub: David Pecaut Square.

55 John St. Fri, June 8-17. (416) 368-4849. luminato.com. intorontomag.com

23

A RT & ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC

ALL THAT JAZZ → Egyptian,

queer, female and Muslim — a gutsy newcomer shakes up Toronto’s hip-hop scene Story Mary Dickie | Photography Glenn Mackay

T

here’s no doubt it takes

encing this, being a female in hip

tion. “We came here because my

guts to be a female hip-

hop. I hear it over and over: ‘The

uncle said they needed profes-

hop artist. So what does

sound of a female rapper is wack.

sionals, and it seemed like the

was the growing realization that

it take to be a gay female Muslim

A woman rapping is not normal.’”

kind of place where a bunch of

she was gay. Jazz, who had been

hip-hop artist? A lot of guts. As far

Still, Jazz says that some of the

different species would meet and

writing poetry since she was a lit-

as she knows, MC Jazz is the only

fiercest opposition she faces has

make this giant utopia,” she says.

tle girl, found that creative expres-

one brave enough to wave that

nothing to do with her sexual or

“But it was not what we hoped it

sion in the form of writing and

particular flag, at least in Toronto,

musical identity. “Honestly, in the

theatre classes helped her deal

but she is trying to encourage

queer community it’s about being

with the negative messages she

other

to

an out Egyptian person of colour

show their colours by establishing

whose identity is Muslim,” she

the Queer Hip-Hop Movement —

says. “As much as I’m not a prac-

which is also the title of her debut

tising Muslim and I’m not reli-

EP. “I love hip hop, but there’s

gious, it’s still part of my identity,

so much homophobia in the lyr-

and if someone starts trashing

ics, and nobody can come out,

Islam, I have to defend it.”

would-be

performers

because you have to be like that to be in it,” she says. “I’m experi→ MOVING MESSAGES MC Jazz can craft righteous politics into a fun, sexy vibe.

“THE KIND OF DREAMS I GOT ARE TOO BIG FOR A CLOSET.”

Muslim after 9/11, I was bullied.”

Further

complicating

matters

was receiving, including the disapproval of her family, who sent her to “gay therapy” in an attempt to reset her sexual orientation. “I didn’t know what was going on with me,” she says. “I had these

would be. We’re still stuck in the

feelings and I was questioning

is

mentality of ‘You’re the immi-

my sexuality, but I didn’t know

Yasmeen Kamal, grew up in Egypt

grant, you don’t belong here.’ It

the first thing about question-

and Kuwait and moved to Canada

was more than culture shock; it

ing my sexuality. I didn’t know

with her family in 2000, when she

was like a new kind of oppression.

that gay was something that you

was 15. It was a difficult transi-

And as someone who identified as

Continued on page 26

Jazz,

whose

real

name

intorontomag.com

25

A RT & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

Continued from page 25

could be. I didn’t know the word

rhymes and you go, ‘Oh my God,

her debut full-length album, due

on gay bashers. “I felt it was really

‘queer.’ I didn’t know that what-

did he just say what I think he

in late July, with DJ/producer

important to show that this is how

ever I was was just me, and that I

said? Am I really dancing to this?’

Paula Burrows, aka Cozmic Cat.

we support each other,” she says.

had to accept it before I told other

And that’s where the drive came

The two met when Jazz’s fian-

“Maybe me and a gay man don’t

people who I was.

from. I noticed that queers in gen-

cée took her to one of the Cherry

have much in common in some

“But my poetry got more com-

eral were not that receptive to hip

Bomb events hosted by Burrows

ways, but I wanted to reach out

plex and smarter as I got smarter,

hop, and that most mainstream

and Denise Benson as a birthday

and say I’m thinking about them

and I thought, ‘Holy shit, I’ve got

music is quite misogynistic and

treat, and asked Burrows to give

too, and people of colour. The

something to say.’”

homophobic, and I just thought:

Jazz a shout-out. They became

album expresses the way I feel

Jazz, who now has a day job as

This is what I want to do, inclu-

friends, and Burrows invited Jazz

about all those people and myself

a theatre technician at Buddies in

sive music, so when I’m dancing

to perform at another Cherry

— it’s my story of coming out, of

Bad Times, was thrilled to learn

I don’t have to worry about what

Bomb night. “I walked into the

confronting prejudice, of stand-

that her late grandfather had been

I’m dancing to. I’m not doing this

booth, she put on ‘Push It’ by

ing up for people who don’t have

a poet and a playwright in Egypt.

just for me, I’m doing this to make

Salt-n-Pepa, I started rapping and

a voice. It’s political, but it’s also

That knowledge countered her

a change, a drastic change, in hip

everybody went nuts,” Jazz recalls.

fun and sexual. My goal is to make

feelings of isolation and made her

hop.”

“And she looked at me and gave

changes in our communities, and

me the thumbs-up. She said, ‘I’m

for female MCs to be taken seri-

going to be your producer.’”

ously, because they are a pivotal

feel both connected to her heri-

It’s a mighty tall order, but MC

tage and justified in her artistic

Jazz is nothing if not confident,

pursuits. “I was like, hey, this is where I got it from!” she says. “I was kind of a drama geek in school — that’s where I felt safe, and it nurtured my work. Doing improv and acting kept pushing my writing forward. And then I started listening to hip hop.”

On the surface, hip hop seemed like the perfect vehicle to combine Jazz’s theatrical and poetic interests. But while she loved the

Jazz

“AS MUCH AS I’M NOT A PRACTISING MUSLIM AND I’M NOT RELIGIOUS, IT’S STILL PART OF MY IDENTITY, AND IF SOMEONE STARTS TRASHING ISLAM, I HAVE TO DEFEND IT.”

beats, she was often turned off

brims

with

enthusiasm

about the creative relationship

part of changing not just hip hop but our image as women.”

she enjoyed with Burrows as they worked on the album. “It felt natural. She’d come up with some beats and I’d try and match them with some of my writing, and we’d go back and forth with it. I told her it was important to me to incorporate tabla and oud [an Arabic stringed instrument]. It makes it original. Because this is about embracing my heritage and every-

by hate-filled lyrics. So it became

armed with her five-song Queer

thing about who I am. I’m not just

her mission to make hip hop

Hip-Hop Movement EP — which

a queer person, I’m not just an

more female- and gay-friendly. “It

covers Egypt, lust, politics, paren-

Egyptian person, I’m not just a

wasn’t until recently that I started

tal conflict and dancing, among

woman and I’m not just a rapper,

learning about the history of it, the

other things, and features per-

you know? I’m all those things.”

roots,” she says. “The way they

haps her defining statement: “The

One of the songs on the as-yet-

rhymed in the early days is not

kind of dreams I got are too big for

untitled new album, “Boys Like

like it is now. Now it’s just a really

a closet.” As well, she’s currently

This,” is a rant that promises to

good beat and then you hear the

putting the finishing touches on

bring the whole community down

WORK IT The Queer Hip-Hop Movement presents a hip-hop showcase, with young MCs throwing down their rhymes for a chance to win cash prizes. MC Jazz hosts, with DJ Nix. Free before 10pm; $7 after.

9pm doors; 10pm show. Fri. June 22. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. 12 Alexander St. (416) 975-8555.

DYKE DAY: THE RHYTHM, THE BEAT, THE BOOGIE MC Jazz and Cozmic Cat join the hiphop and R&B program on Pride’s South Stage, Church and Wood, following the Dyke March.

4pm-7:30pm. Sat, Jun 30. Jazz and Cat go on around 6pm.

BLOCKORAMA MC Jazz also joins Blackness Yes!’s all-day lineup (schedule TBA) at Pride’s Wellesley Stage, across from the Wellesley subway station, on July 1.

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June 29th, 30th & July 1st Pride Parade on Sunday, July 1st at 2PM.

pridetoronto.com

A RT & ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC

‘LET’S DO EVERYTHING!’ → Carole

Pope’s raucous musical influence Story Mary Dickie

T

he word “icon” is grossly overused these days, but one person it does apply to is Carole Pope. The subversive diva might live in New York now, but it’s hard to imagine what this city’s musical history would have been like without her. (Would we have had the Viletones? The Dishes?

Peaches?) And while she’s in her early sixties now, carrying a lower profile than she did when her lascivious performances thrilled and shocked staid old Toronto, she is still making music, still railing against oppression and idiocy, still performing with that unmistakable voice and unerring sense of theatrical spectacle.

When Rough Trade, the band Pope formed with Kevan Staples in 1974, emerged from the Yorkville hippie scene, they were not like anything Toronto had seen before.

For one thing, they were inspired more by theatre and cabaret than by music; and then there was Pope, dressed in leather and bondage gear and singing frankly about desire as she shoved the mic down her pants. Lots of performers might have been considered “sexually ambiguous” at that time, but there was nothing ambiguous about Pope. She was defiantly and provocatively out before pretty much anyone else was, and the shows were incendiary.

“I was just doing what made me happy,” she says. “I wasn’t influenced so much by musicians — which I think you can tell, because Rough Trade was all over the place — as by theatre and writers: Jean Genet and Brecht/Weill and fem-

inist writers. Certainly Rough Trade songs like ‘Softcore’ are Brechtian, and ‘Beg for It’ was like a little cabaret.”

And when Lindsay Kemp, the English dance legend with the visually arresting style who taught David Bowie and Kate Bush, brought his company to Toronto Workshop Productions in 1978, Pope was renting a room from TWP’s general manager, June Faulkner. “That was the best thing ever,” she recalls. “I got to meet them all. I couldn’t get enough of that. It was one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever seen. You can tell that Bowie was really influenced by him.”

Rough Trade hit the club scene in 1976, just before the explosion of Toronto punk. As Don Pyle, author of Trouble in the Camera Club, has pointed out, it was a shared Rough Trade influence that united the city’s three-chord tough guys and glam synth-and-sax players into one very interesting scene.

“I don’t know — we were doing it first, but back in those days everybody was supportive of everybody, we all went to see everybody and we all hung out,” she says.

Somewhat shockingly, in the early ’80s, Rough Trade songs like “All Touch” and “High School Confidential” got played on commercial radio, and the band even won Juno awards. “Yeah, I was amazed too!” she says with a laugh. “I think the beauty of it was that the mainstream didn’t get how subversive we really were, which I loved.”

Now, Pope is touring her latest

solo album, Landfall, which came out last November. Co-produced with guitarist Tim Welch, with whom she’s worked since Rough Trade’s demise in the ’80s, it’s a collection of new songs that wanders all over her musical map, from rock to synth-pop to orchestral, and features a duet with Rufus Wainwright on the irresistible title track.

“I’m into all those styles,” she says. “I like all kinds of music, and I was like: Let’s do everything! Except for jazz fusion. But I thought I’d kind of put all my influences on there, and I’m just excited to do more. I’m always pissed off and appalled at the stupidity that’s going on in the world and the dumbing-down of people, so there are a million things to write about.”

Pope plays a Pride show Thu,

→ L ANDFALL Carole Pope’s recent album contains an irresistible duet with Rufus Wainwright.

June 21 at Buddies in Bad Times — coincidentally, TWP’s former home. “I do miss the old days, when Pride was a stage on Church Street and I got laid more,” she says. “It was more intimate. Now it’s too big and commercial. I mean I don’t mind that, but I do miss the ’90s, when we’d all go to Buddies and misbehave. I’m not a nostalgic person, but I don’t have as much fun as I used to.

“I always love working at Buddies, though. I get to be a theatre queen for a night, and the audiences are always fantastic.”

CAROLE POPE Joined by Slanty Eyed Mama. $20. 8pm. Thu, June 21. Buddies in Bad Times.

12 Alexander St. (416) 975-8555. intorontomag.com

29

On Behalf of the Stephen Lewis Foundation we would like to thank the designers, models, fundraisers, attendees, volunteers, auction donors and the sponsorsfor making Dare to Wear Love 2012 a huge success!

Using The Power Of Fashion For Good

Thanks for the amazing fashion designs by: Adrian Wu • Aileen for Avioanni • Brian Bailey • Cydelic by Choryin • Rory Lindo and Kelly Freedman for Damzels in This Dress • David Dixon • Thomas Chung and Diane Sohn for Diavecmas • Ines Di Santo • Farley Chatto • Franke • Greta Constantine • Paul Hardy • Hoax Couture • Izzy Camilleri • Jason Meyers • Kingi Carpenter for Peach Berserk • Linda Lundstrom • Wesley Badanjak for Lovas • Marty Rotman • Pam Chorley for Fashion Crimes • Pat McDonagh • Rod Philpott for Shkank INC. • Susan Dicks and Co. • Tina Ou • Zoran Dobric

Thanks to our awesome celebrity models: Dare to Wear Red contest winners: Brittany Barber, Danielle Brown, Lauryn Kronick & Sandeep Rane • Jeanne Beker, Fashion Television • Arlene Duncan, Little Mosque on the Prairie • Moe Kelso, artist, model, actor, producer • Kathy Grant, gospel singer • Sangita Patel, City TV • Donisha Prendergast, artist and granddaughter of Bob Marley and Rita Marley • Dina Pugliese, Breakfast Television • Chef Jamie Kennedy and sons Nile, Micha, and Jackson Kennedy • Ainsley Kerr, branding and event specialist • Angie Smith, ET Canada • Tracy Moore, Cityline• Ash Koley, singer songwriter • Sarah Slean, Singer songwriter • Royal Wood, singer songwriter • Leesa Butler, the F-List.ca • Donna DeMarco, model • Lena Love, performer & thanks to performers Erroll Blackwood and Kathy Grant

Huge thanks to our Sponsors: Presented by

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Dare to Wear Love supports the Stephen Lewis Foundation in its fight to turn the tide of HIV and AIDS in Africa • www.stephenlewisfoundation.org • www.daretowearlove.com

A RT & ENTERTAINMENT

B O O KS

CROSS-CULTURAL ODYSSEY → With

a welcoming endpoint in Toronto Review Alice Lawlor

I

ntolerable is a coming out story with extra balls. It goes way beyond the usual boymeets-boy narrative, mapping the author’s journey from cultural isolation in the Middle East to acceptance in Canada. Written

by Ryerson journalism prof and former Globe and Mail theatre critic Kamal Al-Solaylee, it’s an inspiring story of his own Yemeni family persevering in spite of adversity. But it’s also a first-person account of how being different from that family — and escaping their world — sets him free.

That tension runs throughout the book. As Al-Solaylee says in the introduction: “How do you write about, rationalize and call your own a family that still believes AIDS is a form of divine retribution, and that a woman’s place is in the kitchen, when you have no problem describing people who espouse similar views as bigots?”

The story is set in Yemen and Canada, by way of Egypt, Lebanon and England. The political struggles of each country form the back-

drop to daily life. Al-Solaylee is skilled at taking major events and showing how they’re reflected on a smaller scale. As his brother embraces Islam, for example, his sisters are subject to new household rules. The same girls that Al-Soyalee once joined on shopping trips for bikinis must now be covered head-to-toe before they leave the house. Their successful careers ebb away, simply because of their gender. And Al-Solaylee’s own burgeoning sexuality is culturally invisible. “There’s no such thing as sexual education in the Arab world,” he writes. “I had no concept of homosexuality or even much of an awareness of such rites of passage as reaching puberty.”

Nevertheless, Al-Solaylee finds his people. The hilarious sections on Barbra Streisand and Olivia Newton-John and the role they play in his self-discovery have to be read to be believed. After a confidence-boosting visit to England, he calls a gay helpline and, to his surprise, locates a bar in Cairo.

His first visit reads like anyone’s

→ CONFLICT S BIG & SMALL Ryerson journalism prof and former Globe and Mail theatre critic Kamal Al-Solaylee has written a moving memoir.

first gay bar in any smaller scene in the world. “The men were all looking around, trying to catch each other’s eye. Older white men. Younger Egyptians. Lots of furtive glances and nervous laughter.” A Swiss businessman catches his eye, raises his glass — and the rest is history.

Writing about life in the Middle East often gets bogged down in the details of conflict. Al-Solaylee captures the historical moment in a way that’s real and compelling because it’s focused on just one family. It’s moving, too, because his journey ends right here in Toronto. In fact, the book is inscribed “To Toronto, for giving me what I’ve been looking for: a home.” A sentiment that no doubt rings true for many of us — from Church Street to the burbs and beyond.

INTOLERABLE: A MEMOIR OF EXTREMES By Kamal Al-Solaylee. Harper Collins. $25.

KAMAL AL-SOLAYLEE Joins (Image)ning Queerness authors panel. 5pm-7pm. Wed, June 20. UTAC Art Lounge. 15 King’s College Circle. (416) 978-1838.

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S EX s p o n s o r e d b y s p a e x c e s s

ASK THE SEX GEEK — with Andrea Zanin

I’m a male nude model and during my last gig I got a full-blown erection. I was so embarrassed! Is there any cream or advice you could give on keeping it down? James →

→ I’m

a registered massage therapist. Yesterday, an 18-yearold man came in. He was very socially inexperienced and so nervous he could barely have a conversation.

He chose to completely undress and I began a Swedish massage. When he turned over and I began on his thighs he immediately became erect. His thingy was twitching uncontrollably, so I moved down to below the knee.

Then I looked back up, and his face was bright red and his whole chest was covered in cum. I was shocked.

He said it just happened without touching himself! Is that even possible? Can you offer me some advice for future occurrences? I just feel a bit dirty, I guess! Chris

Seems like everyone’s having

sometimes occur with touch and

trouble keeping their dicks down

deep relaxation. If a client is embar-

these days!

rassed, they suggest tossing on a

Penises are famously eager in

heavy blanket, possibly one chilled

adolescence, but they occasionally

in the refrigerator. If a client pushes

pop up at inconvenient times even

for a happy ending, set your bound-

in adulthood. And yes, ejaculation

aries verbally, and leave the room

can happen without touch. Doc,

if necessary. You are a non-sexual

my favourite sex-positive physi-

service provider, and people who

cian, tells me that while research

want more can pay for it elsewhere.

is scarce, it’s known to happen in

James, when it comes to keep-

two ways: during anal penetration

ing your own boy down, unfortu-

without the penis being touched;

nately, I have little to offer from

and completely hands-free, espe-

a medical standpoint. Doc says,

cially in cases of hyper-arousal.

“Erections are healthy. They’re

Chris, in addition to sheer youth,

signs of healthy blood vessels.

your massage client was likely

Some treatments can shunt blood

experiencing hyper-arousal partly

away from non-essential organs,

from nervousness and partly from

but they tend to be strong vaso-

being touched in a very pleasant

constrictors, which aren’t really

way he wasn’t used to. He may

safe in non-emergency situations.”

have snuck in a quick wank, or he

That said, the heavy blanket trick

may have ejaculated hands-free.

might work for you too. Keep one

Either way, the point is that he

handy, and if things get perky, call

made you uncomfortable. That’s

break time and cover up. At worst,

not cool and it’s not your fault.

you could fake a groin pull and bring

I polled a dozen massage thera-

along an ice pack for “treatment!”

pist friends, and most said that at first they’d ignore a client’s erection — it’s a natural bodily response due to nerve or vascular reactions that

ANDREA ZANIN The Sex Geek blogs at sexgeek.wordpress.com.

577 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1Z2 T 416-966-6969 | info@seduction.ca shop online

seduction.ca intorontomag.com 33

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