Out in Toronto: April 28-May 4, 2016

Choice events in the city this week


Friday, April 29

Arabian Knights Arabic Dance Night

This Middle Eastern dance party is the latest addition to the city’s evolving nightlife. Organizers welcome everyone, but queer Middle Eastern women are particularly welcome to come out and show off their moves. It’s a night of Arabic music from a DJ who makes you, according to the billing, “feel his energy flow through your hips.”

10pm. Club 120, 120 Church St. For more info, visit Facebook.

Saturday, April 30

Michael Coren’s Book Launch: Epiphany

Once the enemy of all things gay, author and broadcaster Michael Coren has had a change of heart — he’s come out in favour of same-sex marriage. His new book, Epiphany: A Christian’s Change of Heart and Mind Over Same-Sex Marriage, explains the whys and hows of this change. At the launch, he reads from his book and then participates in what will definitely be a lively Q and A session.

2pm. Glad Day Bookshop, 598 Yonge St. gladdaybookshop.com

Pitbull: Leather Love

The party for macho homos with big meaty hands and hairy knuckles gets even darker and dirtier with a fetish-themed event. All the hunks of beef lather up their haunches, oil their beards and get on their harnesses and collars or whatever for a night that includes dirty decor and piggish entertainment, and music by the sexy DJ Neill MacLeod.

10:30pm. Club 120, 120 Church St. pitbullevents.com

Can Con

Imagine a zombie Pierre Trudeau rising from the grave with a thirst, not for brains but for beavers — beavers that have gorged themselves on maple syrup-covered poutine and washed it back with Canada Dry supplied by Don Cherry. That’s how Canadian this dance party is. It includes all Canadian music and BoylesqueTO members as sexy lumberjacks and mountie go-go dancers. Patriotic wear encouraged.

 

11pm. The Steady, 1051 Bloor St W. thesteadycafe.com

Sunday, May 1

Faux Girls: Coming Back for Seconds

It is not typically advisable to allow drag queens near your food — except in the case of this event. Jade Elektra organizes a new dine-and-drag show, when you dine . . . and there’s drag. It includes a rotating cast of look-alike queens, traditional drag performers and live singers. This edition includes Lady G in the guise of Rihanna. Reservations are recommended.

6pm. Joy Bistro, 884 Queen St E. For more info, see Facebook.

Bed, Bathhouse and Beyond

Oasis has a night with a little gay appeal for once (but people of all genders and orientations are welcome) and everyone pays the same entrance fee (refreshingly). It’s a big ol’ bathhouse-y night with DJ Cam Lee Spinning, Axel Blows sliding up and down a pole, Bobby Valen and Adam Cowan hosting and drag monster Allysin Chaynes clogging up all the drains with her breast hair.

7pm. Oasis Aqualounge, 231 Mutual St. oasisaqualounge.com

Wednesday, May 4

Queer Cab

And then at a youth open mic night, all the little queers jump on stage and show off their talents — from singing to ranting to taking off some of their clothes. Anyone is welcome to attend this cabaret-style event, but the stage is only for people no older than 25. Theatre artist and drag wannabe Daniel Ellis hosts this session. Each performer gets five minutes.

7:30pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. buddiesinbadtimes.com

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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