Out in Toronto: Aug 4–10, 2016

Choice events in the city this week


Thursday, Aug 4

Toronto Leather Pride: Love is Always Louder

The city is about to get a whole lot kinkier — for a little while, anyway. Hosted by the Heart of the Flag Federation, the annual festival of leather and BDSM includes workshops, parties, competitions and the Leather Pride March. It’s all gear and uniforms, protocol and complicated ticketing options — just the way you like it.

Runs until Sunday, Aug 7. For more info, visit torontoleatherpride.ca

Peaches

Two boundary-pushing artists come together for an edgy and very queer concert. As part of the Live at Massey Hall concert and film series, the Toronto-born Peaches — the electronic musician and performance artist known for sexually explicit lyrics and for challenging gender norms — is joined by The Hidden Cameras.

8pm. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St. masseyhall.com

(Courtesy Daria Marchik)

Friday, Aug 5

Vagabond

Kevin Morris is back with a new cabaret. This time it’s all about stories and songs about finding and coming to accept your place in the world. He is joined by Chris Tsujiuchi, Brittany Rae Robinson, Sarah Gibbons and others. It includes songs by such artists as Feist, Elton John, Sara Bareilles and Fleetwood Mac. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be surprised.

10pm. Buddies in Bad Times, 12 Alexander St. buddiesinbadtimes.com

Tapette: Édition Vestiaire

DJ Phil V, the alleged love-child of Celine Dion and Celine Dion’s hologram, is back with another French faggot dance party. This time, it’s at one of the best places to dance in the village. The patio is open, the go-go garçons are gyrating, the second floor is dark and sexy, French porn is playing all over the place, and the bar echoes with French pop, disco and house. À bientôt, les homos!

10:30pm. The Black Eagle, 457 Church St. facebook.com/tapetteto

Cream

Mustn’t forget the girls. Toronto is rife with girls’ dance parties these days, and this is one of the best-loved examples. DJ KLR spins hip hop, trap, house and more in a two-floor venue in the south end of the Village. Cream includes good music, cheap drinks, cute girls and a diner downstairs (if you need to fuel up before or after the party).

 

10:30pm. Club 120, 120 Church St. facebook.com/creamtoronto

(Courtesy Chantelle Wright)

Sunday, Aug 7

Rise Up! Solidarity with BLMTO

Here’s an opportunity to be entertained and to support people of colour in our community at the same time. Some of Toronto’s black and indigenous artists perform spoken word, music and more. Proceeds will be donated to Black Lives Matter Toronto. Presented by Shakura Dickson and Yolanda Bonnell, the event invites folks to “come together in rage and in love.”

8pm. 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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