by Rat Velvet
Secret outdoor art parties like Against Life and its predecessor, Extermination Music Night, have been happening for years in this city, but recently, they have been growing in popularity. Communication about these events has gone from obscure message boards to Facebook, and from word of mouth to mainstream newspapers.

Because more people know about these illicit parties, reclaiming public city space is less anonymous, and therefore harder to keep secret. I want to share my own story of the night without adding to the extinction of the underground art party scene. It is the personal experiences that keep people coming back to these events, and in sharing mine I want to keep these events anonymous and secure.

U of T landscaper gives us the dirtby Eileen BrineAs a groundskeeper at U of T, it is my task to make spaces inviting and pleasing to the senses. After all, who wants to live or study on an ugly campus? The Lash-Miller Davenport Garden is one of the grounds I keep, and is a…
On April 16th 1970, the staff at UTIAS (University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies) were in the midst of a routine staff meeting when they were interrupted by a phone call that would change the course of Aerospace history forever. It was US based Grumman Aerospace, calling to convey the message NASA had received…
Barred from live music by Sneaky Deesby Dan Portoraro
Last winter the newspaper sent me to Sneaky Dee’s to cover Wavelength, a (then) weekly experimental music series, for the second week in a row. On the Bathurst streetcar, I felt slightly uneasy: I knew that something was going to go wrong. Would a fight break out? Would I have a bottle broken over my…
the newspaper layout editor and former Bloor Cinema manager catches up with her ex-colleagues in their new underground digs.
If you’ve never seen the 700-seat movie palace hidden beneath Toronto’s Queen & Spadina fashion district, you’re not alone. Lodged in the rear end of a half-vacant mall under a condo building at 186 Spadina Ave, the theatre hasn’t seen regular operation since its…
by Tim ClarkeThey perform complex instrumental songs, yet they wield no instruments. They wear matching t-shirts. And they embrace the pun with a fierceness rivaled only by your dad. They are the collegiate a cappella choir, hear them ‘doot.’
In the last decade, three different a cappella groups have originated on the U of T…
by Diana WilsonTwo years of booking and promoting all ages indie concerts for ALL CAPS taught Ryan McLaren some hard facts: it’s hard to make money in the concert booking business when you can’t sell alcohol.After hitting 19, most music lovers forget how hard it is to make the scene. They forget to question why…
How animal testing at U of T has evolvedby Gord Brown
It might upset PETA, but many real scientific breakthroughs at U of T are the result of the use of animal subjects. The history of U of T lab critters is surprisingly diverse.
Alcohol related amnesia, or blacking out, is a phenomenon that occurs after the consumption of high amounts of alcohol. The following recent incident illustrates this phenomenon nicely:
The scene: St. Patrick’s Day 2010
Tim: Ugh, sooooo much pain.
Joe (Laughing): I know, we drank a lot.
Tim: The Maddy was absolutely packed, eh?
Joe: Yeah,…
Bicycultureby Diana WilsonLeading up to this fall’s mayoral election, we have heard a lot of rhetoric about the “War on Cars.” From the pro-bike pundits, cycling is touted as environmentally sustainable, affordable, politically righteous, and straight-up fun. Car advocates complain that the city council’s lean toward multi-use roadways will create more traffic congestion on already stuffed roads. Drivers and cyclists are pitted against one another…
by Joe Howell
As if there weren’t already enough reasons to love cycling in this city – Saving money! Getting buns of steel! Avoiding the freaks and weirdos on the TTC! - Bike Month has been making the activity even more enjoyable.
Since May 26, cyclists have been taking back the streets with group rides, communal breakfasts, drag racing, and art shows. With about a…