In what might be the most exciting news in fast-fashion collaborations since, well, Marni for H&M, The Bay has announced the launch of Mary Katrantzou’s collection for Topshop, set to hit Canada in early March.
The British designer, famed for her digital prints, designed the accessible 10-piece range with inspiration from her high-end A/W 2011 collection. Expect to find an optic-shock of bright colours and wild prints whether in a trouser, dress, blouse or scarf.
Whether worn separately or together (for the more daring), the pieces are perfectly in tune with one of the season’s biggest trends – prints!
Mary Katrantzou for Topshop, exclusively available at The Bay, Yorkdale.
Since its opening in 2007, Yorkville’s contemporary and fashion-forward UPC Boutique has acted as one of our very best retail friends. So it’s with great sadness to report that UPC’s doors will be closing this Monday.
In a statement released by owners Maha Zeibak and Anat Lowe, the two are planning on taking some time to figure out what their “next move will be,” giving us a glimmer of hope that there may be a re-opening in the future.
Until then, they are going out with a bang and selling off everything in store at 75-90 per cent off from now until their very last hour: 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13.
Kathleen Edwards and her new album Voyageur are making a big splash south of the border. Sure, her association with Justin Vernon, of Grammy-nominated Bon Iver fame has surely helped. But, don’t kid yourselves, this is a solid record on its own with or without Vernon twiddling the dials in the control room — a very Kathleen Edwards record. She’s back in her hometown of Toronto this Saturday, Feb. 12, to play a sure-to-be-packed show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre with up-and-comer Hannah Georgas in support.
Here’s what she had to say during a recent interview with Post City.
• “This was definitely the hardest record I ever made. I knew it was going to be trying, it even just started hard. The songs I had — arrangement wise — I wasn’t happy with, and I wasn’t sure who was going to be recording on this record.”
• “Two or three years ago, I wanted to make a record that was going to be different. I realized that I also was stuck in the pigeon hole of alt-country, and I don’t relate to that.”
• “I needed to find a way to make a record that proved that without it being a betrayal or unnatural.”
• “Some songs wrote when I was still married. And they are absolutely cathartic. I don’t know how to write songs that don’t have pieces of me in them.”
• “All of my failures, and all of my pain are up for discussion, available to anyone. It feels exceptionally vulnerable, maybe more now than ever in my life.”
• “you know that song (‘Going To Hell’) is a very true statement of some of the feelings I had about the last few years of my marriage. And how it musically came together, Justin Vernon was a huge part of that. He would come in and help build and create a house of all these sounds.”
• “I think one of the best things about touring with Bon Iver was that Justin is, you know, this thing. And it was nice to be a fly on the wall and see how the music world is acknowledging how special and great he is. He’s getting a lot of accolades and as his friend I know that all of them are deserved. I think the highlight of working with Justin was the fact that I felt like he knew my old material so well, and he was so respectful of all the things I’ve done and really understood where I wanted to go."
Remember the name: Dirty Ghosts
Toronto native Allyson Baker along with husband, producer, rapper Aesop Rock are releasing their debut LP as Dirty Ghosts on Feb. 21 on Last Gang Records. Entitled Metal Moon, the album is a genre-busting, finely-tuned musical explosion that is equal parts hard rock and funk. They are a band to watch for 2012, and will surely be coming to town, hopefully by spring. Until then, check out the new album. It is a pretty sweet combo of sounds that should find a home alongside records by The Kills. You may remember Baker from her gig as guitarist for crazy punk band Teen Crud Combo — with such memorable tunes as “Suck It” and “R.O.T.” Check out the first single, “Shout It In,” below.
F–k yeah!
Mark your calendars: from Feb. 16 to 19, the Wavelength 12th Anniversary Festival features a sweet mix of bands on all four nights in four different locations, but none bigger (and faster selling, FYI) than the Juno Award-nominated (no, really!) local punk band F*cked Up. Damian Abraham and company will be celebrating the releases of their new EP, Year of the Tiger, on Feb. 17 with a big show at the Steam Whistle Brewery. The new EP is actually streaming live right now at the band’s website here. But good bands are playing every night, from PS I Love You to Slim Twig.
Cameron House Records launched
The venerable Queen West institution The Cameron House has started an in-house record label. First out of the gate is Kayla Howran’s debut LP, Pistol, which was released on Feb. 3. Other bands currently listed on the label website include long-time Cameron House staple Handsome Ned as well as Nichol Robertson, David Baxter and the group Tarantuela.
Measha gets a little bit country?
Grammy-nominated Toronto singer Measha Brueggergosman has announced a new album to be released on April 17 via Kelp Records entitled I’ve Got A Crush On You. The big-time soprano with the big voice and incomparable stage presence was set to record the album over three evenings last week in her hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick, at the Cedar Tree Cafe. Apparently, the new album will include songs from a classical repertoire but also everything from Spanish canciones to Acadian folksongs. This is exciting.
Walk Off The Earth ready debut release
The Burlington indie sensations that rocked with the world with a cheeky little 10-handed cover of a Gotye song are indie no longer. Walk Off The Earth, creators of a YouTube video that garnered a shocking 50 million views and took them to the stage of The Ellen DeGeneres Show a couple weeks ago, have signed what is surely a big, fat contract with Columbia Records. The band, together since 2006, includes Gianni Luminati, Ryan Marshall, Sarah Blackwood, Joel Cassady and Mike Taylor. Expect a rushed debut release trying to capitalize on their rising fame.
Every week, we gather our favourite tweets from in and around Toronto’s fashion scene. This week we’ve got Nathalie Atkinson’s two cents on Uncle Karl’s loose lips, gift ideas for your Valentine from Holt Renfrew and new spring-forward styling ideas from Diane Kruger.
Earlier this week, Karl Lagerfeld got into some trouble for calling Adele fat, but the National Post’s @NathAt isn’t that mad at him for it:
Grateful for Karl Lagerfeld & his big mouth – at least he's making size in fashion a conversation. #unwittinglynatpo.st/x2lfkZ
Admiring beautiful, successful and talented couples from afar is no longer enough. We also want to know what they buy! Thankfully, @HoltRenfrew has helped us out:
This Northern Rhône style-wine has a smoky blackberry nose with an herbal note; it’s full on the palate, dry and savoury with a bitter chocolate finish. Lively acidity and full-bodied. Food match: beef casserole, old cheddar.
Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards. He can be heard on 680News.
Years ago, a laid-back, musically-inclined dude from Barrie, Ont. named Afie Jurvanen moved to Toronto. Sure, he could have been a star out of the gate, but he was too damn busy backing up other local musicians such as Jason Collett and Leslie Feist.
He travelled the world in this capacity, but starting writing his own tunes before releasing a collection of his own material under the name Bahamas entitled Pink Strat — after his favourite guitar. It struck a chord, ahem, and garnered the easy-breezy musician a Juno Award nomination.
“The biggest factor was just time. I've spent so many years away from everything, you know — away from home, my own music, friends, things that are really important to me,” he says. “I did that for better or for worse, so when the last round of fiesta touring finished I had some other offers to go away and play with people. I thought, no, at some point you just go for it, you know.”
Jurvanen had forged a new path for himself, and thanks to Jack Johnson and the folks at Brushfire Records, he has a record deal and a new album and some serious muscle for a big push south of the border.
His new album, Barchords, was released last week, and Jurvanen is no longer a secret. Maybe it’s his mellow playing style, or his honest and emotional lyrics, but people are digging his sound. And Barchords is definitely a step forward for Bahamas.
“I don't consider myself laid back, and I don't consider myself amped up,” he says. “I just move through the world at a slower pace.”
Bahamas plays a free show tonight at The Dakota Tavern. And if you miss it, rumour has it that he will be back in April for a ticketed show.
First, The Clone Wars was animated. Now,The Phantom Menace has been released in 3-D, and we're powerless against George Lucas' jedi mind trick (ahem, cash grab). Starting tomorrow, geeks, nerds and dorks will unite to witness the re-release of Episode I in all its three-dimensional glory. Expect the pod racing scene and lightsaber duels to be worth the hype, but losing Qui-Gon Jinn again in 3-D? Not so much. We're reluctantly stoked for this one. Trekkies not welcome.
2. Ballin' ballers
The crazy-talented Harlem Globetrotters will be showing off their ballin' antics at the Rogers Centre on Feb. 11 and 12. All-stars “Flight Time” Lang and Big Easy will be there, along with some fresh meat like TNT, Tiny (oh, the irony) and Hops. Get a sneak peek here, but be warned, you will be whistling that tune for the rest of the day.
3. A British Invasion
After Daniel Radcliffe revealed he once showed up intoxicated while filming Harry Potter, we need to restore our faith in the children's series. The CBBC's Dan and Jeff will attempt to do just that when they kick off their Toronto tour this weekend. Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience is a parody of the Hogwarts saga, complete with songs, costumes and a fire-breathing dragon. Quidditch, anyone?
4. Do it like they do on the Discovery Channel
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so why not show some love to the critters at the often beleagured Toronto Zoo? On Saturday evening, So You Think You Can Romance? will provide insight into the love lives of the animal kingdom. This ultimate date night not only includes a dinner, but also a tour of the Zoo's reproductive labs as the audience learns the elaborate, awkward and sometimes hilarious ways in which animals attract their mates. Tickets are $90 per couple and $50 for those flying solo. Part of the proceeds will go towards the Zoo's reproductive programs.
5. Bruce is back
What do a vampire babysitter, road kill and Degrassi have in common? Legendary filmmaker Bruce McDonald, of course. Tomorrow night, the man behind feature films Highway 61 and Road Kill will be at The Drake Hotel in a laid-back discussion on his career and future projects. If you've ever wanted the inside scoop on how Yonge Street shaped rock ‘n’ roll or why Bruce never seems to go anywhere without his trademark cowboy hat, don't miss this free event.
Though patrons may be tempted to tiptoe their way into ChurchAperitivo Bar, the atmosphere is grounded — with a few heavenly touches. Taking over a Slavic Pentecostal church (as far as the owners know) longtime friends Sandra Cassaro and David Beddia wanted to open a social place that spoke to their Italian backgrounds.
Cassaro, who comes from the film and TV world, is well acquainted with the Queen West ‘hood thanks to video shoots in the area. After eyeing the building for years, Beddia finally spotted it up for sale; snapping it up was a no-brainer. Designer Guido Costantino (Buca) kept the bones of the building intact: the floor and the brickwork hail from the ‘40s, while the ceiling is highlighted with an oval opening. Communal tables line the room, while a lengthy bar — topped in Italian marble — runs down the eastern wall, which is dotted with illustrated birds.
The Italian menu is meant for sharing. Cassaro says that she’s tired of being committed to one dish, preferring to test out everything with her dining companions. In the early evening, complimentary antipasti and stuzzichini are offered to diners, mimicking the Italian tradition.
Crostini come with a selection of toppings, including ricotta and honey, a black olive spread, lardo or nduja (four for $10); carpaccio arrives in either the beef or the daily fish version — when we were there it was swordfish complemented with some lightly fried eggplant. More substantial dishes include lamb chops crusted with pistachio and almonds; the dish is then dotted with salsa verde (it’s available in either a single or a shared portion, $11/$36). A tightly-edited dessert menu puts a spotlight on the essentials: tiramisu, panna cotta and millefoglie ($6).
The drinks menu features cocktails with saintly names: Trinity, Salvation and The New Testament. The Halo is a complex mix of vodka, Galliano, butter ripple, limoncello, lemon juice and egg white ($15), while Divine Intervention stars Aperol, prosecco and soda ($12).
“We were testing out drinks for months — it was very difficult work!” laughs Cassaro.
We’re pretty sure Madonna would give the place her blessing.
If you don’t know Corin Raymond’s music, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with his face. Over the last few weeks he has graced the pages of newspapers and appeared on network news channels. And it’s no wonder his latest endeavour is capturing people’s imagination: much like his music, it’s steeped in Canadian tradition that’s thicker than maple syrup. This songster has set out to fund his upcoming live album with fan-donated Canadian Tire money.
The project started, in part, when Raymond learned that Toronto’s Rogue Studios accepts Canadian Tire money at par, and from there it has mutated into a veritable money blowing machine. Ultimately, the whole crazy caper is simply an extension of what makes Raymond’s music so enthralling. It’s straightforward, fun and inclusive, and if you can’t smile when you think about it you’re probably a little dead inside.
We caught up with the Toronto musician to talk folk music, Ray Bradbury and of course Sandy McTire.
So, the Canadian Tire money project has been taking up a lot of your time lately. Are you getting sick of talking about it so much? Are you looking forward to moving on to something else? It is taking up a lot of my time, and I guess this is what happens when you have an idea that captures the collective imagination. Momentarily I’ve become an entity in the bloodstream, and keeping up with all the reactions — not to mention the constant incoming tide of Canadian Tire money — is a full-time job. The whole enterprise is full of wonder for me; mainly at just how beautiful people can be when they’re inspired and how much love we can come up with when our hearts are ignited. I’m loving this ride, and I’m gonna have as much fun with it while it’s happening as people are willing to share with me.
It seems like it’s put you in contact with pretty diverse groups of people who are sharing their stories along with their Canadian Tire cash. Are there any names or stories that stick out for you? The stories are overwhelming, and so good. It’s not an exaggeration to say that there are new stories every single day. Yesterday I got a package from a grade five class in Tecumseh, Ont., with all their names and a drawing and everything. The teacher saw me on the news and had fun with the kids putting together their paper nickels. People are sending me pictures, artwork, cards, letters. One friend of mine went around to all his buddies’ garages up north and came up with $33.80. He said a lot of weed was smoked and a lot of foosball was played to come up with that money. The crazy thing is that every single bill has a story, and most of them have been collected and saved for years. They’ve got dreams in them. People write to me and tell me what they were thinking of purchasing before my album — an idea they liked better — came along. One little boy in Kelowna named Will Snedden sent me $1.55 which he’d been saving for a soccer ball, and I don’t think anyone would hold it against me if, before this caper ends, I make a trip to Canadian Tire to purchase a soccer ball for little Will Snedden.
The live album this is funding has you and the band performing songs by other Canadian artists. Are the songs a collection of lesser-known or forgotten tracks, or will people recognize the artists? And why do you think it’s important to preserve the Canadian folk tradition in this way? Yeah, it’s a collection of songs by other songwriters from across North America. Mostly Canadians. Songs I’ve collected over the last 10 years of travelling; songs that are too good not to put out there. The songs are a lot like the money I’m using to pay for the album: it’s taken years, and persistence, to gather them together; they belong to us, to this country. They’re part of what makes us a community, and as a currency they’re undervalued. Most of the artists’ names will not be recognizable, but a few of them will. People outside of the roots scene may not recognize a single name. Part of the thrill of the media blitz is that a lot of people are now following the progress of this project, and all of these songs will be first-time experiences [for them]. The whole point of making this album is to turn as many people as possible on to the gold that’s hiding in their own backyards.
Let’s get down to it: how much have you raised so far? On Oct. 30th I had $2.45. At the end of November, I had $22. Jan. 7., I broke a hundred dollars ($100.75), and those victories were amazing enough. Today is Wednesday, Feb. 8. at 1 p.m. and I’m at $2,126.75. I include the time because the total changes by the hour — just wait until today’s mail arrives.
For those unfamiliar with your music, who — or what — would you list as influences? My influences are, first of all, anything I’m reading. Anywhere words hang out — from pulp fiction to high literature to newspapers — can be a jumping off point for me, and the books I read are a constant influence on my songwriting. The musical language of the early Ray Bradbury stuff is a great example of that. Songwriters? Tom Waits for his storytelling, and the details he brings to everything he does. Leonard Cohen for his rigor, for being such a diamond-cutter. John Prine for his humour and common touch. Texas is a huge influence. But the truth is that a lot of my greatest influences are writers and performers that I know, which is what led me to make this album right now — an album of songs by writers I’ve met on the road. The songwriters who influence me the most these days, I have their phone numbers.
Who are some other good Canadian musicians people should check out? If I had to narrow it right down, I’d say my favourite songwriter in Canada is Raghu Lokanathan, out in Prince George, BC. He does something the rest of us are trying to do; me included. Raghu has a mythological, mystical authority in his songs that we associate with writers like Leonard Cohen or Townes Van Zandt. Raghu has every kind of song you could want: story songs, character-portrait songs, love songs, funny songs, heartbreakers; songs he calls ‘profane hymns,’ songs that have the power of prayer; black humour and irreverence in spades. As far as I’m concerned he has it all. It’s hard to discover him online. Your best bet would be to see him live, and if you ever get a chance to hang out at a campfire he’s playing at, even better.
Is there a potential release date for the record? No date on the calendar yet, but the record will be released in the fall. I’m envisioning a November release.
The flat shoe is nothing new in fashion, but rarely is it deemed an acceptable au courant sartorial statement. But when that time does come around, it is a cause for celebration for female feet everywhere. This season, the flat is back, and the best way to wear it is in a boyish brogue.
If the style is so boyish that a boy can wear it too, even better. These unisex navy brogues from Dr. Martens look just as good with a pair of chinos as they do with a flirty dress.
Alfred brogue, $180. Available at Dr. Martens, 391 Queen St. W.
Alison Mosshart didn’t just command the stage at The Kills’ Kool Haus concert last night — she prowled it, barely able to contain her energy between songs. I only hope those bemoaning the death of rock ‘n’ roll were in attendance to get their fill of a gritty, swaggering rock that rarely rolls through town.
The duo of American singer Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince formed in 2000 and, in addition to Mosshart's The Dead Weather (a side project with Jack White), have consistently turned out very good rock ‘n’ roll that, at times, touches on something more.
The Kills are about more than just the music. They are about the performance, and Mosshart and Hince bring it. Hince runs at the crowd, banging his guitar to coax out jarring sounds; he yells over the crowd in a way that can only be described as egomaniacal. Meanwhile, Mosshart proves that she is the coolest rock singer since the days of Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde.
The band’s 90-minute set featured songs from their latest album, Blood Pressures, released last year. The new material sees the band carve out some new sonic territory, one that has Mosshart front and centre, fresh from her experiences with that other heavyweight band. Songs such as “Satellite,” with those sexy beats that border on dub step, prop up her slinky vocals, and the swanky dark chorus is a seriously welcome turn from the band’s standard bluesy, punk-fuelled distortion (which was never a bad thing to begin with). This band is far from a one-trick pony: they can make some noise and command a stage.
Other highlights included some well-placed classics such as “U.R.A. Fever,” a bone-jarring “Sour Cherry” and a cover of the Patsy Cline classic “Crazy.” The balladry continued with Mosshart's own Cline-esque tune, “The Last Goodbye,” off of Blood Pressures. The tune led off a lengthy encore — Hince and Mosshart owned the adoring crowd for the night.
They came, they saw, they kicked our asses. And we liked it. Now for the long wait until The Black Keys show up in March.
In many young urban circles, wearing fur is just not cool, ethically speaking. But the Vintage Glam Fur lifestye and fashion event wants to address the ethics of fur while showcasing affordable fur options.
Shauna Ireland, a communications specialist for the event — to be held at the Crown Lounge this Thursday — says that, actually, fur is an environmentally-friendly fashion statement.
“It’s a renewable resource,” she tells us.
But will run-of-the-mill young Torontonians with average budgets and typical ethics start wearing it? Ireland hopes so. It’s what Thursday’s event is all about.
“The whole idea is to bring the activist crowd and the fashionistas together,” Ireland says.
The evening will be one of glam mingling, dancing and vintage fur shopping. Crown Lounge will be specially decorated for the event.
There will be a small pop-up at the back of the venue selling furs that have been stored in the warehouse at Herman-Sellers-Gough Furs, a Hazelton Lanes establishment, for years. For entertainment, models will interact “theatrically” with those in attendance.
But beyond the vintage furs collection, Ireland encourages anyone with old fur lying around the house to bring it in for ideas on what to do with it.
“Old furs can be re-styled and re-worked,” she says.
HSG Furs will also be selling re-styled fur accessories, such as scarves made from old coats (in the $150 price range). The full fur pieces run from $150 to $1000.
Anyone who misses Thursday night can attend a two-day long sale this weekend at Six20Seven.
Makes us wish we hadn’t given grandma’s old mink to the Goodwill.
