The Music Issue: Justin Nozuka

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1:35 pm

Justin Nozuka started writing songs at age 12. When the rest of us were just trying to figure ourselves out, he was singing and learning to play guitar, recording tracks that would end up on his debut CD, Holly, named after his mother (aww!).

Of course, it helps that he’s got a pretty talented pedigree: his aunt is actress Kyra Sedgwick and two of his brothers, George and Philip, are also musicians.

“We formed a group together, me and my brothers. At that time, we were called Mist. We performed at the Lions Club. They were doing a fashion show, and we had a little slot to play. That was one of my first shows.”

But despite diving into the music biz at such a young age, in many ways, Justin was just a typical kid growing up in the burbs. He played hockey (with the Richmond Hill Stars) and “used to go to Hillcrest Mall a lot and pick up chicks.”

Fast forward a few short years, and he’s remained grounded even though he’s reached an astounding level of success for someone his age. He was nominated for a Juno in 2008, has toured around the world and was chosen as one of Canada’s top artists to collaborate on K’naan’s “Wavin’ Flag” single in support of earthquake victims in Haiti.

Giving back is important to him: “Music is definitely my vehicle, and ultimately, the main goal is to do something positive for the world.”

For now, he’s just happy to be back home in the GTA. “I did a lot of touring for four years,” he says. “I just set up my own studio in my first place — I’m finally living on my own! — so I’m going to be creating here in Toronto. We’re working on the next album right now that will be released probably early next year.”

The Music Issue: Brendan Canning

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In many ways, Brendan Canning was no different than your average kid growing up in the suburbs of Toronto. “I was always into music,” he says, “But also soccer and pro wrestling.” What set him apart from throngs of other adolescents who dabble in guitar to fill their suburban summer days is that he stuck to it long enough (not to mention actually had an affinity for it) to form a band — or rather several bands: he’s been a member of By Divine Right, Head, Blurtonia and most famously Broken Social Scene.

Formed by Canning and “a couple of groups of friends converging after knowing each other from around town” — friends like Leslie Feist, Metric’s Emily Haines and Stars’ Evan Cranley, to name a few — Broken Social Scene is now the greatest indie success story to come out of the Toronto music scene in the last decade.

“We never really dealt with the industry,” Canning says of the band’s rise to fame. “We just kind of did our own thing.”

Bypassing the major record companies to sign with indie label Arts & Crafts seems to have worked out well for him. In the past 10 years, Canning and his band mates have won two Juno Awards and accrued massive followings both at home and across the globe.

In 2008, he released a well-received solo record, Something for All of Us, which includes cameos bym many of his BSS collaborators. “We’re just happy that we’re still the people of Toronto’s band,” Canning says of their success. “That’s always been our thing: don’t let the hometown down.”

The hometown will indeed be pleased to know that Canning and Broken Social Scene are working on new recordings and touring extensively throughout the summer and into the fall, including shows with another iconic Canadian band: the Tragically Hip.

The Music Issue: Alex Lifeson

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My fingers hurt, but it was worth it. I think. I remember All the World’s a Stage opened gatefold- up on the carpet of Johnny Wersta’s parents’ living room — or mine — with maybe a glass of lemonade staining the coasterless table and the two of us sitting on our crappy amps facing each other trying to study Alex Lifeson’s playing.

The tone arm raised, then set down again, perfectly, on the bendy part of one of the album’s wickedest runs — shweem!! kweee!! shmauwww! — and me and Johnny tilting an ear, trying to feel our way along the neck until we found the right note, or at least thought we’d found it because, the truth is, we were hardly ever right.

On Saturdays, we’d escape to the small rooms at the back of the strip mall music store, where ’70s stoner music teachers showed us what we were doing right — or wrong: we were mostly wrong — and how Alex had actually kerranged when we’d keblanged; how he’d finger-pulled when we’d finger-pushed.

They were epic, those licks, and so, an army of guitarists — some great, some terrible, but most of us in between — were made. When the great God of the Les Paul — or the white Gibson doubleneck, coolest axe ever — leaves us, his tombstone should have a motion sensor so, when you approach to pay your respects, the riff to “Closer to the Heart” tickles the air.

Of course, you could choose others: the mock-narcissism of “Spirit of Radio” ’s famous shred, the weeping solo in “La Villa Strangiata,” the stuttering clarion of “Limelight,” and pretty much all of “YYZ.”

I only recently was able to fight my way through the bulk of “Subdivisions,” Rush’s great epic suburban elegy. My fingers still hurt, but it was worth it. I think.

The Music Issue: Neil Young

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1:35 pm

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Neil Young lived in Toronto for a short time. He came out of the northwest then departed soon after for the south. If Toronto was the cheese in his sandwich, California was his meat, and Manitoba his bread. Still, the city left deep impressions: endless subway rides, the clubs and rabble of Yorkville, old Yonge Street movie theatres, endless nights in crummy apartments dreaming of home, smoking hash in long dark alleyways and music, music, music.

Then, he returned to play Maple Leaf Gardens and, more famously, Massey Hall in 1971. While Neil is considered a citizen of many places — Omemee, Winnipeg, Calfornia — his most recent engagement at the old Toronto hall was shot by director Jonathan Demme for the third film in his cinematic trilogy about the musician. This supports the notion of the city looming large in the history of Neil’s music, and his experiences as a performer.

When I think of Neil and Toronto, I remember being at a friend’s house when Neil performed “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” on Saturday Night Live, one of the greatest moments in rock ’n’ roll television. Before the broadcast, my friends and I spent the evening watching the Leafs play Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings. The Leafs won that night, a great resounding victory, 8-5. We were over the moon with the result, and the promise of Neil Young would complete the evening.

Just before midnight, he ambled on stage and started the song. The band played feverishly, as if they were being thrown across the deck of a vessel tossed at sea. As the song surged towards its final chord swell — Neil’s face pinched as his hands raced up the neck — the singer turned to face drummer Steve Jordan. Staring back at us on the raggedy ass of Neil’s old jeans was a Toronto Maple Leafs patch circa 1967. We pointed, jaws- stretched, at the crest. That was our city. And there: there was our songwriter.

Q&A: Louise Pitre, performing tonight at Toronto's Jane Mallett Theatre

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1:24 pm

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Louise Pitre is red hot these days. The Canadian actress has played some of the most sought-after roles in musical theatre history (the lead in Mamma Mia! is just one in a series of impressive performances) and tonight she performs a solo concert entitled La Vie En Rouge, which will be recorded live for an upcoming CD. We tracked down the bilingual diva for a quick tête-à-tête before the show.

You’ve played some fantastic parts over the years: Fantine in Les Mis, Edith Piaf and even Donna in Mamma Mia. What’s your favourite role to date?
You know what? Up until this year, I would’ve said Piaf. I mean, Piaf’s definitely still a career highlight — that’s the hardest I’ve ever worked. But this year, I did "A Year with Frog and Toad" at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre. That’s the jewel, the tender little delicate thing that you hold in two little cupped hands. I’ve never felt that way about something I’ve done before. It was really special.

How did you select the songs for La Vie En Rouge?
Oh boy. Well, I wanted to end up with a French recording… and I knew I wanted a live-in-concert DVD. I also realized I’d be singing to an Anglophone audience, though — so I knew I needed to break the [French] performance up a bit. So I’ve done sort of an evening in Paris and a night in New York. The ‘rouge’ in the concert name refers to the passion in the performance — it’s more than la vie en rose — it’s more red-hot-tear-your-heart out. You’ll hear a lot of Piaf, and then some broadway stuff, as well — "One Hundred Easy Ways to Lose a Man" I’ll sing for sure.

What’s your preference: singing in French or English? Pour quoi?
Oh God. Not fair! I’ll be honest, though: when I sing "The Man That Got Away," I feel I could fly. It doesn’t get much better than that. But when I sing Piaf, it makes me feel like I’ve lived before. I started my life speaking French, strictly. So singing in French takes me back to where I come from.

Any pre-show rituals?
Well, I try not to have a coffee and cigarette! No, actually, all I care about is eating enough, because I work so hard when I sing. I need to know I have a PowerBar on hand!

And how do you unwind after the show?
What I really want to do is sit with musicians and have a drink. But I also like go to the lobby and interact with my audience — it’s great to be able to have that contact.

Funniest thing that’s happened to you while you were onstage?
It wasn’t funny at the time — but it is now. When I played Piaf, in one scene I had a full-on fight with my young husband — and my wig came flying off. So there I was, standing on stage with my pin-curled head! It was impossible to hide — incredibly embarrassing. But I thought: what the hell, it’s live theatre!

First song you ever performed?
"You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman," accompanying myself on the piano. It was while I was still in high school, in Welland, Ontario. It went really well, actually! I used to play at home all the time, and had these secret dreams of singing in public.

Louise Pitre — La Vie En Rouge, June 1, Jane Mallett Theatre

Paul Gross to star alongside Kim Cattrall in Mirvish Productions' Private Lives

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Back in February, we gave you the heads up about Kim Cattrall coming to Hogtown in the fall to star in Noël Coward’s stage play, Private Lives. Now, it’s just been announced that Paul Gross (who some may recognize as the mountie from the now-defunct television series Due South), will be joining the Private Lives cast as Cattrall’s love interest.

The play has already had a successful run in London’s West End, where Cattrall snagged some pretty good reviews as Amanda, a woman who becomes entangled with her charismatic ex-husband (Gross) after bumping into him while on honeymoon with her second husband in France.

The production is part of Mirvish’s 2011-2010 lineup and runs from September 17 through October 30.

Zadie's Shoes is good, middlebrow fun

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12:03 pm

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The honour of being a regular theatre critic can often be overwhelming and even embarrassing: how on earth did I miss Adam Pettle’s highly-praised tragi-comedy Zadie’s Shoes a decade ago at the important Factory Theatre, and shortly after at the Winter Garden Theatre? And how can I catch it (in its new and improved version) before it closes at this coming Sunday’s matinee?

Thankfully I did catch it, and both my wife Merle and I were quite impressed with the play, co-directed by both the author and his brother Jordan Pettle. It is hardly a classic of its kind, but it confronts one of the major issues of modern times: addiction. We usually think of drugs, food or sex when we see that powerful word, but in this case, it is gambling: the search for fast answers, for good luck, for prayer or for the easy money that would seem to solve all our problems but rarely does.

Pettle’s basic plot is about Benjamin, a young man in need of cash to pay for his girlfriend and himself to fly to Mexico for an alternative cancer treatment. (He gambles on horses at the racetrack; she on coffee enemas, but aren’t they both tossing the dice in their own way?) Like his grandfather, or "zadie," who migrated barefoot to Canada from Poland after losing his footwear in a poker game, Benjamin is a gambling man.

What makes Zadie’s Shoes work so well are the playwright’s well-drawn characters: the neurotic protagonist Benjamin (played with edgy tension by Joe Cobden), his possibly-dying lady friend Ruth (a solid Patricia Fagan), the latter’s hippie and sports-obsessed sisters Lily and Beth (Shannon Perreault and Lisa Ryder), and the most outrageously vulgar Bear, a one-time liquor/drugs/racetrack addict played with uproarious gusto by William MacDonald. We quickly grow to care about all these characters and their beautifully interwoven relationships, and the laughs come hot-and-heavy, often thanks to the not-so-divine interventions of the well-named Eli (as in Elijah the prophet, perhaps), an older man whom young Benjamin meets at a synagogue, who, of course, is quite a gambler himself.

Zadie’s Shoes is middlebrow, often more Neil Simon than David Mamet, but the ingenious comic touches of the former and the rat-a-tat filthy but occasionally powerful dialogue of the latter are in frequent display. I like this play a lot, because it sets its goals only moderately high and often hits them, as any good gambler should. Playwright Pettle has been writing primarily for television recently, which is fine; I’ve recently (and reluctantly) realized that some of the best dramatic writing today (Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Mildred Pierce) can be found on the little screen. But I hope he never turns his back entirely on live theatre: sure, it’s a gamble, and an often poorly-paying one at that. But the Pettle brothers show real talent here, and there’s no doubt that audiences are the winners.

Zadie’s Shoes, May 5 – June 5, Factory Theatre

Allan Gould is Post City’s theatre critic

The Dressing Room: gearing up for the great outdoors

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9:23 am

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Summer has arrived, and with the shortened seasonal hours and warm weather comes the conspicuous reluctance of friends to commit to weekend plans. The reason: cottage season. Even for those without a cottage of their own to escape to, the hope of winning an invitation to a weekend luxuriating on a dock in cottage country is enough for them to politely decline your invite to a Saturday afternoon backyard barbecue.

As one of the cottage-less, I may decline your Sunday invitation to play bocce ball in the park, but not because I am holding out for a lake and a set of Muskoka chairs. For me, summer aspirations revolve around the simple pleasure found in a tent, a campfire and my new portable charcoal grill. The perfect accompaniment to all three, as discovered this past Victoria Day weekend at Grundy Lake Provincial Park, is an experienced and resourceful campfire chef (my boyfriend) and a trusty dog (necessary to protect the edible loot from covetous raccoons). What would not, and did not, immediately pop to mind as an imperative when roughing it in the great outdoors, is attire — that is, fashionable attire.

As something of a utilitarian personality, my immediate concerns when it comes to packing for camping are warmth and disposability (if S’mores should accidentally get smeared all over my outfit, I’d like to throw away those clothing items without regret). But, when camping with your boyfriend — assuming you’d still like to maintain some degree of attraction between — the toss-away wilderness Jane look may not be the most ideal way of approaching a camping trip.

This past journey up north being last minute and my first of the year, my wardrobe couldn’t be helped. You can’t exactly be dressed your best if your boyfriend tells you to just use your shirt to wipe your hands after eating a pile of saucy ribs, or when you yourself consider using one of your T-shirts as a oven mitt to grab the baked potato from the campfire. But I wouldn’t deem my choice of outfits a complete lost cause this time around — at least not the days spent wearing Beaver Canoe. A staple in my backpack, this collection of sweats from Roots (begun in 1982 as a partnership between Roots and Camp Tamakwa) is, in my opinion, a must when taking part in anything involving canoes and chopped wood.

Both cozy and durable, my own Beaver Canoe sweats have lasted me since the early nineties when the iconic logo reached the height of cool, ranking just above the old circular Club Monaco logo sweatshirts. Those looking to add or replace a Beaver Canoe top will delight in the nostalgia that the classic kanga hood in park green will inspire, available for both men and women. The well-sized hood is a plus after dark; I utilize mine to shield my noggin from mosquitoes come twilight and pull it on snugly at bedtime to stay warm.

Penchant for wearing sweats while camping aside, a little dirt under the nails does not preclude the right to wear stylish, structured outfits. Campers, as much as cottagers, needn’t opt for activewear when preparing for their weekend getaway, particularly not we Canadians.

For the ladies, New York label Built by Wendy (a personal favourite), available at Robber, boasts a spring/summer collection that will see you through all the activities the Canadian Shield has to offer. Designed by FIT graduate Wendy Mullin, the line is darling in its femininity and cool in its unbuttoned sensibility, a combo that has earned it a long list of celebrity clientele including the high priestesses of hipsterdom themselves: Sofia Coppola, Zooey Deschanel and Kirsten Dunst. Considering Mullin’s resume, it’s no wonder. As the founding designer for Steven Alan’s showroom, former stylist for bands including legendary female punk rockers Sleater-Kinny and freelance designer for Kim Gordon‘s X-Girl collection, as well as Mike D‘s X-Large — Mullin is an old hand at designing fashion for those who care to look fashionable without seeming like they’re trying.

This is an ideal look for a weekend in nature, when trying to look good gives you an air of being high maintenance. For an afternoon hike on the Bruce Trail, try the line’s spruce-coloured, finely knit, palm-stripe tank made with Japanese cotton paired with the dense jersey roll-up shorts in navy. If a romantic picnic for two on the beach is in your plans, import a touch of Mediterranean charm with a custom-printed Marrakesh ruffled summer dress, inspired by Turkish tile designs. Or, for sunset drinks on the dock, embrace the nautical theme and slip into a striped jersey boatneck dress with braided belt. As for a night sleeping out under the stars (for those who aren’t terrified of being drained dry by the mosquitoes and are also warm blooded to boot), the spring/summer collection has one of the cutest nighties kicking around this season with its combination of chambray dots and pink.

That said, adorable as Built By Wendy’s nightie is, this camper will stick with wearing her Beaver Canoe sweatshirt mummy style — some things are sacred.

Toronto-based writer Jennifer Lee is the editorial director of FILLER magazine, an online fashion and culture journal. She is also the co-editor of Hardly magazine, an arts-centric online teen publication for Canadian girls. Her column, The Dressing Room, appears weekly.

T.O. Sales Roundup: pretty in white

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11:58 am

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There’s an archaic tradition that dictates one should only wear white between Memorial Day and Labour Day. The reasoning seems to stem more from an old-fashioned code of etiquette than logic. Fashion trends have been obviously bucking that adage for decades, but with this weekend being Memorial Day for our Yankee cousins, we thought we’d play along with Miss Manners just this once. Here’s this week’s sales roundup.

Kensie

This simple yet feminine sheer ruffle tank top pairs perfectly with shorts or jeans for day or evening. It’s on sale for $41.
Girl Friday, 740 Queen Street West, 416-364-2511

Abercrombie & Fitch

Nothing beats a super cute sundress this summer and this lace trimmed Coby dress, on sale for $87,is the next must-have for your wardrobe.
220 Yonge Street, 416-591-6305

Ron White

Pair your outfit with these Lucie Ice peep toe heels in suede with metallic reptilian thread for that perfect blend of flirty good girl meets edgy bad girl. On sale for $369.
55 Bloor Street West, 416-964-6400

Danier

A crisp, cool lightweight leather jacket like this one complements any outfit this season. It’s a steal at $169, down from $349.
Various locations, check website for your nearest store

Rudsak

A three-in-one clutch like this one from Rudsak is a necessity for the woman-on-the-go who needs to switch from urban chic to elegant in an instant. It’s on sale for $130. (Okay, so the clutch is off-white, but we think even the most conservative of the fashion crowd would agree sometimes there’s too much of a good thing).
315 Queen Street West, 416-595-9661

Simons: the next discount department store to hit T.O.?

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Torontonians have been getting their fix for affordable fashion lately. Earlier this year, U.S. chain Marshalls claimed its stylish stake in our city, and today fellow U.S. retailer Target announced its first 105 locations in Canada, six of which will be located in Toronto. But that’s not all: rumour has it that Montreal’s Simons department store may be heading our way sometime soon.

Simons CEO Peter Simons tells us that the company is “seriously looking into a number of options in Toronto,” but there is “nothing final yet.” Ah, yes. The non-committal semi-confirmation that we’ve often heard from out of town merchandisers who end up in Toronto.

With this new wave of discounted shopping, Torontonians might have a tough time deciding where to spend their hard-earned cash. Target is the second largest retailer in the U.S. after Wal-Mart, and thanks to recent collaborations with high-end designers like Missoni and Jean-Paul Gaultier, its clothing has earned a reputation for high style at low prices.

Simons, on the other hand, has a great mix of Canadian and international designers with a full range of price-points. It carries a mix of chic low-priced clothing (like its signature TWIK line) and big designer names (yep, they also carry Missoni and Gaultier) making it a must-stop destination for fashion-savvy shoppers.

Hopefully, Torontonians won’t have to travel to la belle province for their next Simons shopping spree for much longer.

Japa Dog has its sights on Toronto; the future of street food here looks (slightly) rosier

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Torontonians dissatisfied with the city’s current hot dog cart offerings may soon be in for a treat. Vancouver hit Japa Dog plans to bring its fusion of wieners and Japanese cuisine to Toronto for 2011, The Globe reports. The popular eatery, which opened in Vancouver in 2006, has since expanded to three carts and a fast food-style restaurant.

Owner Noriki Tamura has managed to parlay the popularity of hot dogs into such offerings as the okonomi, which combines a kurobuta (pork) sausage with bonito flakes, fried cabbage, Japanese mayo and okonomiyaki sauce. Other condiments include edamame, seaweed and teriyaki sauce. The most expensive dog clocks in at $10 (for a Kobe beef sausage), so it’s reasonably priced too.

While no set dates have been announced yet, Tamura is also planning on initiating franchises in New York and Los Angeles as well as Toronto. After the failure that was the Toronto a la Cart program, we’d love to see an influx of street vendors like Japa Dog that elevate the clout of the humble wiener.

Until then, Torontonians will just have to sate their street meat cravings with a good, old-fashioned, edamame-free hot dog.

[Globe and Mail]

The Oprah era has come to an end. Here are five Toronto-style ways to show your Oprah appreciation

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2:07 pm

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Oh, Oprah. Daytime television won’t be the same without you. Thank you for your book club, for helping us become better people and for letting us bear witness to a maniacal, couch-jumping Tom Cruise. You’ve been called the most loving woman on the planet by many, inspiring others to return your goodwill many times. To those who are now preparing for many Oprah-less afternoons, here are five Toronto ways to express appreciation for her.

1. Create a Facebook campaign in her honour

Torontonian Tanya Lee created a Facebook group in 2010 to help bring Oprah to our city for a Mother’s Day special. Alas, the plan didn’t work out (we forgive you, O). Another Facebook group was created in 2009 by a group of Canadian university students who planned to walk all the way from the U.S. Consulate in Toronto to Oprah’s show in Chicago in order to bring attention to the suffering of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

2. Break water for her

Toronto’s Lori McCrindle was in the audience of Oprah’s show last year when her water broke thirteen weeks early. Oprah rushed to see McCrindle in the ambulance and even helped her during a contraction. Oprah called it the show’s “first baby,” or rather, "baaaaabyyy!"

3. Premiere her movie

Oprah was the not-to-be-missed star at TIFF back in 2009 when she easily attracted the biggest crowd of the festival. She was in town to promote Precious, a film she executive-produced. The film went on to to win the Cadillac People’s Choice Award, naturally.

4. Get pat down

Retired CBC journalist and U of T senior fellow Brian Stewart didn’t know what he was getting into when he appeared on her show back in 2005. He was astounded with the studio’s high level of security and apparently experienced one of the “most intense electronic screening and pat-downs” in his life. For his part, Stewart said he was naïve about Oprah’s stature, but later called her “sincere” and “empathetic.” So obviously it was worth it.

5. Beat yourself up over her

A Hamilton man (not quite Toronto, but close enough) literally beat himself up over Oprah, cutting his forehead with a rock and scraping his hands on the sidewalk. It was all part of a ruse to convince the police (and his wife) that he was robbed of his tickets to Oprah’s final show, a much easier alternative, apparently, than admitting to his wife that they had gone to Chicago without any tickets at all.