MUSIC: There comes a time in every band's career when they bid farewell to their fanbase and stop playing shows forever. Tonight, that band is Shitt Hottt, who are having their last hurrah at the Horseshoe Tavern. It's not just a goodbye show—they'll also be releasing their new (and final) EP, The Low Five. There will be a free giveaway of Shitt Hottt collectors items including t-shirts, CDs, and handjobs from band members. Did......

BENEFIT: Best Buddies Canada, a non-profit organization that promotes individual friendships between students and intellectually disabled youth, is having their thirteenth annual gala fundraiser this evening. The gala will be hosted by eTalk Daily's Tanya Kim, and will feature a performance by Chantal Kreviazuk and an appearance by special guest of honour Shirley MacLaine. Muzik (15 Saskatchewan Road), 6:30 p.m., $750. MUSIC: Experimental rock band The Walkmen are in town this evening, playing at The......

Once a week, Vandalist features the best street art and graffiti from around Toronto. You should contribute. By SpecterIN AN ALLEY BEHIND THE HORSESHOE TAVERNPHOTO BY SPECTER.......

It wasn't long ago that Torontoist was rapping about Five Blank Pages' CD release; Last Blush, their first full-length, was just unleashed onto the white-belt world last October, but this weekend marks a significant change in the band's line-up. Since growing from Noyan Hilmi's solo project to a full-fledged band, the group has consisted of Hilmi, sister Chelen Hilmi, and wife Pinar Ozyetis. The band added bassist Rajiv Thavanathan later on, and has been......

Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains of 2007––the people, places, and things that we've either fallen head over heels in love with or developed uncontrollable rage towards over the past twelve months. Get your dose, starting Boxing Day and running into the new year, three times a day––sunrise, noon, and sunset. Toronto is a city full of great venues and great people helping to put on great shows. Sure, we're......

In celebration of 60 years and counting for the local, legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Joel Plaskett Emergency will be performing six consecutive shows this week beginning Monday, each day playing in chronological order an album in their discography of full-lengths. After seeing its days as a blacksmith shop, a strip club, and of course the host of some of the most legendary first time Toronto performances including Willie Nelson, The Talking Heads, and Neutral Milk Hotel,......

Toronto’s Five Blank Pages have been making delightful, rough-edged indie rock for the last four years, and with the release of Last Blush this Friday, the band enters an exciting new stage in their sonic development. Their first full-length record since morphing from frontman Noyan Hilmi’s solo project noyz in 2003, Last Blush promises to deliver the same fragile-voiced power of their 2004 EP, Spaces to Occupy and Abandon, a well-received slice of Brampton-bred......

There are a few good reasons to check out C’mon’s CD Release Party this Friday, September 21, at the Horseshoe Tavern. The most important, however, is to watch bassist Katie Lynn Campbell do that insane thing where it appears like her body is about to snap in half she’s leaning so effing far back. That is how rock ‘n’ roll C’mon are; severed spines be damned! Among the other reasons to be kickin’ it at......

Even though Brooklyn has been part of New York since 1898, the calibre of talent that comes out of there these days almost makes it seem like a separate city again (and if it were, it would be the same size as Toronto!). Tonight, Brooklyn-based Project Jenny, Project Jan are performing at our very own Horseshoe Tavern for the Toronto stop of their tour, which has already taken them to Philly, Boston and Montreal. Joining......

When deciding who to see at this year's Over The Top Festival, we luckily opted to check out Halifax's Rich Aucoin. Between his musical pedigree (he's the brother of the Hylozoist's Paul Aucoin) and the fact that his EP was synched up to How The Grinch Stole Christmas, we knew he would at least be interesting. His set turned out to be far better than just interesting, so it seemed natural to give his Personal......

One of the things that makes The National's music so brilliant—and what might make the band's latest album, Boxer, the best release of 2007—is its ambiguity. Boxer may or may not be about war (the song "Start A War" is one hint, lines like "Invite me to the war every night of the summer / and we’ll play G.I. blood, G.I. blood" in "Gospel" are another), national pride ("Fake Empire"), media control ("Apartment Story,"......

Have you always been the type of person to kick ass and take names? Here's your chance to do just that with Toronto's own Pillow Fight League, who are holding open tryouts this weekend. What does it take to be a professional pillow fighter? For one, you have to be a female between the ages of 19 and 35. Second, you have to posess style, stamina, and eye of the tiger. You also have......

Swedish garage rock band Mando Diao seem to be quite fond of making up words. First, their band name came to singer Bjorn Dixgard in a dream, then they named their recent release Ode to Ochrasy, which is a made-up term meaning, well, we're not sure exactly, since we've read so many variations on the story. What's not made up, however, is the fact that the band is in town tomorrow night at The Horseshoe,......

There are quite a few bands in town tomorrow evening and we happen to have tickets to two of the shows, courtesy of Against The Grain. First up is St. Louis, Missouri's Son Volt. Jay Farrar and mates will be at the Mod Club for an early show, in support of their latest release, The Search, along with Jason Isbell, who recently decided to leave Drive-By Truckers. We have two pairs of tickets to throw......

One of the greatest collaborations in Canadian musical history is coming to an end tomorrow night at Massey Hall. The Rheostatics are bidding farewell to bassist Tim Vesely, who is leaving the band to spend more time with his young family and dedicate more energy to his side project, The Violet Archers. The break-up is amicable. Well, as amicable as these things can be. Custody of the Tarleks has yet to be determined. Current......

After personally emailing us to confirm that they won't be detained and given a "special Canadian inspection" at the border, San Francisco's Birdmonster are happy to finally be allowed in our fair land, and will be headlining a show at The Horseshoe this Wednesday, March 28, in support of their latest album No Midnight. In an ironic twist, Mason Proper was set to be one of the opening acts, but will no longer be on......

Toronto-based band We're Marching On (or WAMO if you prefer) are back from hiatus as guitar player Tim has returned from China. The band is celebrating by kicking off a short Ontario tour and promoting their EP Argh! Umph! Ahhh! at the Horseshoe tomorrow night. Despite a questionable title choice for the EP, Argh! Umph! Ahhh! is a consistently solid collection of folk influenced, upbeat pop songs. Dance beats accompany high-pitched but soulful vocals......

Torontoist caught-up with Dave Azzolini and Jess Grassia of The Golden Dogs recently. Having finished a radio interview, they were rushing to pick up the rest of the band and proceed to The Docks for 2007 Indie Awards. Torontoist interviewed them in their van as all this happened—because such is Canadian Music Week. (And apparently we enjoy bands and their vans.) The Golden Dogs play Horseshoe Tavern tonight at 12 p.m. Tickets are $8 at......

It seems to be the week of Alexisonfire, who are playing just about every venue in the city over the next 7 days, starting on Thursday. We predict a few bruised ribs and black eyes just in time for Christmas...so kids, if you're going to the show(s), be a little gentler to each other knowing that your parents will be pissed if you're posing for the holiday photos with a shiner. This public service......

Hoooo boy! Looks like somebody fed us way too much turkey this weekend. We've just come out of our tryptophan-induced comas and realized we lost an entire day. Not only do we have to deal with our tardiness, but also figure out what to do with that permanent dent in the couch. If you can manage to roll out of the house after stuffing your face all weekend, you can burn off some of......

This fall is shaping up to be a busy one, as everyone and their dog seems to be touring right now. If you haven't spent all of your OSAP money yet, might want to stash away a few pennies for some concert tix. However, if you've already blown your student loan on cheap beer and (even cheaper) Ikea furniture, take comfort in the fact that you can visit your local public library to catch......

It's a busy music week, this one. There's everything from samba to classical music, so all of you anti-hipsters should be pleased. Most importantly, Torontoist's 'Back to School' Party is this Thursday, and we better see y'all there -- especially you anonymous commenters. You know who you are. As always, if there's a show happening that we haven't listed, let us know in the comments. Recently Announced Oct. 4 - The Long Winters @......

Everyone recovered from V-Fest yet? No? What's wrong with you? Better take your vitamins and Red Bull then, because there's a lot going on this week. Notably, Ms. Emily Haines will be playing four (that's right, 4!) shows in a span of three days (incl. V-Fest), so if you think you're tired... If this isn't enough music for one week and you know of other shows, as always, we want to hear about it......

Tonight, the Horseshoe Tavern plays host to the Pitchfork/Secretly Canadian Indie Rock Triple-Header. This is a chance to see three awesome bands you've probably never heard of... but who everyone will be talking about in a few months. If you want to get ahead of the curve, read on. San Francisco's Birdmonster headline the night. Their sound is giant. Their guitarist famously declared: "Our main goal is to rock so hard one of us faints."......

Looking to check out some live music this week? Here's your listing of what's happening around the city between July 31 and August 6. In addition, we are now including recently announced shows, so you have no excuse about missing out on ticket opportunities. If you know of any good shows this week that we missed below, let us know in the comments. Feel free to also let us know about upcoming shows that......

There are a number of shows rolling through Toronto this week. If you're jonesing for some live music, here are a few shows that still have tickets available: July 25 Ozzfest (System of a Down, Disturbed, etc.) @ Molson Amphitheatre, $39.50-75.00 - No Ozzy. Wha?! July 26 ** The Futureheads w/ Tapes 'n Tapes @ The Phoenix, $15 Mission of Burma w/ Republic of Safety @ Horseshoe Tavern, $18.50 July 26-30 Beaches Jazz Festival......

White Cowbell Oklahoma put on a pretty entertaining and rowdy show during NXNE last Friday night at the Horseshoe Tavern. Definitely one of the highlights of the weekend. They're at it again tonight at Lee's Place (11p.m., $13), and it's a show you won't want to miss if you're into chainsaws, nekkid chicks and other such debauchery. Aaah, entertainment at it's finest. If you want to know what they did with the chainsaw, view......

Canadians know that we have to pack in all our activities before the weather gets too cold for us to leave our houses, which is why this weekend is just jam-packed with stuff to do. -Local indie folkie rockers I.An.Eye launch their new album Saturday night at the Horseshoe Tavern. Doors at 9pm, cover $6. -Everyone's favourite fire hazardous country style activity comes to Dundas Square today and tomorrow: a good ol' fashioned corn......