Urban Planner is Torontoist’s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to events@torontoist.com.
The Great Bloomers will be performing as part of the “What’s in the Box” music festival at the Drake Hotel tonight. Photo by Mandrs from the Torontoist Flickr pool.
MUSIC: Continuing with night three of their “What’s In The Box” five-night festival (which we old you about in our Holiday Planner), the Drake will play host to Swedish band Air France for a DJ set, with other Elvis Monday performances from the D’Ubervilles, Great Bloomers, and Spookey Ruben (with the promise of a special guest to cap the night off). Also on tonight, classical pianist Todor Kobakov (who worked with Emily Haines and TV on The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe on his most recent EP) will be playing the grand piano in the Drake Lounge, a performance that will include the premiere of the video Toronto Stories, by director Jaron Albertin. The Drake Hotel, Lounge and Underground (1150 Queen Street West), 8 p.m., $5 each.
PARTY: Toronto’s MacKenzie House is celebrating the New Year a little early this year with Hogmanay, a traditional Scottish-style New Years celebration. Indulge in traditional music by Gin Lane and food (just don’t ask how the haggis is made) under the gas-lit atmosphere of the MacKenzie House museum. Mackenzie House (82 Bond Street), 7–9 p.m., $20 (pre-registration required).
COMEDY: When things slow down over the holidays, it’s nice to be able to turn to some staple entertainment, like the Vanguard Comedy Theatre‘s Monday night “mayhem” at Supermarket. There are two separate events: the Thunderdome is competitive improv with some of Toronto’s most talented improv comedians (the winners get chosen by the audience), followed by The Vortex, which consists of improvised thirty-minute sets based around a single word suggested by an audience member. Supermarket (268 Augusta Avenue); Thunderdome at 7 p.m., The Vortex at 9 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.); $5.
FILM: Werner Herzog’s unconventional “remake,” Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, comes highly recommended by Torontoist (and the Toronto Film Critics Association). Nicolas Cage’s performance is something to behold, and tonight is your chance to do just that: it’s playing at the Royal as part of its run in the repertory cinemas, which means you’ll only have a few more chances to see Cage’s corrupt cop smoke crack with Xzibit on a big screen. And, just for fun, here’s Cage shooting a little girl in the chest. The Royal Theatre (608 College Street), 9:15 p.m., $10.
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