The Retro Futura tour brought me back to 1984. It was the year of the synthesizer, led in part by British synthpop wiz Howard Jones, whose debut album Human's Lib was burning up the airwaves with hummable tunes like "New Song" and "What Is Love."

Retro Futura brought together HoJo, along with Thompson Twins' Tom Bailey, Ultravox's Midge Ure, China Crisis and Katrina Leskanich of Katrina & the Waves for a 16-date North American tour with the sole Canadian stop at the Kool Haus Tuesday night.

Jones, Bailey and Ure all performed at the huge Live Aid shows in 1985, so it was a nostalgic experience to see them all performing on the same stage in one night.

First up was Katrina, who's biggest hit, "Walking on Sunshine" you may remember. It was her first time touring in North America since the '80s, but you couldn't tell from her lively performance.

It caught me by surprise that there was no intermission, along with the requisite stage teardown and setup. China Crisis hit the stage immediately after Katrina, backed by what appeared to be the same core musicians.

China Crisis last toured recently, playing Hugh's Room last year. Singer Gary Daly looked rather odd wearing what appeared to be a caftan with a suit jacket overtop. He looked like he was having a lot of fun on stage, though his vocals were buried by the heavy bass and drums most of the set. I was disappointed they didn't play their hit "Working With Fire and Steel."

When Midge Ure took to the mic, I was awestruck by the power and purity of his voice (and his dapper suit and tie).

When I saw HoJo play Kingswood Theatre at Canada's Wonderland back in '89, I remember asking who the opening band was and was told "Mid Urge" (sic). Funny name for some of us to pronounce, but what a totally awesome voice.

Midge Ure has written some stellar tunes over the years and performed a handful of them back-to-back-to-back, including "Dear God," "Dancing With Tears in My Eyes" and "Vienna."

Perhaps the most spectacular was a song introduced as "a song I didn't record but wrote and produced," the gorgeous, futuristic sounding "Fade To Grey," which he crafted for Visage back in 1980; 25 years later, the song inspired the top-20 hit in Canada, "One Word", by Kelly Osborne.

There was finally a an intermission between the next acts, which gave us a chance to check out the merch table, where the first three acts were eager to do a meet-and-greet and sign autographs for the grownup fanboys and girls.

HoJo emerged from a sea of smoke and lights, his bright orange suit and matching keytar strapped on. What followed was, not too unlike his last Toronto gig, a giant singalong. It was a greatest hits set, led by "Like to Get to Know You Well,"What Is Love," and "Things Can Only Get Better," the latter getting a reconstructed reprise.

It was nice to hear "The Prisoner." I can hardly believe that song is 25 years old now. His set wrapped up with "New Song," which he started singing, altering the lyrics to sing about having lived in Canada when he was younger and that he can sing the national anthem as good as anyone, which got a lot of cheers from the by-this-point jubilant crowd.

As much as I would've loved to hear more of HoJo's hits, it was refreshing to see one of the Thompson Twins take the stage. Tom Bailey hasn't performed on stage in over 25 years and it was a treat to hear him sing some of the best pop songs from the '80s, including "Lies" "Hold Me Now" and "If You Were Here," from the film soundtrack of "Sixteen Candles".

Bailey's band kept a low profile throughout the almost hour-long set while he moved about freely, unconstrained to a mic stand. He deftly handled multiple instruments, including synth, Fender electric, drums and tambourine.

A giant film screen at the back of the stage projected colourful images throughout his set (and HoJo's). This was most evident during "Love On Your Side," where the keyboard and heavy bass lines reminded me of the recent Kraftwerk concert.

By midnight it had become a four-hour long fun retro show. I wonder if today's youth will be equally as nostalgic for a pop reunion 30 years from now.

Photos by Roger Cullman Photography.

We're blessed with an embarrassment of riches these days when it comes to documentaries. It seems like we're genuinely in the midst of a Golden Age of the Doc, with no end of captivating, informative, emotional, life-changing films about reality coming out every year.

The offerings at this year's Toronto International Film Festival in particular represent some of the best documentarians currently working, and show that this renaissance is far from over. Here then are the most promising docs appearing at this year's festival.

Tales of the Grim Sleeper
Nick Broomfield's documentaries have covered a vast range of people ranging from Kurt Cobain to Sarah Palin. This time he trains his eyes on a serial killer who haunted the streets of South Central L.A. for over twenty-five years, and in turn shines an equal light on gender, race and class inequality.

Red Army
As you patiently wait for hockey season to start-up again, Red Army should prove excellent viewing to tide you over. Sure, the "Red" in this case doesn't represent the Canadian flag so much as Russia, but this history of USSR hockey--on and off the ice--throughout the 1980s is no less compelling a subject.

The Years of Fierro
It's a fate impossible to imagine: being sentenced to death for a crime you didn't commit. The Years of Fierro looks at the case of César Fierro, a man who has been in a US prison awaiting death by lethal injection for over thirty years. The documentary takes a look at the toll that kind of imprisonment can have not just on the person inside the prison, but the family outside it too.

The Look of Silence
Following up his phenomenal documentary The Act of Killing, director Joshua Oppenheimer once again returns to Indonesia's violent past. This time he follows Adi, a man whose brother died in the mass murders of the 1960s, and upon discovering how his brother died, begins to confront the killers--all of whom are now men in positions of power.

Seymour: An Introduction
Actor Ethan Hawke stepped behind the camera for this look at an eighty-five-year-old classical piano teacher reflecting upon his life, music, piano, and the purpose of art. The TIFF programme describes this documentary as recalling My Dinner with André, which is mighty praise indeed.

Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait
A unique collaboration propels this documentary about Syria in the here and now. Director Ossama Mohammed received a probing question via Facebook from a Kurdish activist named Simav: "If your camera were here...what would you be filming?" The result is this long-distance collaborative film that promises to be as haunting as it will be eye opening.

I Am Here
Director Fan Lixin (Last Train Home) tackles an entirely different subject this time for his latest documentary: those who audition for China's American Idol-style singing competition, Super Boy. The film should prove to be particularly interesting not just because of its look behind the showbiz curtain, but--more intriguingly--its examination of the Chinese millennial generation.

National Gallery
Frederick Wiseman's last documentary At Berkley, the four-hour look at The University of California at Berkley, was a critical sensation in 2013. This time Wiseman directs his comprehensive focus on the ins and outs of almost every nook and cranny at The National Gallery in London.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
A perfect compliment to Isao Takahata's The Tale of The Princess Kaguya playing at this year's festival, this documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at legendary director Hayao Miyazaki and renowned Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. It should prove particularly insightful for those who saw Miyazaki's The Wind Rises at last year's TIFF, and Princess Kaguya at this one, as it shows the making of both films here.

Merchants of Doubt
With his new documentary, Robert Kenner, the director behind Food, Inc., looks at what is known as "the doubt industry"--professionals who are paid to cast skepticism on things like the risks of chemicals, cigarettes, and now climate change.

Thanks to the Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington, for sponsoring our coverage of TIFF 2014.

Dance parties and barbecues aren't exactlyrare in Toronto, but here's one that's shaping up to be massive - and the food is free. You don't even have to risk mystery corn dogs this time.

San Francisco deep tech house label Dirtybird are bringing their BBQ skills to Toronto as part of their first ever food-and-bass summer tour. The September 6th Fool's Gold party may have been moved to Muzik Poolbar (yeah, weird), but luckily you can party at Sherbourne Common on September 7th instead. With free food.

Next weekend dance fans and gloomy back-to-schoolers can munch and move (was that dirty?) their cares away to Dirtybird's Claude Von Stroke, plus Justin Martin, J. Phlip, Christian Martin, and more at the east end waterfront spot for $25 all inclusive, San Francisco style (okay, when I lived in SF all I did was hang around in parks eating snacks free of charge - but I also paid $450 per month to live in someone's dining room).

This party looks to be a little more than a little barbeque or DJ tour, anyway. Hundreds are expected to attend, and Dirtybird, which started out with "friends, a BBQ and a sound system in a park" then gave birth first to a label and now to their first international tour, are bringing their longtime personal chef from San Fransisco up to cook the grub. The catch? This is Toronto - the free food will run out fast. The dirty bird gets the worm, and all that.

Dirtybird BBQ is Sept 7 at Sherbourne Common. Find tickets here.

Photo by Diamond +Schmitt Architects

Rob Ford, the world's most notorious mayor, remains a stubborn presence in the Toronto election, according to the latest poll results. While Forum Research's claim that "Ford Is Back" might be a little much -- the incumbent has climbed exactly one percentage point since the last poll -- he nevertheless continues to be competitive coming into the final months of the campaign.

The latest numbers are as follows: John Tory leads with 36 per cent, Ford clocks in at 31 per cent, and Olivia Chow trails with 26 per cent of the prospective vote. The withdrawal of Karen Stintz doesn't appear to have radically altered these numbers, with no more than a two per cent change for any candidate compared to the last poll.

Still, there might be trends worthy of note. Ford isn't on the rise so much as stubbornly hanging around, while Olivia Chow appears to be struggling in you trust Forum. Tory is still comfortably in the lead, but his approval rating has slipped from 67 per cent to 63 per cent. Does any of this matter. Probably not. But, make no mistake, Rob Ford is a contender.

New documents obtained by the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail via a freedom of information request reveal that Rob Ford's tenure as the football coach for the Don Bosco Eagles was at least as troubled as his time in the big chair at city hall. In fact, it'd be difficult to imagine a high school coaching scenario more dramatic than Ford's time with the Eagles. Of the various highlights from the documents obtained, a report entitled "Critical incidents involving Mayor Ford" alleges these startling events:

• He showed up drunk for practice.
• He made his players roll around in goose shit.
• He threatened a teacher.
• He organized an unauthorized trip to Peterborough.
• He bribed caretakers to keep the school open later.

Despite all this, it wasn't until a television interview with Sun News back in spring 2013 that the school board decided to can the mayor. "A lot of these kids come from gangs, they come from broken homes, the stories you would hear would bring a tear to your eye," Ford is said in that notorious segment. The mayor was ultimately fired on May 22nd.

Road closures in Toronto for the long weekend of August 30, 31, and September 1 rounds up the key transportation shut-downs affecting the city, including street and TTC closures.

KEY ROAD CLOSURES IN TORONTO

Front: John--Simcoe, Bremner: Simcoe--Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Simcoe: Bremner--InterContinental Hotel driveway. The annual Toronto Fan Expo requires the closure of the south curb lane on Front and the north curb lane of Bremner Thursday, August 28 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, August 29 and Saturday, August 30 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, August 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Simcoe will be closed in the affected area on Saturday, August 30 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, August 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bloor: Spadina--Parliament, Yonge: Bloor--Queen. The second Open Streets festival will see Bloor and Spadina closed to through traffic on Sunday, August 31 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vehicles will be able to cross Bloor and Yonge on major routes during the event.

Queen: University--Dufferin, Dufferin: Queen--CNE gates. Monday's Labour Day parade will take place between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, September 1. Expect additional road closures in the area between 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. for crowd assembly and dispersal.

TTC CLOSURES

510 Spadina: Dundas. The continuing construction work at Spadina and Dundas means the 510 Spadina route will be serviced by shuttle buses until Saturday, August 30. The next day, two streetcars will enter service and the route will return to normal.

504 King, 505 Dundas: Broadview. The 504 King and 505 Dundas streetcars remain unable to reach Broadview subway station due to construction on Broadview at Danforth. The 504 is turning south at Dundas and Broadview and returning to King via Queen and Parliament. The 505 is diverting via Parliament, Gerrard and Broadview. Both routes are being completed by shuttle bus. The 504 King and 505 Dundas are expected to return to normal routing Sunday, August 31.

ONGOING CLOSURES

Over and above the special closures this weekend, construction projects across Toronto result in numerous other road restrictions across the city. For a comprehensive list of such closures, you can consult the official map maintained by the City of Toronto (also available as a PDF.)

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

An angel descended at Massey Hall last night and blessed Toronto's most gentle kitsch-country fans with a light show that will endlessly dance as beams of pure love in the deepest reflective surfaces of our retinas, until we too pass on to the next life and become miniature rhinestone angels, serving the good word. The news of camp, mirror ball suits, and our most beloved Chris Isaak.

The scene in the rows at Massey Hall was neither country nor rock-and-roll last night. In fact, I realized I'd found something very rare here: the people that still buy CDs.

Ha ha? Shortly after I made this off-the-cuff observation the devotees seated behind me expressed desire to buy a CD post-show. Wrapped in lightweight cotton, they enthused that Isaak was fantastic last year; we are the gentle ones, the hidden freaks, the secret lovers of camp. We float in a beige army of wonder and true love. I snuggled into my reclining seat.

As Isaak did as well, later on - coming out into the crowd with a wireless mic (Isaak's band have wireless, sparkly guitars - the future is here) to sit with, dance with, croon to, and caress (I am jealous and I am glad for thee) believers while the stoic gentleman in the seat next to me was content to tap his knee in time to the music, ceasing only to clap between songs, for two hours. We embody our devotion in different ways.

My own palms found my chin as my eyes grew to their widest potential, for it is through our eyes that adoration must pass.

In a brave and holiest of bad ass moves, Isaak chose to play breakthrough hit and only reason some of us are above ground (never mind reading this), 1991's "Wicked Game," mid-set rather than later on in the night. Fog machines pumped translucent velvet: Isaak was full drama; full gothic master. The auditorium was exorcised and a single tear dropped from Massey Hall itself, nestling on Isaak's shoulder like a dog at the foot of one's bed.

I've never wanted so badly to be someone as I want to be Chris Isaak. To rest each night knowing I had recorded the most important and realest song of all time. Any tension in the air vanished and we breathed the alms of Isaak's lungs with new vigor while the set pushed onward into its second hour.

Chris Isaak, if you're wondering, is 58 years old; spending 58 years on Earth is a clear sign that an extra terrestrial being of eternal light truly has compassion for our human vulnerability.

Singing the praises of Massey Hall through countless guitar changes, Isaak told us he'd like to stay all night, which was sweet, though we all know at midnight an angel becomes a dove. Playing a wide range of songs from Forever Blue, from "Somebody's Crying" to, of course, "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing," the setlist also nodded to less divine (but still perfect) albums, and artists whom we hold dear, though we know will never match Isaak's grace, such as Jerry Lee Lewis.

Oh, and Isaak made us laugh. There is stage banter, and then there is a man who is funny - who can joke for several minutes straight on stage at a kitsch country rock show in Canada and feel only love emanating from the beige and doe-eyed crowd. "Let your freak flag fly," Isaak said, and each of us opened our palms to find a single sequin winking at us.

The fog, the piano shooting fake fire, the two-drummer band, the sequins and the costume changes: all these things impressed us, to some degree, and yet nothing truly mattered but Isaak's supreme presence.

A blue spirit bathed in a body halo sewn from the sequins of the heavens, his voice rose up true to those timeless recordings and beyond, puncturing the walls of our hearts and the muscle memories we flex when listening to track 5 over, and over, and over.

Everything was superfluous. Everything but love. The man from the seat next to me taps on resolutely at his desk today, bathed in the light of his brush with the great beyond.

BONUS

Check out these drawings on Chris Isaak's website. What is going on with them??

Photos by Irina No

Truck rental options in Toronto offer hot wheels and hot deals for the big moving day. If you are like me, you beg a friend with a mini-van, or rent a cargo. These, and many other rental companies offer cargo vans, which are good for a move, but what about grandma's antique wardrobe, and the king-size box spring you though was a steal at Leon's, but now is proving a real pain to squeeze in?

An open-back pickup may be the answer. If it calls for rain, you might want to book a 16' truck and really cover your bases. Moving can be really stressful, so let this list help take some of the pressure off.

Here's my list, in no particular order, of the top truck rental options in Toronto.

U-Haul
There is a reason U-Haul is synonymous with moving, they've got the biggest fleet of trucks in various sizes from a pick-up truck to a 26' straight trucks, and the best prices too. Pick-ups start at $19.95, plus $0.49/kilometer, while a 24' straight truck 9 big enough to move a 3-4 bedroom home) is $39.95 a day, plus $0.69/kilometer.

Budget
Budget has lots of truck deals. The base rate for a 16' cube truck is $49.99 and you get 100 free kilometers, which maks it perfect for inter city moving, you have the comfort of a flat rate, no surprises. After 100 kilometers though, the price spikes to $16 per kilometer, so calculate the mileage ahead of the move to make sure you're under 100k.

Enterprise
Enterprise has always been the go-to car rental place for film production and now I know why- the base rate may be higher than other places, but they offer unlimited or low prices kilometers. For trucks it is the same, a pick-up is $65.99 a day, unlimited, while a 16' cube truck is $99 a day, 100 free kilometers, then only $0.20 every additional kilometer.

Discount
Discount is about on par with Enterprise, $99.99 a day for a 16' Cube truck, with 100 free kilometers, and $0.22 for every additional. A collision damage waiver is required for that size vehicle (I mean come one, do you really know how to park that thing?) with adds another $25.99 onto your bill. They also don't have much in the way of pick-ups, for those afraid to handle the big rig.

Bristol
Bristol may not be the first truck rental company that comes to mind when you're about to rent but maybe you should change that. They've got great rates. A heavy-duty pick-up truck is $89.99 a day with a 100 free kilometers, and additional kilometers are just $0.15 each. Best part a 16' foot truck starts at the same price, just $89.99, but you get 50 free kilometers instead of 100, and extra distance costs $0.20 a kilometer. Oh, and the downtown locations don't have trucks so you'll have to hit the outer boroughs.

Penske
Penske may be more expensive, but they have a big fleet of trucks, which means they might still have some available on those big move weekends when you've run out of other options. A 16' cube truck starts at $107.99, and every kilometer is $0.39. They also have earlier pick-up and drop-off times, which makes it convenient for those who want to move before the morning traffic.

Ryder
Ryder has a great fleet of trucks, from parcel to city vans and pickups. A 16' truck runs you $119 per day, with each kilometer $0.29. The nice thing is they also offer weekly rates ($595.00 for a 16') if you happen to doing a couple of trips, distance moves or splits or something. A pick-up costs $59 a day, with $0.23 per km for mileage. Not bad!

Decent car and Truck Rentals
Decent Car and Truck Rentals have some sweet deals, especially for those quick inter-city movers. They break down pricing by distance AND time, giving you plenty of options. You can get a 16' truck for $24.99, plus $0.70 per kilometer for up to 6 hours, while the day rate is $59.99 and includes 100 km and $0.25 for additional kilometers, or $99.99 a day for 200 kilometers and $0.20 for each additional km. Plan your trip and find out the most suitable, and cheapest rate for your needs. They also have pick-ups with the same sliding scale.

Advance Car Rentals
Advance Car Rentals may only have locations at the Toronto Airport, in Mississauga or Brampton, and may also only have pick-up trucks, but the price is right, and for some, a great fit for their needs. Their pick-ups run $69.99 a day, with 200 kilometers free mileage, and additional kilometers are only $0.19 each. In a pinch, Advance will do.

Zip Car
Last but not least, there is Zip car, the alternative to traditional rental companies. You must join Zip Car first and all start with $30 application fee and then choose the plan rates that work for your intended usage. Zip works for people who are planning on driving in the city some time in the near future. They have some pick-up trucks to borrow with day rates around $79 or between $9.25-8.33 an hour, so if you know how long it's going to take it can be dead cheap, plus you can borrow a car again for Ikea trips once you've set up.

Add your truck rental suggestions to the comments.

Restaurants near the Rogers Centre will keep all your bases covered as you head to your next Jays or Argos game (or, er, Disney on Ice outing). If the idea of eating ballpark grub holds no appeal, this list will satisfy your appetite, whether you're looking for something cheap, splurge-worthy, or just really close by.

Here are my top picks for where to eat and drink near the Rogers Centre.

BEST FOR PRE-GAME DRINKS

Amsterdam Brewhouse
The waterfront brew pub is a prime spot for kicking back with a beer before a game. Here you'll find the whole lineup of house brews on tap, plus a menu of preztels, pizzas and wings.

Bar Hop
Beer aficionados looking to dull their tastebuds before switching to the national brands served inside the stadium should head here. The bar stocks 36 craft brews on tap, 2 rotating casks and 100-plus bottles, plus a menu of upmarket pub grub and bar snacks.

The Loose Moose
Boasting an impressive draught selection with 57 different beers on tap, this is another good spot to stop in for a cold one before the first inning. The menu lists snacky foods like nachos, garlic fries and mini bacon donuts, plus more substantial fare like burgers, seared tuna tacos and bacon bison meatloaf.

• Hunters Landing
• Fionn MacCool's

BEST FOR GREAT FOOD

Luckee
Susur Lee's restaurant at the base of the Soho Metropolitan hotel is poised perfectly to rake-in some pre-game activity, even if dim sum isn't your tailgating go-to. If proximity isn't incentive enough, consider their summer promo, which gives same-day game ticket-holders a BOGO bar snack with any cocktail purchase.

Pai
A Northern Thai alternative for bar snacks and hearty suppers, this restaurant makes this list over another, slightly closer, Thai restaurant for the both the pad thai and their reservations policy (meaning you enjoy a pre-game meal without risking delays).

• Yuzu No Hana
• Le Neuf Cafe
• 259 Host

BEST FOR QUICK SERVICE

O&B Canteen
With tons of experience serving pre-theatre crowds, and a quick-service grab and go counter for the really impatient, this Oliver & Bonacini establishment is a good bet when timing is tight. On home game days from 11am throughout baseball season, enjoy two corn dogs with ballpark mustard and a side of fries for $12, and wash it down with a pint of Mill St. Tankhouse for an additional $5.

Smoke's Poutinerie
Skip the concession stands inside and prime yourself with one of Smoke's deluxe poutines. Generally ready in just minutes, these hearty masses of fries, cheese and gravy can be gobbled up with a single fork while walking back to the stadium.

• Ravi Soups

BEST FOR CHEAP EATS

Belly Buster Submarine
Not game for a ballpark dog? You'll find this sub shop on King West serving up another kind of foot-long for under $10. Order hot or cold subs with added bacon (recommmended) and get a lot of bang for your buck.

Corned Beef House
Famous for their colossal sandwiches, this deli pre-dates the Skydome and has been serving Jays fans since ever since the stadium's inception. Expect to find a menu featuring hunger-crushing smoked meat, corned beef and reuben sandwiches starting at about $8.

• Burger Brats
• Burrito Boyz

CLOSEST PROXIMITY

Steam Whistle
The brewery, located just a stone's throw from the stadium gates, plays host to a rotating roster of food trucks on game days. Queue up curbside for some street eats and then step inside for a pre-game pint.

Anoush Shawarma
This Middle Eastern eatery meets the criteria for cheap and quick too, but being less than 100 metres from the gates might be its best asset. Generously-packed pita wraps, falafel and shawarma dinners will make sure you're fully fueled to cheer on the home team.

• Mi Ne Sushi
• Wayne Gretzky's

Did I miss your favourite place to eat near the Rogers Centre? Share your favourite spots to dig in near the dugout in the comments below.

Photo of the pizza at O&B Canteen

Cube Nightclub has already seen some of the biggest name DJs in the world rocking their sound system since opening in the winter of 2012, but for many Torontonians the space will forever be associated with the booming reggae bass lines and spicy tropical food that the Bamboo provided on Queen West for almost twenty years.

In the 1970s the building had been used as a laundromat, and later a Wicker World shop. That latter use was what inspired the name that owners Richard O'Brien and Patti Habib chose for the club when they teamed up to launch it.

Both had worked for the CBC, and they had run the MBC boozecan together in a loft at Atlantic and Liberty for two years, attaining legendary status for many who attended. Unlike the maze of condo towers that Liberty Village is now, in that era it was relatively desolate, and you could get away with booking bands to play all night parties in the middle of the week. Similar to what would become the Bamboo, they booked a mixture of new wave, reggae, and soul acts to perform, and were also involved with the theatre scene.

Turning the raw industrial space into a venue and restaurant took one and a half years and some extremely high interest loans. They still didn't have a liquor license or even full plumbing when they hosted their first event in July 1983: the Parachute Club's record release party for their debut album Current/RCA. Their official opening on August 26 featured funk group Prince Charles and the City Beat Band, which helped establish that it was not going to be the kind of rock club that were starting to become common along that strip of Queen West.

Since the beginning, the music bookings were heavily influenced by the world music scene, and so was the food, which married West Indian and Thai influences long before either were common downtown. The well-loved menu changed very little over the years, and eventually even spawned a cookbook.

The look of the place changed little over the years either, and gave the feel of a tropical island bar, with lots of bright colours, and of course, bamboo. In 1984, they expanded by opening their rooftop bar Treetop. That patio and its view of the city continues to be one of the best loved aspects of the club, through all its incarnations.

As a concert venue it played a central role in Toronto's 1980s world music community, although you could also find new wave bands on the calendar alongside reggae, soul, funk, jazz, Latin, hip-hop and African music from across the continent. In the 90s acid jazz and soulful house became part of the mix as well.

With a capacity of 500, the Bamboo was bigger than most of the other venues on the emerging Queen West scene of the 80s, and attracted a fair amount of high profile international talent, including Hugh Masekela, Fishbone, Cecil Taylor, The Art Ensemble of Chicago, David Byrne, King Sunny Adé and George Clinton.

It was also notable for the role it played in the local scene, regularly hosting acts like the Sattalites, Molly Johnson, the Shuffle Demons, and the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. Where most live music venues downtown were concentrating on rock, the Bamboo provided a space for everything else, and helped introduce a generation of rock fans to the other rhythms of the world's many cultures.

It closed on October 31, 2002, two years after O'Brien was paralyzed as a result of a stroke and had to take a step back from running the business to recover. Rather than renew the lease, the landlord put the space on the market. O'Brien tried to move the action down to the waterfront with the ill-fated but ambitious Bambu By The Lake, and passed away on October 14, 2007.

The real estate agent who had previously helped Charles Khabouth turn RPM and the Warehouse into the Guvernment and Kool Haus alerted him that the building was for lease, and Khabouth jumped at the opportunity, having always been attracted to how the entrance to the club was set so far back from the street. He brought in general manager Brenda Lowes, who'd also worked at the Bamboo the first two years it was open, and opened Ultra Supper Club in 2003.

Inspired by supper clubs in NYC and Montreal, Ultra was one of the first Toronto venues to push that concept, as well as being an early adopter of the bottle service model. Much more sleek and upscale than the BamBoo, the idea was still to put more emphasis on food than a normal nightclub. However, instead of live performers, the bookings were focussed on DJs for the nine years it operated, and the tables and chairs would be removed around 11 pm to make room for dancing.

While they did book the occasional big name performer, Ultra was more famous for the celebrities that regularly hung out there, and for lavish film festival parties. A-listers like Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Kevin Costner, Lady Gaga, and David Beckham have all passed through the front doors.

In 2012 Khabouth decided the concept had run its course, so he rebranded and renovated the space to become Cube Nightclub. While some design elements remain from its days as Ultra, Cube has mostly dropped the restaurant aspect, and is primarily a nightclub. It still hosts glamorous film festival parties packed with celebs, but there are more high profile DJs being booked to play, including big room superstars like Dubfire, Hardwell, and Victor Calderone.

Follow Ben on Twitter at @benjaminboles

Photos from Cube Nightclub, Patrick Cummins, Toronto Murality, David Kessler

The Ossington Townhomes is a luxury development on Ossington just north of Dupont. While located significantly north of the section of the street known as the epicentre of cool (one should always doubt such designations), it's hard to argue against the location, which offers easy access to a ton of amenities but is quiet enough to appeal to those looking for something away from the bustle of downtown.

From a design standpoint, these are less modern than some of the recent developments we've seen. According to the developer, the idea is to inject some British flair into the neighbourhood, which basically ensures that the project features architecture that's on the conservative side. Given the neighbourhood's existing architecture, that's probably not going to bother current residents one bit.

SPECS AND AMENITIES

Location: Ossington and Geary (1145 Ossington Ave.)
Storeys: 3
Number of homes: 54
Types of units: townhouses
Bedrooms: 2-3
Unit sizes: 1,500 to 2,000 square feet
Price: $800,000 to $1 million
Ceiling height: 10ft.
Amenities: Parking, rooftop deck, green space,
Developer: Dunpar Homes

THE VERDICT

Although the floor plans have yet to be released, there's enough info available on this project to get a good sense of what the finished product will be like. The aim is to attract folks who appreciate the newness and minimal upkeep associated with condos, but who have enough money and (likely) family members to justify a more traditional home. Given the price, potential buyers could also purchase existing homes in the same area (many of which are in fact cheaper than these units), so the major selling point is add-ons like the rooftop terrace and luxury finishes in the kitchen and bathroom.

This is a location game. If you don't want to sink money into a fixer up project, or you don't want to have to worry about mowing the lawn every weekend, this development will be very appealing. There are ample parks, grocery stores, and restaurants within a five minute walk, and Geary Avenue even has a burgeoning arts scene. It's not Lower Ossington, to be sure, but the cultural capital of the area is certainly on the rise.

Read other posts in this series via our Toronto Condos and Lofts Pinterest board.

A Chinatown establishment once known for dishing out the (self-proclaimed) best Peking duck in Toronto received a complete makeover earlier this year from the folks behind 416 Snack Bar. It's been a hotbed of activity ever since with line-ups the norm most weekends.

Read my review of People's Eatery in the restaurants section.

Photo by Debbie Lee in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Toronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

• Cold Tea (60 Kensington Ave.) hosts BBQs every day of this long weekend, starting at 3pm. Smoke Signals wil be at the grill on Saturday, August 30; Momofuku Daisho takes over on Sunday, August 31 and Auld Spot keeps the good times going on Monday, September 1.
• AwesTRUCK, the free food truck rally and awards show, revs up at 5pm on Friday, September 5 and at 6pm on Saturday, September 6 at Celebration Square, Mississauga as part of Soundbites Mississauga. Voting is open now to recognize favourites in five different categories of food truck excellence.

UPCOMING

• Take part in a Fall Popcorn Tasting at the Toronto Popcorn Company (147 Baldwin St.) hosted by Toronto Common. The recurring event is planned for every Sunday in September at 11am and for $13 will offer visitors the chance to sample new flavours, as well as take home two regular savoury or sweet flavours, plus one premium flavour.
• Tickets are on sale now ($8 in advance, $10 at the gate) for City Cider presented by Not Far from the Tree. The annual celebration of cider takes place Sunday, September 14 from noon to 5pm at Spadina Museum (285 Spadina Rd.) and features freshly-pressed cider made right in the heritage orchard and hard ciders from Ontario cideries, as well as eats from top Toronto chefs, live music and family friendly activites.
• The Evergreen Urban Rodeo and BBQ is happening on Saturday, September 27 from 7:30pm to midnight at the Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Ave.). Tickets are $150 (VIP $250) for an all-inclusive fundraising event featuring carnival games, mechanical bull rides, live music, and, of course, eating and drinking at 10 food stations. Vendors will be cooking up country classics with pairings from Creemore Springs and Dillon's Small Batch Distillers spirits.
• Diner en Blanc is back for its third official year in Toronto on Wednesday, September 17 at a secret location. Those interested in attending need to register on the waiting list, wait for an invite and then secure an all-white table setting and outfit for the occasion.

Photo of AwesTRUCK! 2013 by Jesse Milns.

One of the top annual awards handed out at the Toronto International Festival is the People's Choice Award (PCA). Chosen by audiences, every year the award represents the film that most captured the hearts and minds of TIFF-goers.

What's remarkable about the award is that over its forty-year history, a large amount of movies picked have gone on to become all-time classics and big Oscar winners. With such a buffet of quality represented, I decided to dive in and pick and rank ten of the best films that have ever walked away with TIFF's coveted People's Choice Award.

Disclaimer: Before your "I can't believe you didn't include..." outrage boils over into the comments section, a brief note: much to my ongoing shame, I have yet to get around to The Big Chill, Roger & Me, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and The Fisher King. I know. I'm the worst. Rest assured I'm seeking professional help to correct these oversights.

Please be sure to share your own top 10 list from the many, many winners in the comments section.

10. The King's Speech (2010)
The world--especially TIFF--loves Colin Firth. So it's no surprise that a movie that makes him vulnerable, sweet, and stuttering King George VI becomes a crowd-pleaser that rode a wave of adoration to a PCA and then onwards to several Oscars.

9. Precious (2009)
TIFF audiences often skew towards rewarding the whimsical, charming, or rousing. Precious might appear to be an anomaly then. But festival goers have no problem with challenging if there's inspirational perseverance--which is definitely the case in this film about the resilient spirit and hope of its central character.

8. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
From its very first screening at TIFF, Silver Linings Playbook was the buzzed about film of 2012 thanks to its quirky, off-beat, feel-good take on the romantic comedy. Having everyone's favorite Oscar winning sweetheart goofball right now, Jennifer Lawrence, doesn't hurt either.

7. Eastern Promises (2007)
Eastern Promises remains David Cronenberg's most accessible effort to date, yet this gritty, violent, always enthralling gangster film is still distinctly Cronenberg. No doubt that's exactly why TIFF audiences embraced it.

6. Whale Rider (2002)
It's a shame that this has become perhaps most forgotten PCA winner on this list. Whale Rider remains a wonderful, compelling coming-of-age story about a young Maori girl that festival goers were dead-on in recognizing.

5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Ang Lee's beautiful, tranquil martial arts dramatic romance received justified love at TIFF in 2000. Love that was critical in helping the movie go on to become a surprise box-office hit and a not-so-surprise award winner.

4. The Decline of the American Empire (1986)
Denys Arcand's film is one of the few Canadian films to win the PCA, and rightfully so. It takes a great talent to make a film that's mostly talking not only successful, but so immensely and enjoyably watchable.

3. Amelie (2001)
Anyone who has seen the whimsical, sugar sweet French film knows the magical power it has over an audience, so it's hardly a surprise it swept festival goers away when it screened at TIFF and made Audrey Tauto a star.

2. The Princess Bride (1987)
Are some of the other films on this list "more important" or better than The Princess Bride? Sure. But none are so damn romantic as this modern fairy tale which has only become more and more beloved as the years have gone by since it wowed TIFF audiences almost thirty years ago.

1. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Some might think it too soon to declare Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave the greatest film to be appointed the People's Choice Award. Yet, considering was an instant masterpiece practically right out of the box, imagine how time will only see it get greater and remain one of the best selections TIFF audiences ever made.

Thanks to the Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington, for sponsoring our coverage of TIFF 2014.

The top dance parties in Toronto this September come as the festival season is wrapping up, but the cooling temperatures also mean that the clubs are starting to get hot again, as university students return to the city for school and cottage owners stop fleeing the downtown every weekend. Still, there are a few more opportunities to party under the stars, if you didn't already get your fill of trying to dance in the dirt outdoors over the summer.

Electric Island / September 1 / Olympic Island Park / 1:30 pm / $35
A long summer of quality electronic music picnics on Toronto Island comes to an end with the season finale of the popular series. Headliners for the blowout include Jamie XX (of the band The xx, but also a great DJ), Italy's A Tale Of Us, and a return appearance at Electric Island for Hot Since 82.

Art Department / September 5 / Maison Mercer / 10 pm / $20
For some people TIFF is an opportunity to spot celebrities and see films, but for others it's an excuse to take advantage of extended last call and dance until dawn. Toronto house heavyweights Art Department play an all-too-rare local gig, and will put Maison Mercer's high-powered Funktion-One sound system through its paces.

Dirtybird BBQ / September 7 / Sherbourne Commons / 12 pm / $25
San Francisco deep tech house label Dirtybird throw their first ever Toronto afternoon BBQ party, featuring Justin Martin, J. Phlp, Christian Martin, label boss Claude Von Stroke and many more. If the beats aren't enough to get you there early, maybe the free burgers will (until supplies run out).

Andy Stott / September 18 / Adelaide Hall / 9 pm / $22.50
Late night warehouse party promoters breakandenter have partnered with MRG Concerts to bring back Modern Love label boss Andy Stott for a return performance of his menacing avant garde dub techno experiments. Stott will also be performing with Miles Wittaker (aka Demdike Stares) for the Toronto debut of their collaborative project Millie and Andrea.

Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa / September 27 / Phoenix Concert Theatre / 9 pm / $30
Two living legends of hip hop come together on one night, with a special appearance by DJ veterans Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa. DJing has changed a lot since they started chopping together breaks in 1970s NYC, but both can still rock a party like few other with their eclectic genre-hopping mixes.

Photo: Alejandro Santiago

Toronto postcards from the 1980s are a bit more difficult to come by than you might think. While we're blessed with a huge collection of these bits of nostalgia from the 1970s, less have made their way online from the decade that followed. That said, it's irresistible for me to pull together than ones that are floating around out there because I just love Toronto of the 1980s. During this period, the city was at once modern and sparse, on the brink of the condo development boom that would so drastically transform its landscape in the decades that followed.

Even the skyline postcard below hints at what's to come, with the first appearance of condos at the foot of Bay St. All in all, however, these postcards flaunt a Toronto that's not quite grown up, even if it wants to flaunt its skyscrapers and tourist attractions. The city appears a bit simpler of a place, brimming with optimism. It's a lovely little nostalgia trip.

Special thanks to Chuckman's Blog, from which many of these derive

Two of Toronto's top bureaucrats are pushing to bring a waterfront LRT to Toronto. TTC CEO Andy Byford and City Manager Joe Pennachetti have already had talks with the provincial government about a line stretching across the foot of the city, which would ease congestion on Lake Shore Blvd. and the Gardiner Expressway.

Rather than taking the proposal to city council first, the two are trying to secure provincial and federal funds for the project prior to a formal debate. It's a savvy move, and one that just might bypass the flip-flopping that has characterized Toronto's transit plans over the last decade or so.

According to the Globe, the prospective route would include the East Bayfront LRT and the Waterfront West LRT, the latter of which was part of the original Transit City plans. Pennachetti pegs the cost of waterfront LRT from East Bayfront to Ontrario Place at $600-million and $1-billion, which is far easier to get together than the funds required for a subway. Still, previous proposals for LRT along the waterfront have been de-prioritized over the years, so it will take a tough sell to make this line a reality.

Given the state of the Gardiner and the huge influx of development along Queens Quay, however, this could be one of the most common sense transit projects to pursue in this city. Now give us the money. What do you think? Is a waterfront LRT something Toronto needs?

What's open and closed on Labour Day 2014 in Toronto.

GENERAL

Closed

• Government offices and banks
• Libraries
• No mail delivery

TRANSIT

• The TTC will operate on holiday service schedule with a start time of 6am.

FOOD

Closed

• Major chains like No Frills, Fresh Co., Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, T&T, Galleria Supermarket and Whole Foods will be closed with few confirmed exceptions listed below.

Open

• Arz Fine Foods (1909 Lawrence Ave. East) - 9am to 7pm
• Bloorstreet Market (55 Bloor St. West) - 11am to 6pm
• Metro (444 Yonge St.) - open 24 hours
• Loblaws (60 Carlton St.) - 10am to 8pm
• Pusateri's (57 Yorkville Ave., 1539 Avenue Rd. and Bayview Village) - 8am to 6pm
• Sobey's Urban Fresh (777 Bay St., Suite 427) - 7am to 11pm
• T&T Supermarket (7070 Warden Ave.) - 9am to 10pm
• T&T Supermarket (9255 Woodbine Ave.) 9am to 10pm
• Whole Foods Yorkville (87 Avenue Rd.) - 10am to 6pm

DRINK

Closed

• The Beer Store and LCBO stores will be closed.

Open

• Steam Whistle (255 Bremner Blvd.) - retail store and tours from noon to 6pm
• Mill St. retail store (21 Tankhouse Ln.) - 11am to 8pm
• Amsterdam Brewhouse (245 Queens Quay West) - retail store 11am to 11pm, brewhouse until 1am
• Amsterdam Brewery (45 Esandar Dr.) - retail store 11am to 9pm
• Bellwoods Brewery Bottle Shop (124 Ossington Ave.) - 11am to 11pm

MALLS

Open

• Eaton Centre (220 Yonge St.) - 10am to 6pm
• Square One Shopping Centre (100 City Centre Dr.) - 11am to 6pm
• Vaughan Mills (1 Bass Pro Mills Dr., Vaughan) - 10am to 7pm
• Pacific Mall (4300 Steeles Ave. East) - 11am to 8pm

Closed

• Dufferin Mall
• Yorkdale
• Sherway Gardens
• Fairview Mall
• Scarborough Town Centre
• Bayview Village

ATTRACTIONS

Closed

• The Art Gallery of Ontario

Open

• Canadian National Exhibition - 10am to 9pm
• The Ontario Science Centre (770 Don Mills Rd.) - 10am to 5pm
• The Royal Ontario Museum(100 Queen's Park) -10am to 5:30pm.
• Canada's Wonderland (9580 Jane St.) - 10am to 8pm
• Ripley's Aquarium of Canada (288 Bremner Blvd.) - 9am to 11pm
• The Toronto Zoo (2000 Meadowvale Rd.) - 9am to 7pm
• Movie theatres are open citywide.

Did I miss anything? Add it to the comments below.

Photo by Gareth Guo in the blogTO flickr pool.

The late night drive is a quintessential urban experience, one that reveals the city in its purest visual form, a mass of glimmering lights set against a black sky. It's late at night when one can really explore a city by car (during the day walking or cycling are vastly superior), when the traffic has thinned and it's possible to cruise along with no other purpose than to soak up the scene and the cool air that pushes through an open car window.

"I used to get in my car, get on the highway and drive and it would be nighttime and I would be looking at this city and if the music matched that scenery, then it was right for me," Drake has said of his last album Nothing Was the Same, underscoring, once again, that our biggest star is also our biggest fan -- not to mention someone who understands that late night driving is all about atmosphere.

The soundtrack is up to you, of course, but if you're looking for a little direction on location, I might be able to help with that. Here are five late night drives in Toronto that will have you swooning over our city and quite possibly caressing the hand of your passenger.

Rosedale Valley Road & Bayview Extension
Start at Aylmer and Yonge heading east and wind down through the ravine, feeling temporarily like you've left the city altogether for some country road cut through a forest. The buildings soon fade away altogether, and the road becomes akin to a river at the bottom of a valley. Then you pass under the spooky looking concrete subway tunnel before approaching the first arch of the Bloor Viaduct, its black under beams a tangle of metal faintly illuminated by nearby streetlights. Turn left and head north up Bayview, which will be almost completely bereft of traffic. Here you'll return to the Viaduct, shimmering in all its glory as it spans the Don Valley.

Lake Shore Boulevard
If you can get over your fear of falling concrete, a drive along Lake Shore Blvd. under the Gardiner is about as urban as it gets in Toronto. Start at Cherry Street in the east and head west through the city. You'll feel like you've entered a tunnel that offers brief glimpses of the surrounding city, before you resurface near Bathurst and pass the Princes' Gates and then finally see the water. Cruise through Sunnyside with the smell of the lake in your lungs.

DVP south of Millwood to Gardiner Expressway
While you'll retrace some of the ground covered in the Bayview Extension drive, the perspective from the DVP is altogether different. Get on the DVP heading south from Don Mills, and you'll see the skyline in the distance and the slab apartments of Thorncliffe Park lit up above the valley. As you shuttle southward, the city's towers become more and more of a presence, until you sweep onto the Gardiner and are treated to one of the best views of the city there is before encountering a wall of condos.

Unwin Avenue and the Port Lands
There's a reason why so many films are shot in the Port Lands. This unfinished, semi-industrial zone brims with moody atmosphere. Here you'll see cargo ships, strange bridges, hanger-like film studios, and, best of all, the old Hearn Generating Station. Looking ever so creepy on dimly lit Unwin Avenue, the Hearn is made to be seen at night. Loop around a few times before heading to the western tip of Polson St. and taking in a majestic view of the skyline.

Convair Drive
Not many people know about Convair Drive, a road that actually takes you onto Pearson Airport property, and feels every bit that like it's a forbidden zone. Do your best Mulder and Scully as you dip into the little valleys that surround the airport and planes take off and land directly above you. Everything about Convair Drive feels mysterious and illicit, which is completely enthralling. One you hit Renforth, continue around the rest of the airport for more plane spotting (it's particularly good at Airport Rd. and Orlando Dr.) before doing the loop all over again.

BONUS

Yonge St.
Sometimes the best night drives are the simplest. Start at Bloor and head straight down Yonge St. taking in the hodgepodge light show of our city's central artery. It's probably the brightest night route you can take, particularly once you near Yonge & Dundas, where the day-glow of billboards somehow transcends their commercial underpinnings for something more eerie: the feeling that you're in the middle of it all.

Got a favourite late night drive in Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Photo by Ben Lean