If there’s one thing Canadians love, it’s a figure skating dream team. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier captured hearts—and the bronze medal—at the Milano Cortina Olympics this year in what they said would be their last Olympic season together. Now, they’re joining some of the country’s other ice dancing superstars, including Olympic hall of famer Elvis Stojko and fellow bronze medallist Kaetlyn Osmond, for this year’s Stars on Ice. Featuring solos and group numbers, the touring production is a rare chance to see some of the best figure skaters in the world work their magic a little closer to home. Scotiabank Area, May 1
What’s old is new again—at least when it comes to eyeliner-wearing rock stars in leather pants. Yungblud’s signature look was inspired, like much of his act, by the glam rockers of yore: Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie and Mick Jagger. He’s been topping charts and capturing Gen Z hearts with his angsty bad boy vibe, and now he’s embarking on a world tour to show off his new album, Idols. The LP steps away from Yungblud’s emo roots to pay homage to his musical heroes and bring a healthy dose of pop to his sound. Coca-Cola Coliseum, May 2
Spring is well underway, which means it’s time to start planning the beach reads. Bestselling author Carley Fortune is back with another sun-drenched romance, Our Perfect Storm, set among the crashing waves and rich tide pools of Tofino. Lifelong friends Frankie and George have always been on and off the rocks, but when Frankie gets left at the altar, it’s George who steps in to comfort her. He convinces her to take him on her pre-planned Tofino honeymoon in place of her absentee fiancé, kicking off a gripping tale of will-they-or-won’t-they tension and tantalizing yearning. Out May 5
Sook-Yin Lee is a true polymath: musician, visual artist, radio broadcaster, actor and filmmaker. Her post-MuchMusic acting credits include John Cameron Mitchell’s movie Shortbus and a role as Olivia Chow in the 2013 CBC doc Jack. More recently, Lee expanded her artistic resumé directing Paying for It, an adaptation of a graphic novel written by an ex-boyfriend who avails himself of sex workers. Now she’s putting the camera away to produce a new album, 72RHR, composed entirely in 72 beats per minute to mimic a resting heart rate. With gritty synth melodies anda persistent, punchy beat, the result is a driving, meditative composition equal parts ethereal and industrial. Out May 29
There’s nothing wrong with sipping a mai tai after work—but doing it every single day may indicate deeper issues. Day after day, Kenneth goes to the same bar and orders the same drink, comforted by the repetitive ritual. But, after he loses his job at a local bookstore, he’s forced to step back into the world of uncertainty that he’s been avoiding. Primary Trust explores the anxiety of abandoning routine, using gentle humour and earnest sensitivity, which earned playwright Eboni Booth a Pulitzer in 2024. Guloien Theatre, May 26 to June 21
An Emmy nom, a Netflix special and an enviable new marriage to reality TV sweetheart Gabby Windey—it’s a good time to be Robby Hoffman. And to top it off, she’s heading on a nine-city tour where she’ll deliver an hour of fresh material to audiences hungry for her carefully cultivated grouch persona. With her irreverent, sarcasm-heavy humour, Hoffman describes herself as the opposite of Ellen Degeneres: a terror at the mic but a delight behind the scenes. She cut her comedic chops in this city, so her back-to-back Toronto shows are sure to be a combination of nostalgic and feverishly funny. Danforth Music Hall, May 16
Torontonians don’t tend to show much skin before Victoria Day weekend, but the stigmatophiles (the official name for tattoo enthusiasts) among us are making an exception for the 26th edition of the Toronto Tattoo Show. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre will be filled with the buzzing sound of tattoo equipment all weekend as some 500 celebrated artists, including China’s Heng Yue and Montreal native Luka Lajoie of Ink Master fame, convene to practise their craft on a host of high-pain-threshold participants. There’s also an exhibition on Canadian tattoo history and a seminar on laser removal—ouch. We spoke with a few talented homegrown tattooists and asked them to share the stories behind their work. May 1 to 3, Metro Toronto Convention Centre
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Lyz-Abel Geoffroy
@bb.hurricane Le 116 Tattoo Club, Sherbrooke, QC
“My client, a hairdresser, wanted something to adorn her head whenever she felt like going bald. Everything was done using the handpoke technique, and it took 21 hours over the course of three days. We call it the Fabergé Head.”
Ajay Balote @j.inkszz_tt Hon Tattoo Studio, Toronto, ON
“I’m a Filipino tattoo artist, and most of my work incorporates Filipino tribal tattoo traditions. The client for this tattoo was a huge fan of Breaking Bad and wanted apiece that told the whole story of the show.”
Guillaume Harvey @goh_w_h.tattoo Studio Citron Rose, Montreal, QC
“This is one of the best tattoos I’ve ever done. It’s a band of travelling musicians that look a bit like a Dungeons & Dragons party. We can see the adventures they’ve been on and sense that there are more ahead. The goal was to create a fantasy world with a medieval vibe, using a whimsical and charming approach.”
Joe Black @joeblacktattoos Electric Tattoos, Hamilton, ON
“In the past, people looked to gods and spirits for knowledge. Now we look to servers and screens. The woman’s face represents the internet’s most powerful lure: connection and attraction.”
Charlie Wagner-Chazalon is Toronto Life’s assistant editor. He has written for Toronto Life and Maclean’s, where he was the assistant digital editor. Originally from Muskoka, he now lives and works in Toronto.
