Two nights of Taylor Swift, a film fest for foodies and six other things to do this week
Back-to-back nights of T Swift
The most powerful woman in pop is impossible to ignore. Here, on her world tour, she completes her full transition from cute country kid (remember “Our Song”?) to world-dominating, squad-leading superstar with the smooth electro-pop of “Blank Space” and the pulsating ’80s-inspired anthem “Style.” Our only question: which local celebs will she bring up onstage? Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. $60.30–$153.05. Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way, ticketmaster.com.
Fall For Dance North, an international dance expo
Inspired by New York City’s annual Fall for Dance Festival, this three-day performing arts showcase premieres with an eclectic lineup of choreographed works. The Sept. 29 program includes three pieces: a new work by National Ballet of Canada superstar Guillaume Côté; a Toronto debut by the Indian company Nrityagram; and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s acrobatic Takademe, set to an a cappella score. Alvin Ailey presents another work during the second program, alongside a 13-performer piece by DanceBrazil, a Canadian-created Spanish dance routine, and the world premiere of a collaboration between Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld and influential contemporary dancer Peggy Baker. Tuesday, September 29 to Thursday, October 1. $10. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E., ffdnorth.com.
Eatable, a film fest where you watch what you eat
The new three-night film festival features food-focused movies introduced by some of the city’s hottest chefs: Sherry and the Mystery of Palo Cortado (Bar Raval’s Grant van Gameren), Sergio Herman, F***ing Perfect (Bar Isabel’s Brandon Olsen) and Tampopo (Hanmoto’s Leemo Han). During each screening, guests will be served snacks and drinks that reflect the theme of the movie. This means popcorn and Junior Mints are out, and cocktails, Spanish pintxos and ramen are in. Sunday, October 4 to Tuesday, October 6. $50 and up. Various locations, eatablefilms.com.
Adrienne Pieczonka’s contemporary concert
In Beyond the Aria, Adrianne Pieczonka puts aside her usual operatic repertoire and joins mezzo Krisztina Szabó for an evening of contemporary music. The program includes a world premiere by Argentine composer Analia Llugdar, songs by The Beatles and, of particular note, American composer George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children, with its eccentric instrumental ensemble and vocal effects. Tuesday, September 29. $37.50 and up. Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W., rcmusic.ca.
Dan Bejar’s genre-hopping set
The Canadian indie rocker’s career has gone through many phases: the lo-fi acoustic ballads of his 1996 debut as Destroyer, We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge; the high-voltage power pop he creates with Vancouver supergroup the New Pornographers; the smooth, jazz-tinged soft rock of 2011’s Kaputt. Destroyer’s latest effort, Poison Season, folds Bowie and Springsteen sensibilities into Bejar’s signature, shape-shifting aesthetic. Wednesday, September 30. $30.25–$32.75. Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., ticketmaster.com.
Whose Live Anyway, a travelling Whose Line spin-off
The producers may not have secured the rights to the Whose Line Is It Anyway? title, but they did something much more important: round up the original cast. This travelling adaptation—featuring series vets Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops and Jeff Davis, alongside Mad Men’s Joel Murray—mimics the game show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter. Sunday, October 4. $45–$80. Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga, livingartscentre.com.
Nerd Nite, a CBC lover’s dream
The Toronto chapter of Nerd Nite—the unabashedly geeky global phenomenon that educates keener congregations on offbeat subject matter—celebrates its fifth anniversary with a CBC-centric collaboration. The two-part program spans in-depth talks on public-broadcaster minutiae (innovative content delivery! Sampling methodology! Digital storytelling solutions!) and lighter, more populist fare, including a talk about octopi and squid, a scientific analysis of a Star Trek replicator and CBC journalist David Common’s tales from the road. Wednesday, September 30. Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W., toronto.nerdnite.com.
Nuit Blanche, the annual art event that takes over Toronto’s streets
In addition to the usual fare—installations on every corner of Queen West, spontaneous happenings down every alleyway, drunk kids crowding Yonge-Dundas Square—the 10th-anniversary edition features an inaugural program in which 10 local cultural institutions (including the AGO, Gladstone Hotel, ROM, Artscape and TIFF) will each host artist exhibitions and performances united by the central theme of memory and nostalgia. Saturday, October 3. Various locations, scotiabanknuitblanche.ca.
 to world-dominating, squad-leading superstar with the smooth electro-pop of “Blank Space” and the pulsating ’80s-inspired anthem “Style.” Our only question: which local celebs will she bring up onstage? Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. $60.30–$153.05. Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way, ticketmaster.com.
Fall For Dance North, an international dance expo
Inspired by New York City’s annual Fall for Dance Festival, this three-day performing arts showcase premieres with an eclectic lineup of choreographed works. The Sept. 29 program includes three pieces: a new work by National Ballet of Canada superstar Guillaume Côté; a Toronto debut by the Indian company Nrityagram; and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s acrobatic Takademe, set to an a cappella score. Alvin Ailey presents another work during the second program, alongside a 13-performer piece by DanceBrazil, a Canadian-created Spanish dance routine, and the world premiere of a collaboration between Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld and influential contemporary dancer Peggy Baker. Tuesday, September 29 to Thursday, October 1. $10. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. E., ffdnorth.com.
Eatable, a film fest where you watch what you eat
The new three-night film festival features food-focused movies introduced by some of the city’s hottest chefs: Sherry and the Mystery of Palo Cortado (Bar Raval’s Grant van Gameren), Sergio Herman, F***ing Perfect (Bar Isabel’s Brandon Olsen) and Tampopo (Hanmoto’s Leemo Han). During each screening, guests will be served snacks and drinks that reflect the theme of the movie. This means popcorn and Junior Mints are out, and cocktails, Spanish pintxos and ramen are in. Sunday, October 4 to Tuesday, October 6. $50 and up. Various locations, eatablefilms.com.
Adrienne Pieczonka’s contemporary concert
In Beyond the Aria, Adrianne Pieczonka puts aside her usual operatic repertoire and joins mezzo Krisztina Szabó for an evening of contemporary music. The program includes a world premiere by Argentine composer Analia Llugdar, songs by The Beatles and, of particular note, American composer George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children, with its eccentric instrumental ensemble and vocal effects. Tuesday, September 29. $37.50 and up. Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W., rcmusic.ca.
Dan Bejar’s genre-hopping set
The Canadian indie rocker’s career has gone through many phases: the lo-fi acoustic ballads of his 1996 debut as Destroyer, We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge; the high-voltage power pop he creates with Vancouver supergroup the New Pornographers; the smooth, jazz-tinged soft rock of 2011’s Kaputt. Destroyer’s latest effort, Poison Season, folds Bowie and Springsteen sensibilities into Bejar’s signature, shape-shifting aesthetic. Wednesday, September 30. $30.25–$32.75. Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., ticketmaster.com.
Whose Live Anyway, a travelling Whose Line spin-off
The producers may not have secured the rights to the Whose Line Is It Anyway? title, but they did something much more important: round up the original cast. This travelling adaptation—featuring series vets Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops and Jeff Davis, alongside Mad Men’s Joel Murray—mimics the game show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter. Sunday, October 4. $45–$80. Living Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Dr., Mississauga, livingartscentre.com.
Nerd Nite, a CBC lover’s dream
The Toronto chapter of Nerd Nite—the unabashedly geeky global phenomenon that educates keener congregations on offbeat subject matter—celebrates its fifth anniversary with a CBC-centric collaboration. The two-part program spans in-depth talks on public-broadcaster minutiae (innovative content delivery! Sampling methodology! Digital storytelling solutions!) and lighter, more populist fare, including a talk about octopi and squid, a scientific analysis of a Star Trek replicator and CBC journalist David Common’s tales from the road. Wednesday, September 30. Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W., toronto.nerdnite.com.
Nuit Blanche, the annual art event that takes over Toronto’s streets
In addition to the usual fare—installations on every corner of Queen West, spontaneous happenings down every alleyway, drunk kids crowding Yonge-Dundas Square—the 10th-anniversary edition features an inaugural program in which 10 local cultural institutions (including the AGO, Gladstone Hotel, ROM, Artscape and TIFF) will each host artist exhibitions and performances united by the central theme of memory and nostalgia. Saturday, October 3. Various locations, scotiabanknuitblanche.ca.){kind=link}