Shortlist

Sat., Oct. 16 – Sat., Oct 30
Virtual and in-person festival
Free – $25
Happin App and the plumb
1655 Dufferin St., Toronto
venusfest.net

Toronto not-for-profit music festival returns both in person and online with two weeks of unique and inspiring programming. Venus Fest is an annual event and monthly concert series that elevates diverse voices and builds equitable, safe art spaces. This year’s mixed-media festival will feature a virtual concert on Friday, Oct. 22, and Saturday, Oct. 23, via Happin, a live-streaming app. Musicians will perform alongside video content specially created by Canadian visual artists. Friday performers include Haviah Mighty, Nimkish and Ah-Mer-Ah-Su, while Saturday boasts Charlotte Cornfield and SPELLING. The curated videos will also be on display at Toronto DIY art space, the plumb.

No Time To Die
Movie, 163 mins
$18 and up
cineplex.com/movie/no-time-to-die

Agent 007 makes an action-packed return to the silver screen in the latest instalment of the James Bond franchise, with Daniel Craig reprising his iconic role one last time. Bond has been retired for five years but is dragged back into active service by a long-time friend, an abducted scientist and a terrorist plot. The star-studded cast includes Rami Malek and Jeffrey Wright, and the screenplay features writing from Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Also coming to theatres later this month is the highly anticipated sci-fi flick Dune, with Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and Oscar Issac as leads.

Watch the movie trailer here:

Crown Lands Canadian Tour
Thurs., Oct 21 and Sat., Oct. 23, 7 pm ET
Concert
$20
Various venues
crownlandsmusic.com

Powerful rock duo Crown Lands are going cross country this fall and hitting all three NEXT cities. They’ll be sharing their hard-hitting prog-rock anthems at Calgary’s Commonwealth Bar (Oct. 21) and Vancouver’s Biltmore Cabaret (Oct. 23) playing Toronto’s Axis Club in December (Dec. 1).

deadmau5
Sun., Oct. 10, 10 pm ET
Concert
$35 and up
Rebel, 11 Polson St., Toronto
rebeltoronto.com/events/deadmau5

Joining a growing list of acts starting to play live again, the world’s second-favourite rodent, deadmau5 hits Rebel (Oct. 10). Other Toronto club shows include: TikTok talent 18-year-old 347aiden at the Velvet Underground (Oct. 23); Vypers and Cloudage at the Garrison (Oct. 16); JMSN at the Horseshoe (Oct.14); Miyavi at the Opera House (Oct. 23); and Madison Beer at the Phoenix (Oct. 18).

Sort Of on CBC Gem
Season 1, 30 minS., 8 episodes
Tues., Oct. 5 (CBC Gem), Tues., Nov. 9 (CBC TV)
gem.cbc.ca

Shot in Toronto and packed with original music from five up-and-coming YYZ artists — including Haviah Mighty and Säye Skye — this classic coming-of-age narrative is anything but derivative. It tells the story of Sabi, a 25-year-old nanny, bartender and the youngest child of a Pakistani family who is brimming with ennui for their life thus far — until a fateful accident changes everything. Injected with tasteful sarcasm and heartwarming moments aplenty, Sort Of makes waves with one of the first non-binary leads on North American network TV.