Toronto Event Generator Newsletter May 2, 2025
Toronto was I, ere I saw Otnorot
* TORONTO THING OF THE WEEK :
* De-cide on the B-side
* at the Communist’s Daughter,
* every Monday night
()*(*(*(&&(
The Commie is a tiny hipstery dive bar that is like a time capsule of 2004. Every Monday night, Michael, the bartender, runs this insanity.
Here is how it goes: People bring vinyl records. Michael plays the A-side of the record. Everyone is just hanging out at the bar having a normal time. Then, when the record ends, Michael makes everyone in the bar shut up, in order to vote: Do they want to hear the B-side of the record that has been playing, or go on to the next record? Michael does not reveal what the next record is. People vote. Then Michael invites debate from the floor and people vote again. The debate is raucous and passionate and often LONG. Then Michael puts on whatever people voted for, and everyone goes back to hanging out and drinking and talking.
For the whole night, this continues. The bar usually gets packed. The crowd is a mix of hipster types from the present day, hipster types from the distant past, serious not-fucking-around barflies, and everyone else you can think of. It gets really sloppy in there. But no matter how messed up it gets, every 22 minutes everyone stops what they are doing to engage in this debate, which gets more contentious and unhinged as the night goes on.
As someone who spends a lot of time designing and running participatory events, I stand in awe of this as a perfect Toronto masterpiece.
Michael does an amazing job. The event captures something about the city I cannot explain: Smart but also stupid. Cool but also dorky. A tiny bit dangerous but not really at all. This is literally happening 1/7th of all the nights in this city, so really, how bad can things be?
*** TORONTO EVENTS
*** ALL IN TORONTO, PAL ((((
May 2: Walking Home [link]
A walking tour that asks “What places in Toronto make you feel at home?” It’s virtual so you will be at home when you do it.
May 3: House Party at Danu Social House [link]
This was an idea started by me and Josh, the owner of Danu. I think Josh has made it a lot bettter since we started it. The deal is it's a bar, but you are allowed to talk to other people, and also the party has a host (Josh) who talks to everyone and introduces them. I have not gone to this in a while BUT I WILL GO TO THIS ONE!! See you there.
May 3: Apologies (+ Forgiveness)? [link]
Workshop on understanding and practicing apologies.
May 3: It's Not a Wedding [link]
Pretty much every event listed here is not a wedding, and they don't make a big deal about it.
May 3: "I Choose You" Pokemon Pack Opening and Card Painting Workshop [link]
Fashion designers host a night where I think you open packs of Pokemon cards and paint on them. I don't really understand what is going on, but you should totally go and then tell me about it.
May 4: Invisible Strangers [link]
Someone was telling me this was good, but I can't remember who.
May 4: Ravensburger Puzzle Competition [link]
Are you really good at jigsaw puzzles? Like, better than other people? Want them to know? Competitive jigsaw puzziling is for you!
May 4: Fully Automated Smash Community [link]
Play Super Smash Bros. Melee
May 4: Mapping Without Coordinates [link]
Asks “What if you were from a different planet / world and one day just randomly appeared in Toronto's East End?” It’s a good question!
May 5: The Trampoline Hall Lecture Series [link]
The lecture series I host. It's great. It sells out very very fast.
May 5: Annex Social Game Night - Play Board Games & Make Friends! [link]
Fun evening of board games and new friendships at Snakes & Lattes.
May 5: Tech Pizza Monday: Sticker Club Edition [link]
“Free and open software and hardware in service of a free and open society” and also pizza.
May 10: Curiosity In Session [link]
From the good people at Being and Becoming. They run the Curiosity Cafe, which is a philsophy disucssion group. This new series consists of read-ahead seminars that explore the previous week’s Café theme at a more in-depth level in a collaborative classroom environment. Good if you liked school! (I hated school)
May 11: That conversations event Toronto #7 [link]
Talk to people, yo.
May 11: Suspended Harmony In Bloom [link]
Shibari and flowers, at Birdhaus.
May 12: Reading Rhythms [link]
Social reading is everywhere. Including here.
May 13: Cherry Blossom Picnic [link]
Seriously, what could be better?
May 13: Curiosity Café: TBA [link]
Go to the Madison, talk about philosophy.
May 13: Disaster Show [link]
Comedy show, no big deal, whatever.
May 14: Hitchdeck: Pitch your single friend [link]
Pitch your single friend to strangers, with PowerPoint!
May 17: Silent Book Club [link]
Social reading at Danu.
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HAVE AN EVENT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
Submit it here. We like events that are smart, fun, challenging, unusual, and above all participatory. We might include it in our next listing.
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About Misha
Hi, I’m Misha! Nice to meet you. I make this newsletter. We started this in September. Around the same time, I also started my own substack. So far the most popular post is one called Stop Pretending Toronto is More Than It Is, which you might like. Or read more about Toronto Event Generator.
I run and host the Trampoline Hall Lecture Series. I co-host All About Intimacy, a conversation event about love, sex, and friendship, and sometimes host a live-band karaoke night at Jean Darlene Piano Room.
In my working life, I help companies foster better human connection - I help teams get better at talking about tough issues, and help organizations run better conferences, workshops, and offsites.
You can find me on twitter, instagram, substack… See you at the next event!
s
Can anyone help me find the Commie on a map? I can't seem to find it in Google Maps-?