All signs point to Prince playing a secret show at Massey Hall tonight. A tweet from his band 3rdeyegirl kicked off the speculation early this morning, saying: “4^th day of November, we need a purple high: OTNOROT CALLING…” It was pulled down shortly after.

According to internet rumour: tickets will be $10, there will be two shows, and wristbands will be handed out at 6 pm.

Massey Hall hasn’t confirmed or denied the show, but a lineup is forming already. No wonder – the funk-pop icon, who used to live in Toronto in the 00s, hasn’t played our city in three years. 

Get there now!

UPDATE: Bummer. Further to reports from CP24 this afternoon that the show would not, in fact, go on, Massey Hall confirmed to NOW at 4 pm that there would be no Prince concert on Tuesday evening. 

Toronto's Wish, featuring 24-year-old Kyle Connolly of Beliefs, played a mini-set to a very crowded NOW Lounge last Thursday (Oct. 30).

Watch below:

See our 4-N review of Wish's self-titled debut album here and visit our contests page to find out how you can win other cool prizes.

Video by Nicholas Bradford-Ewart

Would you rather hear Usher sing his hit catalogue perfectly? Or would you rather see Usher, twenty years into his R&B career, keeping step with an extremely athletic troupe of backup dancers at least a decade younger than him? You can have both, if not at the same time.

He’s not technically promoting anything new, but over the course of nearly two hours, on a slick-but-functional, multi-tiered, diamond-shaped stage, the singer reminded us just how many hit singles he’s cranked out since You Make Me Wanna... cracked him into the mainstream in 1997. He wasn’t shy about using backing vocals for the songs that required fancy footwork (often exposing his crutch by turning the mic on the audience). But where initially the focus was on his moves and the 13-piece band ( which included an incredible four-piece horn section), his pipes warmed up as the show went on, carrying songs like Climax and DJ Got Us Falling In Love on their own strength. Slower, turned-down jams at the mic like You Got It Bad and Burn saw the singer at peak vocal prowess and inspired many in the crowd to sing along theatrically with their eyes closed.

There was plenty of his best album – 2004’s Confessions – though he cheated us with the title track (only singing part of it) and I’m on the fence about whether he should retire his onstage-serenading-of-ladies-from-the-crowd schtick, as he did to Bad Girl, also from that album. 

Near the end of the show, he paid homage to Stevie Wonder when he rose up out of the set, banging away on a set of drums – like the legend used to do at the end of his shows. Maybe it’s time to start thinking of Usher as one of the greats, too. 

julial@nowtoronto.com | @julialeconte

Everything seemed to be going smoothly at the first of SBTRKT’s two-night stand at the Danforth Music Hall, when suddenly the UK producer experienced every electronic musician’s worst nightmare: the gear stopped working. “I’m very sorry, this has never happened before,” he said meekly to the crowd, after several failed attempts to get the machines talking to each other again. The polite crowd continued to wait around for the problems to be resolved.

Given the large number of instruments set up on stage, and how much of the show is based around live musicianship, it was puzzling that he and his band didn’t opt to jam while the technicians worked – it didn’t seem like they’d even considered a backup plan for situations like this. It soon became evident that this was not just a momentary glitch, and a smattering of boos could be heard. After a long intermission, the moody post-dubstep beats started up, but then, once again, tech issues forced more interruptions. The bits of music we did hear sounded great, but that was completely overshadowed by the massive equipment malfunction. Hopefully everything got resolved for Saturday night.

Even on a normal night, the monthly Hotnuts bash always feels a bit like a Halloween party. It attracts a lot of bearded drag queens and an assorted of costumed freaks all year round, so the “Hallowqueen” edition is an excuse to go even more crazy. In comparison to the crowd’s outfits, Brooklyn art-rapper Bunny Michael’s face paint seemed almost bland, but thankfully her high-energy performance was anything but.

Generally Hotnuts is focused on house music, so the slower tempos of Michael’s live set required a few moments of adjustment when she first came on. Her highly sexualized lyrics and punk edge is a bit reminiscent of Peaches, but her overall attitude is a lot lighter and playful, with a bit of a cosmic hippy undercurrent. Alternating between a high-pitched baby voice and a powerful scream, Michael had an undeniably strong presence. Given her onstage enthusiasm, it was no surprise to see her on the dance floor immediately after her set, getting down to the resident DJs Produzentin and Das Hussy.

Toronto’s Ben Stevenson spent 13 years in a punk band before branching out solo. But you won’t find any trace of that history on his debut seven-track EP. Dirty Laundry is modern electro-R&B: chilly beats and slightly hazy soundscapes intermingle with live drum and piano sounds and sometimes-Sealian vocals.

The most obvious (maybe too obvious) influence is Miguel – evident in both Stevenson’s soft falsetto singing and ooh-ing, and his simmering sexytime production. That makes sense, considering Happy Perez produced three of the seven tracks (he also contributed to Miguel’s breakout album, Kaleidoscope Dream).

It’s actually more interesting when Stevenson borrows from 80s soft-rock and lite funk, getting Hall & Oatesy on Ecstasy and Girls Like You; or when he strips back totally, like on on the final track, Start Over, which finds him alone with acoustic guitar, lamenting a love gone wrong. 

One or two more uptempo songs would have shaken up this long slow-burner nicely, too.

Top track: Girls Like You

Ben Stevenson plays his EP release at the Drake Hotel tonight (October 30).

Chrissie Hynde

Massey Hall (178 Victoria), Thursday (October 30)

The Pretenders singer solo.

Soupcans, Burning Love, Dilly Dally, Mexican Slang, Andre Ethier & Sunset Pigs & Others 

Silver Dollar (486 Spadina), Thursday (October 30)

Local bands rock Death To T.O. IV.

Fire Rock With Me: A Very Twin Peaks Halloween

w/ After Hours, Ruby Cikada, the Owls Are Not What They Seem

Tranzac (292 Brunswick), Friday (October 31)

Experimental rock for Halloween.

SBTRKT

Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), Friday and Saturday (October 31 and November 1)

Dubstep from London, England.

Juan Maclean, Tim Sweeney, Nancy Whang 

Fairmont Royal York Hotel Concert Hall (100 Front West), Friday (October 31)

DJ sets of midnight bangers.

Hotnuts Halloqween

w/ Bunny Michael, DJs Produzentin & Das Hussy

The Garrison (1197 Dundas West), Friday (October 31)

See preview.

Terror Vision: All Night Halloween Music & Art Party

w/ DJ EZ, Ebony, Eytan Tobin & Lum, Carly Bangs, Jus Ed

99 Sudbury, Friday (October 31)

See preview.

Mounties, The Gay Nineties

Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor West), Saturday (November 1)

See preview.

Usher

Air Canada Centre (40 Bay), Sunday (November 2)

Chart-topping R&B-pop legend.

The 1975

Kool Haus (132 Queens Quay East), Sunday and Monday (November 2 and 3)

Manchester R&B-tinged rock and roll.

Bahamas, The Barr Brothers

Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), Wednesday (November 5)

See Barr Brothers preview.

Brother Ali, Bambu, DJ Last Word 

Tattoo (567 Queen West), Wednesday (November 5)

Golden-age-of-hip-hop-inspired rap.

Tungsten Ham, Stutter, Desperate Executives, Uncle Sid Lee’s Palace $6. November 6.

Trentemøller Virgin Mobile Mod Club doors 7 pm, $23. TW. November 13.

Micah Barnes, Billy Newton-Davis, Tyrone Gabriel, Gavin Hope, Daniel Barnes, Russ Boswell Stand By Me: The Music Of The Brill Building Al Green Theatre 8 pm, $50. UT. November 13.

The Weather Station Dakota Tavern. November 14.

Team Spirit The Garrison doors 8 pm, $10. RT, SS. November 17.

Huun Huur Tu Small World Music Centre 8 pm, $30. SWM. November 20.

Janitors, the Soul Strugglers, Christian Hansen, Aircraft Cameron House doors 9 pm, $5. November 21.

L CON, Clarinet Panic Deluxx, Caylie Staples Jam Factory Co doors 8 pm, $8. November 22.

Lemon Bucket Orkestra, Freeman Dre & the Kitchen Party, Rambunctious, Pressgang Mutiny and others Fedora Upside Down Reunion Weekend Lee’s Palace doors 9 pm, $20. RT, SS, TF. November 28 and 29.

Maestro Fresh Wes, Kardinal Offishal, Kellylee Evans, DJ Shad Cavalcade Of Lights Nathan Phillips Square 7 to 10 pm, free. November 29.

Andy Kim and others Andy Kim Christmas: Benefit for CAMH Foundation’s Gift of Light Program Virgin Mobile Mod Club doors 7 pm, $25. LN, TM. December 10.

BADBADNOTGOOD Opera House doors 8 pm, all ages, $16. TW. December 13.

Raised by Swans Horseshoe doors 8:30 pm, $10. HS, RT, SS, TF. December 18.

The Skydiggers X-Mas Horseshoe Weekend Horseshoe doors 8:30 pm, $28.50. HS, RT, SS, TF. December 18 and 20.

Crystalyne Virgin Mobile Mod Club doors 6 pm, all ages, $13.50-$40. TF. December 19.

Tops Tattoo doors 9 pm, $13.50. TF. December 19. 

Battlecross Opera House. December 26.

Rich Aucoin New Year’s Eve Party: The Greatest Karaoke Set Ever Lee’s Palace doors 8:30 pm, $17.50. HS, RT, SS, TF. December 31.

Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven Lee’s Palace January 15.

The Vaselines Lee’s Palace doors 9 pm, $23.50. HS, RT, SS, TF. January 19.

London Grammar Sound Academy doors 7 pm, all ages, $23. LN. January 21.

Elliott Brood, the Wilderness of Manitoba Phoenix Concert Theatre $tba. January 24.

August Burns Red, Miss May I, Northlane, Erra Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 6:30 pm, all ages, $30. RT, SS, TF. January 30.

Ariel Pink Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 8 pm, $20. RT, SS, TF. February 19.

St Vincent The Danforth Music Hall doors 8 pm, $32.50-$35. RT, SS, TM. March 3.

Cold War Kids Phoenix Concert Theatre doors 8 pm, $23.50. RT, SS, TF. March 18.

One Direction On The Road Again 2015 Tour Rogers Centre LN. August 15.

Friday, October 31:

Hotnuts Halloqween 

with Bunny Michael at the Garrison (1197 Dundas West), 10:30 pm. $10.

Since dressing up is de facto for drag queens, Halloween is obviously de rigueur. The theme at drag party Hotnuts is “nature slut veg qween.” Suggestions, courtesy of the promoters, include Mileek Cyrus, Denzel Squashington, Asparagus van Sant and Mariah Carrot.

Difficulty: High

Terror Vision 

with DJ EZ, Jus Ed and others at 99 Sudbury, 10 pm. $24.50/ $29.50. PDR, RT, SS, TF.

The Mansion crew’s annual bash has a typically stacked lineup of international and local house and techno luminaries and an old-school horror/sci-fi theme. So dress up as Debbie Harry from Videodrome or a Prophet 10, one of the synths John Carpenter used to compose the Halloween II score.

Difficulty: Medium

Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air 90s Halloween

at Sound Academy (11 Polson), 10 pm. $20 (advance). TZ.

Patterned vests, snap-back hats, Zubaz pants – it’s probably not difficult to replicate Will Smith’s signature look from the influential sitcom. However, if revellers go deep (think Hilary’s wedding gown pearl-rosary-choker combo, Oprah from the Oprah episode), this party won’t jump the shark.

Difficulty: Medium

The Bruised Spirits Of Southern Ontario

at Videofag (187 Augusta), 8 pm. Free.

Ex-Fifth Column members Caroline Azar and GB Jones are emerging from the shadows for this two-night multimedia happening written/directed by Azar and starring Jones’s “Southern Ontarian Gothic” outfit Opera Arcana. There’s no dress code, but since the band is influenced by authors Susanna Moodie and Margaret Atwood, perhaps your outfit should be, too?

Difficulty: High

Dudebox Is Fucking Dead V: Return To The Carwash Of Doom

at Planet Car Wash (689 King West), 10 pm. $10.

The promoters behind charitable pop-up party Dudebox are returning to Planet Car Wash, a location that could double as the theme. And even though inclusivity is the only actual theme at Dudebox, according to their Facebook page, Ebola-inspired costumes are out and feminism is in. We would like to add intergalactic hubcaps into the mix.

Difficulty: Low

music@nowtoronto.com

The Brains

Thursday (October 30) at the Horseshoe (370 Queen West), doors 8:30 pm, $11.50. HS, RT, SS, TF.

How scary is your band name?

Classic, sure. But evoking a 70s horror B-movie, the Montreal trio’s name is more campy than spooky. NNN

How scary is your band?

Though there is lots of black eyeliner happening, “psychobilly horror-punk” is not exactly hair-raising. But if you’re into dancing on Halloween, the blistering rhythm section will take care of you. NN

With After Hours and Ruby Cikada, Friday (October 31) at the Tranzac (292 Brunswick), 8 pm. $6.

How scary is your band name?

More eerie and unsettling than terrifying, the reference to David Lynch’s 90s TV drama Twin Peaks is perfect given the Tranzac bill they’re on: Fire Rock with Me: a Very Twin Peaks Halloween. NNN

How scary is your band?

TOANWTS is a five-person drone ensemble – serious innate creep-factor. NNN

With Capital Cities and Cherub, Tuesday (November 4), at the Danforth Music Hall (147 Danforth), 7 pm, all ages, $24.50-$34.50. 

How scary is your band name?

Heebie-jeebies. Night Terrors are literally what nightmares are made of. NNNN

How scary is your band?

Not remotely. The synth-pop duo from L.A. (and recent Tegan & Sara collaborators) excel at twinkly electro beats and gently crooned, shiny pop choruses. N

Supersuckers

How scary is your band name?

Since it’s Halloween, we’re thinking vampires. But actually the band used to be called the Black Supersuckers, a porn novel reference. Blech. N

How scary is your band?

Despite having album names like Devil’s Food and last year’s Get The Hell, the Supersuckers are a garagey rock ’n’ roll band with southern rock swag. Lotsa swears and cowboy hats. Could be scary, depending on who you ask, but not in that way. N