Gracing The Stage

Steve when he realized gracingthestage.ca V. 1 was FUBAR.

So, I’ve told many people in person what happened to the website over the past month, but I’ve been putting off the written version for some time, because I thought it would come across as really depressing in print. And maybe it will, although there’s lots of odd and funny twists to it.

The short version; gracingthestage.ca was infected by malware in February, prompting us to take it offline to de-bug it; while we thought we’d backed the whole site up, when we restored it, everything, save for the post content, had been lost. So the site is now back up in a bare-bones (read: simple and kinda ugly) format, and will be changing slowly, as we attempt to restore the site to its original lustre and functionality.

For those interested in more detail on what the malware did and how we handled it, read on. For those who just want to know how it’ll affect the site from now on; future posts should be fine, past posts will have their pictures and mp3s restored (very, VERY slowly, one at a time), and the site will be repaired and improved (top bar bio and other pages, side bar blogroll, archives, etc., etc.) slowly over the next little while, from the current settings.

Also, the email list was impacted, so you should contact Steve if you’ve changed your email in the past year or two, aren’t receiving the weekly update (by next week), or start receiving it when you’d requested to be unsubscribed.

Read more…

In Music ,

There’s what happens pre-NXNE, and what happens during NXNE…

This weekend, Rock Plaza Central play a CD release show at Lee’s Palace on Saturday, and The Pink Mountaintops (the sunnier and stranger side project of Black Mountaintops’ founder Stephen McBean) play both an in-store show at Sonic Boom Sunday afternoon, and a headlining gig that night at the ‘Shoe. On Tuesday, pre-NXNE, the folks behind Ganglion Comics have another stellar show & comic book launch on Tuesday night at The Boat, with The Magic, Boxes & Bags, and a (mostly) reunited Henri Faberge & The Adorables.

Starting as of Wednesday, NXNE features free shows at Yonge & Dundas Square and at record stores all over town, plus regular showcases and concerts (of course!), featuring out of town acts like The Black Lips, Melissa Auf De Maur (former and current member of Hole), Burning Brides, and Matt & Kim. The best showcases though, IMO, combine great local acts, some of whom are getting rare to catch in town, like Woodhands, Hooded Fang, and Jason Collett.

Just hangin' at the Gladstone: Andew Whiteman (foreground), AKA Apostle of Hustle, plays at least three gigs (two of them FREE) in Toronto next week as part of NXNE.

(For Comedy, Theatre, Film, and the week’s picks, continue below.)

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Laugh Sabbath Presents… " Let’s Get Hot’s 4th Anniversary ", w/ Brian Barlow, Kathleen Phillips, Nathan Fielder, hosts Chris Locke & Aaron Eves, more,  @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5

The website has been idle for the past week, partly because I’ve been easing myself into the hurly burly of the performing arts scenes (it’s quite a lot of work to get back up to speed after taking more than a week off), but mostly because I’ve been having hardware issues, and haven’t been able to get online (I’m writing this from a work terminal).

 I should be back online by late tomorrow, and the update should be up as of this Friday. The calendar won’t likely be retroactively updated like I’d planned, though; it’ll resume as of the update’s posting.

I’m awfully touched by all the messages from people wondering what was going on. Some people really missed last week’s update, and the calendar postings – many of whom didn’t even have a show to promote! Rest assured, the website should be back to normal by the weekend. – Steve

The first update posted to the site! A little late, but better that then never. Email steve@gracingthestage.ca to get on the weekly mailing list, if you aren’t already getting it.  Full listings follow below. Read more…

Gracing the Stage originated as a weekly emailed update, with picks and concise listings of theatre, dance, comedy, film, and music events occurring in Toronto. Written by Steve Fisher since 2002, the email edition has surpassed 250 editions, and has nearly 1,000 members subscribed to the mailing list. This new web resource will enable daily posts, profiles of acts, shows, and events featured in the weekly update, and a planned podcast about local music in Toronto.

Regular posts will commence in early January of 2009. Expect profiles of plays featured in the Next Stage Festival begining prior to the festival’s January 7th opening, and, of course, the weekly update to begin issuing from this website. Email Steve (with “subscribe” in the subject heading) to begin receiving the update in 2009, and start checking back here often for new posts in the New Year!

Wishing you and yours the very best for this holiday season,

Steve