NXNE is not only filled with wonderful bands who play great music, it is also filled with incredible amounts of parties.  Some industry invite only, some in backyard and some on boats.  It just depends what your heart desires and where you want to go that day. Whatever the case may be: NXNE has you covered.

Nirvana and NWA.  When I was a teenager, and first found a love for music those are the 2 artists you would have found back to back and most played on my iPod.  Alas, I’m certainly too old to have had an iPod as a pre-teenager.  I remember my yellow shock resistant discman being hot shit back in the 90s.  Most people born in the 80s probably know what I’m talking about.

Arts & Craft really pulled out all the stops for its 1st annual Field Trip and for its 10th birthday celebration.  It was a celebration of all things: indie rock,  delicious eats, artisan crafts, art but most importantly, Toronto.

Held at the Fort York grounds, Arts & Crafts brought some of the labels best and brightest together (including none other than Broken Social Scene and Feist, because how could they not be there). With the clouds parting ways and sunshine beating down on an anxious crowd, we were treated to some lovely sets by Gold & Youth, The D’arcys, Cold Speck, Jason Collett, Dan Managan and Bloc Party.

Back when I was 14, in an effort to keep me put of trouble my Mom enrolled me in some kind of summer film camp. It was through the National Screen Institute of Canada. And unbeknownst to me, it was kind of a big deal. I’m not sure if it was an admissions error, but at 14 the next youngest participants were a few child prodigy 16 year olds who had grown up with parents in the film business. The bulk of other attendees were 18+. Sounds terrifying, but I was a reserved kid, but never one to show weakness or back down from a challenge. That year I ended up being Director of Photopraphy and filming a short called “End of Time” that was well received. The following year I was personally invited back to write and direct. And started a torrid love using cameras to express myself and tell stories.

If you’re in Montreal this weekend and are hitting up restos and bars on the F1 circuit, make sure to take lots of pictures because there’s a good chance you’ll be photobombed by one our hot and sassy street team girls wearing the the sought after official Daft Punk cardboard helmet. If you do get photobombed, make sure to post your pic on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #DAFTPUNKGP for a chance to win an amazing prize pack.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram where we will be posting pics of all the antics this weekend in Montreal for the F1 Grand Prix.

Guess what? Sometimes people make cool shit. Sometimes these people are Canadian. There’s a new webseries out of Toronto, and I think you might like it. It’s not your typical “dudes trying to make something funny while being unbearably annoying” schtick. These guys have made a product that’s clean, cultural, and funny.

It all started with a cryptic Facebook message from an old friend I hadn’t been in touch with for almost a year. “Call me as soon as you get this. It’s important.” The subsequent call started with her saying: “so my girlfriend and I have decided we want a child and have decided you are the best guy we know as father genetics. You’re looks, talents and personality have led us to choose you as the person we want to donate sperm to us.” Keep in kind this is a friend I hadn’t talked to in a year. My response. “I’m in.”

Welcome to the first edition of PM Picks where I list the top 5 tracks i’ve been playing and replaying lately.

The celebration of Pride 2013 is less than a month away. Think of this blog as breakfast with lunch and dinner coming to you through out the month of June! The events listed are not until the end of June BUT you need to think early to be a part of the experience. There are cheaper tickets available now for Cherry Bomb, which is usually a sell out. Queernament 2013 has their cut off date of May 30th for team registration.

Over the last three weeks as this month’s Blog Hunter, I’ve talked about sort of still being in the closet , the shift in the gay community and the discrimination within the LGBT community , . This final installment, I really want to delve into some of my personal pet peeves. In some way, it may be viewed as my own personal discrimination, but I’ll try to lead you to understand. Perhaps some of you who are reading this may have shared my following sentiments; I’m not looking for validation, but why don’t you leave a comment to add to the conversation?

As a child, during the holiday season, my mother would drag me in tears to see Santa Clause in the local shopping mall. During the summer months, my family would make a few trips to Canada’s Wonderland, where happening upon the costumed characters would make me sweat, for chance that they’d spot me for a photo op. As for clowns, with their bright painted faces, loud attire and large expressive gestures had me ducking for cover. I guess the “Don’t Talk to Strangers” campaign really stuck to my formative little brain. So, it’s no surprise that as I grew up, my fear of the costumed and face-painted translated into another fear — the fear of drag queens.

This month’s Blog Hunter, Adam Graham, is discussing modern issues facing the gay community and urban community at large.

Tradition is loosely defined as “something that is handed down.”There is no implication of right or wrong, good or bad – just “something.” So, it’s interesting when a tradition is so strongly defended. In this ever-changing world, we are faced with ideas that challenge our traditional way of thinking, and often tradition is defended over innovation, because there is some sort of comfort in familiarity. Currently the most discussed tradition pertaining to the gay community is traditional marriage, but one that is buzzing quietly is the transformation of gay villages.

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The Contact Photography Festival is on now, and continues to mid summer. Various locations throughout the city bring you both free, and events where you need to pay. It’s a great opportunity to expose yourself to photography that you wouldn’t normally see. Listed for your convenience are a few films, workshops and installations that I thought were worth a mention. The words in this blog mostly belong to the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival Website. I chose to do so, as clarity comes best directly from the source. Here is a complete map of everything that there is to experience this year. Here is their Twitter @ContactPhoto and Facebook