Promotional photo for the music group Volcano Choir, who will be performing in Toronto on Sept. 8, 2013.Cameron Wittig
Toronto Independent Film Festival
Running a similarly acronymed event concurrently with the glitzier Toronto International Film Festival means being represented by a micro-budget film directed by Michael Ray Fox (instead of Michael J. Fox) opening the smaller festival earlier this week. No red carpets will be harmed at a happening of no-frills movie-making that Saturday is headlined by Montreal Underground, a documentary about indie bands from that city who are absolutely not named Arcade Fire. To Sept. 14. $8. Carlton Cinema, 20 Carlton St., film-fest.ca.
Grolsch Open House
Move over Steam Whistle, there's a new green-bottled brewski in town this weekend. The Dutch premium lager sponsors an affair of art installations, artisanal food trucks and eclectic live music program in what they're calling a "vibrant outdoor public lounge space" at the corner lot right in the middle of the TIFF action. Saturday night sees Brendan Canning holding court at 9 p.m., followed by a collaboration between Michael Rault and the Heavyweights Brass Band. Sept. 7 and 8 (4 to 11 p.m.) and Sept. 9 (6 to 11 p.m.). Free. At Pearl and John streets, grolschfilmworks.com.
Beach Celtic Festival
One can passively watch the frozen-shouldered, feet-on-fire choreography of the Bold Step Dancers at this year's ceilidh at Kew Gardens, or perhaps one wishes to try a little two-stepping oneself. For anyone who doesn't know how, by stopping off at a few of the many Irish pubs along Queen Street East on the way to the Beaches, you'll definitely be reeling by the time you get to the festival itself. Special musical guests include the tartan troubadour John McDermott (Saturday only). Sept. 7 and 8, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free. 2075 Queen St. E., thecelticfestival.com.
An Te Liu: Mono No Ma
Like nature and some pet dogs, the Canadian conceptual artist An Te Liu abhors a vacuum. He's taken discarded Styrofoam packing that once surrounded and protected consumer goods and transformed it into ceramic sculptures – a conjuring of new forms borne of emptiness. Described as an "artist intervention," the exhibit of 19 site-specific sculptures drew inspiration from artifacts found in the Gardiner's Ancient Americas collection. Sept. 7 to Nov. 11. $6 to $12. Gardiner Museum, 111 Queen's Park, 416-586-8080 or gardinermuseum.on.ca.
Volcano Choir
"Shout it, shout it gold and loud … no longer feeling tepid now." Headed by Justin Vernon of the Grammy-winning Bon Iver, on its new Repave album the artful and experimental American alt-rockers Volcano Choir rise to occasions by upscaling the emotion of their debut album, Unmap, from 2009, and making big music in the bold manner of fellow anthem climbers TV on the Radio and Broken Social Scene. Sept. 8, 8:45 p.m. $22.50. Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St., collectiveconcerts.com or ticketfly.com.
Brad Wheeler