James McNally

Confirmed dates for the 2026 Shorts Not Pants Film Festival are Friday November 13 and Saturday November 14 at the Imagine Carlton Cinemas in Toronto. Put it in your calendar!

Confirmed dates for the 2026 Shorts Not Pants Film Festival are Friday November 13 and Saturday November 14 at the Imagine Carlton Cinemas in Toronto. Put it in your calendar!

DJ Ol' Nerdy Bastard - NewGoldDream - Friday March 13, 2026 event poster for a DJ night at Swan Dive (Dundas West at Brock, Toronto, Canada)

Talk Talk - Such A Shame 45rpm cover

Tears For Fears - Change 45rpm cover

Simple Minds - New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) cover

Friday night at Swan Dive, join me for NewGoldDream, a celebration of the chilly synth music of the early '80s. Extended versions and some oddities. Come out and be cool again! Alcohol for sale to assist! NO COVER! #djolnerdybastard

Thanks for those kind words, Shelagh. You have been a big part of the festival!

Shorts Not Pants Established in 2012 as a quarterly screening series in Toronto, Canada, Shorts Not Pants is now a festival weekend held each November. We've screened more...

Hey film friends and filmmakers, I'm bringing Shorts Not Pants back this November. It's a short film festival I started in 2012, and it happens over a weekend here in Toronto. Please help me spread the word and submit your short films here: filmfreeway.com/ShortsNotPants

Toronto City! Join me on Friday the 13th at Swan Dive (Dundas/Brock) as we travel back to the 1980s, the early days of Simple Minds, The Sound, Gary Numan, and lots of other cold and cool music. Never a cover, but bring your cash for intoxicating beverages and pinball! #djolnerdybastard

Pedro Sanchez's speech! Fire!

Bristol?

Toronto City, come to Houndstooth tonight! Music is going to be 🔥🔥🔥

Thinking of Iranian friends here at home and also in Iran...

Feel the Darkness: The Story of Poison Idea Founder "Jerry A" Lang looks back on the hardcore icons' tumultuous career, record by record.

Great story about a great band. daily.bandcamp.com/lists/poison...

Saturday at Houndstooth at Ten

Best band name ever?

Banana Republicans

Must you tell me all your secrets when it's hard enough to love you knowing nothing?

I gave myself to God, there was a pregnant pause before He said, "OK."

TORONTO CITY! On Sat Feb 28th, I return to Houndstooth to present SIMPLE FUTURE, a selection of future-oriented tunes, mostly from the postpunk and synthpop neighbourhoods. There is no charge to enjoy the sounds, but bring your money to enhance your time with beverages. You can dance if you want.

Best band name ever?

This jam unspools tonight at 10! C'mon!

Rocket From The Tombs - Ain't It Fun [US, Protopunk, Garage] (1977)

Rocket From The Tombs - Ain't It Fun [US, Protopunk, Garage] (1977)
https://redd.it/2r5lf9
https://youtu.be/_8yNLzlTKLA

The Diodes did a great cover of this one, too.

Hey Toronto City! Songs from the birth of the new millennium! Come and listen to them with me on Friday at Swan Dive, 10pm until the wee hours. There will be drinks, pinball, (free!) pool, & a rotating cast of weirdos and barflies. Bring your cash because they don't take that plastic mess. NO COVER!

I think you might be mad, but hope springs eternal!

Songs from the birth of the new millennium! Come and listen to them with me on Fri February 13, from 10pm until the wee hours at Swan Dive. There will be drinks, pinball, (free!) pool, and a rotating cast of weirdos and barflies. Bring your cash because they don't take that plastic mess. NO COVER!

INMUNE system!

Sounds Haarlem

I bought the DVD at an amazing record store/label in Haarlem last summer. www.soundshaarlem.nl/en

Nice shoutout in the credits to @wallytbm.bsky.social for help with the crowdfunding. The Sound covers CD (and its followup) are excellent!

"Lawrence of Belgravia" was also great, although it doesn't really focus on Lawrence's first (and best) band, Felt. Still, it's a great portrait of a real original.

Spent my day off watching two excellent documentaries about unique and gifted musicians. "Walking in the Opposite Direction" was probably more special for me because I love Adrian Borland's music so much, and he's no longer with us. (Go and listen to The Sound!).

Film peeps in Canada: why is Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing's documentary FOLKTALES not available to rent or stream in Canada?