Friday rain and live music everywhere — here's how to spend it

It's 13°C and wet out there — bring a jacket and leave the umbrella at home if you can swing it; you'll want your hands free. Rain all day, clearing into evening. Sun's down by 6:57 PM, so if you're planning anything outdoors, squeeze it in early.

Getting around: Line 5 Eglinton's out between Mount Dennis and Kennedy — communication issues, shuttle buses running. Plan extra time if that's your commute. Nuit Blanche is happening this weekend, so F.G. Gardiner and Lakeshore East are closed before Park Lawn Road; avoid that corridor if you're heading west. The 306 Carlton's detoured via Church, King East, and Parliament while they deal with a disruptive customer.

Couple of neighbourhood things worth knowing. Rogers just wrapped a $4.35-billion takeover that gives them full control of the Leafs and Raptors — so that ownership structure you've been hearing about is locked in. Across the GTA, Zellers is coming back to Brampton's Shoppers World after 14 years, though it's smaller than the old footprint. And if you've been watching the Sauga mayoral race, affordability and property taxes are the headline — one in 17 residents there are using food banks.

Food-wise: if you're in Liberty Village, the Starbucks at 15 Solidarity Way just became a Tim Hortons, and residents aren't thrilled about losing the coffee shop. Millie Desserts is back in the 6ix serving from an Adelaide Street window if you want something sweet. Bushido's bringing omakase-kaiseki dining to Casa Loma starting October 22 — that's worth marking down. And if you missed the whole BYOPasta thing earlier this week (it was only one day), there's a story there about why.

Tonight's the real kickoff. Live music is everywhere — indie, rock, K-pop, you name it. JO1's at the Danforth Music Hall at 6:30 PM, Lostvoy's got an EP release show at Sneaky Dee's at the same time, and Graham Barham's at the Opera House at 7. If you're in the mood for film, Mississauga International Film Fest is running — Badnam Basti screens at Screening Room LAC at 5:30 PM if that's your thing. Everything's indoors, which works perfectly given the rain.

Weekend stretches ahead nice and long. Stay dry, get out and catch something tonight.