…and other amusements. Consult our day-by-day planner on how to get the most out of this month.
1. Well, we know we aren’t going to be watching the Leafs and Red Wings in the Winter Classic. So enjoy The Rose Parade and we’ll talk tomorrow.
2. There are two performances (1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) today of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s fresh take on The Wizard of Oz at the Ed Mirvish Theatre.
3. Basia Bulat is among the performers bringing an artistic vision of “renewel” to the AGO as the gallery hosts its first 1st Thursdays showcase of the year.
4. Local indie-R&B upstarts First Rate People play Lee’s Palace.
5. Get up at 8 a.m. as Canada will most likely be playing in the gold-medal game of the World Juniors .
6. The NBA’s most exciting team this side of South Beach, The Oklahoma Thunder, make their only visit to town to play the Raptors in a 1 p.m. tip-off.
7. In what will likely be the most-watched college-football game of all time, Notre Dame takes on Alabama in the BCS .
8. We kick off the 20th season of free Nu Music Nites at the Horseshoe Tavern .
9. Walter Schreifels brings his highly influential 1990s post-hardcore outfit Quicksand to the Phoenix.
10. Wu-Tang wordsmith Method Man hits the Sound Academy.
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11. The Gus Van Zant-directed Promised Land
12. Start thinking about summer with the opening of the Toronto Boat Show .
13. Did you know G. Love ‘s real name is Garrett Dutton? He brings his trippy Philly hip-pop to the Opera House.
14. Raise a pint to rock ‘n’ roll—happy birthday Dave Grohl !
15. Haven’t seen rustic N.Y.C. singer/songwriter Willy Mason since he opened for Radiohead at the Sony (then called Humingbird) Centre in June of 2007? He’s just released his first album since then, Carry On , and will be at the Rivoli tonight.
16. The double bill of the year (well, so far) happens at the Danforth Music Hall with The Walkmen and Father John Misty , whose Fear Fun LP was one of my favourites of 2012.
17. As the great Pumpkin once said, “today is the greatest”—and Muhammad Ali is among the greats born on this day. He turns 71.
18. Former Girls frontman Christopher Owens showcases his much-anticipated solo album, Lysandre (out Jan. 15), at the Mod Club.
19. Our 1970s transistor radio comes to life when America plays the (sister) golden greats at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga.
20. It’s almost as super a Sunday as the Super Bowl itself, as the NFC and AFC Championships games will decide who plays for the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Feb. 3.
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21. Toronto loves The Darkness , and the Phoenix will be sizzling when the band plays the old hits plus tunes from their fine comeback album, Hot Cakes
22. Atlanta’s Gringo Star bring it on at the Horseshoe.
23. L.A. rap metal masqueraders Hollywood Undead have a new LP, Notes From the Underground , in stores Jan. 8 and a show at the Mod Club tonight.
24. Eat light as Winterlicious starts tomorrow all across the city.
25. Good luck figuring out a way to get into night one of Soundgarden at the Sound Academy. And Happy Robbie Burns Day!
26. It’s a night of rhythmic electro-rock at Lee’s Palace as Toronto gets one of the few North American shows from Ultraista . The group features Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace pals Nigel Godrich and Joey Waronker.
27. It’s the last day of the National Bridal Show at the Direct Energy Centre.
28. California psych-rockers The Growlers will showcase new trips from their just released Hung at Heart album at the Horseshoe.
29. PVR the season finale of the excellent Parenthood The Menzingers and Hot Water Music at the Danforth Music Hall.
30. Marilyn Manson brings his Grammy-nominated album, Born Villain
31. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience is gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove at Massey Hall.
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