Apt613

Persian Pitch screening at Club SAW on Aug. 6, 2026. Photo: John Finnigan-Lin. By Alex Dolansky R&B music has long been associated with movements for social change, but most people don’t think of it in connection with Iran. Salar Karami aims to change that: this 23-year-old hopes to use his music as a means of making a social and political impact toward the freedom of Iran’s people.

Casa Verde. Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki. In this feature, Apt613 asks blog contributors and local food lovers about their recent Ottawa area restaurant highlights to help you find new tasty treats to discover or revisit when someone inevitably asks, “Where do you want to eat?” We want to hear about something that you ate and loved! Leave comments below, and if you’d like to contribute to a future edition of Best Bites, email <>.

As we savour the last days of summer, what better way to spend your time (and escape the humid heat) than to visit our local independent cinemas? There are buzzy new films and stellar classics to enjoy! As I mentioned in my last Magic in the Dark, the ByTowne is screening the new film Tony, an Anthony Bourdain biography starring Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers) as the young Bourdain and co-written and directed by Canada’s own Matt Johnson (Blackberry, Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie).

Photo: Kiersten Vuorimaki Don’t let August slip away like a bottle of wine, friends! The heat has lifted a bit, and the city is vibrant and full of things to do. Whether you’re looking for some live music, lively theatre in the park, or just a good movie to stay indoors, the 613 has you covered this weekend. A Company of Fools is wrapping up their travelling production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday with a closing night at Windsor Park in Old Ottawa South.

For many of us, those COVID lockdowns were like living in the movie Groundhog Day. But not Nolan Tucker. He lived in a movie called 608 — a movie he made at home with the help of his parents, at 12 years old. “When you watch 608, it’s obvious that it was made by a kid,” Tucker says humbly of his homage to slasher films of the ’80s. “It was just a really cool experience, and it was the first seed of me figuring out that I’d want to do this as a career.

Since his first professional performance in 1972, Ian Tamblyn has forged a distinctive place in the Canadian musical landscape. A singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and storyteller, Ian has spent more than five decades drawing inspiration from the places he’s travelled, the landscapes he’s encountered, and the natural world.

Daniel Caesar at the Canadian Tire Centre. Photo by Landon Entwistle / Daniel Caesar brought his Son of Spergy tour to Ottawa last Wednesday night and proved that the most powerful performances don’t always rely on elaborate stage production, explosive theatrics, and mobility. Instead, the Grammy-winning R&B artist transformed the Canadian Tire Centre into an intimate space, where every lyric felt personal and every note carried emotional weight.

/ By Caleb Ficner Chamberfest’s 34th season came to a close this past weekend after a delightful 11 days of intimate and moving classical performances. This year’s lineup of opera, string ensembles, piano, contemporary, and more were meant to capture the longing for in person connection and live performances, Artistic Director Carissa Klopoushak told Apt613 at the start of the festival. Needless to say, audiences got their fill.

Share a job posting or call for artists: Please send a link to <[email protected]> and be sure to mention the closing date. Ottawa-Gatineau-based opportunities only.

Garçons. Photo: Green Badman. Fresh local music whenever you want it, updated monthly by apt613.ca music writers. Add our playlist on Spotify! Music has been top of mind for many of us this summer thanks to the extraordinary live performances we were graced with at Bluesfest. On top of that, many of your favourite local artists have also been dropping singles left and right last month – indie rock, Afrobeats, country, folk, and many more.