BATA SHOE MUSEUM,update

 

The Sadies Live @ BSM! The Bata Shoe Museum is excited to celebrate the exhibition publication launch of Rough and Ready: A History of Cowboy Boots with a special live performance by acclaimed Canadian band, The Sadies, on Friday, March 27, 2026. Come for the history, stay for the music, and leave inspired by footwear that’s walked through rodeos, rebellions, and rock shows. Date: Friday, March 27, 2026 Time: 7 pm - 10:30 pm Location: Bata Shoe Museum, 327 Bloor Street West, Toronto Ticket options: $30 general admission or $90 including a signed copy of the Rough and Ready book, a custom Rough & Ready bandana made by Canadian designer Hayley Elsaesser, and one beverage. BUY TICKETS About The Sadies The Sadies are Toronto-based country-rock veterans who have been blending cosmic Americana, garage psychedelia, and surf-infused twang since 1994. The band currently consists of Travis Good, Sean Dean, and Mike Belitsky, carrying forward a legacy built alongside founding member Dallas Good, who passed away unexpectedly in 2022. Sons of Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame members The Good Brothers, the band merges their deep roots in traditional country with punk-fueled energy and experimental edge.Known for extensive collaborations with artists like Neko Case, Blue Rodeo, Jon Langford, Gord Downie, and Neil Young, The Sadies have built a reputation for both their own acclaimed recordings and as one of North America's most versatile backing bands. Their 2022 album Colder Streams, created with Dallas Good, won the Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year and was shortlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize, cementing their status as Canadian music icons whose genre-defying sound continues to captivate audiences worldwide. About the Book Written by BSM Director & Senior Curator, Elizabeth Semmelhack and published by Rizzoli, Rough and Ready includes engaging narratives, insightful interviews with Lee Miller, Lisa Sorrell and Jamie Nudie, and vibrant images that showcase the evolution of the cowboy boot through five transformative eras: “Real” explores multicultural origins and the authentic cowboys who wore them; “Rodeo” examines Western mythmaking through Wild West shows, early film, and dude ranches; “Rhinestone” delves into country western music, Nudie Cohn’s designs, and the shifting archetypes from Gene Autry’s moral code to John Wayne’s tougher persona; “Right” investigates the boots’ emergence as luxury commodities during the Reagan years and Urban Cowboy phenomenon; and “Reclaimed” presents contemporary reinterpretations from the Western-inspired fashion of Beyoncé and Pharrell Williams to modern bootmakers. Complementing the authoritative foundation are in-depth essays by BSM Curator and Manager of Exhibitions, Nishi Bassi, and Assistant Professor of Indigenous Knowledges and Fashion Design, Parsons School of Design, Justine Woods.

GALLERY CLOSURE Due to unexpected building maintenance, Art/Wear: Sneakers and Artists has been closed ahead of schedule. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your continued support. For those individuals who pre-purchased an online ticket on or before March 4, you will automatically receive a 20% refund. Please contact info@batashoemuseum.ca with questions or concerns.  CONTACT US Be sure not to miss our upcoming exhibition, Unearthing Vindolanda: Footwear from the Edge of the Roman Empire, opening May 7.  Discover over 100 footwear-related artifacts from Vindolanda, a Roman auxiliary fort and settlement located just south of Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, England. On view for the first time in North America, these remarkable objects are part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is renowned for its ongoing archaeological excavations providing unprecedented accounts of ancient life at the edge of the Roman Empire.

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