Another doomed club fiddles and faddles its way to oblivion

\TORONTO EAST\

What to make of tonight’s show with Saxy Sady T (aka Tess Perrier) performing solo at a joint called Apollonia on Danforth Ave. near Coxwell?

Not much despite the fact that after about 20 years of working on her sax playing Sady is a pretty decent performer. She’s no Carrie Chesnutt to be sure —but then who is?— but nevertheless, combined with her singing and personality, she puts on an energetic and soulful show.

But the operator of this reasonably well appointed but perpetually empty place, Garnet Caesar, has demonstrated that he has absolutely no understanding of the hospitality industry whatsoever, let alone the chops to mount a successful live entertainment enterprise. The Greek deity Apollo was known for being the patron god of music and poetry, but this room is making a pretty sad mockery of that so far.

After taking over the place at 1504 Danforth Ave that used to be called The Livin’ Room (which over three years never amounted to anything other than an ethnic social club for one of the lower European nationalities —I’m not sure which one) Caesar started up this summer with karaoke being hosted by ebullient red-headed Erika, who has been doing shows in place after place in the area for two decades that I know of and does have a bit of a following.

In June she told me about her new gig hosting not one but two nights a week at the room, Thursdays and Saturdays. Since at the time I was busy with my own show on Saturdays, I decided to check it out one Thursday, particularly curious since I was also in the process of reviving my local East York Chronicle community news rag and thought the new developments there might merit an ad or story or both.

But the night I first attender there was nothing going on when I arrived at 11 p.m. —I was told that the Thursday K-show had been moved to Sundays and after showing Caesar my publication I was enthusiastically invited to come by then to also talk about promotion. When I did, there was again nothing going on. Apparently Erika was delayed or there was a misunderstanding or something, but it’s not like there was a crowd of unhappy patrons wondering where she was —there was just me and the owner.

By the time I was able to get back there on another Sunday, that show had been switched back to Thursdays! And when I finally got there on a subsequent Thursday in early July, this time there was no one there but Erika, packing up at midnight, and she was practically in tears because, she told me, she’d been given only a very small portion of the pay she’d been promised, not even enough for cab fare home.

Next, enter Sady, performing in duo mode on Wednesdays starting in early July “because he won’t pay me enough to hire more than one other player”. The night I was there for that show, there were two other patrons, both music industry people and longtime Sady pals.  Meanwhile, instead of actually buying some advertising, the owner made a promise to do so that he never followed up on. (His wife, whom I’ve never seen there, wouldn’t let him spend $100, he subsequently told me.)

Not surprisingly, Sady’s shows have been pretty lightly attended and the latest news, a couple of weeks ago, was that she was going to switch to Thursday nights and do the nights solo, starting as of last week (Erika’s karaoke show had once again been cancelled).

But two days beforehand the big debut show was “postponed” —until it suddenly wasn’t when the club owner decided late Wednesday night to go ahead with it last week after all! (And we haven’t even touched on another show she was supposed to do there a week ago Sunday that was cancelled on three days’ notice.)

But wait, it gets even more bizarre! After a reasonably successful (according to Sady) show last Thursday, the owner now wants her to switch it to Tuesday nights, starting tonight (assuming that it doesn’t get cancelled or rescheduled between the time you’re reading this and when it’s supposed to start at 10 p.m.)!

Why an experienced and not untalented performer like Sady puts up with all this is anybody’s guess —but then she also had a run this spring at another east end bar famous for its inconsistency, ridiculous underpaying of talent and refusal to do any promotion: Melange on Main Street at Gerrard.

Sadly, however, these sorts of episodes are becoming more and more common. Out in Scarborough there’s a whole string of bars that have gone gung-ho with live bands for a few months only to drastically cut back or cut them out entirely, all the while doing zero promotion. It’d be funny if it weren’t so heartbreaking for the performers who pour their all into trying to make these rooms work only to be discarded like a dirty band-aid once the owners realize there is no magic pill substitute for hard work, consistency and investing a few dollars in making things pay off. (I’ll have more to say about that in an editorial I’m whipping up for the holiday weekend.)

In the meantime, hopefully Sady gets enough friends out tonight for the 10 p.m. show to ensure she at least gets paid what she expects. If you do go you might consider trying the food –it looked reasonably appetizing when Sady’s friends were enjoying it on the patio. But wag your finger at Garnet and tell him to get out from under the apron strings and make up his mind what he’s going to do already —and you might mention to him, too, that having no draughts on tap and a grand selection of about six different bottled beers isn’t likely to produce a night of bumper sales.

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.). Admission prices followed by a slash and minus (/-) after the amount indicates door charge with availability of cheaper rates for some purchases. /+ indicates stated price is minimum.

Names of subscribers appear in bold, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

3 (and 6)> David Love Band also feat. Darrell McNeill @ CNE Midway Stage, Canadian National Exhibition Grounds, Lakeshore Blvd. West, TO ~Rock

5-8> Peter Cavanagh Jazz Quartet @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

5:30> jam with League Of Rock house band feat. Sue Martin @ Hard Rock Café, 279 Yonge St., TO

*6-9> Julian Fauth solo @ Sauce, 1376 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Blues piano

6> tba @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6:30> Julia Cleveland Quintent @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*6:30-11> The Woodshed jam with Don Niblett & Frank Zochodne @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

7> Randy Hill @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

7:30-9:30> Liane Fainsinger @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

7:30> Ben Walker Duo @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St., TO ~Punk Roots

7:30 (and 11)> Sugar Heat @ CNE Midway Stage, Canadian National Exhibition Grounds, Lakeshore Blvd., TO West

7:30> PRTY H3RO; Eleven Past One; These Kids Wear Crowns @ CNE Bandshell, Canadian National Exhibition Grounds, Lakeshore Blvd., TO West

8> FingerStyleGuitar.ca open stage @ Hirut, 2050 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Roots

8-11> Danny Marks & Alec Fraser Blues Night @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

8> Toronto Folk Singers Club @ Tranzac Club (Tiki Room), 292 Brunswick St., TO

8-12> Kate Todd @ Monarchs Pub in Eaton Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Country Pop

8> Harvey Cameron @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*8> open stage with host Iain Leslie @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $2

8-10> Sean Hully Jazz Group @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~

*8:30> Django Jam @ Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~Django Jazz

8:30> Edward Ambrosius hosts acoustic Blues jam @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

*8:45> Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues

*8:45> open mic with Matt Zadkovich @ Culchainn’s Irish Pub, 158 Queen St. S., Streetsville-Mississauga

9> Mercy Flight feat. Steve York; Sheldon Holder; The Histrionics for Two Four Tuesdays @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West ~indie

**9> open mic with host Jody Ferrer & 10 p.m. feature by tba @ Groove Bar, 1952 Danforth Ave., TO East

*9-1> karaoke with Randy Petrie @ King’s Belly, 429 Donlands Ave., TO East

*9> open mic with host Nikki Lemonbeat @ Kitch, 229 Geary Ave., TO West

9> Dan Walsh @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

9> Sun K with Gramercy Riffs @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

9-12> David Gavin Baxter & Kara Lea Manovich @ Bar Radio, 615 College St., TO ~Country; pwyc

**9> Ababe Music presents Shelley O’Brien; Dominique Fricot; Lipstick Junkies; blueVenus @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie showcase

*9> open mic with Manny D, Andy Earle & Dave Breckels @ Big Chris BBQ, 17380 Yonge St., Newmarket

9:30> Nicola Vaughan hosts jam @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9:30> The Phil & John Show feat. Phil Naro @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~acoustic Pop Rock

*9:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ The Fossil & Haggis, 790 Military Trail, Scarborough

*9:30-2> karaoke with Krista Frank @ Legends, 774 Danforth Ave., TO East

*9:30> Peter Verity @ Black Swan, 154 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Folk Roots

9:30> Patrick Ballantyne @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~

*9:30-12> open stage hosted by Jennifer Brewer @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> Peter Beets Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*9:30> jam with Derek Downham @ Axis, 3048 Dundas St. W., TO West ~eclectic

9:30> James Cameron Band @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country Rock

*10-2> The Sattalites @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~orig. & cover Reggae/Funk

10> Nick Fraser Presents @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St., TO

10> Saxy Sady T solo @ Apollonia Café, 1504 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz/Pop

10> Sinners Choir @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*10-11> Nik Beat’s Howl radio show @ CIUT 89.5 FM, ~spoken word & music

*10-2> Marshall Dane Trio @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~New Country/Pop

10:30> The World Is Yours Acoustic Duo @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

Copyright © 2014 Toronto Moon Magazine. All Rights Reserved