\ TO DOWNTOWN/WEST \
When I first started hanging around the TO music scene a little in the early 1980s, a friend at the time whom I used to visit in the city had a pot dealer who ran a nice little health-oriented store on Markham Street just south of what was then TO landmark Honest Ed’s on Bloor St. West just west of Bathurst Street.
Although I wasn’t a total stranger to TO, having spent all of my life living in little towns and cities outside of The Big Smoke I was enchanted by this little strip in much the same as by Kensington Market and Yorkville Village. Like them, Mirvish Village, (as it was named by Ed’s owner Ed Mirvish) seemed to offer a personality and sense of distinct community in the midst of the glass and concrete blocks and towers, retail chains and working people’s bungalows that comprised most of the rest of downtown.
Although I’ve never been particularly an habitué of the area even after moving here in the early 90s, that little neighbourhood’s vibrancy has continued to be part of my landscape all along and of course like many others before and since, when I was struggling to set up an apartment here I availed myself of the many bargains on basic household items that could be found at Ed’s.
Now it’s all going under the bulldozer’s ball as condos replace what has been a quasi-historic area. Ed’s is already vacated, of course, and the little clubs and restaurants along Markham are shuttering up one by one as the February start of demolition looms soon indeed.
The Central Tavern at 603 Markham Street, which has been a stage (two stages actually, in this two-storey locale) for an eclectic legion of indie artists for a decade, formally closes its doors next Tuesday night and has planned a big blow-out finale evening that will include several acts.
But tonight it’s “last open mic at The Central” with host Revel York, who’s been anchoring a Tuesday hoot there for some time now. (He promises to find a new location for the event after the club closes, but has not yet disclosed any details.) There’s to be a special feature guest act, Treefort, for the 7:30 p.m. no-cover event and based on what I’ve heard about these nights and know about the venue, this should be a parade of gifted talent.
Meanwhile starting at 6 p.m. another formerly nearby room that already abandoned ship, Southern Accent, which was at 595 Markham for a few decades, I believe, is already reopening, tonight staging their Grand Opening party at their new location at 839 College St. a couple doors west of Ossington Ave. —the heart of the area in which these days it’s so hip to be seen and where you can also catch lots of live music.
There’ll be performances tonight by keyboardist-singer Roberta Hunt accompanied by Toby Hughes on sax and lots of free samplers of the Mexican-style cuisine and Cajun cocktails they offer. Although the room had occasionally featured music while on Markham, it’s really mostly a restaurant. Nevertheless, utilizing the duo tonight is at least a hint of a promise that what was appealing in the past may not all be lost.
-Gary Webb-Proctor
SHOW LISTINGS for Tuesday, January 24, 2022
For KEY to listings codes and schemata see note at end of shows list.
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ON AIR/ONLINE
4-6pm> Blues Blast w Ken Wallis @ 101.5 FM or 1015thehawk.ca
**7-8> “Songtalk Radio” songwriters interviews/chat with weekly guest @ CJRU 1280AM Toronto and online
7-9> “Unsung and On The Side” with Carolyn Fe on Rock-Fm.ca
416 – TORONTO CENTRAL
noon-1> Goran Jurić “Lost In A Russian Forest” @ Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W., TO ~C
6> Staycation @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
6-12> Paul LaMarche; Leslie Huyler; Annie Bonsignore; Chris Birkett; special guests @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~indie; $10-$20/pwyc
6:30-10:30> Morgan Scott @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $10
6:30> Richard Whiteman Quartet @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
*6:30-9:30> Stacie McGregor @ Nawlin’s, 299 King St. W. TO ~Jazz piano
7> Cherry Blazerr; Slow Hollows @ Velvet Underground, 508 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock; $15
7:30> Fergus Hambleton & guests @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St., TO ~eclectic Roots-Pop originals & covers; pwyc
8> Tom Chaplin @ Mod Club, 722 College St., TO ~“Keane” voice live; $27.50+ 
*8> eclectic open mic @ Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO
8> Art Bar poetry & open stage @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~spoken word
*8:45> Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues; $
*9> Chris Caddell Blues Band @ Lou Dawgs, 598 King St. W., TO ~Blues
9> finale open mic with Revel York @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO
*9> open mic @ The Paddock, 178 Bathurst St., TO
9:30> The Waring Blues Band @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~Blues; 0$
**9:30> Jazz jam hosted by Chris Gale @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
*10-2> The Sattalites @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~original & cover Reggae/Funk; $
10> The Sinners Choir @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
416 –TORONTO EAST
*6-9> Julian Fauth solo @ Sauce, 1376 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Blues piano
6:30> Ann Vriend @ Aporia Record Label, 714 Gerrard St. E., TO East ~songwriter
7-10> Sam Sundar-Singh @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~eclectic covers; 0$
8> Jamie & Alex; Monica Maehew; T.C. Folkpunk @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~indie; 0$
**8-11> open stage hosted by Jay Pennell or Kyle Duffin @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East
8:30-10:30> Don Stevenson @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East
*9> open mic with host Asha Diaz @ Groove Bar, 1952 Danforth Ave., TO East
*9:30> Peter Verity @ Black Swan, 154 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Folk Roots
416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE
*8> Groovestone @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Rock/Soul
416 – TORONTO SCARBOROUGH
*9:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ The Fossil & Haggis, 790 Military Trail, Scarborough
416 – TORONTO WEST
5-8> Celtic & Croon @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz
6> Roberta Hunt (keys/vox) & Toby Hughes (sax) for grand opening of Southern Accent @ Southern Accent, 839 College St., TO West
*8-11> Freeman Dre & The Kitchen Party @ The Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~acoustic Folk-Rock originals & covers
8:30> “Piano Fest” with Millard; Oh; O’Callaghan @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~piano songwriters; $
9> Dante; Mercy Flight; Mauve Grove @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West ~indie; pwyc
9> Bobby Dove @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~
9> Jimmy Byron Duo @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~eclectic Pop Rock covers
9> Doin In Right; Bex & Blanco @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $5
519
2-4> jam session at W.G. Johnson Centre, 31 Kribs St., Cambridge
*6-8:30> Ukulele jam & workshop @ Idea Exchange, 1 North Square Queen’s Square, Cambridge
6-9> Ian Taylor @ Morty’s Pub, 272 King St. N., Waterloo ~Blues/Roots
*7-10> open mic with Andy Hughes @ The Joint Café, 43 Cork St. E., Guelph
*7-11> Waterloo Wellington Bluegrass Association holds Bluegrass jam @ Galt Legion RCL #121, 4 Veterans Way, Cambridge
*7-9> Juneyt @ Easy Pour Wine Bar, 1660 Blair Rd., Cambridge ~Flamenco guitarist
8> Songwriters Night with host Conor Gains & guest tba @ Kiwi Gastropub, 47 Dickson St., Cambridge
9> open mic jam @ Sip Club, 91 Wyndham St. N., Guelph
9> jam with John McKinley Band @ Churchill Arms, 355 Erb St. W., Waterloo
10> Matty P @ Doogie’s & Pablo’s, 37 Wyndham St. N., Guelph
10> Chalkline @ Duke of Wellington, 33 Erb St. W., Waterloo
*10> open jam with host Chris Brown @ Brando’s Beach House, 135 Market St., Brantford
705
7> open mic with Randy Hill @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough
9> open mic night @ Red Dog Tavern, 189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
905 EAST
*6:30-11> The Woodshed jam with Don Niblett & Frank Zochodne @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa
*7-11> open acoustic jam with Darren Smith & Shayne Thomas @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa
8:30-12:30> open mic with host Cheryl Stiles @ The Pearson Pub, 101 Mary St. W., Whitby
9> The Dukes @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country Rock
*10> L&M Jam with host Emerson Ireland @ The General Pub, 21 Celina St., Oshawa
*10> open mic with Josh Beaven @ The Atria, 59 King St. E., Oshawa
905 NORTH
7-10> open song circle with Patti McLaughlin @ RCL 385, 105 Industrial Pkwy. N., Aurora
7> open mic with Bernadette Connors @ Lake Simcoe Arms, 21089 Dalton Rd., Jackson’s Point
7> “Winterlude” with various performers @ Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill ~$40
*8> open mic @ The Tickled Toad, 330 Steeles Ave. W., 905 North
*8-11> jam with Matthew Kane & The Brews Brothers @ The Crown, 9580 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
*8:30-12:30> open mic @ Falcon & Firkin, 10300 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
*9> open mic with Manny D, Andy Earle & Dave Breckels @ Big Chris BBQ, 17380 Yonge St., Newmarket
905 SOUTH
*8> Blues & Jazz jam hosted by Wayne Janus & The Syncopaths @ Rebel’s Rock, 537 King St. E., Hamilton
*8> Chris Claus @ Thirsty Cactus, 2 King St. E., Dundas ~acoustic
9> songwriters night with tba @ The West Town, 214 Locke St. S., Hamilton
*9:30> Ten Gallon Cat @ Cat ‘n’ Fiddle, 174 John St. S., Hamilton ~Country?
9:30> Lauren Knowles Trio @ Gallagher’s Bar, 69 Augusta St., Hamilton
*9:30-1> Traditional Irish jam @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton
10> jam night @ Lazy Flamingo, 19 Hess. St. S., Hamilton
905 WEST
*8> The Phil & John Show @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~acoustic Pop Rock
*8> open stage (signup at 7:30) with host Neil McNaughton @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $2
*8> open mic night @ Fionn MacCool’s Burlington, 2331 Appleby Line, Burlington
*8:45> open mic with Matt Zadkovich @ Cuchulainn’s Irish Pub, 158 Queen St. S., Streetsville-Mississauga
9-1> Marshall Dane Duo @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Country-Pop; $
LISTINGS KEY
Listings are organized by area in which the shows occur and within each area field shows are listed chronologically.
Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.). Events preceded by question mark (?) usually take place but have not been confirmed. 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.
Copyright © 2017 by Gary “17” Webb-Proctor & TorontoMoon,ca. All Rights Reserved
