\ TO CENTRAL \
It was over four years ago now when I wrote about how songwriter and accompanist Harpin’ Norm Lucien in may ways exemplifies the spirit of Toronto’s longest running open stage, Fat Albert’s.
That was when he was doing a feature set at the weekly shindig at 25 Cecil St. and really just starting to become the solid performer and stage presence that he is today —not to mention dexterous crafter of catchy tunes of powerful substance, a remarkable accomplishment at any time.
Whether adding his once-trademark harmonica accompaniment to performances led by others, appearing solo doing his own tunes or fronting a band of Roots-Pop players happy to be part of creating magic, Norm has a supple and totally natural way of connecting with audiences.
In 2017 I also wrote about the release of his debut album, The World’s Strongest Man, which contains a number of Harpin Norm gems about love that still resonate and if anything grow stronger with time.
He’s continued to write since then, of course, and has been particularly prone to taking an anthemic proselytizing approach to social causes such as food security and preserving nature, some of which, along with tracks from his album, you can hear on his website’s music page.
Better still, you can hear some of his material live in person for next to nothing tonight, when he again does a 9 p.m. feature set for the Fat Albert’s coffeehouse, where the admission is a token amount (I believe it’s probably still $2) and the talent often world class, including accomplished veterans and newcomers who will become the revered icons of your children’s old age.
-By Gary17, TorontoMoon.ca
[email protected] * [email protected]
SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, January 29, 2022
Listings are organized by area in which the shows occur and within each area field shows are listed chronologically. For KEY to listings codes and schemata see note at end of shows list.
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ON AIR / ONLINE
3-7> Julian Taylor hosts @ 106.5 ELMNT FM in Toronto & www.elemntfm.ca ~eclectic music 25% indigenous, 35% CanCon
*6-8pm> The Rock-A-Round with Slim Tim @ www.rockabilly-radio.net ~ Rockabilly tracks (from UK, repeat show from previous Friday)
416 – TORONTO CENTRAL -Broadview/Bayview to Ossington
4-5> The Blue Stones @ Sugar Beach/The Edge 102.1FM, 25 Dockside Drive ~original Rock/Pop; $0
6-9> Allan Johnson Quartet featuring Abbey Sholzberg on bass @ Drom Taberna, 458 Queen St. W. ~Jazz
6> Dodge Fiasco @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W.
6-10> Nelson Sobral @ Reign Bar in Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front St. W. ~smooth Rock/Pop
6:30> Nathan Hiltz Quartet @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $
**7 (7 p.m. sign-up open stage at 8) with 9 p.m. feature by Harpin’ Norm Lucien @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall) ~songwriters
*7> Jim Heineman Trio @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W. ~Jazz
7> Cold War Kids; Overcoats @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St. ~contemporary original; $
7> Spiral Palace @ Blue Moon Lounge, 648 College St.
7> Zing! Zing! Zing! @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St. ~Ethnic Roots singalong; $
7:30> WhatNow? WeWait @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. ~indie; $
7:30-8:45> Duane Forest (recording preview for Le Sol album) @ The Tell, 401 Richmond St. W. ~songwriter; $
7:30> Michael Bridge @ Walter Hall in Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park Crescent ~accordion recital; $0
7:30-9:30> Supersonic Hearts @ The Hideout, 423 College St. ~big band Rock/R&B/Jazz
*8-10:30> 251 Jazz jam with David Rubel & guest @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. ~Jazz; $
8> Red Fox; Shy by Shy; Scratch Nastys @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W. ~eclectic indie; $10
8> open mic jam @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave.
*8> open mic @ Einstein Pub, 229 College St.
*8-11> open mic @ Ram In The Rye, 63 Gould St. (Ryerson University)
*8-11> open mic @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St.
8> BUSM; High Vibes; Deadhawk FM; Cadillac Blood @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W. ~indie; $
*8-12> open mic with Russell Edward Williams @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St.
8:30-11:30> SongStudio hosts open mic @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St. ~Blues; $10-20/pwyc
9> Discontinuity; Foreign Moon; Everything But The Rain; Midnight Madness @ Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St. W. ~contemporary original; $0
9> The Digs @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E. ~Funk/Jazz/neo-Soul; $
9> Vipers Cloud @ Drom Taberna, 458 Queen St. W. ~Gypsy Jazz jam
9> Jordan John Trio @ Poetry Jazz Café, 224 Augusta Ave. ~Blues/R&B; $10
*9-2> What’s Poppin’ indie jam @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St.
9:30> Angela Verbrugge @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $
10> Uncle Bass with Terry Wilkins @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W. ~Blues/R&B
10> Sax Drive @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. ~Jazz
10-2> The James Green Electric @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. ~Blues-Rock; $0
*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. ~Funk/R&B; $10
416 – TORONTO EAST & SCARBOROUGH -Broadview/Bayview to Port Union Road
6-10> Dan Walek hosts acoustic open stage jam @ Working Dog Saloon, 3676 St. Clair Ave. E.
*7-10:30> The BTBs @ Relish, 511 Danforth Ave. ~Jazz; 0$
7> Rex Orange County @ The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave. ~contemporary original; $
*8-11> Paul Reddick Band also featuring Derek Downham @ Sauce on the Danforth,1376 Danforth Ave. ~original Blues; $0
8-12> open mic @ The Cut/Big Bruce, 1963 Queen St. E. ~acoustic Pop covers & originals
*8:30> jam with Copy Machine @ Frog and the Crown, 1871 O’Connor Drive
9:30> eclectic open mic with host Matt @ Wayla Bar, 996 Queen St. E.
*6-10> The Paul Morgan Project @ The Irish Shebeen, 5555 Eglinton Ave. ~Country/Blues/Roots-Rock
6:30-9:30> Barry McClivogue @ Fionn MacCool’s Islington, 2180 Islington Ave. (Quality Hotel) ~acoustic Pop covers & originals
7-11> Phil & John Show @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line ~acoustic Pop covers/originals
7:30> Ross Wooldridge Trio @ Old Mill, 21 Old Mill Rd. (Home Smith Bar) ~Jazz; $0 (minimum table charge)
*9-1> open mic with Daniel Gagnon @ The Old Sod, 2936 Bloor St. W.
416 – TORONTO WEST -Ossington to Etobicoke
6-8> Blythwood Winds @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W. ~wind ensemble; $
7-11> Hump Night Blues with Julian Fauth solo 7-8; set with Julian Fauth & guest James Légere 8-9; set with Julian Fauth & Krewe de Bleu featuring George Baumann & Dave McManus plus guest James Légere 9-11 @ La Rev, 2848 Dundas St. W. ~Blues/R&B; $0
7> Sheldon Hunt @ Today/Tonight, 1704 Queen St. W. ~songwriter
7> Jon Bryant; Josh Hyslop @ Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W.
7:30> Los Aurora @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. ~Worldbeat Flamenco-Jazz fusion; $20+
7:30> Floral Marks; Aunest; Nico @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave. ~original fem-fronted Rock/Pop; $
8> Laura Robinson Group @ Alchemy, 890 College St. ~Jazz; $0
*8-11> Fraser/Daley @ Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave. ~original Rootsy Blues
8:30> Albert Lee @ Hugh’s Room Live, 2261 Dundas St. W. ~original Blues icon; $45
9> Jacob Sious @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St.
9> The Idaho Stop @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W. ~original Country/alt-Country; $
9> Trent Freeman @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave.
*9:30> Burke Carroll’s The Hulagoons @ Skyline Restaurant, 1426 Queen St. W. ~faux-Hawaiian with steel guitar; pwyc
10> open mic with guest host Hugh Wilson @ T.O. Lounge, 1384 Queen St. W.
*10:30> Luke Vajsar @ Motel Bar, 1235 Queen St. W. ~Jazz
519 EAST -Guelph/K-W & vicinity
6> Matt Weidinger @ Manhattan’s Guelph, 951 Gordon St., Guelph ~smooth Pop/Jazz/Rock piano
*6-9> Dano & Jaye @ Ray’s Bistro, 1475 Queen St. W., Alton ~smooth Pop/Jazz
7-10> Daniel East tribute to Ed Sheeran @ Orangeville Town Hall, 87 Broadway, Orangeville; $
7:30> Celtic Session @ Penny Whistle, 2 Quebec St., Guelph
7:30> Zack @ Silence, 46 Essex St., Guelph ~electronica/experimental sounds
*8> open stage @ The Bullring, 17 Trent Lane, Guelph
8> “Jeans and Classics” with Neil Donell, Rique Franks, Kathryn Rose @ Centre In The Square, 101 Queen St. N., Kitchener ~tribute to Fleetwood Mac; $
8-11> John Lee & The Hookers host Blues jam with guest Terry Wilkins @ Rhapsody Barrel Bar, 179 King St. W., Kitchener
8> Matt Weidinger Band @ Lancaster Smokehouse, 574 Lancaster St. W., Kitchener
8:30-11:30> Dave Huber @ Royal Electric Bar, 52 Macdonell St., Guelph ~acoustic Pop covers & originals; $0
*10> open stage hosted by Enio and Patrick @ NV Kitchen Bar, 16 Wyndham St. N., Guelph
*10> Mike Todd @ The Duke, 33 Erb St., Waterloo
705
*5-9> Barry McMullen @ Chemong Lodge dining room, 764 Hunter St., Bridgenorth ~smooth Rock/Pop
*7> open mic with hosts Jazz Collective @ Coffee Culture Café, 36 Young St., Alliston
7-10> open mic with Jamie Drake @ Flying Monkeys, 107 Dunlop St. E., Barrie
7-9> Nicholas Campbell & Friends @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough
7> Tebey; Matt Lang opens @ The Venue, 286 George St. N., Peterborough ~contemporary original; $
*7:30> open jam with host Aaron Casey @ Foxx Lounge, 16 Dunlop Street East, Barrie
8-10:30> Bill Nadeau @ B.B. Friday’s, 201 Hurst Drive, Barrie ~acoustic Pop covers/originals
8> Matt Gunn @ The Social, 295 George St. N., Peterborough
*8> Ken Tizzard @ That Little Pub, 26 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
8-11> Crfaig Smith & Friends @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood ~acoustic Pop covers & originals
9> Kevin Foster @ McThirsty’s Pint, 166 Charlotte St., Peterborough
*10> open mic @ British Arms Pub, 29 Dunlop St. E., Barrie
10> talent showcase with host Calab VanHalteran & feature by Morgan Rider @ The Coach & Horses, 16 York St., Lindsay ~songwriters
905 EAST -Pickering to Cobourg
*8-11> open mic night with Brian Richardson @ Hardy John’s, 50 Taunton Road E., Oshawa
*8> open mic @ Arthur’s Pub, 930 Burnham St., Cobourg
*8-10:30> open mic jam with Rob Foreman & Clayton Yates @ Ganaraska Hotel, 30 Ontario St., Port Hope
9> band backed karaoke night with All Request Band @ Fox & Goose, 799 Park Rd. South, Oshawa ~live karaoke band
*9> open acoustic jam with Darren Smith and Shayne Thomas @ The Atria, 59 King St. E., Oshawa
*9:30-1:30> open mic with Will Surphlis @ Stag’s Head Pub, 22 Bond St. E., Oshawa
*10> Two For The Show @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock
*10> Emerson Ireland hosts open mic jam @ The Gryphon Pub, 114 Dundas St. E., Whitby
905 NORTH-EAST -East of Hwy #400
6-9> jam with Jayme Lynn Reed at Baileys Homestead, 90 Wexford Dr., Keswick
*7-9> open mic night with Tanya Joy Senior @ Col. McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W., Uxbridge
7:30> Angela Gibbon, Geoffrey Conquer, Jessica Tse @ Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge St., Richmond Hill ~tribute to Jane Austen piano favourites; $25
*8-11> open mic with Erin Blackstock @ The Lloyd House, 69 Main St., East Gwillimbury
8:30-11:30> open mic & acoustic jam with Don Fleming & Laurence Walters @ Father’s Moustache Grill, Aurora, 15570 Yonge St.
905 NORTH-WEST -West of Hwy #400
*6:30-10:30> Double Trouble @ Spot One, 289 Rutherford Rd., Brampton ~Country/line dancing lessons available for $7
7:30-10:30> acoustic jam with host Erik @ Little London Café, 20 Polonia Ave., Brampton
8> acoustic jam with Frank Logue @ Shepherd’s Crook, 86 Main St. S., Georgetown
*8:45> open mic jam @ Magnums, 21 McMurchy Ave. N., Brampton
*10:30-2> jam night with hosts Carlos, Ry and Jay Leroux @ Maguires, 284 Queen St. E., Brampton
905 SOUTH -Hamilton & vicinity
TBA *3-5> open acoustic jam @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton
*6:30> Guitar Club for aspiring guitarists @ Greensville Branch Library, 59 Kirby Ave., Hamilton
7> Lifeandthetribe; Julianna Jones @ Doors Pub, 56 Hess St. Hamilton ~contemporary original; $10
7:30-11> open mic jam with Dave Gould and Alison Novak @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton
7:30> open mic with Heather Valley @ Casbah Lounge, 306 King St. W., Hamilton
7:30> Winters College Council’s acoustic night @ Absinthe, 38 King William St., Hamilton ~songwriters; $
*8> open mic with host Anthony Vaughn of Fiction @ Augusta House, 17 Augusta St., Hamilton
9> Singalong with Judy Marsales @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40
9> The Sanjays @ Lazy Flamingo, 19 Hess. St. S., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40 covers
*10> Jazz jam @ Cat N Fiddle Hamilton, 174 John St., S., Hamilton
905 WEST –south Peel, Halton
*5> Adam Cooke @ SB Prime, 380 Brant St., Burlington
7> Katie Ross @ Max Resto Lounge, 2180 Itabashi Way, Burlington
8> Crash Test Dummies; Damhnait Doyle opens @ Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, 130 Navy St., Oakville ~contemporary original; $75
8-1> Live video recording night open stage @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $5
*8:30> The Carson Freeman Diversion @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Jazz
9> Nick Vokey and Matt DeMartin @ Cities Sports Bar, 5835 Dixie Rd., Mississauga ~acoustic Pop covers/originals
9> Peter Snow; Athanase Daniel Walton Eclectic Revival @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington ~eclectic indie; $0
LISTINGS KEY
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 purchasers (eg., seniors, members, children, etc.). /+ indicates stated price is minimum.
Copyright © 2020 by Gary “17” Webb-Proctor & TorontoMoon.ca. All Rights Reserved
