Former Hamilton radio host Kerry Gray -COURTESY

\ HAMILTON \

According to the organizers of a fundraiser happening tonight at one of Hamilton’s premier live music rooms, This Ain’t Hollywood, a popular former Hamilton radio morning host has fallen on hard times and local musicians are stepping up to help.

Having left his position in the “Steel City” aka “The Hammer” for a new career opportunity in Florida in March, popular Kerry Gray got into a car accident en route in Tennessee and while being examined in hospital there was diagnosed with multiple cancerous brain tumours and a liver problem. Still there, he apparently needs more sophisticated care and his family and he are hoping he can be transferred to his home state of Minnesota, where he could be treated at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, but first he has to pay his current Tennessee bill and for transportation costs home.

A Minnesota friend, Angell McDonnell, started a GoFundMe campaign to cover the $22,000 costs and so far nearly $17,000 has been raised, so obviously every little bit helps a lot from here on out. Tonight’s show at TAH links to that campaign and features two interesting tribute bands, presumably from the local area: Simply Hip (a Hip tribute) and Grateful Dead style Rose Garland.

Normally cover charges range from $5 to $10 at his cheeky but unpretentious room nestled in the heart of the city’s working class district near the steel mills and freight years at 345 James St. North, a block away from well-worn Barton Street. So knowing that tonight’s ducats (of which there are less than 60 left) go for $28.25 is a pretty good indication of the esteem in which locals regard Mr. Gray.

If you arrive while it’s still daylight, before the 9 p.m. showtime, take an amble (or ride the HSR bus) a few blocks east along Barton St. to Wellington St. then venture north, across the old CN railway tracks, and look left to enjoy the Jackie Washington Rotary Park, named for one of Hamilton’s longtime musical treasures, the late Jackie Washington. It’d be a good place to muse a few moments on a lovely summer eve about the importance of community in helping to maintain the wellbeing of all who participate in the music biz in its many manifestations.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, August 10, 2021

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416 – TORONTO CENTRAL

*5:30> Kama House Band @ Kama, 214 King St. W., TO ~Jazz

6-8> Whitney Ross-Barris & Robert Scott @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10-20/pwyc

6> Golden Country Classics @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6> Comhaltas Irish Slow Session @ Tranzac Club (Tiki Room), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO ~folk dancing

6:30> Raconteurs @ Tranzac Club (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO ~storytelling

6:30> Johnny Griffith Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*7> Jim Heineman Trio @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-10> Blues jam with Mark Stafford & Ken Yoshioka @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North

7:30> Arnd Jurgensen & guests @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*7:30> Jeff Willingham @ Lou Dawgs Ryerson, 76 Gerrard St. E., TO ~acoustic Pop

**8-12> Girls Night Out Jazz singers’ jam with Lisa Particelli, Peter Hill et al @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~$10-20/pwyc

8-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

*8> open mic with host Jay Pollock & feature @ Touché Martini Bar, 669 College St., TO

8-10:30> Kevin Henkel/Sidnei Santos Duo @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~piano/percussion; $12

8:30> Jack Connolly @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~

9> The Digs @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Funk/Jazz/neo-Soul; $

9> The 8 Fest @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO

9> Storytellers; Zarah; Jessica Stuart Few; Mary Deth; Zach Marsh @ Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurs St., TO ~indie;

*9 (signup at 8:30)> open mic with Alan Carter @ Lowdown, 276 Augusta Ave., TO

*9-2> What’s Poppin’ indie jam @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St., TO

9> Xephyr; Hidden Heirarchies; White Spaces @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~local indie; $5

9:30> Roger Chong Quartet album release @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Yonge Kings @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10> Nico Dann Quartet @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*10-2> Blues-Rock jam with Bruce Domoney @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. TO

10:30> Jerry McCabe @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $10

416 – TORONTO EAST

*7:30-10:30> The BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

8> Lzrszn @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~space Jazz

8:30-10:30> Gypsy Rebels @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Baltic/Gypsy Pop/Jazz

*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

8-1> Elmer Ferrer @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~acoustic Pop

9> Space Jazz jam with guitarist Meagan Luchko & Kevin Bolger & band with weekly guest tba @ Placebo Space, 2877 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke ~Jazz ; $10/pwyc

416 – TORONTO WEST

5-8> Michelle Rumball & friend @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz/Blues

7-11> BackTrack Band featuring Marty Zatzman @ Cadillac Lounge (patio) ~big band Motown; no cover

7> Brad Fillatre release show for Strangers album @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~songwriter; $10

8> Common Deer; Flowers For Daniel; Jacki Marr; Alex T Laurie @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West

8> Crystalyne @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West ~indie

*8> MFA open mic @ Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W., TO West

8:30> Indie bands taping night @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West ~no cover

8:30> “Growing Pains” @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~storytelling; pwyc

8:30> Peter Asher (of Peter & Gordon fame) & Albert Lee @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Pop originals & covers; $45 (standing room only)

9-12> Blues Night with Julian Fauth & guests @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Juno-winning Blues

9> Angie Dunn @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Country Honky Tonk

9> In The Round with Gillian Nichola @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie

10> Dead Flowers featuring members of The Beauties, Flash Lightnin’ & The Sinners Choir @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~ $10

705

*7-11> open jam with The Freacon Band @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach ~ Blues, Jazz; $5

8> Sean Pinchin @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood ~Roots songwriter

9> Edward Sayers @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough

10> Faux Cults; Deathsticks; New Fries; Freak Heat Waves @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~indie

905 EAST

5> Peter M @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg

9> open mic @ The Moustache Club, 15 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> open mic @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa

*10> Two For The Show @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock

905 NORTH

*7> open mic night with Tanya Joy Senior @ Col. McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W., Uxbridge

*7-close> open mic with Kevin Ker @ The Mill, 139 Mill St., Unionville

*8:45> open mic jam with Matt Zady @ Magnums, 21 McMurchy Ave. N., Brampton

*9-1> open mic jam with Whiskey Birds @ Sweetz Lounge, 5289 Hwy 7, Woodbridge-Vaughan

*9:30> open mic with The Villagers @ Main’s Mansion, 144 Main St., Markham

*10-2> jam night with Switchbeat Trio @ Maguires, 284 Queen St. E., Brampton

905 SOUTH

*7> open mic night @ Donnelley’s Pub, 54 Front St., Thorold ~Blues

**8-1> Boogie N Blues jam with Ian Andrews & Friends @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton

8> Terrie Petrie & band hosts Country Wednesdays @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster ~Country

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

9> Singalong with Judy Marsales @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40

9> Fundraiser for radio host Kerry Gray with Simply Hip (Hip tribute); Rose Garland (Dead tribute); more @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~tributes; $28.25

905 WEST

6-9> Side B Vibe @ Harper’s Landing, 481 Cornwall St., Oakville ~Rock/Top 40

8:30-12:30> Guitar Shop celebration with Danny Weis of Iron Butterfly, Brian May; Josh Dowham; Michael Vassos with band: Shiraz Tayyeb, Steve Pelletier & Dan Taylor @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~guitar prowess showcase; $15

8:30> The Carson Freeman Diversion @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

9-1> Jeremy & Jenn @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~acoustic Pop Rock; $