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We’ve told you many times now about how the three different regular musical events happening on Danforth Ave. near Broadview give the area the feel of a makeshift music festival on Monday nights —and even more so when, as tonight, The Danforth Music Hall is also open, making for four events within very close proximity.
Like the concerts at the Music Hall, the weekly M-Factor Mondays 7:30-11 event at Old Nick Pub (121 Danforth) is a show rather than an open mic or jam. But there’s usually two feature acts doing full sets plus one by host Elana Harte accompanied by versatile accompanist Lucio Agostini and there’s no cover. It’s been a showcase for a lot of up-and-coming as well as established songwriters and many of the folks who feature here go on to also get gigs at the club’s Saturday songwriters’ night or at other clubs Harte helps book.
Next to the music hall and across the street from it, meanwhile, there are two open mic/jam events that give rise to such a high calibre of diverse talents that it must make first-time visitors and tourists wonder what special event is taking place to attract so many artists.
Although it only runs for about three hours (from 9-12) the open mic at Dora Keogh (141 Danforth) benefits from the welcoming personality and wide range of musical contacts of host Julian Taylor. Taylor —while still well under 40 and a chick magnet— has enough experience on stage to be considered a seasoned performer and veteran host, having started playing in public when he was still in the lower grades of high school.
Performers sign a chalk board to get on the list and can play solo or, as often happens, team up with others for some impromptu jamming. The dedicated stage is reasonably well set up, though the number of mics is variable and sometimes there’s a drum kit and/or keyboard on hand.
Across the street at Black Swan (154 Danforth), iconic host Sebastian Agnello has double the two-decades of stage time of Taylor, having quit school as a kid to become a full-time musician. He draws players from his weide range of contacts that stretches back to the 1960s but he also embraces up-and-coming youngsters who, like his longtime fans, enjoy his irreverent iconoclastic attitude.
Seb normally plays either one of his trenchant originals or saucy covers from classic protest songwriters between sets and the 9:30-1:30 night also has become sort of an informal “talent discovery” affair, as he’s also been helping book the club’s weekend acts. An artist who comes out regularly, Dan Dimock, for example, is featured at the club this coming Saturday.
As can be seen in the accompanying photo gallery, all three of these weekly Monday events draw on a huge reservoir of local talents as well as musicians visiting from out of town who’ve heard about the shows.
With Spring having sprung and clear skies forecast this evening in which to see the nearly full “Worm Moon” or “Crow Moon” (North American Native names for the first full moon after the Spring equinox, when worms come out and crows start cawing in celebration) it’s a good bet tonight’s editions of the shows will be jumpin’.
-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca
SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, March 21, 2022
Listings are organized by area in which th
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e 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.
Names of subscribers appear in bold, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger highlighted type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.
On The Air / Online
*8:30> Songbird Mondays with Nicole “Songbird” Coward online live @ http://www.streetjelly.com ~Roots/Folk
416 - Toronto Central
6> Ariana Gillis @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
6:30> U of T Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
*7> Balfolk Toronto @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Folk music & dance
**7:30-1 (sign-up starts at 7)> open stage with host Alex Zdravkovic @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO
7:30> George Lake Big Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~Swing
8> Ukulele jam @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
8> Comedy jam @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen Street West, TO
8:30> Alt Dot Comedy Lounge @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO; $5
8:30> Hidden Hierarchies; The Tired Flames; Sarah Wickett @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO
**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO
*9?> open mic @ Lou Dawgs Ryerson, 76 Gerrard St. E., TO
*9:30> open mic with host Mark Villamor at Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade, TO
9:30> Humber College Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
10> Jordan John @ The Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~R&B/Blues
*10> jam night hosted by Phill Hood & Jon McCann @ The Cage 292, 292 College St., TO
**10> open mic (2 songs; sign-up starts 8 p.m.) with host Sarah Greene @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
10> Mike Todd @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
10:30> Big Otter Creek Unplugged @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock
416 - Toronto East
6:30> Melanie Martinez with Alvarez Kings @ The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., TO East ~$38.25, all ages
7-9> Andy DuRego @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~acoustic Folk, Blues, Psychedelic
**7:30> M-Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & features Kunle; Rory Taillon @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East ~songwriters
8:30> Bad Luck Woman and Her Misfortunes @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East
9-12> open stage with Julian Taylor @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East
9> Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation @ The Linsmore, 1298 Danforth Ave. East, TO ~Tom Waits tribute
*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East
416 – Toronto Etobicoke
*8-12> Al Reilly’s Catalyst also featuring Anthony Cee host Rock jam @ Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke
416 – Toronto Scarborough
*8-11> open stage @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough
*8> jam with Cameljoe @ Centro Pizza, 3408 Kingston Rd., Scarborough
8> Jackie Richardson @ The Old Mill Toronto, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto ~Jazz tribute to Abbey Lincoln
9> Uke jam/workshop @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock
416 – Toronto West
5-8> Pet’s Freke Quartet @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz
5:30> Amanda Martinez; Sean Bellawiti, Accounting for Musicians @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas Street West, TO West
7> Humber College Jazz Ensemble Band @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz
7-11> Priscilla Una @ The Tennessee, 1554 Queen St. West, TO West
*9:30-12> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass
*9-1> eclectic open stage/jam with host Nelson Sobral @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West
9-12> Linda Carrone @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~vintage Jazz and Blues
9:30> Michael Herring Quartet @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz in Roots
705
*7> Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough
9?> Tiny Davis; Jay Swinnerton; The Distillery; Brandon Humphrey @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough
10> Cousins; Joyful Talk; The Lonely Parade @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
905 East
*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa
9> Melissa Payne; Jesse Slack; January Lane @ Moustache Club, 15 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa
*10> L&M Jam with host Emerson Ireland @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa
905 North
9:25-1:05> jam/open stage with backline @ Sneakers Uptown, 18025 Yonge St., Newmarket
905 West
*8-12> jam hosted by Redder featuring Michelle Deneault @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit
**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Port Credit Review Band @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)
*9:30-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit
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