This evening is the end of an era in more ways than one for Pop/Roots Rock songwriter and covers singer/guitarist Elana Harte and her 11-year run hosting the weekly “M-Factor Mondays” indie artist showcase nights.
Tonight’s edition, which as usual will feature two guest talents in addition to performances by Harte and members of her Stiletto Flats band, including guitarist Lucio Agostini, will be the last night at Old Nick Pub after a six-year stint there.
The hugely popular showcases —which, along with the pub’s Tuesday night open stage, have been of inestimable importance in helping to put the room on the TO music map— were cancelled by the club owner after she and Harte had a recent personal falling out.
Prior to the run at the Nick the events took place for five years at a downtown location.
But the M-Factor series is far from dead —though when it resumes in five weeks’ time it will be at a new room, on a new night and with a slightly different name: “M-Factor Redux,” Elana says.
She did some soul-searching and surveyed some of her supporters before deciding to continue, however.
“I’ve been running the weekly series for 11 years. I really needed to weigh the pros and cons” of continuing, she said.
After getting feedback from performers and patrons and speaking with a couple of club owners, Harte has decided to move the event to Thursdays and relocate at Eton House, a block east of Pape Ave, in an area that is these days buzzing with artistic talent.
Naturally we’ll have all the details about that in advance of the first show scheduled for Thurs. Feb. 16.
Tonight’s 7:30 p.m. finale show at the Nick will be “bittersweet for patrons and performers alike,” Elana said, although she indicated that she’s been told the room at 123 Danforth Ave. plans to continue to offer live music on Monday nights.
Maybe so, but it’ll be hard for the owner to match what Harte has accomplished there over the past six years. And with a bigger room and a real stage in the offing on a night on which more people may be inclined to go out for a show, Elana’s new “M-Factor Redux” may end up being “M-Factor Deluxe”!
-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca
SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, January 09, 2022
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.
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 AIR/ONLINE
*6> “Underplayed and Underpaid” interviews and performances by Guelph area bands on CFRU 93.3 broadcast and online.
416 – TORONTO CENTRAL
4:30-6:30> Song Creation Workshop with host Signe Miranda @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO
6> Heavy on The Willie @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country
6:30> U of T Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
**7-1 (sign-up at 7, show starts 7:30)> open stage with host Signe Miranda @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO
*7-10> open stage with Brad Scott @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO
7:30> Happy Hour with Chris Banks @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
7:30> MegaCity Swing Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~R&B/Swing
8> Ukulele jam @ Tranzac Lounge (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., 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> open mic (2 songs; sign-up starts 8 p.m.) with hosts Dave Lang & John Sladek @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
10> Yonge Kings @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
*10> live musical theatre open mic @ Statler’s, 487 Church St., TO
416 - TORONTO EAST
7-10> Dirty Roosters @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~0$
**7:30> Series finale for M-Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & Lucio Agostini with features by Jason & Trison of Iduna @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East ~songwriters; 0$
8:30-10:30> Alfie Smith @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~original & cover Blues
*8:45-12> Riverboat Mondays acoustic open stage jam with Julian Taylor & Tyler Ellis @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East; 0$
*9-12> The Out of Towners @ Sauce on Danforth, 1376 Danforth Ave., TO East
*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East; 0$
416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE
*8-12> Al Reilly’s Catalyst also featuring Anthony Cee & Rick Anderson host Rock jam @ Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke
416 – TORONTO SCARBOROUGH
*8-11> open stage with Dan Walek @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough
9> Uke jam/workshop @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough
416 – TORONTO WEST
7> The Shraggs @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz; pwyc
*7:30> Balfolk @ La Rev, 2848 Dundas St. W., TO West ~French Folk music & dance; $5-10/pwyc
*8-11> Ken Yoshioka @ On Cue Billiards, 349 Jane St., TO West ~Blues
*9-1> 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> Wing Night (The Band) @ Drake Hotel Lounge, 1150 Queen St. W., TO West
9-1> Tim Hamel Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz
9:30> Tune Town @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz trio; pwyc
*10> open mic with Richard McCarthy & feature @ The Hole In The Wall, 2867 Dundas St. W., TO West
519
*8-12> open stage @ The Boathouse, 97 Jubilee Drive, Kitchener
*8-2> Matt Weidinger @ Jimmy Jazz, 52 Macdonell St., Guelph ~acoustic originals & covers
705
*7> Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough
9?> jam night with Rob Drake @ Sticky Fingers Dunlop, 199 Essa Rd.
905 EAST
*8-11> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa
905 NORTH
9:25-1:05> jam/open stage with backline @ Sneakers Uptown, 18025 Yonge St., Newmarket
905 SOUTH
*8:30-12:30> The New Rebel Westerners @ Cat ‘n’ Fiddle, 174 John St. S., Hamilton ~Country
905 WEST
*7-10> open mic with Chris Partland @ The Purple Heather, 3600 Dundas St. W., Burlington
**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Catherine Harrison @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)
9-1> The Dedbeats @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock ‘n’ Roll
*9:30-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit
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