\ SCARBOROUGH, Sat. March 07, 2022 \

When ebullient and versatile singer Dee Flat takes to the stage at Scarborough eatery The Loaded Dog this afternoon as a special guest for the weekly Saturday afternoon matinée show, many in the audience are likely to feel as if they’re having a dream —a very pleasant one!

It’s been at least ten years since Dee, who at one time was near ubiquitous on the east burb’s music scene, has done a show here, but I’d wager that once she starts in with her engaging, sharp-witted stage patter and belting out the Rock/R&B numbers, it’s likely to feel like no time has passed at all for those who remember when.

Dee and TorontoMoon.ca go way back —though this publication, then a bi-weekly/weekly hard copy rag, was still called to-nite when Dee started writing a column (ironically, now, called “The Far East”, about the Scarborough scene) in the early Spring of 1997.  That’d be 18 years ago now!

While Dee was only able to write the column for a few months before the demands of family, day job and a busy performing and band management schedule forced her to give it up, in that time she helped to consolidate the to-nite brand in the area, introducing readers to performers who continue to be part of our coverage to this day.

It was, in fact, through Dee that I first met guitarist/singer Jim Cornell, who’s the anchorman for the Dog’s Saturday house band, The Loaded Blues. I met him in the mid -90s when he was the drummer for a band Dee was managing called Gammit.

Dee was also part of GODDO guitarist Gino Scarpelli‘s eponymous band, and outfit called Four Play and, of course, prior to those combos for many years had fronted her own Dee Flat & The Benz group.

Since moving to Niagara Region shortly a couple of years into the new millennium, she’s been performing with partner John Tillbrook and these days they appear all over Ontario as the core of four-piece Dunn. You can get a taste of what they do today since Tillbrook will also be joining Dee on stage as guest bassist.

Today’s show in the big room with a pro stage at 1921 Lawerence Ave. E. near Warden starts a little early, around 3, and is bound to run at least until the usual 6:30 wrap time, as I’d expect there will be several encores.

-Gary 17