Although it actually began with a few shows on Monday evening, this year’s edition of Canadian Music Week starts to pick up steam tonight and by the time the weekend arrives will dominate the live music scene downtown and, to a lesser extent, at rooms in the west and east end areas.

We’ve included some of the shows in tonight’s listings but there are several others, including some film and comedy events as well as awards presentations, symposiums and forums and various other social gatherings and industry get-togethers, also going on both tonight and the next few days.

Since CMW doesn’t bother to even send us press releases and schedules, let alone accredit us to attend the shows as media —longtime readers know we’re not exactly a fan of the organization that runs the annual event— our listings for the weekend are primarily compiled through scanning of events created by the artists on social media as well as websites of clubs we regularly list and some other media sources.

Hidden deep within the www.cmw.net website there is a daily schedule of the music appearing in clubs. Even with my experience navigating some pretty confused club sites it took over 20 minutes of wading through dozens of pages of non-club events and promotional bumpff to find that, but nowhere could I find a full listing for the upcoming nights. [Let me know if you can locate it!]

While not comprehensive, our listings for the festival do include an astonishing array of indie musical talent both local and from across the continent and beyond.  Most of the shows cost just $10 to see several acts (and drink in rooms that have extended hours) and of course wristbands are also available that may or may not get you into every show. (These kinds of festivals —North By Northeast/NXNE is another— nowadays seem to have a variety of wristbands that grant varying levels of access.)

One show that stands out takes place tonight at Lee’s Palace and features the Julian Taylor Band, a Rock/Reggae/Dance group that has long ago outgrown the need for this kind of showcase but which nevertheless takes part —no doubt at least in part because Julian himself enjoys attending many of the shows and mingling with fellow artists and his fans.

For his 11 p.m. set tonight in the room at 529 Bloor St. W. near Bathurst, Taylor promises he’ll be presenting some new songs from sides 3 and 4 of forthcoming new double-album, Desert Star, parts of which are also being released as a series of 4 eps.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, May 04, 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 and 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.

CMW = Canadian Music Week showcase; wb = wristband

416 – Toronto Central

5-3> CMW: Kim Manning; KVAV; Demi Louise Music; Brutus Begins; L-I-A-R; Made Them Lions; Bitter’s Kiss; This Side of Town; Comrade Hat; Koraj Music @ The Central (2^nd floor), 603 Markham St., TO ~indie; $5/wb

5> Gordon Shawcross @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St., TO

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

6-8> Gigi & Friends featuring Genevieve Marentette @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10

6> Dave Borins @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6:30> Trevor Giancola @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

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

7> CMW: Listen Up Kid; Maybe May; Grown Up Avenger Stuff; fang Club; Blocked Bones; The Brood @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $10/wb

7> CMW: Shawn William Clarke; Peasant Moon; Brittany McQuinn; Micah Visser; The Proud Sons @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $10/wb

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

7:30> Troubleshooting & 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

8-2> CMW: SATE; Palaye Royale; Poor Young Things; Julian Taylor Band (at 11); The Standstills; Bleeker @ Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W., TO ~indie; $20/wb

8-12> CMW: Lisa Marie Kruchak; Lindsay Kupser; The Tic Tac; Sunrise and Good People @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~indie; $/wb

**8 (7 p.m. sign-up)> open stage with 9 p.m. feature by Paul Mack @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall), TO ~Roots

8> The Distillery @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

8-4> CMW: Tabascos; Blackvoid; El Niven; Break The Trend; The Wisers; The Dudes; Bombargo; Bend Sinister ~indie Rock; $10/wb

8-10:30> Lucian Gray Quartet @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $

8> Scott B & Yawn Temiseva @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St., TO ~indie Pop

8:30> Wordspell showcase with Moe Clark; Sheila Brewster @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~spoken word; $6

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

*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> Bob Mould Band; Fake Palms @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $29.50

8> CMW; Big Phony; The Dearhearts; Dan Bettridge; Violet Skies; Quiet Parad @ The Paddock, 178 Bathurst St., TO ~indie showcase; $10/wb

9> Sly Why; Five Star Hote; Acer Priest; Hustle Flesh; Luge; Graham Kartina @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO

9:30> Blues & Troubles @ The Cloak & Dagger Irish Pub, 384 College St. ~Blues

9:30> NYC’s Kris Davis & Tony alaby with Nick Fraser @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Sarah Burton @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~songwriter

10> Twin Talk with Tania Gill @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

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

*10:30> The Stew featuring Kevin Phillips @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~R&B/Blues; $10

416 – Toronto East

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

7:30> open mic night @ Royal Canadian Legion Branch 22, 1240 Woodbine Ave., TO East

8> Gary LaRocca hosts acoustic jam @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East

*8> acoustic open mic with Phill Hood @ An Sibin Pub, 709 Queen St. E., TO East

8:30-10:30> Jessica Stuart with Civil Wray @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~indie Pop

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

416 – Toronto Etobicoke

8-1> Marshall dane @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Country Pop; $

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

416 – Toronto West

5-8> Bill MacLean & Brian Stevens @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~B2 vocal/piano duo

7-2> CMW: A Fellowship; Kenn James; Elm; Johnson Crook; Avalanche City; Summer Brothers; The National Parks @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~$10/wb

8-2> CMW: Spindrifter; Yen-J; The Van Arks; Kid Cadaver; The Phantom Sound; Huttch @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $10/wb

8> CMW: Adrian Underhill; Foreign Diplomats; Valaire & Le Trouble; Indica X @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~indie; $10/wb

8> CMW: Terrorist; Dialects; Surf Dads; HMS Morris; Pet Son; The Dead Love @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West ~indie; $10/wb

**8:30-10:30> Hump Night Blues with Dave McManus & George Baumann  + special guest Voodoo Walters @ On Cue Billiards, 349 Jane St., TO West ~Blues

8:30> Ragwax @ Fat City Blues, 890 College St., TO West

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

9-1> CMW: Amy & The Engine; Crisis Control Club; Meltybrains; East of Avenue; Finn @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West  ~indie; $

9> The Naïve with Sintja Baba @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~indie; pwyc

9> Sean Conway @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Rockabilly Roots

*10> Kristine Schmitt & The Lonesome Ace Stringband @ The Hole In The Wall, 2867 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Pop

519

9> The Phil & John Show feat. Phil Naro @ Molly Bloom’s Waterloo, 170 University Ave., Waterloo ~acoustic Pop Rock

705

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

7:30> The Weber Brothers; Lazy Devils @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough ~Blues; no cover

9> David In The Dark; No Problem; more @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 East

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

*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

*8-12> jam with Rebelljo Band featuring Dave Girdlestone of Soul Funkshun on guitar @ Fionn MacCool’s Brampton, 11 Ray Lawson Blvd. Brampton

*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> Green Jelly; Noble Savages; Bourbon DK @ Homegrown Hamilton, 27 King William St., Hamilton ~$10

905 West

8-1> Lynn Miles @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~songwriter; $15

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

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

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