\ TORONTO EAST \

Although it’s a few weeks tardy in being commemorated, tonight Pop Rock/Funk-Dance songwriter and mesmerizing performer Julian Taylor celebrates seven years at the helm of a weekly open stage jam at Dora Keogh Irish Pub.

The first night of the event in the pub at 141 Danforth Ave. would have actually been held, according to my archives and as written about and listed in the May 8-21, 2008 issue of my to-nite magazine (the precursor to TorontoMoon.ca), sometime in April or early May of that year.  I reported in Issue #415 on my May 5 visit there, noting that “though billed as an 8-12 show, I was there till well past 2 a.m. on May 5 as the place started to really percolate, and the music kept on coming, with the arrival of several bar staff from nearby clubs that, as so many rooms do these days, closed early on what for most places is a pretty dead night.”

(The 2008 report also notes that host Taylor, who had just recently disbanded his long-running and very popular Staggered Crossing group, had recently started a new band: the self-titled Julian Taylor Project, now the Julian Taylor Band which, seven years later, is poised for big success with a wide range of positive critical responses to his Tech Noir album that he released last July. (Julian has also just released, he tells me, a new disc, Absence of the Sun “an acoustic record of some songs and covers.” Preview the album at https://itun.es/ca/cWm27.

Ironically, Dora is now forced to cut off the music around midnight during the week due to complaints from residential neighbours, while across the street the Black Swan’s music with open stage host Sebastian Agnello usually runs till close to 2.

But while the Dora shows nowadays may wrap earlier than they used to, the calibre of the talent remains top notch. In my 2008 I described a woman whose “instrument was simply her voice and her a cappella rendition of an original torch song [that] left the room in silenced awe.” Pretty much the same as happens these days, seven years-plus later!

There have been many permutations and alterations over the seven years, including a brief switch to another night of the week, a period during which it was bi-weekly and format experimentations that have included a “kitchen party” style in-the-round set up with little amplification and full-on jam nights. But what has stayed consistent is the high calibre of talents who come out.

It’s rare when the Dora 8-12 event actually starts at 8 p.m. but I’d expect tonight could be an exception, as no doubt many of the very talented songwriters and quite possibly some of the bands who’ve appeared at the night over the years will want to drop in to help Julian celebrate by sharing the stage.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, June 15, 2021

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.). 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.

416 - Toronto Central

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

*6-9> Calliope’s Nest open stage/jam for women @ Lola Pub, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

6:30> Jake Koffman Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

7:30> George Lake Big Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~R&B/Swing

8> Ukulele jam @ Tranzac Lounge (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

**8-1> open stage with host Dave Plank @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

8:30> Alt Dot Comedy Lounge @ The Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO ~comedy; $5

**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9-1> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass

9:15> Fine Times; The Mighabins; The Outliers @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie

*9:30> open mic night at Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade, TO

9:30> John Cheesman Jazz Orchestera @ 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; signup starts 8p.m.) @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> tba @ 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

*6-8> Smokey Folk Bluegrass Mondays @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Bluegrass

*7-11> Jerome Godboo & Frank Wilks @ The Duke Live, 1225 Queen St. E., TO East ~Blues/Pop

7:30-11:30> EXEE Festival with Mark Ripp; The Lavenders; Sam Taylor & The East End Love; The Outfit @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~eclectic originals

**7:30> M Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & features Hicks & Dawe; Rory Taillon @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East

8-12> open stage with Julian Taylor celebrating 7 years of the jam @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East

8-10> John Wayne Swingtet @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Jazz

*8-12> open mic with host Chris Scian @ Breakwall, 1910 Queen St. E., TO East

8> Lily Frost @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East

*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – Toronto West

5-8> Clair lee Jazz Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

8:30> The Hillbenders present “The Who’s ‘Tommy’: A Bluegrass Opry” @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Bluegrass tribute to The Who’s opera; $22.50

*9-1> eclectic open stage/jam @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

9-1> Blues and Troubles @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

416 - SCARBOROUGH

*8-11> open stage @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

9> Uke jam @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

705

*7> Hard Time Mondays with Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

905 West

**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)

*9-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

9-1> Alexander Quail @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore E., Port Credit ~acoustic Pop

905 East

*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

Online/On The Air