\ TO CENTRAL \

Is it irony or emphasis that informs the choice of theme for this month’s edition of songwriter Lynn Harrison’s open mic series “The Bridge”, I wonder.

Lynn wasn’t available to fill me in by press time, but the fact that tonight’s theme for which participating artists are encouraged to write or perform tunes is “Place/Places” certainly seems apropos given that, as it enters its second year, this evening’s assembly takes place in a new venue.

It’s actually technically the second time that the monthly gatherings —which also welcome spoken word, art displays and other forms of creative expression such as dance— has moved.  But, as we told you last month, the first time it shifted, a few months after it began in June of last year, it was simply from the tiny Tiki Room in the Annex-area’s Tranzac Club into its Main Room and big stage —made necessary because it had proved so popular it needed more space!

But tonight’s installment, which also returns to the series’s original Wednesday night instead of the Tuesday dates of more recent months, is being held in a very different part of town: at the Imperial Pub at 54 Dundas St. E., a stone’s throw from Dundas Square on Yonge.

Adding a dash of intrigue to the move is the fact that Tranzac’s website has been on the blink for the past several weeks, with no sign of getting fixed any time soon.  While events have still been going on there, the inability to easily find out who’s playing when doesn’t give one a lot of confidence in its future prospects.

Sign up at the Imperial tonight starts at 7 p.m., performances at 7:30 and there’s no cover —although donations are “gratefully received” to help offset the cost of the candles and other décor that is provided to set a mood.   While you’re there you can no doubt find out more about why the event is, at least until September, in the new location on a different night.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, July 20, 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.) 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.

416 – TORONTO CENTRAL

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

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

6-8> Genevieve Gigi Marentette & Robert Scott @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10-20/pwyc

6> Lydia Persaud & Alyson McNamara @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

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

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

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

7:30 (signup starts at 7> The Bridge open mic on “Place/Places” theme with host Lynn Harrison @ Imperial Pub, 54 Dundas St. E., TO ~music, poetry, art & dance open expression; no cover

7:30> Nicole “Song Bird” Coward & Harpin’ Norm Lucien @ Plein Air Garden, 345 Balliol St., TO ~original Roots; no cover

7:30> Dwight & Sue @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~Folk singalong; $10

*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 ~$10-20/pwyc

8-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

*8> open mic with host Jay Pollock & feature @ Touché Martini Bar, 669 College St., TO

8> Song Studio @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO

8-10:30> Stevey Ross and The Blue Mambo Swing @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Latin Jazz/Mambo; $

8> Jasco; The Fallers; The Corbins; Instanika @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $10

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> Hamish Patterson; Munizo; Safe As Milk; Grass Grows Back @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $5

9> Redlight Ranch; Melanie Peterson @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO

9:30> Autobahn @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

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

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $10

416 – TORONTO EAST

3-7> Lavender & Twang featuring David Shilman @ Fairmount Park Farm Market, 1725 Upper Gerrard St. E. ~original & cover eclectic acoustic Pop; no cover

6-10> Beaches Jazz Festival: Stacey Renee @ Woodbine Park, Lake Shore Blvd. E. at Coxwell Ave., TO East ~Jazz; no charge

6-9> Byrds Byrds Birds @ East Lynn Park, 1949 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Byrds tribute; no cover

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

8:30-10:30> Mediterranean Stars @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Mediterranean eclectic Gypsy/Folk

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

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

8> Rustik @ The Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke

8-1> Christopher Plock Trio @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Jazz/R&B

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

416 – TORONTO WEST

5-8> Rick Maltese’s Three In One @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

7-11> BackTrack Band featuring Marty Zatzman @ Cadillac Lounge (patio) ~big band Motown; no cover

8> Jay Arner; Bart; Supermoon @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West

8:30> Bryan Qu Improvisors Ensemble; Valued Customer @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~indie; $10

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

9> Peter Boyd & The Mutant Mariachis @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Gospel/Blues songwriter

9> Jack Marks @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~songwriter

10> El Kabong; Clay Moore and The T3s @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

10> Dead Flowers featuring members of The Sheepdogs, Bahamas, The Beauties, The Sinners Choir @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~ $10

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

705

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

7-10> spoken word showcase @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

7> Bill Dickinson @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

8> Dave Russell @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood

8:30> Anonimous Dysco & Thaddeus Q @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough ~Funk/Hip Hop; no cover

10> Faster; Perkolator @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 EAST

8-12> open mic night @ Fionn MacCool’s Ajax, 32 Kingston Rd. E. Ajax

8> Bruce Gorrie @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

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

9> open mic @ The Moustache Club, 15 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> open mic @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa

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

*8:45> 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> Comet Control; Hawkeyes; Radiation Flowers @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

9> Singalong with Judy Marsales @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40

9> Wild Soul Wednesday with Skirt Check @ Casbah Lounge, 306 King St. W., Hamilton

905 WEST

8:30> Mike Averill; Noel Yousie @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~eclectic double-bill; $7

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

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

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