\ TO CENTRAL \
The Blues/R&B covers and originals group Downchild Blues Band was already an icon when I first started writing about the combo and various of its members a little over 27 years ago.
Despite a lucrative 18-albums recording career and many awards, as well as a choice touring schedule of highly paid festivals, arenas and corporate gigs, many of the individual members continue to appear in local clubs when not on the road. They retain their commitment to the little bars like Grossman’s Tavern downtown, “where it all began,” as the group’s launch of its 50th anniversary celebrations in the room at 379 Spadina Ave. tonight clearly demonstrates.
Like another TO Blues/Jazz icon, the late Jeff Healey, the members of this group found in Grossman’s during its halcyon days a welcoming room in which to hone their craft and develop a fan base that has remained rabidly loyal over five decades.
Individual members continue to be familiar faces to Blues fans in little clubs across the GTA. Bassist Gary Kendall and drummer Mike Fitzpatrick host a longrunning Sunday series with all-star special guests, now taking place at Alleycatz in uptown TO. Singer Chuck Jackson and his All-Stars group appears weekly the same day at Roc’n Doc’s in Port Credit and often appears as a special guest at other local shows. Keyboardist Michael Fonfara continues to combine with a wide array of Blues and Jazz combos and Pat Carey is another ubiquitous guest whenever killer Blues/Jazz sax is called for. Guitarist Donnie Walsh is more reclusive but always makes himself available for special benefit shows like the annual Amy Louie Scholarship concerts held at Grossman’s in memory of the club’s late sparkplug server and manager.
All of these local gigs pay a pittance compared to what the group earns while touring or from recording, yet all the members continue to display that their love of music trumps all other considerations. Perhaps that’s part of what’s made them into the legends they’ve become.
Tonight’s celebration is a short, early show, running 7-10 and appears to be sold out, according to the band website, but you may be able to squeeze in if there are no-shows or you could try hanging out on the sidewalk next the club’s patio and wait for someone to leave and open up a vacancy. If you can’t make it out, don’t despair: the group is off to New York tomorrow but is back in town Saturday for the kickoff of the Toronto Jazz Festival on the main stage at 8:30 p.m.
-By Gary17, TorontoMoon.ca
[email protected] * [email protected]
SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, June 19, 2021
Listings are organized by area in which the shows occur and within each area field shows are listed chronologically. For KEY to listings codes and schemata see note at end of shows list.
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ON AIR / ONLINE
3-7> Julian Taylor hosts @ 106.5 ELMNT FM in Toronto & www.elemntfm.ca ~eclectic music 25% indigenous, 35% CanCon
*6-8pm> The Rock-A-Round with Slim Tim @ www.rockabilly-radio.net ~ Rockabilly tracks (from UK, repeat show from previous Friday)
416 – TORONTO CENTRAL -Broadview/Bayview to Ossington
5-7> Bywater Blues @ McGill Granby Parkette, Yonge St. north of Gerrard ~original Blues; $0
6-9> John Wayne Swingtet featuring Abbey Sholzberg on bass @ Drom Taberna, 458 Queen St. W. ~Gypsy Jazz
6-9> Jacelyn; Blair Packham & JJ3 @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St. ~Jazz; $10-20/pwyc
6> John Showman @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W.
6:30> Kalya Ramu Four with Donovan Locke @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $
**7 (7 p.m. sign-up open stage at 8) with 9 p.m. feature by poet Linda Stitt @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall) ~songwriters
*7> Jim Heineman Trio @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W. ~Jazz
7> Candice Sand @ Shangri-La Hotel, 188 University Ave. ~smooth Pop/Jazz/Rock
7> Kevin Todd; Siberian Express; MBG; JSIN @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave. ~indie; $
7-11:30> (7:30 deadline for sign up) open mic night with Tanya Casole-Gouveia @ Station On Bloor, 866 Bloor St. W.
7-8:30> Toronto Circle Singing @ Church of the Holy Trinity, 19 Trinity Square
*7-10> Blues jam with Son Roberts @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St.
7> Jordan Peele’s US with YUKA for Open Roof Festival @ Castlepoint Numa, 158 Sterling Road
7-10> Downchild Blues Band 50th anniversary celebration @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. ~Blues/R&B; $?
7> “Hell’s Fury: The Hollywood Songbook” with Russell Brau @ Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. ~musical theatre; $
7> The Watchmen and Friends host benefit for Allison Tizzard, MS victim @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W. ~indie; $
7:30> Fourier, Moneo, Zurawinski @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave.
7:30> New Kids On The Block @ Scotiabank Arena / Air Canada Centre, 40 Bay St. ~contemporary original; $
7:30> Sue & Dwight’s “Where Have All The Folk Songs Gone” singalong with Michelle Rumball & Tony Laviola @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St. ~Roots; $15
7:30> open mic @ Station Café, 855 Bloor St. W.
8> Donald Runnicles with Toronto Symphony Orchestra @ Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. ~Classical; $
8> open mic jam @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave.
8-10:30> Maureen Kennedy @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. ~tribute to Andre Previn; $
8> Host Rudy Blair with Alex Purcell; Bianca Yzabelle; Emily Erhart; Evan Pang; Jess Spagnolo; Lauren Mayer; Liam Cyr @ The Paddock, 178 Bathurst St. ~songwriters; $10
8-1> open mic with feature Sam Chouffuros @ The Boat in Kensington, 158 Augusta Ave.
8> Lucy Spraggan; The Fem Tips @ Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St. ~UK songwriter; $
8-1:30> open mic with Morgan Ross @ B-side, 669 College St.
8:30> Artificial Alien; Down For Anything; Type 99; ShootR @ Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St. ~Metal/Grunge/Hard-core; $5
9> The Honky Tonk Zeros @ Wasted Youth, 834 Bloor St. W. ~Rockabilly
9> The Digs @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E. ~Funk/Jazz/neo-Soul; $
9> Toronto Klezmer Society @ Drom Taberna, 458 Queen St. W. ~classic klezmer tunes
*9> open mic with Graham McI @ Watson’s, 388 Richmond St. W.
9> Jordan John Trio @ Poetry Jazz Café, 224 Augusta Ave. ~Blues/R&B; $10
*9-2> What’s Poppin’ indie jam @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St.
*9:30-2> The All Nighters open jam @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave.
10-1> Jazz open stage night with host Mandy Goodhandy @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St.; pwyc
10> Jack Marks @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W. ~Country
10> Josh Cole Trio @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. ~Jazz
10-2> Reuben Unplugged @ The Hideout, 423 College St. ~contemporary/classic Rock
10> Action Sound Band @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. ~Blues-Rock; $0
*10:30> Felix’s Belt @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. ~Funk/R&B; $10
416 – TORONTO EAST -Broadview/Bayview to Victoria Park
*7-10:30> The BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. ~Jazz; 0$
7> The Specials @ The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave. ~contemporary original; $49.50+
7-9> acoustic open mic @ Broadview Hotel, , 108 Broadview Ave.
7:30> jam night @ Scarboro Music, 1051 Kingston Rd.
*8-11> Paul Reddick Band also featuring Derek Downham @ Sauce on the Danforth,1376 Danforth Ave. ~original Blues; $0
8-10> open mic/jam with host Tony Oldland @ The Salty Dog, 1980 Queen St. E.
*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan Tavern (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave.
*9:30> jam with Copy Machine @ Frog and the Crown, 1871 O’Connor Drive
9:30> eclectic open mic with host Matt @ Wayla Bar, 996 Queen St. E.
416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE
*6-10> The Paul Morgan Project @ The Irish Shebeen, 5555 Eglinton Ave. ~Country/Blues/Roots-Rock
*6-9> Peter Mathers @ Old Mill, 21 Old Mill Rd. (Terrace Room) ~acoustic guitar; $0/minimum $15 table charge
6:30-9:30> Barry McClivogue @ Fionn MacCool’s Islington, 2180 Islington Ave. (Quality Hotel) ~acoustic Pop covers & originals
7-11> Tony Paglia @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line
7:30> Anthony D’Alessandro Trio@ Old Mill, 21 Old Mill Rd. (Home Smith Bar) ~Jazz; $0 (minimum table charge)
*9-1> open mic with Daniel Gagnon @ The Old Sod, 2936 Bloor St. W.
416 – TORONTO SCARBOROUGH
*6-10> Dan Walek hosts open stage/jam @ Working Dog Saloon, 3676 St. Clair Ave. E.
7-9> open mic jam night @ Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, 93 Birchmount Rd.
416 – TORONTO WEST -Ossington to Etobicoke
6:30> Kevin Breit @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. ~fusion Pop/Jazz/Rock
7-11> Hump Night Blues with Julian Fauth solo 7-8; set with Julian Fauth & guests 8-9; set with Julian Fauth & Krewe de Bleu featuring George Baumann & Dave McManus plus guest Voodoo Walters 9-11 @ La Rev, 2848 Dundas St. W. ~Blues/R&B; $0
7-9> Blue Sky Miners & special guests @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave.
8> Dreamcrusher; Poster Boy; The Dead Are Those Who Have Died @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. ~Metal/Punk/Hard-core; $15
8> Spencer Krug @ The Great Hall, 1078 Queen St. W.
8-12> Absolut; Zygome; Last Agony; Extramilili @ See-Scape, 347 Keele St. ~indie; $10
*8-11> Fraser/Daley @ Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave. ~original Rootsy Blues
8:30> Carole Pop @ Hugh’s Room Live, 2261 Dundas St. W. ~iconic original Rock ‘n’ Roll/Pop; $35
8:30> Neon Bloom; Aciidz; Green Girl @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave. ~eclectic indie; $
9> Raccoon Alley @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St.
9> Lydia Persaud @ Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W. ~smooth Pop/Jazz/Rock
9> MSEA; Kira May @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W. ~contemporary original; $
9> Los Cabelleros del Son @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave. ~Latin/Cuban
*9:30> Burke Carroll’s The Hulagoons @ Skyline Restaurant, 1426 Queen St. W. ~faux-Hawaiian with steel guitar; pwyc
10-12> Lady Pi & The Prismaticks @ Alchemy, 890 College St. ~Jazz; $0
10> open mic with host Pamela White @ T.O. Lounge, 1384 Queen St. W.
*10:30> Luke Vajsar @ Motel Bar, 1235 Queen St. W. ~Jazz
519 EAST -Guelph/K-W & vicinity
6:30-11> Belmont & Bearings @ Maxwell’s, 220 King St. N., Waterloo ~contemporary original; $
6> Brad Halls @ Manhattan’s Guelph, 951 Gordon St., Guelph
*6-9> Dano & Jaye @ Ray’s Bistro, 1475 Queen St. W., Alton ~smooth Pop/Jazz
7:30> Celtic Session @ Penny Whistle, 2 Quebec St., Guelph
8-12> Chesterfield and the Sofa Kings host Bluegrass jam @ Anaf Club 344, 32 Gordon St., Guelph
8> jam night with Ian Taylor @ Pops & Ruby’s Tap & Grill, 200 Preston Pkwy., Cambridge
8-11> John Lee & The Hookers host Blues jam with guest Chris Chambers @ Rhapsody Barrel Bar, 179 King St. W., Kitchener
8> Matt Weidinger Band @ Lancaster Smokehouse, 574 Lancaster St. W., Kitchener
8:30-11:30> Dave Huber @ Royal Electric Bar, 52 Macdonell St., Guelph ~acoustic Pop covers & originals; $0
*10> Mike Todd @ The Duke, 33 Erb St., Waterloo
705
*5-9> Barry McMullen @ Chemong Lodge dining room, 764 Hunter St., Bridgenorth ~smooth Rock/Pop
*5-9> open mic with Rodina Patrick @ Vidya’s, 238 Barrie St., Thornton
*7> open mic with hosts Jazz Collective @ Coffee Culture Café, 36 Young St., Alliston
7-10> open mic with Jamie Drake @ Flying Monkeys, 107 Dunlop St. E., Barrie
*7-11> open jam with The Freakin’ Band featuring Virgil Scott & Dave Breckels @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach ~ Blues, Jazz; $5
7-10> Po’Boy Jeffreys @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough ~songwriter
*7:30> open jam with host Aaron Casey @ Foxx Lounge, 16 Dunlop Street East, Barrie
7-7:30 open mic with Tyler Koke @ McGillicafey’s Pub & Eatery, 13 Bridge St.. N., Hastings
*8> Ken Tizzard @ Church-key Pub, 26 Bridge St. W., Campbellford
9> Jean Caffeine with Nathan Truax @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~songwriters; $?
905 EAST -Pickering to Cobourg
7-10> open mic night @ Copper Branch – Brooklin, 66 Baldwin St. W., Whitby
*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg
*8> open mic @ Arthur’s Pub, 930 Burnham St., Cobourg
*8-10:30> open mic jam with Rob Foreman & Clayton Yates @ Ganaraska Hotel, 30 Ontario St., Port Hope
*9:30-1:30> open mic with Will Surphlis @ Stag’s Head Pub, 22 Bond St. E., Oshawa
*10> Two For The Show @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock
*10> Emerson Ireland hosts open mic jam @ The Gryphon Pub, 114 Dundas St. E., Whitby
905 NORTH-EAST -East of Hwy #400
6-9> jam with Jayme Lynn Reed at Baileys Homestead, 90 Wexford Dr., Keswick
*7-9> open mic night with Tanya Joy Senior @ Col. McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W., Uxbridge
*8> acoustic open mic with hosts Steffi Postol Goodfield and Matt Groopie @ London Pub, 9724 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
*8-11> open mic with Erin Blackstock @ The Lloyd House, 69 Main St., East Gwillimbury
*8:30-12:30> Jared Christopher Stafford @ Falcon & Firkin, 10300 Yonge St., Richmond Hill ~acoustic Pop covers & originals
8:30-11:30> open mic & acoustic jam with Don Fleming & Laurence Walters @ Father’s Moustache Grill, Aurora, 15570 Yonge St.
905 NORTH-WEST -West of Hwy #400
6-9> open mic with David Grossman @ The Barrel, 2180 Steeles Ave. W., Concord-Vaughan
7:30-10:30> acoustic jam with host Erik @ Little London Café, 20 Polonia Ave., Brampton
8> acoustic jam with Frank Logue @ Shepherd’s Crook, 86 Main St. S., Georgetown
*8:45> open mic jam @ Magnums, 21 McMurchy Ave. N., Brampton
*10:30-2> jam night with hosts Carlos, Ry and Jay Leroux @ Maguires, 284 Queen St. E., Brampton
905 SOUTH -Hamilton & vicinity
6:30> Dan McKinnon @ Mississippi Queen Foods, 635 King St. E., Hamilton ~original Blues; $45 (includes dinner)
7:30-11> open mic jam with Dave Gould and Alison Novak @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton
9> Hopeful Monster; Brodie Dakin; TR4TH; Eric Provo @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~eclectic indie; $
9> The Sanjays @ Lazy Flamingo, 19 Hess. St. S., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40 covers
*10> Jazz jam @ Cat N Fiddle Hamilton, 174 John St., S., Hamilton
905 WEST –south Peel, Halton
*5> Adam Cooke @ SB Prime, 380 Brant St., Burlington
7> Chris Smith & Marco Luciani @ The Port House, 138 Lakeshore Rd. E, Port Credit-Mississauga ~songwriters; $0r., Mississauga
7> open mic with Gillian Nicola @ Copper Kettle Waterdown, 312 Dundas St. E., Waterdown
8> Celtic Fiddle Club @ Oakville Academy of Music, 1026 Speers Rd., Oakville
*8:30> The Carson Freeman Diversion @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Jazz
*9-1> Kevin Reid and the Dedbeats @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit-Mississauga ~Rock/Pop; $
9-1> Jacob Moon with Martin Rouleau & Kevin Michael Butler @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~songwriter
*9> open mic with Michael Zane @ Shakers Oakville, 589 Kerr St., Oakville
**10> open mic with host Kirt Godwin or Jonni X @ Spice Lounge, 52 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit-Mississauga
LISTINGS KEY
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 purchasers (eg., seniors, members, children, etc.). /+ indicates stated price is minimum.
Copyright © 2019 by Gary “17” Webb-Proctor & TorontoMoon.ca. All Rights Reserved
