3 multi-artist Roots-Pop Kensington shows feels like a festival

/// It may still seem like winter late at night but lately the days are starting to actually feel like Spring. And along with sightings of robins, budding tree stems and grass blades nervously poking forth, the creative juices of artists have started flowing again too. Festival season is just around the corner, but three shows scheduled from 3 p.m. till after midnight in and around TO’s Kensington Market area make it feel like it may have already started.

You can park the car —or better still, just leave it at home and take the TTC, a bike or a cab— into the Market area west from Spadina between College and Dundas streets starting mid-afternoon and settle back to enjoy some of the finest Roots-Pop songwriters that this city —or anywhere else for that matter— has to offer at a trio of excellent shows within a few hundred steps of one another.

The cavalcade kicks off in the heart of the Market with a 3-7 show by a highly respected and accomplished Folk singer who thought he was “done with all that stuff” since eschewing the stage about 35 years ago —until he got bitten by the bug again two years ago while attending one of my open stages. Peter Mathieson will headline and host an event at Lola, at 40 Kensington Ave., which will feature his own stellar and witty compositions and performances by several of his musical friends –all themselves also very gifted songwriters. The plan is to play on the patio if the weather forecast holds true (12 degrees C, sunny and light winds) —and there is no more elementally authentic form of musical performance than when players gather on this particular open air space to trade songs and licks. There’s no cover and drinks here are unbelievably cheap.

As that show is wrapping up, around the corner and up the street at Supermarket (268 Augusta St.) they’ll be just setting up for Steve York’s long-running 7:30-1 weekly open stage that sees a diverse range of indie Roots and Pop songwriters come out to shine on the club’s impressive back room stage. Signup starts at 7 for the event, which I haven’t actually attended yet but am told runs until as late as it takes to accommodate what is usually a pretty full roster of talents. I’m also told the lineup is usually awesome and I know already that Steve is a gracious, amiable and helpful host.

You can also head all the way (lol) up to College Street –a long stone’s throw north of Supermarket— where you’ll see Free Times Café across the street at 320 College and where, in the club’s intimate back room concert space, you’ll find Glen Hornblast along with four other highly accomplished songwriters doing an 8-11:30 “Nashville Bound” Songwriters Showcase mini-festival.  Bill Heffernan (of the Homeland Security Band and host of his own weekly event at Gate 403 Saturday afternoons), Meg Tennant, Clela Errington and Orit Shimoni will each, along with host Glen, do a half-hour set for the show, which is also the kickoff to a new last-Sunday showcase series Glen will be doing at the club.  Cover is just $5 or pwyc (that’s a buck an artist or something like 12 cents a song, so pay more if you’re at all able) and the bar has nightly $5 tax-in specials on beer pints plus highly edible food.

Whether you start with Peter’s show and go to Glen’s and then swing back to Supermarket or check these three shows out in a whole different way, you’ll find each has its own highly individualistic and strong appeal and yet somehow they all hang together, like a bunch of mixed-ages hippies huddling outside of a coffee shop sharing a joint. Just try not to get sidetracked by stopping in at Graffiti’s on Baldwin, or Grossman’s on Spadina, where the impressive entertainment on offer … but that’s a story for another day. -Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. 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 include a live link to their websites where applicable. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

11-2> Joanne Morra @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East ~Jazz

11am-2pm> Lemon Bucket Orchestra for Jazz Brunch @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~modern Gypsy Jazz

*11am-3pm> Rockabilly Brunch with The Cosmotones @ Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~Rockabilly

*12-3> Julian Fauth’s Blues Brunch @ Axis, 3048 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Blues

noon> Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

noon> Michael Johnson Music Studio Seventh annual student recital and Spring Celebration [third of 4-part weekly series] @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~$15/-

**1-5> Open Folk open stage with Doc Higgins & feature George Coventry @ 1 Wallace Drive, Barrie & live online @ http://justin.tv/openfolk

12:30-5> Improv Toronto Workshops @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~with Victor Bateman

2-7> Two For The Show; openers The Mac’s, featuring Rob MacArthur for Durham Region Legion Benefit Tour @ Ajax Legion (RCL #322), 112 Hunt St., Ajax ~Pop Rock with a twist; $donation

2> Will Gillespie @ Full Of Beans, 1348 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Roots Pop originals

*2-5> Lisa Particelli’s Girl’s Night Out singer’s Jazz jam @ Morgan’s, 1282 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

2> 6^th Annual Tyler McGill Memorial Benefit Concert with many diverse musical acts including Max Brand @ Queen Victoria Pub, 2240 Midland Ave., Scarborough; $donation

*3-7> Pat Perez & John Dickie band feat. Mike Sloski, Ian Desouza & Norman Brown @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave, TO East ~R&B

*3-6> open mic with Nicola Vaughan @ Hirut, 2050 Danforth Ave., TO East

3-5:30> Lazy Cat Open Stage hosted by David Shilman & Linda Lavender with feature by Jack & Anita @ Bain Co-op Community Centre, 100 Bain Ave. (entrance off Sparkhall Ave.), TO East ~Roots

*3-7> open mic @ Moskito + Bite, 423 College St. TO

3-5> Marianne Girard (Frazer & Girard?) @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Roots

3> Greenway Blvd.; Derek Christie Band; The McKays @ C’est What, 69 Front St. E., TO ~Rootsy Bluesy Pop

*3-6> Michael Brennan @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St. TO ~East Coast Rock/Blues Roots

3-7> Peter Mathieson & Friends @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO ~Roots-Pop

*3-7> jam at CJ Barleys, 213 The Queensway, Keswick

3> Randy Hill @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

3:30-6:30> Freeway Dixieland Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

3:30> George Pliakes hosts monthly last Sunday open stage jam @ Eton House, 710 Danforth Ave., TO East ~eclectic

4> Roots ‘n Branches  (Bob McNiven & Howard Willett) @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~Rootsy Blues

*4-8> Michael Theodore 4-piece @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke ~Pop

4-8> Fried Angels @ Blue Goose Tavern, 1 Blue Goose Rd., Etobicoke South

*4:30-8> New Orleans Connection All Stars & guests @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~New Orleans Jazz

4> The Clearing @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa ~Jazz

*4:30-8> Chuck Jackson’s All Stars @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

**5-8> John Borra & Sam Ferrara w. guest @ The Communist’s Daughter, 1149 Dundas St. W. TO West ~Country

5-7:30> Taxi Chain @ The Sister, 1554 Queen St. W., TO West ~mad Celtic Rock Fusion

*5-9> Kim and Company (NOT Kimberley & Co.!) @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North ~Rock/R&B

5-9> Robbie Lane & The Disciples @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~vintage Pop Rock/R&B faves

5> Sweat Pea and Harrington @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

5-8> Under Paris Skies @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~romantic Swing

*5-9> All ages open jam with Juggernaut @ West Shore Bar & Grill, 877 Bayly St., Pickering

**5-8> The Stew with guest @ Mulligan’s, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga

6> Captain Dirt & The Skirt feat. Kristin Sweetland & guest Katie DuTemple @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Pop

*7-1> open stage with host Steve York (2 songs each -signup @ 7 or pre-sign online) @ The Supermarket, 268 Augusta St., TO

*7-11> Karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ The Edge, 250 Bayly St. W., Ajax

*7-9:30> James Brown Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-11> open jam @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

**7-11> The Nomads with special guest Tyler Yarema @ The Harp, 55 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*7> open jam @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

*7> open mic with Robbie Slack @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

7:30> Eve Goldberg, Sam Turton & Jane Lewis’s Gathering Sparks @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Folk

8> “Nashville Bound” Songwriters Showcase hosted by Glen Hornblast with sets by Bill Heffernan, Meg Tennant, Clela Errington and Orit Shimoni @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~$5/pwyc

8> Comedy Improv Jam @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $5

*8:30-12:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Gryphon Pub, 114 Dundas St. E., Whitby

8:30> David Rotundo @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~rough-edged street Blues; $20

8:30> Trace Minerals feat. Jeff Oussoren & Cam de Laat @ Not My Dog, 1510 Queen St. W., TO West ~indie

9-1> Payadora Tango Ensemble @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Tango ensemble

9> Los Cabelleros del Son @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Cuban traditional

*9-1> jam with Mike Roland and Lenny Vaccari @ Stewart Maguires Landing, 15 Allan Dr., Bolton

*9-1> jam @ Ivy Arms Pub, 201 Main Street East, Milton

*9:30-2> jam with the Stir It Up Band featuring Bryan Van Dusen & David Macmichael @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East

*9:30-1:30> jam with Rebecca Matiesen & Phoenix @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South

9:30> Harley Card Quartet @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*10> Horshack feat. Chris Caddell @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~Bluesy contemporary & classic Rock

10> Hot Rock @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~classic Pop Rock covers

*10> open mic/jam hosted by Phill Hood (with backline avail.) @ The Cage 292, 292 College St., TO

10> Callan Furlong @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

**10> Blues jam with Brian Cober, Bill Hedefine & guest bassist @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*10> jam with Groovestone feat. Dale Harrison @ Scruffy Murphy’s Uptown, 150 Eglinton Ave. E., TO North

10> Sean Pinchin’s Blues ‘n’ Beers @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

10:30> Scott Baragar @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Pop Rock

*10:30> Phil & John Show feat. Phil Naro @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington ~contemporary & classic Pop Rock

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