Volatile east-GTA jam scene has two going tonight in Scarborough & Pickering

\ SCARBOROUGH / WHITBY \

Forgive me if I fail to do cartwheels over the fact that another new jam is debuting tonight in Whitby or that one in Scarborough that appeared to be history is reviving at least for tonight.

Unfortunately Scarborough and points east are littered with the remnants of jams that were started up with lots of hoopla only to fade after a few months as the clubs involved steadfastly refused to do any promotion of the events and players started to take them for granted.

Harp & Crown, The Loaded Dog, Grizzly’s, Rockpile East, The Brigadoon, Liverpool Arms, Centro Pizza … that’s only a partial list of clubs that have seen jams come and go over the past couple of years in the area. Rather than try to build an event and investing in promotion to help do so (some can’t even be bothered to update their free Facebook pages) most club owners these days seem to expect the musicians to do all the work and produce instant profits each and every week. It’s not enough that the host bands bring in top talent to play for free while they’re lucky to take home $75 a head themselves —they have to do all the advertising and promotion themselves as well.

One event that seemed to be going well earlier in the year, but that was cancelled for reasons that never were explained, is back on for at least tonight. Last May Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock Show group celebrated a year hosting a Thursday jam at Karla’s Roadhouse in Scarborough’s West Hill area but shortly afterwards the event was switched to once every two weeks, with the predictable result that not long after that it was canned entirely.

Whether tonight’s edition of the event in the club at 4630 Kingston Rd., is a test run or resumption of a regular series remains to be seen.

Meanwhile another new event debuts in Whitby tonight at a club that I believe has been around for a while but that I’m not familiar with as a music venue, however with a host band that has a pretty good track record of putting on solid events.

 

Juggernaut Open Jam Band, featuring singer-bassist Andy Narsigh, drummer Darren Smith and guitarist Michael Vassos —accomplished and highly respected east-GTA veteran players all— starts up tonight with an 8-12 event at Shamrocks Bar at 100 Dundas St. E. in Whitby.

While, as I said at the outset of this piece, I’m not going to get overly excited about either of these events at this early date, I would point out to musicians who live in the area that even more than any media promotion that can be done there’s only one thing that’s likely to actually keep these events going on: voting with your feet, talent and pocketbooks to keep them happening.

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Thursday, October 09, 2021:

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 type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

*5-8> Kirsten Jones @ Richtree Restaurant, Eaton Centre (14 Queen St. West), TO ~Country originals & Pop covers

*5-8> Jerry Leger & The Situation @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO East ~Folk-Rock/Country

5-8> Jesse Chase Jazz Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

*5-8> Nelson Denis @ Frank’s Pasta, 42 King Street E., Cobourg ~eclectic mix (Folk, Jazz, soft Rock, Latin)

6> Corin Raymond @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Roots-Pop

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

7-9> Liane Fainsinger @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

7> Jacky Bouchard @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz

*7> open mic with Derek Mok @ Kensington Lodge, 21 Kensington Ave., TO

7> Shugga @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Funk

*7:30-9:30> Bluegrass Thursdays with Houndstooth @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

*7:30> Rob Phillips Jazz Trio with Chelsey Bennett Band @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough ~Jazz

*7:30-12> open mic with K.M. Smith @ Molly Bloom’s Guelph, 91 Wyndham St. N., Guelph

*8-11> Tinderbox Thursdays open stage with Michael Keith @ La Revolucion, 2848 Dundas St. W., TO West ~eclectic

*8-12> open indie/Rock jam with Juggernaut Band feat. Andy Narsingh @ Shamrocks Bar, 100 Dundas St. E., Whitby

8-12> Freedom Train @ Lake Affect, 1 Port St., Port Credit ~Rock/Top 40

8-12> David C Fraser @ Fionn MacCool’s Ajax, 32 Kingston Rd. E. Ajax ~Pop

*8-12> open mic & jam @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

*8-11:30> Christopher Plock & Stevie G @ Mulligan’s Pub, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga ~Blues/Jazz/R&B

*8-11> open mic with Sandy MacDonald @ Williamsburg Arms, 1187 Fischer Hallman Rd., Kitchener

8:30> Songwriters Circle of Jerks 24 –Back To The Jerk Store featuring Nelson Sobral; Hugh Wilson; Nick Verona; David Hustler @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~original indie

8:30> Chris Birkett album release for Be Creative @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~songwriter; $22.50

8:30> Tim Hus & His Travelin’ Band @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville ~Canadiana Cowboy music; $10

9> The Ditch Horses feat. Reid Pickering & Chris Bennett @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Country

9> Swamperella featuring Soozi Schlanger @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~swamp Pop

9> Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock Show hosts jam @ Karla’s Roadhouse, 4630 Kingston Rd., Scarborough

*9> jam with Ted Rusk @ The Sauble Dunes, 11 Southampton Parkway, Sauble Beach

*9-1:30> open stage with Jay Pennell @ Dave’s On St. Clair, 730 St. Clair West, TO West ~eclectic

9> Shaking Hands; Bad Dad and the Poor Girls; Boat Culture @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~indie

9> Cameron Thompson @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East

9-12> Kevin Laliberté Jazz & Flamenco Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz/Flamenco

9-12> Rory Lavelle @ Bar Radio, 615 College St., TO ~Folk; pwyc

9> Meeko Cheech; Deep Space Cowboys; 5^th Projekt @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie

9> Tony “Wild T” Springer @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North ~Blues

9-1> Shawn Kellerman Band @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Blues

9> The Split @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

*9> jam @ The Wee Pub, 371 Wilson Rd. South, Oshawa

9> Rum Cuillim @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*9:30-2> Skip Tracer @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd., Etobicoke South ~Rock/Pop

9:30> Jessica Blake & The Dinner Club with opening act by Genevieve DeMerchant @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~original Pop-Roots; $10

*9:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Coyote Jack’s, 64 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

*9:30> karaoke with Kiki @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> open mic @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

9:30> The Speck Brothers @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

9:30> Glenn Groves @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

*9:30> jam with Jack B Nimble @ Abbey Road Pub, 3200 Erin Mills Parkway, Mississauga

*9:45> Mary Mckay @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues

9:45> Ernesto Cervini’s Turboprop @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

10> Chris Lowry @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Raven Shields @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Roots-Rock

10> tba @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO

10> The Tonkas @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

10> Christa Couture; Hilary Grist @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~

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

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