\ TO DOWNTOWN \

When band leaders Sandi Marie and Guy Breau suddenly decided to leave their Roots-Country group Under The Bus to move to the east coast last year it would have been reasonable to expect that veteran bassist Kevin Jeffrey and drummer Malcolm Gould might have just shrugged and said “it was a good ride” and found other groups to perform with.

The founding front duo had announced their departure in May less than a month after they seemed to be hitting their cruising speed.

After a couple of years of doing monthly early-Friday shows at Grossman’s and starting to get other gigs elsewhere, a coterie of fans had developed around their events, including fellow players like The McDales, Glen Hornblast, Zoe Henderson, Michael Cuddy, Phil Ciglen and Nicola Vaughan, who often ended up sitting in with the band for a few tunes and prompting additional jam-hosting events, as we had told you that April.

But although it may have seemed that the departing duo of the suddenly-aptly-named original group would leave the rhythm section pair with no wheels for their engine, the momentum that vehicle had revved up was not to be denied.

Instead of catching a lift elsewhere, Jeffrey and Gould approached other talented players from the pool of talent surrounding Bus events and before you could say “I want a refund for my ticket!” the new Hold The Bus combo (as a trio with Ciglen on guitar) was up and running.

By last September we were telling you how the new unit not only had easily slipped into the open First-Fridays bay at Grossman’s but had propelled itself into a hosting role for a Thursday jam at the club the last week of that month.

Fast forward to this month and now that Thursday jam —which, unlike their 6-9 First Fridays affair, sees them in charge for the whole evening, starting with sign-up at 8 and a kickoff set by the house band at 8:30— appears to be a solidly established monthly shindig, which just happens to be taking place again tonight.

For this evening’s edition in the club at 379 Spadina Ave., a little south of College St., uber-versatile Vaughan will be the guest host/singer and Tim Langton is filling in for Gould on the kit. Whether you’re a fan or a player wanting to perform solo or with backing from group members, you can expect to be welcomed and highly entertained by some superlative talents when you attend this no-cover funfest.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Thursday, February 25, 2022

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 or event page. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type and highlighted, include a live link to their website and also have a copy of the ad included in listings.

416 - Toronto Central

5-9> Girls Rituals; Among Giants; The Washout; Robin Jupiter @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO ~indie; $5

6-8> Urban Folk Art Salon with host Gannon Hamilton and performances by Glen Hornblast; Kirk Felix; Jeff Orson; poets Ann Elizabeth Carson, Brenda Clews, Norm Cristofoli @ Mount Pleasant Library, 599 Mount Pleasant Rd., TO North; no cover

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

6-8> Eli Pasic @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~solo Blues piano

6-8> Beverly Taft @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10

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

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

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

8-12:30> 4^th Thursdays jam with Hold The Bus featuring Kevin Jeffrey on bass & guest singer Nicola Vaughan @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~eclectic Roots-Rock/Country/Pop

*8-1> open mic with Alicia Porter @ The Local Gest, 424 Parliament St., TO

8> Jeff Eager Duo @ Dominion Pub, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~cover Pop Rock

8-12> R&B/Blues @ Nawlin’s, 299 King St. W. TO

8:30> Jesse Thomas; Andrew John Bennett @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~songwriters; $5

9> Gruvoria @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Jazz Funk

9> Basketball Knees; Is This Beige; Bryan Coffee @ Silver Dollar 486 Spadina Ave., TO

9> Mide Edel @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO

9-12> Lavender Orange @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO ~indie

9> Warren Vache and The Mark Eisenman Trio @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $20

9> Jennifer Castle; Bry Webb; Fiver; Alex Lukashevsky for Idee Fixe 5^th Anniversary @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $12.50

*9-1> Blackburn @ Jo Mamas, 317 King St. W., TO ~Blues

9> The Flow with Carlos Morgan @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North ~Rock/Top 40; $5

9:30> Jerry Granelli Quartet @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Halifax Jazz; $

*9:45> Stacey Kaniuk @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues; $

10> Rucksack Willies @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10> Felicity Williams @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Pretzel Logic @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Steely Dan tribute; $

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

416 - Toronto East

7-9> Roots & Branches @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Roots/Blues

*8:30-10:30> Jerry Leger & The Situation @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Folk-Rock/Country

8:30-12:15> Rock Bottom @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rock

*9:30> open jam @ Sportsters, 1430 Danforth Ave., TO East

*10-2> karaoke with Shane Taylor @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – Toronto Etobicoke

7:30> Thompson/Schwager Duo @ Old Mill Inn, 21 Old Mill Rd., Etobicoke ~Jazz; min table charge

8> Sloppy Jalopy; Augusta Ray; Chris Strei @ The Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke ~Country; $10

9> Kimberley Wetmore Band @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Pop Rock

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

416 – Toronto Scarborough

7-11> jam night @ The Birchmount, 462 Birchmount Rd., Scarborough

9:30> Scott Free @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

416 - Toronto West

5-8> G Street Trio with special guest Chelsea McBride @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

7 & 9 (2 shows)> Jim Bryson album release @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~songwriter; $25

7-9> Billiard Blossom @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~$

7:30> Lara Solnicki Trio @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Jazz

8:30> David Francey album release (1^st of 2 nights) @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~original Folk; $35

*9-12> open mic night @ DeSoto’s, 1079 St. Clair Ave. W., TO West

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

9-12> Annie Bonsignore @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

9> Shottr & guests 9 Lives and Counting; Creep Echo @ The Tennessee, 1554 Queen St. W., TO West ~original Rock/Pop/swamp Punk; $?

9> The Honour Roll @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Hip Hop band & dj; no cover

8:30> Leandro Motta; Lucy Conte; Jeff Alan Greenway @ Folly Brewpub, 928 College St. ~indie; $10.pwyc

9> Auto Manic; Places Erupt; Oh Hearts @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $

9> Suitcase @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Rock

9:30> Celler Smeller 4tet @ Fat City Blues, 890 College St., TO West ~Blues; $

10> Gramercy Riffs with Matt Cooke & Pete Casey @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~$10

519

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

7:30> The Long and Short of It @ Fionn MacCool’s Orangeville, 75 Fourth Ave., Orangeville ~Pop Rock

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

705

*7:30> Rob Phillips Jazz/Blues Trio and Marsala Luianchuk @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

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

10> Emily Burgess @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 - East

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

8-11> Amber & Neison @ Rum Diaries, 368 Bayly St. W., Ajax

*?> jam with Darren Smith & Shayne Thomas @ The Corner Pocket, 45 Prince St., Oshawa

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

*9-1> Juggernaut Jam Band @ Tap and Tankard, 224 Brock Rd. S., Whitby ~Rock/Blues

*9:30> jam with Billick @ Harp & Crown, 300 Kingston Rd., Pickering

*10> Karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ St. Louis Ajax, 11 Harwood Ave., Ajax

10> Barley & Hopps @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop

905 - North

*6:30-10:30> jam with Faces for Radio @ Coasters, 55 Rutherford Rd. S., Brampton

*8> open mic with Kevin Ker @ Duchess of Markham, 53 Main St., Markham

*8-11> Jam with Jayme Lynn Reed @ Offsides Sports Bar, 200 Simcoe Ave., Keswick

9> Jesse Parent @ Fionn MacCool’s Newmarket, 17315 Leslie St., Newmarket ~Pop Rock

905 - South

8> Dirty Nil album release with guests Greys; Chastity; Sideman @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~indie; $

*9> LMT Connection @ Doc Magilligan’s Irish Pub, 6400 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls ~R&B/Funk

*9> open mic night with rotating hosts @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton

905 – West

*6-9> Michael Keys & George Baumann @ Black Bull Burlington, 1124 Guelph Line, Burlington ~easy listening Swing/Boogie Woogie

8-12> Freedom Train @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Pop

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

*8-12> jam hosted by The Personics @ Carrigan Arms, 2025 Upper Middle Rd., Burlington

*8> Celtic Night @ Fionn MacCool’s Burlington, 2331 Appleby Line

8:30> Songbirds Night with host Sarah Beatty & sets by Piper Hayes; Gilliam Nicola @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville ~songwriters; $6

8:30> Tyler Schwende @ Fionn MacCool’s Britannia, 825 Britannia Rd. W., Streetsville Mississauga ~Pop Rock

*8:45> open mic with Matt Zady @ Failte, 201 City Centre Dr., Mississauga

9> Eddy C @ Fionn MacCool’s Clarkson, 970 Southdown Rd., Mississauga ~Pop Rock

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

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

Copyright © 2016 Toronto Moon Magazine. All Rights Reserved