\ TO CENTRAL \

A staple of Folk festivals, the songwriters-in-the-round musical presentation concept has also been gaining in popularity for club night shows the past couple of years.

We’re written previously about several of these events, typically hosted by a talented performer and inviting songwriters, arranged in a semi-circle or line on stage, to take turns performing their compositions, often accompanied by their stage companions with interesting results.  Sometimes, particularly in festival settings, performers are also encouraged to talk about their music and how they came to write the particular tunes they’re playing.

While the in-the-round format is becoming more frequent, the scheduling of the shows tend to be a hit-and-miss situation, with some, like the series hosted by Boris Buhot that resumes in November, happening monthly but taking extended seasonal breaks.

Tonight, however, the new ABC Songwriters Circle weekly series utilizing that configuration debuts downtown at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club at 54 The Esplanade between Church and Yonge streets.

Hosted by Roots-Rock songwriter Robert Pelletier (aka Felix of Felix & The Cats), who will also perform each week, the 9-12 series every Tuesday also features three songwriters, most of them culled from the Stir It Up Sundays open stage jam that takes place at Relish in east TO, where The Cats are kind of local celebrities and fixtures on Sunday evenings.

Tonight’s kickoff includes three Blues-based artists, two of whom I’m familiar with, and the format being employed not only encourages the artists to talk about their music but also invites questions from the audience!

Although he has evidently forgotten, I’ve written many times in the past about Sam Taylor, helping to raise his profile and getting him paying gigs for no commission when he was first coming on to the scene at Relish as a scintillating Blues electric guitarist about four years ago.  These days although still young he has become a fairly established commodity, performing regularly in rooms across TO with his East End Love band that also features alt-Pop songwriter David Macmichael (another of the forthcoming artists in this series) on bass and is soon to start touring.

I’ve seen acoustic/slide Blues performer Sal Indigo on a couple of occasions now and he’s been fairly impressive delivering a gutsy, gritty feel on originals like “Chicken Bag”.   He hails from the Dylan/Cohen/Waits school of lyrical and vocal stylings but often uses a slide guitar and is likely soon off for his annual winter tour of Blues and Gospel venues in the U.S. south, we’re told.

The third participant, Ryan Schmidt, I can’t say I know anything about, but he’s described in the event promo as doing swampy Blues “with strong images and stories of hurt and frustration” accompanied by “solid grooves” on his “growling slide guitar.”

There’s no mention of a cover in the event promo, which also lists upcoming participants through into December —with the exception of Hallowe’en night on Oct. 31, when the songwriters give way to the ghouls, goblins and other stuff almost as bone-chilling as a musician with amnesia.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca [email protected]

SHOW LISTINGS for Tuesday, October 17, 2021

For KEY to listings codes and schemata see note at end of shows list.

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ON AIR/ONLINE

4-6pm> Blues Blast w Ken Wallis @ 101.5 FM or 1015thehawk.ca

**7-8> “Songtalk Radio” songwriters interviews/chat with weekly guest @ CJRU 1280AM Toronto and online

7-9> “Unsung and On The Side” with Carolyn Fe on Rock-Fm.ca

416 – TORONTO CENTRAL

*noon-3> Alex Radeff of Donkey solo @ True Love Café, 290 Dundas St. E. ~acoustic Pop covers & originals; 0$

6-8> Robert Scott @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. ~Jazz piano; 0$

6> Dave Borins @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W.  ~songwriter

6> Kristy Hagerman @ Azienda Cafe, 622 College St. ~songwriter

6-7:30> Leslie Huyler & Friends with Natalie Wong, Eric St-Laurent, Scott Neary @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St. ~indie; $10-$20/pwyc

6:30-9> Don Thompson & Kyle Marshall @ Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Ave. ~piano/cello duo

6:30> Johnny Griffith Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $

*6:30-9:30> Stacie McGregor @ N’awlin’s, 299 King St. W. TO ~Jazz piano

7> Djeli bi-open mic for singers, rappers & poets with host Breanna Chanelle @ Harlem Underground, 745 Queen St. W.

7:30> Three Ring Circus with Bob Cohen & friends @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St.

8-10:30> John MacMurchy’s Art of The Breath @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St. ~Jazz; $

8> Hans-Joachin Roedelius; Zambuca; Jospeh Shabason; Kat Estachio @ Monarch Tavern, 12 Clinton St. ~indie; $

8> Art Bar poetry & open stage @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. ~spoken word

8> Hey Stella! @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W.  ~Rockabilly/Country/Roots-Rock

*8:30-12> “Open Mic for the Starving Artist” @ Cavern Bar, 76 Church St. ~with food for songs!

8:30-11:30> John Amato birthday show @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St. ~indie; $10-$20/pwyc

*8:45> Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E. ~Jazz/Blues; $

9> ABC Songwriters Circle with host performer Robert Pelletier & guests in the round Sam Taylor, Sal Indigo & Ryan Schmidt @ Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade ~songwriters

9> Luan Phung Group @ Poetry Jazz Café, 224 Augusta Ave. ~Jazz-Rock fusion

*9> open mic @ The Paddock, 178 Bathurst St.

9:30> The Waring Band @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave.

9:30> Jazz jam hosted by Chris Gale @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $

*10-2> The Sattalites @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. ~original & cover Reggae/Funk; $

10> City Love open mic night @ The Hideout, 423 College St.

10> The Ken McDonald Quartet & guests @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St. ~Jazz

10> Punching Nuns @ Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St. W.

10> The Sinners Choir @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W. ~Blues/R&B

416 –TORONTO EAST

*6-9> Julian Fauth solo @ Sauce, 1376 Danforth Ave. ~original Blues piano

6:30> Flint Eastwood @ The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave. ~contemporary original; $

7-9> Dan Walsh @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. ~songwriter; 0$

8> Isaak Bonk; Fletch Gull; Courtney Bowles @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave. ~indie; 0$

**8-11> open stage hosted by Kyle Duffin @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave.

8> Andrew W.K. @ Opera House, 735 Queen St. E.

8:30-10:30> Fred Spek’s Camp Combo @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.

*9-1> jam with Mike Sedgewick & The Blue Gurus @ The Duke Live, 1225 Queen St. E.

*9> open mic with host Asha Diaz @ Groove Bar, 1952 Danforth Ave.

*9:30> Peter Verity @ Black Swan, 154 Danforth Ave. ~Folk Roots

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

*8> Groove Stone @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line ~Rock/Soul

416 – TORONTO SCARBOROUGH

10> Wayne Ferguson hosts jam & karaoke night @ West Hill Pizza, 4379 Kingston Rd.

416 – TORONTO WEST

6-9> Russel deCarle recording release for Alone In This Crowd @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave. ~Country-Roots songwriter; $15

6-8> Bülow @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W. ~songwriter; $10

7-10> Chris Reid and Nina Richmond @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave. ~Jazz

8-10:30> Tuesday duos with Peter Hill on keys & guest Shawn Nykwist on sax @ La Rev, 2848 Dundas St. W. ~Jazz/Blues; 0$

8> Collective Order recording release for Volume 2 @ Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W. ~Jazz; $15

8> Miklas Sivelov @ Gallery 345, 345 Sorauren Ave. ~piano

*8-11> Freeman Dre & The Kitchen Party @ The Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave. ~acoustic Folk-Rock originals & covers

8> Pinact; Elegance; The Kitch @ The Baby G, 1608 Dundas St. W. ~indie; $

8:30-10:30> Chris Gostling @ Alchemy, TO West, 890 College St.

8:30> Chris Platt Trio recording release for Skyglow @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W. ~original Blues; $12

9> Brooklyn; Dahlia Ferns; Tiger & Bloom @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W. ~indie; $10

9> Graham Ko; Ranie Tamunbere; Jonathan Billings @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave. ~indie; $10

9> Chris Ronald @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave. ~original Roots; $

9> BLAHA of The Blind Shake; The New Enchanters @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St. ~indie; $6

9> Beams @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave.

519

6> open mic @ Manhattan’s Guelph, 951 Gordon St., Guelph

6:30-8> Ukulele jam & workshop @ Idea Exchange Preston, 435 King St. E., Cambridge

6-9> Cheryl Lescom @ Morty’s Pub, 272 King St. N., Waterloo ~Blues/Roots

*7-10> open mic with Andy Hughes @ The Joint Café, 43 Cork St. E., Guelph

*7-11> Waterloo Wellington Bluegrass Association holds Bluegrass jam @ Galt Legion RCL #121, 4 Veterans Way, Cambridge

*7-9> Juneyt @ Easy Pour Wine Bar, 1660 Blair Rd., Cambridge ~Flamenco guitarist

*8:30-11:30> open jam @ Churchill Arms, 355 Erb St. W., Waterloo

9> open mic jam @ Sip Club, 91 Wyndham St. N., Guelph

10> Chalkline @ Duke of Wellington, 33 Erb St. W., Waterloo

705

7> open mic with Randy Hill @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

*9> open mic night @ Red Dog Tavern, 189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

10> Naomi Kavka; Winona Wilde @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 EAST

*6:30-11> The Woodshed jam with Don Niblett & Frank Zochodne @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*8:30-12:30> open mic with host Cheryl Stiles @ The Pearson Pub, 101 Mary St. W., Whitby

9> Steel City @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country Rock

*9-1> open acoustic jam @ The General, 21 Celina St., Oshawa

*10> open mic with Josh Beaven @ The Atria, 59 King St. E., Oshawa

905 NORTH

7-10 > open song circle with Patti McLaughlin @ RCL 385, 105 Industrial Pkwy. N., Aurora

7> open mic with Bernadette Connors @ Lake Simcoe Arms, 21089 Dalton Rd., Jackson’s Point

*8> open mic @ The Tickled Toad, 330 Steeles Ave. W., Thornhill

*8-11> jam with Matthew Kane & The Brews Brothers @ The Crown, 9580 Yonge St., Richmond Hill

*8:30-12:30> open mic @ Falcon & Firkin, 10300 Yonge St., Richmond Hill

*9> open mic with Manny D, Andy Earle & Dave Breckels @ Big Chris BBQ, 17380 Yonge St., Newmarket

905 SOUTH

7> songwriters open stage with Dave Pomfret @ Lukaya Café, 592 Upper Wellington St., Hamilton

*8> Chris Clause @ Thirsty Cactus, 2 King St. E., Dundas ~acoustic

*8:30> open stage with Wayne Petti @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton

*9:30> Ten Gallon Cat @ Cat ‘n’ Fiddle, 174 John St. S., Hamilton ~Country?

*9:30-1> Traditional Irish jam @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton

10> songwriters night @ The West Town, 214 Locke St. S., Hamilton

10> jam night @ Lazy Flamingo, 19 Hess. St. S., Hamilton

905 WEST

*8> The Phil & John Show @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~acoustic Pop Rock

*8> open stage (signup at 7:30) with host Neil McNaughton @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $2

*8> open mic night @ Fionn MacCool’s Burlington, 2331 Appleby Line, Burlington

8-12> Maxine Young & Christina Melanie @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit  ~Rock/Top 40 covers

*8:45> open mic with Matt Zadkovich @ Cuchulainn’s Irish Pub, 158 Queen St. S., Streetsville-Mississauga

9> open mic with Chuck Coles @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington

LISTINGS KEY

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.

Copyright © 2017 by Gary “17” Webb-Proctor & TorontoMoon.ca All Rights Reserved