\ TORONTO WEST \

Despite a rather blustery, chilly and harsh March month thus far, as surely as today children will squeal with delight at chocolate surprises and devout Christians will ponder with renewed awe their creed’s account of the miracle of divine return from the tomb, signs of Spring are all around us.

Aside from the first early buddings of trees, gradually lengthening days and a certain extra chirp in the mating season songs of birds, enlivening the air, there is also the annual return from southern climes of songwriter Michael Laderoute.

Senôr Laderoute for the past decade or so has spent every winter in Mexico —except the previous one, when he was forced to stay in TO due to a serious medical procedure.  Thus for the past several years his return for another season of “first Sunday” 3-5 shows at Tranzac Club has also been a herald that winter has done its worst and outdoor weather is returning —and will be even more so this year now that he’s able to resurrect the tradition.

For today’s no-cover show, (for which he also promises a chocolate egg hunt!) he’ll be accompanied as usual by resophonic guitar/dobro player Rob Fenton as he shares some of his award-winning original tunes in the Southern Comfort Lounge of the club at 292 Brunswick Ave., just south of Bloor Street West in the Annex area.

I’ve written several times about Laderoute’s songs, some of which appear on his stellar album A River I Know.  The title track won him the 2008 “Songs From The Heart” award from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals but the disc is chock full of poignant yet uplifting tunes about the people and places he’s known —you don’t have to hunt for the goodies on this one: they’ll all through it!

Laderoute can be expected to be sticking around for a bit afterwards as well, since he’s friends with the artists putting on the following 5-7 show in the same room.  Steve-Paul Simms and Lynn Harrison are both hugely gifted songwriters, each capable of writing and performing in a variety of styles and who also share a wryly witty approach to carefully crafted lyrics.

While this pair can’t really be called harbingers of a new season (since they appear the last Sunday of each month year round) they promise a lively set of each’s originals and may spring a surprise, we’re told, by playing something neither of their fans have heard before.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Sunday, March 27, 2022:

Listings are organized by area in which shows take place and listed chronologically within each area field.

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, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger highlighted type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

416 – Toronto Central

11am-2pm> The Shpeelers for Jewish brunch buffet @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

12-3> Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*12-2:30> Eli Pasic @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~solo Blues piano

12:30> Ilios Steryannis @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

3-5> Michael Laderoute & Rob Fenton @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~original Folk

3> Duane Rutter @ C’est What, 69 Front St. E., TO ~songwriter

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

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

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

5-9> Virgil Scott & Friends @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~vintage Pop/R&B; $10

5> Lynn Harrison & Steve-Paul Simms @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~original Roots/Pop

*6-9> open mic with Eddy Culjak @ Fox & Fiddle Wellesley, 27 Wellesley St., TO

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

7> The Double Cuts @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country Swing

7-9:30> Ken Aldcroft @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

7-9:30> Judy Marshak Quartet @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz standards & originals; $20

*7-10> Brooke Blackburn @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W. TO ~Blues/Jazz/R&B

7> Piano Salon presents Friends of Markos and Machari with Soozi Schlanger @ Schlangrillah, 648 Bloor St. W. ~songwriter; $10-$20/pwyc

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

*8> jam/open mic with backline & host band Meg and the Scene @ The Antler Room, 146 Front St. W., TO

*8> open mic with Kyle @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO

9> Drew Howard; ShaqIsDope; Adrian Duncan; Tyler Anderson; Friyie @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO; $20

9:30> Three Blind Mice @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

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

10> Holocene/Deer God @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO

10> Steve Ward presents @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> New Grease Revival @ 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> Scott Baragar @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

416 – Toronto East

11-2> Peter Eastmure & Animalkyngdom for brunch @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East ~Roots songwriter

*2-5> Lisa Particelli’s Girl’s Night Out vocal Jazz jam with Mark Kieswetter on keys @ Morgan’s, 1282 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

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

3-5:30> last Sunday monthly Lazy Cat circle jam singalong & pot luck dinner with hosts Linda Lavender & David Shilman @ Bain Co-op Community Centre, 100 Bain Ave. (enter off Sparkhall Ave.), TO East

*3:30-7:30> jam @ Black Bear, 1125 O’Connor Drive, TO East

4> Helen Stewart @ Castro’s Lounge, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Roots-Rock/Country

6-9> Johnny Cox & The Magnetic Line @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave, TO East ~R&B/Blues

*9-1> jam with the Stir It Up Band featuring David Macmichael @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East

9> Watch This Sound @ Castro’s Lounge, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~vintage Jamaican music

9:30> Michael Darcy @ An Sibin Pub, 709 Queen St. E., TO East ~Pop Rock

416- Toronto Etobicoke

4-8> BG Rhythm Section featuring Gary Kendall + guests Brooke & Dwayne Blackburn @ Blue Goose Tavern, 1 Blue Goose Rd., Etobicoke South ~Blues/R&B

5-9> Lost Patients @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke ~Pop Rock

5-9> Phil Hood and Company @ Refinery Public House, 3039 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke ~R&B/Rock

*10-2> jam with Rebecca Matiesen & Phoenix @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South

416 – Toronto Scarborough

*6> The Tall Boyz featuring Tommy Rocker host acoustic jam @ Coco’s, 2480 Eglinton Ave. E., Scarborough

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

416 – Toronto West

**11-2> live Jazz brunch @ DeSoto’s, 1079 St. Clair Ave. W., TO West

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

* 12-3> The Cosmotones @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~Rockabilly

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

*5-8> Zakary Miller @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Canadiana Swing

5-8 Mayhemingways @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West

6> Monk’s Music @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz

7:30> Joal Kamps; Gadda & Friends; The Creek Stones; @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West

7:30> Go To White Castle; The Revolver; Expect Resistance; Strike The Storm; The Good Die Young @ Smiling Buddha (basement), 961 College St., TO West ~indie

8> Wayne Neon and The Amazing Tubular Orchestra @ The Tennessee, 1554 Queen St. W., TO West

8:30> Dog Leg Dilemma @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~ Jazz

*8:30-11:30> Fraser Melvin Blues Band @ Fat City Blues, 890 College St., TO West ~Blues

9> Bambara @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West ~indie

9-1> Donghwan Moon Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

9> Brendt Diablo @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~classic Country

10> The Mercenaries @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~retro Rock/Soul; $

519

*3-7> acoustic open mic with Scott Rhodes @ The Pick and Shovel, 30 Water St., Cambridge

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

705

Noon> Drew Wright @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood

7> Marc Roy Band @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough ~Pop

905 East

*3-7> Jam with jam with hosts Still Sunday featuring Jim Cornell @ West Shore Bar & Grill, 877 Bayly St., Pickering

4> Jabel @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*5-10> All-ages open jam with Juggernaut @ The Edge Lounge, 250 Bayly St. W., Ajax

*8:30-12:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Pearson Pub, 101 Mary St. W. Whitby

*10> Another Round @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock

905 North

**1-3> Joe & Frank with guest performer @ Lake Simcoe Arms, 21089 Dalton Rd., Jackson’s Point ~Jazz

*1:30-4:30> Blaine Burnie, Mark Thackway & friends @ Coach House Pub, 3 Felcher Boulevard, Stouffville ~acoustic Roots

*3-7> open stage with Kevin Ker @ The Earl Of Whitchurch, 6204 Main St., Stouffville

*3-7> Daniel Davies Band hosts jam @ C.J. Barley’s, 213 The Queensway South, Keswick

*4-8> open mic with backline & keys @ Yogi’s Bar, 1285 Elgin Mills Rd. E., Richmond Hill

*6-9:30> The Andy Earle Trio @ Big Daddy’s Newmarket, 446 Davis Drive, Newmarket ~Blues

*8> acoustic open mic with Kat Vhonda @ Wild Wing North Newmarket, 340 Eagle Street, Newmarket

905 South

*3> Brother Tom hosts kitchen party jam @ Rebel’s Rock, 537 King St. E., Hamilton

*3> Sunday Slam with Prior Convictions; The Terminals; Sluts on 45@ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~original Rock; $6

5> Daryl Gray @ Doc Magilligans, 6400 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls

905 West

3-6> @ Cuchulainn’s Irish Pub, 158 Queen St. S., Streetsville-Mississauga ~Pop Rock

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

**7-11> The Nomads @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

*7:30-11:30> open jam hosted by Troy Harmers & The Persuaders @ The Brown Barrel, 1515 Upper Ottawa St., Hamilton

8> Oakville Improv comedy night @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville

*8> open mic night with house band featuring Mike Shotton, Tim & Dave Johns @ Black Swan Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

*9-1> Jake Robertson @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~$

*10:30> Adam Cooke & The Adams Family @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington

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