Performing in bars and at events has become a precarious way to try to make a living and that is even more difficult for bands with a strong component or exclusively original material on their rosters.  There’s not really a shortage of gig opportunities for indie artists, providing you don’t mind getting paid $100-150 or so a night —for the act, that is, not per person.

Decent paying gigs —for cover acts, as well as those mostly performing their own material— have become fewer and farther between and as a result, many bands have had to adapt to be able to deliver their material in performance areas ranging from an unraised alcove area with some of the tables still in place and a tv mindlessly broadcasting pro poker behind them in some neighbourhood chicken wing joints up to and including a stage you need stairs to ascend outdoors in front of several thousand festival goers with showcase lights, full backdrop and pro sound.

Increasingly, in order to keep the decent paying gigs coming, acts need to be able to attune their performance style to adjust to audiences ranging from disinterested “wings night” suburbanites through to discerning music aficionados and for people who just want to dance and party like it’s still the last millennium.  Not every band is up to that —or is willing to go that route.

Two which are —and which still keep their own music infusing their shows— are in action tonight in rooms with very different ambiances.  I’m only passingly familiar with either group but have seen each and know enough about them to be impressed with both their tenacity and their versatility.

A week ago tonight I caught up with Elana Harte and her Stiletto Flats outfit in about as favourable a situation as an act could ever hope to be in: playing in your home area in front of thousands on a pro stage located outside of one of your favourite clubs that you appear at regularly.  With a powerful performance that included several originals among the selection of dance and party retro-Rock faves, the group, in a five-piece configuration, was a highlight of the entire weekend at the Taste of the Danforth festival.  Their showcase stage was situated out front of the room in which Harte hosts her long-running Monday night M Factor series of talent showcase, Old Nick Pub at 123 Danforth Ave., which for this occasion functioned a bit like her dressing room!

This evening it’ll be a different story as the same band, which has also recently played a mixed bag of venues including east TO beer halls, a Pride festival showcase and a pub in uptown TO, fits into the ground-level window stage area of the Nick.  Despite the smaller confines I’d expect Harte, along with mainstay guitar and vocals accompanist Lucio Agostini, bassist Jenn Benton and drummer Robyn McDonald, to deliver the same intensity of show as last Saturday, albeit with a little less volume.  They’ll also be joined again as they were last week by singer Jennifer Brewer, another Old Nick fave who is celebrating her birthday tonight along with Elana reprising some of the vibe from her own 50^th birthday party earlier this week. There’s no cover for the 9 p.m. show.

A band I’ve been following for nearly ten years on social media and which is assiduous in sending out alerts about their shows, is four-piece original Rock group Paint.

I’ve been listing their shows regularly when they occur within our coverage area —and the schedule and their website shows they’ve come a long way baby.  Their appearances include a wide diversity of rooms ranging from pub-style wing joints as far away as Napanee and Barrie through more sedate rooms in places like Ottawa and Hamilton to Rock/indie emporiums in Oshawa, Montreal, Peterborough and beyond.

Paint keeps getting booked back into many of these rooms, so obviously they’ve developed a knack for tailoring their shows —which often include video recording, as they work closely with filmmaker R. Stephenson Price and have a slew of interesting art-Rock style videos of their tunes available on YouTube.  (I notice they’ve monetized the clips, btw —a smart idea for any composer posting material these days, despite the annoyance of the ads.)

Tonight the outfit (singer Robb Johannes, guitarist Jordan Shepherdson, drummer Devin Jannetta and Keiko Gutierrez on bass) are in full-out indie Rock mode as they appear on a multi-artist bill at Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. a spit east of Spadina.  The promo I have doesn’t state what time they go on as part of the four-act bill that starts at 9 p.m., but cover is only $7 —which of course works out to less than $2 per band, so the groups would need a lot of people there to make it lucrative.  No doubt, however, if you go you can also pick up copies of one of their albums, concert DVD or even a cut of the feature film short and accompanying ep soundtrack they released last year.

Looking at these two groups and living in a world in which Dakota Tavern can be voted “Toronto’s Best Blues Bar” by readers of NOW magazine in 2014, I have to conclude that not only can you not judge a book by its cover, you really can’t grok a band by its supposed genre —and certainly not only by knowing where they happen to be playing on any given night.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Saturday, August 13, 2021

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, 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

*12-3> The Sinners Choir @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

3> Jamzac @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

3-6> Frank Botos Quartet @ The Pilot, 22 Cumberland St., TO ~Jazz

3:30> Socialist Night School @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

4> Taxi Chain @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St., TO ~Rock/Celtic original fusion

4-7> Don River Blues Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~$

*4:40-7:30> The Happy Pals @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~New Orleans Jazz

*5-8> Blues & Troubles @ Déjà vu Bar, 389 College St., TO ~Blues

6-8> Sarah Jerrom @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10-20/pwyc

6> Lil’ Jimmy’s Chicken Parts @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

6:30> Joe Hall @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~songwriter

7:30> Lester McLean Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~ Jazz; $

8> Julian Taylor solo @ Hard Rock Café, 279 Yonge St., TO ~original Pop/Dance/Rock; $30

8> Brian Sasaki; Taylor & Valentia; Evan Pang @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~songwriters

*8:30-12:30> All Star Band feat. Joe Bowden & Brooke Blackburn @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W. TO ~Blues

8:30> When Earth Sleeps; Mad City; Stereo Division; The Alpacas @ Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W., TO ~original; $7

9-12> Michael Bell @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Swing/Jazz; $5

9> Replica Trio @ Dominion Pub, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~cover Pop Rock

9> Paper Ladies; Green Girl; Werewolves Beware @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $

9> Hilario Duran Trio featuring Phil Dwyer @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $20

9> Paint; Dub Kartel; Cardboard Crowns; Cheap Flights @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~eclectic indie; $7

9:30> The Rapids; Nate & Trish or Whatever; Sunshine & Centre @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO

9:30> Pop Cherry @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~classic Rock/Pop

9:30> Switchbeat @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North ~Funk/Soul/R&B; $10

9:45> Galloway & Fair @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*9:45> Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues; $

10> Ride The Tiger @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/Soul; $

10> Teri Parker & special guests @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Jack Marks & His Lost Wages @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country/Rockabilly

10> The Milkman & The 2% @ Bier Markt Esplanade, 58 The Esplanade, TO ~Pop Rock

10-2> Jerome Godboo Band album release @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~original Blues

10> Of Gentlemen and Cowards @ Bier Markt King, 600 King St., West, TO ~Pop Rock

416 – TORONTO EAST

*3:30-6> Johnny Wright @ Outriggers, 2232 Queen St. E., TO East ~R&B

6-8> Thelonious Hank @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Country

7-9> George Grossman & Valerie Shane @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

*8:30-1> open mic with host Carmen Toth @ The Grover, 676 Kingston Rd., TO East

9-12> Blair Packham & Friends @ The Feathers, 962 Kingston Rd., TO East ~Roots/Pop songwriter

9> Stiletto Flats featuring Elana Harte @ Old Nick Pub, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East ~cover & original Rock/Rockabilly; no cover

9> The Swingin’ Blackjacks @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rockabilly; no cover

9-12> Jim Gelcer Trio @ Morgan’s On The Danforth, 1282 Danforth Ave. ~Jazz; no cover

9> Lindsay Brohan @ Murphy’s Law, 1702 Queen St. E., TO East ~Pop Rock

9> The Dreamboats @ The Eton House, 710 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rock/Pop oldies; $5

9:30-11:30> James Clark Institute @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Pop; no cover

9:30> Peter Verity & Friends with Mark Ripp; Sebastian Agnello; more @ Black Swan, 154 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Roots

9:30> Tim Bovaconti Band @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rock/Top 40; $5

10:30> The Heat @ Bier Markt Don Mills, 7 O’Neill Rd., TO East ~Pop Rock

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

*3-6> Whitey & The Roulettes @ Blue Goose, 1 Blue Goose St., Etobicoke South ~R&B/Blues

**4-8> The Essentials with guest singer Donnie Meeker @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Etobicoke South ~Rock-R&B

*4-8> The Meteors with guest Kevin Phillips @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Blues/Rock/R&B

7:30> Josh Grossman Quartet @ Old Mill Inn (Homesmith Bar), 21 Old Mill Rd., Etobicoke ~Jazz; minimum table charge

8> Ill Bill @ The Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke

9> K T Smith @ Maple Leaf House, 2749 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Etobicoke ~Rock/Top 40/Blues

9:30> Phil & John @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~acoustic Pop; $

9:30> The Knockouts @ Refinery Public House, 3039 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke ~Rock/Top 40

10-2> Jenny & The Jets @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lake Shore Blvd. W. Etobicoke South ~Rock/Top 40/Dance

10> Full Tilt @ Bier Markt Etobicoke, 199 North Queen St., Etobicoke ~Pop Rock

416 – TORONTO SCARBOROUGH

11am-12:30pm> Little Peter & The Elegants @ Wheels On Danforth, Danforth Ave. @ Danforth Rd., Scarborough  ~50s/60s Rock ‘n’ Roll; no cover

9-1> Fraser-Daley @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarborough ~Rootsy Blues

9:30> Rock jam with Tommy Rocker Band @ Centro Pizza, 3406 Kingston Rd., Scarborough

*9:30-2> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Winners, 2181 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough

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

9:30> Bad Dog Gone @ The Loaded Dog, 1921 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

416 – TORONTO WEST

*Noon-3> Danny Marks @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~Blues/Jazz

**2-5> Yor Magic Open Mic with host Robert Cooney @ La Rev, 2848 Danforth Ave., TO West

3:30> Mary & Micky @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~

4> Brendon Gomez @ The Rhino Bar, 1249 Queen St. W., TO West

**5-8> Ken Taylor’s Fixin’s Jazz Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave. TO West ~Jazz

5-8> The Mosquito Bar @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Balkan/Celtic

*5-8> Blues jam with Ken Yoshioka @ On Cue Billiards, 349 Jane St., TO West ~Blues

7:30> Civil Wray; Jill Peacock @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie Pop

8:30> Eric Chenaux; Ryan Driver @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~songwriters; $12

9-1> Julian Fauth Quartet @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

9> The Honeyrunners; Brother Levon @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West ~indie; $5

9> Chain Fall; Hold ‘em; Farm Boy; Torque Down @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West ~indie

9> Naked Wild; Western Education; Missioner; Among Giants @ Smiling Buddha (basement), 961 College St., TO West ~indie

9> Chris Culgin @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Roots/synth Country

9> mOOn sign @ Holy Oak Café, 1241 Bloor St. W., TO West

9:30> Lost & Sound @ Brazen Head Pub, 165 East Liberty St., TO West ~Pop Rock

10> Hayley & Dave Rave @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~songwriters

10-2> Mama Motown and The Bad Decisions @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~$10

10> Open Mind; Corey Dawkins @ 3030 Dundas West, 3030 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Soca/Reggae/Hip Hop; no cover

10:30> Ricky Franco & The P Crew Orchestra @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Salsa; $15

519

8> James Ketts @ Fionn MacCool’s Kitchener, 4287 King St. E., Kitchener ~Pop ROck

9> The Doozies @ Fionn MacCool’s Guelph, 494 Edinurgh Rd. S., Guelph ~Pop

9:30> North of 49 @ Fionn MacCool’s Orangeville, 75 Fourth Ave., Orangeville ~Pop

705

3-7> Beth McClelland & Friends @ The Spill, 414 George St., Peterborough

8-11:45> David Love Band also featuring Darrell McNeill @ Harbour Street Fish Bar, 10 Keith Ave., Collingwood ~melodic 60s Pop Rock

8:30> Randy Hill Band @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

9> The Snyders @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood

9> Garbageface; elms; Puberty Hands; Math Jarvis; Doxx @ The Spill, 414 George St., Peterborough ~indie

9:30> Under The Influence @ Sticky Fingers Dunlop, 150 Dunlop St. W., Barrie

10> Aye Teeth; Beef Boys @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 EAST

Noon-6> Too Drunk To Fish Band featuring Rob MacArthur (noon-1:30/Country Rock); Two For The Show; Charles Street Band; more for Taste of Ajax @ Ajax Rotary Park, 177 Lake Driveway, Ajax

*4> PRJ @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St., Oshawa ~Blues

*9-1> karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ Tudor Rose, 700 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

9> Ray Darren Band @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country

9> Excuses Excuses; The Durants; Critical Hit; Outta Space @ The Atria, 59 King St. E., Oshawa ~indie

9-1> Stryng the ory @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

9-1> Hollow Point @ Tap and Tankard, 224 Brock Rd. S., Whitby ~Rock/Pop

10-2> Suppa Natty @ Whisky John’s, 843 King St. W., Oshawa ~Rock/Top 40

905 NORTH

10am-noon> Mark Yan & Barry Mulcahy @ Rose Garden Square, Brampton ~acoustic Pop covers & originals

6-10> Mark Yan & Barry Mulcahy @ Ray’s 3rd Generation Bistro, 1475 Queen St. W., Alton ~acoustic Pop covers & originals

6-9> Dinner Jazz @ Lake Simcoe Arms, 21089 Dalton Rd., Jackson’s Point ~Jazz

7:30> Pierre & Andrew @ Cornerhouse on Main, 6403 Main St., Stouffville ~acoustic Pop

8-11> Nigel & Colonel Cunningham @ Yogi’s Bar, 1285 Elgin Mills Rd. E., Richmond Hill ~acoustic Rock

9:30> The Doubts @ Jake’s Boathouse Brampton, 59 First Gulf Rd., Brampton ~Pop Rock

9:30> The Nomads @ Aw Shucks, 15230 Yonge St., Aurora ~Pop Rock

10> Twelve 32 @ Village Inn, 2 Holland St. E., Bradford ~Rock

905 SOUTH

**2-4:30> Davidson, Dicresce & Nero host jam with guests @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster ~Rock/Top 40

**2> Brant Parker Band with guest Joshua Arden Miller @ Donnelley’s Pub, 54 Front St., Thorold ~Blues

*2-6> jam w. Tom Finocchio @ Sam’s Place, Barton-Chestnut Sts., Hamilton

**2:30> Blues Matinée @ Coach & Lantern (upstairs), 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Blues

6:30> Rags Mahasti; Wild Orchid; Dragonfly Bellydance; Angela Josephine for “Harem Vol. 11” & Essential Aid family aid fundraiser @ Casbah Lounge, 306 King St. W., Hamilton ~eclectic indie; $15

8> The McFlys @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster ~80s Rock/Top 40

9> Acoustically Yours @ Rebel’s Rock, 537 King St. E., Hamilton ~acoustic Pop

**9> Niagara Rhythm Section & guests Dwayne Laforme @ The Old Winery, 2228 Niagara Stone Rd., Niagara-On-The-Lake ~R&B/Blues

9:30> Big Rude Jake; Trebel Men @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~raunchy Blues

9:30> Bacon; Bodhi Jar; Beach Bats; Badtrips @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton ~indie

9:30> Bypass Off @ Stonewalls Hamilton, 339 York Blvd., Hamilton

9:30> Fear The Worst @ Doc Magilligan’s Irish Pub, 6400 Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls ~Rock/Top 40

905 WEST

**2-6> Sil Simone Band with special guest Miles Branagh @ Carrigan Arms, 2025 Upper Middle Rd., Burlington ~Rock/Blues

**2-6> Saturday Blues Sermon with James Anthony & special guest Terry Chisholm @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington ~Blues

*3-7> jam with Michelle Deneault & Redder @ Port Credit Legion, 35 Front St., Port Credit

4-8> Tony Paglia @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~

8-12> Stone Monkeys @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~$10

9:30> Peter Lafferty @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock/Top 40

9:30> Elyse Saunders @ The Franklin House, 263 Queen St. S., Streetsville ~Country Rock

9:30> Lvck @ Cuchulainn’s Irish Pub, 158 Queen St. S., Streetsville-Mississauga ~Pop Rock

9:30> Freedom Train @ Gator Ted’s, 1505 Guelph Line, Burlington ~Rock/Top 40

9:30> Mid Life Crisis @ Boston Manor, 4460 Fairview Ave., Burlington ~Rock/Top 40

10-2> SpeakEasy @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Top 40; $

10> Wing Night @ Bier Markt Mississauga, 55 City Centre Drive, Mississauga ~Pop Rock

10:15> Boom! @ Failte, 201 City Centre Dr., Mississauga ~Rock/Top 40

10:30> Diego Deville @ The Dickens, 423 Elizabeth St., Burlington ~Pop Rock

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