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On the face of it, you might feel you gotta pity this particularly pathetic little “Hump Day” Wednesday today.

Bad enough to be stuck in the middle of a week, any week —it’s not like Wednesdays are a hot night out at the best of times.  But today’s version is also seemingly hopelessly mired between Christmas/Boxing Day and New Years Eve/New Years Day.  I mean seriously, who is going to be going out to a live music show in a club tonight?

As if reflecting the sorry prospects for the evening, many clubs that normally might have shows going on tonight have nothing listed whatsoever, at least a few that have regular events on Wednesdays are dark and even holiday fest-meisters who normally cram seasonally-related events in any night they can this time of year are basically MIA this evening.  It’s enough to make a live music lover cry.

But don’t get yer shoes wet from tumbling teardrops just yet.  For there’s at least one show taking place that I can almost guarantee will be hoppin’ with excellent talents from a variety of genres.

Since starting up her Wednesday open stage at Black Swan Tavern at 154 Danforth Ave. four-and-a-half years ago [registered subscribers can read the Toronto Moon article about the debut event in the Vault] vastly versatile virtuoso of vocals, guitar and hostessing Nicola Vaughan has consistently attracted a throng of talented fellow performers to come out to either team up with her, one another or show their stuff on their own.

The range of styles is also particularly enticing.  Regulars such as traditional Country/Jazz artist Jo-Anne Park, Roots-Rock songwriter Brian Pickard, Blues singers like Colleen McCullough, Country/Blues bass player and Roots songwriter Darwin Bruce and many other richly gifted performers keep the show always interesting.  And of course you never know what songs Nicola herself is going to add into the mix —it could be anything from Edith Piaff to a show tune or even her own awesome Pop Rock originals.

I’d expect tonight’s edition starting at 9:30 to be a kind of seasonal get-together for many of the artists who regularly appear here, particularly as there’s so little else going on.  But far from a cliquish little gathering, this crowd is very openly welcoming both to new fellow talents and, of course, audience members, who can enjoy a parade of stellar acts for no cover charge.

So, no, don’t weep for Holi-Hump Wednesday.  Instead, you may shed tears of glee that it’s there for the enjoying on a night that really could use some good cheer.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, December 28, 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 and 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

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

6> Golden Country Classics @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country

6:30> Brad de Lima’s Bud Powell tribute @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*7> Jim Heineman Trio @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-10> Blues jam with Mark Stafford & Ken Yoshioka @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North

7> Comhaltas Irish Slow Session @ Tranzac Club (Tiki Room), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO ~folk dancing

**8-12> Girls Night Out Jazz singers’ jam with Lisa Particelli, Peter Hill et al @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~$10-20/pwyc

8-11:30> Sharon Nutzati; Lindsay; Czitron; Brooklyn Doran; Nico Henderson; Katherine Fischer @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~fem songwriters; $8

*8-11> YoYo Mama @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO Central ~R&B group

8:30> Alexi Halket with Kevin Purdy @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~songwriter

9> The Digs @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Funk/Jazz/neo-Soul; $

9-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

9> Rachel Myers @ Poetry Jazz Café, 224 Augusta Ave., TO ~Jazz

9> The Autumn Stones; B-17; New Row; Field Trip @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~local indie; 0$

9:30> Gordon Hyland’s Augenblick @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Jack Marks @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country-Rock songwriter

10-2> Blues-Rock jam with Al Webster Combo @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. TO

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $10

416 – TORONTO EAST

*7:30-10:30> The BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz; 0$

8:30> The Throwdown holiday party @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~acid Jazz/Funk/Soul covers; 0$

8:30-10:30> Eric and The Soo @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East

*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

8-1> Phil & John @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~

416 – TORONTO WEST

5-8> Levi Collins Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

7-9> Monroe with Matt Paxton @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~$

8> Gary Morgan & Pan Americana @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Latin Jazz; $20

8:30> Whitebrow; Combo Royale Reunited @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Pop; $10

8:30> Fun Palace’s “3 Penny holiday variety show” @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~Brecht opera as Pop; $15

8:30> Don Ross @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~fingerstyle guitarist; $40

**9-12> Blues Night with Julian Fauth & guests @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Juno-winning Blues

9> Peter Boyd & Noah Zacharin @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Roots songwriters; pwyc

9> Benji Rowland and Melissa Payne @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Folk

10> Commotion @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~CCR covers; $10

*10:30> Luke Vajsar @ Motel Bar, 1235 Queen St. W., TO West ~Jazz

519

*6-8:30> ukulele jam @ Idea Exchange, 5 Tannery St. E., Cambridge

8-12> Song Circle acoustic jam @ Anaf Club 344, 32 Gordon St., Guelph

705

*7-11> open jam with The Freacon Band @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach ~ Blues, Jazz; $5

8-11:30> Velvet Bison; Melted Fro; Rabid Flowers (album release for Chasing Alaska) @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough ~original Rock; $5

8-12> various young bands @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

8> Derek McLean @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood ~acoustic

8> open mic with Mallory Stone @ Black Honey Desserts, 221 Hunter St. West, Peterborough

10> Matt Allen’s “Last Show Ever” @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 EAST

7:30> Bruce Hughes @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

8-12> David Barrett Trio + Michael Sadler @ The Edge, 250 Bayly St., Ajax ~Jazz-Rock; $10

*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg

*8-10:30> open mic jam with Marty Hepburn @ Ganaraska Hotel, 30 Ontario St., Port Hope

9> open mic @ The Moustache Club, 15 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> Two For The Show @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock

905 NORTH

*7> open mic night with Tanya Joy Senior @ Col. McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W., Uxbridge

*8-12> open mic with Kevin Ker @ Unionville Arms, 189 Main St., Unionville

*8:45> open mic jam with Matt Zady @ Magnums, 21 McMurchy Ave. N., Brampton

*9-1> open mic jam with Whiskey Birds @ Sweetz Lounge, 5289 Hwy 7, Woodbridge-Vaughan

*9:30> open mic with The Villagers @ Main’s Mansion, 144 Main St., Markham

*10-2> jam night with Switchbeat Trio @ Maguires, 284 Queen St. E., Brampton

905 SOUTH

*7:30> open mic @ Donnelley’s Pub, 54 Front St., Thorold ~eclectic

**8-1> Boogie N Blues jam with Ian Andrews & Friends @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton

8> Terrie Petrie & band hosts Country Wednesdays @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster ~Country

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

9> Singalong with Judy Marsales @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40

9> Reverend Snow; Biblical Proportions; Pistol Packin’ Preachers @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N., Hamilton ~indie Rock; $5

905 WEST

8-1> Shelley Budd & Friends @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~songwriters; $5

*8:30> The Carson Freeman Diversion @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

9-1> Jeremy & Jenn @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Pop; $

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