It’s the time of year when all across the GTA (not to mention Ontario, Canada and large portions of the rest of the world) people gather to celebrate the season that for pretty much every religion and culture is regarded as a holy time.
For musicians and clubs that means a plethora of multi-act shows, some of them special events that in addition to being fun for participants are also directed towards worthy causes. Food banks have items collected for them, toys are gathered for families who struggle financially and sometimes special guests include old fat men with white beards dressed in all red!
Linsmore Tavern in east TO is holding what it’s calling a SickKids Charity Rockathon to benefit Toronto’s Hospital For Sick Children that features eight indie bands starting at 7 p.m. Cover is a minimum $10 donation.
At Hugh’s Room on Dundas St. West between Roncesvalles and Bloor St. W. the acclaimed Jazz-Pop group known as Quartette holds its annual Christmas show that will feature seasonal classics. The group has actually released two albums of Christmas songs over its 22-year history: It’s Christmas in 1996 and I See A Star in 2002 among its six records and recorded a Canadian Country Music Television special under the same title as tonight’s “A Quartette Christmas” show. It starts at 8:30 and cover is $47.
Not far away at hip Dakota Tavern on Ossington St. at Dundas St. W., up-and-coming young Folk-Rock group Sun K holds its Christmas party starting at 9 p.m. Cover is $12 or $10 advance.
Downtown, meanwhile, tiny but groovy Graffiti’s at 170 Baldwin St. in Kensington Market plays host to a party that includes several Roots/Blues and Country songwriters for the 3rd annual Hicks & Dawe Holiday Party. Although one of the members of the host duo broke a finger a few days ago the pair will be still be partying and there’s expected to be some special guest performances and jamming along with the formal roster of Pete Janes, Robert Davis, David Storey and Harpin’ Norm Lucien. I’m told, for example, that among those in the room for the pwyc show, which starts at 7 and runs till 10:30 or later, will be “Songbird” Nicole Coward; Herb Dale and Fran McCann (aka The McDales) and it’s hard to imagine them not also taking part in the musical action.
-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca
SHOW LISTINGS for Thursday, December 10, 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.). 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
6> Sam Ferrara Art Show with music by Sam Ferrara & John Borra @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
6-8> Melissa Lauren with Nathan Hiltz @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10
6:30> Ashley St. Pierre Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz
7> 3rd annual Hicks & Dawe Holiday Party with David Storey; Harpin’ Norm Lucien; Pete Janes; Robert Davis @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St. TO ~Roots/seasonal; pwyc
*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
7:30> Sarah Hamilton & Lotus Wight double album release @ Tranzac Lounge (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO; $
*8-1> open mic with Alicia Porter @ The Local Gest, 424 Parliament St., TO
8-12> R&B/Blues @ Nawlin’s, 299 King St. W. TO
8-12> The Distillery @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Blues
8> U.S. Girls; Animalia; Bad Channels @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St., TO ~indie; $
8> Tim Bartsch @ Musideum, 401 Richmond St. W., #133, TO ~Jazzy Classical art Rock; $20
8:30> Songwriters Circle of Jerks with Nelson Sobral, Hugh Wilson, Nick Verona, Marcus Walker @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~songwriters; $6
8:30> K.I.D. with The Beaches; Dead Broke @ Lee’s Palace, 529 Bloor St. W., TO ~garage Pop; $15
8:30> Born Ruffians @ Silver Dollar 486 Spadina Ave., TO; $
8:30> Mark Hundevad’s ‘Controlled Demolition’ live @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
8:30> Otto and the Pilots @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO ~$10
9> Katie DuTemple; Cat and the Queen; Brooklyn Doran @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~indie
9> Julie Michels Trio @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz
9> “Tribute to Stompin’ Tom Connors” with various acts @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~tribute; $15
*9-1> Blackburn @ Jo Mamas, 317 King St. W., TO ~Blues
9:30> Pete McCann Quintet album release @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $
*9:45> Stacey Kaniuk @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues; $
10> Ferraro & Jane’s Party @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO
10> The Responsible album release @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~Blues
10> Chris Adriaanese and special guests @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO
10> Oakland Stroke @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Tower of Power tribute; $
10:30> Second Pass @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock
416 - Toronto East
7-9> Liane Fainsinger Jazz Quartet @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz 
7> Rockathon charity concert for Sick Kids Foundation with 8 indie bands @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~indie; $10 minimum donation
7> Between The Buried and Me; Enslaved; Intronaut; Native Construct @ The Danforth Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., TO East ~$37.25-$43
8> Pete Eastmure and Animal Kyngdom @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Roots-Rock
*8:30-10:30> Jerry Leger & The Situation @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Folk-Rock/Country
*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> Alex Samaras @ Old Mill Inn, 21 Old Mill Rd., Etobicoke ~Jazz; min table charge
9> Kimberley Wetmore band @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Pop Rock
9> Alessia Cohle; Belle Matthews; Sarah Wickett @ The Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke ~Country; $
*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> Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock Band host jam @ Centro Pizza, 3406 Kingston Rd., Scarborough
9:30> The High Rollers @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock
416 - Toronto West
5-8> Heather Luckhart Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz/Roots/Blues
*8-11> Tinderbox Thursdays open stage with Michael Keith @ La Revolucion, 2848 Dundas St. W., TO West ~eclectic
8> Meat Wave @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West
8:30> A Quartette Christmas @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Roots/Blues/Jazz quartet; $47
8:30> Tyler Yarema @ Fat City Blues, 890 College St., TO West ~Blues/Jazz
8:30> October Gold ep release; Danielle Knibbe @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West
9-12> David McLachlan ; Braden Mutch; Mark Harry @ Folly Brewpub, 928 College St., TO West ~original & cover Roots; $10/pwyc
*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> Kevin Laliberté Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz & Flamenco
9> Dan Monologue @ The Tennessee, 1554 Queen St. W., TO West
9> Alun Pigguns; Ray Whimsey; more @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West
9> Alysha Brilla; Reenie; The Brilltones @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $
9> Sun K Holiday Party @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie Folk-Rock; $10-12
9> Angie Gunn @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Honky Tonk
10> Slapback & Carlo @ Holy Oak Café, 1241 Bloor St. W., TO West ~
519
*7:30-12> open mic with K.M. Smith @ Molly Bloom’s Guelph, 91 Wyndham St. N., Guelph
7:30> Johyn MacKinnon @ Fionn MacCool’s Orangeville, 75 Fourth Ave., Orangeville
*8-11> open mic with Sandy MacDonald @ Williamsburg Arms, 1187 Fischer Hallman Rd., Kitchener
705
*7:30> Rob Phillips Jazz/Blues Trio and Chelsea Bennett @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough
*9> jam with Ted Rusk @ The Sauble Dunes, 11 Southampton Parkway, Sauble Beach
9> Autumn Portrait @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough
9:30> Single Mothers @ Red Dog Tavern, 189 Hunter St. W., Peterborough
10> Lisa Marie Kruchak @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~Country
905 - East
*5-8> Nelson Denis @ Frank’s Pasta, 42 King Street E., Cobourg ~eclectic mix (Folk, Jazz, soft Rock, Latin)
*?> jam with Darren Smith & Shayne Thomas @ The Corner Pocket, 45 Prince St., Oshawa
*9> jam @ The Wee Pub, 371 Wilson Rd. South, Oshawa
*9:30> jam with Billick @ Harp & Crown, 300 Kingston Rd., Pickering
*10> Karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ St. Louis Ajax, 11 Harwood Ave., Ajax
905 - North
*8> open mic with Kevin Ker @ Duchess of Markham, 53 Main St., Markham
*9> open stage jam night @ Memphis North, 18947 Woodbine Ave., East Gwillimbury
905 - South
*9> open mic night with rotating hosts @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton
905 – West
*7-10> 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 @ 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> Greg Hoskins; Don Rooke of The Henrys @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville; Pop/Country; $20
8:30> Brendon Gomez @ Fionn MacCool’s Britannia, 825 Britannia Rd. W., Streetsville Mississauga
*8:45> open mic with Matt Zady @ Failte, 201 City Centre Dr., Mississauga
9> Matt Sprague @ Fionn MacCool’s Clarkson, 970 Southdown Rd., Mississauga
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
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