Musicians and music fans who live in the Etobicoke and adjacent Port Credit have some great options for performing or checking out new talent on Monday nights. There are at least three pretty happening events taking place, all in rooms with good musical pedigrees and decent stages.

For the past six months versatile veteran Rock singer Al Reilly and his Catalyst combo (that includes sizzling six-stringer Anthony Cee on guitar) most Mondays hosts a jam at Rockpile in Etobicoke at 5555 Dundas St. West, near East Mall.   Despite the band’s Rock orientation, the 8-12 event also welcomes Blues and even acoustic solo performers, who all also have the choice of utilizing the house band as accompanists or bringing their own.

Though the club has only been here for less than three years, it’s run by the man who for decades brought in exciting Rock talent to TO with his now legendary Big Bop club that had three stages going some nights. The stage here is professionally appointed in order to meet the needs of a multitude of touring Rock/Metal/Punk bands, so you’ll feel like you’re playing with the big boys when you stand in this spotlight.

Nearby Port Credit has two jams happening close to one another on Lakeshore Blvd. East, as Tom Barlow hosts a 9:30-1 Pop/Rock open mic at Shore Grill and dynamic guitarist/singer Michelle Deneault and her Redder combo host an eclectic jam night at nearby Roc’n Doc’s 8-12.

Barlow —who’s also a crackerjack alt-Rock songwriter and perennial Pop Rock covers wiz— is in room that’s the successor to The Harp, which owner Maureen O’Donnell closed a few years ago but which had offered live entertainment many nights a week for a couple of decades.  In the new room at 71 Lakeshore Rd. E. there’s someone on stage every night of the week.

Over at Roc’n Doc’s, Deneault, as we’ve mentioned previously, is also the host of a very successful weekly Sat. jam at the Port Credit Legion that has been happening for almost two-and-a-half years now, so has become well known in the area.

The Monday stint at Roc’n Doc’s (105 Lakeshore Rd. E.) with her Redder band seem to be working out for both her and the club, since it’s now been five months since they started and this venue, which has featured live music nightly for going on twenty years (and nowadays also has an actual stage) lately has been readily shipping out residency acts who don’t meet their expectations.

Whatever your expectations are of what makes for a good jam/open mic event, chances are you’ll find something to appeal by heading west tonight.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Monday, April 11, 2022

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.

On The Air / Online

*8:30> Songbird Mondays with Nicole “Songbird” Coward online live @ http://www.streetjelly.com ~Roots/Folk

416 - Toronto Central

4:30-6:30> Signe Miranda hosts Song Creation Series workshop with guest voice empowerment coach Mary Michaela Weber @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

6> Jon Brooks @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~songwriter

6:30> U of T Jazz Ensembles @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*7> Balfolk Toronto @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO ~Folk music & dance

**7:30-1 (sign-up starts at 7)> open stage with host Signe Miranda @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

7:30> Bruce Burron But First: These Guys! @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

7:30> Mega City Swing Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Road, TO North ~R&B/Swing

8> Ukulele jam @ Tranzac Lounge (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

8:30> Alt Dot Comedy Lounge @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO; $5

8:40> Porches; Alex G; Your Friend @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $15

**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9?> open mic @ Lou Dawgs Ryerson, 76 Gerrard St. E., TO

*9:30> open mic with host Mark Villamor at Amsterdam Bicycle Club, 54 The Esplanade, TO

9:30> York University Jazz Orchestra @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Jordan John @ The Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~R&B/Blues

**10> open mic (2 songs; sign-up starts 8 p.m.) with hosts Dave Lang & John Stadek @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Bad Luck Woman & Her Misfortunes @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country

10:30> Big Otter Creek Unplugged @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

416 - Toronto East

7-10> Django Jazz jam @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Django Reinhardt musical Jazz jam

**7:30> M-Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & features Gina Hoswood & Juliet Oh @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East ~songwriters

8:30-10:30> Phil Snowdon @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East

8-12> open stage with Julian Taylor @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave. TO East

*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – Toronto Etobicoke

*8-12> Al Reilly’s Catalyst also featuring Anthony Cee host Rock jam @ Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke

416 – Toronto Scarborough

*8-11> open stage @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

8:30 (signup starts at 8)> open mic with Kevin Ker @ The Loaded Dog, 1921 Lawrence Ave. E., Scarborough

416 – Toronto West

5-8> Jorge Miguel solo @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Latin

7> Humber College Group led by Geoff Young @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz; pwyc

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

8:30> Little Miss Higgins & The Winnipeg Five @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~indie Country Blues; $25

*9-1> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass

*9-1> eclectic open stage/jam with host Nelson Sobral @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

9-1> Chris Staig Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~indie Roots-Pop

9:30> Trevor Giancola Trio @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz

*10> open mic with Richard McCarthy & feature @ The Hole In The Wall , 2867 Dundas St. W., TO West

705

*7> Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

905 East

*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> L&M Jam with host Emerson Ireland @ The Thirsty Monk, 21 Celina St., Oshawa

905 North

9:25-1:05> jam/open stage with backline @ Sneakers Uptown, 18025 Yonge St., Newmarket

905 West

**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Catherine Harrison @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)

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

*9-1> jam hosted by Redder featuring Michelle Deneault @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*9:30-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

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