\ TORONTO EAST \

One of the building blocks of the career of the 40+ year career of satirically laced operatic Rock songwriter Robbie Rox has been poking holes in the pretensions of people who comprise “The Lunch Bunch” and drive Jeeps in the city.

Usually the objects of his pointed humour are among the most enthusiastic members of the audience when he puts on a performance with his Monster Horn Band or smaller combo The Effect at various venues, often including fancy joints like Lula Lounge, where he celebrated 40 years of poking metaphorical fingers in audiences’ eyes in November of 2013.

But when he brings his latest musical incarnation, The Power Quintet, to perform tonight at Linsmore Tavern, he may find that he doesn’t get much inspiration for satire from looking out at the audience.

The Linsmore, at nearly 90 years of age, is about as unpretentious a watering hole as you’ll find anywhere in the city, with drink prices (way below what other live music rooms charge) and a disregard for common amenities (like a debit machine or normal-sized bathrooms) to match.

At 1298 Danforth Ave a few steps from the Greenwood subway, it’s also a great place to catch a band up close and personal. The room has a pretty decent sound system, good stage lights and the wooden floors, bar and furnishings help the sound to resonate through the room.

As always, Rox will have stellar musicians backing him on what is likely to be yet another unpredictable night of fun and madness. (He has some songs that, I have to say, make absolutely no sense at all, while others, like “Rhinoceros” are clearly derived from the Theatre of the Absurd movement from early in the last century.) His ability to emulate and create bizarre characterizations with a voice that spans several octaves (and rubber facial expressions that are almost cartoonish) makes just about anything possible.

The quintet helping make all this possible consists of Mike Siracusa (drums); Russ Boswell (bass from the present David Wilcox Band); Rob Gusevs (keyboards, from the present Blood Sweat and Tears and many others); Sil Simone (guitarist for some time with the Tom Cochrane band) and Simon Wallis (sax, from the present Lighthouse).

At just $10 cover ($5 if you nip in to the club before show time to get an advance ticket) this show is a real steal. But do note that the night, starting around 8:45, will consist of two one-hour sets, so don’t arrive too late!

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Friday, April 03, 2022:

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

1-6> Michael Keys hosts Annual Musicians Jam & fundraiser for Canadian Cancer Society @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster

*3-7> acoustic jam with John Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

*4-6> Hogtown Syncopators featuring Terra Hazelton @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*5-8> Kensington Kitchen Party with host Kevin Jollimore of Sin City Boys & guest musicians @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St., TO ~Pop Rock with heart

*5-7> open mic with The Foolish Things @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Folk

5-7> The Straight 8s @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East

5-8> Concord Jazz Quintet @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

5:30> Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

6-9> First Fridays with Sandi Marie & Under The Bus also featuring Kevin Jeffrey on bass @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~Roots/Country

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

6:30> Boom For Rent @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

7-9> Norman Blake; Joe Pernice; guests @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West; $14

7:30> Clara Engel @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Roots

8> Jackie Kenyon; 9:30: The Stingrays @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington ~Pop Rock

8:30> 4 Front with Terry Fin @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

8:45-11:30> Robbie Rox & The Power Quintet @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~original Rock with a twist

9-1> Kimberley Wetmore & Co. featuring Dave Girdlestone on guitar @ Gator Ted’s, 1505 Guelph Line, Burlington ~Pop Rock

9-1> Fraser Melvin Blues Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

9> Alun Piggins & The Pussy Cats @ The Press Club, 850 Dundas St. W. TO ~Roots Rock

9> Shitkicker @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO ~classic Rock

9-1> Band of Fools @ Monarchs Pub in Eaton Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Pop

9> Chris Staig & The Marquee Players @ Junction City Music Hall, 2907 Dundas St. W., TO West ~indie Roots-Rock

9> James Ashbury @ Maple Leaf House, 2749 Lakeshore Boulevard East, Etobicoke ~Rock/Top 40/Blues

9> Jeff Brown Band @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country

9> Timecats @ King Richard’s Pub, 15570 Yonge St., Aurora ~Pop Rock

*9:30> David Macmichael & Dean McKinnon @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~alt Pop originals and covers

9:30> Tommy Rocker @ The Crown Bar, 9580 Yonge St., Richmond Hill ~classic Rock

9:30> Donnie Meeker @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Pop Rock/Top 40

9:30> CODA @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Rd., TO North ~Led Zeppelin tribute; $

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

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

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

9:30> Itchy & Scratchy @ Oscar’s Roadhouse, 1785 Queen St. E., Brampton ~Top 40/Rock

*9:30> open mic @ Big Daddy’s, 460 Elgin Mills Rd., E, Richmond Hill

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

9:45> Tony Monaco @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~B3 R&B

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

10-2> Freedom Train @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South ~classic Rock

*10> karaoke with Randy Petrie @ Kramers, 1915 Yonge St., TO North

10> Dave Murphy Band @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Rock/Funk/R&B

10> Kayla Howran @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen Street West, TO ~Country

10-2> The Mercenaries @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO W.

10> Spacecraft 7 @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10-2> The Chronicles of Reggae @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Reggae; $

10-2> House Party @ Fionn MacCool’s Ajax, 36 Kingston Rd., E., Ajax ~Pop Rock/Top 40

10-2> Big Bang @ Whisky John’s, 843 King St. W., Oshawa

10> Pat Maloney; Patrick Dorie @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

10:30> The World Is Yours @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

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

Copyright © 2015 Toronto Moon Magazine. All Rights Reserved