When music promoter Billy Zee of torontorox.com, who’s a regular at East York’s Linsmore Tavern, found out a few days ago nothing was scheduled for the venue’s weekly “indie night” showcase tonight a flashbulb went off in his head: why not throw together a little jam night to give some of the many players in the area and across the city a chance to show what they can do?

So tonight Billy and a couple of veteran players will host an open jam with a drum kit and backline provided in the cozy and pocketbook-friendly room at 1298 Danforth Ave. a few steps from the Greenwood subway station. The action gets underway at 8 and will run till whenver things die down. Full bands, combos and solo artists are all welcome to play, he tells us.

With the field of candidates for Mayor of Toronto having expanded to include several well-known contenders, nobody really gives Richard Underhill, songwriter Jazz sax genius and frontman of the Shuffle Demons, any chance at all of winning.  That’s a shame, because he has a very well thought out, serious progressive platform and absolutely no baggage. But if he can rally some support among people who normally don’t vote (we know who we are) he’ll still have made a huge difference and perhaps can throw his support to help another candidate take it over the top. You can help support what he’s doing by attending his fundraiser tonight at Supermarket in Kensington Market, where he’ll be performing with a trio, handing out campaign literature and feature a guest speaker. -17

LISTINGS:

MCN = Music City North Queen Street Festival (Bar service hours extended till 4 a.m. at these venues)

*5-8> Nelson Denis @ Frank’s Pasta, 42 King Street E., Cobourg ~eclectic mix (Folk, Jazz, soft Rock, Latin)

5-8> Richard Whiteman Jazz Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~Jazz

6> Corin Raymond @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Roots Pop

6:30> Kevin Quain @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~moody Blues

7-9> Joanne Morra @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO E. ~songwriter

7> Gas Station Cowboys @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etob. S. ~Country Rock

7:30> MCN: Passion; 8:15> Ozzmanic; 9> Vibrosis; 10> The Flow @ Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St. W., TO ~indie showcase; $10/wristband

7:20> MCN: ENDS BY YOU; 8:20> CHRYMES; 9:20> Palindromes; 10:20> Hayley Stark; 11:20> Drop Dead Pin-Ups @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie showcase; $10/wristband

7:30> Underhill For Mayor Fundraiser with Richard Underhill campaign combo & guests @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~Jazz; $10

*7:30-12> open mic with K.M. Smith @ Molly Bloom’s Guelph, 91 Wyndham St. N., Guelph

*7:30-9:30> Bluegrass Thursdays with Houndstooth @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

*8-12> jam with Tommy Rocker Band @ Karla’s Roadhouse, 4630 Kingston Rd., Scarborough

8> open jam with host Bill Zee @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO E.

*8> open mic with Anthony Abbatangeli & Ken Foster @ DeSotos, 1079 St. Clair Ave. W., TO West

8-12> Jackson Fox @ Fionn MacCool’s Ajax, 32 Kingston Rd. E. Ajax

8-12 every other> Blues jam with Howard Ross & Big Mojo @ The Hub, 15 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*8-12> open mic & jam @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

8:30> Connor Gains Band @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville ~Blues; $10

8:30> Jazz FM91 Cabaret Series @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Jazz; $45

8:30> Animal Kingdom feat. Peter Eastmure @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO E. ~indie eclectic

8:30> Simply The Best comedy showcase @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~comedy; $5

*9-1:30> open stage with Glen Hornblast @ Dave’s On St. Clair, 730 St. Clair West, TO W. ~eclectic

*9> jam with Ted Rusk @ The Sauble Dunes, 11 Southampton Parkway, Sauble Beach

9> MCN: Low Hanging Lights; 10>Paint; 11> little foot long foot; 12> odd years; 1> The Do Good Badlies @ Bovine Sex Club, 542 Queen St. W., TO ~indie showcase; $10/wristband

9> MCN: Mickey Loves Mallory; 10> Slowcrash; 11> The Lipstick Junkies; 12: The Blood Five; 1: Arron Reed @ Cherry Cola’s, 200 Bathurst St., TO ~indie showcase; $10/wristband

*9> jam @ The Wee Pub, 371 Wilson Rd. South, Oshawa

9-12> Tiffany Hanus Jazz Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~Jazz

9> Bruce Domoney Band; The Responsibles @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO W. ~indie Rock; pwyc

9> Deciduous @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO W. ~spooky Roots

9> Grassy Knoll Cowards @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

9-1> David Cavan Fraser @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarb. ~Pop Rock

9-1> The Distillery @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Blues

*9-2> karaoke with Joe @ Tudor Rose, 700 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

*9:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Coyote Jack’s, 64 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

*9:30> karaoke with Kiki @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO E.

*9:30-2> Skip Tracer @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd., Etobicoke S. ~Rock/Pop

9:30> Barry Elmes Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*9:30> jam with Jack B Nimble @ Abbey Road Pub, 3200 Erin Mills Parkway, Mississauga

9:30> open mic with Rob & Matt @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

9:30> Suzana d’Amour @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~theatrical World Pop; $8

*10> Salt & Pepper karaoke with Josh & Danish @ St. Louis Ajax. 11 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

*10> open jam @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W. Peterborough

10> Emmanuel Guierrez Lecuona & Friends @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> The Tonkas @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

10> Devin Cuddy @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Roots-Rock

10> Sisters Euclid @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Jazzy Pop fusion

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