[Editor’s Note: Since this was post published overnight Relish announced that Howard Gladstone had to cancel his show tonight due to illness. He will be replaced by Brad Alexander.]

Folkies have started to pop and rock it up

/// Time was when a “Folk” or “Roots” artist was usually one guy or gal with a guitar or other stringed instrument (Does anyone remember the dulcimer? And what about harpsichord  —now there was a Folk instrument!) up on stage (or possibly just a stool in a corner) all by their lonesome singing about pain and joy from the depths of their souls.  That still happens of course, and there have always been Folk groups as well as solo artists, but these days a lot of savvy Roots acts have realized that there are a lot of benefits to having a combo that includes percussion or bass at least. So they’ve pepped up their delivery to help engage modern audiences, who seem to have far shorter attention spans.

Two cases in point that illustrate the recent trend are appearing tonight within a few blocks of one another on Danforth Ave. in the East York  part of TO.  Both no-cover shows feature acclaimed artists who have no difficulty in weaving magical sonic spells all by themselves, but who, for different reasons, have chosen to add to their sound for these shows.

In the case of Howard Gladstone, who’ll have ace Juno-winning guitar accompanist Tony Quarrington beside him and highly respected Tony LaViola on bass, the early show at Relish (at 2152 Danforth Ave. a block east of Woodbine) will be a kind of tune-up for his imminent return to the studio to record a new album. He plans, he tells us, to share a few of the new tunes that will appear on it. If it’s half as good as his last disc, the wonderful breakthrough Roots & Rain, it’ll become a treasured addition to any Roots-lover’s collection.

A little west, one of Toronto’s best known unknown masters of Folk story-songwriting, Glen Hornblast, will be bringing his high energy rockin’ Roots 5-piece band The Queen Street Cowboys into the storied walls of the 89-year old Linsmore Tavern at 1298 Danforth Ave., a few steps south of the Greenwood subway station at the corner of Linnsmore Crescent.  Membership in the Cowboys tends to fluctuate gig to gig depending on who’s ropin’ and ridin’ elsewhere when, but tonight it includes Dean Cavill on pedal steel guitar, Phil Ciglen on electric six-string, Doug Snow on bass and Greg Lapointe adding percussion. Plus, of course, Glen himself, no doubt reprising songs from his brilliant 2012 debut Once In A Blue Moon album as well as some of the wellspring of new material he’s been sharing with audiences at various shows recently. (He’s also going to be recording another album soon and no doubt will have various guest artists appear, some of whom you might see later this month when he starts his new monthly Songwriter’s Showcase series at Free Times Café on Sun. April 27 —but more about that later.)

The best part of this double whammy of Pop Roots is that you can easily see both shows almost in their entirety, since Gladstone appears from 7-9 and Hornblast’s gig runs 9ish-12 or so, depending on the crowd. I wouldn’t be surprised to see each of these artists, who know one another well, pop in at the other’s show! -Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. 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 include a live link to their websites where applicable. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

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

5-8> Michelle Rumball with Kevin Quain & Kevin Barrett @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

6> Samantha Martin @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country Pop

6:30> Ross Woolridge Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

7-9> Howard Gladstone Trio with Tony Quarrington and Tony LaViola (pre-album recording preview!) @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Roots songwriter

7> Elmer Ferrer @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Pop Rock

7:30> Mega City Swing Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Ave., TO North ~Swing

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

*7:30> Rob Phillips Trio with Chelsey Bennett @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough ~Jazz Blues

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

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

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

8> “The Astronaut & The Showgirl” starring Todd Graham and Sandra Battaglini @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~comedy; $?

8-11:30> The Stew (Easter show –no show Sunday) feat. guests Christopher Plock & Stevie G @ Mulligan’s Pub, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga ~R&B/Rock-Blues

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

8-11> open mic with Sandy MacDonald @ Williamsburg Arms, 1187 Fischer Hallman Rd., Kitchener

8:30> Cadence “Tribute To Vocal Jazz” for Jazz FM91 Cabaret Series @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Jazz; $45/-

8:30> Fallen Heirs; The Joy Arson; Last Bullet; Uncovers @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock; $10/-

8:30> Patrick Ballantyne cd release @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville ~original Pop Rock; $10

9>  Glen Hornblast & The Queen Street Cowboys @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rockin’ Roots

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

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

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

9> Bruce Domoney Band; The Responsibles @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

9> Angela Saini @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Folk-Pop

9-1> Fat Tony @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarb. ~ Rock/Blues

9> Gas Station Cowboys @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~Country

9> Alan Snoddy with Tommy Youngsteen & Emily Reed @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West; $10

**9> jam with Laura Lee’s Tequila Rockin’ Birds feat. Laura Lee Montgomerie @ DNA Bar, 15474 Yonge St., Aurora

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

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

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

*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 East

9:30> Tony Monaco Organ Trio @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~ New York R&B/Jazz

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

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

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

10> The St Dirt Elementary School Seder with Myk Freedman @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> Giraffeband; Big Name Actors; I Hate Todd @ The Press Club, 850 Dundas St. W., TO West ~indie art Rock; $pwyc

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

10> Paul Reddick Band @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Blues

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

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

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

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

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