Cozy Only Café latest spot to get in on open stage action

/TORONTO EAST/

Although it’s only an occasional event, the open stage going tonight at East York cubbyhole café and watering hole The Only Café could be a fun place for musicians to strut their stuff.

Host Gary LaRocca came to my attention when he popped into the Linsmore Tavern one night when I was hosting my event there and, like everyone else in the room, I was blown away by this young man’s poised and captivating instrumental guitar work.

The venue, at 972 Danforth Ave. around the corner from the Donlands subways station, is the epitome of cozy and is thankfully a lot less cramped than it used to be since The Only took over the adjoining space a few years ago, which it operates as The One Café. So nowadays you have The One and The Only together and while they’re separated by a large wall there is a passageway between them at the back, through which you can transport your beverages, etc.

The other great feature here, of course, is the two patios. The front one is a tiny little spot hardly worthy of the name but the sprawling deck space out back reminds me of being at a cottage, which is a perfect ambience for this time of year.

At one time the bands used to set up in a cramped space at the back of the The Only which was so small that you literally had to walk through the stage area to get to the staircase to the bathrooms downstairs. Nowadays music takes place in The One and there are comfy lounge chairs, a small bar (that occasionally is staffed) and access to the rear patio.

The open stage starts at 8, there’s no cover and the club has a great selection of draughts on tap. This is also THE cool hangout for artists and creative types in the area, btw.

-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.

CMW = Canadian Music Week show ~wristband/$ admission charge For full CMW Schedule see: http://cmw.net/music/schedule/

5-8> Cody McMillan & The Soft Shoe Shufflers @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Folk-Blues

6> John & Jen @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

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

7> CMW: Marie Munroe; Old Man Morrish; Ma Petite; Laura Roy; Jason Serious Band; Plastic Acid; Last of The Bandits @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO

7> Body Monologues @ Tranzac Club (Main Hall), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*7-11> open jam with Wayne Buttery Band @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach

7> Bobby Watson & Kate Kelly @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

*7:30-10:30> Peter Griffin & BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

7:30> Ryan Carr @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

8> CMW: Julian Taylor Band @ Shangri La Hotel, 188 University Ave. ~original Funk Pop

*8-12> Girls Night Out Jazz singers jam with Lisa Particelli, Peter Hill et al @ Chalkers, 247 Marlee Ave., TO North-West

8> CMW: Mary Stewart; The Feather; Mia Dyson; The Meds; Ladies Of The Canyon; Helen Shanahan @ The Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $/wristband

**8> open stage with 9 p.m. feature tba @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall), TO ~Roots

*8-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

8> Gene Hardy Trio @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Jazz

8> acoustic jam with Gary LaRocca @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East

8-3> CMW: MTT; Animalia; Bearstronaut; Vire; RED; Evtan Tobin; What Model Citizens @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $10/wristband

8> CMW: Pooma; Foreign Diplomats; Spencer Burton; Flash Lightning; Sleepy Sun; The Do Good Assassins @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie; $/wristband

8-4> CMW: Bastard Poetry; Atom & The Volumes; Franky Selector; Rehan Dalal; By Starlight; Fairchild Brothers; Indicator Indicator; The Do Good Badlies @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock; $/wristband

*8-11> Fraser-Daley @ Inter Steer, 357 Roncesvalles Ave. TO West ~Roots/Blues

8-1> Marshall Dane @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Country-Pop

8-1> Jason Smith hosting Ceilidh @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; $5

*8-12> all-ages jam with The Brand New Low @ Sixth Line Pub, 1500 Sixth Line, Oakville

*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg

8:30> Wordspell with Lishai Peel; Kanwal Rahim; Ify Chiwetelu @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~spoken word; $6

*8:30> Crazy Strings host High Lonesome Wednesdays with opening acoustic act @ Silver Dollar 486 Spadina Ave., TO ~Bluegrass

*8:30> open mic with Jenn Fiorentino @ Earl Of Whitchurch, 6204 Main St., Stouffville

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

*9> open jam with Tommy Rocker’s Classic Rock show featuring Jim Cornell & members of Still Sunday @ The Loaded Dog, 1921 Lawrence St. E., Scarborough

9-12> Blues Night with Julian Fauth & guests @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Jun0-winning Blues

9> Whitebrow @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Folk

9> CMW: Levi Stephens; Adrian Underhill; Miray; Meredith Shaw; Art Imperial @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~indie; $10/wristband

9> CMW: Anthony Tullo; Urban Rodeo @ Rock ‘N Horse Saloon, 250 Adelaide St. W., TO ~indie; $8/wristband

*9?> jam with Michael Zane @ Shakers, 580 Kerr St., Oakville

*9-12> jam with Damage Control @ St. Louis Bar & Grill Ajax, 11 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax

9> Frank Z @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa ~Blues

*9-1> open mic jam with Whiskey Birds @ Sweetz Lounge, 5289 Hwy 7, Woodbridge-Vaughan

9> Michael C. Duguay; Dave Tough @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

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

*9:30-2> jam with Live Animals @ The Unicorn, 175 Eglinton Ave. E., TO North

10> Boxcar Boys @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10> Ronley Teper’s Lipliners @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave. TO

*10-2> Blues-Rock jam with Bruce Domoney @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. TO

*10-2> Paul & Curtis @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Pop

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $10

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