Bri-anne Swan’s album fundraiser tonight like a Renaissance Café reunion show

/TORONTO/

Gorgeous, talented, smart and owner of a heart that embraces the world, Bri-anne Swan has been one of my favourite Roots-Pop composers since I first heard her perform at the late great Renaissance Café on Danforth Ave in east TO about a decade ago.

Speaking about Renaissance, it may be hard to believe, but it was five years ago this past weekend when the club held its final closing shows after owner Randy Clark decided it was time to retire from the business. Moon subscribers can read the articles about the club’s finale weekend —and naturally there’s also a pic of Bri-anne Swan in those stories— in the Vault section of the website from two May, 2009 editions of to-nite, as this publication was called prior to August ’09.

 

In the articles about the Renaissance’s grand exit after eight years as a mainstay of the live music scene in east TO, there’s also a photo of Ellen Carol, another songwriter whose tunes I’m smitten with and met through Renaissance. Although she’s a bit of a gadabout living in various parts of the country at various times, tonight she’s going to be in TO to perform at an opening set for a show organized by Swan at TO’s Supermarket on Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market.

In addition to Swan with a full band as the feature attraction, the bill also lists performances by other Renaissance alumni, including Shawn Sage and Kirsten Jones, as well as catchy songwriter Melanie Peterson.

The evening is being billed as the “Turn Off The Netflix Super Fundraiser Extravaganza” and is designed to be the lynchpin of a month-long campaign by Swan to raise dough to record a second full-length album, tentatively titled Letters Home, this summer. But it’s also starting to shape up to look like a Renaissance reunion to me!

 

Swan’s first recording effort, These Are All My Friends, was a wonderful collection that benefits from her delightful humour, sparkly upbeat personality, deft lyrical talent and, of course, that absolutely enchanting and beautiful voice. Since its release a few years ago now she’s also recorded a five-song ep, Ballad Of A Canadian Superhero, gotten married to her longtime beau (she’s now also known as Bri-anne Meyers), and given birth to a child that has given her a happy glow even more magnetic than she already exuded as a single girl when I first met her.

This woman is a giant talent who is clearly coming into her own zone of empowerment as both an artist and a human being and everyone should pitch in to help her record another album. You can do so by attending the show starting at 8 p.m., for which cover is a measly $5 (hopefully they also have a donations jar to up the take!). If you can’t make it, you can visit her Crowd Funding page and make a donation there: http://bri-anneswan.com/new1/letters-home-crowd-funder-may-5-june-5-2014/#sthash.Q2iBUVm4.dpbs.

-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> Piano Jazz @ Sauce, 1376 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

5-8> Tom McGill solo piano @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

6> Noel Johnson @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

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

*6:30-11> The Woodshed jam with Don Niblett & Frank Zochodne @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

7> Karaoke with host Rob MacArthur @ Ajax Legion (RCL 322), 112 Hunt St., Ajax

7> Earl Wilfong @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

7:30-9:30> Clela & Jocelyn @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave. TO East ~songwriter

7:30> Aurochs @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St., TO ~Jazz

7:30> Songwriters Association of Canada showcase and open stage @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~eclectic originals

8-11:30> Laura Hubert with Laura Fernandez & Laura Marks @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz

*8-12> Phil & John Show feat. Phil Naro @ The Harp, 55 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

8> FingerStyle Guitar Association open stage @ Hirut, 2050 Danforth Ave., TO East

8> The Ditch Horses @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Folk Rock

*8> David Baxter & Friends @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rootsy Pop/Blues

8-12> Tim Bovaconti @ Monarchs Pub in Eaton Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Pop Rock

*8> open stage with host John Marlatt @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~$2

8:30> Bri-anne Swan album recording fundraiser with opening set by Ellen Carol + Shawn Sage, Melanie Peterson, Kirsten Jones @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~Roots-Pop originals; $5

*8:30> Django Jam @ Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~Django Jazz

8:30> Ababe Music presents Matt James; Dan German; Shyann; Stan Simon & The Hotel Bible; Big Name Actors @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie showcase

**9> open mic with host Jody Ferrer & 10 p.m. feature by Brendan Albert @ Groove Bar, 1952 Danforth Ave., TO East

9> Danny Marks & Alec Fraser Blues Night @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Blues

*9> open mic with host Nikki Lemonbeat @ Kitch, 229 Geary Ave., TO West

9> Crooked House Road @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West

9> Snaggle; Mercy Flight; The Jing Bang Show @ Two Four Tuesdays, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West ~indie

9> The Treasures @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West; $10

*9:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ The Fossil & Haggis, 790 Military Trail, Scarborough

9:30> Nicola Vaughan hosts jam @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9:30> Peter Verity @ Black Swan, 154 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Folk Roots

*9:30-12> open stage hosted by Jennifer Brewer @ The Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> Michael Brooker’s MB10 @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*9:30> jam with Derek Downham @ Axis, 3048 Dundas St. W., TO West ~eclectic

9:30> Karaoke with Krista Frank celebrating her 30^th birthday @ Legends, 774 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> Darren Hancock @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country Rock

*10-2> The Sattalites @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~orig. & cover Reggae/Funk

10> Harley Card, Michael Davidson & Dan Fortin @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick St., TO

10> Sinners Choir @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*10-11> Nik Beat’s Howl radio show @ CIUT 89.5 FM, ~spoken word & music

*10-2> Marshall Dane Trio @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~New Country/Pop

10> Will Horse; Sarah Burton; Devon Coyote @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough ~

10:30> Jeans Off Duo @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

*10:30> blueVenus with Luke Roberts @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO East ~original Pop

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