Al Reilly has a knack for turning gigs into special occasions

<SCARBOROUGH / ETOBICOKE SOUTH>

It seems it’s almost always a special event when Al Reilly’s Catalyst takes to the stage.

At McGradie’s Pub on Victoria Park at Ellesmere in Scarborough, where they appear tonight and every couple of months, they’ve regularly turned their gigs into celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries, memorials and various other occasion markers to make their shows must-go events.

 

Tonight, lead singer Reilly and his talented classic Rock covers crew, which now includes Earl Johnson on guitar, will continue efforts by their fellow Scarborough musicians to raise some dough for Steve Madden, former longtime Catalyst six-stringer and band leader of two or more groups of his own. As I told you last week, he’s undergoing a long recovery from serious injuries sustained after being hit by a car a few weeks ago while putting up posters for a gig.

Tomorrow night Reilly and the gang celebrate the summer solstice, signalling the advent of summer and the longest day of sunshine in the year, with a show out in Etobicoke at a club that’s particularly fun to be at in the nice weather: Southside Johnny’s at 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W. near Brown’ Line. With a large, well-outfitted patio and a clientele that likes to party, not to mention a very well designed stage area, this room is a great place to take in a show anytime. It’s also got really good food with generous portions at reasonable prices and never a cover charge.

You might think that doing two events in two nights would dilute the band’s audience somewhat, but that just never seems to happen –whenever Reilly’s outfit performs there is always a dedicated group of fans who seem to follow him wherever he goes. It may not be a festival, but this weekend’s two Al Reilly and company shows in disparate corners of the city might be the equivalent of a travelling summer road show.

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS:

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 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.

NXNE = North By Northeast Festival; wristband or $ admittance

TDJF = Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival; $

*3-6> TDJF: Hogtown Syncopators @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

4-2> NXNE: Slow Leaves; Big Rude Jake; Freeman Dre; Fraser Melvin Blues Band @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

*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> Lilly Mason Band + more for RedPath Waterfront Fest @ Sugar Beach, 22 Dockside Dr., TO ~acoustic Pop

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

*5-7> Ronnie Hayward Trio @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO E. ~Blues/Roots

5-8> Whitney Ross Barris Band @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

5> TDJF: The Jive Bombers @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

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

7> East By East East (EXEE) Festival: Winter Rowan; Elissa Barclay; Mudpunch; John K & The Outfit; Johnny & The Jackals; Ginger Ale; The Mon Ales @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~eclectic

7> Parachute Club @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Can-Pop icons; $

7> NXNE: Shivering Timbers; Ketch Harbour; Wolves; The Maladies of Adam Stokes; the unquiet dead @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

7:30> Dust: The Quietest Big Band In The Known World @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

7> TDJF: Alex Pangman Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

7> The High Rollers @ The Keating Channel Pub, 2 Villiers St. TO ~patio party Pop Rock

8-3> NXNE: Magnolia; Dance Movie; Chalk & Numbers; The Bynars; Black Fever; Animal Parts; Honey Wild @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen Street West, TO

8-3> NXNE: Skinny Bitches; Gramercy Riffs; The Ugly Club; Camera; Bailiff; SC Mira; Black Alley @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO

8-3> NXNE: Scott Helman; Donovan Woods; Jessica Mitchell; Shred Kelly; Sunk K; The Order Of Good Cheer @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

8-12> Chris Smith @ Ember Hot Stove, 3039 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South ~soft Rock

*8-1> karaoke @ RCL #312, 112 Hunt St., Ajax

8> Sisters Euclid @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~Jazz Rock Fusion; $15

8:30> “In Cash We Trust” with A Man Called Wrycraft, Eve Goldberg; Paul Reddick; Jon Brooks; more @ Hugh’s Room, 2261 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Johnny Cash tribute; $30/-

8:30> NXNE: North Easton; Phantom Kicks; My Favourite Tragedy with guests Kaleigh Mason, Cat and The Queen @ Cadillac Lounge, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West

9> The Rockaholics @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rock

9> Howard Ross & Full Count Blues Band @ Dr. J’s, 282 Aylmer St., Peterborough ~Blues

9> The Happy Pals @ C’est What, 67 Front St. E., TO ~New Orleans Jazz; pwyc

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

9> David Baxter & The Regulars @ Dora Keogh, 141 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Roots-Rock

9> Songwriters Showcase: Mike Vander Marel; Kaleidoscope Horse; Araza; Courtney Lynn; Sharon Nutzati; Kane @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO ~Folk-Rock

9> Painted Saints @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~experimental Folk

9-1> Big Rude Jake @ Monarchs Pub in Eaton Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Rootsy Jazzy Bluesy

*9-1> Frank Cosentino Band @ Karla’s Roadhouse, 4630 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~rockin’ Blues

9-1> Johnny Max & The Heart Attacks @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~R&B

9> North Of 49 @ Blue Goose Tavern, 1 Blue Goose Rd., Etobicoke South

9> Bourbon Daisy @ Schuey’s, 1130 Martin Grove Rd., Etobicoke North ~Rock/Top 40

9-1> Tony Newman @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St., Oshawa

9> Chadley Chase @ The Corral, 433 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa ~Country

9-1> Jumpstart @ Oscar’s Roadhouse, 1785 Queen St. E., Bramp. ~Top 40/Rock

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

9:30> Al Reilly’s Catalyst raising funds for Steve Madden @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarb. ~classic Rock/Top 40

9:30> Taunted By Girls @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etob. S. ~Pop Rock/Top 40

9:30> Out Of Control @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North ~U2 tribute; $

9:30> Robbie & Matt @ Stone Cottage Pub, 3750 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~Pop Rock

9:30> Table 69 @ Jake’s Boathouse Brampton, 59 First Gulf Rd., Brampton ~Pop Rock

9:30> Lou Pinto & Pat Carey @ Shakers, 580 Kerr St., Oakville ~Blues

9:30> Sarcastic Onions @ O’Brien’s, 215 Beverly St., Cambridge

9:30> Ric Jacobs @ Gator Ted’s, 1505 Guelph Line, Burlington

9:30> On A Roll @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington ~70s – 90s hits

9:30> 8 Second Ride @ Gladstone Tavern, 1385 Main St. E., Hamilton ~Country Rock

9:30> Princess & The Pocket Kings @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

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

10-2> Pop Cherry @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South ~vintage Rock

10> Rockin’ A Hard Place featuring Andrew J. Walsh & James Alcock @ Centro Pizza, 3405 Kingston Rd., Scarborough ~classic Rock

10> Arsenals @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Ska; $10

10> TDJF: Manuel Valera @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

10> Pete Johnston Trio @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> NXNE:  Sigrun Stella; Svavar Knutur; J. Allen; Melissa Bel @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

10-1> Sheldon Holder @ Bar Radio, 615 College St., TO ~Soul; pwyc

10> Donkey @ Eastcoaster’s, 2861 Keele St., TO NorthWest ~Pop Rock

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

10-2> LMT Connection @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~R&B/Funk

10> Trembling Bells; Hello Babies @ The Red Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

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

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