New-fashioned variety show at Velvet Underground tonight

\TORONTO DOWNTOWN\

His rhymes are inventive, his vision’s attentive; to respect BVD you got lots of incentive. But just in case you’re not already a fan of Soul Rapper Bryan Van Dusen and his pithy, catchy and often brilliant improvised rhymes, he’ll have plenty of musical company to also delight you tonight when he appears as part of a kind of “new fashioned” variety show taking place at TO’s Velvet Underground.

 

Headliner Mena Hardy, a Southern Rock chanteuse and alt-Rock songwriter who’s been noticeably mostly by her absence from the music scene the past several months, evidently decided that her return to the stage would be best served by lining up a variety of opening acts. In keeping with her own eclectic approach to music, the bill also includes, in addition to Van Dusen’s Rap stylings, a Grunge and an “Alternative” act (The Dank and Good Enough).

The precise order of the sets is a little unclear as Hardy’s Facebook event page for the show at 510 Queen St. W. has a schedule that has apparently been changed. But what is known is that after the other two acts from 8:15-9:40, BVD (as Van Dusen is colloquially called) will go on stage at 9:45 followed by Hardy with, I assume, a new combo backing her, at 10:30.

Cover is listed as $6-10/pay-what-you-can, so it sounds like getting bodies into the room is the priority rather than raking in a lot of cash at the door. Both BVD and Hardy also have excellent recorded product they’ll no doubt have available and I would assume that the others do as well. Perhaps Hardy, who was telling everyone that she was working on an album prior to disappearing earlier this year, will also have a surprise in store in that regard and almost certainly she will be unveiling some new songs.

-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, are underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

*5-8> Jerry Leger & The Situation @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO East ~Folk-Rock/Country

5-8> Mark Ucci Duo @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

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

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

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

7-9> Rick Zolkower Duo @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Tin Pan Bluesy Roots

7> Vince Bertucci @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues

7> Corinna Rose with Morgan Macdonald @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

*7> open mic with Derek Mok @ Kensington Lodge, 21 Kensington Ave., TO

7> Shugga @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~Funk

7:30> Kevin Jollimore stars as Nixon in “Elvis and Dick” @ Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Ave., Toronto, TO ~musical theatre; $10

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

8> Jay Pollock album release for Sunflower & opening sets by Kristian Montano; Freeman Dre & The Kitchen Party @ Supermarket, 268 Augusta Ave., TO ~indie Pop

8> The Uncertainty Principle feat. Richard Underhill @ Musideum, 410 Richmond St. W., TO ~Jazz; $20

8> Sandy Blakely @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East

8-12> Lost Vegas @ Lake Affect, 1 Port St., Port Credit

8-12> Richard Henderson @ Fionn MacCool’s Ajax, 32 Kingston Rd. E. Ajax ~Pop

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

*8-11:30> Christopher Plock & Stevie G @ Mulligan’s Pub, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga ~Blues/Jazz/R&B

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

8:15> The Dank; Good Enough; Bryan Van Dusen (9:45) +Mena Hardy @ Velvet Underground, 510 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Soul Rap/alt-Pop/Southern Rock; $6-10/pwyc

8:30> Songwriters Circle of Jerks: Forever 21 featuring Nelson Sobral, Hugh Wilson, Nick Verona & feature by Angela Saini @ Free Times Café, 320 College St. TO ~

8:30> comedy with Gary Pearson @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. Oakville ~$5

9> Jack Marks & The Lost Wages @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave., TO East ~eclectic indie originals & covers

*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> Kevin Laliberte Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz/Flamenco

9-12> Kristen Schmitt & Her Special Powers @ Bar Radio, 615 College St., TO ~Bluegrass; pwyc

9> Matthew Bailey & Michael Eckert @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~alt-Country

9-1> Dylan Wickens & The Grand Naturals @ Monarchs Pub (Eaton Chelsea Hotel), 33 Gerrard St. W., TO ~Blues

9> Marshall Dane @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~Country

9> The Black Pearls @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

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

9> Linda Wright @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

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

*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> Alex Teixeira @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

9:30> Greg Wyard @ Black Dog Pub, 87 Island Rd., Scarb. ~Pop Rock

9:30> Glenn Groves @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

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

*9:45> Mary Mckay @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Jazz/Blues

10> A Series Of Tubes @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

10> The Rucksack Willies @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Roots-Rock

10> The Hatchetmen @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~indie

10> Oakland Stroke @ Orbit Room, 480 College St. TO ~Tower Of Power tribute; $10

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

10> Penny Blacks; David J. Bird @ 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> tba @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

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