Did someone forget to tell me there’s a Roots festival on?

\TORONTO\

Is there a Roots festival going on in TO today? Because as I peruse the listings for various TO clubs the lineup sure reads like one! And some performers have two shows in different venues, adding to the sense that there is a Roots festival going on in everything but name.

This afternoon, for example, there’s a Concert For Peace and Love taking place at Full of Beans out in the Junction area of TO featuring Bela Ray, whose soulful passion and smooth song craftsmanship are certainly festival worthy. Then this evening at 10 he’s also part of the lineup for the fourth installment of Glen Hornblast’s monthly Nashville Bound songwriters’ showcase taking place at Free Times Café from 8-11 or so.

Ray isn’t the only act on that bill who’s double-gigging downtown. Dynamic duo Fraser & Girard (as in Alan Fraser and Marianne Girard) do a set at the NB show at 9, but prior to that they’re also at Tranzac Club in the Annex area for their monthly last-Sundays show from 5-7 p.m.

And speaking of last-Sundays at Tranzac, award-winning Folk songwriter Michael Laderoute and musical partner Rob Fenton also do their monthly show in the room at 292 Brunswick Ave. from 3-5.

A little later on at Tranzac, six-string fingerpicking goliath and terrific Roots songwriter Tony Quarrington features, along with various guests, starting at 7:30.

Also on the bill at Free Times, meanwhile, is a duo I finally got to hear for the first time just last week when they came all the way from Brampton to do a set at my open stage: Mark Yan and Barry Mulcahy. This pair reminded of the duos that The One Shot Band songwriter Rory Cummings used to bring out to my shows: rich vocal harmonies combined with solid guitar playing delivering toe-tapping Country-Pop originals and covers.

Mark and Barry take to the stage at 320 College St. (between Spadina and Bathurst) at 9:30. Another very talented duo, Sue and Dwight, perform at 8:30 following an opening set by host Hornblast at 8.

-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.

11am-2pm> Mitch Smolkin & Nina Shapilsky for Jazz Brunch @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~Yiddish Jazz

*11am-3pm> Rockabilly Brunch with The Cosmotones @ Dominion On Queen, 500 Queen St. E., TO ~Rockabilly

*12-3> Julian Fauth’s Blues Brunch @ Axis, 3048 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Blues

noon> Excelsior Dixieland Jazz Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

2> Social Justice Love & Peace Concert feat. Bela Ray @ Full Of Beans, 1348 Dundas St. W., TO West ~Roots Pop originals

*2-5> Lisa Particelli’s Girls Night Out Jazz jam with Mark Kieswetter on keys @ Morgan’s, 1282 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

*2-5> acoustic jam with host Bill Black @ The Working Dog Saloon, 3676 St. Clair Ave. E., Scarborough

*3-6> open mic with Nicola Vaughan @ Hirut, 2050 Danforth Ave., TO East

3-5> Michael Laderoute & Rob Fenton @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~original Roots

*3-7> open mic @ Moskito + Bite, 423 College St. TO

*3-6> Michael Brennan @ Graffiti’s, 170 Baldwin St. TO ~East Coast Rock/Blues Roots

*3-7> jam at CJ Barleys, 213 The Queensway, Keswick

3:30-6:30> Freeway Dixieland Band @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*4-7> open jam with Mike Murphy @ The Brigadoon, 1109 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

*4:30-8> New Orleans Connection All Stars & guests @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO ~New Orleans Jazz

4> Skarni @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa ~Jazz

*4:30-8> Chuck Jackson’s All Stars @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

*5-9> All ages open jam with Juggernaut Jam Band featuring Andy Narsingh @ West Shore Bar & Grill, 877 Bayly St., Pickering

**5-8> John Borra & Sam Ferrara w. guest @ The Communist’s Daughter, 1149 Dundas St. W. TO West ~Country

*5> Danny B Blues Band @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke ~Pop

*5-9> The Fabulous Rave @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North; $5

5-9> Little Peter & The Elegants @ Legends On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway, Etobicoke South ~Rock/R&B faves; $5

5-8> Chris Coole @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~old time Country

5> Fraser & Girard @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO ~Roots

5-8> Jeff Taylor & The SLT @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

5-9> Parkside Drive @ Lake Affect, 1 Port St., Port Credit

**5-8> The Stew with @ Mulligan’s, 2458 Dundas St. W., Mississauga

*5:30-8> Sam Taylor & The East End Love with special guest Iliya Vee of The Dreadful Starlings @ Linsmore Tavern, 1298 Danforth Ave, TO East ~R&B

6:30> Beyond the Beach Duo feat. Bill McBirnie @ Morgan’s, 1282 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

*7-1> open stage with hosts Steve York & Tony Rabalao (2 songs each -signup @ 7 or pre-sign online) @ The Supermarket, 268 Augusta St., TO

*7-11> Karaoke with Rob MacArthur @ The Edge, 250 Bayly St. W., Ajax

*7-9:30> Tara Kannangara Group @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*7-11> open jam @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

**7-11> The Nomads with special guest Adam Cooke @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*7> open jam @ Black Swan Pub Burlington, 4040 Palladium Way, Burlington

*7> open mic with Randy Hill @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

7:30> Tony Quarrington & Friends @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

8> Nashville Bound with Glen Hornblast + sets by Sue & Dwight; Fraser & Girard; Mark Yan & Barry Mulcahy Duo; Bela Ray @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO ~Roots

*8:30-12:30> karaoke with The English Rose & The Mad Scotsman @ Gryphon Pub, 114 Dundas St. E., Whitby

8:30> Trace Minerals feat. Jeff Oussoren & Cam de Laat @ Not My Dog, 1510 Queen St. W., TO West ~indie

9-1> Elliott Devine DJ @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West

9> Graham Playford & The Flying J’s @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West

9> Kyp Harness & The Chemical Valley Cowboys @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Roots with bite

*9-1> jam with Mike Roland and Lenny Vaccari @ Stewart Maguires Landing, 15 Allan Dr., Bolton

*9-1> jam @ Ivy Arms Pub, 201 Main Street East, Milton

*9:30-1> jam with the Stir It Up Band featuring Bryan Van Dusen & David Macmichael @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East

*9:30-1:30> jam with Rebecca Matiesen & Phoenix @ Southside Johnny’s, 3653 Lakeshore Blvd. W., Etobicoke South

9:30 James Clark Institute; Maria Ryan @ Rainbow Bistro, 78 Murray St., Ottawa ~original rootsy Pop

9:45> The Out Of Towners @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*10> Horshack feat. Chris Caddell @ Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~Bluesy contemporary & classic Rock

10> Steve Ward @ Tranzac Club (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

*10> open mic/jam hosted by Phill Hood (with backline avail.) @ The Cage 292, 292 College St., TO

**10> Blues jam with Brian Cober, Bill Hedefine & guest bassist @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*10> jam with Groovestone feat. Dale Harrison @ Scruffy Murphy’s Uptown, 150 Eglinton Ave. E., TO North

10> Sean Pinchin’s Blues ‘n’ Beers @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Blues

10:30> Scott Baragar @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

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