How to alienate your following by showing contempt

\TOO MANY PLACES TOO OFTEN\

There’s an open stage host in Toronto whose events I never include in the Moon show listings (except when a subscriber has specifically told me they will be appearing as part of one) because he has pissed me off too many times by making a big hullabaloo about his new events only to not bother to say anything once the run has ended.

When you’re paying a driver by the hour and you’re tooling around out of town it’s no fun arriving at an event that you thought would be happening only to find out it hasn’t been for weeks —especially when, in my case, you’ve been including it in listings sent out to a multitude of other people who rely on you to be accurate.

I mention this not because there’s no Monday open stage at Dora Keogh tonight (that practically goes without saying, since the club owner prefers to be dark on holiday Mondays). And besides, the host of this event, Julian Taylor, actually pays a publicist not only to send out weekly social media updates to let people know who’s featuring but also to inform them when the event isn’t happening (except for when he can’t because the capricious owner decides to cancel the show for whatever reason at the last minute —as he has done way too often). This host, in other words, makes a conscientious effort to make sure his following is kept in the loop because he respects them and appreciates their support.

I mention this today because yesterday three open stage/jam type events that normally take place on Sundays, and that the hosts have asked me to include in the listings, were not happening due to the long weekend according to a subscriber who endeavoured to check them out. The subscriber sent me an email to let me know about the errors in my listings and that was the first I’d heard about the cancellations.

How enthusiastic do you think I’ll be about promoting those hosts’ shows in the future? How interested will the person who made the trips to the three rooms in vain be in attending any such similar shows by those hosts?

It’s bad enough when club owners pull this shit, but when the hosts can’t be bothered to let their fellow performers know, it’s tantamount to insult.

In ancient times (y’know, like, ten years ago) before the internet became ubiquitous, a lack of timely communication by hosts could be tolerated, particularly if the show’s kyboshing was something the club owner only decided to do a day or two before (a much more common boneheaded move than you might think).

But with the prevalence of social media today —and the three hosts of yesterday’s non-events are all active in that realm— there is simply no excuse in the world for not letting people know about such cancellations —as well as about permanent cancellations— as soon as you know, or certainly well before the event might have been thought to be scheduled to occur.

I know it’s no fun having to announce that you’ve been canned.  Hell, I’m dreading making the formal announcement of my own Saturday night open stage having been permanently cancelled as of last night, but I’m only waiting to do so in order to calm down about it and get the wording right when I do issue the statement tonight or tomorrow —in plenty of time for people to adjust their plans— and have already informed the artist who would have been this weekend’s feature.

But I most certainly will issue an announcement through social media and emails, because to not do so not only reeks of gross amateurism but gives off an odour of contempt for your followers and fans. Who could then blame them if they decide to cancel visiting your events permanently?

-Gary 17, www.torontomoon.ca

LISTINGS for Monday, August 04, 2021:

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-8pm> Scarborough Ribfest with karaoke and music by Rob MacArthur; Hidden Agenda; Andrew Night; more @ Thomson Memorial Park, 1005 Brimley Rd., Scarborough

5-8> Mike Daley @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

*5> The Cosmotones @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO East ~Rockabilly

*6-9> Calliope’s Nest open stage/jam for women @ Lola Pub, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

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

7> Songwriters open stage with host Samantha Martin @ Bar Radio, 615 College St., TO

*7> Hard Time Mondays with Rick & Gailie @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

**7:30> M Factor Mondays with host Elana Harte & features Bryce Jardine; James Carroll @ Old Nick, 123 Danforth Ave., TO East

7:30> Mike Smith Presents: Simcoe Is Lord with Karen Ng & D. Alex Meeks @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

7:30> Advocats Big Band @ Seven44, 744 Mount Pleasant Blvd., TO North ~R&B/Swing

8-11> Bentroots feat. Michael Fonfara, Nick Balkou, Ed Roth & Robert Newman @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., Toronto East ~Swampy Southern Blues-Rock

8> John K & The Outfit @ The Only Café, 972 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Rock

**8-1> open stage with host Alex Zdravkovic @ Free Times Café, 320 College St., TO

*8-11> open stage @ McGradie’s, 2167 Victoria Park Ave., Scarborough

**8-12> BBQ & jam night with Mimico Bill @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville; ($8.95 with BBQ dinner special starts at 6)

*8-12> open stage @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

**9-1:30> jam with No Band Required @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave., TO

*9-1> Hamstrung Stringband @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Bluegrass

9> blueVenus @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E.. TO East ~original Pop

9-1> Peter Eastmure & The Animal Kingdom @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West

*9-1> eclectic open stage/jam @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West

*9> open mic (2 songs; signup starts 8p.m.) @ Tranzac Lounge (Southern Cross), 292 Brunswick Ave., TO

*9-1> jam with Tom Barlow @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit

*9:30-2> Sebastian Agnello & friends @ Black Swan (ground floor), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

9:30> Tim Posgate & Friends @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz

*10-2> jam with Kimberley Wetmore & Company feat. Dave Girdlestone of Soul Funkshun @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore E., Port Credit

10> Jordan John @ The Orbit Room, 580 College St., TO ~R&B/Blues

10:30> Big Otter Creek Unplugged @ The Hideout, 484 Queen St. W., TO ~indie Rock

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