\ TO WEST \

Musical prodigies come along every now and then, though few end up lasting to become full-blown stars the way they are when they’re in their early youth.

Derek Trucks now 37, burst onto the Blues scene as an 11-year old guitar phenom and ended up winning three Grammy Awards, including one with the famed Allman Brothers Band, but has been basically out of the picture the past few years since leaving that group.  Country Pop star Britney Spears emerged as a juvenile and by 18 had broken records for sales of an album by a teenage artist, but for the past ten years she’s basically been a ward since immolating in the hot fire of sudden fame.

Closer to home here in TO, many will remember young Blues guitarist-singer Jimmy Bowskill, a small-town boy who made his debut 15 years ago at age 11 thanks to Jeff Healey’s interest.  While not quite being able to match the excitement he generated as a pre- and new-teen, when he was nominated for a Juno at 14 and won a Maple Blues Award as “Best New Artist” at 15, he has nevertheless gone on to have a fairly solid career so far, most recently as guitarist for The Sheepdogs band and playing on two tracks on a new Blue Rodeo album this year.

So you have to figure the jury is still out on whether or not 16-year-old Pop-Rock, Jazzy/Soul singer and songwriter Belle Matthews will be able to live up to the high expectations that her growing notice is creating.  But given her obvious talent and what seems like a solid life grounding, she may well be just getting started on what could become a stellar career.

While, with her sweet little-girl smile and innocently sincere demeanour, she may not look it, a voice that’s surprisingly strong for such a petite person combined with stage moves that are getting more and more polished as she gains experience make Matthews already somewhat of a seasoned veteran.

She’s been writing since she was 11 and singing since she could talk, according to some press material forwarded to us by BackTrack band guitarist Marty Zatzman, who welcomes her back as a special guest tonight when his horns and vocals R&B/Soul/Motown group performs their now-weekly show at Cadillac Lounge in Parkdale.  It’s actually her second appearance with the group there, but even at such a tender age she’s no stranger to stages in TO and parts well beyond.

The Mississauga native already has a performing resume that’d be the envy of many seasoned professionals, having appeared at on stage at The Imperial Room, The Rockpile, Velvet Underground and Linsmore Tavern to name just a few of the TO clubs, as well as being featured for a raft of special occasions such as singing the national anthem for events at HarbourFront and The Hersey Center and appearing at a number of benefit concerts including at Copper Creek Golf Course for the Autism Sings benefit; at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre for an Elliot Lake fundraiser; and in the Terrance Banquet Centre for The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation.

Belle has also been getting popular on the festival circuit, being featured at London Ontario’s Western Fair and at age 15 at the CHIN Picnic, where she performed her original song “So I’ll Stay” and ended up having the tune selected in the Top 10 of a 500-entry competition.  She also, btw, fronts her own group of comparably young Rockers, Lightning The Band, which also opened for BackTrack at the Cadillac Lounge this past summer.

This savvy kid is already a SOCAN member and, in addition to her performing, is socially active in a very positive way.  She’s a Youth Representor for the Mississauga Arts Council, for which her mission is to help host open mics and develop ideas to encourage other youths to perform and participate in events.  As well, she’s a Youth Day ambassador and has performed at Dundas Square for Youth Day four years in a row, since age 11.

Lately Matthews has also been getting a lot of online notice thanks to her YouTube channel, where one of her originals, “Restricted” racked up over 300,000 hits shortly after release.  A new video of her “So I’ll Stay” song, which is a paean to the military, was posted on Remembrance Day and is already also generating interest.

Wow, an old guy like me is getting tired just reading and typing all that, let alone living it!  But you can be sure she’ll be just bursting with youthful energy along with all that talent tonight when she joins the big band for the 7:30 pm no-cover show in the room at 1296 Queen St. W. near Dufferin St.

-Gary 17, TorontoMoon.ca

SHOW LISTINGS for Wednesday, November 16, 2021

Listings are organized by area in which the shows occur and within each area field shows are listed chronologically.

Listings preceded by an asterisk (*) are repeating weekly events. (Double asterisk indicates repeating event with different hosts/guest/etc.) Events preceded by question mark (?) usually take place but have not been confirmed. 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 underlined and, where applicable, include a live link to their websites. Advertisers’ listings are in larger, highlighted type, include live link to website and also have ad icon included in listings.

416 – TORONTO CENTRAL

5> Fineprint; Tesselate; Aspen & Bartleby @ The Central, 603 Markham St., TO ~indie

*5:30> Kama House Band @ Kama, 214 King St. W., TO ~Jazz

6-8> Gigi & Friends featuring Genevieve Marentette & Robert Scott @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~Jazz; $10-20/pwyc

6> Golden Country Classics @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~Country

6:30> Allison Au Trio + 1 @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

*7> Jim Heineman Trio @ Nawlins, 299 King St. W., TO ~Jazz

7> Sabrina Carpenter @ Mod Club, 722 College St., TO ~$18

*7-10> Blues jam with Mark Stafford & Ken Yoshioka @ Alleycatz, 2409 Yonge St., TO North

*7:30> Jeff Willingham @ Lou Dawgs Ryerson, 76 Gerrard St. E., TO ~acoustic Pop

**8-12> Girls Night Out Jazz singers’ jam with Lisa Particelli, Peter Hill et al @ 120 Diner, 120 Church St., TO ~$10-20/pwyc

**8 (7 p.m. sign-up)> open stage with 9 p.m. feature by Glen Hornblast @ Fat Albert’s, 25 Cecil St. (Steelworkers Hall), TO ~Roots

*8> open mic with host Jay Pollock & feature @ Touché Martini Bar, 669 College St., TO

8-11> Joe Bonamassa @ Sony Centre for the Peforming Arts, 1 Front St. E., TO ~Blues guitarist; $

8-11> The Shraggs @ Wolf Like Me, 834 Bloor St. W., TO

8-10:30> The Daniel Barnes Quartet @ Jazz Bistro, 251 Victoria St., TO ~Jazz; $

8> NonFiction single release and video premiere for “Money’s My Religion” + guests @ Adelaide Hall, 250 Adelaide St. W., TO ~original; $

8> Gavin James @ Velvet Underground, 508 Queen St. W., TO ~songwriter; $15

8> AA Wallace; Monarch @ Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., TO ~indie; $8

8> Buckcherry; openers The Wild @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, 410 Sherbourne St., TO ~U.S. Rockers; $

8:30> Canadian Indie Week with Henry Taylor & The Long Horse Rangers; Scotty James; Danielle Marie; Dick Rodan; Scruffyfish @ Cameron House (rear), 408 Queen St. W., TO ~eclectic indie; $10

8:30> Sue & Dwight & Friends @ Free Times Cafe, 320 College St., TO ~singalong classic Folk; $

9> The Digs @ Reservoir Lounge, 52 Wellington St. E., TO ~Funk/Jazz/neo-Soul; $

9-1> open jam with Wednesday’s Child feat. Johnny Bootz Hutt @ Lola, 40 Kensington Ave., TO

*9 (signup at 8:30)> open mic with Alan Carter @ Lowdown, 276 Augusta Ave., TO

*9-2> What’s Poppin’ indie jam @ Sneaky Dee’s, 431 College St., TO

9> The Tired Flames; Bard from the Club; Responsables; Sheldon Holder @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St. W., TO ~eclectic indie; $

9> YoYo Mama @ May Café, 876 Dundas St. W., TO Central ~R&B/Soul

9> Lenore Elizabeth; Chris Mapili; Ashwyn Chadha; Shethreacher @ The Cavern Bar, 76 Church St., TO ~indie; $

9:30> Darren Sigesmund’s Strands @ The Rex, 194 Queen St. W., TO ~Jazz; $

10> Mark Sanders @ Cameron House (front), 408 Queen St. W., TO

10-2> Blues-Rock jam with Owen’s Sound @ Grossman’s, 379 Spadina Ave. TO

*10:30> The LMT Connection @ Orbit Room, 580 College St. TO ~Funk/R&B; $10

416 – TORONTO EAST

*7:30-10:30> The BTBs @ Relish, 2152 Danforth Ave., TO East ~Jazz

8:30-10:30> Mediterranean Stars feat. Ed Roth on accordion @ Castro’s, 2116 Queen St. E., TO East ~Baltic Jazz/love songs

*9:30> open stage with Nicola Vaughan @ Black Swan (downstairs), 154 Danforth Ave., TO East

416 – TORONTO ETOBICOKE

7:30> Mysteriously Yours @ Old Mill, 21 Old Mill Rd. (Home Smith Bar, minimum table charge) ~dinner theatre

6:30> Soilwork; Unearth; Wovenwar; Battlecross; Darkness Divided @ The Rockpile, 5555 Dundas St. W., Etobicoke ~original Hard Rock/Metal; $40

8-1> Lost Patients @ Timothy’s Pub, 344 Brown’s Line, Etobicoke South ~R&B/Blues/Pop

9-12> Space Jazz jam with singer Meagan Luchko & band @ Placebo Space, 2877 Lake Shore Blvd. W., Etobicoke ~Jazz ; $5/pwyc

416 – TORONTO WEST

5-8> Levi Collins Trio @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Jazz

7> Canadian Indie Week: The Cheap Flights; Lightcraft; Liteyears; Plaid Brixx; The Autumn Stones; The Savilles @ Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W., TO West ~eclectic indie; $8

7> MonkeyJunk album release for Time To Roll; guest Sean Pinchin @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W., TO West ~original Blues; $20+

*7:30> BackTrack Band featuring Marty Zatzman & guest Belle Matthews @ Cadillac Loung, 1296 Queen St. W., TO West ~brassy R&B/Motown/Soul; no cover

8> International Pop Overthrow Festival presents Jamie Gla; Across The Board; James Clark Institute; Matt Fig; Blackdog Ballroom @ Duggan’s Brewery, 1346 Queen St. W., TO West ~eclectic indie; $5

8> Outta Space; Sanjay B; Ghost Town Architects @ Smiling Buddha, 961 College St., TO West

8> Dan Edmonds solo album release for Ladies On The Corner; Nick Ferrio; Geordie Gordon @ Burdock, 1184 Bloor St. W., TO West ~songwriters; $10

8> Canadian Indie Week: Dylan Hennessy; Michelle Thibodeau; Dylan Reisch; Juliet Oh @ The Painted Lady, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~eclectic indie; $

*8> MFA open mic @ Remix Lounge, 1305 Dundas St. W., TO West

8> Lido @ The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W., TO West ~$20

**8:30-10:30> Hump Night Blues with Dave McManus, George Baumann, Cleave Anderson + special guests Howard Willett & Bob McNiven @ On Cue Billiards, 349 Jane St., TO West ~Blues

**9-12> Blues Night with Julian Fauth & guests @ Gate 403, 403 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~original Juno-winning Blues

9> Vaughan Misener Trio @ The Emmet Ray, 924 College St., TO West ~Jazz

9> French Press; Ozconscious; Northern Roads; Beyond The Mountain @ The Piston, 937 Bloor St. W., TO West

9> Kyle Marshall & Dan Ionescu @ Mezzetta, 681 St. Clair Ave. W., TO West ~Jazz

9> Carlo @ The Local, 396 Roncesvalles Ave., TO West ~Surf Rock/Soul

10> Commotion @ Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave., TO West ~CCR songs; $10

11:30> Chris Birkett; Katie Who; Roger Beckett; Lula Miranda; Drew Clementino; Aguiar, 218 Ossington Ave., TO West ~eclectic indie; $

519

*6-8:30> ukulele jam @ Idea Exchange, 5 Tannery St. E., Cambridge

7:30> Field Trip; Trippin’ on Ezra; ROYALFUZZ @ Maxwell’s, 220 King St. N., Waterloo ~indie; $10

8-12> acoustic Bluegrass jam @ Anaf Club 344, 32 Gordon St., Guelph

8-2> Olivia Borkosky; My Father’s Son @ Dstrct, 10 Wyndham St. (main floor) ~indie; no cover

9> Kevin Corbett; Annie Sumi @ The Cornerstone, 1 Wyndham St. N., Guelph ~$10

705

*7-11> open jam with The Freacon Band @ The Beacon, 146 45th St., Wasaga Beach ~ Blues, Jazz; $5

8> various young bands @ Black Horse Pub, 452 George St. N., Peterborough

8> Derek McLean @ The Huron Club, 94 Pine St., Collingwood

9> Severed Feathers; Stunspore; Deathsticks; The Upside Downs @ The Spill, 414 George St. N., Peterborough ~indie/hard Rock; $5/pwyc

10> Bud Rice; guests @ The Garnet, 231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough

905 EAST

5> Bruce Gorrie @ Simcoe Blues & Jazz, 926 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*8-11> open mic @ Frank’s Pasta, 426 King St. E., Cobourg

9> open mic @ The Moustache Club, 15 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa

*10> Two For The Show @ Tartan Tavern, 555 Rossland Rd. E., Oshawa ~Pop Rock

905 NORTH

*7> open mic night with Tanya Joy Senior @ Col. McGrady’s Pub, 44 Brock St. W., Uxbridge

*8-12> open mic with Kevin Ker @ Unionville Arms, 189 Main St., Unionville

*8:45> open mic jam with Matt Zady @ Magnums, 21 McMurchy Ave. N., Brampton

*9-1> open mic jam with Whiskey Birds @ Sweetz Lounge, 5289 Hwy 7, Woodbridge-Vaughan

*9:30> open mic with The Villagers @ Main’s Mansion, 144 Main St., Markham

*10-2> jam night with Switchbeat Trio @ Maguires, 284 Queen St. E., Brampton

905 SOUTH

*7:30> open mic @ Donnelley’s Pub, 54 Front St., Thorold ~eclectic

**8-1> Boogie N Blues jam with Ian Andrews & Friends @ Corktown Pub, 175 Young St., Hamilton

8> Terrie Petrie & band hosts Country Wednesdays @ Pub Fiction, 1242 Garner Rd. W., Ancaster ~Country

*8:30> Something Country @ The Endzone, 1900 King St. E., Hamilton ~Country

9> Singalong with Judy Marsales @ Coach & Lantern, 384 Wilson St E., Hamilton ~Rock/Top 40

9> Philip Sayce @ Casbah Lounge, 306 King St. W., Hamilton ~Blues guitar phenom; $

905 WEST

7-10> Side B Vibe @ Harper’s Landing, 481 Cornwall Rd., Oakville ~Rock/Top 40

8-1> John Wort Hannam @ Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St., Oakville ~Roots songwriter; $15

*8:30> The Carson Freeman Diversion @ Shore Grill, 71 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Pop Rock

9-1> Jeremy & Jenn @ Roc’n Doc’s, 105 Lakeshore Rd. E., Port Credit ~Rock/Pop; $

Copyright © 2016 Toronto Moon Magazine. All Rights Reserved