Where have I been?

If you're paying attention to my little writeups that go along with the details events listings each week, you'll know that I'm still out and about around town. I haven't been updating this blog with my thoughts, though. Sorry. Compiling and editing the listings takes me several hours a week, and doing the podcast adds 2 or 3 more. With life and work (school), this leaves little time for blogging show reviews and posting photos!

Recent highlights include the Laura Barrett CD release (also featuring Ghost Bees, and Dan Werb [Woodhands] on solo piano and vocals w/ guest vocalists). It was a lovely daytime affair. That same day, I got myself to Wavelength and really enjoyed a couple Detroit acts that came up: Prussia and Child Bite. One of them was like arty prog punk with metal influences and lots and lots of facial hair, while the other was like a more soulful Detroit version of Born Ruffians, complete with a Luke Lalonde lookalike. Dinosaur Bones impressed me at Tattoo, and I'm always happy to take in Amos the Transparent, my hometown faves (though I met them here). Meryl, whom I know from the Montreal band Sister Suvi, was crazy amazing at this last weekend's Wavelength, playing solo (w/ Nico Dann on drums for a couple songs) as Tune-Yards. I disliked My People Sleeping, but everyone else loved them immensely, so maybe I was in a mood or something. I caught a few songs from the FemBots at an in-store performance at Soundscapes last Thursday. I cheaped out on attending their proper show ($12 breaks my budget), but this is a band I'm starting to really enjoy. This past week also saw me at my first PWYC Wednesday at Rancho Relaxo. It was a busy night, with Great Lenin's Ghost providing much entertainment. Hilarious.

Phew! Now I rest a bit---with an RAA interlude Tuesday night, maybe---before hitting up Pop Montreal in a big way. Yipee!

Indie Music 54 (29 sep-5 oct 2008).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. Subscribe to my weekly podcast here. Or just listen to it at Zygiella.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

This week I'm heading up and over to POP Montreal to take in lots of great bands. Although many Toronto bands will be performing in la belle province, there's still a lot of fun shows to go see, and a smattering of free in-store performances.

This past weekend I had a blast at the TrekZac FestiCon, and over the past week I've seen a small handful of different acts, most of them new-to-me. Always lots of exciting new music to discover! I especially enjoyed Tune-Yards (Meryl from Sister Suvi w/ Nico Dann on a couple songs), the FemBots, and Great Lenin's Ghost.

MONDAY (29 sep)

Stephen Hedley w/ Noella @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Shoeless Monday feat. Queen Takes Bishop @ 11:15, Jace P & The Big People @ 10:15, and Ian Spotting @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Elvis Monday feat. Machetes, Purr, Adam Faux, The Royal So & Sos, Dickie Haydon, and The People of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Groovy Mondays feat. Reid Pickering @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

TUESDAY (30 sep)

Julian Fauth and Jake Chisholm @ Graffiti's, 4-7pm, pwyc.

Homegrown Tuesdays feat. Bunmi and others @ The Silver Dollar, 7pm, $5.

Patrick Boyle @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Toronto Folk Singers Society @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 8pm, pwyc.

Peirson Ross and Ladies of the Canyon @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Bill Murray @ 11:40, Waking Eyes @ 10:50, Jason Ford Band @ 10:00, and Shane Philip @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Revival Dear @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, free.

* Drumheller @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

CaMp CoMbO @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Pink & Black Attack presents The Blackouts and Drive-in Massacre @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

Dan Kosub, Shawna Caspi, and Graeme & Ferguson @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

Local Alt Rock feat. Android Meme @ 10:45, Inertias Course @ 9:45, and Andreja @ 8:45. Lee's Palace, 8pm, $5.

* No Shame presents POP Montreal preview feat. The Rural Alberta Advantage, Hooded Fang, and Mt. Royal @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $7.

Pilgrims of Brock, Nancy Silverman, and Kritty @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Songwriter Sessions feat. Kat Burns (Forest City Lovers), Daniel Roth, and Luke Nares @ Concord Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

The Wilderness and La Casa Muerte @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

John Oswald & Germaine Lui @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

Lila Rose (CD release), Miss Scarlett, Laura Aidenblaise, Stacey B, DJ Lover Sun, and dance by MataDanZe Collective @ The Supermarket, 9 pm, $7.

WEDNESDAY (1 oct)

Felicity Williams @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Johnny Exxtasy, The Waxbills, and Cathartik @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

PWYC Weds feat. Arctic, Astrophysics For Fun, and Brodie Dakin & the Mercucials @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

The Cappelletto-Mceleny Quinte, Robb Mirsky, and mmucci @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Shawn Clarke and Kensington Prairies @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

The Shovels @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

* Hot Panda and Wax Mannequin @ Czehoski, 9:30pm, free.

Wombat Wednesdays presents Pavlov's Dogs Orchestra, Generic Rock, and Your Good Friends @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $5. This month's Wednesday shows at the Main Hall at curated by Kat Burns (from Forest City Lovers).

Local Alternative Rock Live Recording feat. Two Foot Hills @ 11:30, Living Room @ 10:15, and Yuka @9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $5.

Victor Bateman & Martin Arnold . . . then quiet @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. (The second set is 30 minutes of silence.)

Dopplehertz presents Teki Latex @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 10pm, $10.

THURSDAY (2 oct)

Margot Roi @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Brent Tanemura Says So @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Local Alternative Rock feat. Jackfish River @ 11:40, Broken Sons @ 10:50, King Clancy @ 10:00, and Harm @ 9:10. @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

Steers & Queers feat. Gay Olde Opry @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Aaron Garner, J. D. Edwards, and Patrick Ballantyne @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5.

* The Ghost is Dancing and Purple Hill (members of From Fiction), w/ DJ VLSonN @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, $5.

TWM presents Champion Heartache, Sitcom, and This is Picture @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5. This is Picture is pretty cool.

Devin & the Dark Light and Seymour @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Ko Kapches w/ Dylan Murray @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

Fire Flower Revue, Idle Tigers, Rep By Pop, and Bright Young Things @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Isle of Thieves and Melody Unwinding @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* No Shame presents Mandibles, Muskox, and Gabe Levine @ Tiger Bar, 9pm, $5.

Lunchmeat, Slow/Dynamite, and Dead Sexy Sheila @ The Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

Raise Your Voice feat. DJ M-Dash, MMFFN, and Babylon Telecom @ Augusta House, 10pm, $5. "A Benefit for Media Democracy Day 2008."

elZOO's theFIRSTthursday feat. The Shenanigans, Proposterous, Charles Tilden, and Chris Miller @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 9pm, $5 w/ canned food donation. Plus art.

Fidget, The Infamous Bajcar and the Grim Preachers, and Riverside @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $7.

Burn Down The Capital presents Psychedelic Horseshit, U.S. Girls, Golden Error, 10,000 Watt Head, and Cave Dudes @ Teranga, 9pm, $8. All ages.

Janine Stoll, Miss Emily Brown, James Lamb, and Paul MacDougall @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm, $8.

Aussie Takeover Round 1 feat. The Holyfields, Gigantic, and Galore @ The Rivoli, 8:30pm, $10.

Fundraiser event feat. Matty D, Al & the Ski, Emilio Fuentes, Tamsynn-Lee, Omar Saad (Alright Alright), Jeff Giles, Najuah, and more @ Clinton's, 7:30pm, $10. There will also be art for sale and comedy.

Herman Dune and Throw Me The Statue @ El Mocambo (First Floor), $10.

The Painted Birds and Public w/ Joshua Bartholomew and Zack Borer (acoustic) @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10. Adv tix avail.

FRIDAY (3 oct)

Gurpreet Singh Chana @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Bryce Clifford, Chris Staig & the Marquee Players, and Paisley Jura @ Mitzi's Sister, 9pm, pwyc.

New Black and others @ Bread and Circus, 9pm, pwyc.

The Ryan Driver Quartet @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

ArchaeA, You Handsome Devil, The Toads, and The Silver Screens @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Songwriters Unite! monthly showcase feat. Eddy Plant, Keith McDonald, Mary Milne, Robert Davis, Michael-Angelo, Stephanie Martin, Lenore, and hosted by Russell Leon w/ Markus Walker @ Graffiti's, 9pm, pwyc.

Crabtree & Mills @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Samantha Martin & the Haggard and Christian D & the Hangovers @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

Jacflash presents SLAVE to the SQUAREwave, Zack Borer, and Melissa Bathory @ Clinton's, $5.

SoundCheck Show: Memory Lane feat. DJ Fingrprintz and DJ Grouch, w/ hosts Public, Contagious, and Lord Quest @ Augusta House, 9pm, $5. "Celebrating The End Of An Era In Toronto Hip Hop!"

Clouds That Look Like Things, The Paint Movement, Matt Bahen (solo; The Schomberg Fair), and The People of Canada @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7. Plus Jenny Charlton's first art show (photos/digital artwork for sale).

Vilipend, The Womb, and Akroid @ Holy Joe's, 9 pm, $7

Benefit for Regent Park Music School feat. Mongrels, The Mercy Now, El Mosquito, Drunkula @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $8.

AWSUM INK presents October Sky, Six Feet Deep, Sekora, and Stone Angel @ The Reverb, 8:15pm, $8.

Rob Szabo and Revival Dear @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8pm, $10.

Aussie Takeover Round 1 feat. The Wellingtons, Bluespoon, The Holyfields, and Atomic Tom @ The Rivoli, 8:30pm, $10.

Split 7" Release Party feat. The Creeping Nobodies, These Are Powers, and DD/MM/YYYY @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. Adv tix avail for $8.

SATURDAY (4 oct)

The Hot Five Jazzmakers @ C'est What, 2pm, $5.

* Johnny Flynn (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 5pm, free.

* Chad VanGaalen (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 6pm, free.

Country Saturdays feat. Laura Repo and The Foggy Mountain Hogtown Boys @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

* These Electric Lives, OPOPO, and Nights @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, free.

Dan Kosub, JP Sunga, and more @ The Renaissance Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

The Russell Leon Band, Neil Cotton, and Arthur Renwick @ Mitzi's Sister, 9pm, $5.

The Wilderness and Insurgentlemen @ Bread and Circus, 9pm, $5.

The Ugly Bug Band @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

JM McNab, Will the Circle, and Shelby Lamb @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Crabtree & Mills @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Girls!Girls!Girls! hosted by Melanie Peterson feat. Hayley Stark and more @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9pm, pwyc.

The Clearing and Saigon Brothel @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Bradley Boy and Catl (2 sets each, alternating) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

KlezFactor (CD release) w/ The River Pilots @ Concord Cafe, 9pm (start time), $?.

The Antiqs and tba @ The Mansion (157 St. George St.), 9pm, $5.

The Atomic Ravens, Fire Hydrant, Douglas Adams, and Reuben & Krazy Rob @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Ordain and Grave Over Diamonds @ The Annex WreckRoom, 7:30pm (early show), $6.

Ashley, followed by Kensington Station (dance party) @ Neutral, 10pm, $6.

Semi Precious Weapons and The Vestaloynes @ Velvet Underground, 8pm, $8.

A Fourth World, Deathstyle, and Ophelia Syndrome @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $8.

Burn Down The Capital presents An Albatross, The Chinese Stars, (((Microwaves))), and Thrashed Jeans @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. Adv tix avail.

SUNDAY (5 oct)

* Women (in-store) @ Soundscapes, 1pm, free.

The Evaporators, The Wierdies, and 3tards @ Trash Palace, 4pm, $4.

Phillipe Flahaut Blues Trio @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

Makita Hack & the Logrollers @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.

The Rent plays the music of Steve Lacy @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $6.

Mardi Jayde and Tom St. Louis @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

* Wavelength 433 feat. Donlands & Mortimer, Alphabot, and Bryce Clifford @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

The Woodchoppers Association @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Dark Tokes presents Crystal Fingers Play the Hired Hand Part II (AKA Matt 'Doc' Dunn & Ayal Senior) w/ Eric Chenaux, Shahin Etemadzadeh, SP!R!TSUP, Dead Dreams, and SkullBong @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Michael Reinhart w/ Sue Smith @ The Gladstone Hotel (Art Bar), 7-10pm, $8.

Gutter Demons, The Von Drats, and Rehab for Quitters @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

Paula Shear (CD release) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 7:30pm, $10.

Indie Music 53 (22-28 Sep 2008).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. Subscribe to my weekly podcast here. Or listen to it on Zygiella.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

Didn't see too much music this past week. Dinosaur Bones and Amos the Transparent at Tattoo on Wednesday night, and then a couple of excellent Detroit bands at Wavelength (Child Bite and Prussia), plus Tonka & Puma. I tried, but failed, to see/hear anything musical at Extermination Music Night. (Except instrument cases being carried/wheeled away.)

Elvis Mondays is kinda different this week: it's the debut of a series called Snakes & Ladders. It's still free, and there's still free food. (Some of the Elvis Mondays' regular are on the bill at the Rivoli Friday night, too.) There's lots more free stuff all week. Discover new music (for free or pwyc) at your favourite music-friendly bar, or check out my suggestions below. I'm thinking of going to the Dakota on Tuesday for Alistair Christl. On Friday night DJ Shit la Merde celebrates his 4th anniversary with special guests DJ Pammm and Fritz Helder & the Phantoms. Get there early and be prepared to brave the throngs of younger hipsters. This weekend make sure your days are free. You'll want to spend lots of time at Tranzac (Saturday) and at the Word on the Street festival (Sunday).

MONDAY (22 sep)

Chameleonize Unplugged @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

* Snakes & Ladders / Elvis Monday feat. Donlands & Mortimer, La Casa Muerte, Needlefoot, Skunt, hosted by The People Of Canada, with live visuals/projections and DJs Snakes, Rooster, and Cam-A-Lot @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free. This is the first Snakes & Ladders show.

Bo Green and Yawn Temiseva @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 9pm, pwyc.

Bryan Arcand, Daniel Sky Band, and Dave Thompson @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.

Groovy Mondays feat. Chris Gardner (from The Stars Here) @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

New Music Night feat. Austin John, Balls, Wet Nose Hero, and more @ Clinton's, 7:30pm, $5.

George Casey w/ Michael Williams (acoustic; from Deep in the Ninth) @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

TUESDAY (23 sep)

Wet Nose Hero and tba @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Noah & the Whale @ 11:00, Lindi Ortega @ 10:00, and Jon Epworth (debut) @ 9:00. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

uLTRaGaLaPaGouS @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Lysa Fina w/ Nadia Baer @ Graffiti's, 9pm.

Revival Dear @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, free.

* Alistair Christl & the Swingin' Chandeliers (2 sets) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, free.

The Pink & Black Attack presents King Beez (members of The Groopies) and Freddy Fuckup @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

* Showcho feat. The Williamson Playboys, Dominique Rabideau (juggler), Miss Scarlett, Mike Kiss & Ted Sutton (comedians), hosted by Julie Dumais @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Lindsay May @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Katie DuTemple & the Staytoughs and Groovesmith @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Trace Element and D-Funk @ Concord Cafe, 9pm, $5.

These United States, Entire Cities, and Dickie Haydon @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

The Waking Eyes and tba @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

Holger Schoorl @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

WEDNESDAY (24 sep)

Live 88.5 Big Money Shot Showcase feat. The Prefect, A Plot Against Me, and Sojourn @ The Rivoli, 5:30pm, free.

Granny Boots presents tba @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7:30-10pm, free.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Lost Innocence, Dan Kosub, and Bluespoon @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

The Billie Hollies and Greg Hambleton @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Music for Fall feat. Kevin Quain @ Czehoski, 9:30pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. The Stormalongs, Great Lenin's Ghost, and Senor Kasio @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

* The Owle Bird @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Local Alternative feat. 5 Star Trailer Park @ 11:40, Trevor James & the Perfect Gentlemen @ 10:50, Mondays Fiction @ 10:00, and The Guys @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

Kaigen (Japan; North American debut) and Modulok & Apollo Creed, hosted by SJ (Wordburglar) @ Augusta House, 9pm, $5. "A wild night of pure unadulterated avant-garde rap nerd sh*t."

LAUGHstock presents Slutty Slutty Bang Bang, Yuka, and YNF @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Mandippal Jandu, Janine Farragher, and Trevor Norris @ The Savannah Room, 8pm, $?

Sketch Songwriters Showcase @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Alistair Blaik Bundale (CD release) and Tempting Murphy (CD release) @ C'est What, 9pm, $5.

Victor Bateman & Eric Chenaux . . . then quiet @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. (The second set is 30 minutes of silence.)

Brutal Nights, Dean Dirg, The Young, and School Jerks @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $8.

Wombat Wednesdays hosted by Girls With Glasses feat. Evalyn Parry & her Bicycle Band, Christine Duncan's Elements Choir, and John Millard & the Happy Day @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10 ($9 for people w/ glasses, or $8 for Tranzac members).

THURSDAY (25 sep)

* FemBots (in-store) @ Soundscapes, 6pm, free.

Tripping Hazard, Knock Knock Ginger, and The DGB @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Michael Holt & Chris Warren @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Ancient Chinese Secret @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.

Jazz Thursdays feat. Beverly Taft @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Ken Tizzard & the Variety Show Players @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

Scott McCord & the Bonafide Truth @ The Cadillac Lounge, 10pm.

Ronley Teper's Lipliners @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

National Tragedy Episode 4 feat. Our Nation, Almost Blue Sunshine, and Allison Cameron & Jason Benoit @ The Renaissance Cafe, 10pm, pwyc.

Jono Lightstone @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Hatchetmen @ The Boat, 9pm, $5. I'm not sure what this is. The internet fails me. Help.

Local Alternative feat. Pandemic Hadouken @ 11:40, Rocakafellers @ 10:50, Left Of Zero @ 10:00, and The Stagehands @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

Leeves, Vesper Hours, Lickpenny Loafer, and Travis Mills @ Clinton's, 8:30pm, $5.

Jadea Kelly @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Dan David Band w/ Captive Grooves @ Supermarket, 8:30pm.

Darkside presents Horror Movie Night feat. The Von Drats, The Gorgon, and The Angry Dragons @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* Friends Explode presents The Pink Noise, Place Hands, and Pirate/Rock @ The Press Club, 10pm, $5.

* No Shame presents Nick Jaina, Kite Hill (members of Ohbijou and Forest City Lovers), and Parlovr @ Tiger Bar, 9pm, $5. New/old venue!

Bellaclava, Please Stand By, and Nightwood @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

Annelise Norhona & the Safe Word Project and Certified Healer @ C'est What, 9pm, $6.

The Knot: Tilman Lewis, Nick Storring, and John Oswald @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

A Thousand Cures, Menew, and Away from the Glow @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $7.

Hunter Valentine w/ Sadie May Crash and The Recroom @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $8.

Dame, Decemberflood, and Darwins Bible @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $8.

AWSUM INK Entertainment presents The Gods of Now, West Memphis Suicide, Dead But Dreaming, Blood Runs Cold, and The Manahan Project @ Kathedral, 8pm, $8.

Dark Meat / Vomit Lasers Family Band / Galaxy (AKA just Dark Meat) and Tropics @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $8.

Against the Grain presents Awesome Color, Action Makes, and Ancestors @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. Adv tix are available for $8.50.

The Edge 102.1's Live to Air feat. First Person Shooter and Virtue & Vice @ The Mod Club, 8pm, $10.

Dearly Beloved, The Dunes, and Red Elite @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10.

Rock For Humanity Benefit feat. Video Dead @ 12:00, Bastard Child Death Cult @ 11:00, Only Way Back @ 10:00, and Junior Battles @ 9:00. Lee's Palace, $10.

Oliver & Sebastian Pigott, Chad Doucette, and Melissa Bathory @ Reverb, 7pm, $?. All ages.

FRIDAY (26 sep)

Friday Blues feat. The Riffs @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Delta 14 @ Concord Cafe, 10pm, free.

Michael Laderoute @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Jadea Kelly and Tundra Fun @ Not My Dog, 8pm, pwyc.

Chrissy Reichert Presents: Isabelle Noel & A Vegan Feast @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Barn Owl, The Reverlies, and LUM @ The Bean Sprout (1307 Bloor St. W), 9pm (start time), pwyc. All ages. "Bring donations of art supplies (new or used) for a new art program for marginalized women."

Woah! Gordo feat. The Paint Movement (CD release) @ Bread & Circus, 9pm, pwyc.

Michael-Angelo @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Burnin Ethel and Box Full of Cash @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9:30pm.

Humble Empire presents 100 T-Shirt Party feat. 2 surprise bands and a dance party, w/ shirts, hats, and ties for sale @ The Boat, 7pm, $2 (or $5 after 9pm).

* Shit la Merde 4 Year Anniversary Party feat. Fritz Helder & The Phantoms, DJ Pammm, and special guests @ Sneaky Dee's, 10pm, $5.

Pop with Brains #17 feat. Golden Girls, Candy Coated Killahz, Idle Tigers, Alphabot, and Boxes & Bags @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5. ALl proceeds in support of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Daylight for Deadeyes (CD release) w/ The Stereohoax @ The Hideout, 9:30pm, $5.

The Deltanos w/ JK Mantis and The Gherkin Trio @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9:30pm, $5.

Tambourine Magazine Show #5 (Acoustic Showcase) feat. Kendal Thompson, Viki Pazzano, Mark Martyre & Laura Rodie, Sean Pinchin, Arlene Bishop, and Earthtone @ The Savannah Room, 7:30pm, $5.

Picturesound and George Casey Band @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

Paisley and Colt Cousins & the Heavy Hands w/ DJ sets by the Darth Virgos AL911 & Billy Geek @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Marianne Turner @ Graffiti's, 9pm, $6.

Joshua Cockerill Band w/ David Baxter @ Mitzi's Sister, 9:30pm, $6.

Live to Air dance party feat. Radio Clash @ 11:00. Lee's Palace, $6 (or free w/ student ID).

* TWM 25 presents B.A. Johnston (CD release) w/ The Schomberg Fair, Horses, and Raccoon Wedding @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7.

Tyler Yarema and Allie Hughes @ C'est What, 10pm, $8.

Two Hours Traffic @ 10:00, The I Spies @ 9:00, and Danks @ 8:00. Lee's Palace, 7pm (early show), $8.50 (adv tix avail).

Batuki Music presents Daniel Nebiat (CD release) @ Tranzac, 8pm, $10.

Damian Andre and friends @ Smiling Buddha, 10pm, $10.

SATURDAY (27 sep)

* The TrekZac FestiCon @ Tranzac, 1pm-midnight, $5-$10ish. For details see http://www.festicon.ca or http://www.new.facebook.com/event.php?eid=26838551419. This is a fundraiser for the Tranzac, and there is a lot happening.

Country Saturdays feat. Whoa Nellie @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Johnny 2 Bit @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6pm, pwyc.

Sean Peever @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 8pm, pwyc.

Wet Nose Hero, Tune Yards, and Katherine Peacock @ The Oxford Hotel (117 Oxford St.), 8pm, pwyc.

Night Jars and Floral Minuets @ Hub 14 (14 Markham St.), 9pm, pwyc.

Bill Colgate & the Urbane Guerillas @ Graffiti's, 9pm, pwyc.

Jennifer Foster and Park Road @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Fire Numbers @ The Cadillac Lounge, 10pm.

Fleece Elves, Elvyn, and The O'Darling @ The Savannah Room, 9pm, $5.

Subculture Syndrome, A!dan, Fourthwall, and Hatch @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Drake Classic presents Roberto Rosenman @ The Drake Hotel (Lounge), 8pm, $5.

Slutty Slutty Bang Bang, Burn Planetarium, and tba @ The Mansion (157 St. George St.), 9pm, $5. BYOB.

Years of Silence (CD release) w/ Circuit for the Blackout, and Isle of Thieves @ The Poor Alex, 9pm, $5 (incl. CD).

Wendy Leung, Will Hemmings, and tba @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9:30pm, $5.

Gentlemen Husbands w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Marisa Clare and Steve Raiken @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $6.

Ken Aldcroft (CD release) @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

The Books Elusive, followed by Kensington Station (dance party) @ Neutral, 10pm, $6.

JD Edwards and Grande Fir @ C'est What, 10pm, $6.

* TWM presents Sing Leaf, Ladyfingers, The Wind Whistles, and We're For Barton @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6. Awesome.

Metz, Dan Gordon & The Sure Things, and You Call Yourselves Soldiers (debut) @ Tiger Bar, 10pm, $10.

nufunk.ca presents The Chameleon Project (2 sets), Gratefully Deadicated Soundsystem, and Michael Lambert, w/ visuals by VJ Charm @ Revival, 9:30pm, $10 (or e-mail info@nufunk.ca for $8 tickets).

Evangelicals, Parenthetical Girls, For that Day, and Huckleberry Friends @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10 (or $7 adv).

* The Musebox presents The High Dials, The Disraelis, and Invasions @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

SUNDAY (28 sep)

Drake Classic presents Big Rude Brunch w/ Big Rude Jake @ The Drake Hotel (Cafe), 2pm, free.

Solar Cycle 24 feat. Alan Glicksman @ The Gladstone Hotel (Art Bar), 2-5pm, free.

* Word on the Street: Music! feat. Eric Chenaux, Laura Barrett, $100, Chris Eaton (Rock Plaza Central), and more @ Eye Weekly Music Stage, 11am-6pm, free.

Word on the Street: Music! feat. Liam Titcomb, The Micah Barnes Trio, Evalyn Parry & band, and more @ Citytv Main Stage, 11am-6pm, free.

Songwriters Expo hosted by Monique Barry, feat. Eric Mattei, Rob Szabo, and Roger Zuraw @ The Cadillac Lounge, 4-7pm, pwyc.

Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

United Empire Loyalists @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Lindsey Elvie and Ayton Atherton @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

* Wavelength 432 feat. Uhlan, My People Sleeping, Tuneyards @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

Steamboat Review w/ Alex Lukashevsky @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Holy Cobras, Pirate/Rock, and tba @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $?

The Rent plays the music of Steve Lacy @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $6.

Sunday Stoner Rock Spectacular 2: Electric Boogaloo feat. Sons of Otis, Nadja, Diablo Red, The Harold Wartooth @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 7pm, $10.

Jozef van Wissem w/ Colin Fisher & Brandon Valdivia @ The Music Gallery, 7pm, $5 (students & seniors) / $10 (members) / $15 (regular).

Wednesday night @ Tattoo.

There's a newish venue on Queen West at Portland, which is a just a block east of Bathurst. It's called the Tattoo Rock Parlour, and it does indeed offer both tattoos and rock music. It's claim to fame is, I think, that Edwin bartends there. Since I don't really remember Edwin, I don't care, but I've come to think that this place---despite the terrible name and my knee-jerk indie-hipster hatred of anything that sniffs of mainstream---is actually a pretty good venue. The lighting can be wonky, but this means that there is lighting! All kinds of lighting, and it's pretty snazzy. The sound seemed ok, though I could hardly hear the singer from Dinosaur Bones on Wednesday night. But the layout of the place is its real selling point for me: a long stage with two small bars on either end means lots and lots of room to be near the front, enjoying the band. This ain't no narrow Rancho Relaxo. It may lack indie cred, but it's got my vote as a good place to see good music, when it's on offer. Which is semi-regularly.

I went last Wednesday to see a local band named Dinosaur Bones. These guys have been playing live shows for less than a year, and they've built themselves a healthy local following, judging from the bills they've been on and the fact that so many well-wishers came out to an $8 event on a Wednesday night. At first I wasn't sure whether I'd like them, but they were pretty darn good. I wasn't bored like I worried I'd be. They have a hint of U2 to their sound, and a few of their songs really grabbed my attention. The so-so "Royalty" (on record) was performed marvelously, and the set left me wanting to see more of these guys. I'll get a chance in October when they open for Oh No Forest Fires and Black Hat Brigade at Supermarket. I'm looking forward to that show, even more than I was before.

So far, so good.

The real draw to Tattoo that night for me was Ottawa band Amos the Transparent. I'd seen these guys play Toronto at least 4 times previously, missed them put on "the best performance of the festival" (according to Pete Nema) during NxNE, and absolutely love their album. They were great this time around, switching up how they performed most of the songs. The addition of a fifth regular member (guitarist Dan) worked well. I hope they are gaining themselves a bit of a following here, and get the sense that they must be. As for me, I bought myself one of their new t-shirts.

Tattoo Rock Parlour, you've won me over. I'll see you again. Just do me a few favours: more indie bands, please; turn the sound down a wee bit; and for goodness sakes change your website, which is clunky and annoying and takes forever to load.

The first photo, to the left, features Mark (on the left) and Jonathan from Amos the Transparent. Mark is now the hardest working guy in the band, providing back-up singing and playing back-up drums, keys, and various guitars. The second photo, below, shows Mark, Jon, James, and Dan. Chris is behind the drum set. At top, Dinosaur Bones' set list.

Back at it.

I was back at my normal show-going pace this past weekend, after more than a week off seeing any shows. (Family visit explains that.) Thursday I hit up the Horseshoe for the Pack A.D.'s Toronto CD release. Friday I went to the Oxford Hotel in Kensington Market for a wonderful backyard musical treat from Ketch Harbour Wolves and Howl. Saturday I enjoyed Castlemusic and $100 in the basement of Sonic Boom Records, and on Sunday I spent 7 hours at the Music Gallery (a church) for the ALL CAPS!/Wavelength Rain Cheque Show. All of these musical experiences were quite different from each other. The weekend proved to me once again how diverse this amazing city is for indie music, both in terms of musical style and the kinds of venues you can hear and see it in.

Highlights included Ketch Harbour Wolves and Hamilton Trading Co. They were both beautiful. $100 made me happy too. I would have been more thrilled with The Speaking Tongues and The Pack A.D. Thursday night if it hadn't been so damn loud at the Horseshoe. (Yes, I was wearing earplugs.)

No time for proper reviews, but some visuals will give you a sense of things.Matt and Nate from The Schomberg Fair join Aaron (on guitar) and Pete (behind the drum on, playing a harmonica) on stage. Those Speaking Tongues' guys are hot.Ketch Harbour Wolves. There were brilliant. The backyard was an amazing spot that night. I will totally go back.Jeanette and Keith from Hamilton Trading Co. at the Music Gallery.

Indie Music 52 (15-21 Sep 2008).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. Subscribe to my weekly podcast here, or just listen to it each week at Zygiella.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

Last week I went to a few shows in somewhat out of the ordinary places for indie music. Friday night I sat on the grass at the Oxford Hotel and listened to marvelous melodic music (Ketch Harbour Wolves and Howl), surrounded by lovely people. Saturday I sat on the floor at Sonic Boom Records, taking in a very pregnant Castlemusic and the awesome $100. Sunday was the ALL CAPS! Rain Cheque show which featured 9 bands/performers of all different sorts playing at the Music Gallery (which is a church). It was great! These are the kinds of events that make living in this city exciting. Thursday was fun too: The Schomberg Fair, The Pack A.D., and The Speaking Tongues at the Horseshoe.

My life would be easier if I didn't know about all the great inexpensive shows happening each week. It makes deciding where to go so difficult. As always, I've starred some shows that I think will be good (depending on what you're in the mood for.) If I haven't starred a show, it doesn't necessarily mean I don't think it will be awesome; I just don't know much about those bands/venues.

MONDAY (15 sep)

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Shoeless Monday feat. Sex Butler @ 11:15, Wentworth @ 10:15, and Card Calling @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Elvis Mondays presents Carmen Elle, Niverse, Purrr, The Februarys, Luxury Bob, and The People of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Pilgrims of Brock @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, free.

Bryan Arcand and The Elwins @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.

Jason Benoit performs H. H. Neptune @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 10pm, $5.

mByronic Heroes @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, pwyc.

Groovy Mondays feat. Steve Rakem @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc. Followed by Open Stage at 11pm.

The Low Heroes, The Infamous Bajcar & the Grim Preachers, and Leah Erbe @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Little Claw, Eat Skull, and Blues Control @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10.

TUESDAY (16 sep)

The Jessica Stuart Few and Aki Takahashi @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Everytime Band @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Bitchin' Sessions (improv music) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Art Bar), 8-11pm, pwyc.

Hobsons Choice @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Pink & Black Attack presents Conversation and Along Way Home @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

Scott Pietrangelo, Alex Woodrow, and Kristin Lagasse @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Homegrown Tuesdays feat. Matt Empacher and others @ Silver Dollar, 7pm, $5.

The Waking Eyes and The Sheepdogs @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

The Hotel Lobbyists @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

David Prentice & Aaron Lumley @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. This alternative venue (340 Dufferin St, enter from Melbourne Ave) showcases improvisational music.

WEDNESDAY (17 sep)

Granny Boots presents Ryan G. Hinds, Chelsea P. Manders, Yehuda Fisher, Mark Shyzer's Quintet Quartet, and more @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7:30-10pm, free.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Sidharta, Painted Birds, and The Februarys @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

David Woodhead @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. Battleship Ethel, Saffron Sect, Blanc En White(debut), and Your Volunteer @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Great Aunt Ida and Selina Martin @ Czehoski, 9pm, pwyc.

Lilli Lewis @ The Savannah Room, 8-10pm, $5.

* Muskox and Allison Cameron @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

LAUGHstock presents Revolution Love, Driftwood, and Mob Mentality @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

No Official Capacity presents Cheap Beer & Metal Night 2 feat. Wolves Of Anson, Stalingrad, and tba @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

Witch Hunt, Endprogram, and Shit Reign @ Siesta Nouveaux (15 Lower Sherbourne St.), 7pm (early show), $5.

Freehand Books Toronto SuperLaunch feat. readings by Marina Endicott (fiction), Jeanette Lynes (poetry), Saleema Nawaz (fiction), and Susan Olding (non-fiction), and music by Paul Quarrington and PorkBelly Futures @ Clinton's, 7:30pm, $?.

Victor Bateman & Arnd Jurgenson . . . then quiet @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. (The second set is 30 minutes of silence.)

* Amos The Transparent, Dinosaur Bones, and Matt Duffin @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $8.

* Lifestory:Monologue w/ The Diverse Attraction, Siberia, Lexigton, HyPoGea, Play Oliver, and Treestar @ Kathedral, 6pm, $10. All ages.

Wombat Wednesdays hosted by Girls With Glasses feat. The GWG (Evalyn Parry, Eve Goldberg, Karyn Ellis), Anne Lindsay, and Morgan Jones Phillips (Emergency Monologues) @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10 ($9 for people w/ glasses, or $8 for Tranzac members).

Decadent Rare feat. Ciara Adams, Natalie Walshots, Sule Heitner, and Sean Dixon @ Supermarket, 7pm, $10. This is a new series which showcases a few different kinds of art and performance.

Aaron Garner and Patrick Ballantyne @ Holy Joe's, 8pm, $10.

THURSDAY (18 sep)

Ancient Chinese Secret @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.

Revolvers, The Vestaloynes, and Engine Ears @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, free.

Tundra Fun and The Jessica Stuart Few @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Picastro, Liz Forsberg, and CJ Boyd @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Dave Borins @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

* Knock Knock Ginger, Woodward Company, Deadbeat Dads, The Decade of Sleep, and Elisha @ The Silver Dollar, 9pm, $4.

Ladyfest Toronto presents LAL, Emma McKenna, Miau Miau, and The I Love You Twos w/ DJs Droppin' Dimez @ The Boat, 9pm, $5-$10.

Metal Meltdown feat. Mortiferous @ 11:15, Amarith @ 10:15, and Blood Runs Cold @ 9:15. Lee's Palace, $5.

No Shame presents The Darcys, Boys Who Say No, and The Music Box @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* Lullabye Arkestra and Orn w/ DJ Daniel Vila @ Wrongbar, 10pm, $5.

Mermen Attacks, mByronic Heroes, and Alright Alright @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

La Cambalacha feat. QuiQue Escamillo & Co., The Hot Club Of South East Central, Santerias, and more @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 9pm, $5.

* Alphabot (EP release), Everything All The Time, Boxes & Bags, and Still Life Still, hosted by The People Of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8:30pm, $6 (or $5 in adv from the bands).

The Knot: Tilman Lewis, Nick Storring, and Justin Haynes @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

Josh Gabriel w/ Stella Rose @ C'est What, 9pm, $tba.

Lorne Hind 360, Kickflip, and BBQ Spacetank @ Clinton's, 9pm, $8.

Andrew DeVillers (CD release) w/ HotKid and Donovan Woods @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $8 (or $15 to get the CD too).

Nick Zubeck (CD release) w/ Sandro Perri, Christine Bougie, and Dafydd Hughes @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $8.

Skull Fucking Metal Fest feat. Hellacaust, Punch Drunk, Demontage, NuclearHammer, Hands of Death, Malaria, and King @ Smiling Buddha, 7:30pm, $10.

Michael Jerome Browne (CD release) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 8pm-midnight, $10.

FRIDAY (19 sep)

Trish Kerr @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

The Mad Housewives @ Graffiti's, 9pm, pwyc.

* Alun Piggins & the Quitters @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Nancy Dutra @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

Joshua Cockerill @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The DoneFors @ Not My Dog, 10pm, pwyc.

No Subtitles Art & Music Show presents Grasshoppers and Still Life Still @ WhipperSnapper Gallery, 10pm, pwyc.

Friends Explode presents Young Flux, Red Trakpants, and Oscar Brown @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Breadfan, Kintra, and The Unavowed @ Clinton's, 9pm, $5.

Jim Armstrong & The Sonic Deli Band, Home Grown, and Big Blue @ The Savannah Room, 10pm, $5.

* Steam Whistle Unsigned 8 presents The Framework, Lioness, The Burning Hell, and DJs These Electric Lives @ Steam Whistle Brewing (The Roundhouse, 255 Bremner Blvd), 8pm, $5. 100% of the door donated to the Artists' Health Centre Foundation. A great bill that brings together different indie genres. All bands are ones you should see/hear.

* The Oxford Hotel presents Brad Casey, Hungry Lake, and Sam Sidd @ The Oxford Hotel (117 Oxford St.), 8pm, pwyc. BYOB. Bands will play in the backyard, or kitchen if it's raining. It's a lovely spot with a relaxed, friendly vibe. You should go sometime.

Heavy Petting and Casual Licks @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc/$5.

The Warped 45s and The Locusts Have No King @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5.

The Great Collapse, Braintoy, Scarlet Sins, and The Isosceles Project @ Reverb, 7pm, $5. All ages.

Caitlin Burgess (CD release) w/ Scarecrow @ Holy Joe's, 9pm, $5.

Ladyfest Toronto presents Asian Arts Freedom School @ Beaver Hall, 7pm, $5.

Night Flowers (album release) w/ recordbreaker and Mary 5e @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, $5.

Beyond the Black and Outspoken w/ DJ sets by the Darth Virgos AL911 & Billy Geek @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

Jetset Motel, The Paper Makers, and Sherry Ryan @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $6.

Live to Air dance party feat. Radio Clash @ 11:00. Lee's Palace, $6 (or free w/ student ID).

The Von Drats (CD release) w/ The Butchers and The Brimstones @ The Cadillac Lounge, 10pm, $8.

Film Jam 11 feat. BVD, The BreakDown, Elissa Barclay, and Acrid Ricki & the Sticks, w/ DJ Havok, art by Jacqueline Pytyck and Alex, and hosted by Skye Collyer and Jeremy Johnson @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 8pm, $10 ($8 w/ canned food donation).

* Tusks (EP release), Mandibles (CD release), and Steven McKay Band @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8:30pm, $8. Well, heck.

* Scott b. Sympathy and Revival Dear @ C'est What, 10pm, $8.

Ska Face and The Idlers @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $10.

Uma Nota @ The Gladstone Hotel (Ballroom), 9pm-midnight, $10.

SATURDAY (20 sep)

Toronto New Music Marathon w/ Eve Egoyan, The Lollipop People, The Dead Are Those Who Have Died, Allison Cameron, New Adventures in Sound Art, Tidal Pool, Bitchin, Shrimp Cocktail, Rob's Collision, Tim Francom & Dean Pomeroy, Digital Prowess, Book of Gnomes, IO Media, Contact, and more @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 2-10pm, free.

* Ladyfest Toronto presents Isla Craig, Samantha Martin, and Ghost Bees @ St. Stephen's In-the-Field Church (103 Bellevue Ave), 3pm, $5-$10. All ages.

Country Saturday feat. Joanne MacKell & the Paradis Rangers @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 6-9pm, free.

* Seedy Ease, Nights, The Hots, and Days Left @ The Sound Academy (11 Polson St), 8pm, free. Indie rock. For free.

Spacecraft 7 @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6pm, pwyc.

* The Weather Station, Snowblink, and Entire Cities (acoustic) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

QuiQue Escamilla @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Leaving Sangster and Melissa Larkin @ The Savannah Room, 8:30pm, $5.

Ladyfest Toronto presents Sita Black, Party Time, Dinah Thorpe, and Rae Spoon @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $5-$10.

Leonard Cohen Tribute Night @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5.

The Torrent and Animal Monster, w/ films by Amy Lockhart & Phillipe Blanchard @ Cinecycle (129 Spadina Ave), $5.

Red Records presents Mic Machanixx w/ King Jus and DJ Nana @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5.

Bigfix (CD release), Tex & the Renegades, and Love Pony, w/ DJ Ronin E-Ville @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

* The Hotel Lobbyists, Revolvers, and The Skirtchasers, @ The Mansion (157 St. George St), 9pm, $5. BYOB.

TWM presents The Lovely Killbots, Honest I's, The Svens, and Bombs @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

Allison Cameron, Justin Haynes, and Jean Martin @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

Monica Schroeder and tba @ C'est What, 10pm, $6.

The Blue Demons, The Knifings, The Robot, and The Goddamn Goddamns @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $tba.

Central Boulevarde, Mugwump, Maelstorm Effect, Blame the Messenger, Phantom Black, and more @ Kathedral, 5pm, $10.

Final Trigger, Hail the Villain, Toy Box, If Looks Could Kill, Isle of Thieves, Blue Sky Down, Nathan Down, and tba @ Reverb, 5pm, $10. All ages.

iNative Fest feat. Jesus Murphy, Texas Meltdown, Plex & DJ Divinyl, hosted by Andre Morriseau @ Hard Rock Cafe, 8pm, $10.

SUNDAY (21 sep)

* Laura Barrett (CD release) w/ Dan Werb and Ghost Bees @ Tranzac, 1:30pm, $10. Come by at 11:30am for brunch (catered by Laura and Ajay Mehra, served at noon), $7. Projection art and animations by Tin Can Forest, Isaac King, and Chris DeCastro. Marvelous.

Rascalz, K-os, K'naan, Kamau, and more @ Nathan Phillips Square, noon-10pm, free.

Terpsicalliope @ Somewhere There, 1-3pm, $6. Improv dance & music.

The AMBiENT PiNG presents dSU, Eric Hopper, and Jamie Todd; Anne Sullivan (Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks); and Kinder Atom; w/ visuals by General Chaos @ The Textile Museum of Canada, 1:30pm, $6/pwyc.

White Squirrels and Sinners @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.

Max Cann @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Hotcha and Barry Payne & John Allaire @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

The Rent plays the music of Steve Lacy @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $6.

Gordon's Acoustic Living Room @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, free.

* dUTERVIL, Remotely Controlled, and Matthew de Zoete @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Wavelength 431 feat. Spookey Ruben, Prussia, and Child Bite @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

Anhai and Brandon Valdivia @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

FABRik RECordS Showcase 3 @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm.

Ladyfest Toronto presents Sunny D, Fat Femme Mafia, Doom Tickler, UTI, and Jasmyn Burke (Hot Monogamy) @ St. Stephen's In-the-Field Church, 7pm, $5-$10. All ages.

iNative Fest feat. The Johnnys, Jacques & the Shakey Boys, and Jace Martin, hosted by Paul Sayers @ El Mocambo, 8pm, $10.

Indie Music 51 (8-14 Sep 2008).

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

MONDAY (8 sep)

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Shoeless Monday feat. Miasmata @ 11:15, Saxton @ 10:15, and Ryan McMahon @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Terence Blanchard @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 8:30pm, free. "Internationally renowned jazz trumpeter and composer."

Sparkling White, On the Verge, and Cinema @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, pwyc.

Groovy Mondays feat. Tanya Philipovich @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Baby Eagle and tba @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 9pm, pwyc.

Eleven Eleven Productions presents You Yourselves, the Imports, Life in Vacuum @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

TUESDAY (9 sep)

The United Empire Loyalists @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Mark Bragg @ 11:40, tba @ 10:50, Bury the Bully @ 10:00, and Gruve @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Guh and Cloisterfuck @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Eradicators @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Pink & Black Attack presents The Groopies and The Johnnys @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

Best of the Open Stage with Marcus Walker, Phil Hood, Russell Chesham, Sheba Mojtahedi (w/ Soles Mojo), and Hayley Stark @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

* This is Picture and Maneli Jamal @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, pwyc.

The Waking Eyes and tba @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

Madrid, Off the International Radar, Rich Aucoin, and Pirate/Rock @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, $5.

Little O and 3 other bands @ Concord Cafe, 9pm, $5.

Marty Kolls (CD release) @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $8.

WEDNESDAY (10 sep)

Granny Boots presents Prematurely Grey feat. Emma McKenna, Nolan Natasha featuring MC Joan Nestle, Lisa Bozikovic & Liz Brockest, and Zoe Whittall @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7:30-10pm, free.

David Woodhead w/ Emilyn Stam, Jaron Freeman-Fox, and Rich Greenspoon @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. Karma Controllers, The Printing Press, and Wendy Leung @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

LAUGHstock presents Single File to Freedom, The Kettle Black, Gunnar Rapido, and Please Standby @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Ann Chaplin (CD release) w/ Jesse Labelle and "Pete & Dave" @ Clinton's, 8pm, $5.

Faded Blue @ 10:45, Madhatters @ 9:45, and tba @ 8:45. Lee's Palace, $5.

Dan Kosub @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, free.

The Assistants w/ The Cheap Speakers and tba @ The Velvet Underground, 9pm, $5.

Quarry Records presents Before the Flood (tour kick off show) w/ Jetset Motel and Kensington Prairie @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.

Lisa Marie Kruchak, Mike Gray, and Makeda Taylor @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, $5.

The Lesson (CD release) w/ You vs Me and tba @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5 (or free w/ CD purchase).

Johnny Exxtasy, The Daily Times, and Lost Innocence @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

A Thousand Cures and Fatal Assembly @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, $7.

Drunkula w/ Raggedy Angry @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $8.

Wombat Wednesdays hosted by Girls With Glasses feat.Eve Goldberg, The Good Lovelies, LAL, The Saucy Tarts and Ziysah @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10 ($9 for people w/ glasses, or $8 for Tranzac members).

THURSDAY (11 sep)

* Great Lake Swimmers @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 5:30pm, free.

Fred Spek's Camp Combo @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Michelle Rumball's Beauty Saloon @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

The Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Echo Hermits and Luke Jackson @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

Ethel & the Mermen @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm.

Mexican Divorce and Sisters of Mersy @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Husbands & Knives, Matt Charleton, and Aaron Lozynsky @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Your New Friends w/ Slutty Slutty Bang Bang @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Big Rock Brewery Presents Big Rock Untapped feat. Dan Gordon, Blue Venus, and Michelle Willis @ C'est What, 8:30pm, $5.

Notes To Self, Rayhaan, DJ Nana, and Chef Metsa @ The Rivoli, 9:30pm, $5.

Black Collar Thursdays feat.Chasing Mercury , Synaesthetic w/ DJ Stu Dead of Playdead @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

SFH (CD and video release) w/ Karaoke Loving Aliens @ The Annex WreckRoom, 8pm, $5.

Sierra Club Benefit show feat. Clara Engel, Coal Mine Canaries, Melanie E, and Tuba @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 7:30pm, $5 w/ can of food, or $8.

No Shame presents Picastro, Leif Vollebekk, and Luluc @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* A.P.E. presents Nadastorm, Put the Rifle Down, The Diableros, The Framework, The 84.85, and Rory Them Finest @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5 (before midnight; $10 after).

* The Speaking Tongues @ 11:40, The Pack AD @ 10:50 (CD release), The Schomberg Fair @ 10:00, and Shitt Hottt (final show) @ 9:10. @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $8.

The Guest Bedroom (EP release), The Stolen Minks, and Brides, w/ DJs Deathhug @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $6.

The Soles (double CD release) w/ The Steve York Band, Dom Deluca, Elf TV, Dan McLean Jr., Susan Hutcheson, and more @ Supermarket, 8pm, $10 or $5 (incl. a CD or two).

Heads Connect presents The ManifesTO Alternative Hip Hop Stage feat. Grand Analog, Two Left, Wordburglar, Rhythmicru, More or Les, Tumbuktu, Spesh K, and Cloud 9 @ Reverb, 10pm, $10.

FRIDAY (12 sep)

* The Pack AD (in-store) @ Criminal Records, 5pm, free.

Friday Blues presents Julian Fauth @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Crummy Stuff and The Calrizians @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $5.

Nancy Dutra @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Woodshed Orchestra @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

* Margaret & Simon Christl @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

The Joys, The Free Press, Tenth Planet, and The First Time @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $6.

Sindealer and Zuku, w/ DJ sets by the Darth Virgos AL911 & Billy Geek @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* No Shame presents The Coast, Will Currie & The Country French, and Still Life Still @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.

The Oxford Hotel presents Howl and tba @ The Oxford Hotel (117 Oxford St.), 8pm, $5. BYOB.

Shattered Remains presents Brane, Three Star Seed, and Fatal Assembly @ The Annex WreckRoom, 7pm, $5.

No Dynamics (midnight set) as part of Doin' It To Death (dance party) @ The Boat, 10pm, $5.

Left Side Drive, Slow News Day, and The Wakings @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Hated, Preying Hands, Sonorous Gale, and tba @ Siesta Nouveaux (15 Lower Sherbourne), 8pm, $5. BYOB.

Tranquil @ 10:15, Alison Jane @ 9:30, and 85 East @ 8:15. Lee's Palace, 8pm (early show), $10. Followed by Live to Air dance party feat. Radio Clash @ 11:00, $6 cover (or free w/ student ID).

* Run with the Kittens (CD release) @ 12:00, Pavlov's Dogs Orchestra @ 11:00, and The Whole Entire Universe (AKA The People of Canada band) @ 10:00. The Horseshoe Tavern, $8.

Diana DiGiovanni, Andrea Ramolo, and Orangutan @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9:30pm, $8.

John & Jenny's Rockabilly Weekender feat. The Tigersharks, TC & the Greasemakers, The Bible All-Stars, and DJ David Faris @ The Cadillac Lounge, $8.

Burn Down The Capital presents Stars Like Fleas, The Saffron Sect, and Timber Timbre @ The Music Gallery, 8pm, $10 (adv tix avail.)

SATURDAY (13 sep)

Country Saturday feat. Mr. Rick & the Biscuits @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 6-9pm, free.

* $100 and Castlemusic (in-store) @ Sonic Boom, 7pm, free.

Al Tuck and Sherry Ryan & the Wonderful Curves @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

The Wilderness @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm, pwyc.

Kenneth Reaume, Double Suicide, and Tradition @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, $5.

* TMDP, followed by Fuck Faces (dance party) @ Sneaky Dee's, 10pm, $5 (or free before 11pm).

Chloe Charles @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

The Strip, Must Stash Hat, and Diana Catherine @ The Mansion (157 St. George St.), 9pm, $5. BYOB.

High Art for the Low Down presents The Motherfuckers, Please Stand By, RackShot, and Ball Harness @ Siesta Nouveaux (15 Lower Sherbourne), 7pm, $5. BYOB.

Roberto Rosenman @ The Drake Hotel (Lounge), 8pm, $5.

Pop Montreal presents Andy Williams, Jamaica to Toronto, Ultra Magnus, and Pop Films screening @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5 (before midnight; $10 after).

Supernal, St. Joes Mission, and King Clancy, w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* The Two Koreas, followed by Kensington Station (dance party) @ Neutral, 10pm, $6.

The Flints @ C'est What, 10pm, $7.

A Fourth World, Broomfiller, and The Matthews Brothers @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $8.

Flash Lightnin' @ 12:30 and 11:30, We Are The Take @ 10:30, and Zeus @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, $8.

John & Jenny's Rockabilly Weekender feat. Bloodshot Bill, Southside Jimmy Byron, Christian D & The Hangovers, and DJ Beach'd Mark @ The Cadillac Lounge, $10.

Vanderpark, Turn Off the Stars, and Waxmen @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

Shrubbco Visions presents Starring Janet Leigh, Mortify, The Unborn Dead, Ursa Major, From Ruins, and Adversary 7 @ Reilly's (3rd Floor), 7pm, $10. All ages.

SUNDAY (14 sep)

Lazy Sunday Matinee @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 2:30pm, pwyc.

* ALL CAPS! Outdoor Show / Wavelength 430 feat. Hooded Fang, Huckleberry Friends, Wordburglar, The Youngest, LAL, Hamilton Trading Co., Nick Storring, The Miles, and Canaille @ The Music Gallery (courtyard), 4-11pm, free. See you there!

White Squirrels and Sinners @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.

Myke & the Mod Villians @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

Marie-Josee Houle @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free. French cabaret.

The Talcoma Hellfarm Tragedy @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Indie Music 50 (1-7 Sep 2008).

Like this list? Join my Google Group to get my weekly Toronto indie music listings. Or, the Facebook group. Subscribe to my weekly podcast here.

Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though with a preference for listing those happening at venues I especially like, or featuring performers I know something about. This list is thus not comprehensive. In addition, I rarely list shows that cost $10 or more, and never ones that require advance ticket purchases. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.

Saw a bunch of bands/performers last week. I'll just list them for you, because I'm a show-off: Medallions, Seedy Ease, This is Picture, Olenka & the Autumn Lovers, Idle Tigers, Green Go, The Magic, Myles Kennedy, Maneli Jamal, The Youngest, Shelby Lamb, The Woodchoppers Association, and Flying Fox & the Hunter/Gatherers. You can catch the latter two acts this week too. Both are worth seeing/hearing.

MONDAY (1 sep)

Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

Shoeless Monday feat. Farewell Cool Reason @ 11:15, Leaving Sangster @ 10:15, and Flying Fox & the Hunter/Gatherers @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Carly~Jo and Melissa Bell @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $10.

Groovy Mondays feat. Nancy Dutra @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Wax Philosophic w/ Chris Coates and DJs @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5. Hip-hop.

TUESDAY (2 sep)

* The Weather Station w/ tba @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8pm (early show), free.

Organic Funk @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm.

Elvis Mondays [sic] presents Gore, Februarys, Royal So & So's,Adam Faux & the Exploding Band, The People of Canada, and more @The Drake Underground, 9pm, free.

Pink and Black Attack presents The Good Rats Radio, Pickseid (EP release), and Deficits @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

The United Empire Loyalists @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Whale Tooth @11:40, Broadcast @ 10:50, Polymorphines @ 10:00, Najvah @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

Great Aunt Ida @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Calrizians @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Them Porch Rats and tba @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

Psych Night feat. Crystal Fingers; Not the Wind, Not the Flag; Hookers Revenge; Skullbong; and Dead Dreams @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

GoodSoundsGood presents Saidah Baba Talibah, Theresa Sokyrka, and Jessica Rose @ Supermarket, 8:30pm, $6.

No Official Capacity presents Gates Of Winter and tba @ Duffy's Tavern, 9pm, $8. All ages.

WEDNESDAY (3 sep)

* PWYC Weds feat. B'MO' Crazy, Gypsophilia, and Waking Up Cross Eyed @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.

Suburban Smith @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, pwyc.

Local Alternative feat. Tales To Astonish @ 11:40, Boy In December @ 10:50, Dirty Penny @ 10:00, Sound Foundation @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.

LAUGHstock presents Rhythm Fiend, The New Kings, and Scott Shepperd @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Luke Sneyd w/ Fourlines and Mike Celia @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9 pm, $5.

See Spot Run, Junior Achiever, and ShakaLabbits @ The Drake Underground, 9pm, $5.

Rival Gang Theatre and The Emotionally Unavailable Mariners @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $5.

Victor Bateman @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. Start of a weekly residency.

Jeremy Brendan Day & the Resistance w/ Fragile Bag and Fire Star Skies @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $8.

The Thing Is @ Clinton's Tavern, 9pm, $8. 'Balkan/Jazz Fusion.'

Wombat Wednesdays hosted by Girls With Glasses feat. Karyn Ellis, Snowblink, Selina Martin, and Mark Shyzer @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm,$10 ($9 for people w/ glasses, and $8 for Tranzac members).

THURSDAY (4 sep)

Marinda @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free. 'Jazz/world music trio.'

Don't Worry Darlin' @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

* Nude as the News w/ Sandro Perri, Gabe Levine, and Sing Leaf @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Benjamin & Mia @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5.

* Angela Desveaux (CD release) w/ Andy Swan and Easy Targets @ The Boat, 8:45pm, $5. "Best show of the season," says the Boat's booker, Keith Hamilton.

Prodigal Sons @ Clinton's, 9pm, $5.

Proposterous (CD release) w/ The Hormoans and YnF @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

tba @ 11:15, Beat Communique @ 10:15, and tba @ 9:15. Lee's Palace, $5.

ARC, Menace Ruine, Ghostlight, and Baker/Bloor/Worden @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Revival Dear and Yukon Cigar @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Songwriters Unite! @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8:30pm, pwyc/$5sugg. Details about the performers here:http://www.songwritersunite.com/shows.php.

TIFF Opening Night Party/DMoney presents Jokers of the Scene, Vitaminsforyou, Nacho Lovers, Dirty 30, and The Cleef @ The Drake Underground, 8pm, $5.

* No Shame presents The Craft Economy, Magic Jordan, and Tonka & Puma @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Rockstar Vodka presents The Vestaloynes, Gettysburg, and more @ The Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

elZOO presents The Isosceles Project, The Synaesthetic, Sentient,and DJ Illicit @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 9pm, $5 w/ canned food donation.

The Knot (Tilman Lewis & Nick Storring) @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.

Julian Taylor w/ Edo & Peter @ C'est What, 8:30pm, $6.

Black Collar Thursdays feat. Latefallen, Beyond the Fall, and Jar w/ DJ Stu Dead of Playdead @ The Bovine, 9pm, $8.

Fond of Tigers, Off World, and Canaille @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 9pm, $8.

Mortiferous, Azenith, and more @ Kathedral, 7pm, $10.

Edwin w/ Jackfish River @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10.

Screaming Beavers @ Reverb, 6pm, $10. All ages.

FRIDAY (5 sep)

* Gladstone World presents Kobo Town (Trinidad) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Nancy Dutra @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Ryan Driver Quartet @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

The Mercy Now and The Daniel Sky Band @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Soundgazer, followed by DJ Osaze @ Neutral, 10pm, pwyc.

* Folk Yeah 2 feat. Proof of Ghosts, The Schomberg Fair, Ketch Harbour Wolves, Hungry Lake, Howl, Melissa Dalton, Oliver Pigott, Wendy Leung, Lara Martin, Will Hemmings, and more @ Delaware House, 8pm, $2.

More Proof presents Eli Escobar, Times Neue Roman (EP release),Styrofoam Ones, Kelly & the Kelly Girls, and More Proof DJs @ The Drake Underground, 8pm, $5.

Songwriters Unite! monthly showcase @ Graffitis, 9pm (start time),pwyc/$5 sugg. Details here: http://www.songwritersunite.com/shows.php

Zone of Resistance, Balls, Impulse, and Azenith @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.

Singer/Songwriter Night feat. Kasper, Adam D’Andrea, Courtney-Lynn,Luke Michelson, Frances Miller, Carlo Meriano (Deadbeat Dads), Pete Binsted, and Markus Harris @ Holy Joe's, 9pm, $tba.

* Catl and Bradley Boy (two sets each) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm (start time), $5.

Rachenne Regozo, Edward Monzon, Brandon Navia, and The Murray Family Singers @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc/$5.

Revolution Rising, The Meggie Faye Band, Stone Angels, Hazardous Waste, Bad Skin, and Immrama @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 9pm, $5.

Tyranny of Love, Dirty Penny, BRKN Angel, Pat Kelly, and Camel Joe@ Clinton's, 8:30pm, $5 (or $8 for a couple). Or is it $6/$10? Conflicting information...

Rockstar Vodka presents Dead Sexy Sheila and tba @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

TWM presents Leonids, Archipelagos, and Hibou @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

Local New Punk feat. The Smile @ 10:30, No Orphans @ 9:30, and Calicose @ 8:30. Lee's Palace, $5.

Sometimes Why and Revolution Love w/ DJ sets by the Darth Virgos AL911 & Billy Geek @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

* Yonder, Hooded Fang, and Boys Who Say No @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $6.

* Local Ska Pop Rock feat. Crush Luther @ 12:30, Magneta Lane @11:30, Spirits @ 10:30, and Natasha Pasternak @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, $8.

BNS presents Conduit for Sale feat. The Fried Dough Band performing Pavement's 'Slanted and Enchanted' w/ andru.09 and DJ Rich Hope @Revival, 9pm, $8.

The Reign, Gemini Doc & Frosty, Tha Nomadz, De Ja Bu, Outspoken& Borderlines Finest, and Fancy Girls Market @ Reverb, 9pm, $10 (or$7 adv).

Artur Dyjecinski and Chris Assaad @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $10.

NikkisTrick (tour kick-off) w/ Mindsight and River Kartel @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

SATURDAY (6 sep)

Country Saturdays presents Michael Brennan w/ Steve Briggs @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 6-9pm, free.

* Youssou N'dour & Le Super Etoile (Senegal) @ Yonge-Dundas Square, 8:30pm, free.

Rattlesnake Choir (4-7pm) and Whoa-Nellie (8-11pm) @ Graffitis, pwyc.

Myke Mazzei & the Mod Villains, The Jessica Stuart Few, and DJ Link @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Party Time, Owl Eyes, Basket of Figs, and Dan Goldman @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Girls' Night hosted by Melanie Peterson feat. Deb Whalen and others @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm, pwyc

Revolution Rising @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $?

* Nathan Lawr and Kate Maki @ The Cameron House, 9pm, $5.

TWM 24 presents Make Your Exit, Plastics Inc, and Sleep for the Nightlife @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* Never Forgive Action 4th Anniversary feat. Scratch Bastid, Dalia& Numeric, Peter Project, and MC Abdominal @ The Drake Underground,8pm, $5.

* Rockstar Vodka presents Action Makes, The Superstitions, and Hunting Horns @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

Dean Lickyer and Urban Preacher w/ DJ Vania @ The Bovine, 9pm, $5.

The New State and Elkface w/ DJs Jennifer Reinhardt and T. Shute @ Tiger Bar, 9:30pm, $5.

Sebastien Grainger (Vfest afterparty) @ The Burroughes Building, 11pm, $5. Adv tix are also available.

Bonjay and Candy Coated Killers, followed by Kensington Station (dance party) @ Neutral, 10pm, $6.

Funk Rock Soul feat. KC Roberts @ 12:30, Jay Spectre (CD release) @11:30, Scobo @ 10:30, and Streetlight Light @9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, $8.

Japanther, Romo Roto, and tba @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $10. Adv tix are available for this show.

Vacuity (tour kick-off) and Sandman Viper Command @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10.

SUNDAY (7 sep)

High Art for the Low Down presents The Kettle Black, Ship Shapes, and Wax Mannequin @ Siesta Nouveaux (15 Lower Sherbourne St.), 4pm, $5.BYOB. All ages.

Tempting Murphy @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

The Related @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

Mark Bragg @ The Boat, 9pm, $?.

* Wavelength 429 feat. Saidah Baba Talibah, Limbs of the Stars, and Imran Khan @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.

The Woodchoppers Association @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.

Three Little Maids From Maria School Are We feat. Alison Jutzi,Allie Hughes, and Kyla Tingley @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, $5 sugg.donation.

Paul Kalkbrenner, Nitin, Jamie Kidd, Greg Gow, and Felix & Gani @ The Drake Underground, 10pm, $tba.

Melissa Pisarzowski @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $?.

The Rent plays the music of Steve Lacy @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $6.