Indie Music 56 (20-26 Oct 2008).

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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.

Uh... it's too early to write anything proper. I saw five new (for me) bands in the past couple days, all at Sneaky Dee's. That really is a great venue. I don't get Huckleberry Friends, but they are definitely something to see. The Guest Bedroom was awesome! Antler was lovely, as was Rough Skeletons. I'm sure I would have enjoyed sBach, a touring act, if I'd been less concerned about them making the ringing in my ears worse. (Partial solution to my problem: standing at the very back and wearing earplugs.)

The X Avant New Music Festival is happening at the Music Gallery and other places this week. I've listed a couple of the cheaper shows below. For all the details, check http://www.musicgallery.org/. Do it. If you're keen on any or all of Slim Twig, Masia One, Winter Gloves, or Gentleman Reg, you'll want to head to Soundscapes to get a free ticket to their (collective) show at the North York Central Library on 15 November. Tickets are also available (until they run out) at North York Central, Toronto Reference, Albion, Northern District, Parkdale and Malvern branches.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who entered the draw last week for the Craft Economy CDs! I made my roommate draw names out of a hat, sort of. Copies will go out to Steve F. and Mason W. soon.

MONDAY (20 oct)

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

Elvis Monday feat. The Miles, Luxury Bob, La Casa Muerte, Lori Nuic, Jon & Roy, Hyena Dog Robbery, and The People Of Canada @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.

Panic Density feat. Shunga (Jessica Stuart, Steve Ward, and Felicity Williams) @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

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

Groovy Mondays feat. Cory Danyluk & Sarah Jane Card and Jenn Ryan @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm (start time), $3.

* Krista Muir w/ Luther Wright and The Schomberg Fair @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $8.

QUIP and The Melodies @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $10.

Sebastien Grainger (CD release) and Josh Reichmann Oracle Band (EP release) @ Supermarket, 9pm, $10.

TUESDAY (21 oct)

Jay Amar @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7-10pm, free.

Bitchin' Sessions (free improvisational music; three sets) @ The Gladstone Hotel (Art Bar), 8-11pm, pwyc.

* The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Hot Panda @ 11:40, White Lies @ 10:50, Japanese Motors @ 10:00, and The Labor Of @ 9:10.The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.

The Pink & Black Attack presents Christian D & the Hangovers, Sarah Skellington, and The Sour Notes @ The Bovine, 9pm, free.

Dustbowl Thieves @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

"Southside" Jimmy Byron @ Graffiti's, 9pm, pwyc.

Shawn Clark and Barzin @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

* Showcho feat. Fraser Young, The Human Statues, Claire Ness, Truth Is..., and Nika Smith @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc. Variety show.

* Run With the Kittens @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9pm, pwyc. Their looooooong weekly stint is coming to an end next week.

Lara Martin, Wendy Leung, and Melissa Dalton @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc. This should be lovely.

Nudie & the Turks and The Brothers Cosmoline (Dan Kershaw) @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, pwyc.

Innes Wilson & his Opposition, Stew Gunn, and Debbie Suede @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Fish Tank Dreams, Joelle Turner & Chloe Charles, and Heather Sande @ Concord Cafe, 9pm, $5.

Heaven and Pirate/Rock @ Supermarket, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

Kate Rogers Band (CD release) w/ Makita Hack & the Logrollers @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10.

WEDNESDAY (22 oct)

The Innards Brothers @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 6-8pm, pwyc. "Colonel Tom Parker and Tony Allen perform old time country music."

Granny Boots feat. Emma McKenna, Jen (Dance Yourself to Death), and Carmen Elle, w/ DJ Dreidel, a screening of "Queeropolis: Toronto 1972-2008" by Alexis Mitchell and Tori Foster, and projections by MC Joan Nestle @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 7:30-10pm, free.

The Annex WreckRoom & IndieCan Radio present IndieCan Wednesdays feat. Alex Tintinalli Band, Jason Ford Band, and Secret Suburbia @ The Annex WreckRoom, 9pm, free.

Kevin Hearn @ Czehoski, 9:30pm, free.

Rock 'n Roll Pornography presents the CASBY Awards Afterparty w/ Guitar Hero live on stage and a live performance by Run With The Kittens @ Bovine Sex Club, 9pm.

The Billie Hollies and Jack & Ginger @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 7pm, pwyc.

Laura Repo @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

PWYC Weds feat. The DGB, The Dank, Slow News Day, and The Grim Preachers @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc/$5.

Cory Danyluk & Sarah Jane Card and Shira G @ Free Times Cafe, pm, $5/pwyc.

Brave Neu! Worlds: A Tribute to Klaus Dinger feat. Ghostlight and Heavy Water, part of Music Gallery's X Avant festival @ The Drake Underground, 8pm, $5.

Wombat Wednesdays presents Words Around the Waist, The Pining, and Isla Craig @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $5. This month's Wednesday shows at the Main Hall at curated by Kat Burns (from Forest City Lovers).

LAUGHstock presents The Flying Museum Band (CD release) w/ Max Galactic & the Cloud of Evil, The Big City Nights, and Flowertown Ave @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

2nd Annual Magazine Awards Online Recognition Night & Food Drive feat. performances by Pavlov's Dogs Orchestra, J-CLX, Random Robbery, Special Ops, Melissa Bel, and Thank the Academy @ Smiling Buddha, 8pm, $5. Bring food to donate.

Rival Gang Theatre and Iain Ferguson @ C'est What, 9pm, $6.

Alt Country Roots Night feat. Shuyler Jansen @ 11:40, The Beauties @ 10:50, Luther Wright & The Wrongs @ 10:00, and Shade @ 9:10 @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $7.

* Broken Sons (CD release), Morning Electric, and Vacuity @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $8. Rock music!

No Official Capacity presents Cheap Beer & Metal Night #3 feat. We, The Undersigned; What's He Building In There?; and The Isosceles Project @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $8.

Joni Nehrita and Layah Jane @ Supermarket, 9pm, $10.

THURSDAY (23 oct)

Andy Butler & the 905's @ Mitzi's Sister, 9pm, free.

Polyester Heart and tba @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

The Element Choir, Ten Ten, David Sait, and DJ Craig Dunsmuir @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8:30pm, pwyc ($9 sugg). An improv choir, Japanese-inspired folk music, and Ghuzeng improvs.

Double A Jazz @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.

The Disease and Yuka @ Concord Cafe, 9:30pm.

Baltic Avenue "Sistering" Fundraiser @ Supermarket, 8pm, pwyc.

Live Jazz Thursdays feat. Patrick Boyle's Lonely Pretty Women and Dan Gooch Quintet @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.

Ronley Teper's Lipliners and Lisa Fyna & the Boys @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

Brooke Saracino, Jeffrey P Jones, and Dinah Thorpe @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.

Illatease and tba @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $3. "Free CD at the door."

Pitter Patter Nights presents Wintermitts, Greenbelt Collective, and Alanna Brown @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.

Owle Bird (CD release) @ Cinecycle (behind 129 Spadina Ave.), 8-11pm, $5.

EndProgram, Cambridge, and Broadcast Zero @ Siesta Nouveaux (High At for the Low Down, 15 Lower Sherbourne St.), 7pm (early show), $5. BYOB.

The Peach Band, The Sitwells, Slow Motion Explosion, and Eric Fisher @ Smiling Buddha, 8:30pm, $5.

* TWM presents Streetlight Light, Provincial Parks (formerly Howl), and recordbreaker @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.

* Child Bite, Clydesdale, The Vestaloynes, Fuckrock (debut), and Nohawk @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5.

* Tradition, Nifty, Castlemusic, and Alex Lukashevsky (Deep Dark United) @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $6.

Sophomore Productions presents Lexington, Something Worth Saving, Soul Plane, Trick Of Disaster, Typo, and In Lights @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 6:30pm, $5 (w/ canned food donation) or $7. All ages.

Book Launch (E. Thomson's _Journal_) feat. Out of Line Improv and Run With the Kittens @ Clinton's, 9pm, $10.

* Fast Folk Underground 20th Anniversary Show feat. The Mahones, The Warped 45s, and Eugene Ripper @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $10 (incl Eugene Ripper CD).

Jagermeister presents Crash Kelly w/ Dean Lycker @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $10.

FRIDAY (24 oct)

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

Philippe Flahaut Blues Trio @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.

War Resisters Benefit Show feat. Sing Leaf, Basement Arms, and Pinto Publico @ The Beansprout (1307 Bloor St. W.), 8:30pm, pwyc. All ages.

Miss Chrissy presents Slop, Trough & Trot! @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.

State of Mind, Brook Harris, and The Waking Moments @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $5/pwyc.

The Calrizians and Luau or Die @ Graffiti's, 9pm, pwyc.

tba, The Svens, The Vive Quebec Libres, Department of Justice @ Clinton's, 10pm (start time), free.

Trance Sitar (Prosad, CD release) @ Concord Cafe, 8pm.

Steven Ross Lee / Blue Mambo Swing @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.

Cedar, Leonids, and Mother Murder @ Smiling Buddha, 9pm, $5.

Epigram (CD release) and Fire Hydrant @ The Boat, 9pm, $5. Space rock and such.

Kensington Hillbillys (CD release) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm.

Jetset Motel w/ guests @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm.

William Delray, Robbie McQuillan, Sara Labadie, and Bill Brautigan @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, pwyc.

The Common Dears, Great Lenin's Ghost, Beekeepers Society, and Flying Eyes @ Silver Dollar, 9pm, $5. Sounds cool.

Local Alt Rock feat. MiNDPiECE (CD release) @ 12:00, Goodbye Glory @ 11:00, and Zhivago @ 10:00. Lee's Palace, 9pm, $5.

Winhara (CD release) w/ Union City and Annelise Noronha @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5.

Local Indie Alternative feat. Woodward Company @ 12:30, Bella Clava @ 11:30, In My Coma (CD release) @ 10:30, and Supernal @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $6.

Dave and Chuck Show Party feat. Cereal Box Surprise, Phil Jacobs, West End Riot, Man With Target, Stu, Bee Rock Steady, Unbelievers, Ape, Wolfman, Oklahoma Bomb Squad, and Hollywood Swank @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 7:30pm, $2 (b4 8:15pm), $6 (after), or $5 w/ canned food donation.

leftover daylight @ Arraymusic Studio (60 Atlantic Ave., # 218), 9pm, $10 or $6. Details here: http://www.ovalwindowmusic.org/leftoverdaylight/october24.php.

TWM presents Hi-Hat Compilation 2 Release Party feat. The Job, Make Your Exit, Gypsophilia, After the Weather, and Telejet @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7 or $10 for the CD too.

Kidd Rasta & the Peacemakers w/ Bloodgrass (debut) @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $10 (incl free CD).

Toronto After Dark Film Festival Gala Closing Party feat. MC Mysterion the Mind Reader, Orco Muto, and DJ Scheven (from Controller Controller) @ The Bovine, 9pm, $10.

SATURDAY (25 oct)

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

The Giant Baby and Davis Payne @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, free.

The Pocket Quintet @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc. Catch them every Saturday.

Those Damn Kookies, Sitcom, Left Of Zero, and Tripping Hazard @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.

Samantha Martin & The Haggard @ The Dakota Tavern, 9pm, $5.

Paper Saw, Foxes in Fiction and the Doses @ Smiling Buddha, 8:30pm, $5.

Chris Bartos and friends @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.

History of Petty Crime @ Free Times Cafe, 9pm, pwyc.

Must Stash Hat @ The Imperial Pub, 10pm, $3. Cover includes a piece of birthday cake.

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

Grande Fir and Robert Hedge (7" release) @ The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, $5.

Burn Down The Capital presents Women In Tragedy (LP release), The Pink Noise, and Toddler Body @ Teranga, 9pm, $5. All ages.

* Beth in Battle Mode and The Hey Now @ C'est What, 9:30, $5. I really like BIBM.

FUnhUnT "RENT" Party feat. Boxes & Bags and Oscar Brown @ The Casa Muerte Academy of Sciences (676 College St W, above Mr Sub), 9pm, $5.

Ninja Funk Orchestra w/ Paramedic and Bill Murray @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.

The State of Things @ Rok Boutique, 10pm, $7 (or $5 if you join the mailing list at http://www.thestateofthings.ca/).

Shoot the Cameraman and more @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $5.

Extermination Music Night Fundraiser feat. Brides, New Feelings, Feuermusik, Life of a Craphead (not music), Jesse James Laderoute (sound installation), and catering by Manila Surprise, with door prizes @ Sneaky Dee's, 9:30pm, $7.

Tim Alberts / Philip Cottrell (CD release) @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10. All ages.

SUNDAY (26 oct)

* Brunch w/ Lisa Bozikovic and Emma McKenna @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 11am.

CANCELLED * The Diableros, The Speaking Tongues, Terror Lake, The Miles, and Hamilton Trading Co. @ the Boat (outside, as part of Pedestrian Sunday), 1pm (start time). If it's raining, the show will be moved inside, to start at 8pm.

The Kettle Black, Promonium Jesters, and Adaptive Reaction @ High Art for the Low Down, 2pm, $5.

AIMToronto Orchestra, part of Music Gallery's X Avant festival @ Polish Combatants Hall (206 Beverley St.), 3pm, free.

Laura Hubert @ Mitzi's Sister, 3pm.

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

Ivy Mairi and tba @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 5pm, pwyc.

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

Alex Woodrow, Ariel Brink, and Shaun Devlin @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.

Wavelength 436 feat. Vowls, Azeda Booth, and the Jessica Stuart Few @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc. Wavelength is fantastic, even when it's not, if you know what I mean.