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Welcome to my weekly roundup of inexpensive indie(ish) musical happenings in downtown Toronto, all for $10 or less. I try to list as many shows here as I know about, though this list is not comprehensive. If I'm missing something or you have any comments, let me know.
So how was everyone's New Year's Eve? I celebrated with Tranzac w/ Ronley Teper & her Lipliners, Ghost Bees, the Sweatshop Hop, I am Robot & Proud, The Bicycles, and Steamboat. Friday I went to see Amos the Transparent and Whale Tooth at Rancho. Excellent show. Wavelength last night was good too: The Owle Bird and Chris Yang, who did a great cover of Magnetic Field's "The Book of Love." It was nice to see such good-sized crowds and good moods at all these shows. Hopefully 2009 continues like this!
At Tranzac this month, Monday's in the Tiki Room as curated by Thom Gill, whom you may know from various projects, including Katie Stelmanis's band. (She's playing an early set at Lee's on Wednesday which will put you back but $2.) Wombat Wednesdays are back, this time curated by Dwight Schenk. The first show features The Schomberg Fair. If you're not down with the lineup, perhaps you'd prefer Boxes & Bags and The Lovely Killbots in the front room. Friday night The Stables have a gig in the front room, too, and I've got high expectations of awesomeness. In the main hall that night help Chris Eaton (of Rock Plaza Central) celebrate his wedding anniversary with a party featuring Wax Mannequin and Gravity Wave. Come Saturday you'll want to spend the entire day at Tranzac: Winter Gloves and Hexes & Ohs are in town from Montreal, along with Sports: The Band, Green Go, and Maylee Todd for an afternoon launch party in the Mail Hall. In the evening, help Out of This Spark records celebrate its anniversary with top-notch acts Forest City Lovers, The D'Urbervilles, Timber Timbre, and Jenny Omnichord. I'll be there.
Elsewhere around town, this week is another jam-packed indie smorgasbord, with all kinds of options for those of us without a lot of extra cash. Highlights include Machetes' release show at the Drake on Wednesday (for free); Andrew DeVillers, Jetset Motel, and Terror Lake at the Rivoli on Thursday; a solid hardcore lineup including Aids Wolf at the Boat, also on Thursday; Beekeepers Society and The Paper Makers at the Silver Dollar Room on Friday; The Miles w/ Heartbeat Hotel at the Drake on Friday; The Creeping Nobodies, Teenanger, and Romo Roto at Cervejaria on Saturday; and a solid 4-band bill at the Horseshoe on Saturday. Sunday is Wavelength day, at least for me. See below for all the details about these and a whole lot of other shows.
MONDAY (5 jan)
Angela Bower (AKA Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes; residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7pm, pwyc.
Shoeless Mondays feat. Evil Genius @ 11:15, Nancy Silverman @ 10:15, and The Thrift @ 9:15. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.
Rattlesnake Choir (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, free.
Unheard Of Mondays feat. Nancy & Co., Bram Gielen, and Thomas @ Tranzac (Tiki Room), 8pm, pwyc. Curated by Thom Gill all month long.
Maybe Not @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.
Bryan Arcand (residency) w/ Leanne Poole @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 9:30pm, pwyc.
TUESDAY (6 jan)
The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite feat. Sex Butler @ 11:40, Ryan Masters @ 10:50, The Job @ 10:00, and The Cunninghams @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, free.
The Pink & Black Attack presents Outbred Inlaws, West End Riot, and Blind Cats @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.
Alexandra Ribera & band (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 10pm, free.
The Bougie Down (weekly party) feat. DJs Splattermonkey and Medley, hosted by Lybido @ Augusta House, 10pm, free.
Paul Linklater & His Murmurers (residency) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 7-9pm, pwyc.
St. Dirt Elementary School (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.
Madeleine Slate @ Free Times Cafe, 8pm, pwyc.
EPOPhany feat. Scottmanu, Luke Jackson, Paisley Jura, Claude Kent, and Chris Warren, w/ surprise guests @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, pwyc.
CaMp CoMbo @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.
Great Aunt Ida @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.
Paul Newman (solo) and Open House @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.
WEDNESDAY (7 jan)
Acoustic Espionage @ Silver Dollar, 6-9pm, free. Weekly songwriters open stage event, hosted by Tim Harrison and Noah Zacharin. Followed by High Lonesome Wednesdays w/ Crazy Strings (bluegrass music), 9:30pm, free.
Bump It feat. Yo-Ev and So Soft @ Augusta House, 9pm, free.
Pile On (open stage/guided jam) @ The Boat, 9pm, free.
Rock 'n Roll Pornography w/ Guitar Hero live on stage, and a live performance by classic rock cover band Wired @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, free.
* Machetes (EP/DVD release and live recording) w/ Romo Roto, The Fire Guy (machete juggling), and Dylan Studebaker (punk magician) @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 9pm, free.
Michael Johnson (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, pwyc.
Laura Repo (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.
PWYC Weds feat. Pace the Stairs, Najuah, and Gutterfire @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, pwyc.
* The Lovely Killbots and Boxes & Bags @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 9pm, $5/pwyc.
* U of T Battle of the Bands feat. Katie Stelmanis (8:30pm) @ Lee's Palace, 8pm, $2.
Cut Throat Britva @ 11:40, Permanent Bastards @ 10:50, Good Citizens @ 10:00, and A Northern Drawl @9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.
* Wombat Wednesdays feat. MASH (Chris Banks), The Schomberg Fair, and Rob's Colision @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $5. Curated all month long by Dwight Schenk. Entry also includes a free copy of Dwight's solo album, _Natural Disasters_.
The Sure Things @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?
Max Galactic & the Cloud of Evil w/ Carlo Meriano @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 10pm, $5?
Noah's Arkweld (CD release) w/ The General Staff @ Supermarket, 8pm, pwyc. Min. $5 gets you a free CD.
Space Is For Stars, Isle of Thieves, and Social Clash @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $5.
Odradek (residency) feat. Matt Miller, and Parkade @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.
Abstract Thought Event Promotions presents The Metacomets, The Broadcast, The Accidental Heroes, and tba @ Sneaky Dee's, 7:30pm, $7.
The Restless Age w/ The Odysseys @ The Rivoli, 8:30pm, $10.
THURSDAY (8 jan)
Bossa Tres @ The Gladstone Hotel (8-10pm), free.
Ancient Chinese Secret (residency) @ The Cadillac Lounge, 7:30pm, free.
Aluminum Origami @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.
* Michael Holt, Calamity Royale, Marcel Aucoin, and David Celia @ The Rearview Mirror (formerly Bread & Circus), 8pm, $5.
The Pairs (CD release) w/ The Uplifters and Mexican Divorce @ Mitzi's Sister, 9pm, $?
Live Jazz Thursdays feat. Synergy Trio @ Tequila Bookworm, 9pm, pwyc.
Nude as the News feat. tba @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc.
Piano Show feat. Jeff Alan Greenway, Scott Pietangelo, Alison Burkett, and Lara Martin @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.
International Turpentine w/ Vaughn Passmore @ The Press Club, 10pm, pwyc.
Stereo Goes Stellar @ 11:40, These Three Cities @ 10:50, Julia Set Generator @ 10:00, and Knifings @ 9:10. The Horseshoe Tavern, 8:30pm, $4.
Mike Lawless @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 8:30pm, $?
All the Brightness and Mary Rose Obsession @ Tattoo Rock Parlour, 9pm, $5.
The Ireland Brothers Band @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?
Darkside presents Night of Terror (bands + movie in the back) feat. The Artist Life and The Rotten @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.
The Rest w/ The Speakeasies @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9:30pm, $5?
Three Legged House Productions presents Spectacular Spectacular feat. Arif (Protest the Hero), Mad Polite, Gabe Knox (More Proof), and Scott Jackson @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.
TWM presents The Skirt Chasers, The Shallow Alps, and The Lesson @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $5.
* Terror Lake, Andrew DeVillers, and Jetset Motel @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5.
Remnants Trio and Abbott/Cawthray/Leaney @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.
Unknown Funk Hero presents The Beat Lounge feat. Circle Research w/ DJs The Vinyl Killer and Kato, hosted by Justis (Do Right! Music), and w/ a beat showcase feat. Buttafingaz, Rich Kidd, Gigz, Mantiz, and more @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $7 (or $10 after midnight).
Hatchetmen and Ghostwalk Creek @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $7.
Joy Division Tribute @ The Velvet Underground, 9pm, $7.
Laganza and The Doug Trucker Band @ El Mocambo (Upstairs), 8:30pm, $8.
* Burn Down The Capital presents Aids Wolf, Satanized, Disguises, The Dead Are Those Who Have Died, and Jeff Brown Duplex @ The Boat, 9pm, $8. Adv. tix avail.
FRIDAY (9 jan)
David Woodhead & Friends (residency) @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 7:30pm, pwyc.
Fingers and Higher Ground @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 8-10pm, free.
Youth Crime (2 sets) @ The Press Club, 10pm, free.
* Nick Rose and The Stables @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm, pwyc/$5.
Carly & Mark and Scott Cooper @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, pwyc.
Dave Rave & Bill Culp @ The Cadillac Lounge.
Minor Treat and Psychoactivist @ Rearview Mirror, 9pm, $2.
* The , Heartbeat Hotel, and Alphabot @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.
Skorcher, Fidget, and Señor Kasio @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.
The Three Bears, The Independent Truckers Union, You Left Saving the Planet, and Trips & Falls @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5.
Lori Yates the Conway Twitties @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5?
More Proof presents Locals Only (dance party) feat. Your Boy Brian, Gingy, Gabe Knox, and Dre-Bans @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 11pm, $5.
Blue Fridays feat. Nonie Crete and Eugene Rae@ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, $6.
Jay Spectre, Broadcast Radio, and Make Your Exit @ The Rivoli, 8pm, $6.
Leftover Daylight Series feat. Duncan/Schoorl, Michelangelo, and DuoDuo @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6.
TWM presents The Expos, The Love Machine, Sitcom, and Dancehall Free For All @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.
The Guys @ 12:30, The Ryde @ 11:30, Bernadette @ 10:30, and 5 Star Trailer Park @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $6.
The Broken Lyre @ The Cameron House (Back Room), 9pm, $7
The Harold Wartooth @ Lee's Palace, 9pm, $6.
* Balboa w/ Arietta and Ghost of Calico @ El Mocambo (First Floor), 9pm, $8 (or $5 w/ canned food donation).
* Rock 'n' Roll Anniversary feat. Wax Mannequin, Mantler, Gravity Wave, and Henry A. Svec, all playing "songs of fruit, flowers, wood, and love" @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $5. Semi-formal dress code, and free pins for the first 100 guests.
* Beekeepers Society, Gettysburg, Fullspeed Velocipede, and The Paper Makers @ The Silver Dollar Room, 9pm, $?
* Hits & Misses Xmas Party feat. Career Suicide, Urban Blight, Hazardous Waste, Molested Youth, and Bad Choice (debut) @ Adrift Clubhouse, 8pm, $10. All ages, BYOB (w/ ID). Records on sale at the show.
S & S Promotions presents Stain on Society, Exile, Silent Earth, Dancing with Paris, Bloodline, Our Kingdoms, and Closed for Tonight @ Kathedral, 6pm, $10. All ages.
SATURDAY (10 jan)
* The Singing Lamb Launch Party feat. Hexes & Ohs, Winter Gloves, Green Go, Sports: The Band, and Maylee Todd @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 12pm (afternoon show), $5.
The Hot Five Jazzmakers (residency) @ C'est What, 3pm (start time), $5.
The Foggy Hogtown Boys (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 3-7pm, pwyc.
John Borra Band (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4pm, pwyc.
Cadillac Ranch Country Matinee feat. tba @ Cadillac Lounge, 4-7pm.
Bill Colgate & the Urbane Guerillas feat. Cam MacInnes (residency) @ The Dominion on Queen, 4-7pm, pwyc.
Willow Rutherford (residency) w/ Coco Love Alcorn and Mike Liston @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 6pm, pwyc.
Country Saturday feat. Mr. Rick & the Biscuits @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 6-9pm, free.
The Ed Vokurka Ensemble @ The Drake Hotel (Lounge), 8pm, free.
Everyone's a DJ @ Disgraceland, 9pm, free. 16 DJs (no experience necessary, all genres welcome) each do 20 minute sets.
Hobson's Choice (CD release) w/ Thom Gill and special guests Michael Herring & Dave Clark @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 9pm (start), pwyc.
GUH @ Mitzi's Sister, 10pm, $?
Broken Bricks, Shady, Chattrisse, Christa Golding, and Casandra @ Duffy's Tavern, 8pm, $5.
Paul Kolinski & the Loneliest Monks, Betty Dimo, Clara Engel @ Free Times Cafe, 8:30pm, pwyc.
Thun Language feat. Airmax Thuns (DJs Kaewonder and Al Bundy) @ Augusta House, 10pm, $5 (or free before 11:30pm).
sadiemichelle @ Rok Boutique, 9pm, $5.
Bang the Party (dance party) @ The Boat, 10pm, $5.
Acoustic Sounds of the Underground 2 feat. The Bag Ladies, LiquorBox, The TalliBand, and Vanessa Moraless, @ Annies on Queen, 9pm, $5.
Alistair Blaik Bundale @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 8pm, $5.
The Royal Crowns @ The Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm, $5?
Never Forgive Action (dance party) w/ The Real Frequency @ The Drake Hotel (Underground), 11pm, $5.
War Bride @ The Bovine Sex Club, 9pm, $5.
Late Night Live feat. The Hey Now, David McFarlane, and Ostrich Tuning @ The Silver Dollar Room, 10:30pm, $5.
Driftwood, Steve York, Bryan Arcand, and Cody Elliot @ Smiling Buddha Bar, 9pm, $5?
TWM presents Atlas Eyes, The Flyboys, Trips & Falls, and Coal Mine Canaries @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $6.
CoexisDance @ Somewhere There, 8-10pm, $6. "Improvising musicians and dancers improvising."
* Giant Baby @ 12:30, Shortwave @ 11:30, The Dunes @ 10:30, and The Framework @ 9:30. The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $6.
* The Creeping Nobodies, Teenanger, and Romo Roto, w/ DJ Daniel Vila @ Cervejaria, 9:30pm, $7 (or $10 for two).
Evil Farm Children w/ Buzz Deluxe @ The Cadillac Lounge, 9pm, $7.
Jadea Kelly, Cavaliers, Air Marshal Landing, and The Strip @ The Rivoli, 9:30pm, $7.
Where's One?, The Ken McDonald Quartet, and Pure Finesse @ Concord Cafe, 9pm, $7. "Funk, jazz, and fusion."
Saigon Hookers, Lion Ride, and Muffler Crunch @ Lee's Palace, 9pm, $8.
* Out of this Spark 2nd Anniversary Party feat. Forest City Lovers, The D’Urbervilles, Timber Timbre, and Jenny Omnichord @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $10 (or $ w/ non-perishable food item).
Anber Ladd and Morning Electric @ C'est What, 9:30pm, $10.
S & S Promotions presents Deadend Girl (CD release) w/ tba @ The Opera House, 6pm, $10. All ages.
SUNDAY (11 jan)
Les Singes Bleus @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 1pm, pwyc.
Becca Stevens @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 15m, pwyc.
Taxi Chain @ Mitzi's Sister, 5-7pm, pwyc.
Michael Brennan, Steve Briggs, and Rob Clark (residency) @ Graffiti's Bar & Grill, 4-7pm, pwyc.
John Borra & Sam Ferrara (residency) @ The Communist's Daughter, 5pm, pwyc.
White Squirrels Sinnerz @ The Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar), 5-8pm, free.
* The Sunday Evening Salon feat. Acoin/Aldroft/Rampersaud, Joan Besen (talk), and Ryan Driver, with a potluck dinner to start the evening @ The Dundas West Arts Building (2466 Dundas W St.), Suite 501, 7pm, pwyc. This is a new weekly event presented by Marcel Aucoin and Michael Holt. "Some food & drink will be provided... bring your own for extra merriment!"
The Uplifters @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10:30pm, pwyc.
* Wavelength 445 feat. Burn Planetarium, Gregory Pepper & His Problems, and A.M. @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, pwyc.
Gather Round feat. Hamilton Trading Co. and tba @ The Boat, 9pm, pwyc.
The Beauties (residency) @ The Dakota Tavern, 10:30pm, pwyc.
Christine Duncan's Element Choir (residency) @ Somewhere There, 6-8pm, $6.
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