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, please do let me know.
This week the holiday charity shows get started in earnest. Competing with a solid lineup at Sneaks and another promises-to-be-good No Shame production on Thursday is Maylee and Slippers' workout party at the Boat; on Friday head over to the Rancho for a TWM charity show; Saturday at Sneaks there's a special Rock Lottery with a stellar bunch of musicians participating; and a Rock-A-Thon is happening all day at the Boat on Sunday. So this week you can get your indie fix and feel extra good about it.
I haven't listed shows happening at the Bovine (Queen W near Bathurst) this week. If you're curious, see their event listings here. I went there last night and had a blast. Tranzac (Brunswick just south of Bloor) showcases all kinds interesting of jazz, folk, and experimental acts. You can find their calendar of events here. It's not my scene, but there's definitely good quality music there on a regular basis. For a good all-round selection of musical happenings, check out Carl Wilson's Zoilus guide here. And, there are always lots of other inexpensive non-indie music/dance things happening outside the entertainment district. Let me know if you want some ideas about where to find out about these.
MONDAY (nov 26)
Indie Acoustic Songwriter Series with host Zach Kellum @ Supermarket, 9pm, $5.
Shoeless Monday featuring Magillvary Brothers (classic rock cover band) @ 11:30, Later That Same Day @ 10:30, and Blurred Vision @ 9:30, The Horseshoe Tavern, free.
TUESDAY (nov 27)
A Toronto Comic Jam featuring Sky Shark w/ Maylee Todd (from Woodhands and the Adorables, and Dan Werb (from Woodhands, doing a solo accoustic set) @ The Cameron House (Front Room), 8-10pm, free, followed by Run With the Kittens. I could very well show up to this.
The Edge 102.1 Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite featuring Zuku @ 12:00, Julia Set Generator @ 11:10, The Waking Eyes (Winnipeg) @ 10:20, and Bury The Bully @ 9:30, The Horseshoe Tavern, free.
WEDNESDAY (nov 28)
* Madrid (EP release and "Out to Sea" video premiere) w/ Off the International Radar, and a Vitaminsforyou DJ set @ The Drake Underground, 9pm, $5 or $10 with CD.
Pitter Patter Nights presents The Feminists @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.
The Waking Eyes (Winnipeg) @ Supermarket, 9pm.
Local Hard Rock featuring Don't Church @ 11:15, Faithdown @ 10:15 and Stain On Society @ 9:15, Lee's Palace, $6.
Epigram w/ Flood, 8-Bit Revolution, and Sun Satellite @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5.
The Adores @ Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), 10pm.
THURSDAY (nov 29)
As usual, there is too much to do on Thursday night.
* The Maylee & Slippers Sweatshop Hop w/ Peter Project and DJ Darrin Scott @ The Boat, 9pm, $5. Watch the promotional video. "This Is a Workout Party . . . Maylee Todd (fitness instructor to jesus) will lead you in sweating and muscle-building, Slippers (guy who hears outer space) will be laying down the beats, and you workout in your workout clothes, and drink booze, and pick up hotties, and get sweaty with the rest of us sweaty bodies. . . . DJ Darrin Scott will pick up where we leave off. . . . After his set of boogaloo, you get to hear Peter Project. . . . Bring canned goods to use during workout, and donate to a food bank." Maylee is all kinds of cute.
Dance parties at the Boat are all kinds of fun.
* The Vulcan Dub Squad w/ Cold Dead Hands (EP release), Ryan Masters, THe WitHouts, and Barons and Lengthy @ Sneaky Dee's, 9pm, $5. I may check this out.
No Shame presents Ghost Bees, Saffron Sect, and Evening Hymns @ The Tiger Bar, 9pm, $5. I've never not had a great time at a No Shame show.
Pear Shaped (CD release) w/ Captain Caveman and Sandro Perri @ The Silver Dollar Room,
9pm, $5.
Sunshine State @ Supermarket, 9pm.
Miss Scarlett (CD release) w/ Jenny Omnichord, Entire Cities, and Cunt Art @ Tranzac (Main Hall), 8pm, $5.
Sonic Unyon Indie Rock featuring A Northern Chorus, Bellewoods, Wax Mannequin, and Tusks @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $8.
MusiCan benefit show featuring The Sea Inside @ 11:15, The Racket @ 10:15, and All For Nothing @ 9:15, Lee's Palace, $8.
FRIDAY (nov 30)
Pitter Patter Nights presents Code Pie (Montreal), Street Light Light, and Flying Eyes @ The Boat, 9pm, $5.
Two Way Monologues' charity show featuring Golden Hands Before God, Key Witness, and Kansas City Shuffle @ Rancho Relaxo, 9pm, $7. I'll be here if I'm anywhere (unless I'm at Sneaks).
Trinket Trance presents Mariposa, Secret Public, The Good Ideas, and Donlands and Mortimer
@ Concord Cafe, 9:30 pm sharp, $6 or pwyc.
Indie Pop featuring Roflcopter @ 12:30, Wildlife @ 11:30, Black Hat Brigade @ 10:30, and Dress Whites @ 9:30, Lee's Palace, $7.
Roger Edwards Annual XMas Fundraiser featuring Bunkhouse Romeo playing 2 sets @ 10:30 and midnight, The Horseshoe Tavern, $10 minimum donation or pwyc.
Dancing:
DJ Shit la Merde @ Sneaky Dee's, 10pm, $5.
Goin' Steady @ The Boat, 10pm, $5.
SATURDAY (dec 1)
* Rock Lottery featuring members of Woodhands, Blood Ceremony, The River, Jewish Legend, Entire Cities, and many more @ Sneaky Dee's, $7. "25 of Toronto's Finest & Bravest Unite for 1 Night. On the morning of Dec 1st, 25 musicians will gather and draw numbers out of a hat to randomly separate into 5 bands. These 5 bands have 7 hours to write a few original songs, enough to fill a 20min set. Everyone regroups that night at Sneaky Dees to show you what they've got. Proceeds go to the Regent Park School of Music. Bands go on at 10:30pm." I'll be there!
The Northwest Division (EP release) and Kensington Station @ Neutral (349A College), 10pm,
$5.
Demon's Claws (Montreal) w/ Marvelous Darlings and Teenanger @ Tiger Bar, 9pm, $5.
Last Pogo TO Punk Rock 29th Anniversary featuring The Mods, The Existers, Screamin Sam & The Screwed, and The Raclones @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9pm, $8.
SUNDAY (dec 2)
Wavelength 391 featuring First Person Shooter, Tank Hearts, Pants and Tie, and DJ Caesarian Selection @ Sneaky Dee's 9pm, pwyc.
Graveyards (Wolf Eyes side project), Disguises, Bottom Feeder @ Teranga, 10 pm, $6.
Soundproof Magazine and Pitter Pater Nights presents Rock-A-Thon @ The Boat, noon, $5. Fundraiser for CHUM/City Christmas Wish. "There will be door prizes and raffle tickets for sale . . . . Grand prize is a Nintendo DS Lite." DJ Lawrence and DJ Shoe from Kensington Station will be spinning between sets as well as the incomparable DJ Matt Rock. Here's the lineup:
12:00 Ian Strung
12:30 Pixie Moonshine
1:00 Ontario Power Generation
1:50 Static Lab
2:40 Malfunktion
3:30 The Narc Attack
4:20 Proposterous
5:10 Curses!
6:00 Fine Motor Control
6:50 Bound
7:40 Love Kills
8:30 Fire Hydrant
9:20 Now Yr Taken
10:10 Daddy Ashes
11:00 The Postage Stamps
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