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Old school Record show

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Since we’re starting to put our vinyl records collection into a digital format to put on our new iPod, I couldn’t help but notice that there will be a vinyl record show coming up right down the street from us on Sunday March 27 2011. It’s run by The Record Guys and it looks like it will be a blast. This event is in it’s 3rd year I think so they’re not some fly by night operation.

… the show has become a haven for collectors of all ages whose love of Vinyl, CDs, Paper Goods and other music collectables just can’t be quenched.

Just looking at our old record collection brings back such fond memories. We only took a quick look at our collection downstairs and they look to be ok. We have them in these thick old computer boxes that I got when I worked at this computer company called Kortex Computers, and put them on top of an old skid that places them around 8 inches off the ground.

So if your looking for something to do this weekend in the East End of Toronto this weekend then drop me a comment on this post and we’ll head off there for a blast!

Keep on Jammin’




Centennial Stage construction at the CNE

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I was watching a news story a couple of months ago about vintage videos, both from private and official video collections, from some of the past CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) years. The people who run the CNE thought that they had something special here and they wanted to share it with the rest of the world. They weren’t quite to sure how to achieve this, but they eventually decided to put it up on Youtube so that everyone could enjoy the CNE archive films.

I just watched quite a few of the CNE videos and I have to say that some of these clips brought back a flood of fantastic memories of past visits to CNE or The EX as most of us locals call it.

My favorite video of the entire collection was the one that showed the making of the main portable stage at Exhibition Stadium. Up until watching the video that I have, BTW included at the end of this post, I never knew the actual name of this stage. They call it the Centennial Stage.

This stage supported some of the greatest acts of the 20th century! The Who, Pick Floyd, The Police, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, John Cougar Mellencamp (ha, I finally had the chance to say his old name out loud!) and Simon and Garfunkel just to name a few. The best show that I have witnessed there, from a pure sound point of view, was Pick Floyd in 1987? They went all quadraphonic on us at that show, very trippy!!!

So I hope that the video below brings back some great memories for you if you had the chance to visit this stage or the Toronto CNE in the past.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f34Wd1VLDwg

Keep on Jammin’

Danforth Music Hall closing?

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I just read an article on Google that the mighty Danforth Music Hall is being shut down by the owners of this landmark on the Danforth for not paying their rent.

Every time I drive by the Danforth Music Hall, I can’t help but think about all the great acts that I’ve seen within it’s hallowed walls. The most recent acts I’ve witnessed there are Rick Wakeman and Amos Lee.

The company that use to rent the Danforth Music Hall put in tons of time, energy and money into the building in 2005. They brought it back to it’s original aesthetics. The overall set up in the hall is fabulous. The seats are comfortable and the overall feel to it is relaxing to say the least. They also installed a great PA system that is far superior to the one that was there back in the 80’s and 90’s.

“It’s gone through all sorts of transformations,” said Gerald Whyte, president of the Riverdale Historical Society. “It was the only [National Theatre] that was still operating as a theatre.” Globe and Mail

Electra Films Ltd., the company that currently owns the building, is either trying to remove or just get it’s money from Ellipsis Leisure Retail Inc., I’m hoping for the latter. A notice that is posted on the front doors of the building states that Electra is owed a little bit more than $44,000 in rent back rent.

I for one hope that Ellipsis gets back on more stable financial footings in the very near future and they keep this jewel of The Danforth open for years to come.

Keep on Jammin’ Music Hall!

My next live gig is at Sarah’s Cafe on Danforth Ave.

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I’ll be performing on Sunday July 11th at Sarah’s Cafe Bar which is located at 1426 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. I normally don’t announce where I play but this is unique venue to play. It’s an open mike event with a crowd that is quite musically educated. It’s full of singer song writers that mostly entertain the audience with their own original works of art. The audience just sits back and respectfully admires the performers. Now this is a crowd that I am looking for!

This event is called Acoustic Afternoon and is run by a well known local music lover/performer/promoter named Dan McLean Jr. This is not the only show that he runs in Toronto. He also runs gigs for local musician’s like Emerging Artists at Free Times Café at 320 College St on the last Wednesday of every month, The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern at 370 Queen St W and of coarse the one at Sarah’s.

While at Sarah’s last Sunday I met this guy sitting at the bar named Jason. If you have a moment, check out some of his Pod Cast shows that are available on his site. Anyway, Jason told me that he had just played on stage a minute ago. He said that he just recently started attending some shows and was going up on stage to try out some of his new material and said that the crowd is just amazing!

So if you’ve got a minute to spare this coming Sunday then head off to Sarah’s Cafe Bar and kick back for some fantastic local talent! Hell, maybe I’ll get my crowbar out to pry open my wallet and buy ya a beverage or two, cheers!

Keep on Jammin’

Neil Young’s younger brother Bob

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I was talking to this really nice down to earth guy who was delivering out flyers to homes in the neighborhood and we gotta talking while my little puppy Midnight was out for one of her many daily constitutions. During the conversation we brought up Neil Young’s name because I told him that he looked a lot like Mr Young.

He tells me that sometimes he goes up on stage and plays his harmonica with bands that play some Neil Young tunes. He said that tons of people come up to him after he plays and thinks that he is either Neil himself or maybe he is a brother or relative. He tells them no but says that his brother Bob Young hangs out in a bar called Captain Jack in the Beach area of Toronto at a 2 Wheeler Ave at Queen St. E.

Captain Jack’s comes with 4-stars, but a warning as well. If you can’t handle places that are on the tougher side, read no further. However, if you’re looking for one of the best dive bars in Toronto, you’d be hard-pressed to find a place that beats Captain Jack and has windows. The Beaches has its fill of posh, stylish, trendy spots. This is the unabashed opposite, gritty, warts and all. The tap list includes 50, and in the beer cooler you can find Molson Stock Ale to give a sense of the range. The only high-tech items found are the jukebox, the bowling video game, and the flat screen TV that carries most-to-all available sports. The perfect spot for the last one (and you may drink a few before finding that last one) of the night.

I’ve never heard of this bar before but you can bet the farm that when I’m in the area, I will go and experience it for myself. Wouldn’t it be neat to meet Neil Young’s brother and chat with him over a beer and get a picture with the guy? Hell ya!

keep on Jammin’

Jon Anderson from Yes at Danforth Music Hall

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Jon Anderson, the legendary singer from the greatest progressive Rock band of all time Yes, will be performing at the Danforth Music Hall on March 21st, 2010.

Jon Anderson will bring his melodic vocal tenure in a solo performance, to the same stage that he graced almost 2 years ago to the day.

The Danforth Music Hall is a great place to take in any show. I remember one time that one of my readers gave me a ticket to see Rick Wakeman play there a couple of years ago. It was after I was very sick and I guess the reader wanted to do a good deed at the time and there I was.

So if your a big Jon Anderson or Yes fan, try to get out and see the man with the golden tones! It will be worth the drive.

Keep on Jammin’

Lee’s Palace on Bloor St. West in Toronto

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Lee’s palace is a fabulous place to see a band. The history of the bands that have played there is long and legendary! It is Toronto’s premier alternative Rock venue.

The first floor is where the bands play and the top floor, called the Dance Cave, is where … well all the dancing goes on!

The list of past performers are a who’s who of international Alternative Rock bands. My favorites that have graced us with their musical presence were Shuffle Demons, Nirvana, Grapes Of Wrath, Tragically Hip, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Pursuit Of Happiness, Forgotten Rebels, Scott Merritt (a good old Brantford boy), The Lemonheads, Crash Vegas, Gaye Bikers on Acid, Goo Goo Dolls, The Tea Party, I Mother Earth, The Headstones (Hugh Dillion), Smashing Pumpkins, Spin Doctors (guitarist is from Toronto), The Rembrandts, Blind Melon, Philosopher Kings, Ed The Sock (he is a real sock!), Collective Soul, Oasis, Big Sugar, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Better Than Ezra, Alanis Morissette, The Presidents of The United States of America, Great Big Sea, even Yoko Ono played there in 1996 (with her and John Lennon’s son Sean in the backup band Ima!). As a side note: the best band that I ever saw there was called Needy Fingers, with world renown bassist Todd Williams! Cerafim, now called Counterpoint, performed there as well! Now that is an impressive line up!

The venue known as Lee’s palace has been open since 1985, It is located at located at 529 Bloor St. W. Toronto in The Annex section of the city. I have been in this place so many times that I can’t remember. Maybe it had something to do with earlier visits to Ye Olde Brunswick House only a hop, skip and a stagger away! Anyways, I just love that place!

The hall itself originally was opened in 1919 under the name of Allen’s Bloor Theatre. Part of the Allen’s theatre company that was started off by it’s owners in Brantford Ontario. Across the street is another great hall called The Bloor. Check out the video if your into local history.

So who else out there had a good time in this Toronto Landmark that they can remember! Go ahead, test out your old grey matter and write back here soon!

Lee’s Palace, Keep on Jammin’

The Old Gasworks was a Toronto institution for music lovers and bands

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The Gasworks was an iconic Toronto bar that helped launch the careers of many a band. The name of the bar was also in the movie Wayne’s World!

Just a side note here folks, the trivia of Wayne’s World is something that everyone will find quite funny and familiar to all of us who grew up in the area!

gasworkswallart
Credit Dan McLaughlin

The bar was at 585 Yonge St. and man that bar rocked! Back in it’s hey day, it was considered Toronto’s entertainment district, man has that changed!

The thing that I remember the most was the beer bottles that they served there, they were HUGE! They were called Quarts if memory serves me correctly?

Information about this Toronto institution on line is quite limited. I did find a neat blog post that talks about this person’s wildest time at the Gasworks! It talks about the ambiance of the place right down to the red and white vinyl table cloths.

kwikstore
Credit Burlap Jacket

Has anyone out there been inside the hallowed halls of the Gasworks in it’s heyday? We’d love to hear some wild stories!

Keep on Jammin’ at the Gasworks!

Winterfolk 2010

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Winterfolk is a blues/folk festival that is held in Toronto’s east end that runs from February 12 -15, 2010. It is held in The Danforth Ave area in a couple of locations. It will be held at five or more clubs at the corner of Danforth and Broadview in Toronto, all within close walking distance of the subway.

What is Winterfolk? Well check out the link and view the video below for more details!

Last year’s festival was a big hit in the neighbourhood.

The bands were fabulous and the venues owners were quite happy with the turnout. The price for admission is very realistic for the amount of entertainment value that you will get in return. Besides, what else are you going to do in the dead of winter anyway?

If your an band looking to maybe partake in this annual Festival, there will be a few audition locations around southern Ontario in which to try out. for more info check out this link!

Keep on Jammin’

You know the Toronto garbage strike is over when …

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The City of Toronto and the striking outside workers union has just about reached a conclusion to their 39 day labour dispute.

My wife and I, living in the Danforth/Beach area, have not noticed that much of a garbage issue during the strike. For the most part, people here have been stepping up to the civic plate and helping keep our little area clean for all of us. Well except for our renter Redneck Neighbors that is! Unfortunately, I’ve seen on TV some parts of the city have not been that successful. Some people here can be quite the bunch of “City’its”! (Ha!)

As a matter of fact, last weekend I decided to drop off 4 bags of garbage at the Bermondsey Transfer station. I’ve heard that the waiting time for drop off was around an hour long. So, I brought along the Saturday Star newspaper, a coffee and some juice with me in anticipation of a long lineup.

As I drove there, I was wondering what I would be up against. On most TV reports, you see angry citizens screaming at the striking workers. On other news clips, you see strikers screaming at angry citizens. You think to yourself, why can’t we just get along?

To my pleasant surprise, I was the only one in line … besides the strikers that is. I slowly drove up to the gate. I was greeted by these two really nice guys. We chatted for around 3 minutes and they said ” if you want, you can just drive right on up?”. Wow, absolutely NO CONFRONTATION so far.

Then I drove up to the gate. There were around 8-10 guys just milling around and talking. Beside them under a really big tree was about 20 strikers, just passing the time by playing cards and drinking coffee.

The guy at the other gate was really cool. I stopped the car, got out and started a conversation with him. It was nice to see that the stories the TV stations were airing where totally opposite to what I was going through.

Now a bunch of guys came up, around 10 of them, we shook hands, talked for a while, had a smoke, I finished my coffee and then they asked very politely “Do you have any garbage you’d like to drop off?” I then said yes and all of them proceeded to the back of my car!

At this point, I was starting to get nervous. We are only allotted 2 bags per car and I had 4. We’ve been told through out the dispute to save all of our recycling for later date and the four bags was our total of garbage for what had been a month or more of garbage strike (maybe 6 weeks if you count when the last garbage pick up was!). I opened the trunk and they just went in and grabbed everything! I sheepishly asked if that was ok and they replied “Sure, why not?”

So that was my big experience with the BIG GARBAGE STRIKE OF 2009! Through all of the gloom and doom that the media was portraying to us and the rest of the world, it was not as bad as they said – at least in my experience.

The latest news regarding the garbage and civil workers strike …

Garbage collectors were back on the streets early this morning, clearing out the trash from overflowing garbage bins after they – and other outside workers – ratified the latest settlement Thursday.

Whew! Glad that’s over with!

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