Volume 30 Issue 2 | October & November 2024

ORI DAGAN Bar Pompette

ORI DAGAN Bar Pompette 607 College Street. pompette.ca @barpompette_to An upscale cocktail bar with live jazz on Thursdays and Sundays Black Bear Pub 1125 O’Connor Drive blackbearpub.ca @blackbearpubonoconnor A neighbourhood pub and family restaurant with instrumental jazz on Tuesday nights BSMT 254 254 Lansdowne Ave. 416-801-6325 bsmt254.com @bsmt254toronto A cozy music venue with an underground vibe, BSMT 254 has a wide variety of shows, from jazz to hip-hop to DJ nights. Bluebird Bar, The 2072 Dundas St. W. 416-535-0777 bluebirdbarto.com @thebluebirdto A friendly spot for drinks and local beers, featuring live music every Thursday including jazz, folk, blues and country. Burdock 1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033 burdockto.com @burdockbrewery A sleek music hall with exceptional sound and ambience, featuring a draft list of housemade brews. Cameron House, The 408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811 thecameron.com @the.cameronhouse An intimate, bohemian bar with ceiling murals & nightly performances from local roots acts on 2 stages. Castro’s Lounge 2116 Queen St. E. 416-699-8272 castroslounge.com @castroslounge Featuring an ever-changing selection of specialty beers, Castro’s hosts a variety of local live music acts, including bluegrass, jazz, rockabilly, and alt-country. C’est What 67 Front St. E. 416-867-9499 cestwhat.com @cestwhatto A haven for those who appreciate real cask ale, draught beer from local Ontario breweries, and live music. MAINLY CLUBS The unique pairing of intimate live music and authentic Mexican cuisine is best served at La Rev (2848 Dundas Street West, at Keele). This charming and satisfying Junction neighbourhood gem features live jazz every Friday night with the Tak Arikushi Trio and a variety of other musical offerings throughout any given week. In this photo: Denielle Bassels sings with Julien Bradley-Combs on guitar and Russ Boswell on bass. Communist’s Daughter, The 1149 Dundas Street W. @thecommunistsdaughtertoronto Beloved intimate dive bar with live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons Drom Taberna 458 Queen St. W. 647-748-2099 dromtaberna.com @dromtaberna A heartfelt homage to the lands that stretch from the Baltic to the Balkans to the Black Sea, with a wide variety of music 7 nights a week. Duke Live, The 1225 Queen Street East. 416-466-2624 theduketoronto.com @theduketoronto. com_ An assuming destination with casual pub fare with live music including a big band series on Sundays. Emmet Ray, The 924 College St. 416-792-4497 theemmetray.com @theemmetray A whisky bar with a great food menu, an everchanging draft list, and live jazz, funk, folk and more in the back room; live music 7 nights a week. Free Times Cafe, The 320 College St. 416-967-1078 freetimescafe.com @freetimescafeofficial Home of the world’s longest-running weekly Klezmer series, every Sunday afternoon with brunch. Function Bar + Kitchen 2291 Yonge St. 416-440-4007 functionbar.ca @functionbarto Friendly atmosphere with open mic Tuesdays & Sundays and mostly Soul and R&B on Fridays and Saturdays. Golden Pigeon Beer Hall, The 424 Parliament St. 416-392-1039 goldenpigeonbar.com @ goldenpigeonbeerhall A classic beer hall with sophisticated food offerings, Golden Pigeon features a weekly Tuesday jazz night, as well as other special events. Grossman’s Tavern 379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000 grossmanstavern.com @grossmanstavern One of the city’s longest-running live music venues, and Toronto’s self-described “Home of the Blues.” Handlebar 159 Augusta Ave. 647-748-7433 thehandlebar.ca @handlebar_to Ahip night spot with a variety of entertainment including open mic Tuesdays and a monthly jazz jam. Hirut Cafe and Restaurant 2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560 hirutjazz.ca @hirutcafe A major destination for delicious and nutritious Ethiopian cuisine, with monthly jazz residencies and jam sessions. Hugh’s Room Live 296 Broadview Ave. 647-960-2593 hughsroomlive.com @hughsroomlive A dedicated listening room with an intimate performing space, great acoustics, and an attentive audience, Hugh’s Room recently made the move to their new permanent home on Broadview Avenue. Jazz Bistro, The 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299 jazzbistro.ca @jazzbistroto In an historic location, Jazz Bistro features great food, a stellar wine list, and world-class jazz musicians in airy club environs. Jazz Room, The Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N., Waterloo. 226-476-1565 kwjazzroom.com @thejazzroom A welcoming music venue dedicated to the best in jazz music presentations, and home to the Grand River Jazz Society, which presents regular series throughout the year. Jean Darlene Piano Room, The 1203 Dundas Street West. jeandarlene.ca @jeandarlenepianoroom An intoxicating atmosphere, cool cocktails and great talent including “karaoke with a live band” on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays. Linsmore Tavern, The 1298 Danforth Ave. 416-466-5130 linsmoretavern.com @linsmoretavern An old-school tavern with rock, cover bands and a weekly Sunday blues night. Local, The 396 Roncesvalles Ave 416-535-6225 @thelocaltoronto Neighbourhood bar with pub fare, local beers and live music Lula Lounge 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307 lula.ca @lulalounge Toronto’s mecca for salsa, jazz, afro-Cuban, and world music, with Latin dance classes and excellent food and drinks. Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club 951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440 manhattans.ca @manhattans_guelph An independently owned neighbourhood restaurant boasting a unique dining experience that features live music almost every night of the week. Mekan Toronto 817 Queen St. W. 647-901-6280 mekantoronto.com @mekantoronto A new Queen St. spot with an emphasis on lively music, good times, and Turkish culture, Mekan features world music, jazz, swing, and more. Monarch Tavern 12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833 themonarchtavern.com @monarchtavern With a café/cocktail bar on the main floor and a pub with microbrews upstairs, Monarch Tavern regularly hosts indie, rock, and other musical genres on its stage. Motel Bar 1235 Queen Street W. 416-399-4108 @motelparkdale Casual spot for drinks, laid back atmosphere and up-close live music My House in the Junction 2882 Dundas Street W. 416-604-4555 myhouseinthejunction.com @ myhouseinthejunction Unique bar, lounge, restaurant, event space and live music venue, including jazz every Friday. Noonan’s Pub 141 Danforth Ave. 416-778-1804 noonanspub.ca @noonansirishpub Traditional Irish pub with casual atmosphere and live music including swing, blues, rock and country. Old Mill, The 21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641 oldmilltoronto.com @oldmilltoronto Jazz Lounge: An updated space in the Old Mill’s main dining room, the Jazz Lounge features an updated sound system, a new shareable menu, and listenable straight ahead jazz. Only Cafe, The 962 Danforth Ave. 416-463-3249 theonlycafe.com @theonlycafe A casual backroom of a friendly bar with a wide variety of music programmed including weekly jam sessions and young artist showcases.. Pamenar 307 Augusta Ave. cafepamenar.com @pamenar_km One of the city’s best third-wave coffee shops by day and bar by night, Pamenar hosts live music, DJs, comedy, and more. Pilot Tavern, The 22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716 thepilot.ca @thepilot_to With over 75 years around Yonge and Bloor, the Pilot is a multi-level bar that hosts live jazz on Saturday afternoons. Poetry Jazz Café 1078 Queen St W. 416-599-5299 poetryjazzcafe.com @poetryjazzcafe A sexy, clubby space, Poetry hosts live jazz, hip-hop, and DJs nightly on Queen St. West. 48 | October & November 2024 thewholenote.com

Redwood Theatre, The 1300 Gerrard Street East. 647-547-4410 theredwoodtheatre.com @ theredwoodtheatre A multi-disciplinary space for music, dance, circus, comedy, theatre and more. Reposado Bar & Lounge 136 Ossington Ave. 416-532-6474 reposadobar.com @reposadobar A chic, low-light bar with top-shelf tequila, Mexican tapas, and live music. Reservoir Lounge, The 52 Wellington St. E. 416-955-0887 reservoirlounge.com @reservoirlounge Toronto’s self-professed original swingjazz bar and restaurant, located in a historic speakeasy near St. Lawrence Market, with live music four nights a week. Rev, La 2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746 larev.ca @la.rev.toronto La Rev offers their guests and authentic taste of comida casera (Mexican homestyle cooking), and a welcoming performance space featuring some of Toronto’s most talented musicians. Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar, The 194 Queen St. W. 416-598-2475 therex.ca @therextoronto With over 60 shows per month of Canadian and international groups, The Rex is Toronto’s longest-running jazz club, with full bar and kitchen menu. Sauce on Danforth 1376 Danforth Ave. 647-748-1376 sauceondanforth.com @sauceondanforth With Victorian lighting, cocktails, and an extensive tap and bottle list, Sauce on Danforth has live music Tuesday through Saturday (and sometimes Sunday). Sellers & Newel 672 College Street. 647-778-6345 sellersandnewel.com @sellersandnewel Intimate bookstore that doubles as a live music venue in the evenings. Smokeshow BBQ and Brew 744 Mt. Pleasant Rd 416-901-7469 smokeshowbbqandbrew.com @ smokeshowjohn A laid-back venue with an emphasis on barbecue and beer, Smokeshow hosts cover artists and original music Thursday through Sunday, with Bachata lessons on Tuesdays and Karaoke on Wednesdays. Tapestry 224 Augusta Ave. @tapestry_to In the space formerly occupied by Poetry, Tapestry features jazz, electronic music, soul, and more. Tranzac 292 Brunswick Ave. 416-923-8137 tranzac.org @tranzac292 A community arts venue dedicated to supporting, presenting, and promoting creative and cultural activity in Toronto, with live shows in multiple rooms every day of the week. For details of short-run productions, see daily listings; for extended runs (8 shows or more) consult presenter websites for more information. ● Amici Chamber Ensemble. Maestro Bernstein. Guest Artists: Beste Kalender, mezzo; violinist Erika Raum, violin; and Students of the Glenn Gould School. Oct 6 3pm. ● Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Rhapsody in Blue - A Gershwin Celebration. Adrianne Pieczonka, soprano; Jonelle Sills, soprano; Justin Welsh, baritone; Daniel Vnukowski, piano; Stéphane Mayer, piano. Nov 21 8pm. ● Burlington Performing Arts Centre. State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine - Swan Lake, Nov 29 2pm; The Nutcracker, Nov 30 2pm and 7pm. ● Canadian Opera Company. Dance Series: Meet the Artists of Fall for Dance North’s 10th Anniversary Festival. Oct 2 12_noon. ● Canadian Opera Company. Dance/Instrumental Series: A Musical and Dance Journey Through Latin America. Oct 3 12_noon. ● Canadian Opera Company. Nabucco. Music by Giuseppe Verdi. Oct 4 7:30pm, Oct 6 2:30pm, Oct 12, 17 (7:30); Oct 19 (4:30); Oct 23, 25 (7:30). ● Canadian Opera Company. Vocal Series: L’Amour und Liebe. Oct 9 12:00_noon. ● Canadian Opera Company. Faust. Music by Charles Gounod. Oct 11 (7:30); 13 2pm; 16, 18, 24, 26, Nov 2 (7:30pm). ● Canadian Opera Company. Dance/Instrumental Series: MITWA. Oct 15 12_noon. ● Canadian Opera Company. Centre Stage: Ensemble Studio Competition - Lights, Camera, Opera! Oct 30 7pm. ● Canadian Opera Company. Vocal Series: The Voices of Prague. Nov 14 12_noon. ● Crow’s Theatre. Crow’s Cabaret: Palatable Gay Robot. Stephen Brower and Naomi Snieckus (Oct 2), Aurora Brown (Oct 3), Linda Kash (Oct 4), and Sherry Miller (Oct 5). 8pm. ● Crow’s Theatre. Crow’s Cabaret: Solid Gold - An Evening with Tynomi Banks. Oct 10,11,12 8pm. ● Don Wright Faculty of Music. Opera at Western: Die Fledermaus (The Bat). Nov 14, 15 (7:30pm); Nov 16, 17(2pm). ● Elgin Winter Garden Theatre Centre. Esencia Flamenca. Nov 7 7:30. ● Flato Markham Theatre. Tom Thomson’s Wake - An Original Folk Musical. Shipyard Kitchen Party Band. Oct 3 7:30pm. ● Flato Markham Theatre. Any Dream Will Do: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Oct 4 8pm. ● Flato Markham Theatre. Social Tango. Social Tango Project; Agustina Videla, choreographer. Nov 15 8pm. ● Grand Theatre (London). Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. Adapted and Directed by Daryl Cloran. Featuring music of The Beatles. Oct 15 7:30: Runs until Nov 2. Visit grandtheatre.com for full performance dates and pricing. OPERA, MUSIC THEATRE, DANCE | By Presenter Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah (centre) with members of the company in the 2024 Stratford Festival's official trailer for Something Rotten!, 2024 ● Grand Theatre. The Sound of Music. Music & Lyrics by Rodgers & Hammerstein. Nov 19 7:30: runs until Dec 29. Visit grandtheatre.com for full performance dates and pricing. ● Mariposa Arts Theatre. Gypsy: A Musical Fable. Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Julia Styne, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Nov 7, 8, 9 (7:30pm); 10 (2pm); 15,16,17 (2pm). ● Metropolitan United Church. Noon at Met: Voices of Prague - A Celebration of Czech Opera. Oct 31 12_noon. ● Mirvish Productions. Disney’s The Lion King. Directed by Julie Taymor. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W. 1.800.461.3333. -9. Nov 2 7:30; runs until Apr 27 2025. Visit mirvish.com for full performance dates and pricing. ● Mississauga Living Arts Centre. Salaam Rahman. Sampradaya Dance Creations. Oct 5 7:30. ● Musical Stage Company. UnCovered: U2 & The Rolling Stones. Oct 22, 23, 24, 25 8pm. ● Opera Atelier. Acis and Galatea. Music by Georg Frideric Handel. Oct 24, 26 (7:30pm); Oct 27 (2:30pm). ● Opera Revue. Trills, Chills and Frills - A Spooky Masquerade Opera Show. Oct 13 8pm. ● Royal Conservatory of Music. Glenn Gould School Chamber Opera. Ravel: L’Enfant et les sortilèges; Debussy: L’Enfant prodigue. Nov 1, 2 7:30: ● Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO). La Bohème. Music by Giacomo Puccini. Oct 2, 5, 7:30pm. ● Starvox Entertainment. Evil Dead the Musical. Book and lyrics by George Reinblatt; Music by Frank Cipolla, Christopher Bond, Melissa Morris, George Reinblatt. Oct 5 7:00; runs until Nov 24. Visit evildeadthemusical. com for full performance dates and pricing. ● Stratford Festival. Something Rotten! Book by Karey Kirkpatrick & John O’Farrell; Music & lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick & Karey Kirkpatrick; Oct 2 8pm; runs until Nov 17. Visit stratfordfestival.ca for full performance dates and pricing. ● Theatre Passe Muraille. Flin Flon Cowboy. Ken Harrower and the Flin Flon Cowboy Collective. Oct 19 7:30; Runs until Nov 2. Visit passemuraille.ca for for full performance dates and pricing. ● Toronto City Opera. L’elisir d’amore. Music by Gaetano Donizetti. Jennifer Tung, conductor; Jessica Derventzis, stage director; Ivan Estey Jovanovic, piano. Nov 13 (7pm): Also Nov 16,17(2pm). ● Toronto Operetta Theatre. The Student Prince. Music by Sigmund Romberg. Nov 1,2 (8pm); Nov 3 (3pm). ● Toronto Operetta Theatre. TOT Cabaret Series: Vienna, The City of Dreams. Nov 23 4pm. ● T.Y.T. Theatre. Curious George and the Golden Meatball. Wychwood Theatre (Toronto), 76 Wychwood Ave. Oct 5, 6,12,13,19, 20 (12;30pm). Recommended age 4+. Visit tyttheatre.com for full performance dates and pricing. ● University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Historical Performance: One World United - Handel’s Dixit Dominus. Schola Cantorum and the Theatre of Early Music with Daniel Taylor; Laurence Lemieux, choreographer. Nov 10 7:30. ● University of Toronto Faculty of Music. U of T Opera: Three Islands — Castaway, Tempest Songbook, Riders to the Sea. Nov 21, 22, 23 (7:30pm), 24(2:30pm). ● Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Music. Opera Excerpts. Nov 8 and 9 (7:30pm). Search listings online at thewholenote.com/just-ask thewholenote.com October & November 2024 | 49