Music in Toronto?

[jamnut]

Just getting the hang of this board and all the little doo-dads to make a message with so please cut this cali-girl some slack.

Heading to toronto this monday and tuesday and looks as though this might be the place to ask for suggestions for some good live music spots and some secret places to find some good eats.

Please fire away for those of you who have suggestions.

Thanks JN

[DevO]

Yo JN!

Hands down, the only place that you can possibly go on Monday night is The Orbit Room to see The Sisters Euclid with guitar wizard Kevin Breit. I'm pretty sure everyone here would recommend it! Don't miss your chance!

Do you live in Cali? What's bringing you to town?

[jamnut]

No flies here! The Orbit Room. This I will search out with such a strong recommendation.

Yes, from San Fran and visiting Niagara-On-The-Lake for wine research and seminars for work back home. Absolutely gorgeous area and have found some new wines from this region.

Thanks for you tip.

JN

[Jay Funk Dawg]

If your looking to connect with some Toronto boarders i.e. Large Marge, Mr. Slippery, Aromatherapy, Flymykitehigh, livingstoned, timdawg, Smoothedshreader, Dr. Evil Mouse ... and me Jay.

Stop by the Gypsy Co-op 817 Queen St. it's an acoustic jam night, starts at 10PM, good starting place, as it's not to far from the Orbit room.

[Jaimoe]

Niagra region's Inniskillin Pinot Grigio is one of my favourite wines. Check it out.

Try going to the Horseshoe Tavern on Tuesday. It's new music night with tons of up-and-coming bands... and is free.

[jamnut]

Thanks again for all these tips. I didn't have any doubts that I would have trouble finding some local hangs and now my cup runneth over. I have heard of the infamous Horseshoe Tavern so this will be a nice way to clobber two birds with one stone. I have my map in hand and have located these places mentioned. All within what seems to be skipping distance from each other.

Thanks full of grapes. JN

[bONES]

hi jamnut

one of my fave spots to eat in town is pulp fiction, a vegan eatery/juice bar on Queen St. east of Broadview. If you are looking for somewhere more centrally (downtown) located, FRESH by Juice For Life < (that's their website) have a couple locations. One of them is just east of The Horseshoe on Queen West.

[TomFoolery]

Hey JN,

Make sure you check out Crown Bench Estates.

Phenomenal stuff.

2000 Pinot Noire is unreal.

Real tasty Meritage.

Enjoy the region!

[Jaimoe]

Pick-up one of Toronto's free papers when you get here ( Now or Eye ). However, here's Now Magazine's Tuesday live music listing:

alleycatz Christopher Plock Trio (swing).

axis The Creaking Tree String Quartet (jazzy bluegrass).

black swan Platypi.

blue meaney Karaoke w/ MC Randy.

cabbage patch Jamaoke (karaoke with a live band) w/ Donn Woods.

cameron house Run with the Kittens (high-energy quirk-rock) 10 pm. See feature, page 50.

chick 'n' deli Jam Night w/ Valerie, Michale, Karim & Stan (rock/blues).

clinton's Indie Night w/ Swing and a Miss & Hill.

Dominion on Queen The Cod.

fox & fiddle (danforth) Open mic w/ Nils & Paul (indie rock/folk).

Free times Best of the Open Stage.

Gladstone Melody Bar: Tunie Tuesdays open mic.

Graffiti's Utopian Minds.

Healey's Double jam night: comedy w/ Glen Foster 8 pm, open jam 10 pm.

holy joe's Nicole Jasir (singer/songwriter).

honey supper lounge Tuesday Night Diva Series (vocal jazz).

horseshoe tavern Robot Man, Delusions of Grandeur, Wheels on the Bus & Gabe Minnikin. (alt-rock)

joe mama's Mike Hawker & Sam Heineman (jazz/Motown).

kathedral Rehab for Quitters (punk).

kool haus Rufus Wainwright, Ben Folds & Ben Lee (two piano-pounding pop bards; one string-plinking troubadour). See Celebrity Spins, page 55.

lee's palace Thor, Goathorn & Ground Level (manic metal theatrics).

mitzi's sister Cameron's Platter Party (cheap beer-drinkin', record-playin' party).

montreal bistro John Alcorn & Strings (jazz).

n'awlins Stacie McGregor (jazz piano).

oasis Open stage.

old nick Open mic w/ Pamela Gilmartin.

rancho relaxo The Perms (alt-pop).

red guitar Louise Lambert (singer/songwriter).

reservoir lounge Tyler Yarema and His Rhythm.

reverb Big Bop Indy Nights.

rex Bernie Senensky Trio 6:30 pm, Classic Rex Jazz Jam 9:30 pm (jazz).

sneaky dee's Not In London Fundraiser.

trane studio Acoustic Soul Tuesdays w/ Syreeta Neal & Daniel Stone (jazz/blues/roots/rock/soul).

tranzac Scott Maynard (singer/songwriter) 6 pm, Johnny Eden 8 pm, Annex Comedy 9 pm, Julian Fauth and the Chain Gang 10 pm.

underdown Rita's Parlour (jazz/blues) 6-9 pm.

wildfire Amy Rivard & George Grosman (jazz guitar and vocals).

[DevO]

Creaking Tree String Quartet are a great band to see on Tuesday night.. I think its free too, or really cheap.

http://www.creakingtree.com/

Also that show at Kool Haus looks pretty killer. But I guess you could see that show anywhere too.

[shainhouse]

The Perms are good.

Check out more listings at www.jambase.com

[shainhouse]

That Rufus/Folds/Lee show would be killer.

[jamnut]

So much going on! More reasons to visit Toronto as much as time will allow before I return home. A big wave to you cowboy for the dining tips. I'll be at North 44 for what I'm sure will be an experience and then looking for good "local" specialties. What does Toronto have that is it's own food-wise?

Thanks again everyone for all of the info.

[FairySari]

I'd recommend New Generation Sushi on Bloor St. (if you like sushi). Try the sushi pizza (you can get it vegetarian without fish too). Future Bakery is cool too - good food, not too expensive, awesome deserts, and super huge patio. These aren't super fancy or anything - nothing like North 44 - just places I go fairly often in the city, and not touristy or anything.

[M.O.B.E]

North 44 isnt all its cracked up to be, dont get me wrong the food is good but there is better IMO...try Rain, or Opus,Susur's. Susur is the best chefs in the world right now, his tasting menu is an experience you will never forget!

Edited August 7, 2005 by Guest

[can-o-phish]

Hey Jamnut,

Don't have much to add to this except that Mondays=The Orbit Room & The Sisters Euclid. If you're looking for local talent, Kevin Breit heads up this quartet that pump out incredible original and various covers. Kevin is also well known for recently recording & touring with Norah Jones, Cassandra Wilson, The Wailin' Jenny's and a multitude of other musicians.

Island Food's (King St. West) boneless chicken roati is one of my favourite treats. You can find awesome chicken katsu w/sticky rice at Village on the Grange and if you find yourself deep in the beaches on Monday, Scratch Daniel's wings and a pitcher is a tasty treat. I have veggie places but some have already been recommended to you and I concur.

What wineries are you visiting? There are usually some great jazz & blues events that happen in NOTL throughout the summer and I'm sure you've found a few by now. If not, just ask.

Have a great visit in T-Dot!

[Jaimoe]

What does Toronto have that is it's own food-wise?

Thanks again everyone for all of the info.

Well, Toronto is one, if not the most multi-cultural cities in the world, so what kind of food do you want to eat?

I live in Greektown, which is Danforth Ave ( Bloor Street east of the Don Valley ): locals call the area either Riverdale of The Danforth. There are tons of restaurants of every kind on Danforth starting at Broadview ( you'll like Danforth Avenue ).

Dundas Street east of Pape starts to get into Little India. Danforth near or before Greenwood is Afghani. If you go to the Orbit Room on College, that will be in one of Toronto's Little Italy's. Just north of The Horseshoe on Spadina is the largest of Toronto's three Chinatowns ( Toronto having the second largest in the world next to San Fran ).

Church & Wellesley ( north of Maple Leaf Gardens ) is the favourite hang-out of Cowboy... a joke. It's the gay district, which is the second largest next to San Fran.

[bouche]

Yo JN!

Hands down, the only place that you can possibly go on Monday night is The Orbit Room to see The Sisters Euclid with guitar wizard Kevin Breit. I'm pretty sure everyone here would recommend it! Don't miss your chance!

Do you live in Cali? What's bringing you to town?

holy sheep shit! That is the greatest timing and advice you could possibly get about toronto. You will go home with your jaw on the floor. I have some live recordings ready for download, but I need to setup links. I'm sure it's too late for you now, but I promise you, after you've seen them (you absolutely MUST go), you will want to listen to them nonstop for a while and share their music.

I really hope you go, because I cannot wait to read what you have to say about them. Don't forget to look for the guy at the microphones and say HI!. That's Can 'o' phish.

Edited August 7, 2005 by Guest

[Jaimoe]

Basically, whatever type of food you are looking for, Toronto has it. I forgot: we have great Thai and Spanish/Mexican restaurants here as well.

[bONES]

Church & Wellesley ( north of Maple Leaf Gardens ) is the favourite hang-out of Cowboy... a joke. It's the gay district

shhhhh!

[jamnut]

Thanks for the many many tips from everyone and even the location of Toronto's gay district. Love the laughs. I caught Norah when she played in SF and if this guitarist you've been mentioning is the tall drink of water in the porkpie hat that was in her band, then that's where I'll be this evening.

Food-wise I'm looking for something that is Toronto/Canadian. But all the dishes mentioned from Thai to Roati has my tummy grumbling. I will post my experiences in a few days.

Lovely People You All Are!

JN

[Calamity Jane]

DO NOT MISS BRIET!!! Notice no one is giving you any alternate suggestions for Monday night? It's a solid bet, for sure. And you're lucky he's taking the next few Mondays off, or you'd be extending your Toronto stay!!

Evil Mouse & I are endeavouring to get ther tonight,. and can'o'phish is ever-present at the mics!

as for "Canadian" food, well really no such thing. Lots of regional specialities though (esp. Quebec and the Maritimes). But as far as Toronto goes, we're really "proud" of all our diverse neighbourhoods and the delicious grub therein. My 3 personal favs:

~~Bloor/Christie ("Little Korea");

~~Danforth, east of Greenwood for "Little India" and all-you-can-eat buffets (*drool*)

~~the strip of Ethiopean restuarants along Bloor at Ossington.

moving out of TO at the end of the month, and hands-down, one thing I'll miss most is the awesome array of different cultural cuisines available.

[bouche]

the tall drink of water in the porkpie hat that was in her band, then that's where I'll be this evening.

I think you just described him. Although, I've never heard that expression before.

here's a fuzzy pic I found on the net of Kevin Breit playing with Norah.

Here's one that I took when the Sisters Euclid came to Ottawa.

[AdamH]

I'll bite.

There's really no Toronto/Canadian food available. But if your company is picking up the tab try Splendido, Susur or Canoe for something awfully memorable and maybe closer to what you're looking for.

Our sushi absultely sucks in comparison to yours so I'd skip on that. Canoe in particular will probably feature more game and more local items than the others but really you can't go wrong with any of them.

You'll also get a good sense of Canadian Wines (Niagara or otherwise) by visiting the Queen's Quay or Summerhill LCBO outlets (The Liquor Control Board of Ontario - Canada's Publicly-owned retail liquor stores). Between current releases and some candian vintages available there you should get a good sense of what vintners here are doing.

[Jaimoe]

I'll bite.

There's really no Toronto/Canadian food available.

Canoe features what is considered a Canadian menu - I've only heard great things about the place, but keep in mind it's a fine dining establishment: http://www.canoerestaurant.com/home_f.htm

There is a great Canadian-only pub on Yonge Street just north of Bloor - The Rebel House. I love the menu and the beer: http://www.rebelhouse.ca/

Make sure you drink Canadian beer while you're here, preferably a regional beer that you can't get state-side. A lot of Yanks when they come to Canada seem to stick to American beer, which is a damn shame ( my fiance knows this first-hand since she's a bartender ).