Events I’ve attended out of town recently have caused me to realize a few things about musical experiences. While attending my west end Toronto high school’s 40th Reunion - Martingrove Collegiate, the beginning of June, while sharing drinks in the gym, I realized the @1500 attendee’s were being serenaded by current music students of the school effectively performing acoustic versions of many tunes of my youth, at least 35 years my junior. These songs have held the test of time, being repeatedly heard on our predominant Classic Rock radio stations and now proudly performed by young musicians doing their own renditions. Comparing these tunes to favourite’s my son Lucas played for me on the trip that day to Toronto made me realize that looking for Peace, exploring the endless terrains of Love, challenging existing conforms and partying have all been constant causes that songwriters rely on for material, no matter the era.
I was finally able to expose, recently, My Far Better Half to the magic I’ve experienced many times before, that of Hugh’s Room, a simple but practical 200 seat venue in Westend Toronto (www.hughsroom.com) . A sensibly affordable, tasty menu is available for dinner reservations prior to the show, always ensuring a great, up close and personal seat. ‘Show Only’tickets are also available on a first come basis. Located an easy stroll just south of the Dundas St. West subway stop on the Bloor Line, I’ve been lucky in the past to catch a Carlos del Junco – CD Release, with Kevin Breit on guitar and Dennis Keldie on keyboards and another time a Steve Forbert show. Both times I remember thinking how great it was to be in a room of like minded appreciators of live music and being able to actually hear the performer. I would best compare the entertainment styles / quality of Hugh’s Room as very similar to the Black Sheep Inn, in Wakefield, just east of Ottawa. Both host quality folk music stylings from across Canada and the States, each in their uniquely locals ways .
I realized one thing different though, between Hugh’s Room and Black Sheep is that the population of a vast urban area like Toronto has the numbers to support quirky evenings, unique, diverse groups of talent like the one we caught at Hugh’s. MC for the evening, Michael Wrycraft explained the origin of these events where a group of one gender of artist will take turns performing songs written by someone of the opposite gender. One evening is entitled ‘Boys Do Girls’ and the one we chanced into was ‘Girls Do Boys’. Ever changing, incredibly diverse styles and vintages of guy and gal performers present @ 2 x year, always well attended and definitely well remembered. Sue’s already planning our trip for the next one, ‘Boys Do Girls’ in September. The concept was created and well established by last year’s Stewart Park Festival performer, musician, Michael Johnston, who made good use of the creative depth of talent in his Peterborough neighbourhood to present several type events a year.
Revived a few years ago at Hugh’s Room, we were privileged to see the Road Dog Diva’s Laura Freeman, Suzie Vinnick, Caitlin Hanford, Tannis Slimmon, Oh Susanna, Rachelle Van Zanten (Painting Daisies) & Chantal Vitalis (both whom performed the week before at our own O’Reilly’s), Alex Pangman and to top it off, the one and only Sylvia Tyson. Sylvia performed Ian Tyson’s ‘Four Strong Winds’ for the first time vocally solo, being backed on keys by Joan Besan of Prairie Oyster fame. Those who have attended Brooke fundraisers by Toronto’s Backstabbers Country String Band will be happy to hear of the June 10th wedding of Backstabber’s Colonel Tom Parker and Alex Pangman. In fact, she performed being just back from their honeymoon that day.
What a great evening. Sometimes I find its the uniqueness of the mix of the presentation that creates some of the most memorable times. I harken back to the magic often created at the Acoustic Stage at Stewart Park Festival, where various players of different groups gather under a common theme and create. Aw, the memories. See you there. Have you seen the line up yet at www.stewartparkfestival.ca ???
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