Live through this
My selected Toronto show calendar to the end of the year
My periodic listings of Toronto-area shows I’d consider going to, if time and money were no object, this time from mid-November to the end of the year. On each date, the top event listed would be my likely first choice.
I know I’ve missed a bunch of cool things. (December particularly is looking thin right now.) Tell me what in the comments. While the list won’t be mailed out again, I will try to update this page now and then as info emerges, so check back.
Deepest thanks to Michael Barclay’s That Night in Toronto and Joe Strutt’s Mechanical Forest Sound for listing info, among other sources. For Hamilton, Ont., listings, I highly recommend the newish #Hamont Substack.
See some of you some of there!
Fri Nov. 15: Ian Tamblyn, Free Times Cafe, 8 pm (seats guaranteed w/ dinner reservation)
- Magpie, Geordie Gordon, Tranzac, 9 pm
- The OBGMs, Velvet Underground (album release)
- Communism, Castro’s, 8:30 pm
- Confluent Motion (Bill Gilliam/Kayla Milmine/Rob Clutton/Joe Sorbara), Emmet Ray, 6:30 pm
- Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams (Nov 14-16, 21-23), Skydome (sold out)
Sat Nov. 16: Adrianne Lenker (Big Thief), Queen Elizabeth Theatre
- Blunt Object plays Carla Bley, The Rex, 2 pm, $10
- Communism, Drake Hotel 10 pm
- Brian Ruryk, Tranzac (Living Room)
- Kevin Breit & Don Rooke, Tranzac, 7.30 pm
- Witch Prophet, Lowdown Brass Band, Janette King, Dance Cave
- Life is a Carnival: Last Waltz tribute feat. Mike Campbell, John - Medeski, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Meridian Hall
- Rich Aucoin, Longboat Hall
- Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams (Nov 14-16, 21-23), Skydome (sold out)
Sun Nov. 17: Burn Down the Capital presents Wendy Eisenberg’s Viewfinder, Bernice, Pete Johnston’s Stranger Still, Collective Arts
- Grievous Angels, Horseshoe Tavern, 1 pm (also Charlie Angus memoir launch)
- Dave Clark’s Western Slang, The Local (Roncesvalles), 2 pm
- Modest Mouse, Black Heart Procession, History
- John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Tues Nov. 19: Dead Bob (NoMeansNo’s John Wright), Lung, USA Out of Vietnam, Horseshoe Tavern
- Clue Note: Trivia and Creative Music (Vol. 2) (Germaine Liu/Mira Martin-Gray/Nick Storring/Mark Zurawinski), Tranzac
- Karen Ng, Allison Cameron, Ted Crosby, Philippe Melanson, Wenona Lodge, 8:30 pm
Wed Nov. 20: Rufus Wainwright, Koerner Hall
- Sturgill Simpson, Massey Hall (also Nov. 21)
Thurs Nov. 21: Sturgill Simpson, Massey Hall
- Swollen Members, Moka Only, Lee’s Palace
- Corin Raymond, Cameron House, 6 pm
- Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams (Nov 14-16, 21-23), Skydome (sold out)
Fri Nov. 22: Ombiigizi, Monarch Tavern
- Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams (Nov 14-16, 21-23), Skydome (sold out)
- Honey Dijon, History
Sat Nov. 23: Caribou, Massey Hall (see also Nov 24)
- Songs of Nick Drake, ft. Luke Jackson, Kevin Kane, Suzie Ungerleider Michelle Willis, Kathryn Rose, Conor Gains,Trish Robb, Cam Giroux, Jason Mercer, Kurt Swinghammer, string quartet, Hugh’s Room
- John Borra, Lorraine Leckie, Sellers & Newel
Sun Nov. 24: Caribou, History
- Andy Haas, Sellers & Newel
- Ken Whiteley Gospel Matinee, Hugh’s Room, 2 pm
- John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Mon Nov. 25: Kids in the Hall, Danforth Music Hall (benefit for Paul Bellini, KiTH writer dealing w/ cancer)
Tues Nov. 26: Jane Siberry, Hugh’s Room (also Nov. 27) (sold out)
- Alice Burdick (poet) book launch, w/ Jay MillAr, singer-songwriter Ben Walker, host Stuart Ross, Imperial Pub, 7 pm
- Pat Metheny, Massey Hall
- Dan Pitt Quintet, album release, Tranzac, 9:30 pm
Wed Nov. 27: Jane Siberry, Hugh’s Room (sold out)
- I Dream of Wires synth doc narrated by Patti Schmidt (Brave New Waves), w/ live performance by Aida Khorsandi, Revue Cinema, 9.30 pm
- Jim Cuddy, Massey Hall
Thurs Nov. 28: Barbara Hannigan, soprano, with Bertrand Chamayou, piano, Koerner Hall, performing Messiaen, Scriabin, and John Zorn’s Jumalattaret
- Zoobombs, Monarch Tavern
- The Toronto Songbook Celebrating Queen Street West and the 1980s, Michael Occhipinti (musical director), special guests, Hugh’s Room
- Wavelength presents Bibi Club, Tiger Balm, Geordie Gordon, St. Anne’s Lower Hall, more info
- Dean Drouillard, Christine Bougie, Sellers & Newel
- Halocline Trance Presents: Eldritch Priest (album release) + Karen Ng & David Psutka, Tranzac, 9:30 pm
Fri Nov. 29: Corpusse, Sellers & Newel
- Myk Freedman, Drom Taberna, 8 pm
- Bob Sumner, Doug Paisley, Horseshoe
- Molehill (Mike Smith/Jake Oelrichs/Pete Johnston), Tranzac
- Classified, Ria Mae, more, Lee’s Palace
- Women’s Blues Revue, Massey Hall (feat Diana Braithwaite, Tanika Charles, Kellylee Evans, Rebecca Hennessy, Meghan Parnell, Crystal Shawanda, more)
- Sloan plays Smeared, Concert Hall (also Nov 30)
- Jhene Aiko, Scotiabank Arena
Sat Nov. 30: Cécile McLorin Salvant, Meridian Arts Centre, North York
- Cold Specks, the Burdock
- Sloan plays Smeared, Concert Hall
- Mike Dubue (Hilotrons, Timber Timbre), Chime of Wrens, Tranzac, 10 pm
- Ahi, Allied Music Centre (Massey Hall)
- Shakira, Raptors/Leafs Arena
- 54-40, Limblifter, Danforth Music Hall
- Sister Sledge, Living Arts Centre, Mississauga
Sun Dec. 1: Gary Topp (of The Garys, legendary Toronto music promoters) book launch, Masonic Red Room, Concert Hall, 1:30 pm-6 pm, incl. music, panel discussion (4:15 pm), film screening, details here (sold out)
- Connie Kaldor Family Band Christmas, Hugh’s Room
- John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Mon Dec 2: Aurora, History
Tues Dec. 3: Joel Plaskett, Great Hall (also Dec. 4)
Wed Dec. 4: Play it Loud! How Toronto Got Soul documentary Hot Docs Cinema (also Dec 7)
- Andy Kim Christmas Show 20th anniversary, ft. Barenaked Ladies, Alex Lifeson, Broken Social Scene, Billy Talent, Dan Hill, William Prince, more, Massey Hall
- Joel Plaskett, Great Hall
Thurs Dec. 5: Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, annual event feat. a surprise (but usually excellent) slate of literary & musical guests, Paradise Theatre
- Alvvays, Concert Hall (Dec 5-7)
Fri Dec. 6: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Opera House
- Junkhouse, The Commune, Horseshoe Tavern (also Dec 7)
- D.D. Jackson, Redwood Theatre (also Dec 7)
- Eugene Ripper, Sellers & Newel
- Jazz Piano Meets Kurdish Kamanche (feat. Diane Roblin & Shahriyar Jamshidi), Canadian Music Centre
- Alvvays, Concert Hall (Dec 5-7)
Sat Dec. 7: Play it Loud! How Toronto Got Soul documentary Hot Docs Cinema (also Dec 7)
- D.D. Jackson, Redwood Theatre
- Junkhouse, The Commune, Horseshoe Tavern
- Uniform, Pharmakon, True Body, Monarch Tavern
Sun Dec. 8: John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Mon Dec. 9: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Horseshoe Tavern
Wed Dec. 11: Skaface, Horseshoe Tavern
Thurs Dec. 12: Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, annual event feat. a surprise (but usually excellent) slate of literary & musical guests, Paradise Theatre
- Great Lake Swimmers, Longboat Hall
- Taylor Knox, The Monarch
Sun Dec. 15: - John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Mon Dec.16: Clairo, Alice Phoebe Lou, Massey Hall (Dec 16-18)
Tues Dec. 17: Clairo, Alice Phoebe Lou, Massey Hall (Dec 16-18)
- BadBadNotGood, History
Wed Dec. 18: Clairo, Alice Phoebe Lou, Massey Hall (Dec 16-18)
Thurs Dec. 19: Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, annual event feat. a surprise (but usually excellent) slate of literary & musical guests, Paradise Theatre
Fri Dec 20: Jennifer Castle, Tranzac (also Dec. 21)
- Okavango African Orchestra w/ guests Lorraine Klaasen, Diely Mori Tounkara, Pape Ndiaye, Mis Blandine and Dally Dominic, Redwood Theatre
Sat Dec. 21: Jennifer Castle, Tranzac
- Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, annual event feat. a surprise (but usually excellent) slate of literary & musical guests, Paradise Theatre
- Skydiggers, Danforth Music Hall
- Choir! Choir! Choir!: Unsilent Night, Massey Hall (2 pm & 8 pm)
Sun Dec. 22: Handsome Dick Manitoba (the Dictators), Bunchofuckingoofs, Stand Against Fear, Gerry Finn (Killer Dwarfs), Dave McMillan/Chuck Keeping (Big Wreck), Stacy Stray (Robin Black), Horseshoe Tavern (Food Bank fundraiser)
- John Borra, Communist’s Daughter 5 pm (every Sunday)
- Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Woodshed Orchestra) presents new songwriters, Tranzac, 7.30 pm (every Sunday)
Sat Dec. 28: - Jason Collett’s Basement Revue, annual event feat. a surprise (but usually excellent) slate of literary & musical guests, Paradise Theatre
Tue Dec. 31: The Sadies, Brooks & Bowskill, Horseshoe Tavern
Cécile McLorin Salvant at the Meridian Arts Centre in North York Nov 30
Great list! Adding Taylor Knox at the Monarch Dec 12 :)