Amazes me how music is the ever-flowing resource of this city. Like water, music will find its own way in this town. Cut off one channel, and another will appear; one club goes dark for a night, another one lights up, ever flow, even flow, there’s always something flowing somewhere.
For instance, an exciting new monthly showcase, Hometown Sounds, organized by Tina Gagliardi at Simcoe Blues and Jazz is happening Saturday, July 22, 2023. This is a night of new sounds, new people, new music. For those who want to step into the music scene of Oshawa, this is the wellspring. This night features Douglas MacKenzie, along with Tasha DiZazzo, and Jeremy JJ Woyce.
On Friday, July 21, at Simcoe Jazz and Blues, it’s Hard Soda rocking out the blues.
And this is exciting news, also on Friday, Cheryl Ireland, lead for the Autumn Smoke and one-half of the Irelands, will be performing at the Oshawa Golf and Curling Club. That place is a gem, harkens back to the status Oshawa had as an international HQ for GM, and one has to see the inside of the curling rink to believe it; mid-century Canadiana to the extreme, beauty place, and of course, beauty sounds from Cheryl. Put this on your list.
Afterwards, try and catch the Doozies, a three-piece East Coast, Irish-y fiddle-y fun act, who will be at Fionn McCools, a hop, skip and a high kick away from the Golf Club.
Also on Friday modern troubadours the Co-Conspirators, with Katherine Simmonds, and Will Richards, are at Cork and Bean, while south at the Wee Pub the duo Amanda & Steve will entertain.
If you plan it right, you could catch all of these Friday night acts.
At Cork and Bean, the wonderful Courtney Bowles brings the country on Thursday, July 20.
Local alt-rock band Separator kick off their World Tour of Oshawa Wednesday, July 19, at The General in downtown Oshawa. The band’s next dates are July 28 again at the General and July 29 at the Atria.
At the Atria on Wednesday, July 19, Days On Parade roll in with the rock, also Ivy Gardens is on the bill, and on Thursday, July 20, melodic thrashers Wasting Time, along with Fast Eddie and The Nailheads, bring an acoustic touch to their country-tinged themes, like a Social Distortion fronted by Art Bergman.
Also on Thursday at the General, local faves The Mad Murdocks headline a line-up with Moffatt Avenue, Among Legends, and Snailspace.
I hope someone documents this because that’s festival-level stuff, multi-acts, multi-venues. So the plan then, yeah, Wednesday Separator, then Days on Parade; Thursday Courtney, then Mad Murdocks, then Wasting Time; and Friday, well Cork and Bean, then to Cheryl, then Doozies, and onto Saturday at Simcoe Jazz and Blues. You're welcome. All you have to do is book the hotel.