The Backyard of the Robert McLaughlin Gallery opens Friday, July 7, for its inaugural concert. The Professors of Funk will bring it, of course, but make sure you get in at the beginning to see Tania Joy, an award-winning singer/songwriter from Uxbridge and an all-around fab entertainer. Tania won the OMA Songwriter of the Year in 2021, was in the Weeknd’s original backing band, and her sound has been described as “trip-hoppy soul” by Alan Cross. She is also a member of the team behind the Springtide Festival in Uxbridge, so yes to Joy. While the area behind the Gallery was used previously for shows by Dizzy and Chastity, the place has been redesigned with a covered stage and gardens. I’m looking forward to seeing the evolution of the art gallery’s plans for the yard and the RMG First Friday's monthly events. The party starts at 7 p.m. with Tania at 7:30 p.m. The Yard’s designers will be on hand, and the Oshawa Garden Club will be helping with the planting of the beds.
Simcoe Blues and Jazz has a great line-up this weekend, starting Friday with the southern boogie of Zed Head, into Saturday with Vance McKenzie and then on Sunday, Godo, a.k.a. Greg Godovitz, who is coming in for an intimate and interactive afternoon session. The iconic Canadian rocker, who also co-founded Fludd, will tell tales about his much-storied life in music, chronicled in his autobiography ‘Travels With My Amp.’ Of course, tunes will be played. Kevin & Sue will be in for their weekly Friday matinee, as will the Frank Z Band on Saturday. If they put a trailer out back, I’d stay there for the whole weekend.
The Atria has a band of some renown coming in as well. On Saturday, TO OG skate thrashers Random Killing, with our pal Chris Hill of Boneless Promotions on the kit, will be tearing the place a new door. They’re bringing Choices Made, Spades GT, and Poison Fountains. Gonna get loud with all that raw energy!
Quiet in the theatres this weekend, but on Wednesday, July 5, retro-glam rockers Buckcherry bring their easy sleaze sliding into the Biltmore. The band was hitting the charts in the late-90s with their Alice Cooper/ Motley Crue leanings and touring with Lenny Kravitz and AC/DC. Not one to rest on their leather-clad laurels, the band is touring their new album, Vol 10.