The Yorkville Rock:: Vista from atop the 650-ton tectonic puzzle outside the TTC Bay subway station exit, sees pedestrians on Cumberland Street potentially drawn to the afternoon jazz @BloorYorkville #SummerMusicInThePark. Loose set by five players billed as the #BrendanCassidy Quartet, some stepping off the tiny riser when solos are taken. Tables and chair have been set in front of the stage, but wiser listeners have placed themselves in the shade beyond the icicle curtain or by the tree planters. (The Yorkville Rock, Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240707
Nathan Phillips Square:: Weekend crowds outside City Hall for @TasteMiddleEast, featuring entertainment on stage. Ensemble stepping to the drumbeats, next coming down into the audience seeking willing partners for belly-dancing. Tents set up to the east, selling handicrafts and ethnic cuisine. (Nathan Phillips Square, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20240707
Nathan Phillips Square:: Weekend crowds outside City Hall for @TasteMiddleEast, featuring entertainment on stage. Ensemble stepping to the drumbeats, next coming down into the audience seeking willing partners for belly-dancing. Tents set up to the east, selling handicrafts and ethnic cuisine. (Nathan Phillips Square, Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario) 20240707
McGill Parkette:: After-work @DowntownYonge #PlayTheParks @sleepyjeansings duet on “Once Held My Heart” with two guitars. Style is described as spaghetti western infused Americana may be more imagined than anchored, with performers originating from Welland, Ontario. Full band would have included drums and bass, but the stripped down version let emotions and humour flow. (McGill Parkette, Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240709
Village of Yorkville Park: Sunday afternoon @BloorYorkville with electric violinist @realdrdraw and the Strange Parade #ColinJamesGibson guitar, #MichaelMcDonnell bass, #JeffAntoineCote drums. Catchy rhythms with concrete building to the south probably broadcast the music into Rosedale, onstage dancing had passersby stopping on sidewalk. First set ended with a few raindrops starting, I biked home through the downpour. (Village of Yorkville Park, Cumberland Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240714
Trinity Square Park: Noontime @EuniceKeitan #PlayIntheParks extended version of “Donde Estas” with @HowleySounds on lead guitar and pedal beatbox for @DowntownYonge . Song in English is inspired by Latin neighbour couple fighting. Enjoying duet performance with minimal production, she programmed loops of voice and guitar into an effects box at her feet, for other tunes. (Trinity Square Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20240718
Trinity Square Park:: Second take of “Donde Estas” @EuniceKeitan with @HowleySounds on lead guitar and pedal beatbox for @DowntownYonge . In second set, repeated for live recording of #PlayIntheParks 2024 summer compilation. Only the song title in Spanish, lyrics in English inspired by Latin neighbour couple fighting. (Trinity Square Park, Toronto, Ontario) 20240718
East Lynn Park:: Dusk show @TheDannyBIA #TheDannyLovesMusic with @JerryLeger and #TheSituation on stage. Children playing in dry splash zone to the southeast, some adults inside the licensed beverage area to the southwest, all watching the band raised to the north. Neighbourhood is rather far east in the old City of Toronto, not so much a destination for audiences from the downtown core. (East Lynn Park, Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario) 20240719
Gerrard Street East:: Saturday night #FestivalOfSouthAsia @gerrardindiabaz after 9pm, rock bank performing song where audience is singing along. Not understanding the words myself, I’m not the target audience. Large crowd including children and grandparents (Gerrard Street East at Hiawatha Road, Little India, Toronto, Ontario) 20240720
Woodbine Park:: Disco party #BoomShakaLakas around 10pm @beachesjazz program. Theme of music from the 1990s has audience standing and swaying. Losing count of number of public music performances in this city. (Woodbine Park, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20240720
Bloordale Village: Dusk solo piano and electric keys by @johnkameelfarah on main stage @bigonbloorfest . Concert pianist was born in Brampton, song as mix of Bach and own composition dedicated to Sudan, linking music to issues away from the first world. Modern music with classical roots is out of the usual for a city street festival. (Emerson Avenue at Bloor Street West, Bloordale Village, Toronto, Ontario) 20240721
The Beacher Cafe: Rhythm section view of hard working Strange Parade #JeffAntoineCote drums, #MichaelMcDonnell bass, #ColinJamesGibson guitar, backing electric violinist @realdrdraw at @beachesjazz Streetfest. Large crowd in the darkness, little girls dancing up front. Walked from Woodbine Avenue eastbound past Glen Manor Drive declining the many juke box cover bands with middle-aged mothers were singing along. (The Beacher Cafe, Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario) 20240727
College Park Courtyard: College Park Courtyard: First live performance by @GhaliaElKurdi of “Love Ain’t Over” @downtownyonge . Her genre is house, electronic music produced in a studio, so for this show she brought a backup band. Opening act dj had set suspended with drops of rain, main act got three songs in before serious rain shut down the program. (College Park Courtyard, Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario) 20240731