It’ll be a fun night! Hopefully everyone can make it out. Check out their poster.

If you don’t know the deal about NXNE already, you can buy a wristband to get into all the music and film events, or pay at the door if you’re only going to a couple of shows.  If you are going to want to check out the music on more than one night, the wristband is worth it, since you are free to walk in and out of as many NXNE shows as you can, and as capacity allows. There are more bands from Canada than anywhere else, but you’ll see artists from Europe, Asia, the U.S. and elsewhere.

Considering our neighborhood has several venues to hear music all year round, we knew we wouldn’t need to travel far for this festival. The Painted Lady, Dakota Tavern, and The Garrison will all be hosting multiple nights of live NXNE music.  You can also check out shows at The Social and The Great Hall, and many places on West Queen West.

NXNE starts Wednesday night at some venues, but Thursday is when the festival really kicks into gear, with shows in every venue.

The Summerworks festival will be in August 2010, and includes a variety of plays throughout town, and nightly music performances at the Lower Ossington Theatre. We’ll keep you posted when the festival approaches.

Michael Johnson & The Red Rhythm

One of the real gems of the Ossington Village is the Saturday afternoon Gypsy Jazz show between 4 and 7pm at the Communist’s Daughter, on Dundas just off Ossington. Michael Lewis Johnson holds one of the most unique regular live music shows in in the city. The small 25 seat bar is transformed back in time; Michael sings and plays cornet in songs from the 20s, 30s and 40s while simultaneously bartending and playing gracious host to an always-packed house. It’s an experience that no Torontonian should miss.

But now, if you’re not the type of person who can make it out on a Saturday afternoon (and, I’ll be honest, I’m usually busy during these times), the audio experience has been captured in a new CD put out by Michael and the group, recorded live from a series of Saturday shows. The tracks do a good job of capturing the experience – including Michael’s always entertaining mid-song banter as well as passing the hat around the room. I did find a little YouTube video capturing one of the songs on the CD – a little video hardly does justice to the atmosphere, but it’ll give you an idea of the vibe.

Right now, as far as I understand, the only way you’ll be able to get this is by stopping by the Communist’s Daughter anytime and asking the bartender.

Check it out this afternoon, and every Saturday, between 4 and 7pm and don’t forget to pick up a CD. I’m listening to it now and it’s absolutely worth it.

The Painted Lady is hosting a SuperBowl party with large screen TVs and a special menu including varieties of hot dogs. They are even conducting a football pool so you can really have something to root for.

Reposado celebrates “Superbowl Stupor” at 5PM with free munchies and $5 tall boys.

The Dakota Tavern continues with their usual live music lineup starting with Lickin Good Fried at 7 and house band the Beauties at 10p.

Communist’s Daughter hosts their regular Sunday afternoon jazz starting 4:30ish.

The Garrison’s Wavelength series continues tonight with bands playing from 9p- late.

You can check out some art at AWOL open til 5 with a new exhibition this weekend.

There are likely more events happening, but this is a start. Have a great Superbowl Sunday!

Then right around 10 the party broke out. Fire jugglers, samba drummers, and all sorts of musicians, including the organizer, Michael J. and Richard Underhill, of the shuffle demons.

Here’s a set of the pictures with music accompaniment:

If you have more, let me know and I’ll add them into the mix. Keep an eye on the facebook and yelp pages, for more pics.

This should be a great night. There should be no lights, no mics, no amps, some good acoustic music.

There should be a lot of venues involved. While walking the street tonight I saw signs on Reposado, Painted Lady, Foxley Bistro and BQM.

They have a facebook page here.

And don’t forget about the Yelp Ossington Pub Crawl next week.