Robbie Rox Live at the Linsmore Tavern, Friday, March 30, 2018


2018.3.30
Robbie Rox Friday 3.30.2018
Local singer and band leader Robbie Rox played a rare show Friday
Night at the Linsmore Tavern on Danforth Avenue. Rox was accompanied by The Power Quintet, one of several local backing bands he uses for his sporadic appearances.
The local performer has toured extensively, playing Quebec mining towns in the early 1970s and later touring. His first record, “Construction Site,” was released in 1976.
Here in Toronto, he has played just about everywhere from the legendary club The Edge to more recently functioning venues like the El Mocambo and Alberts’ Hall. Robbie Rox’ Danforth digs in more recent years include Dora Keogh, the Black Swan and the Linsmore Tavern.
His music has been described as Zappa-like, insofar as Rox retains tight backing bands whom he directs on stage while they play his unusual mix of rude lyrics and complicated music.
Rox led The Power Quintet (he is the fifth member) through two sets for the packed bar, playing a mix of older fan favourites such as “The Brunch Bunch” along with newer material, yet to be released. After decades of making records few people ever bought, Rox is hardly in a rush to release new music prematurely.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2020.2.1 Elage Diouf live at Alliance Francaise, Toronto

Elage Diouf at Alliance Francaise Saturday February 1 2020 Batuki Music Society and Alliance Francaise bring some terrific African talent, artists often little known outside their community, to our community of music fans downtown. Elage Diouf started playing as a kid, with his brother. He hid this predilection from his parents initially, but the pair became known as purveyors of music in Diouf’s native Senegal. He toured Europe before arriving in Montreal on a limited engagement that turned into a new life in Canada. His first solo album “Askil” is the Wolof word for “welcome” or “enter.” Singing in Wolof and French, with the occasional smattering of English, Diouf has become an accomplished singer – songwriter and percussionist.   Tonight, with some expert help imported from Montreal, Diouf played two well received sets. His live sound is raw and immediate, despite the smooth production on his released songs. The drummer let Diouf meander on his hand ...
Read more

Ruby Waters Live at the Horseshoe, Wednesday, November 13, 2019

2019.11.13 Ruby Waters Wednesday November 13, 2019 at The Horseshoe Tavern. Ruby Waters career is taking off. She toured with Classified and appears on his song “10 Years,” which they performed together at the 2019 East Coast Music Awards in Charlottetown. Recently she released an e.p. called “Almost Naked.” She had the idea and title on her mind for years but decided to wait until now to put an album out. Waters brought her 1-man back-up band to the Horseshoe for the first of two nights in her home town. The keyboard player riffed on some soulful slivers between songs, which varied stylistically once they got going. Some of Waters’ material is classic singer-songwriter rustic sounding, while other songs are decidedly poppier. The drum sounds emanating from the keyboard player for some tracks seemed incongruent with Waters’ natural vibe and singing approach. A good live drummer would have pushed the music harder on stage. The keyboardist meandered into th...
Read more