Castro's

Fraser Melvin & Jenie Thai
2024-02-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Toronto)
Fraser Melvin is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, arranger, composer, and bandleader. He plays guitar, lap steel, mandolin, ukulele, bass, keys, trombone, and sings. Fraser has been performing in and around Toronto and Southern Ontario since 2006 with his own group, The Fraser Melvin Band, as well as numerous other bands including Bad Luck Woman & Her Misfortunes, Sam Polley And The Old Tomorrows, and The Jenie Thai Band. With over 15 years experience in the music business, Fraser has performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Tremblant International Blues Festival, and the Kitchener Blues Festival as well as opened for Johnny Winter, Jim Cuddy, and Chilliwack.
When you meet her, Jenie Thai is composed, pleasant, amiable, friendly, and — she won’t like the word but you have to live with it — sweet. She has an open face, long hair, a ready smile and an easy laugh.
And she is also tough, and gritty, and plays barrelhouse piano steeped in the blues — and if that wasn’t enough to get your head around, she also writes and sings tough and tender ballads, direct from her heart to yours.
There’s a new album, Night on Fire, with a sold out show at Toronto’s Hugh’s Room and — while she now calls Toronto home — she lives on the road, and there’s dust on her shoes, love in her heart, and a whole lot of music in her soul.

Sugar Rush
2024-02-23 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-03-15 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-03-29 16:00 - 19:00
Sugar Rush is the ultimate party band, playing really fun, upbeat covers spanning different genres from classic rock, funk, soul, blues, country, jazz, disco, 80s, motown, hard rock, reggae, oldies, R&B, and folk! Get ready for a full evening of dancing, singalongs and just really good music!
Sugar Rush has been a GTA staple since 2007, returning to the circuit after a brief hiatus, familiar to many a musician and music fan for their jam nights at the Curzon, their Friday night residency at the Loaded Dog, beach parties and corporate events. Anchored by Frankie Dee and Tony Carpino with a rotation of top notch players with special surprise guests and currently featuring Gary Lee Hill. This dynamic crew brings all the best classic rock, funk, soul, blues and much more to keep the floor filled. Always guaranteed sweet sounds with Sugar Rush.

Danny Marks
2024-02-24 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-03-09 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-03-23 17:00 - 19:00
This iconic rocker’s roots go back to the sixties as a founding member of Capitol Records’ group, Edward Bear. After a span as a journey man session musician throughout the seventies, Danny settled in to the club scene, establishing a cult following as a genre bender in music and humor.
A house band gig at Toronto’s famed Albert’s Hall led him to host his own nation-wide TV show, Stormy Monday. Through the eighties, Danny starred in CBC radio’s hit series the Hum Line.
Most recently, Danny Marks recorded two original music albums, Guitarchaeology and True, before paying tribute to Toronto’s R&B roots with Big Town Boy in 2005.
Danny’s in his thirteenth year as the radio host of JAZZ.FM91’s Saturday night blues show, bluz.fm.
As a child, young Danny would lock himself in his room with a stack of 45’s, an old Seabreeze record player, and a fantasy of having his own radio show. More than a few years later this pre-pubescent propensity paid off.

The Gary Kendall Trio
2024-02-25 15:00 - 18:00
Gary Kendall, originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario has been a working musician since the late 1960s. He is a multiple Maple Blues Award winner as bassist of the year[1] and a Juno Award winner with the Downchild Blues Band. His distinguished musical career was so honoured by the Maple Blues Awards as early as 1993 and a Juno Award in 2014.[2] Since 1999, Kendall has acted as the musical director of the Maple Blues awards program.[3]

Mike Daley & Chris Chambers
2024-02-29 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Chris Chambers is a guitar player, singer, songwriter and producer having performed for over 20 years. As a solo artist, Chambers has released two independent records and various singles and toured in Canada, Europe and parts of the US.
Chambers has shared the stage with artists such as Steve Earle, Trooper, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Randy Bachman, Teenage Head, Philip Sayce, Tony Springer, Morgan Davis, Matt Schofield, The Georgia Satellites, Sue Foley and is a regular in the summer festival circuit (Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Canada’s Largest Rifest, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)) as a featured artist as well as a sideman as well as performing historic venues like The Great Hall at Hamilton Place as well as Ivor Wynne Stadium (Tim Hortons Field) and Copps Coliseum (First Ontario Place)
As a session musician, Chambers has also performed on numerous independent releases and worked alongside notable producers such as Tim Tickner & Nick Blagona (The Police, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd). He has written and produced music for international ad campaigns for companies such as Volkswagen.

Po' Boy Jeffreys
2024-03-01 17:30 - 19:30
Po’Boy Jeffreys is a folk music group revitalize roots music through their energetic performance and unique style, whilst maintaining integrity and nostalgia through their use of traditional instruments.

DJ Rob
2024-03-01 22:00 - 2024-03-02 02:00

Thelonious Hank
2024-03-02 17:00 - 19:00
Thelonious Hank plays your father’s country, rock n’ roll, and jazz. They don’t use set lists and they take requests all day long

Gypsy Rebels
2024-03-03 15:00 - 18:00
We’re a Toronto-based Gypsy Band that features a repertoire of traditional and original Roma Gypsy with a fresh ‘Toronto’ vibe!

Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation
2024-03-04 19:30 - 22:00
The Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation (TWAC) comprise of some of the best musicians in all of Toronto coming together for their love of Tom Waits and paying Tribute to him and his music!

Trivia Night @ Castros
2024-03-05 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for a fun and friendly trivia night on the 1st Tuesday of every month at Castros. Free to play and prizes for the winners.

Mike Daley & Tim Bovaconti
2024-03-07 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
Tim Bovaconti grew up on (Toronto’s) Ward’s Island where he played his first gig at the age of 14.Since then Tim has fronted a few bands (The Love Cows,Pop Vultures) and developed a reputation as a talented multi-instumentalist, performing, touring and recording with the likes of Ron Sexsmith,Burton Cummings,Randy Bachman,Don Stevenson (Moby Grape),Broadway star Gavin Creel,The Kelele Brothers,Leonard Cohen, Kim Stockwood, The Sattalites, Jason Wilson,Fergus Hambleton,Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention),Dick Gaughan,Strato-Chief, The Supers, Andrea Koziol, Shonen Knife, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lost Dakotas, Bob Egan (Blue Rodeo), Andy Kim (“Sugar,Sugar”), Mad Violet,Sean Cullen,Revival Dear,The Nines,Kim Jarrett,C. Kenn,Robbie Roth,Julian Taylor,Ben Spivak,David Hein (come from away) and many others. He is also in demand as a producer having helped out Toronto songwriting talent Jerry Leger and his band the Situation on their past 3 albums as well as working with James Mckie on his upcoming release.

Fraser / Daley
2024-03-08 17:30 - 19:30, 2024-03-22 17:30 - 19:30
A popular concert and recording act for over 14 years, Toronto-based Fraser/Daley has released three CDs of original music and performed widely, consistently entertaining audiences with their large and varied repertoire, big sound and spontaneous sense of fun. Alec Fraser hails from Glasgow, Scotland and is a respected bassist and Juno and Maple Blues Award winner. Mike Daley was dubbed by Jeff Healey ‘one of Canada’s finest guitarists’ and has a long list of live and studio credits. Alec and Mike met while working in Healey’s touring band in the mid-2000s and found that they enjoyed singing together after the gig. In 2008 they began playing together regularly in Toronto as Alec perfected a unique bass-drums combination instrument that gives this duo the unmistakable sound of a trio. Their three albums, Fraser/Daley, The Whole Fam Damily and Fifty Miles of Elbow Room have garnered steady sales and strong airplay on blues and folk radio, and Alec and Mike have become sought after for their versatile performances, playing everything from intimate house concerts to street dances. Learn more at fraserdaley.com.

Lucas Stagg & The Junctioneers
2024-03-10 15:00 - 18:00
Based in the heart of Toronto’s Junction, Stagg has toured endlessly and released over a dozen albums in the past two decades, each a reflection of his choice of the troubadour life. By turns confessional and narrative, the songs are presented in an unadorned performance style that throws their lyrical and melodic content into sharp relief. It’s edgy and cartoony; country, blues and rock ‘n’ roll.

Mike Daley & Jenie Thai
2024-03-14 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
When you meet her, Jenie Thai is composed, pleasant, amiable, friendly, and — she won’t like the word but you have to live with it — sweet. She has an open face, long hair, a ready smile and an easy laugh.
And she is also tough, and gritty, and plays barrelhouse piano steeped in the blues — and if that wasn’t enough to get your head around, she also writes and sings tough and tender ballads, direct from her heart to yours.
There’s a new album, Night on Fire, with a sold out show at Toronto’s Hugh’s Room and — while she now calls Toronto home — she lives on the road, and there’s dust on her shoes, love in her heart, and a whole lot of music in her soul.

Yukon Cigar
2024-03-16 16:00 - 19:00
Yukon Cigar was lit in 2005. The idea? To take an earthy, hushed songwriting style and set it on fire. Now, after years on the Toronto club circuit (playing the likes of Cameron House, Castro’s Lounge, C’est What, El Mocambo, Rancho Relaxo, and the NXNE festival), mainstays Craig and Peter have taken to backyard parties and neighbourhood pubs, just two acoustics and a growing list of standards. With countless songs in the fire, here lies the promise of sweet sing-alongs to come.

catl.
2024-03-16 20:30 - 22:30
catl. are probably one of the last rock n’ roll bands from Toronto. The duo have released five full-length records to critical acclaim and have been touring both North America and Europe for a decade. You know that feeling of walking into a space knowing that you’re looking good, have that swagger, and everything you say is going to be cool? That’s exactly what catl inspires. If you need a boost of self-confidence during this time of insecurity, sport a leather jacket, pour yourself a whiskey, and mouth the lyrics with a stiff upper lip.

The 501 East
2024-03-18 20:00 - 22:00

CHATTY WEDNESDAY'S
2024-03-20 17:30 - 20:30, 2024-03-27 17:30 - 20:30
Join us every Wednesday for a time of socializing with old friends and new ones you haven’t met yet.

Mike Daley & Greg Wyard
2024-03-21 18:00 - 20:00
Mike Daley is a guitarist and singer based in Toronto. A professional musician for over 30 years, Mike has toured Canada, the United States and England and has recorded extensively in a variety of musical styles. He is a longtime member of Fraser/Daley with bassist Alec Fraser and is also proud to work with a variety of bands around Toronto including the Tom Waits Appreciation Congregation, the Travellers and others.
An extraordinary singer, bassist, guitarist, and songwriter, Greg Wyard is the premier solo performer in the GTA, with thousands of gigs under his belt. He has toured and performed the music of the Beatles at some of the most prestigious theatres in North America and is a successful singer and songwriter in his own right, with four albums of original material.

The Del-Fis
2024-03-24 15:00 - 18:00
I don’t know what The Del Fi’s are; the more I think about it, the more I don’t know what to say. But I know it’s right, and I know it’s good. I know it works. I mean, it’s Jerry Leger’s thing, but when I asked him what he would say The Del Fi’s are, all he would tell me is that I (meaning me) am The Del Fi’s, just as you (meaning you) are The Del Fi’s. And because you are you, you understand. Don’t you?
Okay, maybe we should try this again. Jerry Leger is a Toronto singer/songwriter, and one of the best in the world, as far as I’m concerned. If you haven’t heard him, you have no right to be one of these people constantly moaning about how music was so much better when people actually played instruments, blah, blah, blah.
Jerry loves Bob Dylan, Neil Young and John Lennon. Sometimes it sounds as though all three are fighting for space in his songs. But those songs are his own, the product of a natural born storyteller with a sense of rhythm that would make Little Richard’s big toe shoot up in his boot.
Jerry’s songs hit deep in your soul, but he also often loves just making music with folks just to flex some of his old time rock and roll muscles, and explore some of the paths his songwriting normally doesn’t take. That’s kinda where The Del Fi’s come in.
It’s rock and roll that we all care about right? I’m sure you wouldn’t still be reading this if you didn’t agree. So I guess that does make you a Del Fi. Welcome aboard and grab an instrument, we’ve got a show to do.

Jared Craig
2024-03-26 19:30 - 21:30
Raised in the rust belt of America, where Appalachia meets industry, Jared Craig is a born
musical craftsman. From small town garage bands to performing as a professional bassist
travelling the world, it wasn’t until he began writing songs that he found an ability to connect
with people. Coming from a tough blue collar family, following an artistic path was a challenge.
But, whether one is a mechanic, a machinist or a musician, attention to detail and a strong work
ethic are common threads. Combining easy melodies with reflections on life, character
sketches, and short stories, Jared’s music is Americana. Skillfully blending sounds from rock and
country, folk to blues, the songs represent a life devoted to craft and the pursuit of human
connection.

Charlotte McAfee-Brunner
2024-03-28 18:00 - 20:00
Charlotte McAfee-Brunner is an award-winning trombonist, bandleader and vocalist Charlotte McAfee-Brunner has been making waves on the Toronto music scene recently. Her bands include: Charlotte McAfee-Brunner and her Fireflies, Grapevine and Trombone charlotte’s Tiger Band. Accomplished in several musical styles, she continues to perform as a sideman with many other excellent groups in Toronto, infusing any room with an undeniable energy. She is a part of the Happy Pals, Combo Royale, Thomas Steele’s 10tet, Dennis Kwok Jazz Orchestra, The Magnolia Brass Band and has been featured with many other groups. With her heart-stopping vocals and compelling trombone solos, Charlotte McAfee-Brunner is a jazz musician and performer you won’t forget and is regularly featured in some of the hottest venues in town.

Will Whitwham
2024-03-30 17:00 - 19:00
Will Whitwham is one of Canada’s most prolific and talented singer/songwriters. As a founding member of the Wilderness of Manitoba, he has written and recorded five albums and three EPs. The group was nominated for a JUNO award. The Wilderness of Manitoba toured Canada, the US, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany including performances at the End of the Road Festival, WOMAD, SXSW and the Reeperbahn Festival.
He has also written and recorded two albums as Lake Forest, an EP for the Whateverly Brothers, an album for Pyramid Tropic, and collaborated with recording artists Martha Johnson, Eamon McGrath and Delhi 2 Dublin. The Wilderness of Manitoba was nominated for Sync Artist or Songwriter of the Year at the first Canadian Sync Awards during Canadian Music Week. Their songs (written by Whitwham) have appeared in such US television series as This Is Us, Elementary, Parenthood and No Tomorrow among others. Whitwham’s next project is an EP under his own name called End of Dreams.
