PrintCanada’s country music capital: A musical tour of Toronto
Courtesy Toronto CVB
Bootmaker Tony Benattar makes his home and his music in Toronto, Canada’s home of country music. You can catch him there on Monday nights at the Dakota Tavern for his weekly gig with the Rattlesnake Choir. For entertainment the other nights of the week, we asked Benattar to take us on a country music tour of his town.
“I’m taking you places that are a hop, skip, and stagger from where I live in the center of Toronto,” Benattar says. “The bars I’m talking about on Queen Street could be roots, metal, hip-hop, depending on the night of the week. Toronto is an awesome live-music town. The West End is still the biggest scene. Every working band has rolled through here playing this part of town since the ’40s. We have the players and the venues, big and small.”
TUESDAY: We’re starting on a Tuesday, ’cause I’m a musician. I wake up very late. I get rid of the cobwebs with the White Squirrel Sinnerz and a bluegrass jam we started a dozen years ago in Toronto’s West End. It’s become very well-known — touring musicians will drop by. We are playing for ourselves and our friends. It’s a fun, loosey-goosey thing where we get to try out new songs. We go around in a circle — you’ve got to be quick on the uptake.
WEDNESDAY: I’ll head to Cameron House on Queen Street on this particular Wednesday to watch Greg Cockerill, who has a matinee there 6 to 8, a pretty reasonable time ’cause I’m a working stiff. Greg and his brother, Joshua, just moved to Toronto from Calgary. They play rootsy country music — good stuff for a Wednesday night or any night.
THURSDAY/FRIDAY: I’ll look for Bebop Cowboys playing Western swing music — maybe ripping it up at the Cadillac Lounge on Queen Street. Or I might find the Royal Crowns rockabilly band at the venerable Horseshoe Tavern on Queen. Willie Nelson dropped by there once and stopped mid-beer to notice that Stompin’ Tom Connors was awesome. We know it in Canada — he’s a troubadour Canadian cowboy hero.
SATURDAY: On a Saturday I would start out at Graffiti’s in Kensington Market. The John Borra band has a matinee from 4 to 7. I just filled in on bass ’cause his bass player broke his leg. Classic rock — all original — killer great stuff. I’d go get dinner at One of a Kind Pasta on Queen Street for steak and Italian. Those guys are my buds. When I was there for steaks a couple of weeks ago, we had leftovers, and they delivered the steak bones to my mailbox for my dog, Mick [Benattar’s shepherd-lab named after Jagger]. Then I’d head uptown to Lee’s Palace, where we’d catch Roky Erickson, from Austin, Texas. He was in the legendary 13th Floor Elevators. I know he’ll kick ass because the Sadies will be his backup band. They played in Europe together.
The Dakota Tavern is famous for its Bluegrass Brunch.
SUNDAY: We’ll start off with the Bluegrass Brunch at noon at the Dakota Tavern — killer great food. Have a couple of Bloody Caesars, which is the Canadian Bloody Mary with Mott’s Clamato juice instead of tomato juice — the Canadian national drink. Later, we’ll go catch Kevin Quain and his Mad Bastards at the Cameron House, 10 to late. You want to be quiet, or Kevin will come off the stage and punch you. He’s a great guy and great artist — in his 13th or 14th year of doing Sunday nights there.
MONDAY: The Rattlesnake Choir rocks out the Dakota, the roots and country bar where we play every Monday. We recently shared the night with Kathleen Edwards and John Doe. They opened the first set at 10:30, and we followed with two sets until close. Monday is sort of industry night there — you’ll see musicians having a beer.
MORNING AFTER: For hangover eggs or just a great breakfast at a place that’s a cool local musician hang, Mars Restaurant on College Street. I proposed to Sandra there. Mars, simply out of this world.
The Rattlesnake Choir
The Rattlesnake Choir
When he’s not making boots, Tony Benattar’s making music with the country-roots Rattlesnake Choir.
That’s John Borra on vocals, guitar, and harmonica; Sam Ferrara on cheese grater, Slinky, saw, spoons, and vocals; Benattar on upright bass and dobro; Miranda Mulholland on violin and vocals; Michael Boguski on piano and accordion.
We love the wistful “The Wind Loves the Rain,” the poignant “Can I Come Too,” and the country-polka rave-up “Live Music” on Live Music.
Look for the new record coming out soon. “We recorded on equipment from the ’60s: cables, tube amps, tube mics,” Benattar says. “You can hear the difference.”
Listen for yourself at www.libertybootco.com, or at www.myspace.com/rattlesnakechoir. Buy their music at www.itunes.com and www.maplemusic.com.
Issue: January 2010
