After a summer hiatus and some soul-searching to re-examine the event format and consider other locations and time frames, in the end Roots balladeer and impresario Brian Gladstone will be keeping things pretty much the same as he returns today to host the new season of his Dr. B’s Acoustic Medicine Show Saturday afternoon open stage.
More than just an opportunity to showcase material in front of the hosting founder and executive director of the prestigious Winterolk Festival, songwriters and players gather at Free Times Café Saturday afternoons starting at 2 as much to network and socialize with one another as to perform.
The list of participants regularly includes award-winning veteran talents like Tony Quarrington mixed with newbie beginners and other gifted artists like Peter Mathieson and Linda Saslove, who seldom appear on stage professionally but still have strong fan followings.
There’s no mandatory cover for the show in the hallowed Roots room at 320 College St. between Spadina and Bathurst and regular attendees rave about the food.
Proceedings usually run till 5 or so and despite being a special occasion probably won’t go much later than that today. Gladstone, accompanied by Quarrington, is due to hustle up north to Brampton where, along with songwriter David Storey, they’ll be featured at a house concert hosted by Mark Yan and Barry Mulcahy at the latter’s residence starting at 7 p.m.
