Show review by editor art telingence
Jam Club’s Winter 2026 Band Showcase
Supermarket — Kensington Market
Saturday, March 7, 2026
There’s something magical about a room full of people cheering on musicians who are brave enough to get up on stage, plug in, and give it everything they’ve got. That magic was in full supply on Saturday night as Jam Club Toronto wrapped up its Winter 2026 Band Program with a six-band showcase at Supermarket in Kensington Market.
After nine weeks of rehearsals at Lynx Music, six freshly formed bands took the stage for 20-minute sets in front of a lively crowd of roughly 150 supportive friends, family members, and curious music fans. Doors opened at 6pm, the amps warmed up shortly after, and by 6:30 the first chord rang out. What followed was a fun and thoroughly entertaining celebration of rock ‘n’ roll enthusiasm.
6:30 PM — THE MISSISSIPI BOIS
First up were The Mississipi Bois (spelling firmly their own), a group whose energy easily made up for the fact that several members were relatively new to their instruments.
The band—Vikram Benipal (guitar, keys, vocals), Danny Lan (bass, vocals), Gurk Mandur (drums, vocals), Alexander Kung (guitar, vocals), and guest drummer Jamie Drayton for one tune—rolled through a set that bounced from Arctic Monkeys’ Baby I’m Yours to Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Have You Ever Seen the Rain.
The real charm of the set was watching the band lean into the moment. Their improvement over the nine-week program was clear, and they played like a group determined to prove it. Highlights included a spirited run at Creep by Radiohead and their high energy closer Psycho Killer by Talking Heads.
They also came prepared with perhaps the best merch of the night: custom T-shirts featuring their own caricatured faces—plus an enormous background image of Jam Club organizer Jamie Drayton looming behind them like a benevolent rock-and-roll deity. Subtle? Not remotely. Memorable? Absolutely.
7:00 PM — IMPEACHABLE JAM
Next up, Impeachable Jam brought an entirely different vibe: lush harmonies, thoughtful arrangements, and a lineup that leaned heavily toward vocal firepower.
Meredith Sands Keator (guitar/vocals), Jessica Lindsey-Luckett (bass/vocals), Heba Mostafa (harp/vocals), Pam Evans (keys), Mary Lindsey-Luckett (guitar), and Jamie Drayton (drums/vocals) leaned hard into layered singing, and the work paid off.
Their take on Dreams by Fleetwood Mac set the tone early, and a particularly warm rendition of Seven Bridges Road by Eagles showcased the group’s vocal chemistry. The harp added an unexpected texture that made the whole set feel just a little bit enchanted—like Laurel Canyon wandered into Kensington Market for the evening.
7:30 PM — SOFT LAUNCH
True to their name, Soft Launch eased into their set with smooth pop-rock polish. Shirley Xu’s vocals were the clear centerpiece, confidently guiding the band through a varied set that ranged from Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac to Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus.
Backing her were David Peer (keys/vocals), Will Hamilton (guitar), Jamar McNeil (bass), Corey Ireland (drums), and Jamie Drayton (guitar).
The night’s most dramatic moment arrived during Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, when a rebellious bass drum pedal briefly staged a protest. But Corey recovered like a pro, the band powered through, and the tune finished strong—proof that rock shows, like life, are sometimes about how stylishly you recover from minor disasters.
8:00 PM — FLYING SQUIRREL
By 8pm the room was nicely warmed up, and Flying Squirrel took advantage with a rootsy, classic-rock flavored set..
The band—David Peer (keys/vocals), Tom Fleming (guitar/vocals), Rich Warburton (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Jay Lewis (bass), and Corey Ireland (drums)—rotated vocal duties, giving the set the feel of a friendly musical round-table.
They dipped into the catalogs of legends including The Rolling Stones (Honky Tonk Women), The Band (Up on Cripple Creek), Neil Young (Powderfinger), and Bob Dylan (Mighty Quinn).
A standout moment came when Rich swapped guitar for mandolin on Hasn’t Hit Me Yet by Blue Rodeo, adding a dash of Canadiana that the Toronto crowd appreciated.
8:30 PM — JENNY SAYS
Things took a sharper, punchier turn with Jenny Says, who delivered the tightest, most straight-ahead rock set of the evening.
Harry Acosta (vocals/guitar), Steve Maguire (lead guitar), Derek Camastra (bass), Mich Desormeaux (drums/vocals), and Jamie Drayton (guitar) ripped through a set packed with punk and alt-rock staples.
Highlights included Police & Thieves and Train in Vain by The Clash, plus Buddy Holly by Weezer.
Their version of Where Is My Mind? by Pixies featured a fun cameo: Jessica from the night’s opening band popped up for backup vocals, earning one of the loudest cheers of the evening.
9:00 PM — SPARKLE PONY
Returning to the stage after closing out Jam Club’s first Showcase concert back in December, Sparkle Pony, came out strong and delivered a powerful finale.
The lineup—Zale Mednick (vocals), Daniel Ura (guitar/vocals), Eric Cohen (guitar/vocals), Tim Donovan (keys), Dan Donovan (bass), and Jackson Steinwall (drums/vocals)—stormed through a crowd-pleasing set that included Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, and a rousing Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie.
They wrapped the main set with Mr. Brightside by The Killers, before returning for an encore of Don’t Look Back in Anger by Oasis that had everyone in the crowd singing along.
One Night, Six Bands, A Lot of Heart
Jam Club showcases aren’t about perfection. They’re about experience, community, fun, and making memories. They’re about spending nine weeks learning songs with people you barely know, then stepping onto a stage in front of crowd and trusting that the music—and the moment—will carry you through.
On Saturday night in Kensington Market, it did exactly that..
And if rock and roll is supposed to be fun, messy, communal, and just a little bit magical… this one checked every box. 🎸
kind words
"I just wanted to send you guys a heartfelt thank you for creating Jam Club for the Toronto music community. It was such a positive experience in so many ways, both musically and personally. I connected with so many wonderful people and also grew as a musician way more than I could’ve ever anticipated. I feel so lucky to have been a part of this and I know the impacts of what you’ve created will continue "Ripple" out (pun intended)." from Sammy Binder, Fall 2025 Program
" I just wanted to thank you for creating and managing the Jam Club. Joining in those jams and networking with like minded music nuts has been one of the highlights of 2025 for me." from Sylvain Taillon, Fall 2025 Program
"The program is extremely organized and well run, and the rehearsal space is great in terms of location and quality. I really appreciated how much effort and thought went into building bands.
I especially liked the opportunity to develop my music skills through structured group playing, with a focus on a limited number of pieces. The goal of getting a 20 minute set ready for performance was practical and attainable, so combined with the structure, I feel I progressed in my music development. I also liked the balance of intervention versus stepping back that our coach brought forward, keeping us focused on achieving manageable goals without getting too caught up in the details.
Most importantly, this program made me happy! At the end of every session I felt uplifted and joyous (work can be stressful sometimes and it is nice to be brought back to a happy place mid week). Jam Club safeguards my music time, motivates me, and allows me to just focus on playing and learning. The weekly sessions with a "capstone" performance really worked for me. And the show at Sneaky Dee’s was so much fun!!" from Heba Mostafa, Fall 2025 Program