Recording: The Highest Order

Artist: The Highest Order

Songs: Carry On Warm [Fiver cover, feat. Michelle McAdorey] / Something On Your Mind [Karen Dalton cover, feat. Bria Salmena] / Working Man Blues [Merle Haggard cover, feat. Dallas Good and Andre Ethier] / Stop the World and Let Me Off [Waylon Jennings cover, feat. Dallas Good] / Shake The Dope Out [The Warlocks cover, feat Dan Burke, Calvin Brown + Richard Gibson]

Recorded at Lee's Palace (Dan Burke: 60 plus 20), December 8, 2017.

The Highest Order feat. Michelle McAdorey - Carry On Warm

The Highest Order feat. Bria Salmena - Something On Your Mind

The Highest Order with Dallas Good and Andre Ethier - Working Man Blues

The Highest Order with Dallas Good - Stop the World and Let Me Off

Party Wallet - Shake The Dope Out

Although things didn't feel exactly right, taking over Lee's Palace instead of packing The Silver Dollar, there were good vibes and all-star jams a-plenty at this night dedicated to Dan Burke, celebrating his 60th birthday as well as twenty years of promoting shows. Headliners The Highest Order went brought the biggest contingent of guest performers, enlisting a large roster of friends and collaborators (as well as an expanded band with Stew Crookes' pedal steel, Nick Kervin adding percussion and Vallens' Marta Cikojevic on keybs throughout the night). Michelle McAdorey added some backing vocals on a Fiver song that's been brought over to The Highest Order, as well as being backed by the band on her own "Disappearing Things". Jen Castle reprised her Gerry Rafferty jam with the group while Andre Ethier and The Sadies' Dallas Good sat in for a mini-set-within-the-set. With B-17's Calvin Brown and Richard Gibson joining in with Dan Burke for the grand finale, the band morphed into their alter-ego Party Wallet to close out the night.

Recording: Moscow Apartment

Artist: Moscow Apartment

Songs: Be You + She Talks To Rainbows [Ramones cover via Ronnie Spector, with Kritty Uranowski + Dan Burke]

Recorded at Lee's Palace (Dan Burke: 60 plus 20), December 8, 2017.

Moscow Apartment - Be You

Moscow Apartment with Kritty Uranowski + Dan Burke - She Talks To Rainbows

Although things didn't feel exactly right, taking over Lee's Palace instead of packing The Silver Dollar, there were good vibes and all-star jams a-plenty at this night dedicated to Dan Burke, celebrating his 60th birthday as well as twenty years of promoting shows. Another young group prospering under the mentorship of local hero Kritty Uranowski, this teenaged duo is already exhibiting strong songwriting and excellent vocal harmonies. On their own they're on the folky side, but with Uranowski on guitar (and Hooded Fang's Dan Lee on drums) they became an ace rockin' backing band for Dan Burke to take a girl-group-ish turn at his birthday celebration, covering Ronnie Spector's version of this late-era Ramones nugget.

[Moscow Apartment will be playing another Dan Burke show, performing as part of the "Class Of 2018" series at The 'Shoe on Friday, January 26th.]

Recording: By Divine Right feat. Ian Blurton + Dan Burke

Artist: By Divine Right feat. Ian Blurton amd Dan Burke

Song: Sweet Jane [Velvet Underground cover]

Recorded at The Silver Dollar Room ("Lou Reed: Live Tribute"), November 21, 2013.

By Divine Right feat. Ian Blurton + Dan Burke - Sweet Jane

Full review to follow. Lou Reed, in his work in the Velvet Underground and as a solo artist, created an entirely new lineage in the great tree of rock'n'roll. Any band that embraces some combination of darkness, bad vibes, unrepentant vice, noise and art can probably trace their roots back towards Lou Reed, and in Toronto, it seemed exactly right that the Silver Dollar (home, most nights, to some combination of the above) should be the place to host a night of music in tribute. A full night saw a wide variety of Reed's heirs celebrate some good songs, ranging from quiet moments of beauty to noise freakouts.

By Diving Right closed off their mini-set by inviting up Ian Blurton (supplementing Jose Contreras' fiery guitar solos) to help them back iconic Silver Dollar booker/rock'n'roll animal Dan Burke, who delivered the goods with attitude and conviction.

Bonus! If that's not enough for you, I've made the entire tribute night available to download.