David Lister Luke Gibson of Kensington Market image:41246:1::0

Playing at Hugh's Room in West Toronto, the boys showed that they can still rock. The June 17 show was sold out. I was one of the lucky few who was able to delight in the sounds this band puts out.

The original band consisted of singer/songwriter and guitarist Keith McKie, guitarist and pianist Gene Martynec, bass player Alex Darou and drummer Jimmy Watson brought together by Bernie Finklestein in May 1967. Later singer/songwriter Luke Gibson joined in 1967 and then in 1969 synthesizer player John Mills-Cockell was brought in.

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McKie had been around the music world for a while prior to helping form the band. Nick Warburton captured a reflection on the time from McKie.

David Lister Keith McKie image:41241:1::0

“At one point I was living with Steve Gervais, who was later a successful actor, in a station wagon and he wanted to be my manager,” says McKie. “But it seemed like Bernie was the better deal. In retrospect, and in spite of the fact that Bernie was really good, I probably should have stayed with the guy I was with at the time because it would have been more fun in the long run and more organic. Bernie had a lot of experience and that was probably a smart move to make if you were being a business person.”

Their name came from a popular area in Toronto close to China Town. Lined with vintage clothes stores now the area still retains a bit of a 60's feel.

“sell everything and we wanted to do everything”.

The first gig was at the Night Owl on June 4, 1967.

Writing in the Toronto Star, Sid Adilman reported that the group was “the brightest and most inventive band ever grouped together in Toronto”.

The boys played at Toronto coffeehouses and at high schools in the beginning. Finklestein was able to get them a contract with Warner Brothers in New York City. In 1968 the group did the soundtrack for the film "The Ernie Game." They later released the album Avenue Road and toured the United States. They followed up that record with Aardvark and had a second tour. Sadly that was the end of the band until now.

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Kensington Market had a unique sound, separate from that of the US and British bands of the time. Both Keith McKie and Luke Gibson went on to have minor solo careers since the band broke up in 1969.

The Tuesday night show brought that time back to the future. As they jammed on stage the crowd took in the distinctive sound that is all theirs.

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I was too young to have seen them when they were hitting the Toronto coffee house trail but I am glad I was able to capture the show.

David Lister Luke Gibson image:41244:1::0

Rock on boys.

David Lister Kensington Market image:41245:1::0

All pictures are by the talented David Lister of Toronto.