Generally, the point of these blurbs is to get bums into seats, but given that Toronto songwriter John Southworth’s local friends are mounting a social-media blitz on his behalf, we’ll try to be more discouraging.

After all, you wouldn’t want to spend your Valentine’s Day (February 14) date sardine-packed into the intimate Western Front, watching a songwriter of Tom Waits–like brilliance, would you? And what could be less romantic than his song cycle Easterween, which concerns an epic quest to find the three eggs of power that can save the world from endless winter?

Please discount, too, the charms of bassist Andrew Downing’s 11-piece band, which includes Tanya Tagaq accompanists Jesse Zubot and Jean Martin. We won’t mind if you stay home with some chocolates and bubbly—because that way there’ll be room for us.