Recording: Michael Palumbo

Artist: Michael Palumbo

Song: Vincent (Starry Starry Night) [Don McLean cover]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #111), December 2, 2025.

Michael Palumbo - Vincent (Starry Starry Night)

"Experimental music" is not a genre but rather a state of mind. For modular wizard and electroacoustician Michael Palumbo, improvisation and collaboration are core elements of his practice — so to become vulnerable with just songs and voice, a mic and a guitar were a step into different territory, the sort of experiment that generates productive nervousness. His repertoire in this set ranged from a couple traditional numbers and hewed towards folky material, but did pull in an eclectic set of influences including Chad VanGaalen and Thom Yorke.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend returns to Wenona on Tuesday (January 6th) with sets from Duo BEAK (Bea Labikova and Kayla Milmine) and Vividness Trio (Laura Gillis, Lorne Shapiro, Hildegard von Bingo). A sweet way to start the year if you've been resolving to get out to more shows!]

Recording: Sarah and Rob

Artist: Sarah and Rob

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #111), December 2, 2025.

Sarah and Rob - [excerpt]

A rare duo appearance from Sarah Peebles (shō, monotron, cracklebox) and Rob Cruickshank (electronics, circular saw blade) provided some sinusoidal vibrational therapy, served up with homemade cookies. The latter were apparently not prepared on the cookie sheet hung from a frame like a gong and serving as a DIY resonator and part of Peebles' sonic arsenal.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend returns to Wenona on Tuesday (January 6th) with sets from Duo BEAK (Bea Labikova and Kayla Milmine) and Vividness Trio (Laura Gillis, Lorne Shapiro, Hildegard von Bingo). A sweet way to start the year if you've been resolving to get out to more shows!]

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis XXX

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XXX

Song: A Gracious Limestone [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), November 30, 2025.

Cosmic Homeostasis XXX - A Gracious Limestone [excerpt]

Joining together at the Tranzac for the thirtieth time, this session marked the end of a productive year for the C.H. collective, meeting inside and outdoors to create come drones and community vibes. Keep an eye out in 2026 for a new "studio" album and more gatherings.

The homeostasis crew on this occasion included:

• Chris Trotter - radio, pedals, namer-of-things
• Dan Friedman - virtual line hum, flute
• Del Stephen - keyboard synthesizer & keys
• Fahmid Nibesh - contact mic/amp/guitar/pedals/metals
• Heraclitus Akimbo - chimes, Roland S-1, pedals
• Ian McPhedran - guitar
• James Bailey - cümbüş, rattle
• Jim Davis - fretless bass gtr
• Jonny Luke - cornet + fx
• Mira Martin-Gray - synthesizer/resonator
• Niamh Girling - tanpura
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Rob Cruickshank - synth/pedals
• Scott M2 - Roland S-1
• Sterling McPhedran - banjo-ukulele

You can check out some more from this afternoon over on youtube:

And, as always, you hear the whole session over on bandcamp:

2025 Gig List

Track Could Bend #99 (feat. Lostworldsounds / future proof) / Wenona Lodge 2025-01-07 (Tuesday)

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Michelle Breslin / David Sait / Nick Flanagan) 2025-01-12 (Sunday)

Isla Craig (A L M A) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-02-02 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #101 (feat. Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani/Michael Lynn / Colin Fisher) / Wenona Lodge 2025-02-04 (Tuesday)

Track Could Bend #100 (feat. Isla Craig/Fahmid Nibesh/Michelangelo / Del Stephen/Danny Sheehan/Phil Hamilton / Ian McPhedran/James Bailey/Tom Richards / Raphael Roter/Sara Constant/Bill Gilliam / Bea Labikova/Mira Martin-Gray/Heather Saumer / Sarah Peebles/Kat Estacio/Danny Alexander / Luka Kuplowsky/Karen Ng/William Davison) / 918 Bathurst 2025-02-16 (Sunday)

Music Hosted by Karen Ng: A fundraiser show for Earlobe (feat. Holger Schrool & Mark Zurawinski / Many People) / Wenona Lodge 2024-02-18 (Tuesday)

Patrick O'Reilly presents: Carded! (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/Samuel Little/amiel ang/Samuel Laramee/Omar Yazaw/Leah Reavster/%%30%30/Annie Elgie) / Walter Hall 2025-02-24 (Monday)

Track Could Bend #102 (feat. M.D.N.R. / Del Stephen's Totoloto)

Women From Space Festival 2025 (feat. Erin Poole & Rosina Kazi/Chantelle Mostacho & shn shn / Yuniya Edi Kwon / Azumi OE/Eukademix​​) / 918 Bathurst 2025-03-08 (Saturday)

Women From Space Festival 2025 (feat. Mingjia Chen + Linnea Sablosky / Arushi Jain / Myra Melford's Fire and Water Trio) / 918 Bathurst 2025-03-09 (Sunday)

Nolan Hildebrand’s DMA Recital (feat. Colin Fisher/Roan Ma/Patrick O'Reilly/Chris Weins/Veronica Zupanic/Hirad Moradi/Louis Pino/Nikki Huang/Hoi-Tong Keung/Bevis NG/Jasmine Tsui/Thomas Li) / Walter Hall 2025-03-11 (Tuesday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XXVII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-23 (Sunday)

Clue Note presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-25 (Tuesday)

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Nick Fraser's Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-25 (Tuesday)

The Music Gallery presents (feat. Turntable Trio [Maria Chavez/Evicshen/Mariam Rezaei] / Kristina Guison) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-03-31 (Monday)

Track Could Bend #103 [Co-presented with Ministry of Phonic Services] (feat. Maebh Clark & Lucas Dvorsky / %%30%30) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-01 (Tuesday)

Ambient soundscapes for babies to adults (feat. LordAUK / A L M A / Jessica Deutsch) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-04-06 (Sunday)

Kurt Newman presents: Newman Guitars (feat. Kurt Newman / Harris Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-10 (Thursday)

SaltChunkJerry (Man Made Hill / Greydini / Shaaane) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-04-12 (Saturday)

Stranger Still / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-04-13 (Sunday)

Labyrinth Ensemble with Âriâ Mohâfez / Aga Khan Museum 2025-05-03 (Saturday)

Track Could Bend #104 (feat. Caleb Klager / Hex-A-Decimal / Allemano/Driver/Klager) / Wenona Lodge 2025-05-06 (Tuesday)

Audiopollination (feat. Pierre Mongeon/Michael Palumbo/Diane Roblin / mkl32 / Mira Martin-Gray / Holger Schoorl & Mark Zurawinski) / Array Space 2025-05-09 (Friday)

The Music Gallery presents What Is: heart(break) – Rebound (feat. Sarah Hennies & Tristan-Kasten Krause / Imaginary Percussion Ensemble) / East End United Church (Gymnasium) 2025-05-16 (Friday)

Not The Wind, Not the Flag / Le Monde 2025-05-17 (Saturday)

an action committee / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-05-18 (Sunday)

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Brodie West / Karen Ng/Leslie Ting/Germaine Liu) / Wenona Lodge 2025-05-20 (Tuesday)

TONE presents (feat. Eric Chenaux Trio / Cici Arthur) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-05-23 (Friday)

Ben Mike & The Beatles (Carolina Lopez) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-05-25 (Sunday)

Heraclitus Akimbo / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-29 (Thursday)

Prepare the Ground – Night 2 (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne / Jay Jayle / Ora Cogan & Ester Thunander / Oldest Sea) / 918 Bathurst 2025-05-31 (Saturday)

Prepare the Ground – Night 3 (feat. Harvestman / John Wiese / Lana Del Rabies / The Rita) / 918 Bathurst 2025-06-01 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #105 (feat. Determinist? / Aliyah Aziz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-06-03 (Tuesday)

NO HAY BANDA (HxH) / The Music Gallery 2025-06-05 (Thursday)

Open Tuning Festival (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Karma Co-op's parking lot 2025-06-07 (Saturday)

Prince Nifty & Colin Fisher / Le Monde 2025-06-07 (Saturday)

Araz Salek & Friends / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-06-08 (Sunday)

Audiopollination (feat. David Sait/James Bailey/Eunoia Jean Close / cheryl o/Neil Wiernik/Del Stephen / Heraclitus Akimbo/Laura Swankey/Judy Zhu / Mickle32 & Rod Campbell) / Array Space 2025-06-13 (Friday)

New Chance (Bile Sister) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-06-14 (Saturday)

South by South East International Festival (feat. Yani Borrell) / Harbourfront Centre (Concert Stage) 2025-06-28 (Saturday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XXVIII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-06-29 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #106 (feat. Cudmore/Perera Duo / Ariadna Ortega / Grace Scheele) / Wenona Lodge 2025-07-01 (Tuesday)

Rock Plaza Central (Neil Haverty) / The Baby G 2025-07-03 (Thursday)

Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. anthéne / Del Stephen / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-07-13

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Fossils / Xodkaar × Auto Feeder / Battle Milk) / under Hogg's Hollow Bridge 2025-07-19 (Saturday)

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Fron Reilly & Stephen Vickery / Joyce To / Nilan Perera) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #107 (feat. Poached Roses / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-08-05 (Tuesday)

Mechanical Forest Sound presents (feat. The Davison Auger / Wenderly Park / Murmur) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-06 (Wednesday)

Within (Heraclitus Akimbo & Marilyn Yogarajah) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-09 (Saturday – early)

About this, It Was Not Yet Written (feat. Myk Freedman/Dave Clark/Ronley Teper) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-09 (Saturday)

Our Way to Fall (Sarah Greene Preservation Society Trio) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-14 (Thursday)

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Mustafa Rafiq/ Sara Constant/Marilyn Yogarajah/Karen Ng/Lenny) / Wenona Lodge 2025-08-19 (Tuesday)

Intersection 2025: Day 2: All Day Music Marathon (feat. Arkose / Anthéne / Khôra / Bilal Nasser / Alex Raja Ven & Heart Map Ambient Ensemble / Temporal Waves / David and Sydney Dacks / Lavender Town) / Sankofa Square 2025-08-30 (Saturday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XXIX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-31 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #108 (feat. Brian Abbott / Allison Cameron) / Wenona Lodge 2025-09-02 (Tuesday)

Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Vale of Avoca 2025-09-14 (Sunday)

Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip (feat. Double Trio / Charles Spearin) / CNE Bandshell 2025-09-23 (Tuesday)

Karen Ng presents (feat. Trapezoid) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-09-25 (Thursday)

Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show (feat. Christine Duncan and The Element Choir / Future Proof / Woolworm, Ontario / SSSY) / Oculus Pavilion 2025-09-27 (Saturday)

The Ryan Driver Sextet / Array Space 2025-10-04 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #109 (feat. BLACK GALAXIE / O'Reilly/Strutt/Pitt / Brandon Auger & Deniz Tafaghodi) / Wenona Lodge 2024-10-07 (Tuesday)

CONTXT by Trane presents: Weather Report Tribute Night (feat. Isaiah Collier/Rich Brown/Chris Pruden/Mark Kelso/Juan Carlos Medrano) / 918 Bathurst 2025-10-11 (Saturday)

Karen Ng Presents (feat. Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-10-14 (Tuesday)

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. qeTTe fossa / Jaap Blonk / T.D. / Jaap Blonk & Mike Gennaro) / The Jama 2025-10-18 (Saturday)

Track Could Bend #110 (feat. anthéne / Fossils) / Wenona Lodge 2025-11-04 (Tuesday)

Hank the Kid (P.S. I Love You / SAP) / Dina's Tavern 2025-11-23 (Sunday)

Cosmic Homeostasis XXX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-30 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #111 (feat. Sarah and Rob / Michael Palumbo) / Wenona Lodge 2025-12-02 (Tuesday)

Bitchin Bajas (Fortunato Durutti Marinetti) / Monarch Tavern 2025-12-07 (Sunday)

Brodie West presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Patrick O'Reilly/Blake Howard) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-10 (Wednesday)

mdbm / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-10 (Wednesday)

Burn Down the Capital, Venus Fest and The Music Gallery present (feat. Beverly Glenn-Copeland with special guest Elizabeth Copeland / Kamra / Topanga Trio) / East End United Church 2025-12-13 (Saturday)

Agnes / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-16 (Tuesday)

coexisDance #112 (feat. Pulga Muchochoma/Waleed Abdulhamid/Nidhi Baadkar/Xicada/Tyler J Sloan/Amiel Ang/Steph Chua) / Trinity-St. Paul's Centre (Gymnasium) 2025-12-19 (Friday)

Karen Ng presents (feat. Mark Ballyk/Brandon Davis/Kayla Elrod/Will Hunt/Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-23 (Tuesday)

The Ryan Driver Quintet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-12-23 (Tuesday)

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-30 (Tuesday)

Nick Fraser Presents (feat. Nick Fraser/Josh Cole/Brodie West) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-30 (Tuesday)

Recording: Hank the Kid

Artist: Hank the Kid

Song: Ride Alone

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, November 23, 2025.

Hank the Kid - Ride Alone

Shit be weird, was the first thing that I wrote in my notepad as I soaked in the environs of Dina's Tavern, a new venue located on the former location of — and in the image of — beloved local dive The Silver Dollar Room. Weird, or, perhaps more precisely, uncanny. Walking up from Spadina, there were familiar faces out front, smoking and hanging out under the big Silver Dollar sign, just like there should be. Stepping in brings some disjunction, as there's now no flight of stairs to climb up (and no Comfort Zone looming below) — but once inside the doppelgänger effect kicks in, the room looking pretty close to what one's memory might hold. Looking closer tears at the illusion a little, as some of the details sink in — the whole side of the room behind the bar that held the pool table and booths hasn't been recreated, and the bathrooms are up a flight of stairs, through a door that suddenly reminds you that you're now in a 21st century condo-style building.

But still. Most of the virtues and drawbacks are intact. That weird layout, with the stage along one of the long walls, instead at the end of the space, squaring off against the bar — and the sonic oddness that that entails. (And to help maintain the feel of the past, there was a part of the crowd just hanging out along the bar, chatting away through the show.) Once I found my old spot, the new PA sounded decent enough.

In this city, we've gotten so used to things being torn down and taken away, and the only replacement seeming to be unending construction. So to have something like this venue exist — do recall that it was a "heritage feature" basically forced upon the developers by the city as a condition of being allowed to redevelop the site — feels like a minor triumph. So far, it seems like there's some decent programming happening there, so hopefully it will endure for a spell.

Henry Fletcher's ongoing art concept/parallel fictional life as Henri Fabergé has allowed him to approach the project's musical side from a variety of angles, but this long-simmering side-project — here celebrating the release of a debut E.P. — signals a different approach. Perhaps one could say it exchanges youthful insouciance for a more grown-up melancholy, although it's not a cavalcade of downers or anything. Perhaps it's also apt to say that it exchanges the glamourous HFab sensibility of "let's put on a show!" with a more workmanlike rock-band attitude — and the truly-impressive band here collectively hearkened back to what some might consider a golden age of T.O. indie rock, with bands like Bicycles, Weaves, and Hooded Hang being represented by Drew Smith, Morgan Waters, and Jonathan Pappo.

Recording: SAP

Artist: SAP

Song: Babbling Brook

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, November 23, 2025.

SAP - Babbling Brook

Shit be weird, was the first thing that I wrote in my notepad as I soaked in the environs of Dina's Tavern, a new venue located on the former location of — and in the image of — beloved local dive The Silver Dollar Room. Weird, or, perhaps more precisely, uncanny. Walking up from Spadina, there were familiar faces out front, smoking and hanging out under the big Silver Dollar sign, just like there should be. Stepping in brings some disjunction, as there's now no flight of stairs to climb up (and no Comfort Zone looming below) — but once inside the doppelgänger effect kicks in, the room looking pretty close to what one's memory might hold. Looking closer tears at the illusion a little, as some of the details sink in — the whole side of the room behind the bar that held the pool table and booths hasn't been recreated, and the bathrooms are up a flight of stairs, through a door that suddenly reminds you that you're now in a 21st century condo-style building.

But still. Most of the virtues and drawbacks are intact. That weird layout, with the stage along one of the long walls, instead at the end of the space, squaring off against the bar — and the sonic oddness that that entails. (And to help maintain the feel of the past, there was a part of the crowd just hanging out along the bar, chatting away through the show.) Once I found my old spot, the new PA sounded decent enough.

In this city, we've gotten so used to things being torn down and taken away, and the only replacement seeming to be unending construction. So to have something like this venue exist — do recall that it was a "heritage feature" basically forced upon the developers by the city as a condition of being allowed to redevelop the site — feels like a minor triumph. So far, it seems like there's some decent programming happening there, so hopefully it will endure for a spell.

Settled into the environment, I was well-pleased to hear some good old rock music that would have been right at home in the old Dollar, courtesy of locals SAP. (Their name being fairly ungoogleable, I will note you can find their music on bandcamp here.) The music, under singer-guitarist Rochelle Bulmer's leadership, has some grunge-y elements and a willingness to rock out, abetted by a supporting cast of familiar faces including Patrick Grant on guitar, Jay Anderson on drums, and Paul Saulnier on bass. (The latter also gave a sort of stripped-back parallel approach to his P.S. I Love You project in a solo opening set.)

Monday Roundup #259

Concert announcements:

Diane Roblin's Life Force [Diane Roblin/George Koller/Tim Shia/Colleen Allen/John Johnson/Kevin Turcotte] / The Rex 2026-01-24 (Saturday – 5 p.m). $pwyc. [more info]

Liquid Architecture presents Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [live silent movie score] (feat. ARRC [Ambrose Pottie/Rod Campbell/Ryan Kinney/Colin James Gibson]) / St. Matthew’s Clubhouse 2026-01-24 (Saturday). $10 (cash or e-transfer). [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!

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Shows this week:

Colin Fisher/George Koller/Jeff Luciani/Diane Roblin / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-29 (Monday) [more info]

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-30 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]

More Noise Please! Presents: A Magical Evening of Solstice Celebration (feat. Grief Debt / J. Vulgare / Inchoate / Colin Cudmore / Panties / Rampancy / Shameful) / BSMT 254 2025-12-30 (Tuesday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Boxing Week Special (feat. Lavender Town / High Alpine Hut Network / Colin Fisher) / The Garrison 2025-12-30 (Tuesday). $9.99, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Tranzac New Years Eve (feat. Eucalyptus / Alex “Bad Baby” Lukashevsky & Cocoa Corner [Aidan McConnell/Jack Johnston/Evan Cartwright/Charliecello/Alex Lukashevsky] / Bag) / The Tranzac 2025-12-31 (Wednesday). $33.64 adv / $32 door. [tickets/more info]

The Silt [Marcus Quin/Ryan Driver/Doug Tielli] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-02 (Friday) [FB event]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. NF Gang [Colin Cudmore & Mark Ballyk] & Friends) / Wenona Lodge 2026-01-04 (Sunday). $pwyc/notaflof

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It happened this week...

• ...on December 30, 2012 at The Drake Underground (What's in the Box – Night 5).

The Skeletones Four - Trap Door

• ...on December 31, 2012 at The Tranzac.

The Bicycles - BBBicycles + Australia

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Recording: Fossils

Artist: Fossils

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #110), November 4, 2025.

Fossils - [excerpt]

Continuing their re-embrace of Toronto, this longstanding Hamilton unit brought some noise collage generated from David Payne and Daniel Farr's table of surly electronics, grumbly cassettes and other tools. The origins of some of the sounds were unclear, but there were static glurps, cable noise, guitar wrangling and mysterious static-burst-generating cubes all in play.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, January 6th with a set from Duo BEAK (Bea Labikova & Kayla Milmine) plus one set TBA. Get your year of community + show-going off to a good start!]

Recording: anthéne

Artist: anthéne

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #110), November 4, 2025.

anthéne - unknown

Chatting before the set, guitarist Brad Deschamps mentioned that his recent return to live performance has lead to some stretching out of his anthéne material, and leaving a bit more room for improvisation, as opposed to the more meticulous crafting the pieces might get in the "studio" at home. This piece here has several cool elements on display, including some subtle slide work and and gurgling granular undercurrents.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, January 6th with a set from Duo BEAK (Bea Labikova & Kayla Milmine) plus one set TBA. Get your year of community + show-going off to a good start!]

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Monday Roundup #258

Concert announcements:

Colin Fisher/George Koller/Jeff Luciani/Diane Roblin / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-29 (Monday) [more info]

Boxing Week Special (feat. Lavender Town / High Alpine Hut Network / Colin Fisher) / The Garrison 2025-12-30 (Tuesday). $9.99, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. NF Gang [Colin Cudmore & Mark Ballyk] & Friends) / Wenona Lodge 2026-01-04 (Sunday). $pwyc/notaflof

The Next Set (feat. Ruby Roussain/Aidan McConnell/Michael Davidson/Dan Fortin) / The Emmet Ray 2026-01-07 (Wednesday – 6:30 p.m.). $12. [more info]

Titanium Riot [Lina Allemano/Ryan Driver/Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-07 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Sonomadic Improv Presents: Singing with Freedom (Ayelet Rose Gottlieb [workshop] / K2 [Jonathan Kay & Kayla Milmine] / "Open Jam") / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-01-18 (Sunday). $PWYC, snacks included. [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!

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Shows this week:

Mifune Moods with Yoshi Maclear Wall [Yoshi Maclear Wall/Keon Narinesingh/Ezra Schell/Annie Elgie/Sarah Laur/Lee Rosensweet/Jake Burke-Kleinman/Luke Nickel/Ali Rashid/Ben Rositsan/Mika Maclear Wall/Arie Verheul van de Ven] / The Emmet Ray 2025-12-22 (Monday – 6:30 p.m.). $12. [FB event]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Mark Ballyk/Brandon Davis/Kayla Elrod/Will Hunt/Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-23 (Tuesday – early). [more info]

The Ryan Driver Quintet [Ryan Driver/Brodie West/Thom Gill/Rob Clutton/Blake Howard] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-12-23 (Tuesday). $pwyw. [more info]

Not Dead Yet presents: S.H.I.T.mas 2025 (feat. S.H.I.T. / Slash Need / Faze / Friction / Terminator / Pest / Charade) / East End United Church 2025-12-27 (Saturday). $22.49, all ages. [FB event]

Boxing Week Special (feat. Biblical / Scooter Jay / Flake) / The Baby G 2025-12-27 (Saturday). $9.99, 19+. [tickets + more info]

people | places | records presents (feat. Yang Chen / David Zucchi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-27 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Boxing Week Special (feat. Blunt Chunks / Poolblood / Eliza Niemi) / The Garrison 2025-12-28 (Sunday). $9.99, 19+. [tickets + more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on December 22, 2009 at the Dakota Tavern (Jason Collett's Basement Revue).

Alex Lukashevsky - Downhill is Downtown

• ...on December 25, 2009 at Lithuanian Hall.

Mahmoud Ahmed - unknown

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Recording: Jaap Blonk

Artist: Jaap Blonk / Jaap Blonk & Mike Gennaro

Songs: Muzikaret / [excerpt]

Recorded at The Jama (Ministry of Phonic Services presents), October 18, 2025.

Jaap Blonk - Muzikaret

Jaap Blonk & Mike Gennaro - [excerpt]

Moving inside after their month-long outdoor "Back to School" festival, Ministry of Phonic Services pulled together this night of sound poetry (and other noises) mixing international guests and local talent at The Jama (a new operation taking over the former Smiling Buddha). Pre-eminent sound-poet Jaap Blonk brought some deadpan Dutch humour and an endless capacity for noise-invention to two sets demonstrating quite different approaches to his work. His solo set was a more meticulous affair, a recital of various pieces moving from a histrorical nod to Hugo Ball to Blonk's own investigations into "encrypted proposals", fake Dutch, and rubberized gamelan sounds. The duo set with local percussionist Mike Gennaro leaned into Blonk's improvisatory skills, adding some synthbursts to the babblelogue for some pleasingly-energized back-and-forth.

Recording: T.D.

Artist: T.D.

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Jama (Ministry of Phonic Services presents), October 18, 2025.

T.D. - [excerpt]

Moving inside after their month-long outdoor "Back to School" festival, Ministry of Phonic Services pulled together this night of sound poetry (and other noises) mixing international guests and local talent at The Jama (a new operation taking over the former Smiling Buddha). Philadelphian Thomas DeAngelo was apparently using his time in Toronto to do some research on the recenty-departed local legend Paul Dutton, although the sonic world he was investigating here pushed in another direction, with a visually-satisfying side-stage set up with extended tape loops and other bricabrac. Like the night's other acts, though, this did indeed play with and deconstruct language, with talkbursts emerging from static and melting into phonemic abstractness.

Recording: qeTTe fossa

Artist: qeTTe fossa

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Jama (Ministry of Phonic Services presents), October 18, 2025.

qeTTe fossa - [excerpt]

Moving inside after their month-long outdoor "Back to School" festival, Ministry of Phonic Services pulled together this night of sound poetry (and other noises) mixing international guests and local talent at The Jama (a new operation taking over the former Smiling Buddha). qeTTe fossa, a recent nom de guerre from the mysterious/multitalented Lenny opened things up, here in duo formation with drummer Mateos Labbé-Phelan in support. Moving from rising drones to impassioned soul shouts (and moving from the stage into the crowd), this showed off more of Lenny's boundless ssense of unfettered invention.

Monday Roundup #257

Concert announcements:

More Noise Please! Presents: A Magical Evening of Solstice Celebration (feat. Grief Debt / J. Vulgare / Inchoate / Colin Cudmore / Panties / Rampancy / Shameful) / BSMT 254 2025-12-30 (Tuesday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

The Cluttertones [Rob Clutton/Lina Allemano/Tim Posgate/Ryan Driver] / Sellers & Newel 2025-01-06 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #112 (feat. Duo BEAK [Bea Labikova & Kayla Milmine] / Jody Chan & Yang Chen) / Wenona Lodge 2026-01-06 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Fuses (Roy / Fortunato Durutti Marinetti) / Monarch Tavern 2026-01-10 (Saturday). $17.50, 19+. [tickets + more info]

ur audio visual presents (feat. Heraclitus Akimbo [concert and lecture celebrating the release of I know what I have experienced and I know what it has meant to me, an album of music for solo lap steel guitar] / Charter of the Forest [Isla Craig/Karsten Stryker/Kurt Newman/Pete Johnston/Blake Howard]) / The Sun Room @ 918 Bathurst 2026-01-18 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Winter's Delight: Musical Merriment with Good Company (feat. The Musicians of the Egg) / St. Thomas's Anglican Church 2026-01-24 (Saturday). $30 (General Admission), $20 (Students, Arts Worker), $10 Children. [FB event]

The Action Committee Orchestra [Maggie Keogh/Sara May/Maxwell Stover/Ben Rositsan/Keon Narinesingh/Max Donaldson/Regan Mowery] / Sellers & Newel 2025-01-24 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Josh Cole + Strings [featuring the premiere of "Concerto for Bass Drum"] / Sellers & Newel 2025-01-30 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

The Eric West Quintet [Eric West/Kae Murphy/Leland Whitty/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Chris Pruden] / Sellers & Newel 2025-02-06 (Friday). $25 minimum donation. [FB event]

Max Donaldson [solo piano record launch] / Sellers & Newel 2025-02-13 (Friday). $15 minimum donation. [FB event]

Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!

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Shows this week:

BLOOP [Lina Allemano & Mike Smith] / Sellers & Newel 2024-12-15 (Monday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

THE AMBiENT PiNG and Imaginary North Present (feat. Gollden / Ken Little / Hozerz) / Handlebar 2025-12-15 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. The Adjacence [Lina Allemano/Ryan Driver/Nick Fraser/Karen Ng]) / Wenona Lodge 2025-12-16 (Tuesday) [more info]

Agnes [Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Mira Martin-Gray/Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-16 (Tuesday) [more info]

Tireless Foliage [Jiaqing Wilson-Yang/Germaine Liu/Karen Ng] (Jordaan Mason / Eli Howey) / Three Dollar Bill 2025-12-17 (Wednesday) [more info]

Output 1:1:1 (Tigatron) / Ted's Collision 2025-12-17 (Wednesday). $10/pwyc. [more info]

Playscape Emporium: Theatrics (feat. Duo Cichorium / Hee-Soo Yoon / Toronto Saxophone Collective / Trevor Flemings / Domenic Clarke) / Array Space 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]

Makam Nights (feat. George Sawa & Suzanne Meyers Sawa) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Beams (Dusted) / The Baby G 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $23.87, 19+. [FB event]

coexisDance #112 (feat. Pulga Muchochoma/Waleed Abdulhamid/Nidhi Baadkar/Xicada/Tyler J Sloan/Amiel Ang/Steph Chua) / Trinity-St/ Paul's Centre (Gymnasium) 2025-12-19 (Friday). $15 (pwyc). [more info]

Mehdi Rostami / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-19 (Friday – early) [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents BPM (Big Percussion Meeting) (feat. Bobby Gadda/Brandon Valdivia/Brian Fog/Jaz Tsui/Louis Pino/qeTTe fossa) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-19 (Friday)

Today Versions presents Del Stephen's New Panettone ["improvvisazione radicale & art excavations"] (feat. Del Stephen/Patrick O'Reilly/Mira Martin-Gray/Rod Campbell/Kieran Maraj/James Bailey/Andrew Finlay Stewart) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-20 (Saturday – 5 p.m.). [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Rhythm Section Band [Dally Dominic/Kofi Ackah/Quandoe Harrison/George Kobby/Gabriel Amankwah/Daniel Boateng]) / It’s Ok* Studios 2025-12-20 (Saturday). $20. [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Career Suicide) / The Baby G 2025-12-20&21 (Saturday & Sunday). $27.27, 19+. [FB event]

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Video hits:

• A real gift to all of us in the form of an excellent-sounding/excellent-looking full-concert document of The Weather Station's local show earlier this year.

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It happened this week...

• ...on December 18, 2019 at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (No Octopus Dancing Holiday Bash).

No Octopus Dancing Holiday Bash Orchestra - [set 1, excerpt 2]

• ...on December 18, 2019 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).

Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Blake Howard/Brodie West - [set 1 excerpt]

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Recording: McConnell/Ng/Russouw

Artist: Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw

Song: [2nd set, 1st section]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Karen Ng presents), October 14, 2025.

Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw - [2nd set, 1st section]

Called together to share some music as well as some post-Thanksgiving pie, this trio saw Karen Ng (alto sax) joined by Aidan McConnell (percussion) and Adrian Russouw (double bass). Launching into a warbling groove, the trio went on some tasty-as-pie excursions over a couple sets.

You can check out some more from this set over on youtube: