Artist: Cro-Mags
Song: We Gotta Know
Recorded at Kathedral, October 30, 2009.
Cro-Mags - We Gotta KnowMy notes for this gig can be found here.
Artist: Cro-Mags
Song: We Gotta Know
Recorded at Kathedral, October 30, 2009.
Cro-Mags - We Gotta KnowMy notes for this gig can be found here.
Founded as a blog about one curmudgeon's love affair with the em dash, Mechanical Forest Sound has grown to become a community-based archive of local musical culture. Assuming that "independent music" isn't just boys with guitars and "culture" isn't just some sort of pageant, MFS is an investigation of a wide range of artists, reflecting on concerts as shared experiences, acts of citizenship and a chance to get down — fuzzy photographs and clear-sounding original live recordings a specialty.
Current manifestations of this project include Track Could Bend, a monthly concert series featuring "improvised music and weird rock offshoots", presented in a casual environment.
At one point I wrote full-on concert reviews, and for longer I thought I would catch up and write about shows in the past. But these days, because of, y'know, life, do not expect much in the way of full show reviews — but live recordings with blurbs will be posted as quickly after the fact as is feasible.
Check out my original live recordings from many of the gigs discussed here.
You can also check out full sets uploaded to the Live Music Archive. [not currently active]
N.B.: All recordings should be available & playable. If you come across any broken links, invisible or non-functioning players, etc, please leave a comment and I will tend to it ASAP.
ALSO N.B.: I'm perpetually on the lookout for a new place to stash my MP3's online. If you know of any place that allows a couple gigs of stuff to be openly linked to for streaming, drop me a line!
All comments are welcome, or you can reach me at mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com.
All MP3's on this blog are audience recordings shared as a reminder of the excitement of seeing live music. If you are an artist who doesn't want their music shared in this way, please contact me and I shall remove it forthwith.
If you're so inclined, you can also follow me on Bluesky @mfs-toronto.bsky.social
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Sympathetic String Band / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-12 (Sunday – 2:30) [FB event]
Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. the clearing [Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner] / Happy Apple [Allison Cameron/Joe Strutt]) / Annette Studios 2025-04-12 (Sunday). $pwyc, snacks included. [FB event]
Josh Cole: new works for improvising musicians (feat. Aline Homzy/Nick Storring/John Oswald/Owen Kurtz/Josh Cole) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-13 (Monday) [more info]
Jen Lo/Julien Bradley-Combs/Ben Dwyer / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-14 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
The Evan Miles Trio [Evan Miles/Norbert Botos/Max Simpson] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-15 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Ladyfinger with special guests Jonathan Kay/Mark Zurawinski / The Emmet Ray 2026-04-16 (Thursday). $15.
Labyrinth Ontario's Makam Nights (feat. Sadaf Amini) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-04-16 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]
FORMING [Principal Interest LP release party!] (Erin Corbett / Garlic Jr.) / Handlebar 2026-04-16 (Thursday). $PWYC ($15 recommended). [FB event]
Masahiro Takahashi presents Chanoyu (feat. Lee Paradise / Isla Craig / New Chance / Masahiro Takahashi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-17 (Friday) [more info]
Gary Louris / Hugh's Room 2026-04-17 (Friday). $42.85 ($21.82 Arts Worker, Student, Underemployed). [tickets + more info]
New Music for Old Hands ["an afternoon talk/concert with composers who wrote modern music for amateur handbell choir and piano. The New Music for Old Hands project brings composers into long-term care to connect with the people who live there who play in an amateur handbell choir. Each matinee concert of this series will premiere a composition that came out of these meetings, performed by the Labdara bell choir and Laura Gillis (conductor/pianist). The composer will be present, in person or virtually, to give a talk and share some more music."] (feat. Vividness Trio / Labdara Bell Choir) / Labdara Lithuanian Nursing Home 2026-04-18 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $free, all-ages. [more info]
Andrea Scala & Tania Gill / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-18 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
B.A. Johnston (Sons of Butcher / Thunderkok) / The Baby G 2025-04-18 (Saturday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]
Unlikely Moon presents: an ambient afternoon (feat. New Chance / A L M A / Trustfall) / house show 2026-04-19 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $15/$pwyc. [more info]
Art of Improv (feat. Mark Gane/Eugene Martynec/Bill Gilliam / Bob Wiseman/John Oswald/Jesse Levine) / Annette Studios 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 / PWYC. [FB event]
The Max Donaldson Quartet [Max Donaldson/Matteos Labbe-Phelan/Ian Afif/Max Stover] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
A Horse Named Friday (Penknife / Westelaken) / St.Stephens-in-the-fields 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20/pwyc, all-ages
Jo Passed (Gift Idea / Sad Francis) / Dina's Tavern 2026-04-24 (Friday). $17.62 advance, $20 door. [tickets + more info]
Fortunato Durutti Marineti (Long Branch) / Dina’s Tavern 2026-04-30 (Thursday). $17.55. [FB event]
Project Nowhere presents: Outer Space 2026 – Day 1 (feat. Suuns / Absolutely Free / Mother Tongues / Kali Horse / E-Prime / Crasher / Blue Light) / Lee's Palace/Dance Cave 2025-05-01 (Friday). $41.03/$52.67 (single day), $64.31 (weekend pass), 19+. [more info]
Project Nowhere presents: Outer Space 2026 – Day 2 (feat. Snooper / La Sécurité / Gloin / New Candys / Ancient Greece / Shrewd / Acid Tongue / Ooz / Computer / Ether Girls / Rosie Wyse) / Lee's Palace/Dance Cave 2025-05-02 (Saturday). $41.03/$52.67 (single day), $64.31 (weekend pass), 19+. [more info]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis) / 918 Bathurst 2026-05-02 (Saturday). $37.10. [tickets + more info]
Fembots (Wayne Petti) / The Brockton 2026-05-02 (Saturday). $22.89, all-ages. [tickets + more info]
The Titillators / Dina's Tavern 2026-05-03 (Sunday). $pwyw
What Is: noncompliance: The inputted value is unusual [workshop & performance] (feat. Rrose / Auto Feeder / Parkdale Pirate Radio) / Sandbox 2025-05-07 (Thursday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]
What Is: noncompliance: No memories available (feat. Qiujiang Levi Lu / Aliyah Aziz / Husna Farooqui) / Sandbox 2025-05-08 (Friday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]
What Is: noncompliance: Confirm humanity [workshop & performance] (feat. Shara Lunon / Nidus / Christina Dovolis) / Sandbox 2025-05-09 (Saturday). $20/$25/$30 PWYCA. [more info]
Labyrinth Ontario with Efrén López / Array Space 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $50 (regular)/$45 (friends of the museum)/$37.50 (students and seniors)/$20 (limited rush tickets). [FB event]
O Sacrum Convivium, Music for Corpus Christi (feat. The Tallis Choir) / St. Patrick's Church 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $35 (general), $30 (seniors), $15 (students). [FB event]
Girma Woldemichael [Nafqoté CD release concert] / The Redwood Theatre 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $20, all-ages. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. One Leg One Eye / Efrim Menuck) / St. Stephen-In-The-Fields 2025-05-13 (Wednesday). $26.67, all-ages. [FB event]
TONE Presents (feat. Eric Chenaux & Ryan Driver / Rafael Toral / Masahiro Takahashi & Brodie West) / Standard Time 2025-05-14 (Thursday). $33.64 advance/$35 door, all-ages. [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play (feat. Duo Cichorium / Constant Yen / Rowan Campbell / Charli/Fahmid/Joe/Mira) / Array Space 2026-05-21 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]
By Divine Right (Casper Skulls / The Will Powers) / Dina's Tavern 2026-05-22 (Friday)
Picastro (Lives Like Skyscrapers / Jordaan Mason) / Annette Studios 2026-05-22 (Friday). $28.25. [Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Cole Pulice / SpeariNg [Karen Ng & Charles Spearin] / Grace Scheele) / Collective Arts 2026-05-23 (Saturday). $22.89, 19+. [FB event]
Geordie Gordon [River Round release celebration] (José Contreras) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-05-27 (Wednesday)
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Fuji||||||||||ta / Evicshen) / The Garrison 2025-06-10 (Wednesday). $30.14, 19+. [FB event]
Styrofoam Winos (Eliza Niemi / Roy) / The Baby G 2026-07-19 (Sunday). $20.01, 19+. [tickets + more info]
2026 Gigs
Tania Gill presents (feat. Victor Bateman/Brodie West/Nico Dann) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-02 (Friday)
The Silt / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-02 (Friday)
Track Could Bend #112 (feat. Duo BEAK / Vividness Trio) / Wenona Lodge 2026-01-06 (Tuesday)
Toronto Improvisors Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-11 (Sunday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Senior & Newman / Nick Flanagan / Aaron Knight / Azaria / Charter of the Forest) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-11 (Sunday)
ur audio visual presents (feat. Heraclitus Akimbo / Charter of the Forest) / The Sun Room @ 918 Bathurst 2026-01-18 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #113 (feat. OH GEE / Ryan Kinney) / Wenona Lodge 2026-02-03 (Tuesday)
Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Destroya / Nick Flanagan / Roya/Marilyn/Ayal / Ayal Senior) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Bad Baby and Mayme Joach (Fan Wu / Colleen Coco Collins) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Max Stover/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/Andrew Furlong/Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2026-02-17 (Tuesday)
Rapallo (Marker Starling) / Dina's Tavern 2025-02-21 (Saturday)
Earlobe fundraiser (feat. Many People) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-26 (Thursday)
coexisDance #113 (feat. New Chance / Rachana Joshi / Sid Eillers / Brandon Davis / Kayla Milmine / Brendan Swanson / Rowan-Muriel / Joel Lawrence) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2026-02-28 (Saturday)
Eliza Niemi (Shep. Treasure / Westelaken) / Dina's Tavern 2026-03-01 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #114 (feat. Bill Gilliam / Scallions / Tap slap wind and light) / Wenona Lodge 2026-03-03 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Senior & Newman / Lostworldsounds / Nick Flanagan / Nocturnes / Ayal Senior) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-08 (Sunday)
International Women's Day (feat. Tania Gill/Aline Homzy/Karen Ng/Brittany Pitt/Mira Riselli) / Sellers & Newel 2026-03-08 (Sunday)
Ben Mike & The Beatles (Down Town) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-14 (Saturday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXXI / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #115 (feat. Brian Abbott & Paul Newman / Ben Mike & Owen Kurtz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-07 (Tuesday)
Kurt Newman presents Post-Bluegrass Bluegrass (feat. Isla & The Sorry Brothers) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-04-09 (Thursday)
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