Artist: Gambletron
Song: [excerpt]
Recorded at SPK Polish Combatants Hall ("Wavelength FOURTEEN" – Night 3), February 15, 2014.
Gambletron - [excerpt]You can read my notes for this show 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!
Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic (feat. SAI DiMensions / Flat Earth Society / A/K/C / OK 200 / Spectral Eyes / Caustic Clouds / SeniorBeatBox / Subtoniq / mylesoddude / Broken Pink Umbrella / Antibes / Pressed Flowers / Ephemeral Swamp / Giant Floating Head) / Handlebar 2025-06-08 (Monday) [more info]
Josh Cole: new works for improvising musicians (feat. Josh Cole Trio + Strings [Josh Cole/Aline Homzy/Nick Storring/John Oswald/Blake Howard]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-08 (Monday). $pwyc. [more info]
Ehsan Sadigh's Rondo Projects [Dhaivat Jani/Chris Pruden/Ehsan Sadigh] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-09 (Tuesday). [more info]
Brodie West presents (feat. Donna Lee Quartet [Reg Schwager/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/Brodie West]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-10 (Wednesday – early). [more info]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Fuji||||||||||ta / Evicshen) / The Garrison 2025-06-10 (Wednesday). $30.14, 19+. [FB event]
Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Racha Moukalled/Patrick O'Reilly/Adrian Russouw/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-10 (Wednesday) [more info]
Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Reagan Mitchell/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / The Emmet Ray 2026-06-11 (Thursday). $12
Audiopollination (feat. Amy Jean/Lisa.intheShade/Travis John / David Sait/Jordan Paluck/Zoe Alexis-Abrams / Meryem Alaoui/Ryan Kinney/Xukasia / earthly deescalation dissipation) / Array Space 2025-06-12 (Friday). [FB event]
Corpusse (Colin Cudmore / Output 1:1:1 / Brian Ruryk) / Social Capital Theatre 2026-06-12 (Friday). $10/PWYC. [more info]
Before Words, There Were Georgian Songs (feat. Ori Shalva) / Small World Centre 2026-06-13 (Saturday). $25.53 (arts workers/student), $35.00 (general admission), all ages. [more info]
Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday – noon). $pwyc. [more info]
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / David Sait / Nick Flanagan / Nathan Yell) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]
Carlton Park Concert (feat. Marker Starling Sextet / You Can Can / Luka Kuplowsky & Band) / Carlton Park 2026-06-14 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc, outdoors, all ages + family friendly. [more info]
Amrita [Anita Katakkar & Kayla Milmine] / DROM Taberna 2025-06-14 (Sunday – 5:30 p.m.)
The Little Phrase [Is This the World album launch] [Shannon Hoff/Tania Gill/Don Scott/Chris Banks/Aidan McConnell] (Fan Wu & Alex Lukashevsky) / Burdock Music Hall 2025-06-14 (Sunday). $16.95. [FB event]
Drea Lake (Prince Enoki [Scott Peterson/Jocelyn Barth/Rob Piltch/Brandon Valdivia]) / Burdock Music Hall 2025-06-15 (Monday). $28.25 (early bird)/$39.55 (general admission). [tickets + more info]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Ellen Arkbro) / Church of The Holy Trinity 2025-06-15 (Monday). $36.53, all ages. [more info]
TONE & Not Dead Yet present (feat. Afrorack / Phèdre / Arc & Texture) / BSMT 254 2025-06-16 (Tuesday). $34.49, 19+. [FB event] — cancelled
Titanium Riot / Sellers & Newel 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Colin/Marilyn/Vic / Germaine/Karen/Leslie) / Wenona Lodge 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]
Karen Ng presents (feat. nondual [Alvaro Rojas & Cole Schmidt] / Lina Allemano & Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-19 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]
Kahil El'Zabar & David Murray / CONTXT by Trane 2026-06-19&20 (Friday & Saturday). $42.38 (earlybird)/$77.41 (both shows). [FB event]
Steve Tidy & the Unkempt [Enjoy the Wreckage album release party] (Nick Flanagan) / Under The Alpine 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $22.60, 19+. [FB event]
Liquid Architecture 25/26 Season Finale (feat. Maria Riano & Jaz Tsui / Amelie Mah & Janel Jones / Abby Silvera & Jonny Luke / Brianna Clarke & Ryan Kinney) / St. Matthew's Clubhouse 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $10 (cash or e-transfer). [FB event]
St. Stephens-in-the-Fields Fundraiser (feat. Westelaken / Liz Uninvited / Angel Apricot) / St. Stephens-in-the-Fields 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $20/PWYC, all ages
Vallens (Liam Sanagan / Gore Gloss) / Dina's Tavern 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $24.76. [more info]
Re:Stacks (feat. Stacks) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-20 (Saturday). [more info]
TONE & More Noise Please present (feat. Lucas 'Granpa' Abela / Death Kneel / Nimmie Amee / Triptych [Colin Cudmore/Kristina Guison/Colby Richardson]) / The Jama 2025-06-21 (Sunday). $17.52 (early bird), $22.89 (general admission), 19+. [FB event]
Cadence Weapon and the Forager Band / The Cameron House 2026-06-23 (Tuesday). $25. [FB event]
TONE presents (feat. Setting / High Alpine Hut Network / Shabason/Gunning) / The Jama 2025-06-24 (Wednesday). $22.89, 19+. [FB event]
TONE presents (feat. The Ex / not a band / Andy Moor & Yannis Kyriakides) / Cafeteria Upstairs 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $39.02, all ages. [FB event]
Imaginary North presents: Lake Effect Album Release Show ["16 musicians performing in impromptu groupings and ensembles to create entirely new music"] (feat. Adrian Berry and Ely Lyonblum/Arie Verheul van de Ven/anthéne/Ben McCarthy with Tax Haven/dreamSTATE/Drones Over Dufferin/Gollden/inchoate/Kilometre Club/R Grunwald/W L C/ÏÏÏ) / Tapestry 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $15.75. [tickets + more info]
Project Nowhere presents (feat. Sook-Yin Lee [72RHR album release!] / bridge of sand / Kali Horse / Salon Perfomance [Karen Ng/Lee Suksi/Stevie Manning/Bee Solomon]) / The Baby G 2026-06-26 (Friday). $30.55, 19+. [FB event]
Lavventura [debut live performance and That Particular Charm release celebration! ] (Paul Linklater) / The Piston 2026-07-02 (Thursday). @22.90. [tickets + more info]
Humbucker Music Residency (feat. Humbucker Music [Nick Storring/Jason Doell/Colin Cudmore/Mira Martin-Gray] / Allison Cameron & Scott Thomson [Platanus album release show!]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-03 (Friday). $pwyc
Beetsblog (Thom Gill / Andre Ethier with Eliza Niemi) / Dina's Tavern 2026-07-05 (Sunday) [more info]
Track Could Bend #118 (feat. Ubersuck [Kayla Milmine + Germaine Liu] / Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro) / Wenona Lodge 2026-07-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Styrofoam Winos (Eliza Niemi / Roy) / The Baby G 2026-07-19 (Sunday). $20.01, 19+. [tickets + more info]
The Fiver Trois / Dina's Tavern 2025-07-24 (Friday) [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)
Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. the clearing / Happy Apple) / Annette Studios 2025-04-12 (Sunday)
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)
Sympathetic String Band & Friends (feat. Sympathetic String Band / Gayle Young) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-26 (Sunday)
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis / Yr Knives) / 918 Bathurst 2026-05-02 (Saturday)
Track Could Bend #116 (feat. the rest / Wobbly + John Oswald / Red Trillium) / Wenona Lodge 2026-05-05 (Tuesday)
Holy Oak Family Singers presents: Our Parents' Tapes (feat. Luka Kuplowsky/Tiffany Wu/Isla Craig/Justin Orok/Edwin De Goeij/Fan Wu/Aiden McConnell/Ivy Mairi/Carlyn Bezic/Robin Dann/Ben Gunning/Bram Gielen) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-06 (Wednesday)
Potions & Strings (Dun-Dun Man) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-06 (Wednesday)
Musica Universalis (feat. C'est la fête Large Ensemble) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-08 (Friday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / JOYSHAPE / Ryan Dugre / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-10 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXXII / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-05-17 (Sunday)]
Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play (feat. Duo Cichorium/Constant Yen/ Rowan Campbell/Charlee Wielgoz/Fahmid Nibesh/Joe Strutt/Mira Martin-Gray) / Array Space 2026-05-21 (Thursday)
Wenderly Park (Colin Fisher / Isla Craig) / Le Monde 2026-05-22 (Friday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Ben Rempel & Justin Gunter / Not the Wind, Not the Flag / Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro) / Bickford Park 2026-05-24 (Sunday)
Life Drawing (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Riverdale Park 2026-05-31 (Sunday)
Prepare the Ground Festival (feat. William Basinski) / Trinity-St. Paul's Centre 2026-05-31 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #117 (feat. saucering / Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam) / Wenona Lodge 2025-06-02 (Tuesday)
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