Artist: Absolutely Free
Song: Vision's
Recorded at Mercer Union (PLATFORM: Music at Mercer), May 30, 2014.
Absolutely Free - Vision'sFull review to follow. Since re-triangulating as a three-piece, Absolutely Free can sound like a swim in the synthesized waters, but this demonstrates they can still flip over into spiky, drum-led grooves when required.
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 Twitter: @TowerofBabbling
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
California Transformation [featuring works by Edgard Varèse, Juri Seo, Ivan Trevino, Michael Oesterle, Carlos Chávez, Lukas Ligeti] (feat. U of T Percussion Ensemble) / The Rex 2024-11-18 (Monday). $free. [FB event]
Dan Pitt Quintet [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick Smith/Dan Pitt/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2024-11-18 (Monday). $20. [FB event]
Brittany Pitt's Reverie [Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt/Tristan Schultz/Aaron Blewett] / The Rex 2024-11-19 (Tuesday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Karen Ng & Allison Cameron [debuting a new piece by Stephen Parkinson] / Karen Ng & Ted Crosby / Philippe Melanson [solo]) / Wenona Lodge 2024-11-19 (Tuesday – 8:30 p.m.)
Andy Haas & Mike Milligan (Max Donaldson) / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-24 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
Brittany Pitt's Reverie [Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt/Caleb Klager/Jon Catanus] / The Rex 2024-11-26 (Tuesday – 5:30 p.m.). $10. [more info]
Clue Note: Trivia and Creative Music (Vol. 2) (feat. Socks and Sandals (and Friends) [Germaine Liu/Mira Martin-Gray/Nick Storring/Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-11-26 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
Dean Drouillard & Christine Bougie / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-28 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Zoobombs (Pretty / Scooter Jay) / Monarch Tavern 2024-11-28 (Thursday). $18.50, 19+. [FB event]
All-Set presents (feat. Molehill [Mike Smith/Jake Oelrichs/Pete Johnston] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-11-29 (Friday – early). $pwyc
Corpusse with Mike Milligan / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-29 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Exit Points 55 (feat. Zoma/Sarah Peebles/halfdecentheart/Jaeyoung Chong/Andrew Finlay Stewart/Kimute/WEI EN/Zoë Ëoz/kat estacio/Jonathan Huard/Michael Palumbo) / Array Space 2024-11-29 (Friday). $17.52 (early bird)/$22.89 (advance)/$28.27 (general). [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. V. Vecker / Death Kneel / Cetacea / Aida Khorsandi) / Collective Arts 2024-11-30 (Saturday). $17.52. [FB event]
Cannon Album Release (feat. Dan Fortin/Michael Davidson/Thom Gill/Phil Melanson/Karen Ng/David Occhipinti / You Can Can [Felicity Williams & Andrew Zukerman]) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-12-01 (Sunday). $20. [FB event]
Dan Pitt [solo guitar] / Sellers & Newel 2024-12-02 (Monday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]
Track Could Bend #98 (feat. Dept. of Loss [Fan Wu / Phil Hamilton] / Pigeon Dance) / Wenona Lodge 2024-12-03 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Jazz Piano Meets Kurdish Kamanche (feat. Diane Roblin & Shahriyar Jamshidi) / Canadian Music Centre 2024-12-06 (Friday). $27.96. [more info/tickets]
The Ocean Sleeps (Das Rad / Camo Kimono / Sabio) / Junction Underground 2024-12-06 (Friday). $10. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet + Sacred Bones present (feat. Uniform / Pharmakon / True Body) / Monarch Tavern 2024-12-07 (Saturday). $31.56, 19+. [FB event]
Audiopollination (feat. Jake/Tomasz Krakowiak/Julie Lassonde / David Sait/James Bailey/Daniel Ramjattan / Adriana Monti/Gabe Girard/Nilan Perera / Brie Clarke/Jenna Geen/Adrian Russouw/Abby Silvera) / Array Space 2024-12-13 (Friday). $10 (cash or card). [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Of dances and dreams (feat. Angela Blumberg Dance / Teething / Adrian Berry) / Array Space 2024-12-19 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Okavango African Orchestra [with special guests Lorraine Klaasen, Diely Mori Tounkara, Pape Ndiaye, Mis Blandine and Dally Dominic] / Redwood Theatre 2024-12-20 (Friday). $20 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [more info + tickets]
Tibbs Eve Rager (feat. BA Johnston / Marty Topps / Whyte Wine / Young Rielsing) / Bovine Sex Club 2024-12-23 (Monday). $10 (early Bird) / $15 / $20 (door). [FB event]
The Cluttertones [Lina Allemano/Ryan Driver/Tim Posgate/Rob Clutton] / Sellers & Newel 2025-01-10 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt/Laura Swankey / Sellers & Newel 2025-01-25 (Saturday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]
New Encounters ["new works and arrangements by Maria-Eduarda Mendez Martins, Pouya Hamidi, Morgan-Paige Melbourne, and Eldritch Priest"] (feat. Array Ensemble) / Array Space 2025-02-01 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Behaviours: Data (feat. Anando Gabo / Marelena Pellegrino / Technology of Creative Consciousness) / Array Space 2025-03-13 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Freesound Presents: Music for Solo Instruments (feat. Michael Murphy / Amahl Arulanandam / Matti Pulkki) / Array Space 2025-03-20 (Thursday). $22.63. [more info]
Playscape Emporium: Arcade-palooza (feat. Render File / Jason Leaver PuzzSoft) / Array Space 2024-05-15 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Freesound Presents: Violin // Trumpet // Melodica [featuring new work by Martin Arnold] (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Émilie Fortin/Martin Arnold) / Array Space 2025-06-28 (Saturday). $22.63. [more info]
2024 Gigs
Track Could Bend #87 (feat. SOUP/ Panties / battle milk) / Wenona Lodge 2024-01-02 (Tuesday)
Swanherds [rebecca bruton solo] (Kurt Newman) / 918 Bathurst – The Sun Room 2024-01-23 (Tuesday)
Track Could Bend #88 (feat. Écureuil / Garden of Magic) / Wenona Lodge 2024-02-06 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Eiyn Sof / Colin Fisher / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-02-11 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #89 (feat. mutepack / Piers Oolvai) / Wenona Lodge 2022-03-05 (Tuesday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 2 (feat. Grace Scheele / MOCH / Mali Obomsawin) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-09 (Saturday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 3 (feat. Anh Phung/chiquitamagic/Emjay Wright / Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick / Matana Roberts/Germaine Liu/Nicole Rampersaud) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-10 (Sunday)
Faster Presents: Juice?$#%* (feat. Happy Apple / Brian Abbott & Ryan Kinney / Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani / Liz Lima/Brodie West/Andrew Kay/Paul Newman) / Gerrard Art Space 2024-03-23 (Saturday)
Ryan Driver’s Big 5-0 (feat. The Ryan Driver Sextet + guests) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-03-30 (Saturday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-03-31 (Sunday)
Gabe Girard presents (feat. Zoë / Molehill / Heraclitus Akimbo/Gabe Girard/mkl32) / Bar Orwell 2024-03-31 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #90 (feat. Voidfemmes & Erin Corbett / Allison Cameron & Stephen Parkinson) / Wenona Lodge 2024-04-02 (Tuesday)
Eclipse Drone 2024: A Cosmic Homeostasis Community Event (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Christie Pits 2022-04-08 (Monday)
Dun-Dun Land: Slight Return (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole Presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/John Oswald wsg Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Tzevi Sherman / Marilyn Yogarajah & Co. / Nick Flanagan / Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-14 (Sunday)
Poncili Creacion with Karen Ng and Philippe Melanson (Nubuo Kubota) / The Music Gallery 2024-04-19 (Friday)
Tranzac Fundraiser I (feat. Sandro Perri & Friends / Masahiro Takahashi / Anne Bourne) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-20 (Saturday)
Wenderly Park (Friends of Wenderly Park feat. Marilyn Yogarajah/Bea Labikova/Allison Cameron/Mike Lynn/Jason Doell) / The Sun Room at 918 Bathurst 2024-04-23 (Tuesday)
Joe's 50th Birthday (feat. Eucalyptus / Isla Craig + band / Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-25 (Thursday)
Track Could Bend #91 (feat. TH6Ø / Olivia Shortt / Brian Abbott) / Wenona Lodge 2024-05-07 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / William Davison / Karsten Stryker / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-12 (Sunday)
Ghostgirl residency (feat. Aline Homzy/Allan Mackie/Michael Davidson / Michael Davidson [solo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-14 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole presents (feat. Kind Mind) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-14 (Tuesday)
TONE presents (feat. Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield / Rob Clutton Trio with Kurt Newman) / Standard Time 2024-05-17 (Friday)
ArtJam Toronto (feat. not a band) / 918 Bathurst 2024-05-25 (Saturday)
Gabe Girard presents (feat. The Jake Laur Trio / Nobody Waved Goodbye / D.B. Buxton) / The Dock Ellis 2024-05-26
Track Could Bend #92 (feat. Duo Cichorium [Jasmine Tsui/Louis Pino] / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-06-04 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior / Drew Smith / Nick Flanagan / Nocturnes) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-09 (Sunday)
Ghostgirl residency (feat. Aline Homzy/Michael Davidson/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Aidan McConnell) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-11 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole presents (feat. Peter Zummo & friends) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-11 (Tuesday)
Tranzac Fundraiser II (feat. US Girls / Eucalyptus / Cots) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-14 (Friday)
TONE Festival (feat. Mas Aya / Colin Fisher / Xicada) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-16 (Sunday)
Luka Kuplowsky & The Ryōkan Band (The Heart of Going La) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-18 (Tuesday)
Aline's Étoile Magique / Toronto Jazz Fest — Village Stage 2024-06-24 (Monday)
Solitary Shrew presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray / Molly McGregor's Pageant puppet play) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-25 (Tuesday)
Nick Fraser presents (feat. Zoe Pia / BLOOP! / Non-Twins) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-25 (Tuesday)
Karen Ng Presents (feat. Ted Crosby/Phil Melanson/Karen Ng / Swanherds) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-27 (Thursday)
Knots / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-30 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXIV / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-30 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #93 (feat. Without a Single Green Feather / Kristina Warren & Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2024-07-02 (Tuesday)
Tribute to Joe Raposo (Feat. Holy Oak Family Singers) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-03 (Wednesday)
The Knot (Germaine Liu & Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-03 (Wednesday)
Karen Ng presents (feat. Windscour / The Adjacence / Shadow Pattern) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge)
Ayal Senior and Friends presents (feat. Nick Flanagan / Jane Inc / You're Steel on My Mind) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-14 (Sunday)
Kurt Newman presents: an evening of cool solos (feat. Christine Bougie / Kayla Milmine / Dan Pitt / Patrick O'Reilly / Thom Gill / Kurt Newman) / Wenona Lodge 2024-07-16 (Tuesday)
Sandro Perri & Friends (Alex Lukashevsky) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-19 (Friday)
Masahiro Takahashi presents Cha-no-yu (feat. Emissive / Masahiro Takahashi with Karen Ng/Sandro Perri) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-19 (Friday)
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray / Deprivation Tactics / Brian Ruryk / Lucas Abela / Gorgina) / See-Scape 2024-07-24 (Wednesday)
Mountain Movers (Stonegrass / Emily Robb) / Monarch Tavern 2024-07-25 (Thursday)
Joseph Allred (Hieronymus Harry / Marilyn Yogarajah) / Annette Studios 2024-08-04 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #94 (feat. Dangertown / Eye_Duh Kho & Alejandro Franco Briones) / Wenona Lodge 2024-08-06 (Tuesday)]
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Hieronymus Harry / David Sait / The Sympathetic String Band / Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-08-11 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis / Bloor Annex BIA Stage 2024-09-01 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #95 (feat. Royal Jelly / Turtle Pleasure) / Wenona Lodge 2024-09-03 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Greydini / Everly Lux / Senior & Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-08 (Sunday)
No Octopus Dancing / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-10 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole presents (feat. Josh Cole/Rob Clutton/John Oswald/Brodie West) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-10 (Tuesday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Louis Pino / Em Wright / Owen Kurtz) / Bickford Park "Stadium" 2024-09-19 (Thursday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXV / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-29 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #96 (feat. Josh Cole + Mira Martin-Gray / Laura Swankey/Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt) / Wenona Lodge 2024-10-01 (Tuesday)
Sanctuary Drone (feat. DRONE:KLUB / Cosmic Homeostasis / Spectrum Soundbath) / Trinity-St.Paul's Centre 2024-10-05 (Saturday)
X Avant XIX: Texture: Refraction (feat. The Glass Orchestra / future proof) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-19 (Saturday)
Mira Martin-Gray and Niamh Girling present CLUE NOTE (feat. Allison Cameron/Niamh Girling/Mira Martin-Gray/Olivia Shortt) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-29 (Tuesday)
Friends of Clue Note present: Trivial Musical Pursuits (feat. Sara Constant/Patrick O'Reilly/Heraclitus Akimbo/Marilyn Yogarajah/Raphael Roter) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-29 (Tuesday)
Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi / Aga Khan Museum 2024-11-02 (Saturday)
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Ava Mendoza / Fresh Snow / Not The Wind, Not The Flag) / Collective Arts 2024-11-03 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #97 (feat. Marilyn + Apple / Darren Williams / Rebecca Bruton) / Wenona Lodge 2024-11-05 (Tuesday)
Music Gallery presents (feat. Joëlle Léandre & Rémy Bélanger de Beauport / Masahiro Takahashi/Joseph Shabason/Bram Gielen) / Allan Gardens – Children's Conservatory 2024-11-09 (Saturday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Marilyn Yogarajah / Nick Flanagan / Triple Bad Acid) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-11-10 (Sunday)
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