Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Recording: Sandy Ewen & Allison Cameron

Artist: Sandy Ewen & Allison Cameron

Song: [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination and Dark Matter present), August 14, 2022.

Sandy Ewen & Allison Cameron - [excerpt, part 1]

Sandy Ewen & Allison Cameron - [excerpt, part 2]

A pleasing return of an annual tradition of a late-summer visit to these parts from New York-based prepared guitarist Sandy Ewen. Playing two collaborative sets, the night closed with an inspired match with noisemaker Allison Cameron, where the pair's sounds and textures rubbed together tantilizingly but left plenty of space.

You can watch this entire set over on Audiopollination's youtube page:

Recording: Ewen/Newman/Maraj

Artist: Sandy Ewen/Kurt Newman/Kieran Maraj

Song: [last section]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination and Dark Matter present), August 14, 2022.

Sandy Ewen/Kurt Newman/Kieran Maraj - [last section]

A pleasing return of an annual tradition of a late-summer visit to these parts from New York-based prepared guitarist Sandy Ewen. Playing two collaborative sets, the first saw her matched with Kurt Newman (electric guitar) and Kieran Maraj (granularized laptop samples) for a densely-packed stereophonic skronk-treat.

You can watch this entire set over on Audiopollination's youtube page:

Recording: Wenderly Park

Artist: Wenderly Park

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination and Dark Matter present), August 14, 2022.

Wenderly Park - [excerpt]

Further electroacostic adventures from this duo, with drone oscillations being agitated by filter resonance feedback and shepard tones. (Along the way there were also some lyre strings being plucked and secret cats.)

You can watch this entire set over on Audiopollination's youtube page:

[Wenderly Park will be joined by saxophonist Bea Labikova for a special trio set at The Tranzac tonight (August 31st), opening for Christine Duncan/Patrick O'Reilly and Estonian special guest Kristjan Kannukene.]

photo by Peter Gough

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

Recording: bUDi

Artist: bUDi

Song: [piano excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior Presents), August 14, 2022.

bUDi - [piano excerpt]

Guest-hosting Ayal Senior's casual Sunday series at The Tranzac, I was thrilled to be able to present Nick Dourado (who I had recorded a few months back for a virtual Track Could Bend set), who sat down at the piano and let a river of songs, rags and blues flow forth with intense joy and freedom. That'd be followed by some considerations on soprano sax.

You can check out the sax segment of this set over on youtube:

[Ayal returns to host his monthly on Sunday, September 11th, promising a packed afternoon featuring Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman, The Sympathetic String Band, Nick Flanagan, and Floatation Device.]

Recording: Kurt Newman

Artist: Kurt Newman

Song: I Am a Pilgrim [trad. arr. Clarence White]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior Presents), August 14, 2022.

Kurt Newman - I Am a Pilgrim

Keeping up with his recent bluegrass preoccupations, Kurt Newman brought his acoustic guitar along for this set along with a stack of pieces performed by Clarence White, digging deeper into his style and methods.

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

[Ayal returns to host his monthly on Sunday, September 11th, promising a packed afternoon featuring Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman, The Sympathetic String Band, Nick Flanagan, and Floatation Device.]

Monday, August 29, 2022

Monday Roundup #85


Concert announcements:

Track Could Bend #71 (feat. Jelly Ear [Cory Harper-Latkovich/Naomi MaCarroll-Butler/Sara Constant, Flute / Tania Gill Trio [Tania Gill/Victor Bateman/Blake Howard])/ Wenona Lodge 2022-09-06 (Tuesday). $PWYC, masks required. [FB event]

Ghostlight / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-07 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / The Sympathetic String Band / Nick Flanagan / Floatation Device) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Richard Laviolette / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-11 (Sunday – 5 p.m.)

SynCirSundays / (feat. Alex Fournier/Nilan Perera/Rick Sacks / Robin Buckley/Jay Hay/Jim Lewis/Nilan Perera ) / 2022-09-11 (Sunday – early!) [FB event]

By Divine Right [LP Release!] (Ace Of Wands / JEEN) / Monarch Tavern 2022-10-22 (Saturday). $15.50 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Badge Époque Ensemble [Clouds of Joy release show!] (Jennifer Castle / Jozem) / Lee's Palace 2022-11-05 (Saturday). $31.68 advance, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Nick Fraser/Josh Cole/Kayla Milmine / 2022-08-30 (Thursday) [FB event]

Departures I (feat. Elizabete Balčus / New Chance / Chiquita Magic) / St. Matthew's Clubhouse 2022-08-31 (Wednesday). $13.92 advance, all ages. [FB event]

Estonian Music Week presents (feat. Kristjan Kannukene / Christine Duncan & Patrick O'Reilly / Fuzzy Nibesh/Bea Labikova/Heraclitus Akimbo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-31 (Wednesday – doors @ 7, music @ 8). $PWYC.

Intersection Festival: A More Beautiful Journey Launch Event (feat. SHN SHN / Nick Storring / Absolutely Free Duo / Prince Josh / SlowPitchSound & Laura Barrett / Korea Town Acid / Emissive / Felipe Sena / Brodie West / Kind Mind / Debashis Sinha / OBUXUM) / Neville Park Loop; Wolseley Loop; Humber Loop; Long Branch Loop; Regent Park Loop 2022-09-01 (Thursday). $free, all ages. [FB event]

Packet Trio [Susanna Hood/Tania Gill/Kayla Milmine] (Tania Gill & Brodie West) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-02 (Friday – early!) [FB event]

Intersection Festival (feat. Anthony Braxton & James Fei / Nadja) / St. Anne's Anglican Church 2022-09-02 (Friday) [FB event]

Psychic Weapons / The Cameron House 2022-09-02 (Friday) [FB event]

Intersection Festival: Marathon Concert and Marketplace Event (feat. The Dead Are Those Who Have Died / Kristina Guison / Nihilist Spasm Band / Marc Edwards & Colin Fisher / Joyfultalk / BDP Trio / Joseph Shabason Band / Labyrinth Ensemble) / Yonge-Dundas Square 2022-09-03 (Saturday). $free, all ages. [more info]

Splendid Industries/$™ presents / (feat. JazzTobacco / Astrolope) 2022-09-03 (Saturday) [FB event]


Bandcamp corner:

  • Reminder that Bandcamp Fridays are starting back up this week — the platform is foregoing their cut so you have a chance to pass some extra money along to the artists you dig. Here's some local content on my list:

It happened this week...

Just a reminder that the Intersection Festival is back up and running this weekend, bringing strange sounds to canny audiences and unsuspecting passers-by. Here's a couple tastes from 2019, both in Yonge-Dundas Square and touring the TTC.

  • ... on August 29, 2019 at Highway 407 Station (Intersection Day 1: Music For Subways).

Mika Posen String Quartet - Pathways [excerpt]

  • ...on August 31, 2019 at Yonge-Dundas Square (Intersection Day 3).

Evan Ziporyn and Contact - Warszawa

[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.]

Monday, August 22, 2022

Monday Roundup #84


Concert announcements:

Splendid Industries/$™ presents (feat. JazzTobacco / Astrolope) / 2022-09-03 (Saturday) [FB event]

In The Wind [Aline Homzy/Racha Moukalled/Elizabeth Brown] / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-09-04 (Sunday – 1:30 p.m.). $free. [more info]

riverMOUTH (feat. Sharada Eswar/Andrea Thompson/Sheniz Janmohamed) / Oculus Pavilion @ South Humber Park 2022-09-10 (Saturday). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

riverMOUTH (feat. Christine Duncan with The Element Choir) / Oculus Pavilion @ South Humber Park 2022-09-11 (Sunday). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

Blunt Chunks [Telephone Explosion EP release show!] (Granny Smith / Anna Wiebe) / Monarch Tavern 2022-09-15 (Thursday). $16.93 advance. [FB event]

Audiopollination (feat. Diane Roblin/Claire Maeve / Tiina Kiik/Nilan Perera/Paul Newman / Jamie Eriksen/Adriana Monti/Brenda Joy Lem / Killer Quartet [Emjay Wright/Erin Corbett/Kye Grant/Mickle32]) / Array Space 2022-09-16 (Friday). $10 entry (or PWYC). [FB event]

Bitchin Bajas / The Baby G 2022-12-01 (Thursday). $20.05 advance, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Dark Matter presents (feat. Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Wenderly Park [Heraclitus Akimbo/Fuzzy Nibesh]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-23 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Jessica Moss / KA Baird / Prince Nifty) / The Baby G 2022-08-24 (Wednesday). $19.02 advance, 19+.cancelled! [FB event]

Music By Harry and Furlong (feat. Kurt Newman/Karen Ng/Andrew Furlong) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-24 (Wednesday). $10/PWYC. [FB event]

Taktus Marimba Duo / Toronto Music Garden 2022-08-25 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Kae Murphy/Kayla Milmine/Patrick O'Reilly/Stefan Hegerat / The Emmet Ray 2022-08-25 (Thursday). $10 cover. [FB event]

Shadow Show (ROY / The John Denver Airport Conspiracy) / Monarch Tavern 2022-08-25 (Thursday). $14.81 adv / $15 door, 19+. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-26 (Friday) [FB event]

riverMOUTH (feat. Andrea Kuzmich/Maryem Tollar/Iryna Lozynska/Shalva-Lucas Makharshvili/Mario Morello) / Oculus Pavilion @ South Humber Park 2022-08-27 (Saturday). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

Naomi McCarroll-Butler + friends [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Kel Mansaray/Caleb Klager] (Douglas Tewksbury) / Tibet Street Records 2022-08-27 (Saturday). $20, all ages.

Del Stephen's New Moon Unit (The Northern Arm) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-27 (Saturday). $10/PWYC. [FB event]

riverMOUTH (feat. Alex Samaras/Andrew Adridge/Karen Ng) / Oculus Pavilion @ South Humber Park 2022-08-28 (Sunday). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Aidan Baker / Picastro / Man Meets Bear) / The Baby G 2022-08-28 (Sunday) [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ...on August 25, 2018 at The Music Gallery.

Castle If - Sector 01

  • ...on August 28, 2018 at Café Pamenar.

Spencer Cole/Josh Cole/Nicole Rampersaud/Colin Fisher - [set 1, 1st piece 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.]

Friday, August 19, 2022

Recording: Toronto Improvisor's Orchestra

Artist: Toronto Improvisor's Orchestra

Song: [second set, first piece excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 14, 2022.

Toronto Improvisor's Orchestra - [second set, first piece excerpt]

As easily scalable to forty players as they are to four, it's rather pleasing to drop in on the TIO in one of their pretense-free Sunday afternoon jams at the Tranzac. There were a quartet of regulars out for this one, James Bailey (deconstructed tombone), Colin James Gibson (bass), Ryan Kinney (guitar) and Rod Campbell (trumpet, piano). It was the latter's keyboard work here that pulled this along from some pleasingly sputtering duos into a lyrical group piece. Do make a note to go hang out with this crew on the second Sunday of the month.

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Recording: Colin Fisher Quartet

Artist: Colin Fisher Quartet

Song: #5

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), August 12, 2022.

Colin Fisher Quartet - #5

Bringing a set of new (and not yet named) compositions, Colin Fisher (on tenor sax and guitar) lead this imposing grouping through two sets of fiery unburdening. Mark Hundevad (percussion) and Andrew Furlong (double bass) drove things along, but the night's real hero was Naomi McCarroll-Butler (alto and clarinet) who was fully inspired throughout.

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Recording: Man Made Hill

Artist: Man Made Hill

Song: Decades of Neglect

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Greydini and Man Made Hill Birthday Bash), August 6, 2022.

Man Made Hill - Decades of Neglect

Both a birthday celebration and a glad-to-see-ya community gathering, this trash culture summit managed to make the Tranzac's main hall feel like a vintage night out at Double Double Land. Celebrating the new Mirage Repair album, Randy Gagne might have adapted to some slicker studio accoutrements, but on stage the old standard of high kicks and makeup-melting calisthenics prevails. Body movin', deep lovin', always shreddin' — it's good to see some values endure in this world.

Recording: Greydini

Artist: Greydini

Song: They Call Me Out of Control

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Greydini and Man Made Hill Birthday Bash), August 6, 2022.

Greydini - They Call Me Out of Control

Both a birthday celebration and a glad-to-see-ya community gathering, this trash culture summit managed to make the Tranzac's main hall feel like a vintage night out at Double Double Land. With a couple new tapes on the merch table, Greydini's one man pageant had plenty of material to draw from, finding the sweet spot between fist-pumping party anthems and Cronenbergian body horror. Embrace the goo!

Recording: Banananananana

Artist: Banananananana

Song: Can of Worms

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Greydini and Man Made Hill Birthday Bash), August 6, 2022.

Banananananana - Can of Worms

Both a birthday celebration and a glad-to-see-ya community gathering, this trash culture summit managed to make the Tranzac's main hall feel like a vintage night out at Double Double Land. This prolific Hamilton-based electro-goth duo brought their own debris (literally bags of it, scattered around the stage area) and some banana-themed videos and had a glorious time rolling around in it. Celebrating filth and ennui, there were go-go dancers and everything.

Monday, August 15, 2022

Monday Roundup #83


Concert announcements:

Kurt Newman/Karen Ng/Andrew Furlong / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-24 (Wednesday). $10/PWYC. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-26 (Friday) [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Aidan Baker / Picastro / Man Meets Bear) / The Baby G 2022-08-28 (Sunday) [FB event]

Reverberations & Resonances [works for "solo alto saxophone and electronics" by James Tenney and Paolo Griffin] (feat. David Zucchi) / Array Space 2022-09-09 (Friday). General admission: $15, Students/Seniors/Arts Workers: $10. [FB event]

Eliza Niemi [album release!] (Dorothea Paas / Le Ren / Jeremy Ray) / The Baby G 2022-09-17 (Saturday). $16.52, 19+. [FB event]

Heaven For Real [LP release!] (Sook-Yin Lee / Poolblood) / Monarch Tavern 2022-10-01 (Saturday). $15 advance, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Karen Ng's Wenona Series (feat. Michael Davidson [solo vibraphone] / Allison Cameron/Mira Martin Gray/Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2022-08-16 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-17 (Wednesday). $PWYC. [FB event]

Amber [Lori Freedman & Scott Thomson] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-18 (Thursday). $PWYW.

Jane Inc. (Huxlii / Koza) / Monarch Tavern 2022-08-19 (Friday). $13.50 advance, 19+. [FB event]

catl. / The Upper Deck Bar, Toronto Island Marina 2022-08-20 (Saturday). $free. [more info]

Family Ravine / Lostworldsounds / Ecotone / Bar Orwell 2022-08-21 (Sunday – 6 p.m. show). $10/PWYC.

Kelly McMichael (Claire Maeve) / The Dakota Tavern 2022-08-21 (Sunday – early show @ 6:30 p.m.). $19.13 advance, 19+. [FB event]

TONE presents (feat. Ashley Paul / Andre Ethier / Nick Storring) / Array Space 2022-08-21 (Sunday). $17.52 advance, all ages/licensed. [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ...on August 16, 2017 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).

The Allison Cameron Band - [set 1, first piece excerpt]

  • ...on August 17, 2017 at the Gardiner Museum.

Public Recordings - To Valerie Solanas and Marilyn Monroe in Recognition of Their Desperation [excerpt 1]

[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.]

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Recording: Matt Nish-Lapidus

Artist: Matt Nish-Lapidus

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #70), August 2, 2022.

Matt Nish-Lapidus - [excerpt]

Capable of manipilating sounds in a variety of styles — synthesized and not, Matt Nish-Lapidus opted to bring a laptop-based set-up for this performance, creating an improvised collage of pre-recorded tracks (voice, guitar, field recordings) run through SuperCollider and tuned resonators.

You can also check out the full set over on TCB's youtube playlist:

Recording: Dan Pitt

Artist: Dan Pitt

Song: Tape Age

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #70), August 2, 2022.

Dan Pitt - Tape Age

Having recorded an album of solo guitar in January 2020, Dan Pitt joked that he was ahead of the pandemic trend of solo recordings in isolation. But that also meant that the album would come out at a point when shows were at their scarcest, so this was his first opportunity to explore the material in live performance since the album's release. Evolving from improvisations into composed pieces, several of these have found their way into his group contexts as well. While sharing some pieces from the album — as well as this newer one that emerged after it was recorded — Pitt covered Bill Frisell and referenced Paul Motian. And by a bit of happy luck, just as Pitt was mangling his loop at the piece's end, there's some metallic clanging as a beer keg was being shifted in the backroom behind the stage area — and it fits in quite nicely.

You can also check out the full set over on TCB's youtube playlist:

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis XVI

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XVI

Songs: Far Places [excerpt] + Across a Chasm [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 31, 2022.

Cosmic Homeostasis XVI - Far Places [excerpt]

Cosmic Homeostasis XVI - Across a Chasm [excerpt]

Cosmic Homeostasis' deep space drones are a fully modular and scalable concept, so if a busy long weekend means that a few regulars are out of town, smaller numbers can still fill up the sonic cup.

This version of Cosmic Homeostasis included:

  • Mira Martin-Grey - acoustic guitar / Bastl softPop
  • Ron Blake - ipad apps
  • Fahmid Nibesh - electric guitar, pedals
  • Heraclitus Akimbo - Modern Sounds Pluto, Søvnløs, pedals
  • Grant Smales - namer-of-things

The full session is also documented as an album over at bandcamp:

Monday, August 8, 2022

Monday Roundup #82


Concert announcements:

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-17 (Wednesday). $PWYC. [FB event]

Kelly McMichael (Claire Maeve) / The Dakota Tavern 2022-08-21 (Sunday – early show @ 6:30 p.m.). $19.13 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Jessica Moss / KA Baird / Prince Nifty) / The Baby G 2022-08-24 (Wednesday). $19.02 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Intersection Festival: Departures I (feat. Elizabete Balčus / New Chance / Chiquita Magic) / St. Matthew's Clubhouse 2022-08-31 (Wednesday). $13.92 advance, all ages. [FB event]

Intersection Festival: A More Beautiful Journey Launch Event (feat. SHN SHN / Nick Storring / Absolutely Free Duo / Prince Josh / SlowPitchSound & Laura Barrett / Korea Town Acid / Emissive / Felipe Sena / Brodie West / Kind Mind / Debashis Sinha / OBUXUM) / Neville Park Loop; Wolseley Loop; Humber Loop; Long Branch Loop; Regent Park Loop 2022-09-01 (Thursday). $free, all ages. [more info]

Intersection Festival (feat. Anthony Braxton & James Fei / Nadja) / St. Anne's Anglican Church 2022-09-02 (Friday) [more info]

Intersection Festival: Marathon Concert and Marketplace Event (feat. The Dead Are Those Who Have Died / Joseph Shabason with Band / Marc Edwards & Colin Fisher / Labyrinth Ensemble / Joyfultalk) / Yonge-Dundas Square 2022-09-03 (Saturday). $free, all ages. [more info]

Triio [Six-ish Plateaus CD Release!] (Animatist) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-09 (Friday – early!) [FB event]

TONE Presents (feat. Eric Chenaux / Blessings / The Draperies) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-09-13 (Tuesday). $20.74, 19+. [FB event]

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-09-21 (Wednesday). $PWYC. [FB event]

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-19 (Wednesday). $PWYC. [FB event]

TONE Presents (feat. Wendy Eisenberg / Joni Void) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-10-22 (Saturday). $12.14, 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann] / The Rex 2022-08-08 (Monday) [FB event]

Most Popular Mic Touching Sounds (feat. Blue Moss [David Nardi & Connor Bennett]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-09 (Tuesday)

Brodie West/Reg Schwager/Josh Cole/Blake Howard / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-10 (Wednesday – early!). $PWYC.

VC2 / Toronto Music Garden 2022-08-11 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Cosmic Country for Communists / (feat. Country Phasers [solo] / Nick Flanagan) / 2022-08-11 (Thursday)

Rapport [EP Release!] (Pink Blob / Sap) / Monarch Tavern 2022-08-12 (Friday). $14.50 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher Quartet [Mark Hundevad/Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Andrew Furlong/Colin Fisher]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-12 (Friday) [FB event]

Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. Kurt Newman / Nick Flanagan / bUDi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.!). $PWYC [FB event]

SynCirSundays (feat. Josh Cole / Patrick O'Reilly's Chalk Repairer) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday – early!) [FB event]

Audiopollination presents Sandy Ewen (feat. Wenderly Park / Sandy Ewen/Kurt Newman/Kieran Maraj / Sandy Ewen/Allison Cameron) / Array Space 2022-08-14 (Sunday). $15. [FB event]

Peter Van Huffel/Ben Dwyer/Karen Ng/Joe Sorbara / The Emmet Ray 2022-08-14 (Sunday) [FB event]

Borscht [Ilyse Kryvel/Daria Morgacheva] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday)


It happened this week...

  • ...on August 13, 2016 at Burdock Music Hall.

Eric Chenaux - Social Living

  • ...on August 10, 2016 at The Silver Dollar Room.

Bloodshot Bill - [encore track 2]

[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.]

Sunday, August 7, 2022

Recording: Segger/Tillotson/Ng

Artist: Mark Segger/Aretha Tillotson/Karen Ng

Songs: [except from an improvisation] + Flare [composer: Aretha Tillotson]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 31, 2022.

Mark Segger/Aretha Tillotson/Karen Ng - [1st set, except from 1st piece]

Mark Segger/Aretha Tillotson/Karen Ng - Flare

It's been a while since catching percussionist Mark Segger dropping into town, so this Sunday lunchtime special at The Tranzac was a good chance to get re-acquainted. He brought along fellow traveller Aretha Tillotson on electric bass, and the pair were joined by Karen Ng on sax. A good reminder that as a player, Segger can bring some clamour, which he did here, establishing a noisy/groovy space that the trio inhabited. Leading off the second set, Tillotson offered a composition that formalized the excursions into some similar territory.

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Recording: Joyful Joyful

Artist: Joyful Joyful

Song: Oh Sinner

Recorded at 918 Bathurst, July 26, 2022.

Joyful Joyful - Oh Sinner

Joyful Joyful found an appropriately church-like spot for the local celebration of the release of their début self-titled full-length, which included some excellent visuals from Joel Elliott. Given the album's long gestation, their repertoire contains a number of equally-worthy pieces like this one, so there should be no drop-off in quality when album #2 rolls around.

Recording: joni void

Artist: joni void

Song: unknown*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst, July 26, 2022.

joni void - unknown

Versioning pop songs and covering youtube affirmations, Montréal's Jean Néant brought a set of live sampler collages, performed with full-body commitment.

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

Recording: Hsien

Artist: Hsien

Song: unknown*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst, July 26, 2022.

Hsien - unknown

Previously recording as Old Haunt, Lucas Huang doesn't have much online yet in this new incarnation, but his set was a canny mood-setter for Joyful Joyful, mixing floating ambience and hymns with his delicate songcraft.

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

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Recording: Cots

Artist: Cots

Songs: Bitter Part of the Fruit + Salt or Sand

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), July 24, 2022.

Cots - Bitter Part of the Fruit

Cots - Salt or Sand

It was a real joy to finally get a chance to see Steph Yates performing the songs from her Cots project — her Disturbing Body album was a definite fave last year, when chances to see live shows were thin on the ground. Fot this set (as on the album) she was joined by Josh Cole (bass) and Blake Howard (percussion) to flesh out tunes that ranged from bossa nova lightness to a sort of jaunty slowcore — and pleasingly, there were a couple new ones in the mix as well, so hopefully this project will continue to develop.

Monday, August 1, 2022

Monday Roundup #81


Community notes:

  • The Music Gallery dropped a "save the dates" notification for this year's X Avant Festival, coming up on October 12 to 16th. No lineup announcements yet, but you should indeed head over to your calendar and, uh, save the dates! (and, similarly, Venus Fest announced their Festival — lineup included — for October 14-16, so you should take note of that as well!)

Concert announcements:

Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. Kurt Newman / Nick Flanagan / bUDi) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.!). $PWYC [FB event]

Dark Matter presents (feat. Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Wenderly Park [Heraclitus Akimbo/Fuzzy Nibesh]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-23 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Venus Fest (feat. Austra / PIQSIQ / R. Flex) / 72 Perth Ave. 2022-10-16 (Sunday). $18 advance / $22 door (+ fees and taxes), 19+. [FB event]


Shows this week:

Lina Allemano's Titanium Riot (BLOOP) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-02 (Tuesday). $PWYC.

Alpha Strategy (So Tired / Dermabrasion / Shallow Waves) / The Baby G 2022-08-03 (Wednesday). $16.93 advance, 19+. [FB event]

Jeremy Dutcher & Friends: A Fundraiser for Kehkimin / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-08-03 (Wednesday). $PWYC. [more info]

Luka Kuplowsky & The Ryōkan Band / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-03 (Wednesday – early!) [FB event]

Lina Allemano Four / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-03 (Wednesday). $PWYC.

Matmos (Memory Pearl / Jeff Carey) / The Baby G 2022-08-04 (Thursday). $22.35 advance, 19+. [more info]

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. Gloria Nankunda & Emanzi Dance Troupe / Ethio Azmari / Okavango / Dobet Gnahoré) / Harbourfront Centre 2022-08-05 (Friday). $free, family-friendly, most events outdoors. [more info]

Tania Gill Presents (feat. Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2022-08-05 (Friday – early!)

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. IZimba Arts / Adam Solomon / La Kora des Griots / Dicko Fils / Songs of My Mother [feat. Lorraine Klaasen/Djely Tapa/Mis Blandine/Ruth Mathiang]) / Harbourfront Centre 2022-08-06 (Saturday). $free, family-friendly, most events outdoors. [more info]

Birthday Bash! (feat. Greydini / Man Made Hill / Bbomit / Sourpussy / Banananananana) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2022-08-06 (Saturday). $12. [FB event]

Jelly Ear / ["medieval music, improvisations and other selections", feat. Cory Harper-Latkovich/Karen Ng/Sebastian Shinwell] / 2022-08-06 (Saturday) [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. Mambo Chivero / Sadaka / Butterfly Band) / Harbourfront Centre 2022-08-07 (Sunday). $free, family-friendly, most events outdoors. [more info]


Bandcamp corner:

  • Technically speaking, this album came out ten years and a couple months ago, but I just noticed that I picked up a copy of the tape (packaged, natch, in a paper bag) at a gig ten years (and a couple weeks) back, so it seems like a reasonable excuse to look back a decade (!) to this classic slice of ZA. (And, P.S., on the topic, Carl Didur's new album drops this week!)

It happened this week...

  • ...on August 6, 2015 at Ratio.

Mermaids - The Humpback Whale

  • ...on August 7, 2015 at Pia Bouman School for Ballet and Creative Movement (SummerWorks Music Series).

JOOJ - Ghost of Love

[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.]