Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Recording: Heraclitus Akimbo/Gabe Girard/mkl32

Artist: Heraclitus Akimbo/Gabe Girard/mkl32

Song: Muskox Problems (for Mike) [edit]

Recorded at Bar Orwell* (Gabe Girard presents), March 31, 2024.

Heraclitus Akimbo/Gabe Girard/mkl32 - Muskox Problems (for Mike) [edit]

A cool'n'casual night of experimental sounds made for a pleasant Sunday evening. Curated by percussionist Gabe Girard, who also held down the drum chair for this set alongside double bassist Mike Smith. Heraclitus Akimbo, meanwhile, added some kaossilations, as well as a tape loop of Muskox's "Caveman Caveman Crystal Skulls" for this piece.

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

[Final details are being ironed out, but this group will be back will be playing once more — with a fourth member and a band name! Best you keep May 26th open — details to follow.]

* Important reminder: "Bar Orwell has permanently closed its 1595 Dundas Street West location due to constructive eviction as of Thursday, April 11, 2024." Please support this "place for all the freaks and weirdos" at their gofundme.

Recording: Molehill

Artist: Molehill

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Bar Orwell* (Gabe Girard presents), March 31, 2024.

Molehill - [excerpt]

A cool'n'casual night of experimental sounds made for a pleasant Sunday evening. Curated by percussionist Gabe Girard, this show saw Molehill leaving their customary environs of the Southern Cross Lounge for the first time. There were some subtle evolutions from when I last saw them, including seeing the duty of sonic processing shifting more to drummer Jake Oelrichs, leaving Mike Smith with fewer distractions as he played bass.

* Important reminder: "Bar Orwell has permanently closed its 1595 Dundas Street West location due to constructive eviction as of Thursday, April 11, 2024." Please support this "place for all the freaks and weirdos" at their gofundme.

Monday, April 29, 2024

Monday Roundup #172

Community notes:

  • Bar Orwell — which has been a open-eared community hub for the past while now — has closed as a result of Severe Landlord Trouble. They're looking to re-establish the venue in a better space, which is no easy thing in this market and economy. The city's definitely a better place with community-focused venues that are willing to take risks on strange and/or abrasive sounds, so you should read their story and support their gofundme.

Concert announcements:

Blunt Object [performing the weird and wonderful music of Carla Bley, featuring Jay Hay/Ben Dietschi/Gordon Hyland/Jesse Malone/Teppei Kamei/Josh Bird/Robin Jessome/Zach Smith/Tania Gill/Phil Albert/Matthew Pullicino] / The Rex 2024-05-11 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $10/$15. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / William Davison / Karsten Stryker / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-12 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Annual Hirut Residency (feat. Eucalyptus [Aidan McConnell/Aline Homzy/Blake Howard/Brodie West/Evan Cartwright/Kurt Newman/Mike Smith/Nick Fraser/Ryan Driver]) / Hirut Café 2024-05-12 (Sunday). $15, dining available, family-friendly. [more info]

Josh Cole presents (feat. Kind Mind [Josh Cole/Ted Crosby/ Michael Davidson]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-14 (Tuesday). $10/pwyc. [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis / Fortunato Durutti Marinetti / Daydream Plus) / The Velvet Underground 2024-05-14 (Tuesday). $27.58. [FB event]

TONE presents (feat. Lea Bertucci / Germaine Liu / Black Galaxie) / Standard Time 2024-05-15 (Wednesday). $17.52, all-ages. [FB event]

TONE presents (feat. Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield [Nate Wooley/Susan Alcorn/Ava Mendoza/Ryan Sawyer] / Rob Clutton Trio with Kurt Newman [Rob Clutton/Karen Ng/Nick Fraser]) / Standard Time 2024-05-17 (Friday). $22.89, all-ages. [FB event]

Annual Hirut Residency (feat. Eucalyptus [Aidan McConnell/Aline Homzy/Blake Howard/Brodie West/Evan Cartwright/Kurt Newman/Mike Smith/Nick Fraser/Ryan Driver]) / Hirut Café 2024-05-26 (Sunday). $15, dining available, family-friendly. [more info]

Annual Hirut Residency (feat. Eucalyptus [Aidan McConnell/Aline Homzy/Blake Howard/Brodie West/Evan Cartwright/Kurt Newman/Mike Smith/Nick Fraser/Ryan Driver]) / Hirut Café 2024-06-02 (Sunday). $15, dining available, family-friendly. [more info]

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


Shows this week:

Jon McKiel (Louie Short) / The Baby G 2024-04-29 (Monday). $29.98. [FB event]

Dan Pitt Quintet [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick Smith/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser/Dan Pitt] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-29 (Monday) [FB event]

Solitary Shrew presents (feat. Dame Cook / Tumbling/Arrival) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-30 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc, 10 suggested donation. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Pierre-Yves Martel Ephemera [solo modular synthesizer + harmonium] / Pierre-Yves Martel/Nick Fraser/Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-30 (Tuesday). $pwyc.

Holy Oak Family Singers present (feat. Holy Oak Family Singers & Veda Hille) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-01 (Wednesday – early!)

The Max Donaldson Quartet [Max Donaldson/Andrew Downing/Aline Homzy/Aidan McConnell] / Sellers & Newel 2024-05-02 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

CCMC with guest Nick Storring [John Kamevaar/John Oswald/Paul Dutton/Casey Sokol/Al Mattes] / Array Space 2024-05-02 (Thursday). $free, livestream available

The Tania Gill presents (feat. The Tania Gill Quartet [Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann/Tania Gill]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-03 (Friday – early) [FB event]

Concrete Cabaret/OBJECTO Festival and Sensorium (York University) present: weave me too into the threads of your song ["a work-in-progress performance inspired by anarchist Yiddish poetry, made for the catastrophes and hopes of the present"] (feat. Jessica Moss/Erik Ruin/Gabriel Levine / Germaine Liu & Mark Zurawinski) / Array Space 2024-05-03 (Friday). Admission by donation; all proceeds go to MECA (Middle East Children's Alliance) for Gaza emergency aid. [FB event]

Glories of the German Romantic Era (feat. The Tallis Choir) / St. Patrick's Church 2024-05-04 (Saturday). $30 General, $25 Seniors, $10 Students. [FB event]

Mark Hundevad/Mike Gennaro/ Annette Studios 2024-05-04 (Saturday) [FB event]

Annual Hirut Residency (feat. Eucalyptus [Aidan McConnell/Aline Homzy/Blake Howard/Brodie West/Evan Cartwright/Kurt Newman/Mike Smith/Nick Fraser/Ryan Driver]) / Hirut Café 2024-05-05 (Sunday). $15, dining available, family-friendly. [more info]


Bandcamp corner:


It happened this week...

  • ...on April 29, 2018 at The Music Gallery.

Not The Music feat. Joe McPhee - [excerpt 1]

  • ...on May 1, 2018 at Celestina (Track Could Bend #38).

Jen Wardle + John Mark Sherlock - [track 5]

[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, April 22, 2024

Monday Roundup #171

Community notes:

  • If you're interested in deconstructing power relations in concert/classical music, you should probably check out "spectatorship is not neutral", part of a series of "site-specific interventions for concert halls" by Colin Tucker at the Canadian Music Centre April 23-26 and April 29-May 3. Incorporating participatory performances, an artist talk plus a panel discussion there should be plenty to absorb. More information here.
  • Michael Palumbo (of the Exit Points series and so much more) will be giving a live modular synth performance as part of a screening of Subotnick: Portrait of an Electronic Music Pioneer at the Revue Cinema on Wednesday (April 24th). The night will also include a Q&A with director Robert Fantinatto.

A word from your host:

  • Goodness knows I try not to be too self-promote-y in this space, but I've got a big week coming up. I'm having a birthday party at The Tranzac on Wednesday (April 25th) and you really oughtta be there. There will be live sets from Eucalyptus, Isla Craig + band and Colin Fisher, eats, and just maybe a free record giveaway table (!). I'm proposing $15 cash at the door (or in advance online if you want to stay cashless) but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. (And if you want some more intimate, more sonically abstract time with me, I'll be celebrating the recent release of Wenderly Park's debut album with Fahmid Nibesh at 918 Bathurst's Sun Room on Tuesday evening (April 23rd).

Concert announcements:

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Pierre-Yves Martel Ephemera [solo modular synthesizer + harmonium] / Pierre-Yves Martel/Nick Fraser/Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-30 (Tuesday). $pwyc.

Holy Oak Family Singers present (feat. Holy Oak Family Singers & Veda Hille) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-01 (Wednesday – early!)

Fan Wu [touch The Ten Thousand Things without dependency album launch] (Prince Nifty /New Chance) / 918 Bathurst 2024-05-02 (Thursday). $15 ($30 with LP). [more info/tickets]

Glories of the German Romantic Era (feat. The Tallis Choir) / St. Patrick's Church 2024-05-04 (Saturday). $30 General, $25 Seniors, $10 Students. [FB event]

Camille Léon presents: Agave (feat. The John Denver Airport Conspiracy /Wedding) / Burdock Music Hall 2024-05-06 (Monday). $15. [more info]

Audiopollination (feat. Dave Nelson/Paul Newman/Piers Oolvai / David MacDonald/Isabelle Méline/Saba Saneinejad / Michael Palumbo/Arnd Jurgensen/Stone He / Kayla Milmine/Anita Katakka/Isiah Naveed Farabakhsh) / Array Space 2024-05-10 (Friday). $10 [cash or card] (or PWYC/ free if you are lacking funds). [FB event]

PDA & More Noise Please present (feat. Jute / God of Gaps / Stashole / Murmur / Trauma Dump) / Bar Orwell Penny's 2024-05-10 (Friday) [more info]

Christina Petrowska Quilico [Games of the Night Wind album release, featuring nocturnes by David Jaeger] / Canadian Music Centre 2024-05-15 (Wednesday). $free with RSVP. [more info]

Small World Music presents (feat. Saami Brothers Qawwali) / The Creative School Chrysalis (Toronto Metropolitan University Theatre) 2024-05-18 (Saturday). $33.28-$86.53. [FB event]

L CON (James Irwin) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-24 (Friday) [FB event]

The Ship String Quartet [Rob Clutton/Aline Homzy/Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-09 (Sunday – early) [FB event]

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


Shows this week:

Colin Fisher Quartet [Colin Fisher/Aline Homzy/Josh Cole/Jeff Luciani] / The Emmet Ray 2024-04-23 (Tuesday – 6 p.m.). $10-15. [more info]

Wenderly Park [album release celebration!] (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). $pwyc. [FB event]

Shakespeare's Birthday (feat. Sweet Session [Randi Helmers/Rob Clutton]) / Sellers & Newel 2024-04-23 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Escote (Output 1:1:1 / Flake) / See-Scape 2024-04-23 (Tuesday) [FB event]

John Millard’s Hope Street [John Millard/Rob Clutton/Chris Pruden] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-23 (Tuesday)

Lipliners 4th Wednesday of the month residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-24 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Moon King [Roses album release party] (Lee Paradise) / Monarch Tavern 2024-04-25 (Thursday). $19.56, 19+. [FB event]

Joe's 50th Birthday (feat. Eucalyptus / Isla Craig + band / Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-25 (Thursday). $pwyc/$15 (or more), notaflof. [FB event]

Karen Ng Presents (feat. Marilyn Lerner/Matt Brubeck Duo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-25 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

All-Set! Presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-26 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Exit Points 48 (feat. bridge of sand/Isaiah Farahbakhsh/Sohrab Malekzadeh/Mira Martin-Gray/Brian Abbott / shn shn/Rakkatak/Bijan Sepanji/Ronley Teper/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-04-26 (Friday). $20 advance, $25 door. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-26 (Friday). $pwyw

Din VII: Museum of Quiet Sounds ["This pop-up sound museum features 10 musical exhibits, each taking place in a different space of the venue simultaneously. Similar to an art gallery, audience members will be free to walk around, talk quietly, drink beverages, and enter/ exit throughout the show."] (feat. Interro Quartet / Clover Ensemble / ék / Duo Holz / Grace Scheele / Wesley Shen / Hillary Jean Young / Sara Constant) / The Music Gallery 2024-04-26–27 (Friday–Saturday). $0-20 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford], all ages. [FB event]

Dan Pitt Quintet [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick Smith/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser/Dan Pitt] / The Rex 2024-04-28 (Sunday) [FB event]

Art of Improv presents (feat. Eugene Martynec/Bill McBirnie/Bill Gilliam / Gayle Young) / Annette Studios 2024-04-28 (Sunday). $20/pwyc. [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Sunglaciers / Alex Fernz / Uh Huh) / The Baby G 2024-04-28 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ...on April 25, 2009 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

Art Bergmann (feat. Tony Dekker) - Sin City

  • ...on April 28, 2009 at The Music Gallery.

Mountains - [End of Part 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.]

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII

Songs: Moving [excerpt] + Top of the Mountain [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), March 31, 2023.

Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII - Moving [excerpt]

Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII - Top of the Mountain [excerpt]

With the calendar withholding a fifth Sunday of the month until March, this was the first manifestation of this ever shifting/growing collective in the calendar year, but even competing calls of Easter weekend couldn't stop a robust group of droners from gathering together. With birthday celebrant Diane Roblin considering the names of the pieces, there was a nice mix of gentle clatter and spacy drift over these two selections.

The full ensemble this time out was:

  • Diane Roblin - Yamaha Reface, melodica, namer-of-things
  • Scott M2 - Animoog
  • Carly H - voice
  • Dame Cook - plastic, cup, laptop
  • Eric Cinnesealach - bass clarinet, percussion
  • Mira Martin-Gray - tone generator, voice
  • Mike Filippov - percussion
  • Victor O - melodica, salt packets
  • Marilyn Yogarajah - trumpet, piano
  • Jesse Clark - percussion
  • Phil - static apparition
  • Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
  • Mickle32 - bass
  • Heraclitus Akimbo - Roland J-6, Bastl Kastle, radio, lyre

And as always, you can hear/download the entire performance over at bandcamp:

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Recording: The Ryan Driver Sextet

Artist: The Ryan Driver Sextet + friends

Songs: Stardust (feat. John Southworth) [composer: Hoagy Carmichael] / So it Goes (feat. Robin Dann) / It's Tulip Season (feat. Felicity Williams) / My Man (feat. Jennifer Castle) [composers: Maurice Yvain/Channing Pollock]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Ryan Driver’s Big 5-0), March 30, 2024.

The Ryan Driver Sextet feat. John Southworth - Stardust

The Ryan Driver Sextet feat. Robin Dann - So it Goes

The Ryan Driver Sextet feat. Felicity Williams - It's Tulip Season

The Ryan Driver Sextet feat. Jennifer Castle - My Man

This wonderful evening was intriguing on several levels, besides being a warm gathering of many familiar faces to celebrate a landmark birthday for Ryan Driver (as well as the 25th anniversary of the Sextet/Quintet/Quartet). It was also a somewhat-rare opportunity to hear the sextet outside their regular surroundings in the Southern Cross, and performing in the bigger room, with the band spread out and a bit more attention paid to micing and amplification gave some new shadings to the group's sound.

It also expanded the palette by bringing up a parade of guest vocalists for most of the songs — with the singers above being joined by Alex Samaras, Doug Tielli, Alex Lukashevsky, and Sandro Perri. Comcomitant with that, the repertoire expanded somewhat beyond the group's usual standards, brushing up against pop, as well as bringing in a couple of Driver's own tunes (including one originally written for The Titillators). For a group that can be astonishing in its regular way on any given month, it was a treat to see this special occasion widescreen version.

[The Ryan Driver Sextet will be back in the Southern Cross on their regular last-Friday-of-the-month timeslot on April 26th.]

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Recording: Lima/West/Kay/Newman

Artist: Liz Lima/Brodie West/Andrew Kay/Paul Newman

Song: Job's Anguish [last section] [composer: Brian Abbott]

Recorded at Gerrard Art Space (Faster Presents: juice?$#%*), March 23, 2024.

Liz Lima/Brodie West/Andrew Kay/Paul Newman - Job's Anguish [last section]

This night of improvisations closed out with a clarinet quartet essaying this new composition ("a sort of collage piece," it was explained) from Brian Abbott, who also conducted.

You can check out the complete piece over on youtube:

[This is the sort of thing you might hear more of at gatherings of the Cowbell Composer Collective, who have just started a residency at The Tranzac on second Sundays of the month, so keep an eye for further announcments on that front.]

Recording: Kay/Milmine/Vespaziani

Artist: Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani

Song: [two excerpts]

Recorded at Gerrard Art Space (Faster Presents: juice?$#%*), March 23, 2024.

Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani - [excerpt 1]

Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani - [excerpt 2]

This trio set saw horns up from from Kayla Milmine (soprano sax) and Andrew Kay (clarinet, bass clarinet, wooden flute) backed by Bob Vespaziani's expansive wavedrum sounds.

You can check out the complete set over on youtube:

Recording: Brian Abbott & Ryan Kinney

Artist: Brian Abbott & Ryan Kinney

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Gerrard Art Space (Faster Presents: juice?$#%*), March 23, 2024.

Brian Abbott & Ryan Kinney - [excerpt]

This duo for electric guitars moved from throrny abstraction into a building postrock groove in this ending section, with Ryan Kinney providing the repeating riff/bassline while Brian Abbott shredded towards the strat-o-sphere.

You can check out the complete set over on youtube:

[Brian Abbott will be playing some solo microtonal banjo (with "hypnotic hints of bluegrass, maqam, and swirling clusters of notes clunking and sliding into your ear holes") at Track Could Bend, coming up on May 7th.]

Recording: Happy Apple

Artist: Happy Apple

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Gerrard Art Space (Faster Presents: juice?$#%*), March 23, 2024.

Happy Apple - [excerpt]

This electroacoustic playtime project from Allison Cameron and Joe Strutt made its return to live performance with a table full of electronics as well as a trio of the titular toys/instruments. Manipulating their pleasant chimes, there would later be some laptop granulations, banjos, red delicious and granny smiths added to the mix.

You can check out the complete set over on youtube:

[Joe Strutt will be appearing with a different duo next Tuesday (April 23rd) to celebrate the release of Wenderly Park's self-titled album.]

Monday, April 15, 2024

Monday Roundup #170

Concert announcements:

Shakespeare's Birthday (feat. Sweet Session [Randi Helmers/Rob Clutton]) / Sellers & Newel 2024-04-23 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

All-Set! Presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-26 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

ChamberDestroy [premieres of works by Nicole Lizee and Yaz Lancaster alongside pieces by Louis Andriessen and Julius Eastman] (feat. Ensemble Paramirabo & Thin Edge New Music Collective) / The Music Gallery 2024-05-07 (Tuesday). $tba. [more info]

People places records presents (feat. Yaz Lancaster [solo] / Yaz Lancaster/Andrew Noseworthy/Sara Constant) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2024-05-08 (Wednesday). $22.89. [FB event]

What Is: Spirituality (As Connection) [vibrotactile sound installation, ASMR and hypnosis + neurological-centered, psychoacoustic performance] (feat. Amma Ateria / Erin Gee / Leon Louder) / The Music Gallery 2024-05-09 (Thursday). $10-20 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford], all ages. [more info]

What Is: Spirituality (As Laughter) – Sound Bath (feat. Laraaji & Arji OceAnanda / New Chance Peaceful Mind) / The Music Gallery 2024-05-10 (Friday). $10-20 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford], all ages. [more info]

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Okavango African Orchestra) / Hugh's Room 2024-05-10 (Friday). $32.73. [FB event]

What Is: Spirituality (As Sharing) ["The beloved album 10 Ragas to a Disco Beat is reimagined"] (feat. Gurpreet Chana / Granny Smith / Anuja Panditrao / Marilyn Yogarajah / David Psutka / Nilan Perera / Hardeep Chana / Naomi McCarroll-Butler / Araz Salek / Peter Rahul / Enzo Sun / Lian McMillan / Rajvi Dedhia / Bhavajan Kumar / Dainty Smith) / The Music Gallery 2024-05-11 (Saturdayday). $15-25 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford], all ages. [more info]

Dun-Dun Band [Pita Parka Pt. I: Xam Egdub LP release show!] (Allison Cameron/Mira Martin-Gray/Josh Cole) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-05-16 (Thursday). $25. [FB event]

Julie Doiron (Carson McHone) / Monarch Tavern 2024-06-06 (Thursday). $31.17, 19+. [FB event]

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


Shows this week:

Devin Gray (Aidan McConnell/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/%%30%30) / Wenona Lodge 2024-04-16 (Tuesday). $pwyc, notaflof. [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario's Annual Fundraiser (feat. Begüm Boyancı/Burak Ekmekçi/Selmanpak Ayduz / Naomi McCarroll-Butler & Sadaf Amini) / 918 Bathurst 2024-04-18 (Thursday) [FB event]

Poncili Creacion with Karen Ng and Philippe Melanson [puppetry-based performance art] (Nubuo Kubota) / The Music Gallery 2024-04-19 (Friday). $10-$20 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford]. [more info]

Marker Starling (Elrichman / Nutrients) / The Baby G 2024-04-19 (Friday). $25.03, 19+. [FB event]

Cooked Raw presents (feat. Only God Forgives/Zuto/Lavoro/Edmund Stay) / Monarch Tavern 2024-04-19 (Friday). $20, 19+. [FB event]

Tranzac Fundraiser I (feat. Sandro Perri & Friends / Masahiro Takahashi / Anne Bourne) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-20 (Saturday). $20 in advance, $25 at the door. [FB event]

Poncili Creacion with Karen Ng and Philippe Melanson [puppetry-based performance art] (Brian Ruryk) / The Music Gallery 2024-04-20 (Saturday). $10-$20 PWYCA [Pay What You Can Afford]. [more info]

CLASS & The Oscillitarium Present: Green’n Out (feat. Hobby / Roy [Spoons For The World record release!] / Animatist / Biblical) / The Garrison 2024-04-20 (Saturday). $20, 19+. [FB event]

catl. (The Kewpie Dolls) / The Dakota Tavern 2024-04-20 (Saturday). $19.56, 19+. [FB event]

BODEGA (Notaband / SAMWOY) / The Garrison 2024-04-21 (Sunday). $25.03, 19+. [FB event]


Livestream nation:

  • Virtual CONTAQT #3: ROOT BLOOD: breathing into cyberspace promises "telematic imaginings" from Contaqt with special guest Tina Pearson. The event will be livestreamed for free at https://contaqtnewmusic.org/ on Sunday (April 21st) at 4 p.m. EST.

Video hits:


It happened this week...

  • ...on April 16, 2016 at Sonic Boom (Record Store Day).

ZONES - unknown

  • ...on April 16, 2016 at Smiling Buddha.

The Beverleys - Hush

[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, April 14, 2024

Recording: Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick

Artist: Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick

Song: [unknown]*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 3), March 10, 2024.

Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick - [unknown]

Once more, the Women From Space Festival filled the International Women's Day weekend — and the spaces of 918 Bathurst — with sound, art, and a feeling of community. Mixing genres, but always focusing on creative striving, there was a lot of music to absorb over three nights. The festival's final night contained a trio of custom-curated combos, adding some see-it-here immediacy.

A longform experiment in improvised movement, this set saw dancer Nickeshia Garrick responding (but also sometimes seemingly conducting) percussionist/electronicist Val Jeanty. There were a series of discrete pieces here, each based around vocal samples exploring themes of Black identity that flowed and stuttered from Jeanty's triggers.

* Does anyone know if there's a specific title to this piece? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Phung/chiquitamagic/Wright

Artist: Anh Phung/chiquitamagic/Emjay Wright

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 3), March 10, 2024.

Anh Phung/chiquitamagic/Emjay Wright - [excerpt]

Once more, the Women From Space Festival filled the International Women's Day weekend — and the spaces of 918 Bathurst — with sound, art, and a feeling of community. Mixing genres, but always focusing on creative striving, there was a lot of music to absorb over three nights. The festival's final night contained a trio of custom-curated combos, adding some see-it-here immediacy.

The night opened with this local-ish trio, mixing Emjay Wright's percussion and Anh Phung's flute with chiquitamagic's synth work. It was the latter that provided the connective tissue here — and a hint of a groove in bouncy basslines — while Wright added some slightly off-kilter clatter and Phung wove in flute filigrees.

Monday, April 8, 2024

Monday Roundup #169

Community notes:

  • A double-shot of synth meet-ups this week, with The AMBiENT PiNG's DRONE:KLUB at the Long & McQuade Clinic Hall on Thursday (April 11th) and the Frequency Freaks workshop at Array on Saturday (April 13th).

Concert announcements:

Behaviours III: Space [curated by Zoma Maduekwe] (feat. Alejandro Franco Briones / Pirarán Ensemble / Zoma Maduekwe) / Array Space 2024-04-18 (Thursday). $20.00 (or PWYW); livestream: $10.00 (or PWYW). [more info]

Cooked Raw presents (feat. Only God Forgives/Zuto/Lavoro/Edmund Stay) / Monarch Tavern 2024-04-19 (Friday). $20, 19+. [FB event]

Exit Points 48 (feat. bridge of sand/Isaiah Farahbakhsh/Sohrab Malekzadeh/Mira Martin-Gray/Brian Abbott / shn shn/Rakkatak/Bijan Sepanji/Ronley Teper/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-04-26 (Friday). $20 advance, $25 door. [FB event]

Dan Pitt Quintet [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick Smith/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser/Dan Pitt] / The Rex 2024-04-28 (Sunday) [FB event]

Dan Pitt Quintet [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/Patrick Smith/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser/Dan Pitt] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-29 (Monday) [FB event]

Track Could Bend #91 (feat. TH6Ø [debut live performance!] / Olivia Shortt / Brian Abbott) / Wenona Lodge 2024-05-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Zale Seck) / Alliance Française Toronto – Spadina Theatre 2024-05-25 (Saturday). $18. [info/tickets]

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


Shows this week:

Eclipse Drone 2024: A Cosmic Homeostasis Community Event [soundtracking the solar eclipse!] (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Christie Pits 2022-04-08 (Monday – 2:05 p.m.) [FB event]

Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic / Handlebar 2024-04-08 (Monday)

Dun-Dun Land: Slight Return (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday – early). $pwyw. [FB event]

Andrew Downing's Hybrid Ensemble [performing a live film score to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari] (D.O.G. Ensemble × Render File) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday). $pwyc

con:trust [contemporary music for two accordions, works by René Hirschfeld, Matt Simon, Joshua Nuñez, Jose Eduardo Muñoz, among others] / Array Space 2024-04-09 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Destroyer [solo] (Lightning Dust) / Horseshoe Tavern The Axis Club 2024-04-09 (Tuesday). $35.93, 19+. [FB event]

Josh Cole Presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/John Oswald) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Brodie West presents (feat. Brodie West Quintet Quartet [Brodie West/Josh Cole/Tania Gill/Nick Fraser) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-10 (Wednesday – early)

Bernice (The Ruth Garbus Trio) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-10 (Wednesday). $24.34. [more info]

Never Was (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/Racha Moukalled/Adrian Russouw) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-10 (Wednesday)

The Music Gallery presents (feat. Arnold Dreyblatt's Orchestra of Excited Strings [Arnold Dreyblatt/Amahl Arulanandam/Laura C. Bates/Brandon Valdivia]) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-11 (Thursday). $27.88 advance, $22.20 MG members, all ages. [FB event]

METZ [in-store performance/new album celebration] / Sonic Boom 2024-04-12 (Friday – 6 p.m.). $free. [FB event]

Audiopollination: Spring Flowers and Love edition (feat. David Sait/Sonia Leung/Sable / yasmine/Victor/Marilyn / %%30%30/Clay/Mania / Jessica Houghton/Pursuit Grooves) / Array Space 2024-04-12 (Friday). $10 (cash or card), livestream available. [FB event]

Sub-Sessions #5 (feat. Shrewd / Palm Sander / Faiyaz & The Wasted Chances) / BSMT 254 2024-04-12 (Friday). $11.98. [FB event]

Musica Universalis (feat. Sarah Peebles/Jay Hay/Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-12 (Friday). $10 suggested donation

Go: Organic Orchestra [Composed and Spontaneously Conducted by Adam Rudolph] (feat. Araz Salek/Aline Homzy/Jonathan Kay/Andrew Kay/Bea Labikova/Kayla Milmine/Majd Sukar/Heather Saumer/Patrick O'Reilly/Justin Gray/Derek Gray/Dhaivat Jani) / The Aga Khan Museum 2024-04-13 (Saturday). $40 (regular), $36 (friends), $30 (students and seniors), $20 (limited same-day rush seats). [FB event]

B.A. Johnston (Sons of Butcher / First Base) / The Baby G 2024-04-13 (Saturday). $14.48, 19+. [FB event]

Enchanters (Early Tombs / Pit Scum) / Bar Orwell 2024-04-13 (Saturday). $15 at the door. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Tzevi Sherman / Marilyn Yogarajah & Co. / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]


It happened this week...

  • ... on April 9, 2013 at The Horseshoe Tavern.

The Flatlanders - Stars In My Life

The Flatlanders - Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown

  • ...on April 10, 2013 at The Drake Underground.

Moon King - Crucified

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Recording: Mali Obomsawin

Artist: Mali Obomsawin

Song: [Music from Sugarcane]*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 2), March 9, 2024.

Mali Obomsawin - [Music from Sugarcane]

Once more, the Women From Space Festival filled the International Women's Day weekend — and the spaces of 918 Bathurst — with sound, art, and a feeling of community. Mixing genres, but always focusing on creative striving, there was a lot of music to absorb over three nights.

Having caught Mali Obomsawin's quartet last fall, this set couldn't repeat the shock of discovering such a deftly-able unit, but definitely satisfied with the setlist moving deeper beyond the sounds on Sweet Tooth, incorporating the church of Albert Ayler as well as this recent soundtrack work from the documentary Sugarcane.

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

Recording: MOCH

Artist: MOCH

Song: Bright Stars, Clear Space*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 2), March 9, 2024.

MOCH - Bright Stars, Clear Space

Once more, the Women From Space Festival filled the International Women's Day weekend — and the spaces of 918 Bathurst — with sound, art, and a feeling of community. Mixing genres, but always focusing on creative striving, there was a lot of music to absorb over three nights.

This electroacoustic duo from Patricia Brennan (vibes) and Noel Brennan/DJ Arktureye (percussion) deployed some electronics to bend and melt their sounds, but never leaned on them to the exclusion of the groove.

* Thanks to Patricia for passing along the title to this one!

Recording: Grace Scheele

Artist: Grace Scheele

Song: unknown*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Women From Space Festival – Night 2), March 9, 2024.

Grace Scheele - unknown

Once more, the Women From Space Festival filled the International Women's Day weekend — and the spaces of 918 Bathurst — with sound, art, and a feeling of community. Mixing genres, but always focusing on creative striving, there was a lot of music to absorb over three nights.

Harpist Grace Scheele showed off her range, featuring not only last year's landings EP (complete with some projected vintage NASA moon mission footage) but also this ambient piece that created a floating synthspace before the harp even drifted across the horizons.

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

Monday, April 1, 2024

Monday Roundup #168

Concert announcements:

Andrew Downing's Hybrid Ensemble [performing a live film score to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari] (D.O.G. Ensemble × Render File) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday). $pwyc

Josh Cole Presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/John Oswald) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Sub-Sessions #5 (feat. Shrewd / Palm Sander / Faiyaz & The Wasted Chances) / BSMT 254 2024-04-12 (Friday). $11.98. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Tzevi Sherman / Marilyn Yogarajah & Co. / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Wenderly Park [album release celebration!] (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). $pwyc. [FB event]

Happy Sundays (feat. Sunglaciers / Alex Fernz / Uh Huh) / The Baby G 2024-04-28 (Sunday). $free, 19+. [FB event]

Jon McKiel (Louie Short) / The Baby G 2024-04-29 (Monday). $29.98. [FB event]

Westelaken / Bar Orwell 2024-05-08 (Wednesday)

Etran de L'Aïr / Longboat Hall 2024-07-07 (Sunday). $30.52, 19+. [FB event]

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


Shows this week:

Small World Music Series & The Music Gallery present (feat. Nadah El Shazly & Sarah Pagé / Khôra / Honeypaw) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-02 (Tuesday). $15 advance, $20 door, $10 MG members, low income, arts workers. [FB event]

Track Could Bend #90 (feat. Voidfemmes & Erin Corbett / Allison Cameron & Stephen Parkinson) / Wenona Lodge 2024-04-02 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Holy Oak Family Singers present a tribute to Maher Shalal Hash Baz (feat. Holy Oak Family Singers / Xu Shaoyang [7" release]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-03 (Wednesday – early + late!). $pwyc. [more info]

Coward Patrol and More Noise Please present (feat. The Nausea / Compactor / Andrew Nolan / Death Kneel) / See-Scape 2024-04-04 (Thursday). $15. [FB event]

Tania Gill Presents: Music by Carla Bley (feat. Tania Gill/Doug Tielli/Michael Davidson/Rob Clutton) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-05 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [FB event]

Experimental Link (feat. Pouya Ehsaei Trio [Pouya Ehsaei/Sadio Sissokho/Peter Lutek]) / Small World Centre 2024-04-05 (Friday). $25.57. [FB event]

Corpusse / Sellers & Newel 2024-04-06 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Liquid Architecture 6 ["solo, unamplified, intimate performances"] (feat. Michael Palumbo / Nirvana Sagar / Victor O / Ryan Kinney) / Mischief Makers 2024-04-06 (Saturday). $10 in advance/cash at the door, $12 card at the door. [FB event]

Sun Milk [f.k.a. decoration day] (Tryal) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-06 (Saturday) [more info]


Bandcamp corner:

  • It's Bandcamp Friday this week! Here's a couple things I'll be grabbing:

It happened this week...

  • ...on April 1, 2011 at Gladstone Hotel (Melody Bar)

Daniel Nebiat - unknown

  • ... on April 5, 2011 at The Dakota Tavern

The Weather Station - Know It To See It