Playing solo this time out, Ayal Senior worked through the next set of pages in his notebook, sharing the working versions of a new batch of tunes, exploring how the music can be accented by effects and refining the arrangements.
[Ayal will be away, but Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on Sunday, July 14th, guest hosted by yours truly and featuring comedy from Nick Flanagan plus music from Jane Inc and You're Steel on My Mind (Joe Strutt & Kurt Newman).]
Sometimes he's known as Dr. Ew, and sometimes the driving force of Bunny, but here it was just Drew Smith, voice and guitar. One of the city's finest tunesmiths, there was nothing more than those delicate strums required to delight with a short set of old and new songs.
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
[Ayal will be away, but Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on Sunday, July 14th, guest hosted by yours truly and featuring comedy from Nick Flanagan plus music from Jane Inc and You're Steel on My Mind (Joe Strutt & Kurt Newman).]
This project is a new duo of Ayal Senior and Michelle Breslin, pairing the former's lilting 12-string psych jams supported by the latter's atmospherics.
You can check out both pieces that the pair essayed over on youtube:
[Ayal will be away, but Ayal Senior & Friends will be back in the Southern Cross on Sunday, July 14th, guest hosted by yours truly and featuring comedy from Nick Flanagan plus music from Jane Inc and You're Steel on My Mind (Joe Strutt & Kurt Newman).]
Ayal Senior and Friends presents (feat. Nick Flanagan / Jane Inc / You're Steel on My Mind [Joe Strutt & Kurt Newman]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Aline's Étoile Magique / Toronto Jazz Fest — Village Stage 2024-06-24 (Monday). $free, all-ages, outdoors. [more info]
Tom Richards was most recently spotted at TCB last fall, playing trombone as part of the excitement at the Bata Shoe Museum. But in the longer view, this was more of a piece with some drones Richards made at TCB back in 2017. Seizing the opportunity to make a TCB set a true tightrope walk, this featured some experimentally-deployed noisification pedals warping synth sounds, as well as field recordings, resulting both in pleasing drift and what-happens-when-I-turn-this-knob revelations.
You can check out some the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could bend is back at Wenona on July 2nd, with sets from Kristina Warren & Karen Ng and Without a Single Green Feather.]
Nominally a percussion duo, this partnership of Jasmine Tsui and Louis Pino was more electronically-inclined for this set, showcasing some homemade instruments. Those included an arduino synth box as well as an amplified paintbrush, picking up sounds as it swept over a canvas. (This set was literally a dry run for this new innovation, with actual live painting being the next step.) Moving from honk-squawk lurches to music box whispers, there were a variety of noise lullabies shared.
You can check out some the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could bend is back at Wenona on July 2nd, with sets from Kristina Warren & Karen Ng and Without a Single Green Feather. Duo Cichorium can be seen mixing various sounds at their People Soup residency at The Tranzac on the third Tuesday of every month.]
I know I've said it before, but local critic Carl Wilson was a huge formative influence on what this place has evolved into. Zoilus, his old blog, introduced me to heaps of strange local sounds and the places you could hear them. At a time before I was really even going to those spots and those shows, that sense of familiarization made it easier to make the bold move to check them out — I can only hope I've made such things even a teensy bit more approachable for other folks. In any case, it was sweet to see a nod towards MFS in Wilson's latest substack dispatch talking about "weird-music season in TO", and it occurs to me I should mention to anyone reading this that y'all should be subscribed to his new-ish newsletter 'Crritic!', which takes a more expansive view on musical happenings, locally and internationally.
And meanwhile, just a head's-up that Audiopollination's new sign up sheet for the Fall is ready, and filling in fast — so put your name down and go make sounds with some friendly strangers!
Track Could Bend #93 (feat. Without a Single Green Feather [Sam Laramee/Ezra Schell/Patrick O’Reilly] / Kristina Warren & Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2024-07-02 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Beams (Summer Like The Season / Essie Watts) / Monarch Tavern 2024-08-02 (Friday). $15, 19+. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Chris Brokaw (Picastro) / The Baby G 2024-06-17 (Monday). $23.57, 19+. [FB event]
Luka Kuplowsky & The Ryōkan Band [How Can I Possibly Sleep When There Is Music double LP release celebration!] (The Heart of Going La [Fan Wu & Thom Gill]) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-18 (Tuesday). $22.63 advance/$25 door. [FB event]
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Rob Clutton Trio with Kurt Newman) / Wenona Lodge 2024-06-18 (Tuesday). $10/pwyc
Freesound presents Vortex Temporum [works by Gérard Grisey and Wesley Shen] (feat. Freesound Ensemble) / Array Space 2024-06-20&21 (Thursday & Friday) [FB event]
You In Mind (feat. ÏÏÏ / Khôra) / The Music Gallery 2024-06-21 (Friday). $10 MG Members; Pay What You Can Afford $10-$20. [FB event]
Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario & East End Arts present: Figure Drawing and Makam Music (feat. Isaiah Farahbakhsh & Saghi Faraijani with Evan K. Webb) / Riverdale Park 2024-06-23 (Sunday – noon). $free to listen, $20 will get you a drawing spot, and an extra $4 will get you some drawing paper (bring your own pencils). [FB event]
It happened this week...
...on June 17, 2011 at The Horseshoe Tavern (NXNE 2011)
This trio (with pianist Jake Laur joined by double bassist Yoshi Wall and drummer Ezra Schell) closed out a night of experimental and improvised sounds in the basement of The Dock Ellis. Clearly a keen student of syncopation, Laur led his crew through a continuous medley of pieces and strode through several eras of jazzy exploration.
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
A recasting of a show originally slated for the (now-shuttered) Bar Orwell, this night brought some improvised sounds to the basement at sports bar The Dock Ellis. The No-Ro Room (as that basement space is known) has a bit of a rep as an occasional spot for punk-leaning shows, so this was a bit of an experiment in itself, with hopefully more to follow.
As for this set, this was a flowering of a grouping first tentatively explored a little while back, with Gabe Girard's percussion and Mike Lynn's bass interrupted by Joe Strutt's synths/samples/loops — and now augmented with trumpet from Marilyn Yogarajah and moral support from a companionable octopus. Taking their name from a classic slice of Toronto's cinematic history, there were some atmospheric explorations and mysterious sonics at play here.
My understanding is that this tour from trumpeter Nate Wooley’s quartet was partially to roadtest a new suite of compositions before recording. A tribute to Wooley's mentors and collaborators Ron Miles and Fred Hess, the pieces (incorporating some of Miles' phrases) were introduced as a way of "mourning loudly and softly". With Susan Alcorn (pedal steel guitar), Ava Mendoza (guitar), and Ryan Sawyer (drums) on board, there was room for a wide sonic range, with solo spots for everyone segueing into quiet reflections, jaunty tunes, and driving rockers.
*Not sure if the individual segments have separate titles, but this will be updated in the future when at least the full piece's name is known.
Opening things up at this pre-festival night from the TONE team was this sort of Rat-Drifting all-star combocrew, with Kurt Newman (on pedal steel) augmenting bassist Rob Clutton's trio (including Karen Ng on sax and Nick Fraser on drums). Besides the immedediate differences from having Newman on board, the room (a pleasingly loft-like space a bit reminiscent of the Jam Factory, perfectly suited for seeing a Tad Michalak-curated show) also provided some different sonics, with the well-mic'ed band having a beefier sound than you might get at the Southern Cross — and keeping Clutton's bass from getting buried under other sounds. Newman used his pedalboard to find sounds that moved beyond trad pedal steel, sometimes doubling the sax and sometimes merging into Clutton's arco work.
[This quartet will be back in action at Karen Ng's monthly night at Wenona Lodge on Tuesday, June 18th.]
The big event this week is the Western and World Symposium being put on by Labyrinth Ontario (and co-presented with The Music Gallery and TONE Festival) at 918 Bathurst from Wednesday through Saturday. Except for two paid-attendance concerts on Thursday and Saturday evening, the whole thing is free to attend (registration encouraged) and features Toronto kulintang heroes Pantayo and a music group workshop led by Kelly Thoma, as well as many other roundtables, performances, amd workshops.
Concert announcements:
Aline's Étoile Magique / Toronto Jazz Fest – Village Stage 2024-06-24 (Monday). $free, all-ages, outdoors. [more info]
Jennarie (Kae Murphy Quintet) / Toronto Jazz Fest – Village Stage 2024-06-26 (Wednesday). $free, all-ages, outdoors. [FB event]
Bruno Capinan / Toronto Jazz Fest – Main Stage 2024-06-27 (Thursday). $free, all-ages, outdoors. [more info]
Exit Points #50 (feat. Nirvana Sagar/Alexis Dionne/Hymns57/Donovan Locke/Jackie Leung / Wendelin Bartley/Sarah Belle Reid/El Mahboob/Stephanie Chua/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-06-28 (Friday). $20 advance/$25 door. [FB event]
Lewdline: Latineo (feat. Bruno Capinan ) / Toronto Pride – Wellesley Stage 2024-06-29 (Saturday) [more info]
Alternaqueer: Planet Künst (feat. E-prime / Künst Kids / Sydney Quest / Alexandher Brandy / Kanna Worm / Milkshook / Craven Blood / Anne Alien / Halal Bae / Slash Need / Myst Milano) / Toronto Pride – South Stage 2024-06-30 (Sunday) [more info]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Lucas Abela / Brian Ruryk / Deprivation Tactics / Mira Martin-Gray) / See-Scape 2024-07-24 (Wednesday). $17.52 advance/$20 door, 19+. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Josh Cole presents (feat. Josh Cole & friends with John Oswald) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-11 (Tuesday)
Brodie West Presents (feat. The Brodie West Quintet) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-12 (Wewdnesday)
Queer Pride: QSO 10 Year Anniversary Show (feat. Queer Songbook Orchestra with Alanna Stuart, Alex Samaras, Lydia Persaud, Matt Nethersole, Stephen Jackman-Torkoff & Thom Gill) / Buddies in Bad Times 2024-06-12 (Wednesday). $30-$45. [more info]
Kelly Elizabeth (Westelaken / Brock Mattson) / The Dakota Tavern 2024-06-12 (Wednesday). $13.54 advance/$15 door. [more info]
Titanium Riot / The Emmet Ray 2024-06-12 (Wednesday). $10-$15 [FB event]
TONE Festival (feat. Fred Moten & Brandon Lopez / Lee & Gamble Unlimited / Roa Lee) / The Music Gallery 2024-06-13 (Thursday). $20 advance, all ages. [FB event]
Tranzac Fundraiser II (feat. US Girls / Eucalyptus / Cots) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-14 (Friday). $20 adv, $25 door, 19+
Audiopollination (Diane Roblin/Jamie Eriksen/Anne Amores / Laura Swankey/Nilan Perera/Tliman Lewis / Patrick O’Reilly/Connor Bennett/Afraaz Adam Mulji/Patrick Booth / Stik Sharpi/Uisill Galar/Bri Clarke) / Array Space 2024-06-14 (Friday). $10 or PWYC (cash or card). [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Tyvek / XV) / Monarch Tavern 2024-06-14 (Friday). $21.41, 19+. [more info]
Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher / Andrew Furlong / William Hunt / Mark Hundevad) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-14 (Friday)
Ross Daly's This Tale of Ours Ensemble / The Music Gallery 2024-06-15 (Saturday). $25 general admission; $15 or more Pay What You Can Afford admission; $15 MG members. [FB event]
TONE Festival (feat. Mas Aya [Coming And Going record release] / Colin Fisher [Suns of the Heart record release) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-16 (Sunday). $20 advance, $25 door, all ages. [FB event]
It happened this week...
With the news Sunday of the fiery descruction of St. Anne's Anglican Church, regular calandar-based introspection is postponed to remember some sounds heard within those walls:
...on April 11, 2013 at St. Anne's Anglican Church (Images Festival Opening Night Gala).
Interesting work here from Josh Cole's Kind Mind, this time with Ted Crosby holding down the sax chair. His effects rig added some additional textures to the proceeding, like the ones you can hear in the intro to this piece.
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
[Josh Cole will be back at The Tranzac on Tuesday (June 11th), presenting music from Josh Cole and Friends, including John Oswald.]
Although staying busy with her étoile magique ensemble, violinist Aline Homzy is making time for other musical investigations, including this newly-launched Tranzac residency. The goal here is to not only stretch out as a writer and storyteller — a pair of ghost stories were shared in this set — but also to investigate the many ways that ghost stories and spirits intersect with music. Homzy's gusto suggests that there's a lot of material to be investigated in the months ahead.
[Ghostgirl will be back at the Tranzac next Tuesday (June 11th), while Etoile Magique will be at Hirut Café on Friday, June 21st.]
*Do note that this is a different composition — albeit with the same title — as the piece on Homzy's étoile magique album.
A surprise opening set at this first instalment of Aline Homzy's Ghostgirl residency saw Michael Davidson in solo mode — and also in a reflective frame of mind. Playing some of his older compositions, as well as influential pieces like this, was a pleasing glimpse into what-makes-you-tick territory.
With Ayal Senior's Ora currently easing its way out into the world, its players were, as usual, busily working on the next chapter of the songbook. Meanwhile, a welcome return to the stage from bassist Andrew Furlong also saw a few classics being pulled out as well.
[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to the Southern Cross this Sunday afternoon (June 9th) with sets from Senior/Newman, Drew Smith, Nick Flanagan and Michelle Breslin & Ayal Senior's Nocturnes.]
It was a rare treat to see a set of prepared guitar work from noisemaker William Davison. Spoons, bows, steel wool and more were the source of a range of rangy textures, and the sounds were obviously carefully considered but never overly-determined.
You can check out this full set over on youtube:
[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to the Southern Cross this Sunday afternoon (June 9th) with sets from Senior/Newman, Drew Smith, Nick Flanagan and Michelle Breslin & Ayal Senior's Nocturnes.]
*No, not that one — though the other pieces in the set were cheekily titled "Roundabout", "The Gates of Delirium", and "Owner of a Lonely Heart".
Leading off an afternoon of contrasting guitar styles, Karsten Stryker offered some nimble bluegrass picking, his astonishing runs giving a spark to some classic pieces.
[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to the Southern Cross this Sunday afternoon (June 9th) with sets from Senior/Newman, Drew Smith, Nick Flanagan and Michelle Breslin & Ayal Senior's Nocturnes.]
Queer Pride: QSO 10 Year Anniversary Show (feat. Queer Songbook Orchestra with Alanna Stuart, Alex Samaras, Lydia Persaud, Matt Nethersole, Stephen Jackman-Torkoff & Thom Gill) / Buddies in Bad Times 2024-06-12 (Wednesday). $30-$45. [more info]
Kelly Elizabeth (Westelaken / Brock Mattson) / The Dakota Tavern 2024-06-12 (Wednesday). $13.54 advance/$15 door. [more info]
Ross Daly's This Tale of Ours Ensemble / The Music Gallery 2024-06-15 (Saturday). $25 general admission; $15 or more Pay What You Can Afford admission; $15 MG members. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Chris Banks Presents (feat. Broken Pedals Duo [Chris banks/Tania Gill]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-03 (Monday)
Track Could Bend #92 (feat. Duo Cichorium [Jasmine Tsui/Louis Pino] / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-06-04 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Parade [Lullabies After Storms and Floods LP release!] [Chris Pruden/Laura Swankey/Patrick O'Reilly/Stefan Hegerat] (Roula Said / Ky Band) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-07 (Friday). $22.63 advance, $25 or PWYC at the door. [FB event]
Transmit presents @ Do West Fest (feat. The Crime Family / Sap / Hobby / Julianna Riolino) / The Garrison Stage 2024-06-07 (Friday). $free, outdoors/all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]
Transmit presents @ Do West Fest (feat. So Tired / Your Grandad / Accelerant / Pleasure Craft / Kali Horse / Silks / Night Lunch / Thermal / Teknicolor Raincoats / Annie-Claude Deschênes / Pixel Grip) / The Garrison Stage 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $free, outdoors/all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]
Ministry of Phonic Services Presents: "Futile, nevertheless" (feat. Ben Mike & The Beatles / Owen Kurtz & Callon Murphy / Ecotone Orchestra feat. Steven Noronha) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $pwyc, all ages
Coward Patrol & More Noise Please! present (feat. Never Sorry / Battle Milk / Black Galaxie / A Useless Mass) / Penny's Dive Bar 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]
A-Minor Presents (feat. Rituals / Fires of Cheektowaga / The Lee Majors / Memorex) / Hard Luck Bar 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $16.48, 19+. [FB event]
Liquid Architecture Turns 1! (feat. Nilan Perera / Alex Fournier / James Bailey / Ryan Kinney) / Mischief Makers 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $10 cash or advance ticket / $12 card at the door. [FB event]
Flux Minstrels ["blending experimental psychedelic heavy rock, psychedelic free jazz, and ethereal melodies"] [Pierre Mongeon/Bryant Didier/Mark Hundevad/Glenn Fraser] / Array Space 2024-06-08 (Saturday). $10, all-ages/family friendly. [FB event]
Michael Palumbo's Cool New Instruments Night ["8 artists present demonstrations of their own instrument designs"] (feat. Rafael Khan / %%30%30 / Enzo Sun / Adam Tindale / Naakess / Duo Cichorium / Michael Palumbo / Rob Cruikshank) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-08 (Saturday)
Transmit presents @ Do West Fest (feat. Hieronymous Harry / Catholic Wilt / Rogue Tenant / Falcon Jane / Little Kid / Nora Kelly Band) / The Garrison Stage 2024-06-09 (Sunday). $free, outdoors/all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]
Shawn William Clarke (Rose-Erin Stokes) / Burdock Music Hall 2024-06-09 (Sunday – 1:30 p.m.). $15. [FB event]
Perhaps absorbing the influences of a certain thread of compositional praxis in Toronto, Brian Abbott brought a pair of "slowly unfolding" pieces for 31-tone microtonal guitar, inviting the listener to consider the slowly-morphing overtones and timbral shifts.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 4th) with sets from Duo Cichorium and Tom Richards.]
It's always a treat to have Olivia Shortt — perhaps the series' preeminent icon of glam'n'glitter — return to TCB. That visual pizazz and sense of fun co-exists just fine with some deep chops and continuing compositional curiousity — with vocal loops, therapeutic Happy Apple shaking, and baritone sax honkin' all coming into play here.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 4th) with sets from Duo Cichorium and Tom Richards.]
One of the benefits of hosting a long-running series is being able to revisit artists and check in with how things are progressing over time; but another benefit is having a platform for folks who are new to sharing their music publicly to test things out in a safe and welcoming environment. It's important in our community that there's a thin line separating "audience" and "performer" and our identities can shift from one side of that divide to the other. So here, he have a documenter and listener transformed into being a soundmaker, using VCVrack to create some glitchy harsh noise collages.
You can check out this full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 4th) with sets from Duo Cichorium and Tom Richards.]
Sometimes, when a Big Event beckons, you just have to seize the initiative and throw the party that you want to be a part of. Hence this little shindig, with a pretty fabulous lineup of local luminaries and a room full of well-wishers — what more could you ask for?
With so many moving parts in this band, there's a bit of flexibility with who you might see surrounding Brodie West from show to show — but it was a real treat to see the band at full strength here, three drummers on stage and crowd favourite Nicole Rampersaud up front. There were some classics tackled that got the dancefloor bumpin' as well as some newer pieces, including this jammer from the group's next album (a future classic, whether you all it the "up" express or the "you-pee" express) as well as a scintillating preview of a new collaoration with Vic Cheong (a.k.a. New Chance) bringing a tune for West to arrange.
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
[Eucalytus will be back on the Main Hall stage at the Tranzac's next big fundraising spectacular event, playing alongside U.S. Girls and Cots on Friday, June 14th.]
Sometimes, when a Big Event beckons, you just have to seize the initiative and throw the party that you want to be a part of. Hence this little shindig, with a pretty fabulous lineup of local luminaries and a room full of well-wishers — what more could you ask for?
Bringing some solo explorations for guitar and saxophone, Colin Fisher moved from fluid flows to metallic spatters.
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
Sometimes, when a Big Event beckons, you just have to seize the initiative and throw the party that you want to be a part of. Hence this little shindig, with a pretty fabulous lineup of local luminaries and a room full of well-wishers — what more could you ask for?
Isla Craig started off the night with a group of frequent collaborators (Mike Smith, bass; Phil Melanson, drums; Ted Crosby, sax; Vic Cheong, backing vox) that moved quickly from simmering grooves to full-on rocking out — the secret ingredient here was Alex Lukashevsky on guitar, and what a treat it was to see him in rock action mode. (The Jennifer Castle cover was also a treat!)
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
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.
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 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.
Holy Oak Family Singers Xmas Show + Thom's Bday (feat. Thom Gill / Ryan Driver / Caitlin Woelfe-O'Brien / Luka Kuplowsky / Stefana Fratila / Carlyn Bezic / Ivy Mairi / Fez Gielen / Tiffany Wu / Heather Saumer / Fan Wu / Charles James / Joseph Shabason / Maggie Keogh / Dorothea Pars / Edwin De Goeij / Ben Gunning / Doug Tielli) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-03 (Wednesday – early). [more info]
Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-03 (Wednesday). $10 suggested. [FB event]
Performances & words in honour of Paul Dutton (Celebration of Life and Tribute Performance) (feat. Steve McCaffery/Rafael Barreto-Rivera/Lillian Allen/bill bissett/Brian Dedora/Gary Barwin/Gregory Betts/Beatriz Hausner/Joe Sorbara) / Supermarket 2025-12-04 (Thursday) [more info]
More Noise Please! Presents: An Evening of Unconventional Sounds (feat. High Grove / Magnetic Coroner / Reaching Needles / Babies R Stupid / Death Kneel / Deniz Tafaghodi) / BSMT 254 2025-12-04 (Thursday). $15/pwyc. [FB event]
CMC Presents: Game Night (feat. Render File / Obuxum) / Canadian Music Centre 2025-12-04 (Thursday). $15 Advance / $20 at the door (General Admission), $12 Advance / $15 at the door (CMC Members and Arts Workers), $10 (students). [more info]
Pine Trees and Blue Sky [featuring Marcos Balter's Violin Concerto and works by Jessica Ackerley, Toshio Hosokawa, Anna Höstman, and Haotian Yu] (feat. Continuum Contemporary Music) / St. George's Grange Park 2024-12-06 (Saturday). $22.63 (general admission), $19.44 (senior / arts worker), $11.98 (student). [FB event]
Theo Vandenhoff (Fresh Snow) / The Baby G 2025-12-06 (Saturday). $19/94, 19+. [FB event]
Long Winter 14.2 (feat. Indian Giver / STELLA / Wanda / Toronto Experimental Translation Collective) / St. Stephen-In-The-Fields 2025-12-06 (Saturday). $PWYC / $20 advance tickets (skip the line), all ages. [more info]
Amrita [Kayla Milmine & Anita Katakkar wsg Jonathan Kay] / The Rex 2025-12-07 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]
Florian Hoefner Trio [Florian Hoefner/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-12-07&08 (Sunday & Monday). $21. [more info]
The United Jewish People’s Order's Big, Beautiful Winter Fundraiser (feat. Black Ox Orkestar / Marching Disorder / Judy Rebick / Elvira Kurt) / Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre 2025-12-08 (Monday). $20-$60 suggested, no one is ever turned away. [tickets + more info]
10 Year Anniversary / Reunion party (feat. Bill Gilliam/Kayla Milmine/Ambrose Pottie) / Annette Studios 2025-12-10 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Jane Inc. [A Rupture, A Canyon, A Birth album release celebration] (Aisha Sasha John) / The Baby G 2025-12-12 (Friday). $23.87, 19+. [FB event]
not a band [Modern Rot EP release] (Bag / Ether Girls) / Handlebar 2025-12-12 (Friday). $15/pwyc. [FB event]
The Mike Milligan Trio [Mike Milligan/Nick Fraser/Brodie West] / Sellers & Newel 2025-12-13 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
Burn Down the Capital, Venus Fest and The Music Gallery present (feat. Beverly Glenn-Copeland with special guest Elizabeth Copeland / Kamra / Topanga Trio) / East End United Church 2025-12-13 (Saturday). $35-$40 PWYCA. [more info]
THE AMBiENT PiNG and Imaginary North Present (feat. Gollden / Ken Little / Hozerz) / Handlebar 2025-12-15 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Theatrics (feat. Duo Cichorium / Hee-Soo Yoon / Toronto Saxophone Collective / Trevor Flemings / Domenic Clarke) / Array Space 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]
Beams (Dusted) / The Baby G 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $23.87, 19+. [FB event]
Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Rhythm Section Band [Dally Dominic/Kofi Ackah/Quandoe Harrison/George Kobby/Gabriel Amankwah/Daniel Boateng]) / It’s Ok* Studios 2025-12-20 (Saturday). $20. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Career Suicide) / The Baby G 2025-12-20&21 (Saturday & Sunday). $27.27, 19+. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents: S.H.I.T.mas 2025 (feat. S.H.I.T. / Slash Need / Faze / Friction / Terminator / Pest / Charade) / East End United Church 2025-12-27 (Saturday). $22.49, all ages. [FB event]
Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-30 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
A Soulful Wintry Evening With Kurdish Kamāncha (feat. Shahriyar Jamshidi) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-01-17 (Saturday). $22.60 advance/$30 door. [FB event]
Soundstreams Encounters: Transoceanic ["works from diasporic composers Corie Rose Soumah, Kotoka Suzuki, and Anthony Tan reimagine sound and light through science-fiction visions that decenter Eurocentric narratives of progress"] (feat. Soundstreams) / Hugh's Room 2026-01-19 (Monday). $free with reservation. [more info]
CMC Presents: Imagined Spaces (feat. Dame Cook / Sergei Kofman) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-01-22 (Thursday). $15 Advance / $20 at the door (General Admission), $12 Advance / $15 at the door (CMC Members and Arts Workers), $10 (students). [more info]
Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-27 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
Soundstreams Encounters: Arvo Pärt at 90 (feat. Erika Raum/Oskar Daniel-Raum/Xin Wang) / Hugh's Room 2026-02-09 (Monday). $free with reservation. [more info]
Soundstreams presents: Arvo Pärt at 90 (feat. Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir) / Yorkminster Park Baptist Chuch 2026-02-14 (Saturday). $33.25 to $89.75. [more info]
Behaviours:Data (feat. Anando Gabo / Marelena Pellegrino / Technology of Creative Consciousness) / Array Space 2026-02-19 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]
CMC Presents: Solo Works (feat. Wesley Shen / Roan Ma) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-02-19 (Thursday). $15 Advance / $20 at the door (General Admission), $12 Advance / $15 at the door (CMC Members and Arts Workers), $10 (students). [more info]
Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-24 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-31 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play (feat. Duo Cichorium / Constant Yen / Rowan Campbell / Charli/Fahmid/Joe/Mira) / Array Space 2026-05-21 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]
Track Could Bend #99 (feat. Lostworldsounds / future proof) / Wenona Lodge 2025-01-07 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Michelle Breslin / David Sait / Nick Flanagan) 2025-01-12 (Sunday)
Isla Craig (A L M A) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-02-02 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #101 (feat. Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani/Michael Lynn / Colin Fisher) / Wenona Lodge 2025-02-04 (Tuesday)
Track Could Bend #100 (feat. Isla Craig/Fahmid Nibesh/Michelangelo / Del Stephen/Danny Sheehan/Phil Hamilton / Ian McPhedran/James Bailey/Tom Richards / Raphael Roter/Sara Constant/Bill Gilliam / Bea Labikova/Mira Martin-Gray/Heather Saumer / Sarah Peebles/Kat Estacio/Danny Alexander / Luka Kuplowsky/Karen Ng/William Davison) / 918 Bathurst 2025-02-16 (Sunday)
Music Hosted by Karen Ng: A fundraiser show for Earlobe (feat. Holger Schrool & Mark Zurawinski / Many People) / Wenona Lodge 2024-02-18 (Tuesday)
Patrick O'Reilly presents: Carded! (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/Samuel Little/amiel ang/Samuel Laramee/Omar Yazaw/Leah Reavster/%%30%30/Annie Elgie) / Walter Hall 2025-02-24 (Monday)
Track Could Bend #102 (feat. M.D.N.R. / Del Stephen's Totoloto)
Women From Space Festival 2025 (feat. Erin Poole & Rosina Kazi/Chantelle Mostacho & shn shn / Yuniya Edi Kwon / Azumi OE/Eukademix) / 918 Bathurst 2025-03-08 (Saturday)
Women From Space Festival 2025 (feat. Mingjia Chen + Linnea Sablosky / Arushi Jain / Myra Melford's Fire and Water Trio) / 918 Bathurst 2025-03-09 (Sunday)
Nolan Hildebrand’s DMA Recital (feat. Colin Fisher/Roan Ma/Patrick O'Reilly/Chris Weins/Veronica Zupanic/Hirad Moradi/Louis Pino/Nikki Huang/Hoi-Tong Keung/Bevis NG/Jasmine Tsui/Thomas Li) / Walter Hall 2025-03-11 (Tuesday)
Clue Note presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-25 (Tuesday)
Nick Fraser presents (feat. Nick Fraser's Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-25 (Tuesday)
The Music Gallery presents (feat. Turntable Trio [Maria Chavez/Evicshen/Mariam Rezaei] / Kristina Guison) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-03-31 (Monday)
Track Could Bend #103 [Co-presented with Ministry of Phonic Services] (feat. Maebh Clark & Lucas Dvorsky / %%30%30) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-01 (Tuesday)
Ambient soundscapes for babies to adults (feat. LordAUK / A L M A / Jessica Deutsch) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-04-06 (Sunday)
Kurt Newman presents: Newman Guitars (feat. Kurt Newman / Harris Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-10 (Thursday)
SaltChunkJerry (Man Made Hill / Greydini / Shaaane) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-04-12 (Saturday)
Stranger Still / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-04-13 (Sunday)
Labyrinth Ensemble with Âriâ Mohâfez / Aga Khan Museum 2025-05-03 (Saturday)
Track Could Bend #104 (feat. Caleb Klager / Hex-A-Decimal / Allemano/Driver/Klager) / Wenona Lodge 2025-05-06 (Tuesday)
Audiopollination (feat. Pierre Mongeon/Michael Palumbo/Diane Roblin / mkl32 / Mira Martin-Gray / Holger Schoorl & Mark Zurawinski) / Array Space 2025-05-09 (Friday)
The Music Gallery presents What Is: heart(break) – Rebound (feat. Sarah Hennies & Tristan-Kasten Krause / Imaginary Percussion Ensemble) / East End United Church (Gymnasium) 2025-05-16 (Friday)
Not The Wind, Not the Flag / Le Monde 2025-05-17 (Saturday)
an action committee / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-05-18 (Sunday)
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Brodie West / Karen Ng/Leslie Ting/Germaine Liu) / Wenona Lodge 2025-05-20 (Tuesday)
TONE presents (feat. Eric Chenaux Trio / Cici Arthur) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-05-23 (Friday)
Ben Mike & The Beatles (Carolina Lopez) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-05-25 (Sunday)
Heraclitus Akimbo / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-29 (Thursday)
Prepare the Ground – Night 2 (feat. Raphael Weinroth-Browne / Jay Jayle / Ora Cogan & Ester Thunander / Oldest Sea) / 918 Bathurst 2025-05-31 (Saturday)
Prepare the Ground – Night 3 (feat. Harvestman / John Wiese / Lana Del Rabies / The Rita) / 918 Bathurst 2025-06-01 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #105 (feat. Determinist? / Aliyah Aziz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-06-03 (Tuesday)
NO HAY BANDA (HxH) / The Music Gallery 2025-06-05 (Thursday)
Open Tuning Festival (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Karma Co-op's parking lot 2025-06-07 (Saturday)
Prince Nifty & Colin Fisher / Le Monde 2025-06-07 (Saturday)
Araz Salek & Friends / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-06-08 (Sunday)
Audiopollination (feat. David Sait/James Bailey/Eunoia Jean Close / cheryl o/Neil Wiernik/Del Stephen / Heraclitus Akimbo/Laura Swankey/Judy Zhu / Mickle32 & Rod Campbell) / Array Space 2025-06-13 (Friday)
New Chance (Bile Sister) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-06-14 (Saturday)
South by South East International Festival (feat. Yani Borrell) / Harbourfront Centre (Concert Stage) 2025-06-28 (Saturday)
Track Could Bend #106 (feat. Cudmore/Perera Duo / Ariadna Ortega / Grace Scheele) / Wenona Lodge 2025-07-01 (Tuesday)
Rock Plaza Central (Neil Haverty) / The Baby G 2025-07-03 (Thursday)
Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. anthéne / Del Stephen / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-07-13
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Fossils / Xodkaar × Auto Feeder / Battle Milk) / under Hogg's Hollow Bridge 2025-07-19 (Saturday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Fron Reilly & Stephen Vickery / Joyce To / Nilan Perera) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #107 (feat. Poached Roses / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-08-05 (Tuesday)
Mechanical Forest Sound presents (feat. The Davison Auger / Wenderly Park / Murmur) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-06 (Wednesday)
Within (Heraclitus Akimbo & Marilyn Yogarajah) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-09 (Saturday – early)
About this, It Was Not Yet Written (feat. Myk Freedman/Dave Clark/Ronley Teper) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-09 (Saturday)
Our Way to Fall (Sarah Greene Preservation Society Trio) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-14 (Thursday)
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Mustafa Rafiq/ Sara Constant/Marilyn Yogarajah/Karen Ng/Lenny) / Wenona Lodge 2025-08-19 (Tuesday)
Intersection 2025: Day 2: All Day Music Marathon (feat. Arkose / Anthéne / Khôra / Bilal Nasser / Alex Raja Ven & Heart Map Ambient Ensemble / Temporal Waves / David and Sydney Dacks / Lavender Town) / Sankofa Square 2025-08-30 (Saturday)
Track Could Bend #108 (feat. Brian Abbott / Allison Cameron) / Wenona Lodge 2025-09-02 (Tuesday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Vale of Avoca 2025-09-14 (Sunday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip (feat. Double Trio / Charles Spearin) / CNE Bandshell 2025-09-23 (Tuesday)
Karen Ng presents (feat. Trapezoid) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-09-25 (Thursday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show (feat. Christine Duncan and The Element Choir / Future Proof / Woolworm, Ontario / SSSY) / Oculus Pavilion 2025-09-27 (Saturday)
The Ryan Driver Sextet / Array Space 2025-10-04 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #109 (feat. BLACK GALAXIE / O'Reilly/Strutt/Pitt / Brandon Auger & Deniz Tafaghodi) / Wenona Lodge 2024-10-07 (Tuesday)
CONTXT by Trane presents: Weather Report Tribute Night (feat. Isaiah Collier/Rich Brown/Chris Pruden/Mark Kelso/Juan Carlos Medrano) / 918 Bathurst 2025-10-11 (Saturday)
Karen Ng Presents (feat. Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-10-14 (Tuesday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. qeTTe fossa / Jaap Blonk / T.D. / Jaap Blonk & Mike Gennaro) / The Jama 2025-10-18 (Saturday)
Track Could Bend #110 (feat. anthéne / Fossils) / Wenona Lodge 2025-11-04 (Tuesday)
Hank the Kid (P.S. I Love You / SAP) / Dina's Tavern 2025-11-23 (Sunday)
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