Artist: Zoe Pia
Song: [excerpt]
Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Nick Fraser presents), June 25, 2024.
Visiting from Italy, Pia brought some improvisations for clarinet (as well as the launeddas), deftly deploying some loops and effects as well as sundry percussive elements.
Founded as a blog about one curmudgeon's love affair with the em dash, Mechanical Forest Sound has grown to become a community-based archive of local musical culture. Assuming that "independent music" isn't just boys with guitars and "culture" isn't just some sort of pageant, MFS is an investigation of a wide range of artists, reflecting on concerts as shared experiences, acts of citizenship and a chance to get down — fuzzy photographs and clear-sounding original live recordings a specialty.
Current manifestations of this project include Track Could Bend, a monthly concert series featuring "improvised music and weird rock offshoots", presented in a casual environment.
At one point I wrote full-on concert reviews, and for longer I thought I would catch up and write about shows in the past. But these days, because of, y'know, life, do not expect much in the way of full show reviews — but live recordings with blurbs will be posted as quickly after the fact as is feasible.
Check out my original live recordings from many of the gigs discussed here.
You can also check out full sets uploaded to the Live Music Archive. [not currently active]
N.B.: All recordings should be available & playable. If you come across any broken links, invisible or non-functioning players, etc, please leave a comment and I will tend to it ASAP.
ALSO N.B.: I'm perpetually on the lookout for a new place to stash my MP3's online. If you know of any place that allows a couple gigs of stuff to be openly linked to for streaming, drop me a line!
All comments are welcome, or you can reach me at mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com.
All MP3's on this blog are audience recordings shared as a reminder of the excitement of seeing live music. If you are an artist who doesn't want their music shared in this way, please contact me and I shall remove it forthwith.
If you're so inclined, you can also follow me on Twitter: @TowerofBabbling
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Track Could Bend #95 (feat. Royal Jelly [Cory Harper-Latkovich/Germaine Liu/Kurt Newman/Allison Cameron/Sara Constant] / Turtle Pleasure) / Wenona Lodge 2024-09-03 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Ghostlight Residency: Fall Equinox (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-04 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
As If [Paul Linklater] [Human Piano album release!] (Michael Feuerstack) / The Piston 2024-09-05 (Thursday). $20. [more info]
Not Dead Yet presents: live album recording (Nick Flanagan / Sara Hennessey / Ayal Senior / The Kurt Newman Zonk Quintet [Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong/Blake Howard/Ted Crosby]) / Monarch Tavern 2024-09-05 (Thursday). $21.41, 19+. [FB event]
Richard Laviolette's Band [performing the songs from his last album All Wild Things Are Shy, with guest vocalists Abigail Lapell, Jiaqing Wilson Yang, Tamara Lindeman, Terra Lightfoot, José Contreras, Peter Demakos, Cormac Culkeen, and Geordie Gordon] (Abigail Lapell) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-09-06 (Friday). $22.63. [FB event]
Art Spin Bike Tour & Wet Sounds ["gathering a large audience on bicycles to visit the multidisciplinary installations and performances in a one-of-a-kind event"/"a sound installation in a swimming pool led by UK-based artist Joel Cahen"] (feat. Neil Lordson / Moraa Stump / Joel Cahen (performing as PlutonOvarian) / Mira Martin-Gray & Olivia Shortt / Heidi Chan & Prince Nifty) / Earlscourt Park Gazebo/Giovanni Caboto Pool 2024-09-07 (Saturday). $27 [Bike Tour & Wet Sounds, afternoon show], $22 [Wet Sounds only, evening show]. [more info]
Batuki Music Society presents: Renaissance CD Release Concert (feat. Mis Blandine & Caza Jazz Band / Pecosse Animation) / Alliance Française Toronto 2024-09-07 (Saturday). $15 (advance), $20 (door). [FB eventa>]
undercommons collective #1 (feat. Holger Schoorl & Kayla Milmine / Victor O & friends / the rest [Joe Sorbara & Jonathan Kay]) / Annette Studios 2024-09-07 (Saturday). $15/pwyc. [FB event]
Naked Gardener [Patrick O'Reilly/Steven Noronha/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Tiffany Wu] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-07 (Saturday). $15, notaflof. [more info]
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Senior & Newman / Greydini / Nick Flanagan / "special guest") / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-08 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]
Cowbird Composer Collective Meta-Residency ["new chamber music composed by Brian Abbott"] (feat. Michael Palumbo [solo modular synth] / Ryan Kinney & Meghan Cheng / Manuel Morales / Naomi McCarroll-Butler) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-09 (Monday) [FB event]
Dave Bidini / Sellers & Newel 2024-09-11 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Context, NA [solo] (No Frills [solo]) / 918 Bathurst – Sun Room 2024-09-11 (Wednesday). $10/pwyc. [FB event]
Nicolette & the Nobodies / Monarch Tavern 2024-09-12 (Thursday). $21.50, 19+. [FB event]
Tania Gill Presents (feat. The Mighty Gill Show [Tania Gill/Mike Overton/Jake Oelrichs]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-13 (Friday – early) [FB event]
Audiopollination (feat. Dan Pitt/Brittany Pitt/Laura Swankey / Matt Collins/Andrew Finlay Stewart/Bri Clarke / Nano Valverde/Tomasz Krakowiak/Nilan Perera / A Hibernating Animal [Aisha Sasha John/Raph Roter/Bea Labikova/MKL32]) / Array Space 2024-09-13 (Friday). $10 [card or cash], livestream available. [FB event]
Second Fridays [new series curated by Josh Cole!] (feat. Phillipe Lauzier's Splendide Abysse / Nick Fraser/Tony Malaby/Josh Cole/Rob Clutton) / Canadian Music Centre 2024-09-13 (Friday). $25 ($20 students). [FB event]
Battle Milk (But Worse [Julie Reich/Brian Abbott/Marilyn Yogarajah] / Pat E) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2024-09-13 (Friday). $10/pwyc/notaflof. [FB event]
Liquid Architecture (feat. David Sait / Jonny Luke / Yasmine / Ryan Kinney) / Mischief Makers 2024-09-14 (Saturday). $10 (adv. tickets or cash at door), $12 (card at door). [FB event]
Martin Bisi Collective [performance/documentary screening/Q&A] (Flake) / Collective Arts 2024-09-14 (Saturday). $20.01, 19+. [FB event]
Duff Thompson and Steph Green (Curtis Bowman) / Monarch Tavern 2024-09-14 (Saturday). $17.50, 19+. [FB event]
Mike Donovan (New Orthodox / The JDAC) / The Baby G 2024-09-16 (Monday). $23.57 advance, 19+. [FB event]
Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-20 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [FB event]
DIG presents (feat. CDSM [Celebrity Death Slot Machine] / Not A Band) / Houndstooth 2024-09-25 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Still House Plants / Only God Forgives) / Standard Time 2024-09-26 (Thursday). $22.89, all ages. [FB event]
Dance Inside Autumn Leaves (feat. Shahriyar Jamshidi) / Canadian Music Centre 2024-09-27 (Friday). $22.63. [more info]
Venus Fest & Not Dead Yet present (feat. Claire Rousay / rEmPiT g0dDe$$ / Karen Ng) / Monarch Tavern 2024-09-27 (Thursday). $25.26, 19+. [more info]
Venus Fest presents (feat. evicshen / Ahya Simone / Kat Estacio) / It’s OK* Studios 2024-09-28 (Friday). $20-$30 sliding scale, all ages. [more info]
Small World Music presents (feat. Saami Brothers Qawwali) / The Creative School Chrysalis (Toronto Metropolitan University Theatre) 2024-05-18 2024-10-19 (Saturday) [rescheduled!]. $33.28-$86.53. [FB event]
Stranger Still [Pete Johnston/Rob Clutton/Mim Adams/Randi Helmers] / Sellers & Newel 2024-10-20 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Carolyn Mark / Sellers & Newel 2024-10-29 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Ace Of Wands (Not A Band / Waxlimbs) / The Baby G 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $23.57, 19+. [FB event]
The Max Donaldson Trio [Max Donaldson/Ian Afif/Mateos Labbe-Phelan] / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-15 (Friday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]
Andy Haas & Mike Milligan (Max Donaldson) / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-24 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
2024 Gigs
Track Could Bend #87 (feat. SOUP/ Panties / battle milk) / Wenona Lodge 2024-01-02 (Tuesday)
Swanherds [rebecca bruton solo] (Kurt Newman) / 918 Bathurst – The Sun Room 2024-01-23 (Tuesday)
Track Could Bend #88 (feat. Écureuil / Garden of Magic) / Wenona Lodge 2024-02-06 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Eiyn Sof / Colin Fisher / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-02-11 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #89 (feat. mutepack / Piers Oolvai) / Wenona Lodge 2022-03-05 (Tuesday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 2 (feat. Grace Scheele / MOCH / Mali Obomsawin) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-09 (Saturday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 3 (feat. Anh Phung/chiquitamagic/Emjay Wright / Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick / Matana Roberts/Germaine Liu/Nicole Rampersaud) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-10 (Sunday)
Faster Presents: Juice?$#%* (feat. Happy Apple / Brian Abbott & Ryan Kinney / Andrew Kay/Kayla Milmine/Bob Vespaziani / Liz Lima/Brodie West/Andrew Kay/Paul Newman) / Gerrard Art Space 2024-03-23 (Saturday)
Ryan Driver’s Big 5-0 (feat. The Ryan Driver Sextet + guests) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-03-30 (Saturday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXIII / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-03-31 (Sunday)
Gabe Girard presents (feat. Zoë / Molehill / Heraclitus Akimbo/Gabe Girard/mkl32) / Bar Orwell 2024-03-31 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #90 (feat. Voidfemmes & Erin Corbett / Allison Cameron & Stephen Parkinson) / Wenona Lodge 2024-04-02 (Tuesday)
Eclipse Drone 2024: A Cosmic Homeostasis Community Event (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Christie Pits 2022-04-08 (Monday)
Dun-Dun Land: Slight Return (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole Presents (feat. Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/John Oswald wsg Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-09 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Tzevi Sherman / Marilyn Yogarajah & Co. / Nick Flanagan / Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-04-14 (Sunday)
Poncili Creacion with Karen Ng and Philippe Melanson (Nubuo Kubota) / The Music Gallery 2024-04-19 (Friday)
Tranzac Fundraiser I (feat. Sandro Perri & Friends / Masahiro Takahashi / Anne Bourne) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-20 (Saturday)
Wenderly Park (Friends of Wenderly Park feat. Marilyn Yogarajah/Bea Labikova/Allison Cameron/Mike Lynn/Jason Doell) / The Sun Room at 918 Bathurst 2024-04-23 (Tuesday)
Joe's 50th Birthday (feat. Eucalyptus / Isla Craig + band / Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-04-25 (Thursday)
Track Could Bend #91 (feat. TH6Ø / Olivia Shortt / Brian Abbott) / Wenona Lodge 2024-05-07 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Andrew Furlong / William Davison / Karsten Stryker / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-12 (Sunday)
Ghostgirl residency (feat. Aline Homzy/Allan Mackie/Michael Davidson / Michael Davidson [solo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-14 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole presents (feat. Kind Mind) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-05-14 (Tuesday)
TONE presents (feat. Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield / Rob Clutton Trio with Kurt Newman) / Standard Time 2024-05-17 (Friday)
ArtJam Toronto (feat. not a band) / 918 Bathurst 2024-05-25 (Saturday)
Gabe Girard presents (feat. The Jake Laur Trio / Nobody Waved Goodbye / D.B. Buxton) / The Dock Ellis 2024-05-26
Track Could Bend #92 (feat. Duo Cichorium [Jasmine Tsui/Louis Pino] / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-06-04 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior / Drew Smith / Nick Flanagan / Nocturnes) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-09 (Sunday)
Ghostgirl residency (feat. Aline Homzy/Michael Davidson/Julian Anderson-Bowes/Aidan McConnell) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-11 (Tuesday)
Josh Cole presents (feat. Peter Zummo & friends) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-11 (Tuesday)
Tranzac Fundraiser II (feat. US Girls / Eucalyptus / Cots) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-14 (Friday)
TONE Festival (feat. Mas Aya / Colin Fisher / Xicada) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-16 (Sunday)
Luka Kuplowsky & The Ryōkan Band (The Heart of Going La) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2024-06-18 (Tuesday)
Aline's Étoile Magique / Toronto Jazz Fest — Village Stage 2024-06-24 (Monday)
Solitary Shrew presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray / Molly McGregor's Pageant puppet play) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-25 (Tuesday)
Nick Fraser presents (feat. Zoe Pia / BLOOP! / Non-Twins) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-25 (Tuesday)
Karen Ng Presents (feat. Ted Crosby/Phil Melanson/Karen Ng / Swanherds) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-27 (Thursday)
Knots / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-30 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXIV / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-06-30 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #93 (feat. Without a Single Green Feather / Kristina Warren & Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2024-07-02 (Tuesday)
Tribute to Joe Raposo (Feat. Holy Oak Family Singers) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-03 (Wednesday)
The Knot (Germaine Liu & Mark Zurawinski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-03 (Wednesday)
Karen Ng presents (feat. Windscour / The Adjacence / Shadow Pattern) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge)
Ayal Senior and Friends presents (feat. Nick Flanagan / Jane Inc / You're Steel on My Mind) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-14 (Sunday)
Kurt Newman presents: an evening of cool solos (feat. Christine Bougie / Kayla Milmine / Dan Pitt / Patrick O'Reilly / Thom Gill / Kurt Newman) / Wenona Lodge 2024-07-16 (Tuesday)
Sandro Perri & Friends (Alex Lukashevsky) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-19 (Friday)
Masahiro Takahashi presents Cha-no-yu (feat. Emissive / Masahiro Takahashi with Karen Ng/Sandro Perri) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-19 (Friday)
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray / Deprivation Tactics / Brian Ruryk / Lucas Abela / Gorgina) / See-Scape 2024-07-24 (Wednesday)
Mountain Movers (Stonegrass / Emily Robb) / Monarch Tavern 2024-07-25 (Thursday)
Joseph Allred (Hieronymus Harry / Marilyn Yogarajah) / Annette Studios 2024-08-04 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #94 (feat. Dangertown / Eye_Duh Kho & Alejandro Franco Briones) / Wenona Lodge 2024-08-06 (Tuesday)]
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Hieronymus Harry / David Sait / The Sympathetic String Band / Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-08-11 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis / Bloor Annex BIA Stage 2024-09-01 (Sunday)
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