Monday Roundup #255

Concert announcements:

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]

mdbm [Michael White/Maggie Keogh/Don Rooke/Blake Howard] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-10 (Wednesday). [more info]

BLOOP [Lina Allemano & Mike Smith] / Sellers & Newel 2024-12-15 (Monday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

THE AMBiENT PiNG and Imaginary North Present (feat. Gollden / Ken Little / Hozerz) / Handlebar 2025-12-15 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Cate Le Bon (Frances Chang) / The Concert Hall 2026-01-20 (Tuesday). $49.32. [FB event]

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]

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]

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

---

Shows this week:

Justin Orok Presents (feat. Lia Pappas Kemps) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-02 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. claire rousay) / Standard Time 2025-12-02 (Tuesday). $14.85, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Track Could Bend #111 (feat. Sarah and Rob [Sarah Peebles & Rob Cruickshank] / Michael Palumbo) / Wenona Lodge 2025-12-02 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Peripheral Vision (Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Eric West/Leland Whitty]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-02 (Tuesday) [more info]

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]

Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-05 (Friday – early)

Military Genius (Context, NA) / The Baby G 2025-12-05 (Friday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]

Doug Tielli and... (feat. Doug Tielli/Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Heather Saumer) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-05 (Friday)

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]

Bitchin Bajas (Fortunato Durutti Marinetti) / Monarch Tavern 2025-12-07 (Sunday). $27.96, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Florian Hoefner Trio [Florian Hoefner/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-12-07&08 (Sunday & Monday). $21. [more info]

---

Bandcamp corner:

• Don't forget that the last Bandcamp Friday of teh year is coming up this week! But some music + support the musicians you adore! Here's a couple things on my list:

Monday Roundup #254

Community notes:

• As evidenced by the it-happened-10-years-ago documentation of the 10th anniversary party (as reproduced below), as far as I can tell this week is the 20th anniversary of the release of The Diableros' debut album You Can't Break the Strings in Our Olympic Hearts, a stone classic and a huge deal for Toronto's indie rock scene. Our community remembers the works and the spirit of songwriter/frontman Pete Carmichael, who passed away in 2020.

• This falls outside of MFS's usual geographic radius, but if you're in the mood for a bit of a road trip this weekend (Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th) there will be some familiar faces and strangers-worth-investigating playing as part of this year's Improvisation Festival (IF2025) out in Guelph. The U of G's ImprovLab is a nice listening room, and participants include: Em Wright and Wounded Dog, Matt Rogalsky and Dimitri Georgaras, Sarah Pagé, Roger Tellier-Craig and Karl Lemieux, A Taste of Audiopollination Guelph (with Claire Whitehead/Richard Benedict/Nico and Connor Kurtz/Nicole Marchesseau), David Mott/Ben Finley/Jesse Stewart, Kristina Guison with Colby Richardson and Colin Cudmore, coexisDance (with Vee J. Sparvier-Wells/Chantelle Mostacho, Susanne Chui/Heather Saumer, and Vee J. Sparvier-Wells/Chantelle Mostacho/Susanne Chui/Heather Saumer), Nicole Rampersaud/Joel LeBlanc, and Erica Pomerance (with Joe Sorbara, Germaine Liu, and Dan Loughrin). This event is free and open to all! More info here.

---

Concert announcements:

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]

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 (Saturday). $27.27, 19+. [FB event]

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

---

Shows this week:

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-25 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Nick Fraser's Special Topics [Nick Fraser/Josh Cole/Max Stover/Kae Murphy]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-25 (Tuesday) [more info]

Bijuriya ["...an exuberant medley of drag and humour, as well as an eclectic array of musical genres... code-switches between drag, song, and sound as it navigates its creator’s dual personas."] (feat. Gabriel Dharmoo) / Buddies in Bad Times 2025-11-26–2025-11-29 (Wednesday–Saturday). $13–$78. [more info]

Brandon Davis's Stations Quartet [Brandon Davis/Luan Phung/Nick Fraser/Patrick O'Reilly] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-26 (Wednesday). [more info]

CCMC [Allison Cameron/Christine Duncan/Cheryl O/Rick Sacks/Mani Manzinani/Casey Sokol/John Oswald)] / Array Space 2025-11-27 (Thursday). livestream available

Karen Ng presents (feat. saucering [Tilman Lewis/Laura Swankey/Nilan Perera]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-27 (Thursday) [FB event]

Live in the Library: Jambo Hakuna Matata (feat. Adam Solomon) / Toronto Public Library – Parkdale Branch 2025-11-28 (Friday). $free, all-ages, no ticket or registration required. [FB event]

All-Set! presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-28 (Friday – early)

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. V.Vecker / Khôra & Colin Fisher / Caleb Klager) / Le Monde 2025-11-28 (Friday). $20/pwyc, all ages. [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-28 (Friday) [more info]

Music Gallery presents (feat. Markus Floats with members of the Egyptian Cotton Arkestra / HOMEBODIES) / Friends House 2025-11-29 (Saturday). $20-$30 PWYCA. [more info]

Project Nowhere presents: BÉING Fest 2 – Night 1 (feat. Badge Époque Ensemble / Jack Name / Mandy Christ) / The Baby G 2025-11-29 (Saturday). $30.55 (weekend pass $48.01), 19+. [FB event]

Stef.in [album release party] (Anh Phung / Spectrum Soundbath) / 1RG 2025-11-29 (Saturday). $22.63. [tickets + more info]

Edgar Breau & Band / Lola 2025-11-29 (Saturday) [FB event]

Cosmic Homeostasis XXX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-30 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc, all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]

Project Nowhere presents: BÉING Fest 2 – Night 2 (feat. Badge Époque Ensemble / Zach Phillips / Man Made Hill) / The Baby G 2025-11-30 (Sunday). $30.55 (weekend pass $48.01), 19+. [FB event]

---

It happened this week...

• ...on November 28, 2015 at Toronto Public Library – Yorkville Branch (Make Some Noise).

Jennifer Castle - Walkin' Down The Line

• ...on November 28, 2015 at The Garrison.

The Diableros - Olympic Island

[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 Roundup #253

Community notes:

• Our community recently lost Nobuo Kubota, a connecting thread through something like seven decades of improvised sounds in Toronto. His legacy and artistic practice will be celebrated in I Am the Art, a new full-length documentary that screens November 7th at Hot Docs.

---

Concert announcements:

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-25 (Tuesday)

CCMC [Allison Cameron/Christine Duncan/Cheryl O/Rick Sacks/Mani Manzinani/Casey Sokol/John Oswald)] / Array Space 2025-11-27 (Thursday). livestream available.

All-Set! presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-28 (Friday – early)

Edgar Breau & Band / Lola 2025-11-29 (Saturday) [FB event]

Stef.in [album release party] (Anh Phung / Spectrum Soundbath) / 1RG 2025-11-29 (Saturday). $22.63. [tickets + more info]

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]

10 Year Anniversary / Reunion party (feat. Bill Gilliam/Kayla Milmine/Ambrose Pottie) / Annette Studios 2025-12-10 (Wednesday). $pwyc

Beams (Dusted) / The Baby G 2025-12-18 (Thursday). $23.87, 19+. [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]

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]

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

---

Shows this week:

Surface Topographies [music for harpsichord and electronics, works by Linda Catlin Smith, Christina Volpini, Boris Bezemer, Tristan Perich and a world premiere by Bekah Simms] (feat. Wesley Shen) / St George's Grange Park 2025-11-18 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Agnes [Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Mira Martin-Gray/Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-18 (Tuesday). [more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Lubomyr Melnyk) / Trinity-St. Paul's 2025-11-19 (Wednesday). $49.91, all ages. [FB event]

Makam Nights (feat. Ross Daly & Kelly Thoma) / Pamenar 2025-11-19 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Taste of Iceland in Toronto (feat. Óskar Guðjónsson & Skúli Sverrisson) / Jazz Bistro 2025-11-21 (Friday – 6 p.m.). $free. [FB event]

The Titillators [Ryan Driver/Thom Gill/Tania Gill/Germaine Liu/Nick Fraser/Colin Cudmore] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-21 (Friday – early) [FB event]

Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt/Laura Swankey / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-21 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

BPM (Big Percussion Meeting) (feat. Charles Spearin / Important Hair / Kristina Guison / Mike Gennaro / Spencer Cole / Tyler Cunningham) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-21 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]

Future, Past, They Disappear [works by Hannah Ishizaki, Angélica Negrón, Rebecca Bruton, and Ann Southam] (feat. The Array Ensemble) / Array Space 2025-11-22 (Saturday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]

Liquid Architecture (feat. Sonia Leung / Zack Goldstein / Arie Verheul van de Ven / Ryan Kinney) / St Matthew's Clubhouse 2025-11-22 (Saturday). $10. [FB event]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Down Town / Sweet Lips) / Bootsy’s 2024-11-22 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

people | places | records Residency (feat. Leslie Ting & Germaine Liu / Evan Ziporyn & ContaQt) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-22 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Sympathetic String Band & Friends (feat. Sympathetic String Band / The Selkies [Isla Craig/Andrew Patten/Ivy Mairi/Sean Donald]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-23 (Sunday – early). [more info]

Hank the Kid [Henri Fabergé/Drew Smith/Jonathan Pappo/Morgan Waters] (P.S. I Love You / SAP) / Dina's Tavern 2025-11-23 (Sunday). $15. [more info]

Cacophony (feat. Cookie Brunel / Alison Clark / xodkaar x 666pastel) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-23 (Sunday). [more info]

Recording: Christine Duncan and The Element Choir

Artist: Christine Duncan and The Element Choir

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at the Oculus Pavilion (Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show), September 27, 2025.

Christine Duncan and The Element Choir - [excerpt]

This year's Field Trip closed out with a trek up the Humber River Recreational Trail to the legendary Oculus Pavilion. With stars twinkling above and the late-season forest-dwellers whispering encouragement, the glorious UFO-like structure hovered above while a robust crowd gathered to hear some strange sounds — and then hung out for a late-night karaoke party.

Christine Duncan's longstanding improvising choir is a modular affair, capable of sizing up or shrinking down as space and vibe require. This latenight outdoor excursion saw them a dozen deep, making quiet whispers that added the late-night insect singers to their numbers, and then moving into some more raucous call-and-response — big dynamics bouncing back off the UFO overhang, then heading off into the night.

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

[The Ministry of Phonic Services has moved indoors for the season, and among their offerings is BPM — the "Big Percussion Meeting" hosted by Colin Cudmore and happening monthly at The Tranzac. Next one will be happening on Friday, November 21st.]

Recording: Future Proof

Artist: Future Proof

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at the Oculus Pavilion (Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show), September 27, 2025.

Future Proof - [excerpt]

This year's Field Trip closed out with a trek up the Humber River Recreational Trail to the legendary Oculus Pavilion. With stars twinkling above and the late-season forest-dwellers whispering encouragement, the glorious UFO-like structure hovered above while a robust crowd gathered to hear some strange sounds — and then hung out for a late-night karaoke party.

Longtime collaborators Bea Labikova and Raphael Roter have played together enough that sonic mindmeld is easily achieved — even as new instruments and techniques get added to their repertoire. But this duo project increasingly treats all of that as a given and a background element as the pair explore new frontiers in playful interactivity. In this set, the one-on-one musical encounters were navigational elements, allowing the pair to engage the audience in some "drummington" (badminton shuttlecocks volleyed back and forth on hand drums), bird whistles, and sparklers. The latter served as the set's coda, with members of the crowd listing off things to be thankful for as sparkling stars burst to life and faded away — reminding everyone to share the moments while they last.

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

[The Ministry of Phonic Services has moved indoors for the season, and among their offerings is BPM — the "Big Percussion Meeting" hosted by Colin Cudmore and happening monthly at The Tranzac. Next one will be on Friday, November 21st.]

Recording: SSSY

Artist: SSSY

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at the Oculus Pavilion (Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show), September 27, 2025.

SSSY - [excerpt]

This year's Field Trip closed out with a trek up the Humber River Recreational Trail to the legendary Oculus Pavilion. With stars twinkling above and the late-season forest-dwellers whispering encouragement, the glorious UFO-like structure hovered above while a robust crowd gathered to hear some strange sounds — and then hung out for a late-night karaoke party.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there on this Hamilton-based duo of Sargon Yousefian and Sahra Soudi, but there's definitely something interesting cooking here. With a table full of sonic bricabrac, plus a trumpet and percussive implements, the pair moved through several zones, moving from a more atmospheric build into some more abrasive textures.

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

[The Ministry of Phonic Services has moved indoors for the season, and among their offerings is BPM — the "Big Percussion Meeting" hosted by Colin Cudmore and happening monthly at The Tranzac. Next one will be on Friday, November 21st.]

Recording: Woolworm, Ontario

Artist: Woolworm, Ontario

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at the Oculus Pavilion (Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Closing Show), September 27, 2025.

Woolworm, Ontario - [excerpt]

This year's Field Trip closed out with a trek up the Humber River Recreational Trail to the legendary Oculus Pavilion. With stars twinkling above and the late-season forest-dwellers whispering encouragement, the glorious UFO-like structure hovered above while a robust crowd gathered to hear some strange sounds — and then hung out for a late-night karaoke party.

The forest sounds mixed with — and then were subsumed by — the low thrum of Lucas Dvorsky's stereophonic rumblings and chitterings. The enforced pause of an ableton crash just reinforced the dialogue between foreground and environmental sounds.

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

[The Ministry of Phonic Services has moved indoors for the season, and among their offerings is BPM — the "Big Percussion Meeting" hosted by Colin Cudmore and happening monthly at The Tranzac. Next one will be on Friday, November 21st.]

Monday Roundup #252

Community notes:

• While MFS fave Ben Grossman is in town to soundtrack some Cocteau, he'll also be giving an improvisation workshop at the Heliconian Club on the following afternoon (Saturday November 22nd). "All instruments and voices welcome, all levels of experience with creative music welcome," and admission is $20.

---

Concert announcements:

Taste of Iceland in Toronto (feat. Óskar Guðjónsson & Skúli Sverrisson) / Jazz Bistro 2025-11-21 (Friday – 6 p.m.). $free. [FB event]

The Titillators [Ryan Driver/Thom Gill/Tania Gill/Germaine Liu/Nick Fraser/Colin Cudmore] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-21 (Friday – early) [FB event]

Hank the Kid [Henri Fabergé/Drew Smith/Jonathan Pappo/Morgan Waters] (P.S. I Love You / SAP) / Dina's Tavern 2025-11-23 (Sunday). $15. [more info]

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-25 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]

Bijuriya ["...an exuberant medley of drag and humour, as well as an eclectic array of musical genres... code-switches between drag, song, and sound as it navigates its creator’s dual personas."] (feat. Gabriel Dharmoo) / Buddies in Bad Times 2025-11-26–2025-11-29 (Wednesday–Saturday). $13–$78. [more info]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. V.Vecker / Khôra & Colin Fisher / Caleb Klager) / Le Monde 2025-11-28 (Friday). $20/pwyc, all ages. [FB event]

Music Gallery presents (feat. Markus Floats with members of the Egyptian Cotton Arkestra / HOMEBODIES) / Friends House 2025-11-29 (Saturday). $20-$30 PWYCA. [more info]

Cosmic Homeostasis XXX / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-30 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc, all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. claire rousay) / Standard Time 2025-12-02 (Tuesday). $14.85, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Track Could Bend #111 (feat. Sarah and Rob [Sarah Peebles & Rob Cruickshank] / Michael Palumbo) / Wenona Lodge 2025-12-02 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-12-03 (Wednesday). $10 suggested. [FB event]

Military Genius (Context, NA) / The Baby G 2025-12-05 (Friday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]

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]

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]

Not Dead Yet presents: S.H.I.T.mas 2025 (feat. S.H.I.T.) / 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]

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-27 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]

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]

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

---

Shows this week:

The Harry Vetro Quartet [Harry Vetro/Harrison Argatoff/Maxwell Stover/Andrew Furlong] / The Emmet Ray 2025-11-10 (Monday). $12. [more info]

Solo Bass x 2 (feat. Dan Fortin / Mike DeiCont) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-10 (Monday). [more info]

Musicia Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher Quartet (Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Ben Dwyer/Spencer Cole]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-11 (Tuesday). $20/pwyc. [FB event]

Roy / Cameron House (Front Room) 2025-11-12 (Wednesday – 6:00 p.m.) [more info]

Brodie West presents (feat. The Donna Lee Band [Brodie West/Reg Schwager/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser with special guest Julien Wilson]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-12 (Wednesday – early) [more info]

Soundstreams Presents: For the Birds [performing two works from Olivier Messiaen's Catalogue d’Oiseaux alongside two world premieres of two new Soundstreams commissioned works, composed by Kalaisan Kalaichelvan and Maria-Eduarda Mendes Martins, each written in response to one of the Messiaen works being performed] (feat. Louise Bessette) / Hugh's Room 2025-11-12 (Wednesday). $free with reservation. [more info]

mdbm [Michael White/Don Rooke/Blake Howard/Maggie Keogh] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-12 (Wednesday). [more info]

Cheryl Duvall [premiering "Amor Fati", for solo piano and offstage electronics — an hour-long work by James O’Callaghan which unfolds in complete darkness] / Canadian Music Centre 2025-11-13 (Thursday). $15 arts workers/seniors, $20 general. [more info]

Ariane Morin's Residency Concert Series: Turkish Trio (feat. Ariane Morin/Ferhan Dogmusoz/Naghmeh Farahmand) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-13 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

The Afton Project [album release concert!] [Laura Swankey/Aline Homzy/Andrew Marzotto/Michael Davidson/Devin Patten/Eric West] / Annette Studios 2024-11-14 (Friday). $20. [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Slash Need [Sit & Grin record release] / HRT / Doctor Cement) / St. Stephen-In-The-Fields 2025-11-15 (Saturday). $24.94, all ages. [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents (feat. Okavango African Orchestra & Friends wsg Lorraine Klaasen, Pape Ndiaye, Adama Daou, Dally Dominic) / It's Ok* Studios 2025-11-15 (Saturday). $20 advance/$25 door, all-ages. [FB event]

Long Winter 14.1 (feat. Vivek Shraya [New Models album launch] / Tarek Funk / noonjeem / Wink) / Allan Gardens (Children's Conservatory) 2025-11-15 (Saturday). $20/PWYC [advance tickets skip the line], all-ages. [FB event]

The Mike DeiCont Trio [Mike DeiCont/Leland Whitty/Eric West] / Sellers & Newel 2025-11-15 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Whitney K / Monarch Tavern 2025-11-16 (Sunday). $24.73, 19+. [FB event]

Recording: Trapezoid

Artist: Trapezoid

Song: [2nd set, 1st piece, 2nd section]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Karen Ng presents), September 25, 2025.

Trapezoid - [2nd set, 1st piece, 2nd section]

When I last saw this group, they were still an unnamed four-cornered outgrowth of the Rob Clutton Trio. With more gigs together in the meantime, things feel a little more settled in — in the sense of there being a deeper awareness of where to explore, where to push, and where to complement each other. Kurt Newman was on lap rather than pedal steel, and even more integrated with his effects — using glitchy microloops as texture and punctuation, but also taking the time to glide and float alongside Karen Ng's sax/clarinet work.

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

Monday Roundup #251

Contest reminder:

• Don't forget! If you're reading this before noon on Tuesday, you still have a chance to win a pair of tickets to Saturday night's Labyrinth Ensemble concert with special guests Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma at the Aga Khan. Head over to the post for full details!

---

Concert announcements:

The Harry Vetro Quartet [Harry Vetro/Harrison Argatoff/Maxwell Stover/Andrew Furlong] / The Emmet Ray 2025-11-10 (Monday). $12. [more info]

Ariane Morin's Residency Concert Series: Turkish Trio (feat. Ariane Morin/Ferhan Dogmusoz/Naghmeh Farahmand) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-13 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Surface Topographies [music for harpsichord and electronics, works by Linda Catlin Smith, Christina Volpini, Boris Bezemer, Tristan Perich and a world premiere by Bekah Simms] (feat. Wesley Shen) / St George's Grange Park 2025-11-18 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

---

Shows this week:

No Octopus Dancing [Allison Cameron/Germaine Liu/Stephen Parkinson/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-04 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Track Could Bend #110 (feat. anthéne / Fossils) / Wenona Lodge 2025-11-04 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Holy Oak Family Singers present: The Songs of The Spice Girls (feat. Thom Gill/Robin Dann/Caitlin Woelfe-O'Brien/Luka Kuplowsky/Stefna Fratila/Carlyn Bezic/Ivy Mairi/Fez Gilen/Danika Vandersteen/Mira Martin-Gray/Heather Saumer/Josh Cole/Fan Wu/Madelyn Kirby/Steven Foster) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-05 (Wednesday – early) [more info]

DYAN (Shawn William Clarke) / Burdock Music Hall 2025-11-05 (Wednesday). $16.95 advance/$20 door. [tickets + more info]

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. SOMA [Anita Katakkar/Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay] / Reagan Mitchell/Brandon Davis/Stefan Hegerat) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-05 (Wednesday) [more info]

The Max Donaldson Trio [record release!] [Max Donaldson/Ian Afif/Mateos Labbe-Phelan] / Sellers & Newel 2025-11-06 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-07 (Friday – early)

The Patrick Smith Words Trio [Patrick Smith/Lowell Whitty/Dan Pitt] / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-07 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Living Hour (Cootie Catcher / Westelaken) / The Baby G 2025-11-07 (Friday). $24.98, 19+. [FB event]

More Noise Please! Presents: Nightmare in November! (feat. God of Gaps / Colby Richardson / DJ Plague / Esther Splett / The Great Octopus / Esssena) / BSMT 254 2025-11-07 (Friday). $15/PWYC. [FB event]

Doug Tielli and ... (feat. Doug Tielli/Chris Adriaanse/Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Heather Saumer) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-07 (Friday)

Prince Nifty/Colin Fisher / Le Monde 2025-11-07 (Friday). $20. [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario presents (feat. Labyrinth Ensemble with Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma) / Aga Khan Museum 2025-11-08 (Saturday). $50. [FB event]

Hiroki Tanaka (Cutsleeve / Jo Passed) / The Dance Cave 2025-11-08 (Saturday). $27.16, 19+. [FB event]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / James M. Creed / Nick Flanagan / Tea Time) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-09 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

---

In the mix:

• New ambient mix! Starting with some mellow moments from some local faves, into some piano excursions and then drifting outward from there. Featuring sounds by Karen Ng, Bram Gielen, Thom Gill & Christopher Willes, Natural Information Society and Bitchin Bajas, A L M A, Cheryl Duvall, Brian Eno & Beatie Wolfe, Maps and Diagrams, Marina Džukljev+Michael Thieke, Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith.

---

It happened this week...

• ...on November 8, 2012 at The Silver Dollar Room (Psych-Pop Toronto Release Party – Night 1).

The Auras - The Peacock

• ... on November 9, 2012 at The Silver Dollar Room (Psych-Pop Toronto Release Party – Night 2).

The BB Guns - Queen of the World

[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.]

Recording: Double Trio

Artist: Double Trio

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded in the CNE Bandshell (Ministry of Phonic Services' Back to School Field Trip — Waterfront), September 23, 2025.

Double Trio - [excerpt]

This "waterfront" night out at the Field Trip festival was originally slated for Marilyn Bell Park, right on the shores of Lake Ontario. Rainy weather kept that from happening, but some organizational ingenuity meant the event still took place outside, and still lake-adjacent. Moving to the CNE Bandshell gave the night its own flavour, with performers and audience alike staying dry under the circular overhang, framing the performances from the opposite perspective one might expect. (And as an aside, let's note that this lovely heritage structure sits empty for most of the year, and ponder on what it would be like to live in a city where a really small allocation of resources could activate it in all kinds of inneresting ways.)

In a festival with its share of noisy and joyfully disruptive moments, it should be remembered that MPS' vision of experimental music includes quieter interludes as well, and this ensemble was well-placed to offer a deep listening experience. (the originally-scheduled lake sounds would have been a sweet enhancement, but as things were, the gentle backdrop of the rainy weather filled in that space nicely as well.) As the name implies, this group featured two trios, one of saxophones (Ben Rositsan, Garret Hildebrandt, and Maxwell Stover) and one of violins (Sara May, Kyla Marlena, and Audrey Mae) joining forces for some improvised chamber music.

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

Recording: Charles Spearin

Artist: Charles Spearin

Song: unknown [last section]^*

Recorded in the CNE Bandshell (Ministry of Phonic Services' Back to School Field Trip — Waterfront), September 23, 2025.

Charles Spearin - unknown [last section]

This "waterfront" night out at the Field Trip festival was originally slated for Marilyn Bell Park, right on the shores of Lake Ontario. Rainy weather kept that from happening, but some organizational ingenuity meant the event still took place outside, and still lake-adjacent. Moving to the CNE Bandshell gave the night its own flavour, with performers and audience alike staying dry under the circular overhang, framing the performances from the opposite perspective one might expect. (And as an aside, let's note that this lovely heritage structure sits empty for most of the year, and ponder on what it would be like to live in a city where a really small allocation of resources could activate it in all kinds of inneresting ways.)

Showing off what can be accomplished with modern battery-powered speakers, Charles Spearin performed this piece for processed nyckelharpa through a four-channel surround sound system, echoes and sweeps of the strings moving across the space. (The set also lead off with a different sort of spacialization in a stripped-down version of his piece "Music For 32 Phones Played Simultaneously", creating a very cool participatory circle on the big stage.)

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

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis

Song: Vale of Avoca (Set 2) [excerpt]

Recorded in the Vale of Avoca (Ministry of Phonic Services' Back to School Field Trip), September 14, 2025.

Cosmic Homeostasis - Vale of Avoca (Set 2) [excerpt]

A wonderful and special day out! As part of Ministry of Phonic Services' September-long Back to School Field Trip festival, members of the Cosmic Homeostasis collective gathered underneath St. Clair Avenue, in the Ministry of Phonic Services' Back to School Field Trip excursion to the Vale of Avoca (perhaps the city's most fancifully-named ravine). Feeling a world removed from the city, the expanded group enfolded itself into the space, with several guest performers taking advantage of stones, sticks and other found objects (including the trusses of the bridge itself!) to add some environmental sounds.

The full ensemble for this performance was:

• Allison Cameron - ukulele + NASA recording
• Colin Cudmore - percussion
• Dame Cook - MIDI synthesis/round objects
• Dan Friedman - Kastl Drum, Amp, EQ, mixer feedback, wooden flute
• Grace Scheele - toy melodica, recorder
• Grant Smales - nightjar sounds
• Heraclitus Akimbo - accordion, synth, pedals, water bottle
• Ian McPhedran - guitar
• Jaz Tsui - rocks
• Jim Davis - digital synth
• Juniper Mitchell - site-specific lithophone
• Karen O'Keefe - vocals
• Kat Estacio - kulintang, rock, bow, dried leaves, boy bawang, found metal, bridge underboob
• Louis Pino - rocks and dirt
• Maks - rocks, camera
• Mike Filippov - wavedrum + found objects
• Mira Martin-Gray - synth, jaw harp, kazoo
• Niamh Girling - tampura, morchang
• Nilan Perera - amplified acoustic guitar
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Phil Johnston - guitar + delay
• Rob Cruickshank - electronics
• Sonia Leung - violin, vocals
• Sterling McPhedran - rocks in the river

As always, this performance has been archived on Bandcamp:

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

[Mark your calendar, Cosmic Homeostasis will be back at The Tranzac on the afternoon of Sunday, November 30th.]

photo by Ministry of Phonic Services

Contest: Labyrinth Ensemble with Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma

Labyrinth Ensemble with Ross Daly and Kelly Thoma

Saturday, November 8th @ Aga Khan Museum

In the seventh incarnation of their series of intensive workshops as preparations for a concert spectacular, the Labyrinth Ensemble has come full circle in a way. It was back in 2018, as the Labyrinth organization was growing its ambitions and gathering a community of musicians (but before the Ensemble itself was founded) that they brought Ross Daly (the founder of the original Labyrinth in Crete) and his longtime collaborator Kelly Thoma to Toronto to collaborate. That concert at Eastminster United Church saw the pair joined by locals Pedram Khavarzamini and Araz Salek as the This Tale of Ours Quartet, for a night of mesmerizing music.

This Tale of Ours Quartet - Little Black Dog + Neveser 14

This Tale of Ours Quartet - Synkathistos

Later this month, the pair return to share more wisdom with the full ensemble, which will lead to a tour reaching across Ontario — and starting off with a night at the Aga Khan. (And as always, the group is packed full of musicians that MFS-inclined folks will know well and love to see in action!)

TICKETS + MORE INFO

Tickets are $50 ($45 for Friends of the museum), with a limited number of rush tickets available for in-person purchase 30 minutes before the doors open. As with the past several Labyrinth shows at the Aga Khan, this show will almost certainly sell out!

CONTEST

Thanks to Labyrinth, I have a pair of tickets to give away for this show! To enter, shoot me an email to mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com, with "contest" in the title and your full name in the body. I'll randomly draw a winner at noon on Tuesday, November 4th.

Monday Roundup #250

Concert announcements:

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. SOMA [Anita Katakkar/Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay] / Reagan Mitchell/Brandon Davis/Stefan Hegerat) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-05 (Wednesday) [more info]

Living Hour (Cootie Catcher / Westelaken) / The Baby G 2025-11-07 (Friday). $24.98, 19+. [FB event]

More Noise Please! Presents: Nightmare in November! (feat. God of Gaps / Colby Richardson / DJ Plague / Esther Splett / The Great Octopus / Esssena) / BSMT 254 2025-11-07 (Friday). $15/PWYC. [FB event]

Prince Nifty/Colin Fisher / Le Monde 2025-11-07 (Friday). $20. [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / James M. Creed / Nick Flanagan / Tea Time) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-11-09 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Cheryl Duvall [premiering "Amor Fati", for solo piano and offstage electronics — an hour-long work by James O’Callaghan which unfolds in complete darkness] / Canadian Music Centre 2025-11-13 (Thursday). $15 arts workers/seniors, $20 general. [more info]

The Afton Project [album release concert!] [Laura Swankey/Aline Homzy/Andrew Marzotto/Michael Davidson/Devin Patten/Eric West] / Annette Studios 2024-11-14 (Friday). $20. [FB event]

Liquid Architecture (feat. Sonia Leung / Zack Goldstein / Arie Verheul van de Ven / Ryan Kinney) / St Matthew's Clubhouse 2025-11-22 (Saturday). $10. [FB event]

Live in the Library: Jambo Hakuna Matata (feat. Adam Solomon) / Toronto Public Library – Parkdale Branch 2025-11-28 (Friday). $free, all-ages, no ticket or registration required. [FB event]

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

---

Shows this week:

Patrick Smith Residency (feat. Patrick Smith/Tania Gill/Max Simpson/Eric West) / Dina's Tavern 2025-10-27 (Monday). $no cover. [more info]

CCMC [Christine Duncan/Cheryl O/Rick Sacks/Mani Manzinani/Casey Sokol/John Oswald] / Array Space 2025-10-30 (Thursday)

Transmit Presents: Halloween Spectacular costume party (feat. Tijuana Bibles / catl. / Pit Scum) / The Garrison 2025-10-31 (Friday). $19.99, 19+. [FB event]

Exit Points #65: Spooooooooooooooooky Edition (feat. unni/Andrew Timar/Mina Zaghari/Nidhi Baadkar/Broken Pink Umbrella/Michael Palumbo / WEI EN/Judy Luo/Ruthless Design/Garden Of Magic/Zack Goldstein) / Array Space 2024-10-31 (Friday). $17.52-$28.27, all-ages. [FB event]

coexisDance #111 (feat. Leelee Oluwatoyosi / Eko Davis / Anh Phung / Abbey Richens / Annie Elgie / Jamarie William / Rod Campbell / Racha Moukalled) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2024-11-01 (Saturday). $15 (sliding scale)

Given: 2+2 (Sweet Lips & Touch Me, Don't Forget Me) / 24hr atm lotto 2025-11-02 (Sunday) [more info]

Small World Music presents Toronto Indo-Jazz Festival: New Horizons (feat. Amrita [Kayla Milmine/Anita Katakkar] / Gandhaar & Dhaivat) / Small World Music Centre 2025-11-02 (Sunday). $37.61. [tickets + more info]

---

Bandcamp corner:

• A retrospective one this time 'round, as this fine album from community stalwart Paul Newman turns 10 today!

---

It happened this week...

• ...on October 28, 2019 at The Tranzac (Tiki Room).

Stephen Parkinson & Friends - [set 1, edited excerpt]

• ...on November 2, 2019 at a house party.

Charlotte Cornfield - Storm Clouds

[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.]

Recording: Allison Cameron

Artist: Allison Cameron

Song: unknown [excerpt]^*

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #108), September 2, 2025.

Allison Cameron - unknown [excerpt]

Originally planned for TCB#101, a throwback re-creation of the series' very first show, this rescheduled set saw A.C. serve up some absorbing laptop-based electroacoustic collages, with found sounds including some deeply-garbled speech samples.

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

[Track Could Bend will be back at Wenona on Tuesday, November 4th with sets from anthéne and Fossils.]

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