Recording: Toronto Improvisors Orchestra

Artist: Toronto Improvisors Orchestra

Song: [2nd set excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Main Hall), July 13, 2025.

Toronto Improvisors Orchestra - [2nd set excerpt]

An air-conditioning failure sent the day's sets in the Southern Cross over into the Tranzac's Main Hall, giving some extra legroom for the TIO's monthly gathering. The crew were out eight-deep on this occasion, with a pair of saxophones adding embellishments to the proceedings, as Rod Campbell directed the proceedings. (He added some spoken word elements as well, which you can hear a little bit in the backgound here, though the microphones were more interested in the guitar and bass vi.)

[The TIO will be back in their usual Tranzac timeslot (and presumably back in the Southern Cross!) at noon on Sunday, August 10th.]

Monday Roundup #237

Concert announcements:

Holy Oak Family Singers present (feat. Luka Kuplowsky with Felicity Williams, Alex Lukashevsky, Steven Noronha, Ben Rositsan & Aidan McConnell / Maggie Keogh with Dylan Burchell, Ryan Driver & Guests) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-06 (Wednesday – early) [more info]

More Noise Please! presents: An Evening of Electronic Collapse (feat. Brandon Auger / Allinesik / Boy / Mosfet / Yi Yi Yi) / Junction Underground 2025-08-07 (Thursday). $15/pwyc. [FB event]

Beams (Service Animals / Hangul) / Tapestry 2025-08-07 (Thursday). $15. [FB event]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-10 (Sunday – noon) [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Greydini / Nick Flanagan / Azorean Hoods) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-10 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Carlton Park Concerts (feat. SwöwS / Ben Gunning / Carmen Elle / Jonathan Kirby) / Carlton Park 2025-08-16 (Saturday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc, outdoors, family-friendly. [more info]

Makam Nights (feat. Kareem El-Tyeb & Majd Sukar) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-08-21 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-09-03 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

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

---

Shows this week:

Sonomadic Improv (feat. K2 [Jonathan Kay & Kayla Milmine with special guest Nick Fraser] / The Wrinkles Experiment [Nick Fraser/Andrew Furlong/Andrew Kay/Jonathan Kay/Germaine Liu/Mark Zurawinski, conduction by Kayla Milmine]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-28 (Monday). $pwyc

Solitary Shrew (feat. Colin & Mira / bees making the rounds) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-29 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc ($10 suggested). [more info]

The Madeleine Ertel Quintet [Madeleine Ertel/Aline Homzy/Steven Noronha/Dan Fortin/Aidan McConnell] / Jazz Bistro 2024-07-29 (Tuesday). $20. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Titanium Riot) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-29 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Grace Scheele presents Joanna Newsom (feat. Grace Scheele and the Milk-Eyed Menders with Sara May, Carolina Lopez, moonwatcher and Micaela Rae) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-30 (Wednesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

The Allison Au Quartet [Allison Au/Michael Davidson/Dan Fortin/Ethan Ardelli] / Jazz Bistro 2024-07-30 (Wednesday). $20. [more info]

Otterville [Andrew Downing/Tara Davidson/Paul Mathew/Nick Fraser/Michael Davidson/Christine Bougie] / The Rex 2025-07-30–2025-08-02 (Wednesday–Saturday). $28. [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden: Voice is the Original Instrument (feat. The Local Singers [Jill Harris/Robin Dann/Felicity Williams/Mara Nesrallah/Dorothea Paas/Alex Samaras]) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-31 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

Linda Catlin Smith Jukebox Fundraiser and Vinyl Release Party [featuring a jukebox-style performance of Linda’s exquisite solo and small chamber works by TENMC musicians, first access to Dark Flower on vinyl, delicious spread, cash bar, and an enticing silent auction] (feat. members of Thin Edge New Music Collective) / Array Space 2025-07-31 (Thursday). $free, advance tickets by donation. [FB event]

Output 1:1:1 (Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / bangs!bangs!bangs!) / Houndstooth 2025-07-31 (Thursday). $pwyc

Kelly McMichael (Jenina MacGillivray) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-31 (Thursday). $pwyc (suggested $20) [more info]

The Tania Gill Quartet [Tania Gill/Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Nico Dann] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-01 (Friday – early) [more info]

Musica Universalis (feat. Not the Wind, Not the Flag) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-01 (Friday). $20/pwyc. [more info]

catl. / Toronto Island Marina 2025-08-02 (Saturday). [more info]

Nate Renner, Felicity Williams, Nico Dann / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-03 (Sunday – noon) [more info]

Lina Allemano Standards Quartet [Lina Allemano/Michael Davidson/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-08-03&04 (Sunday & Monday) [more info]

---

It happened this week...

• ...on July 29, 2012 at Cecil Street Community Centre (Sheroes: Virtual Season Art and Music Festival).

Marker Starling - Sweet Bird

• ...on July 28, 2012 at Soybomb HQ.

Katie and the Lichen - Misbehaving

[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: Rock Plaza Central

Artist: Rock Plaza Central

Song: My Children, Be Joyful

Recorded at July 3, 2025 at The Baby G.

Rock Plaza Central - My Children, Be Joyful

Rock Plaza Central were local stars of a sort 'round about 2007 when their concept album opus Are We Not Horses gained a buzzy glow, transforming them from "oddball collective with a monthly Tranzac residency" to "touring indie band", with a shifting cast adding ramshackle glory under frontman Chris Eaton's literate, yelp-y vocals. Inactive since 2010 or so, the band was called back to action this summer for a Mariposa reunion performance, and eased into it with this local warmup bar gig.

Seven wide across the stage, the mostly-multi-instrumental crew managed to evoke plenty aughts nostalgia with a rambunctious gang approach, with glockenspiel cameos, sudden horn section manifestations and Eaton singing his heart out as he occasionally struggled to remember words and chords but was propelled forward by the momentum of the whole thing. Though leaning on Horses, there was also a surprising amount of engagement with their wider discography — not only its follow-up ...At The Moment of Our Most Needing, but also the early the world was hell to us, which was surprisingly well-represented. Ragged but right, this was a joyful time for the performers and audiences, treated by both as a chance to catch up with some old friends who might have to be forced to get a babysitter these days and head out to a show.

Recording: Neil Haverty

Artist: Neil Haverty

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at July 3, 2025 at The Baby G.

Neil Haverty - unknown

Neil Haverty, best known as frontman for Bruce Peninsula, was canny choice to open things up for Rock Plaza Central — not only as someone who'd played before shared audiences in the past, but more pragmatically having someone in solo mode was probably a necessity on the rather crowded stage. Most recently sharing a film score with the world, Haverty was back in balladeer mode here, sharing not only some stripped-back tunes that he mentioned have more fleshed-out, electronic versions forthcoming, plus a few brand new ones (like the one posted here) freshly written in the lead-up to this performance. Haverty has always had a voice that took up space, and a few more years of milage certainly hasn't changed that. For someone that I was seeing, oh, back around the third-ever gig this blog covered in 2009 (when I was still mildly ambiguous about Bruce Peninsula), it was pleasing to share some reflections on shared experiences and time passing.

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

Recording: Grace Scheele

Artist: Grace Scheele

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #106), July 1, 2025.

Grace Scheele - [excerpt]

Track Could Bend loves experiments and works-in-progress, so the fact that harpist Grace Scheele's set incorporated a newly-integrated camcorder's wayward behavior (shutting itself off every few minutes, requiring a reset to be integrated into the performance's activities) can be seen as a feature rather than a bug. In any case, that fit right in with the spirit of experimentation that saw her harp laying on its side on a table, being used as one sound source among an impressive collection of instructional and other cassettes along with chopsticks, pingpong balls and birthday candles.

You can check out the full set over on youtube:

[Grace Scheele has a couple less-experimental sets coming up, including an evening of Joanna Newsom songs alongside the Milk-Eyed Menders at The Tranzac on Wednesday, July 30th, and a free, outdoors afternoon show at the Spadina Museum on Sunday, August 17th. Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, August 5th, with sets from Poached Roses (Naomi McCarroll-Butler, styrofoamNosebleedPrincess and Mira Martin-Gray) and Tom Richards.]

Recording: Ariadna Ortega

Artist: Ariadna Ortega

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #106), July 1, 2025.

Ariadna Ortega - [excerpt]

Ariadna Ortega, a cellist from Mexico City recently studying at Brandon University, managed to make some cool connections while visiting town, joining in at several community-minded performances. This solo set saw her celebrate her tactile relationship with the cello while integrating its sounds with a video piece that added some field-recorded backgrounds.

You can check out the full set over on youtube:

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, August 5th, with sets from Poached Roses (Naomi McCarroll-Butler, styrofoamNosebleedPrincess and Mira Martin-Gray) and Tom Richards.]

Recording: Cudmore/Perera Duo

Artist: Cudmore/Perera Duo

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #106), July 1, 2025.

Cudmore/Perera Duo - [excerpt]

When I invited Nilan Perera to come play TCB, I assumed without asking that we'd be getting some nimble prepared guitar. Instead, challenging himself (which is no surprise to see) Perera brought a pedalboard and a couple radios — an ideal setup to try and snatch some spontaneous noises from the airwaves to go along with the clatter generated by Colin Cudmore (a.k.a. %%30%30).

You can check out the full set over on youtube:

[Ministry of Phonic Services will be presenting Nilan Perera at a matinee show this Sunday (July 27th) in The Sun Room at 918 Bathurst. (Fron Reilly and Joyce To are also on the bill.) Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, August 5th, with sets from Poached Roses (Naomi McCarroll-Butler, styrofoamNosebleedPrincess and Mira Martin-Gray) and Tom Richards.]

Monday Roundup #236

Concert announcements:

Sonomadic Improv (feat. K2 [Jonathan Kay & Kayla Milmine with special guest Nick Fraser] / The Wrinkles Experiment [Nick Fraser/Andrew Furlong/Andrew Kay/Jonathan Kay/Germaine Liu/Mark Zurawinski, conduction by Kayla Milmine]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-28 (Monday). $pwyc

The Madeleine Ertel Quintet [Madeleine Ertel/Aline Homzy/Steven Noronha/Dan Fortin/Aidan McConnell] / Jazz Bistro 2024-07-29 (Tuesday). $20. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Titanium Riot) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-29 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Grace Scheele presents Joanna Newsom (feat. Grace Scheele and the Milk-Eyed Menders with Sara May, Carolina Lopez, moonwatcher and Micaela Rae) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-30 (Wednesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

The Allison Au Quartet [Allison Au/Michael Davidson/Dan Fortin/Ethan Ardelli] / Jazz Bistro 2024-07-30 (Wednesday). $20. [more info]

Otterville [Andrew Downing/Tara Davidson/Paul Mathew/Nick Fraser/Michael Davidson/Christine Bougie] / The Rex 2025-07-30–2025-08-02 (Wednesday–Saturday). $28. [FB event]

Output 1:1:1 (Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / bangs!bangs!bangs!) / Houndstooth 2025-07-31 (Thursday). $pwyc

Kelly McMichael (Jenina MacGillivray) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-31 (Thursday) [FB event]

Lina Allemano Standards Quartet [Lina Allemano/Michael Davidson/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-08-03&04 (Sunday & Monday) [more info]

Track Could Bend #107 (feat. Poached Roses [Naomi McCarroll-Butler/styrofoamNosebleedPrincess/Mira Martin-Gray] / Tom Richards) / Wenona Lodge 2024-08-05 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Lina Allemano Four [Lina Allemano/Brodie West/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-05 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Mechanical Forest Sound presents (feat. The Davison Auger / Wenderly Park / Murmur) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-06 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

BLOOP [Lina Allemano/Mike Smith] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-08-06 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. Fethi Nadjem / Boubé / Stage in the Park / Okavango African Orchestra with guests Lorraine Klaasen, Pape Ndiaye, Kaabi Kouyaté, Dally Dominic and Mario Posella) / Harbourfront Centre 2025-08-08 (Friday). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. Sewà / Musical Traditions of the Mandinka and Jolof Empires [Sadio Sissokho/Pape Ndiaye/Mabinty Sylla/Boblée Danse Cirque] / Nii Osabu / Sintayehu 'Mimi' Zenebe & Daniel Nebiat / Fredy Massamba) / Harbourfront Centre 2025-08-09 (Saturday). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Avi C. Engel / Spadina Museum 2025-08-10 (Sunday – 1:30 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly

Batuki Music Society presents: Habari Africa Festival (feat. Mbira Soul / SAHAD) / Harbourfront Centre 2025-08-10 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Grace Scheele / Spadina Museum 2025-08-17 (Sunday – 1:00 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly

Sub-Sessions #11 (feat. Wizards of Osgoode / Star Brides / Jacob Barber Band / Aniqa Dear) / BSMT 254 2025-08-13 (Wednesday). $PWYC/$15 recommended. [FB event]

Our Way to Fall [Del Stephen/Liz Lima/Joe Strutt] (Sarah Greene Trio) / 918 Bathurst (The Sun Room) 2025-08-14 (Thursday). $15 or pwyc, all-ages. [FB event]

Mike DeiCont & Dan Fortin / Sellers and Newel 2025-08-21 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

DEMONS XIII (feat. blue light / SUV / sarah boo / pressed flowers) / Handlebar 2025-08-23 (Saturday). $20 (no one turned away). [FB event]

Lori Freedman (Marc Couroux) / Sellers and Newel 2025-09-11 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Max Donaldson [solo piano live recording] / Sellers and Newel 2025-09-13 (Saturday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]

K2 [record release] [Kayla Milmine & Jonathan Kay] / Sellers and Newel 2025-10-01 (Wednesday) [more info]

Fembots / Sellers and Newel 2025-10-03 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Patrick O'Reilly & Phil Albert [record release] / Sellers and Newel 2025-10-08 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Room to Dream ["improvisations with live shadow puppets"] (feat. The New Symphony Orchestra [Zack Goldstein/Christopher Jones/Maxwell Stover/Patrick O’Reilly/Grace Scheele/Annie Elgie/Ivana Leibeck-Hernandez]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-21 (Monday) [more info]

Colin Cutler (Sarah Greene) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-22 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Harley Card/Dan Fortin/Ethan Ardelli / Hirut 2025-07-22 (Tuesday). $15. [more info]

Josh Cole Quartet + Strings [Lina Allemano/John Oswald/Aline Homzy/Cherly Ockrant/Blake Howard/Josh Cole] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-22 (Tuesday). $15/notaflof. [FB event]

Summer Music on the Lawn (feat. Aline’s Étoile Magique) / Parkside Live at Redeemer Lutheran Church 2025-07-23 (Wednesday). $free, outdoors, all-ages. [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden: Baroque-Middle-Eastern-Cyberpunk (feat. John Kameel Farah) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-24 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Birthday Show + party (feat. NPNP / Prince Nifty / Not the Wind Not The Flag / Fantasy Academy / C'est le fête / Xicada) / Le Monde 2025-07-24 (Thursday) [more info]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Lina Tullgren & Thom Gill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-24 (Thursday) [more info]

All-Set! presents (feat. Mlle. Hill w/ Mme. Gill [Jake Oelrichs/Mike Smith/Tania Gill]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-25 (Friday – early)

Gentleman Reg feat. Kelly McMichael (Dave Bidini) / WEP Central 2025-07-25 (Friday). $22.60. [more info]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-25 (Friday). $pwyw. [FV event]

Madeleine Ertel & Friends [Madeleine Ertel/Karen Ng/Patrick O'Reilly/Ian Afif/Mateos Labbe-Phelan] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-26 (Saturday – early) [more info]

Greydini [Freakdini record release show!] (Black Walls of Silent Houses / Public Reptile / Colby Richardson) / The Doc Ellis (No-No Room) 2025-07-26 (Saturday). $13/pwyc. [more info]

Music for Many Psalteries [arranged improvisations for medieval zithers] (feat. Sympathetic String Band) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday – 1 p.m.) [FB event]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Fron Reilly / Joyce To / Nilan Perera) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $10/$15 advance, $20 at door.

---

It happened this week...

• ...on July 26, 2017 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).

Farewellwether 4 - Anthropologie

• ...on July 27, 2017 at Home Baking Co.

HUT - Old Lady

[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: Cosmic Homeostasis XXVIII

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XXVIII

Song: Cancel the Wedding [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), June 29, 2025.

Cosmic Homeostasis XXVIII - Cancel the Wedding [excerpt]

A fine summer afternoon saw a robust group of space-droners out to chill in some cosmic sounds. As usual, there was a mix of acoustic and electronic sounds, new faces and old.

The ensemble for this session included:

• Ian McPhedran - guitar, namer-of-things
• Sterling McPhedran - banjo-ukulele
• Dan Friedman - recorder, Organism 8, Skrewell, Crackle + Dust
• Mira Martin-Gray - vocals, tone generator, kazoo
• Zack Berwick - guitar
• Scott M2 - Roland S-1
• Grant Smales - Buddha Machine
• Andrew Finlay Stewart - violin, kalimba, pedals, celtic whistle, whistling
• Rob Cruickshank - electronics
• Broken Pink Umbrella - Intellijel Cascadia synthesizer
• Phil Johnston - tape + fx
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Ariadna Ortega - cello (#2 only)
• Patrick O'Reilly - Game Boy
• Dame Cook - laptop
• Del Stephen - synth, piano
• Heraclitus Akimbo - Roland S-1, Bastl Wizard, radio

As usual, both full sets are available over on bandcamp:

And as well, you can check out some the day's full proceedings over on youtube:

Recording: New Chance

Artist: New Chance

Songs: Twice Bitten + Something Human

Recorded at The Tranzac (Main Hall), June 14, 2025.

New Chance - Twice Bitten

New Chance - Something Human

A classic sort of album-release celebration, Vic Cheong launched the fab new A Rock Unsteady by bigging everything up — dramatic stage lighting and magnificent shoulder pads included — as well as bringing along many of the friends who helped make the album. Cheong's skills as a vocal arranger were in evidence (as heard on the first selection here) with astounding interweavings coming from Isla Craig, Robin Dann, and Felicity Williams, and there was room as well for some guest performances from saxophonist Brodie West as well as Jennifer Castle, who hung out in the shadows at the edge of the stage to embellish "Something Human".

Recording: Bile Sister

Artist: Bile Sister

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at The Tranzac (Main Hall), June 14, 2025.

Bile Sister - unknown

It'd been a stretch since I'd caught a performance from Julie Reich's long-running weird-pop project. Reich has been busy exploring "microtonal rock" and other theoretical advances but stepped right into a set that felt both like continuation and expansion of Bile Sister's past work. With bassist Chris Worden and a synthesist joining her in trio format, Reich sang with a new confidence in delivering some disco bangers, including an electro cover of "All I Have to Do is Dream" with special guest Zoë Alexis-Abrams as well as this Young Marble Giants-inflected number.

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

Monday Roundup #235

Concert announcements:

Room to Dream ["improvisations with live shadow puppets"] (feat. The New Symphony Orchestra [Zack Goldstein/Christopher Jones/Maxwell Stover/Patrick O’Reilly/Grace Scheele/Annie Elgie/Ivana Leibeck-Hernandez]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-21 (Monday) [more info]

Colin Cutler (Sarah Greene) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-22 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Summer Music on the Lawn (feat. Aline’s Étoile Magique) / Parkside Live at Redeemer Lutheran Church 2025-07-23 (Wednesday). $free, outdoors, all-ages. [more info]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Lina Tullgren & Thom Gill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-24 (Thursday) [more info]

All-Set! presents (feat. Mlle. Hill w/ Mme. Gill [Jake Oelrichs/Mike Smith/Tania Gill]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-25 (Friday – early)

Gentleman Reg feat. Kelly McMichael (Dave Bidini) / WEP Central 2025-07-25 (Friday). $22.60. [more info]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-25 (Friday). $pwyw. [FV event]

Greydini [Freakdini record release show!] (Black Walls of Silent Houses / Public Reptile / Colby Richardson) / The Doc Ellis (No-No Room) 2025-07-26 (Saturday). $13/pwyc. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Fron Reilly / Joyce To / Nilan Perera) / 918 Bathurst (Sun Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $10/$15 advance, $20 at door.

Mark Thackway/Andy Yue/Chris Cawthray/Michael Kaler / The Emmet Ray 2025-08-05 (Tuesday). $12. [FB event]

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

---

Shows this week:

Lina Allemano Four [Lina Allemano/Brodie West/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-07-13&14 (Sunday & Monday). $20. [FB event]

Los Bitchos (Etran de L'Aïr) / The Great Hall 2024-07-15 (Tuesday). $41.85, 19+. [FB event]

Music hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Germaine Liu / Rob Clutton & Karen Ng / Daniel Pencer / Mark Zurawinski) / Wenona Lodge 2025-07-15 (Tuesday) [more info]

Josh Cole presents (feat. Dun-Dun Band) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-15 (Tuesday) [FB event]

Garden of Magic [album release!] (Xicada / Aperçu) / Standard Time 2025-07-17 (Thursday). $free with rsvp. [more info]

More Noise Please! presents: An Evening of Harsh Noise & Industrial Beats (feat. Andrew Nolan / Delta Kane / Doctor Cement / Bobby Gadda) / BSMT254 2025-07-17 (Thursday). $17.31. [tickets + more info]

Spheres of Southworth (feat. John Southworth & The South Seas) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-18 (Friday – early)

Cola (Jane Inc.) / The Garrison 2024-07-18 (Friday). $31.51, 19+. [FB event]

Split Tape Release Show! (feat. Vagus / Density Creep / xodkaar / Important Hair & Without Feathers) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-07-18 (Friday). $10/pwyc. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 [Outside album release] / Fossils / Xodkaar x Auto Feeder / Battle Milk) / "ask for location" 2025-07-19 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

---

In the mix:

• New drone mix! Strange strings and others sounds, featuring tracks from India Gailey, ContaQt + Yaz Lancaster + Evan Ziporyn, Jessica Moss, Distant Fires Burning, Robert Humber, Sam Shalabi & Stefan Christoff, Aidan Baker, gschmidl, anthéne & simon mccorry, and lumena.

Recording: Mickle32 & Rod Campbell

Artist: Mickle32 & Rod Campbell

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination), June 13, 2025.

Mickle32 & Rod Campbell - [improvisation]

A poignant but celebratory chapter-closing season-ender at Audiopollination, with the community coming out to celebrate founding host Mike Lynn's last night at the helm. Lynn chose to close out the night by alongside someone who had played at the very first Audiopollination, the pair using all parts of their instruments to share a friendly moment of communication.

You can also check out the archived livestream from the night over on youtube:

[It's important to note that Audiopollination will continue, under enterprising new hands! In fact, the sign-up sheet for the fall run of shows (September through December) is already posted and starting to fill up, so now's the time to add yourself to the musical conversation!]

Recording: Heraclitus Akimbo/Swankey/Zhu

Artist: Heraclitus Akimbo/Laura Swankey/Judy Zhu

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination), June 13, 2025.

Heraclitus Akimbo/Laura Swankey/Judy Zhu - [excerpt]

A poignant but celebratory chapter-closing season-ender at Audiopollination, with the community coming out to celebrate founding host Mike Lynn's last night at the helm. Two sets of effected vocals here, tied together by some synths and tape loops.

You can also check out the archived livestream from the night over on youtube:

[It's important to note that Audiopollination will continue, under enterprising new hands! In fact, the sign-up sheet for the fall run of shows (September through December) is already posted and starting to fill up, so now's the time to add yourself to the musical conversation!]

[image snagged from the livestream]

Recording: o/Wiernik/Stephen

Artist: cheryl o/Neil Wiernik/Del Stephen

Song:

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination), June 13, 2025.

cheryl o/Neil Wiernik/Del Stephen - [excerpt]

A poignant but celebratory chapter-closing season-ender at Audiopollination, with the community coming out to celebrate founding host Mike Lynn's last night at the helm. Playing acoustically and without pedals this time out, cellist cheryl o was flanked by a pair of synthesists, even picking up her instrument to speak into the sound chamber.

You can also check out the archived livestream from the night over on youtube:

[It's important to note that Audiopollination will continue, under enterprising new hands! In fact, the sign-up sheet for the fall run of shows (September through December) is already posted and starting to fill up, so now's the time to add yourself to the musical conversation!]

Recording: Sait/Bailey/Close

Artist: David Sait/James Bailey/Eunoia Jean Close

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Audiopollination), June 13, 2025.

David Sait/James Bailey/Eunoia Jean Close - [excerpt]

A poignant but celebratory chapter-closing season-ender at Audiopollination, with the community coming out to celebrate founding host Mike Lynn's last night at the helm. The night opened with this excellent trio, with three different soundworlds (guzheng, suitcase o' percussion, and laptop granulation, respectively) mixing together really well.

You can also check out the archived livestream from the night over on youtube:

[It's important to note that Audiopollination will continue, under enterprising new hands! In fact, the sign-up sheet for the fall run of shows (September through December) is already posted and starting to fill up, so now's the time to add yourself to the musical conversation!]

Recording: Araz Salek & Friends

Artist: Araz Salek & Friends

Songs: Goshāyesh 11 & 15 + Chahārmezrāb

Recorded at The Tranzac (Main Hall), June 8, 2025.

Araz Salek & Friends - Goshāyesh 11 & 15

Araz Salek & Friends - Chahārmezrāb

This joyful party had a twofold purpose, not only celebrating a birthday for Araz Salek, but also serving to launch his new Peripheries of Nahavand album. To the latter end, an ensemble of friends from within and beyond the Labyrinth Ensemble played both pieces from the album as well as a couple tunes that helped inspire it. Lots of families and kids out enjoying the music and snackage, making for a charmingly casual time.

Recording: Prince Nifty & Colin Fisher

Artist: Prince Nifty & Colin Fisher

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Le Monde, June 7, 2025.

Prince Nifty & Colin Fisher - [excerpt]

Another living room-sized show that felt perfectly cozy at Le Monde, giving the artists time to stretch out and play an unrushed set where the music dictated the duration. A treat, as always to see Matt Smith (a.k.a. Prince Nifty) in action, here on percussion, laptop and treated vocals. He was joined by Colin Fisher, this time out on analog synth, lap steel (as heard in the extract here), tanpura, guitar and saxophone. Some really nice meditative stretches with the diversity of sounds embellishing the predominating droneform.

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

Monday Roundup #234

Community notes:

• The Tranzac is once again inviting artists, groups, curators, ensembles and organizations to apply for performance residencies for October 2025 to March 2026. Applications are open now until July 30th. More info here.

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Concert announcements:

Los Bitchos (Etran de L'Aïr) / The Great Hall 2024-07-15 (Tuesday). $$41.85, 19+. [FB event]

Garden of Magic [album release!] (Xicada / Aperçu) / Standard Time 2025-07-17 (Thursday). $free with rsvp. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 [Outside album release] / Fossils / Xodkaar x Auto Feeder / Battle Milk) / "ask for location" 2025-07-19 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Josh Cole Quartet + Strings [Lina Allemano/John Oswald/Aline Homzy/Cherly Ockrant/Blake Howard/Josh Cole] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-22 (Tuesday). $15/notaflof. [FB event]

Music for Many Psalteries [arranged improvisations for medieval zithers] (feat. Sympathetic String Band) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-07-27 (Sunday – 1 p.m.) [FB event]

catl. / Toronto Island Marina 2025-08-02 (Saturday). [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario presents Modal Music in the Parks (feat. Iranian Music Trio [Soheil Sadeghi/Sasan Salaseli/Mehrdad Jafari Raad]) / R.V. Burgess Park 2025-08-16 (Saturday – 12:30 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Labyrinth Ontario presents Modal Music in the Parks (feat. Gaitan Quartet [Ben Grossman/Chris Aston/Brenna MacCrimmon/Nick Ouroumov]) / R.V. Burgess Park 2025-08-16 (Saturday – 2:30 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Labyrinth Ontario presents Modal Music in the Parks (feat. Labyrinth Ensemble Trio [Roa Lee/Naoko Tsujita/Aysel Taghi-Zada]) / R.V. Burgess Park 2025-08-23 (Saturday – 12:30 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

Labyrinth Ontario presents Modal Music in the Parks (feat. Turkish Music Trio [Begum Boyanci/Ferhan Dogmusoz/Saghi Farsijani]) / R.V. Burgess Park 2025-08-23 (Saturday – 2:30 p.m.). $free, outdoors, all-ages + family-friendly. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Chris Banks Presents (feat. Cold Food [Chris Banks/Dafydd Hughes/Tim Shia]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-07 (Monday) [more info]

Brodie West Double Basses Quintet [Brodie West/Rob Clutton/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser wsg Chris Pruden] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-09 (Wednesday – early)

Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Adrian Russouw/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-09 (Wednesday)

Summer Music in the Garden: Songs of Birds and Love (feat. The Musicians of the Egg) ["a delightful program of music from the English and French Renaissance."] / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-10 (Thursday). $free, outdoors. [more info]

Kurt Newman & Nate Davis / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-07-10 (Thursday)

Canadian Music Centre presents Second Fridays (feat. Ben Rositsan and the Looking Glass One Million (Xo-Xo!) Ensemble / Marika Galea / Christine Duncan and The Element Choir) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2025-07-11 (Friday). $22.63 (general admission), $17.31 (student). [tickets + more info]

Musica Universalis (feat. Colin Fisher Quartet [Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Ben Dwyer/Spencer Cole]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-11 (Friday). $20/pwyw.

The Cluttertones [Memory of Light live concert recording] / Array Space 2025-07-12 (Saturday, two performances at 8:00 and 9:10 p.m.). $20 or pwyc. [FB event]

More Noise Please! & Coward Patrol Present: A Night of Ritualistic Performance & Frightening Frequencies (feat. Compactor / Mr Clarinet / Hysteria [Xicada x Xodkaar] / Splinter Hex / Woujoud) / St Stephens-In-The-Fields (Back Hall) 2025-07-12 (Saturday). $15, all ages. [FB event]

Kestrels (Fulfilment / Sundowner / Flake) / Monarch Tavern 2025-07-12 (Saturday). $20.95, 19+. [FB event]

Cool New Instruments Night #5 (feat. Hudson Kwantes/Brian Abbott/Joyce To/Brianna Maltais/Aida Khorsandi/Curran McConnell & Aidan McConnell/Michael Palumbo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-12 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Uma Nota Culture presents: Mixto Festival (feat. Bia Ferreira x Brasa / Empanadas Ilegales / Inkloosiv Voices / Moneka and Friends / Orbital Ensemble) / Trillium Park 2025-07-12&13 (Saturday & Sunday). $free, outdoors, family + pet friendly. [FB event]

Ayal Senior and Friends ["Ayal's on tour" edition with guest host Joe Strutt] (feat. anthéne / {AN} EeL / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-07-13 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Summer Music in the Garden presents Labyrinth Ontario: Wild Strings and Tuning Things (feat. Roa Lee/Aysel Taghi-Zada/Sasan Salaseli) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-13 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $free, outdoors. [FB event]

Lina Allemano Four [Lina Allemano/Brodie West/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser] / The Rex 2025-07-13&14 (Sunday & Monday). $20. [FB event]

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It happened this week...

• ...on July 10, 2010 at Queen's Park (Afrofest).

Dramane Kone - unknown

• ...on July 11, 2010 at Queen's Park (Afrofest).

Occidental Brothers Dance Band International with Samba Mapangala - unknown

[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: Cosmic Homeostasis

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis

Song: Open Tuning [excerpt]

Recorded at Karma Co-op's parking lot (Open Tuning Festival), June 7, 2025.

Cosmic Homeostasis - Open Tuning [excerpt]

Heading out from "home court" at The Tranzac, and cutting across the Annex all the way over to Seaton Village, the CH crew joined in as part of the small-scale/hyper-local Open Tuning Festival. As with any excursion like this, a few people were confused and hurried by, a few stopped to listen and the back lane filled up with some heat-shimmying oscillations.

The ensemble for this occasion consisted of:

• Dan Friedman - Bastl Kastle Drum, Korg NTS-1, harmonica
• Eric Cinnesealach - clarinet
• Rob Cruickshank - electronics
• Del Stephen - synthesizer
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Ian McPhedran - guitar
• Sterling McPhedran - banjo-ukulele
• Mira Martin-Gray - Bastl Kastle
• Heraclitus Akimbo - Roland S-1, accordion

You can also head the full set (in its field-recording glory) over on Bandcamp:

Recording: NO HAY BANDA

Artist: NO HAY BANDA

Song: Three Unisons for Four Voices [excerpt] [composer: Sarah Davachi]

Recorded at The Music Gallery, June 5, 2025.

NO HAY BANDA - Three Unisons for Four Voices [excerpt]

On a day with a smoke cloud settling over the city, menacing campfire smell in the air, the Music Gallery closed out their season with a couple groups bringing some amorphous and wafting sonic plumes. This Montréal chamber ensemble brought along Sarah Davachi's "canon of variable durations", presenting a constrained set of relatively simple material, stretched out and shared between shifting subsets of the larger group (violin and cello for strings, bass clarinet and trombone for winds, percussion and a rare ondes martenot sighting), slowly accreting into a fairly monumental swell. The piece's most daring formal element was then to climb back down from the peak with as much patience as it deployed in the buildup — elegant if slightly anticlimactic, but at its best this was an exercise in durational listening where the audience could really settle into and zone out.

Recording: HxH

Artist: HxH

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at The Music Gallery, June 5, 2025.

HxH - [excerpt]

On a day with a smoke cloud settling over the city, menacing campfire smell in the air, the Music Gallery closed out their season with a couple groups bringing some amorphous and wafting sonic plumes. This improvisatory electroacoustic duo of Lester St. Louis and Chris Williams saw them (mostly) set aside their customary instruments (cello and trumpet) to instead delve into electronic abstraction, shaping gentle noise skritchings into hovering electrical storms, before flipping into some beautiful ambient drift.