Reflecting on what they might or might have been doing forty years ago to the day, this gathering nudged toward the long-held platonic desire to establish a quartet composed of two saxophones and two double basses. (One can argue whether Brodie West's additional deployment of clarinet muddied that purity of intention, though the sonic results were hard to argue with.)
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
The big event this week, of course, is the Music Gallery's annual X Avant festival. Shows are listed below, but you are urged to go to the MG website and get some deeper background on the newcomers and familiar faces that will be performing. Shows have pay-what-you-can-afford ticket options, so it's a friendly way to take a step into the unfamiliar.
Meanwhile, in other Music Gallery news, they have announced that applications are open for next year's residency program, which is very open-ended and approachable to performers of many styles/skill-sets. Claim your space!
Concert announcements:
Solo Flights: A Night Of Solo-Instrumental Music (feat. Lennox Campbell-Berzins / Vixu / James Atin-Godden) / Burdock Music Hall 2024-10-23 (Wednesday). $15 adv/$20 at the door. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat.S.H.I.T. [For A Better World record release] / Slash Need / Stigmatism / Hogtied) / Cafeteria 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $21.41-$28.52, 19+. [more info]
Track Could Bend #97 (feat. Marilyn + Apple / Darren Williams / Rebecca Bruton) / Wenona Lodge 2024-11-05 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Flora Yin-Wong / Colin Fisher) / Standard Time 2024-11-06 (Wednesday). $25.26, 19+. [more info]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
TEMOM: Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic / Handlebar 2024-10-14 (Monday)
Soundstreams' Encounters: Letters to God: P.S. I (don’t) believe in you (feat. Chris Pruden/Ky Brooks/Tara Kannangara) / Hugh’s Room 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $free with RSVP. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Synthesis (feat. Phew / C.G. De Minico / Charles Spearin) / Allan Gardens Children's Conservatory 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Diffuse [Exit Points takeover, You Are The Right Length release celebration and listening party with 12-channel surround sound listening experience] (feat. Michael Palumbo/Gayle Young/Zoma) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-16 (Wednesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 1 ["gestures of dance and performance"] (feat. Mossbelly) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday – 6 p.m.). $free/pwyc. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 2 (feat. Rafael Toral / Nyda Kwasowsky) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Refraction (feat. The Glass Orchestra / future proof / Michael Fawcett) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [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]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Xiu Xiu / Picastro) / The Velvet Underground 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $35.78, 19+. [more info]
Because it's been such a long time since seeing this merger-band in action, it's worth re-stating that it exists as a joint effort of No Angels Dancing (Allison Cameron and Stephen Parkinson) and Octopus (Germaine Liu and Mark Zurawinski). With the former's bric-a-brac flanked by the latter's floor-based percussion, the group offers spontaneously-ornate arrangements in small gestures transformed into quiet noise.
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
This Montréal singer-songwriter (joined by cellist Audréanne Fillion) managed to sneak in a surprise set while in town for another gig, sharing songs from their Selfhood album, perfectly-timed for the encroaching autumn.
[Ayal Senior & Friends is back at The Tranzac this Sunday afternoon (October 13th) with sets from Senior & Newman, Nick Flanagan, Nocturnes, and M.D.N.R.]
Making his return to the Ayal & Friends residency, Greydini brought some old standbys (like a VCR + projector to dig deep into the video nasties vault) and new tools (a GAIA synth plus a disembodied hand to trigger its motion sensor). And once more, the sounds in this setting were more exploring moods/zones than banging out pop nuggets — although this second of two longer pieces still qualifies as a banger.
You can check out some more from this set over on youtube:
[Ayal Senior & Friends is back at The Tranzac this Sunday afternoon (October 13th) with sets from Senior & Newman, Nick Flanagan, Nocturnes, and M.D.N.R.]
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
The Tranzac's Annual General Meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday, October 8th). It's hard to get much information about it because the Tranzac website is still in disarray. You should probably remember to renew your membership anyway.
Concert announcements:
TEMOM: Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic / Handlebar 2024-10-14 (Monday)
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Xiu Xiu / Picastro) / The Velvet Underground 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $35.78, 19+. [more info]
Behaviours: Into (feat. Zerone Duo / Kristina Guison) / Array Space 2024-10-24 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Batuki Music Society presents: Acoustic Africa (feat. Mis Blandine / IZimba Arts / Kofi Ackah / Fethi Nadjem / Maryem Tollar / Melat Mengesha / Donné Roberts / Tichaona Maredza / Abu Gebre / Nii Osabu / Ruth Mathiang / David John / Fasika / Tofik) / It’s OK* Studios 2024-10-25 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]
The Atom Chasers [Michael Kaler/Loren Davie/Chris Cawthray] / The Emmet Ray 2024-11-03 (Sunday – 4:30 p.m.). $10 with reservation/$15 without. [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Ava Mendoza / Fresh Snow) / Collective Arts 2024-11-03 (Sunday). $17.52, 19+. [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Extra Life / Oil Giant / Output 1:1:1) / The Baby G 2024-11-09 (Saturday). $19.78, 19+. [FB event]
Tkaronto Music Festival (feat. Tanya Tagaq / Evan Redsky / Kristi Lane Sinclair) / [corporate bank] Music Hall 2024-11-09 (Saturday). $30. [more info]
Perhaps Bells: New Piano Music by Bruce A. Russell (feat. junctQín keyboard collective) / Array Space 2024-11-16 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Playscape Emporium: Of dances and dreams (feat. Angela Blumberg Dance / Teething / Adrian Berry) / Array Space 2024-12-19 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
New Encounters ["new works and arrangements by Maria-Eduarda Mendez Martins, Pouya Hamidi, Morgan-Paige Melbourne, and Eldritch Priest"] (feat. Array Ensemble) / Array Space 2025-02-01 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Behaviours: Data (feat. Anando Gabo / Marelena Pellegrino / Technology of Creative Consciousness) / Array Space 2025-03-13 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Playscape Emporium: Arcade-palooza (feat. Render File / Jason Leaver PuzzSoft) / Array Space 2024-05-15 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Duo Cichorium's People Soup: Witch's Brew (feat. Andrew Noseworthy / Trevor Flemings / Duo Cichorium) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-08 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]
Mdou Moctar (The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis) / The Concert Hall 2024-10-09 (Wednesday). $42.24, 19+. [FB event]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Synthesis (feat. Phew / C.G. De Minico / Charles Spearin) / Allan Gardens Children's Conservatory 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Diffuse [Exit Points takeover, You Are The Right Length release celebration and listening party with 12-channel surround sound listening experience] (feat. Michael Palumbo/Gayle Young/Zoma) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-16 (Wednesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 1 ["gestures of dance and performance"] (feat. Mossbelly) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday – 6 p.m.). $free/pwyc. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 2 (feat. Rafael Toral / Nyda Kwasowsky ) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Unravel (feat. Hieroglyphic Being / Juanito / Lj's Geen Galena) / The Bridge 2024-10-18 (Friday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Refraction (feat. The Glass Orchestra / future proof / Michael Fawcett ) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
Death to T.O #12 [legendary Halloween weekend live covers show & party, a 2-stage gala featuring live covers of Aerosmith, Björk, Devo, Fleetwood Mac, Hall & Oates, Hole, Madonna, Nelly Furtado, Oasis, Sarah Mclachlan, Sonic Youth, Type O Negative] (feat. Dilettante, Essie Watts, Kali Horse, Miserable Weekend, Palm Sander, Paste, Praises, Rapport, Robinson Kirby, Secret Sign/Shiv & The Carvers, Vallens/Breeze, Wild Black) / Lee's Palace + The Cave 2024-10-26 (Saturday). $23.50, 19+. [FB event]
Mira Martin-Gray and Niamh Girling present CLUE NOTE ["a new monthly series that's part trivia night and part creative music concert"] (feat. Allison Cameron/Niamh Girling/Mira Martin-Gray/Olivia Shortt [performing Mira Martin-Gray's freaky drone jazz composition "ii-V-I ∞"]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-29 (Tuesday – early). $10 suggested /pwyc. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Justin Orok Presents: The Songs of Luka Kuplowsky (feat. To Gather String/Racha Moukalled/Ben Rositsan/Aidan McConnell/Justin Orok) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-01 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc
Track Could Bend #96 (feat. Josh Cole + Mira Martin-Gray / Laura Swankey/Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt) / Wenona Lodge 2024-10-01 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Sanctuary Drone ["an unofficial Nuit Blanche happening / a night of ambient drone experimentation"] (feat. DRONE:KLUB / Cosmic Homeostasis / Spectrum Soundbath) / Trinity-St.Paul's Centre 2024-10-05 (Saturday – 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.). $free. [FB event]
Project Nowhere presents (feat. Eliza Niemi / N Nao / Blue Light) / The Baby G 2024-10-05 (Saturday). $20.66, 19+. [FB event]
New Music Concerts Presents: Gay Guerrilla (The Legacy of Julius Eastman) [works by Julia Wolfe, Philippe Leroux, Julius Eastman] (feat. Architek Percussion with Daniel Añez + Pamela Reimer) / St. George by the Grange Anglican Church 2024-10-05 (Saturday). $35, $30 (arts workers, seniors), $20 (students). [more info]
Amrita [Anita Katakkar/Kayla Milmine with special guest Jonathan Kay] / Drom Taberna 2024-10-06 (Sunday – 5:30 p.m.) [FB event]
Bandcamp corner:
Bandcamp Friday coming 'round again this week! Here's a couple things I'll be grabbing. The Exit Points album is a special vinyl release — check out details of the release party during X Avant listed above!
Plenty of pleasurable sounds in the mostly-ambient improvised explorations from this quartet composed of Danny Sheahan (electronics), Matthew Nguyen (bass), Nicholas Cooper (clarinet), and Samiul Samin (guitar). All were equipped with plenty of pedals, processing and digitizing their sounds, although there was enough space left in to keep things from ever getting cluttered.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona next Tuesday (October 1st) with sets from Josh Cole + Mira Martin-Gray and Laura Swankey/Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt.]
This expanded/all-star edition of cellist Cory Harper-Latkovich's Jelly Ear project saw him joined by Kurt Newman (guitar), Allison Cameron (banjolele, melodica, synth), Sara Constant (flutes) as well as Germaine Liu and Yang Chen (percussion). It was the latter pair, with rocks and other percussive implements spread around them on the floor (à la The Titillators) that gave this a slightly different cast to the medieval (and new-but-medieval-sounding) pieces the group played, adding scrapes and other gentle clatter to mildly decenter the stately proceedings. This night was a bit of a farewell party as well, with Harper-Latkovich heading off to delve deeper into compositional studies in early music, so new/old wrinkles are sure to arise next time an ensemble like this is assembled.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona next Tuesday (October 1st) with sets from Josh Cole + Mira Martin-Gray and Laura Swankey/Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt.]
*It's not impossible that this is the end of one piece going into another. Does anyone know the title(s)? Please leave a comment!
Music Improvisation with Allison Cameron: a new series of free last-Monday-of-the-month workshops is coming up at Array with instalments on September 30th, October 28th, and November 25th. "This workshop is free, inclusive and respectful of everyone. Our approach is to have participants examine the instruments at their disposal, and use the responses to their search for sounds as points of departure for group improvisation in a creative, relaxed and non-judgmental environment." Curious folks should take advantage of this excellent community resource!
Concert announcements:
Sanctuary Drone ["an unofficial Nuit Blanche happening / a night of ambient drone experimentation"] (feat. DRONE:KLUB / Cosmic Homeostasis / Spectrum Soundbath) / Trinity-St.Paul's Centre 2024-10-05 (Saturday – 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.). $free. [FB event]
Amrita [Kayla Milmine/Anita Katakkar with special guest Isaiah Naveed Farahbakhsh] / Drom Taberna 2024-10-06 (Sunday – 5:30 p.m.)
Audiopollination (feat. Jamie Eriksen/Dave Nelson/Jenna Geen aka moonwatcher / yasmine/marilyn /sxrej / Janel/Holger School/Dame Cook) / Array Space 2024-10-11 (Friday). $10 (cash or card) or PWYC. [FB event]
Soundstreams' Encounters: Letters to God: P.S. I (don’t) believe in you (feat. Chris Pruden/Ky Brooks/Tara Kannangara) / Hugh’s Room 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $free with RSVP. [more info]
Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi / Aga Khan Museum 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $40 ($36 Friends of Aga Khan Museum / $30 Students and Seniors). [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Haley Fohr [a.k.a.Circuit Des Yeux] & Bill Nace) / Standard Time 2024-11-11 (Monday). $22.89, all ages. [more info]
Freesound Presents: Music for Piano Quartet II [works by Georgia Denham, Michael Oesterle, Laure M. Hiendl] (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Matthew Antal/Amahl Arulanandam/Wesley Shen) / Array Space 2024-11-15 (Friday). $22.63. [more info]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Wendy Eisenberg's Viewfinder / Bernice / Pete Johnston's Stranger Still) / Collective Arts 2024-11-17 (Sunday). $tba. [more info]
Freesound Presents: Music for Solo Instruments (feat. Michael Murphy / Amahl Arulanandam / Matti Pulkki) / Array Space 2025-03-20 (Thursday). $22.63. [more info]
Freesound Presents: Violin // Trumpet // Melodica [featuring new work by Martin Arnold] (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Émilie Fortin/Martin Arnold) / Array Space 2025-06-28 (Saturday). $22.63. [more info]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Solitary Shrew (feat. laika berdey / Joe Sobara/Allison Cameron/Mira Riselli) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-24 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc ($10 suggested). [more info]
Lori Freedman [solo] (Trio Davidson Ng Freedman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-24 (Tuesday) [more info]
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]
Exit Points #53 (feat. Ray Sun/Rick Sacks/Anne Amores/James Pugliese/Daniel Ramjattan / Dave Clark/abby silvera/Cheryl Duvall/Patrick O'Reilly/Veda Hingert-McDonald/ Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-09-27 (Friday). $15 (early bird) / $20 (advance) / $25 (door). [FB event]
Raphael Weinroth-Browne / Burdock Music Hall 2024-09-27 (Friday). $20. [FB event]
Continuum & Quatuor Bozzini [performing works by Martin Smolka, Cassandra Miller, Tanya Tagaq, Linda Catlin Smith, Laurence Crane] / St. George by the Grange Anglican Church 2024-09-27 (Friday). $20 (advance), $25 (door). [more info]
The Ryan Driver Quintet With Thom Gill as Ryan Driver [Thom Gill/Martin Arnold/Rob Clutton/Brodie West/Blake Howard] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-27 (Friday) [FB event]
Kensington Market Jazz Festival (feat. Maria and The Band / Forro For All) / Bellevue Square Park Stage 2024-09-28 (Saturday – 6 p.m.). $free. [more info]
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 – "the UFO" (feat. Ecotone Orchestra / Colin Fisher / Important Hair / xodkaar / Kurt Newman / Hit Play) / "location details will be revealed day-of" 2024-09-28 (Saturday). $pwyc, outdoors. [more info]
Cowbird Composer Collective Meta Residency: Final Show – Science Fiction Piano Works ["members of the collective wrote pieces for piano purposely designed to be too difficult for humans to perform - impossible rhythms and gestures, poly-tempo, and other madness. The computer-realized pieces will be accompanied by beautiful, improvised animation by Meghan Cheng. Accompanying the unplayable pieces will be difficult, yet playable piano pieces written for humans"] (feat. Dana Baitz / Robert Kingsbury) / Array Space 2024-09-28 (Saturday). $10/pwyc. [FB event]
Kudoes to the Bloor Annex BIA for animating the corner of Bloor and Brunswick this summer with their specially-constructed bucker stage — and special kudos to booker Sarah Greene who brought some variety to the space, including an unexpected turn from this drone ensemble. Often found down the street at The Tranzac, the group has played outside before, but a busy street corner is rather a different thing than a peaceful park. Here, cars passing by (and occasional planes from the airshow roaring past overhead) gave more of a gritty backdrop to the proceedings, but the assembled players still managed to embroider some fitting sounds into the landscape.
You can hear some extended edits from the day's field recordings over at Bandcamp. Three recorders in play capturing this action, so most of the instruments are audible. Did some work to trim out the worst of the wind-on-mics sounds:
[Cosmic Homeostasis will be bringing their regular fifth-Sunday-of-the-month gathering to The Tranzac on Sunday, September 29th. Also, stay tuned for an announcement of an exciting unoffical Nuit Blanche event!]
The next Frequency Freaks synth workshop will be held at Array Space on Saturday (September 21st). "As always, everyone is invited to perform regardless of their level of expertise. We are a safe and welcoming space ideal for first time performers. Bring your favourite instrument to play or present, or just come to enjoy the performances and the community."
Concert announcements:
Lori Freedman [solo] (Trio Davidson Ng Freedman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-24 (Tuesday) [more info]
Raphael Weinroth-Browne / Burdock Music Hall 2024-09-27 (Friday). $20. [FB event]
Continuum & Quatuor Bozzini [performing works by Martin Smolka, Cassandra Miller, Tanya Tagaq, Linda Catlin Smith, Laurence Crane] / St. George by the Grange Anglican Church 2024-09-27 (Friday). $20 (advance), $25 (door). [more info]
Ancient Egypt [Climb Every Mountain record release] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-29 (Sunday) [FB event]
Track Could Bend #96 (feat. Josh Cole + Mira Martin-Gray / Laura Swankey/Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt) / Wenona Lodge 2024-10-01 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Mdou Moctar (The Messthetics & James Brandon Lewis) / The Concert Hall 2024-10-09 (Wednesday). $42.24, 19+. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Mike Donovan (New Orthodox / The JDAC) / The Baby G 2024-09-16 (Monday). $23.57 advance, 19+. [FB event]
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 – "the stadium" (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Louis Pino / Em Wright / Owen Kurtz) / "location details will be revealed day-of" 2024-09-19 (Thursday). $pwyc, outdoors. [more info]
Nilan Perera's second (and final!) record sale pop-up is happening in The Tranzac's Living Room this Sunday (September 15th) from noon 'til 4:40. Come dig for some sounds, hang out, have a beer, maybe hear a story or two.
The Music Gallery has reminded us all to block off October 15th to the 19th on our calendars for X Avant XIX: TeXture. Lineup accouncement coming soon!
Concert announcements:
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 – "the stadium" (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Louis Pino / Em Wright / Owen Kurtz) / "location details will be revealed day-of" 2024-09-19 (Thursday). $pwyc, outdoors. [more info]
Exit Points #53 (feat. Ray Sun/Rick Sacks/Anne Amores/James Pugliese/Daniel Ramjattan / Dave Clark/abby silvera/Cheryl Duvall/Patrick O'Reilly/Veda Hingert-McDonald/ Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-09-27 (Friday). $15 (early bird) / $20 (advance) / $25 (door). [FB event]
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 – "the UFO" (feat. Ecotone Orchestra / Colin Fisher / Important Hair / xodkaar / Kurt Newman / Hit Play) / "location details will be revealed day-of" 2024-09-28 (Saturday). $pwyc, outdoors. [more info]
Ben Gunning (Marc Couroux / New Chance) / Burdock Music Hall 2024-09-12 (Thursday). $15. [more info]
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]
Musica Universalis (feat. C'est la fête [William Hunt/Adrian Russouw/Mateos Labbe-Phelan/Maxwell Cecil Stover with Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-09-13 (Friday). $pwyc/$10 suggested donation
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]
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 – "forest" (feat. Nevada-Jane Arlow & Adrian Russouw / Gladys / Dame Cook / Wilderness Adventure Ride) / "location details will be revealed day-of" 2024-09-14 (Saturday). $pwyc, outdoors. [more info]
Duff Thompson and Steph Green (Curtis Bowman) / Monarch Tavern 2024-09-14 (Saturday). $17.50, 19+. [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]
Live in the Library: Gayageum Performance (feat. Roa Lee) / Parkdale Library 2024-09-27 (Friday). $free. [FB event]
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
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]
Do note that after taking off the summer months as usual, Bandcamp Friday returns this week — so if you've been holding off buying stuff in hopes of getting a bit nmore money to the artists now is your time! Here's a couple things from my list:
Video hits:
Here's some documentation from a couple shows I would have liked to have gone to, in ornate/hi-fi and wiggy/lo-fi flavours:
It happened this week...
...on September 5, 2014 at Array Space (Music Gallery's "Departures" series).
Further refinements to the latest additions to the songbook in this duo set, this time with Kurt Newman on electric six-string.
[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to the Southern Cross with performances by Senior & Newman, Greydini, Nick Flanagan and an unnamed "special guest" next Sunday (September 8th).]
Founded as a blog about one curmudgeon's love affair with the em dash, Mechanical Forest Sound has grown to become a community-based archive of local musical culture. Assuming that "independent music" isn't just boys with guitars and "culture" isn't just some sort of pageant, MFS is an investigation of a wide range of artists, reflecting on concerts as shared experiences, acts of citizenship and a chance to get down — fuzzy photographs and clear-sounding original live recordings a specialty.
Current manifestations of this project include Track Could Bend, a monthly concert series featuring "improvised music and weird rock offshoots", presented in a casual environment.
At one point I wrote full-on concert reviews, and for longer I thought I would catch up and write about shows in the past. But these days, because of, y'know, life, do not expect much in the way of full show reviews — but live recordings with blurbs will be posted as quickly after the fact as is feasible.
You can also check out full sets uploaded to the Live Music Archive. [not currently active]
N.B.: All recordings should be available & playable. If you come across any broken links, invisible or non-functioning players, etc, please leave a comment and I will tend to it ASAP.
ALSO N.B.: I'm perpetually on the lookout for a new place to stash my MP3's online. If you know of any place that allows a couple gigs of stuff to be openly linked to for streaming, drop me a line!
All MP3's on this blog are audience recordings shared as a reminder of the excitement of seeing live music. If you are an artist who doesn't want their music shared in this way, please contact me and I shall remove it forthwith.
If you're so inclined, you can also follow me on Twitter: @TowerofBabbling
Upcoming Gigs
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
TEMOM: Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic / Handlebar 2024-10-14 (Monday)
Soundstreams' Encounters: Letters to God: P.S. I (don’t) believe in you (feat. Chris Pruden/Ky Brooks/Tara Kannangara) / Hugh’s Room 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $free with RSVP. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Synthesis (feat. Phew / C.G. De Minico / Charles Spearin) / Allan Gardens Children's Conservatory 2024-10-15 (Tuesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Diffuse [Exit Points takeover, You Are The Right Length release celebration and listening party with 12-channel surround sound listening experience] (feat. Michael Palumbo/Gayle Young/Zoma) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-16 (Wednesday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 1 ["gestures of dance and performance"] (feat. Mossbelly) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday – 6 p.m.). $free/pwyc. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Weave / Part 2 (feat. Rafael Toral / Nyda Kwasowsky) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-17 (Thursday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [more info]
X Avant XIX: Texture: Refraction (feat. The Glass Orchestra / future proof / Michael Fawcett ) / The Music Gallery 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $10 (MG Members), $15/$20/$25 PWYCA. [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]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Xiu Xiu / Picastro) / The Velvet Underground 2024-10-19 (Saturday). $35.78, 19+. [more info]
Solo Flights: A Night Of Solo-Instrumental Music (feat. Lennox Campbell-Berzins / Vixu / James Atin-Godden) / Burdock Music Hall 2024-10-23 (Wednesday). $15 adv/$20 at the door. [FB event]
Behaviours: Into (feat. Zerone Duo / Kristina Guison) / Array Space 2024-10-24 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Exit Points #54 (feat. Chris Pruden/Yeonggi Baik/Nano Valverde/Belinda Corpus/Mania Moné Mania / Anda Zeng/Donald Quan/Yaz Lancaster/George Koller/Michael Palumbo / Switchemups!) / Array Space 2024-10-25 (Friday). $15-$25. [FB event]
BA Johnston (Wax Mannequin / Block Parent) / Bovine Sex Club 2024-10-25 (Friday). $17.31. [FB event]
Batuki Music Society presents: Acoustic Africa (feat. Mis Blandine / IZimba Arts / Kofi Ackah / Fethi Nadjem / Maryem Tollar / Melat Mengesha / Donné Roberts / Tichaona Maredza / Abu Gebre / Nii Osabu / Ruth Mathiang / David John / Fasika / Tofik) / It’s OK* Studios 2024-10-25 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]
Death to T.O #12 [legendary Halloween weekend live covers show & party, a 2-stage gala featuring live covers of Aerosmith, Björk, Devo, Fleetwood Mac, Hall & Oates, Hole, Madonna, Nelly Furtado, Oasis, Sarah McLachlan, Sonic Youth, Type O Negative] (feat. Dilettante, Essie Watts, Kali Horse, Miserable Weekend, Palm Sander, Paste, Praises, Rapport, Robinson Kirby, Secret Sign/Shiv & The Carvers, Vallens/Breeze, Wild Black) / Lee's Palace + The Cave 2024-10-26 (Saturday). $23.50, 19+. [FB event]
Odd Shaped Rhythms: Macedonian Village Music (feat. Nicolo Ouroumov/Brenna MacCrimmon/Chris Aston/Ben Grossman) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-27 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]
Mira Martin-Gray and Niamh Girling present CLUE NOTE ["a new monthly series that's part trivia night and part creative music concert"] (feat. Allison Cameron/Niamh Girling/Mira Martin-Gray/Olivia Shortt [performing Mira Martin-Gray's freaky drone jazz composition "ii-V-I ∞"]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-10-29 (Tuesday – early). $10 suggested /pwyc. [FB event]
Labyrinth Ensemble with Maliheh Moradi / Aga Khan Museum 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $40 ($36 Friends of Aga Khan Museum / $30 Students and Seniors). [FB event]
Ace Of Wands (Not A Band / Waxlimbs) / The Baby G 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $23.57, 19+. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat.S.H.I.T. [For A Better World record release] / Slash Need / Stigmatism / Hogtied) / Cafeteria 2024-11-02 (Saturday). $21.41-$28.52, 19+. [more info]
The Atom Chasers [Michael Kaler/Loren Davie/Chris Cawthray] / The Emmet Ray 2024-11-03 (Sunday – 4:30 p.m.). $10 with reservation/$15 without. [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Ava Mendoza / Fresh Snow) / Collective Arts 2024-11-03 (Sunday). $17.52, 19+. [FB event]
Track Could Bend #97 (feat. Marilyn + Apple / Darren Williams / Rebecca Bruton) / Wenona Lodge 2024-11-05 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Flora Yin-Wong / Colin Fisher) / Standard Time 2024-11-06 (Wednesday). $25.26, 19+. [more info]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Extra Life / Oil Giant / Output 1:1:1) / The Baby G 2024-11-09 (Saturday). $19.78, 19+. [FB event]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Haley Fohr [a.k.a.Circuit Des Yeux] & Bill Nace) / Standard Time 2024-11-11 (Monday). $22.89, all ages. [more info]
The Max Donaldson Trio [Max Donaldson/Ian Afif/Mateos Labbe-Phelan] / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-15 (Friday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]
Freesound Presents: Music for Piano Quartet II [works by Georgia Denham, Michael Oesterle, Laure M. Hiendl] (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Matthew Antal/Amahl Arulanandam/Wesley Shen) / Array Space 2024-11-15 (Friday). $22.63. [more info]
Perhaps Bells: New Piano Music by Bruce A. Russell (feat. junctQín keyboard collective) / Array Space 2024-11-16 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Graham Nicholas & Shawn William Clarke with Mike T. Kerr / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-16 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Wendy Eisenberg's Viewfinder / Bernice / Pete Johnston's Stranger Still) / Collective Arts 2024-11-17 (Sunday). $tba. [more info]
Andy Haas & Mike Milligan (Max Donaldson) / Sellers & Newel 2024-11-24 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Of dances and dreams (feat. Angela Blumberg Dance / Teething / Adrian Berry) / Array Space 2024-12-19 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
New Encounters ["new works and arrangements by Maria-Eduarda Mendez Martins, Pouya Hamidi, Morgan-Paige Melbourne, and Eldritch Priest"] (feat. Array Ensemble) / Array Space 2025-02-01 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Behaviours: Data (feat. Anando Gabo / Marelena Pellegrino / Technology of Creative Consciousness) / Array Space 2025-03-13 (Thursday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Freesound Presents: Music for Solo Instruments (feat. Michael Murphy / Amahl Arulanandam / Matti Pulkki) / Array Space 2025-03-20 (Thursday). $22.63. [more info]
Playscape Emporium: Arcade-palooza (feat. Render File / Jason Leaver PuzzSoft) / Array Space 2024-05-15 (Saturday). $20.00 (or Pay What You Wish) / Livestream: $10.00 (or Pay What You Wish). [more info]
Freesound Presents: Violin // Trumpet // Melodica [featuring new work by Martin Arnold] (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Émilie Fortin/Martin Arnold) / Array Space 2025-06-28 (Saturday). $22.63. [more info]
Track Could Bend #87 (feat. SOUP/ Panties / battle milk) / Wenona Lodge 2024-01-02 (Tuesday)
Swanherds [rebecca bruton solo] (Kurt Newman) / 918 Bathurst – The Sun Room 2024-01-23 (Tuesday)
Track Could Bend #88 (feat. Écureuil / Garden of Magic) / Wenona Lodge 2024-02-06 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Eiyn Sof / Colin Fisher / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2024-02-11 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #89 (feat. mutepack / Piers Oolvai) / Wenona Lodge 2022-03-05 (Tuesday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 2 (feat. Grace Scheele / MOCH / Mali Obomsawin) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-09 (Saturday)
Women From Space Festival: Night 3 (feat. Anh Phung/chiquitamagic/Emjay Wright / Val Jeanty & Nickeshia Garrick / Matana Roberts/Germaine Liu/Nicole Rampersaud) / 918 Bathurst 2024-03-10 (Sunday)
Faster Presents: Juice?$#%* (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)
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)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip 2024 (feat. Brian Ruryk & %%30%30 / Louis Pino / Em Wright / Owen Kurtz) / Bickford Park "Stadium" 2024-09-19 (Thursday)
Posts
