Monday Roundup #272

Concert announcements:

Maggie Keogh & Harry Bartlett / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-06 (Monday) [more info]

Peripheral Vision (Titanium Riot) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-07 (Tuesday) [more info]

Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Patrick O'Reilly/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-08 (Wednesday) [more info]

Paul Dutton: Celebration of Life and Tribute Performance / The Supermarket 2026-04-09 (Thursday). [more info]

Kurt Newman presents Post-Bluegrass Bluegrass (feat. Isla & The Sorry Brothers [Isla Craig/Karsten Stryker/Kurt Newman]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-04-09 (Thursday)

Second Fridays (feat. Cale Fladager’s Hypogeum [Cale Fladager/Harmeet Kaur Virdee/Lauchlin Wood/Jack Stockhill/Aidan Miller] / Jen Lo / Dun-Dundasa 80 [Craig Dunsmuir/Josh Cole/Mike Smith/Nick Storring]) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-04-10 (Friday). $10/pwyc. [more info]

Spanned Canyons (Geopatra / Turtle Pleasure) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-04-10 (Friday). $pwyc ($20 suggested). [FB event]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-12 (Sunday – 12 p.m.) [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Sympathetic String Band / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-12 (Sunday – 2:30) [FB event]

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. the clearing [Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner] / Happy Apple [Allison Cameron/Joe Strutt]) / Annette Studios 2025-04-12 (Sunday). $pwyc, snacks included. [more info]

Ladyfinger with special guests Jonathan Kay/Mark Zurawinski / The Emmet Ray 2026-04-16 (Thursday). $15.

Project Nowhere presents: Outer Space 2026 – Day 1 (feat. Suuns / Absolutely Free / Mother Tongues / Kali Horse / E-Prime / Crasher / Blue Light) / Lee's Palace/Dance Cave 2025-05-01 (Friday). $41.03/$52.67 (single day), $64.31 (weekend pass), 19+. [more info]

Project Nowhere presents: Outer Space 2026 – Day 2 (feat. Snooper / La Sécurité / Gloin / New Candys / Ancient Greece / Shrewd / Acid Tongue / Ooz / Computer / Ether Girls / Rosie Wyse) / Lee's Palace/Dance Cave 2025-05-02 (Saturday). $41.03/$52.67 (single day), $64.31 (weekend pass), 19+. [more info]

By Divine Right (Casper Skulls / The Will Powers) / Dina's Tavern 2026-05-22 (Friday)

Geordie Gordon [River Round release celebration] (José Contreras) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-05-27 (Wednesday)

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

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Shows this week:

Minta & The Brook Trout (Sarah Greene & Paul Kolinski / Justin Orok) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-30 (Monday) [FB event]

Harry Vetro and Friends [Harry Vetro/Harrison Argatoff/Alex Manoukas/Andrew Furlong] / The Emmet Ray 2026-03-30 (Monday). $15. [more info]

Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-31 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Milkweed / lostworldsounds) / BSMT254 2025-03-31 (Tuesday). $24.94, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Nick Fraser Presents (feat. Triio / Nick Fraser's Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-31 (Tuesday) [more info]

Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Nick Fraser/Alex Fournier] / The Rex 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 5 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]

Holy Oak Family Singers presents: Songs we wrote as teens (feat. Luka Kuplowsky/Thom Gill/Ella Coys/Stefana Fratila/Tiffany Wu/Sam Tudor/Heather Saumer/Ben Gunning/Mira Martin-Gray/Charles James/Kieran AdamsStephan Prickett/Caitlin Woelfe-O'Brien) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 7 p.m.). [more info]

Batuki Music Society and Small World Music present (feat. Kimi Djabaté / Daby Touré) / Small World Centre 2026-04-03 (Friday). $31.31, all-ages. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. The Specky Blokes / Toanche Dwelling) / The Jama 2026-04-03 (Friday). $15/$20. [tickets + more info]

Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro (Aidan Miller/Lauchlin Wood/Will Hunt) / Annette Studios 2026-04-04 (Saturday). $15, students $10. [more info]

Nick Fraser 50th Birthday Concerts (feat. Nick Fraser/Tony Malaby/Ben Monder) / The Rex 2026-04-04 (Saturday – 11 p.m.). $20. [more info]

Nick Fraser 50th Birthday Concerts (feat. Nick Fraser/Tony Malaby/Ben Monder) / The Rex 2026-04-05 (Sunday – 8 p.m.). $20. [more info]

Bloop! [Lina Allemano & Mike Smith] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-05 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on March 31, 2013 at Lee's Palace.

Chelsea Light Moving - Burroughs

• ...on April 3, 2013 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).

Body Help - 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: Eliza Niemi

Artist: Eliza Niemi

Songs: If My Songs Made You Cry + Dusty

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, March 1, 2026.

Eliza Niemi - If My Songs Made You Cry

Eliza Niemi - Dusty

A homecoming night from tour brought out a packed and attentive crowd. I was thankful for the latter as Niemi brings a wide dynamic range to her performances, from small, intimate confessions to rockin' outbursts. That duality was reflected in her two main performance modes — seated and playing cello and then standing to play bass. Here's one of each flavour.

Recording: Shep Treasure

Artist: Shep Treasure

Song: Tornado

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, March 1, 2026.

Shep Treasure - Tornado

Rochester's Shep Treasure made it to this side of the big lake to celebrate their new Blanket album. As a live unit, the band presented as a dual-guitar rockin' concern, suggesting an ongoing struggle against world-weariness.

Recording: Westelaken

Artist: Westelaken

Songs: Don't Think [Eliza Niemi cover] + Ozzy's Palace

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, March 1, 2026.

Westelaken - Don't Think

Westelaken - Ozzy's Palace

Westelaken is a band that I've been mostly admiring from afar. I recall seeing them play Long Winter back in 2019 when they were a new-ish concern, and I was impressed by their ramshackle momentum, everything just on the right side of completely falling apart. And then, after a couple years of there not being shows and a couple years of not seeing many "rock" shows, I've been limited to following their recorded output. I was glad to grab this chance to see them opening up this back-from-tour celebration for pal Eliza Niemi — their set included both sides of their let's-cover-each-other split single with her, with Niemi joining the band for vocals on "Pear Tree". The band has expanded in all kids of directions from their original shitkickin' roots-rock leanings, as the set-closing "Ozzy's Palace" amply demonstrates. An incredibly-assured slowcore masterpiece, the song is a little pocket-world you can settle right into. A waking dream, a vibe... like the wafting drifts of steam from your morning tea.

[Westelaken will be playing at St.Stephens-in-The-Fields on Sunday, April 19, helping to celebrate A Horse Named Friday's album release.]

Monday Roundup #271

Community notes:

• Mira Riselli's Solitary Shrew Residency is coming back to The Tranzac, and there is a Call for Performers in progress, all artistic disciplines welcome. "Solitary Shrew is a monthly residency at The Tranzac that features performances led by women and/or gender non-conforming artists." Check out the instagram for information on reaching out!

• Matt Nish-Lapidus (who's been covered on this blog in several different capacities) will be presenting a workshop at the Music Gallery entitled "Exploring Code as Music/Instrument in SuperCollider". "Matt will talk about the basics of coding: how to type your code, run it, and make simple sounds. During the first part of the workshop you will follow along with Matt and replicate coding building blocks in order to create and sequence an interesting synthesized sound. [...] This workshop is tailored for beginners, but can also give experienced Supercollider users some insights into the fundamentals of the language, and an opportunity to gather with like-minded artists and community members." It's taking place at InterAccess on Thursday (March 26th), and tickets are $10-$20 on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis. More info here.

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Movietown:

• I Am the Art, Annette Mangaard's feature documentary on Nobuo Kubota lands at Hot Docs for a screening on Sunday (March 29th). Word on the street is that some familiar musicians worked on the score, and there's bound to be some important and fascinating local music history on the screen. ($15, screening at 4 p.m.).

• Meanwhile, Grace Glowicki's film Dead Lover is opening at The Revue next week, "PRESENTED IN GLORIOUS STINK-O-VISION!". The trailer looks pretty wild! Screenings on the 3rd and 4th are special events with cast & crew in attendance. This gets a special note here because the film has the first-ever score by local faves U.S. Girls, including this fab jammer:

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Concert announcements:

Harry Vetro and Friends [Harry Vetro/Harrison Argatoff/Alex Manoukas/Andrew Furlong] / The Emmet Ray 2026-03-30 (Monday). $15. [more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Milkweed / lostworldsounds) / BSMT254 2025-03-31 (Tuesday). $24.94, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Nick Fraser/Alex Fournier] / The Rex 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 5 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]

Holy Oak Family Singers presents: Songs we wrote as teens (feat. Luka Kuplowsky/Thom Gill/Ella Coys/Stefana Fratila/Tiffany Wu/Sam Tudor/Heather Saumer/Ben Gunning/Mira Martin-Gray/Charles James/Kieran AdamsStephan Prickett/Caitlin Woelfe-o'Brien) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 7 p.m.). [more info]

B.A. Johnston (Sons of Butcher / Thunderkok) / The Baby G 2025-04-18 (Saturday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]

A Horse Named Friday (Penknife / Westelaken) / St.Stephens-in-the-fields 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20/pwyc, all-ages

Labyrinth Ontario with Efrén López / Array Space 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $50 (regular)/$45 (friends of the museum)/$37.50 (students and seniors)/$20 (limited rush tickets). [FB event]

TONE Presents (feat. Eric Chenaux & Ryan Driver / Rafael Toral / Masahiro Takahashi & Brodie West) / Standard Time 2025-05-14 (Thursday). $33.64 advance/$35 door, all-ages. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

bangs!bangs!bangs! (Woolworm, Ontario / Mammalian Body Plan) / Houndstooth 2026-03-23 (Monday). $PWYC ($10 suggested/NOTAFLOF). [more info]

No Octopus Dancing [Allison Cameron/Germaine Liu/Stephen Parkinson/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Today Versions presents (feat. Teething / Del Stephen) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday). $10. [more info]

Samantha Richter [Samantha Richter/Pat Lefler/Andrew O’brien/Ben Rositsan] (Elrichman [solo piano]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Charlotte Cornfield / Sonic Boom 2026-03-25 (Wednesday). $free, all-ages. [more info]

Rob Clutton & Josh Cole / Sellers & Newel 2025-03-25 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]

Brandon Davis's Stations Quartet [Brandon Davis/Patrick O'Reilly/Luan Phung/Germaine Liu] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-25 (Wednesday) [more info]

Karen Ng Presents: Lucky Vicky (feat. Kate Nankervis and Vic Cheong Create a Breathable Space / Nifty) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-26 (Thursday) [more info]

All-Set! Presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-27 (Friday – early). [more info]

GOON (Shaaane / Battle Milk) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-03-27 (Friday). $10. [more info]

Exit Points #70 (feat. Vee Ray/Nuha Yousuf/Sara Rose Caplan/Christopher Whitley/Michael Palumbo / Luan Phung/Chibu Victor/Stephen Acosta/Pierre Mongeon/Kimia Farokhzad) / Array Space 2026-03-27 (Friday). $22.89 (advanve)/$28.27 (general admission). [FB event]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-27 (Friday). $pwyw. [FB event]

people | places | records Residency (feat. Christopher Mayo with Grace Scheele/Andrew Noseworthy/Joseph Glaser/Liam Aldous / Emmanuel Lacopo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-28 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Imaginary North and The AMBiENT PiNG present Ambient Afternoon (feat. Ben McCarthy / Inchoate / Erica Whyte) / Society Clubhouse 2025-03-29 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $10 at the door, NOTAFLOF. fully accessible and family friendly. [FB event]

Cosmic Homeostasis XXXI / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc, all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]

Sympathetic String Band (ARTU) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on March 23, 2015 at The Emmet Ray.

Pendrith Trio - Mem

• ...on March 26, 2015 at Church of the Holy Trinity (Songs of Resilience).

The Queer Songbook Orchestra - Don't You Pay Them No Mind

[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: Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers

Artist: Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Brendan Swanson & Sid Eillers - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Brendan Swanson was on piano for his pieces, here joined by Sid Eillers, who created a stereophonic narrative with moving pronouncements from across the range of the dance floor.

Recording: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Artist: Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Kayla Milmine & Sid Eillers - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Closing out the night, this set saw Milmine dipping into her trove of extended techniques for soprano sax, with plastic tubing and bells making an appearance, while Eillers provided vocalizations and facial animations, ending the set curled up in Milmine's lap.

[Kayla Milmine will be busy with several shows coming up, but I'm especially keen on this just-announced Sonomadic Music show at Annette Studios on Sunday, April 12th. There will be sets from The Clearing (Kayla Milmine/Jonathan Kay/Nick Fraser/Marilyn Lerner) plus Happy Apple (Allison Cameron & Joe Strutt).]

Recording: New Chance & Rowan-Muriel

Artist: New Chance & Rowan-Muriel

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

New Chance & Rowan-Muriel - [excerpt]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

A bit of a throwback here, with Vic Cheong bringing out the trusty ol' DL4 to create some etherial vocal loops.

[New Chance will be guest-hosting Karen Ng's Tranzac residency on Thursday (March 26th) presenting the intruigingly-titled "Kate Nankervis and Vic Cheong Create a Breathable Space" alongside a performance from guest Nifty.]

Recording: Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence

Artist: Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence

Song: [improvisation]

Recorded at Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre (coexisDance #113), February 28, 2026.

Brandon Davis & Joel Lawrence - [improvisation]

The coexisDance series, which has been bringing together improvisers from Toronto's music and dance scenes for more than a decade, seems to have been thriving lately. Settled into Cabbagetown's CCDT, there's a proper floor and room to set up a large illuminated circle for the performances, musicians strewn around the perimemter and getting a chance to improvise with two different dance artists over the course of the evening. Raphael Roter has brought curatorial energy to the series, with a passion for bridging two vibrant communities that might not rub elbows enough. [Do note that these field recordings are, by necessity, "incomplete" without the dancers' physicality, but I think it's worth preserving this work from some excellent players in the community.]

Joel Lawrence flexed like a bow scraping at the strings while double bassist Brandon Davis brought a vibrant energy to his playing in this set.

[Brandon Davis will be leading his Stations Quartet (alongside Patrick O'Reilly, Luan Phung, and Germaine Liu) in The Southern Cross on Wednesday (March 25th).]

Recording: Rapallo

Artist: Rapallo

Song: Daryll's On The News

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, February 21, 2026.

Rapallo - Daryll's On The News

This Montréal group (nominally a duo of co-frontpersons Nick Lanyon and Kyla Jolene, but appearing live as a quintet) might have been making their Toronto debut with this show, but they had obviously been cultivating a vibrant online presence, as the packed-in, youthful crowd in attendance would attest to. The band's live presentation might have been a little slick (and older heads might have shaken their heads a little ruefully, thinking that The Magic were a decade and half ahead of their time) but there's no arguing with the enthusiasm their yacht rock-hewing jams (worthy, like this one, of a spot on an 80's movie soundtrack) brought out in the crowd.

Recording: Marker Starling

Artist: Marker Starling

Song: Diamond Violence

Recorded at Dina's Tavern, February 21, 2026.

Marker Starling - Diamond Violence

Some (such as myself) might have been attracted to this evening as a chance to see Chris Cummings perform some "melancholy party jams" backed by his full band, though as the night's opener, he was happy enough to act (in his words) as entertainment for the filling-in crowd while they perused the headliner's merch table. There was definitely an affinity with Rapallo's headlining yacht rock set, and the group presumably made some new converts. The only thing to be sad about for longtime Mantler-heards is that the catalogue is so deep now that there's no time to reach back and dust off the "classics" — with a couple new ones in the setlist, tracks like this from the group's next-to-most-recent album are already being given a retrospective cast.

Monday Roundup #270

Concert announcements:

bangs!bangs!bangs! (Woolworm, Ontario / Mammalian Body Plan) / Houndstooth 2026-03-23 (Monday). $PWYC ($10 suggested/NOTAFLOF). [more info]

No Octopus Dancing [Allison Cameron/Germaine Liu/Stephen Parkinson/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday – early) [more info]

Samantha Richter [Samantha Richter/Pat Lefler/Andrew O’brien/Ben Rositsan] (Elrichman [solo piano]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Brandon Davis's Stations Quartet [Brandon Davis/Patrick O'Reilly/Luan Phung/Germaine Liu] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-25 (Wednesday) [more info]

Karen Ng Presents: Lucky Vicky (feat. Kate Nankervis and Vic Cheong Create a Breathable Space / Nifty) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-26 (Thursday) [more info]

Sympathetic String Band (ARTU) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Minta & The Brook Trout (Sarah Greene & Paul Kolinski / Justin Orok) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-30 (Monday) [FB event]

Batuki Music Society and Small World Music present (feat. Kimi Djabaté / Daby Touré) / Small World Centre 2026-04-03 (Friday). $31.31, all-ages. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. The Specky Blokes / Toanche Dwelling) / The Jama 2026-04-03 (Friday). $15/$20. [tickets + more info]

Track Could Bend #115 (feat. Brian Abbott & Paul Newman / Ben Mike & Owen Kurtz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Riverrun [Tom Richards/Peter Lutek/Scott Peterson/Jake Oelrichs] / Reid's Distillery 2026-04-08 (Wednesday). $23.73 (advance)/$25 door. [FB event]

Labyrinth Ontario 2026 Fundraiser (feat. Iranian Folios of Dastgāh / Yahya Geylan & Canan Sezgin Geylan) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2026-04-09 (Thursday). $25 (or more with donation!), under 18 free. [FB event]

Jo Passed (Gift Idea / Sad Francis) / Dina's Tavern 2026-04-24 (Friday). $17.62 advance, $20 door. [tickets + more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. One Leg One Eye / Efrim Menuck) / St. Stephen-In-The-Fields 2025-05-13 (Wednesday). $26.67, all-ages. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Bill Harris (William Hunt) / Sellers & Newel 2026-03-16 (Monday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Thin Edge New Music Collective: Solitudes [15th anniversary celebration! 2026 season launch! Works for solo performer and electronics by Kaija Saariaho, Rebekah Cummings, Chiyoko Slavnics, Gayle Young, and Paolo Griffin] (feat. Amahl Arulanandam / Cheryl Duvall / Nathan Petitpas / Justin Massey) / Array Space 2026-03-17 (Tuesday). $20 (arts/seniors/students), $25 (regular). [more info]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Bill Harris/Colin Fisher/Karen Ng/Raf Wilcot / fossa/Bibibi) / Wenona Lodge 2025-03-17 (Tuesday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

Agnes [Rob Clutton/Bea Labikova/Mira Martin-Gray/Doug Tielli/Kevin Turcotte/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-17 (Tuesday). [more info]

Motorists [album release!] (Deadbeat Beat / Automania) / Dina's Tavern 2025-03-18 (Wednesday). $20, 19+. [more info]

The Daniel Easty Quartet [Daniel Easty/Brodie West/Harley Card/Chris Banks] / The Emmet Ray 2026-03-18 (Wednesday). $15. [more info]

Sub-Sessions #14 (feat. Nozma / Por Flavor / Shel Khan) / BSMT 254 2025-03-18 (Wednesday). $PWYC/$15 recommended. [FB event]

Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario presents Makam Nights (feat. Mariam Shakaa) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2025-03-19 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

More Noise Please! presents: Lose Yourself To Noise (feat. Jabe LeDoux / Woolworm / Bucket With Hole / NewTel / Brian Fog / Smoqeh / Mo:delic Arts) / BSMT 254 2026-03-19 (Thursday). $17.31/pwyc. [tickets + more info]

Mehdi Rostami / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-20 (Friday – early) [more info]

David Occhipinti & Christine Bougie / Sellers & Newel 2026-03-20 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

BPM (Big Percussion Meeting): Residency Finale (feat. Colby Richardson / Colin Fisher / Jabe Ledoux / Philippe Melanson / Rick Sacks / Stella Tago) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-20 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]

LAL & Unit 2 Present: A Practice of Love [album preview, single release, and film screening] (feat. LAL / Folke [EP launch]) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2026-03-21 (Saturday). $12 to $25 sliding scale at door, $17.31 advance [more info]

Story Time with Myk Freedman ["explor[ing] a long lost manuscript written by Myk's Romanian grandmother. [...] Excerpts from the manuscript will be read accompanied by an adventurous musical explorations of klezmer tunes from places where she lived"] (feat. Myk Freedman/Dave Clark/Rebecca Applebaum) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-21 (Saturday) [more info]

Cacophony: The Finale (feat. Dsouziate × cellsync / Erin Corbett × dorraa) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-22 (Sunday). $pwyc. [more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on March 21, 2014 at The Imperial Pub.

Astral Gunk - I'm Tryin' + Scrotum City

• ... on March 22, 2014 at The Tranzac (Main Hall) – "Continuous Events (clapping optional)".

Musica Reflecta - Arbitrage II [fragment recombination edit]

[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: Stover/Labbé-Phelan/Furlong/Ng

Artist: Max Stover/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/Andrew Furlong/Karen Ng

Song: [1st set, last section]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Music Hosted by Karen Ng), February 17, 2026.

Max Stover/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/Andrew Furlong/Karen Ng - [1st set, last section]

Excellent two-sax action here from Karen Ng and Max Stover, moving from a frenzied gallop to some quiet exchanges with Mateos Labbé-Phelan (drums) and Andrew Furlong (double bass) pushing/pulling along the way.

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

[Karen Ng will be hosting more music at Wenona on Tuesday (March 17th) where she'll be joined by visitor Bill Harris plus locals Colin Fisher and Raf Wilcot — plus an opening duo from fossa/Bibibi.]

Recording: Bad Baby and Mayme Joach

Artist: Bad Baby and Mayme Joach

Songs: That Musician That's Dead + The Highway Only Stretched its Violent Arm

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall, February 8, 2026.

Bad Baby and Mayme Joach - That Musician That's Dead

Bad Baby and Mayme Joach - The Highway Only Stretched its Violent Arm

Sometimes an alligator and sometimes a bad baby, the last time I saw Alex Lukashevsky playing his own songs, he was testing out some of the promising new material that ended up on last year's excellent OOOOH!, which saw his balladry take a jagged turn into the sort of forceful rock (or, "rock") that he hadn't surveyed as much since his Deep Dark United days.

Anyone expecting that sort of Beefheartian scatter at this show would be fully satisfied... but that didn't mean that there wasn't also room for some smoother textures, like the Joni Mitchell/Larry Klien vibes of the latter selection here. Both of those angles were tremendously supported by Charliecello Lukashevsky's bass work, flipping from postpunk jaggedness to faux-fretless languidity as required. (Aidan McConnell on the drumkit rounded out the trio, which sometimes appears in a more expansive lineup, as heard on the album.)

[Alex Lukashevsky and Mayme Joach are playing tonight (Wednesday, March 11th) at Drom.]

Recording: Colleen Coco Collins

Artist: Colleen Coco Collins

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall, February 8, 2026.

Colleen Coco Collins - unknown

This Nova Scotia-based poet's songs had a wordy chattiness that occasionally hinted at John K. Samson or the McGarrigle sisters, but were also tied more directly to the earth and the tides. Her keyboard was was enhanced by some rock flourishes from Will Kidman on electric guitar, keeping things lively.

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