Monday Roundup #285

Community notes:

• Hear is a new newsletter on Substack digging deep into "An oral history of experimental sound in Toronto and beyond". It's brought to you by Kristina Guison, Mehrnaz Rohbakhsh and Colin Cudmore, all excellent listeners frequently seen at cool shows. The first edition sits down with Tad Michalak, and lives up to its billing of "long-form interviews". Fascinated to see what else is going to follow from its promise to hang out "people involved in all facets of experimental sounds in Toronto — artists, presenters, journalists, audience members, etc." (full disclosure: I have been interviewed by the team, so that's one thing that's in the hopper; I'd be enthusiastic about this kind of historical sharing in any case, of course!)

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Concert announcements:

a fourth space [Adrian Russouw/Mattaus Gretzinger/Dipo Adeola/Ariq Rahman] / The Emmet Ray 2026-07-06 (Monday). $15. [more info]

Partitions illimitées / Unlimited Scores (feat. Julie Lassonde/Yang Chen/James Knott/Leena Raudvee) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-07 (Tuesday – early). $PWYC (suggested $10-$20). [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Alex Lukashevsky and Mayme Joach) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-09 (Thursday). $free, outdoors, all ages + family-friendly. [more info]

Free Improvisation Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Brodie West/Ryan Driver) / Water to Wine 2026-07-09 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Bob Wiseman / Sellers and Newel 2025-07-10 (Friday). $30 minimum donation. [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Labyrinth Ensemble) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-19 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, all ages + family-friendly. [more info]

Abacus Cornet Quartet [playing compositions by Paul Motian] [Colin James Gibson/Ryan Kinney/Jonny Luke/Steve Vincent] / The Emmet Ray 2025-07-22 (Wednesday). $15. [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden ["a program of 16th and 17th century music"] (feat. Arparla and Elixir Baroque Ensemble) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-07-30 (Thursday). $free, outdoors, all ages + family-friendly. [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden (feat. Tara Kannangara and Chris Pruden) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-08-09 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, all ages + family-friendly. [more info]

Summer Music in the Garden: Persian Psychedelia (feat. Neda Mohamadpour with Chris Pruden/Caleb Klager/Mack Longpre) / Toronto Music Garden 2025-08-20 (Thursday). $free, outdoors, all ages + family-friendly. [more info]

Andrew Downing & Dan Pitt / Sellers and Newel 2025-09-17 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Maggie Keogh/Ryan Driver/Max Donaldson/Blake Howard / Sellers and Newel 2025-09-27 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Jane Siberry / Sellers and Newel 2025-09-30 (Wednesday). $35 minimum donation. [more info]

Diane Roblin/Rob Clutton/Mark Zurawinski / Sellers and Newel 2025-10-09 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. Dorky & Best [Germaine Liu & co.] / The Wrinkles Experiment [conducted improvisation led by Kayla Milmine]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-29 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Solitary Shrew (feat. Ella Güdel / Sweet Osmanthus) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-30 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc ($10 suggested). [more info]

The Cluttertones [Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Tim Posgate] / Wenona Lodge 2026-06-30 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-30 (Tuesday). [more info]

Lavventura [debut live performance and That Particular Charm release celebration! ] (Paul Linklater) / The Piston 2026-07-02 (Thursday). @22.90. [tickets + more info]

Free Improvisation Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Scott Thomson/Diana Piruzevska/Peter Richards) / Water to Wine 2026-07-02 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

More Noise Please! presents: Down and Dirty Disruption & Destruction (feat. Violent Shogun / Knifedoutofexistence / Murmur + Jazzhand / DFH / Skin / Dang. / Rhoda) / BSMT 254 2026-07-02 (Thursday). $15/PWYC. [FB event]

Tania Gill presents: Handcrafted Music (feat. Martin van de Ven/David Benitez/Arie Verheul de Ven/Yoshi Maclear Wall/Tania Gill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-03 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Humbucker Music Residency (feat. Humbucker Music [Nick Storring/Jason Doell/Colin Cudmore/Mira Martin-Gray] / Allison Cameron & Scott Thomson [Platanus album release show!]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-03 (Friday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Beetsblog (Thom Gill / Andre Ethier with Eliza Niemi) / Dina's Tavern 2026-07-05 (Sunday) [more info]

Adjacent Spheres (feat. Michael Davidson/Angelica Zavala/Michael Herring/Miles Cakebread-Kraus) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-05 (Sunday). [more info]

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In the mix:

• New ambient mix! Drone and drone-adjecent music, symphonic and chamber music special edition. Featuring: Gustav Mahler, Luciano Berio, Dmitri Shostakovich, John Cage, The Beatles, Isabel Pine, Edna Michell, Forgue, Emily Hopkins, and Jakob Friedrich Kleinknecht

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Video hits:

• New one out from notaband, reminding you it's time to hit the streets — and the subway platforms — and dance!

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It happened this week...

• ...on June 29, 2018 at Owl's Club.

Baby Cages - Flowers

• ...on July 3, 2018 at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #40).

Fleshtone Aura - [excerpt]

[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: Wenderly Park

Artist: Wenderly Park

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Le Monde, May 22, 2026.

Wenderly Park - [excerpt]

A slightly-unusual WP set, with gear being reused from the previous night's playful encounter seeing more tapes and tape loops in play than usual. That allowed a memorial tribute to local cellist/composer Cris Derksen before heading off into percussive bricabrac, feedback bursts, synth squiggles and some nimble guitar ruminations.

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

Recording: Colin Fisher

Artist: Colin Fisher

Song: [percussion solo excerpt]

Recorded at Le Monde, May 22, 2026.

Colin Fisher - [percussion solo excerpt]

Coming at this solo set without preconceptions and prepared to use the tools at hand, Colin Fisher sent a vibe out to Milford Graves and spent most of it behind the drumkit, listening to/sending out pulsebeats.

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

Monday Roundup #284

Concert announcements:

Solitary Shrew (feat. Ella Güdel / Sweet Osmanthus) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-30 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc ($10 suggested). [more info]

The Cluttertones [Lina Allemano/Rob Clutton/Ryan Driver/Tim Posgate] / Wenona Lodge 2026-06-30 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Aidan McConnell/Karen Ng/Adrian Russouw) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-30 (Tuesday). [more info]

Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Racha Moukalled/Patrick O'Reilly/Adrian Russouw/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-08 (Wednesday) [more info]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Yoo II avec Nolan Potter / Colin Fisher) / The Garrison 2026-07-09 (Thursday). $32.31, 19+. [FB event]

Ayal Senior and Friends [Ayal's on tour edition with guest host: Joe Strutt] (feat. Country Phasers / Meggie Remy / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-12 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

Labyrinth Ontario presents: Makam Nights (feat. Lamia Yared & Araz Salek) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-07-16 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

The New Symphony Orchestra [album release show] [Zack Goldstein/Ben Rositsan/Arie Verheul Van de Ven/Connor Crone/Ben Mike/Crescenzo DiCecco/Bjorn Kriel/Grace Scheele/Owen Kurtz] (Owen Kurtz [solo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-22 (Monday). $pwyc ($20 recommended). [more info]

No Octopus Dancing / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-23 (Tuesday – early). [more info]

Cadence Weapon and the Forager Band / The Cameron House 2026-06-23 (Tuesday). $25. [FB event]

Sarah Greene's bday show (feat. Sarah Greene/Paul Kolinski/Michael Herring / Rory Lavelle) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-24 (Wednesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

TONE presents (feat. Setting / High Alpine Hut Network / Shabason/Gunning) / The Jama 2025-06-24 (Wednesday). $22.89, 19+. [FB event]

About This, It Was Not Yet Written (feat. Ronley Teper/Myk Freedman/Dave Clark) / Sellers and Newel 2026-06-24 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

VIVID presents (feat. Forming / bikebike / Different Dream) / BSMT254 2025-06-24 (Wednesday). $15 or pwyc, 19+. [more info]

Lauchlin Wood/Tania Gill/Brent Tanemura/Colin Cudmore / Water to Wine 2026-06-25 (Thursday – 5:30 p.m.). $24.76. [more info]

TONE presents (feat. The Ex / not a band / Andy Moor & Yannis Kyriakides) / Cafeteria Upstairs 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $39.02, all ages. [FB event]

Imaginary North presents: Lake Effect Album Release Show ["16 musicians performing in impromptu groupings and ensembles to create entirely new music"] (feat. Adrian Berry and Ely Lyonblum/Arie Verheul van de Ven/anthéne/Ben McCarthy with Tax Haven/dreamSTATE/Drones Over Dufferin/Gollden/inchoate/Kilometre Club/R Grunwald/W L C/ÏÏÏ) / Tapestry 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $15.75. [tickets + more info]

The Tania Gill/Chris Banks Trio [Tania Gill/Chris Banks/Nico Dann/Maxwell Stover] / The Jazz Bistro 2025-06-26 (Friday – 5 p.m.). $15. [more info]

All-Set! Presents (feat. Tania Gill/Lina Allemano/Mike Smith/Jake Oelrichs) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-26 (Friday – early). $pwyc/notaflof. [more info]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Aqua's Red Rhythm & Blues / Qawwali / Zamira Lacosta) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-26 (Friday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

Project Nowhere presents (feat. Sook-Yin Lee [72RHR album release!] / bridge of sand / Kali Horse / Salon Perfomance [Karen Ng/Lee Suksi/Stevie Manning/Bee Solomon]) / The Baby G 2026-06-26 (Friday). $30.55, 19+. [FB event]

Exit Points #73 (feat. Yvan Sheremetieff/littleindia/Michael Palumbo / MJ C./Adam Venter/Henry Paterson/Alison Viegas/Ria Kapoor / Switchemups) / Array Space 2025-06-26 (Friday). $22.89 (advance), $28.27 (general). [more info]

The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-26 (Friday) [FB event]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Mir Kashif Iqbal & Bahar Atish / Sam-r / Amadou Kienou) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-27 (Saturday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

Composer's Workshop Concert [Composer Mentor: Allison Cameron, newly created compositions by Alexandra Gorlin-Crenshaw, Jack Langdon, Garrett Niall, and Kaitlin White] (feat. The Freesound x Array Collective) / Array Space 2026-06-27 (Saturday – 3 p.m.). $20.00 (or PWYW). Livestream: $10.00 (or PWYW). [FB event]

The CONTXT Residency (feat. tUkU beY & bUdi) / CONTXT by Trane 2026-06-28 (Sunday – 1 p.m.). $15 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [tickets + more info]

Caution Wet Floor Signs [Yoshi Maclear Wall / Dame Cook / Will Hunt / Alex McPherson / Mark Gerlai] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-28 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). [more info]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Trash Panda Brass / Amely and Roa / Mohsin Zaman / TAYOW & Waleed Abdulhamid) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-28 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

Sympathetic String Band & Friends (feat. Sympathetic String Band / Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-28 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Art of Improv (feat. Andrew Timar & Cheryl O / Andrew Timar/Cheryl O/Eugene Martynec/Bill Gilliam) / Marilyn Lerner) / Annette Studios 2026-06-28 (Sunday). $20/PWYC. [FB event]

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It happened this week...

• ...on June 24, 2017 at Ratio (TONE Festival – Show #7).

Arrington De Dionyso & Pierre-Luc Simon - This Saxophone Kills Fascists [excerpt]

• ...on June 26, 2017 at Smiling Buddha (Monday Penance).

Corpusse - Mindfuck

[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: Paint, Play Ensemble

Artist: Paint, Play Ensemble

Song: [set 1 excerpt]

Recorded at Array Space (Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play), May 21, 2026.

Paint, Play Ensemble - [set 1 excerpt]

Duo Cichorium’s Playscape Emporium curatorial residency at Array is "built around storytelling through cross-disciplinary collaboration". This instalment mixed music with visual improvisations from Constant Yen and Rowan Campbell. That gave plenty of ideas for the assembled musicians (Charlee Wielgoz, Fahmid Nibesh, Joe Strutt, Mira Martin-Gray, and Duo Cichorium's Louis Pino) to react to, leading to some really inneresting sounds. The event was livestreamed, so hopefully the archived version of that will become available at some point.

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis XXXII

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis XXXII

Song: Stemcell [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Living Room), May 17, 2026.

Cosmic Homeostasis XXXII - Stemcell [excerpt]

Circumstances shifted this gathering from its usual fifth-Sunday-of-the month — and also across the hall into the Living Room. But there was still plenty of room to drift along.

The full ensemble this time out was:

• Broken Pink Umbrella - theremin + effects
• Dan Friedman - EQ feedback, west pest, kastl drum, bamboo flute
• Del Stephen - keyboard synthesizer
• Heraclitus Akimbo - lyre, synth, tapes
• Hilary Martin - pedals
• Ian McPhedran - guitar
• Jim Davis - bass
• Patrick O'Reilly - Pluto
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Scott M2 - S-1
• Peter G. + Brian G. - namers-of-things

As always, you can listen to the full session over on bandcamp:

Monday Roundup #283

Concert announcements:

The New Symphony Orchestra [album release show] [Zack Goldstein/Ben Rositsan/Arie Verheul Van de Ven/Connor Crone/Ben Mike/Crescenzo DiCecco/Bjorn Kriel/Grace Scheele/Owen Kurtz] (Owen Kurtz [solo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-22 (Monday). $pwyc ($20 recommended). [more info]

The Tania Gill/Chris Banks Trio [Tania Gill/Chris Banks/Nico Dann/Maxwell Stover] / The Jazz Bistro 2025-06-26 (Friday – 5 p.m.). $15. [more info]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Aqua's Red Rhythm & Blues / Qawwali / Zamira Lacosta) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-26 (Friday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

Exit Points #73 (feat. Yvan Sheremetieff/littleindia/Michael Palumbo / MJ C./Adam Venter/Henry Paterson/Alison Viegas/Ria Kapoor / Switchemups) / Array Space 2025-06-26 (Friday). $22.89 (advance), $28.27 (general). [more info]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Mir Kashif Iqbal & Bahar Atish / Sam-r / Amadou Kienou) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-27 (Saturday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

The CONTXT Residency (feat. tUkU beY & bUdi) / CONTXT by Trane 2026-06-28 (Sunday – 1 p.m.). $15 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [tickets + more info]

Small World Music Festival (feat. Trash Panda Brass / Amely and Roa / Mohsin Zaman / TAYOW & Waleed Abdulhamid) / Mabelle Park 2025-06-28 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, family-friendly + pet-friendly. [more info]

Sympathetic String Band & Friends (feat. Sympathetic String Band / Colin Fisher) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-28 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Sonomadic Improv presents (feat. Dorky & Best [Germaine Liu & co/] / The Wrinkles Experiment [conducted improvisation led by Kayla Milmine]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-29 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Bob Wiseman / Sellers and Newel 2026-07-10 (Friday). $30 minimum donation. [more info]

The CONTXT Residency (feat. tUkU beY & bUdi) / CONTXT by Trane 2026-07-12 (Sunday – 1 p.m.). $15 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [tickets + more info]

The CONTXT Residency (feat. tUkU beY & bUdi) / CONTXT by Trane 2026-07-19 (Sunday – 1 p.m.). $15 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [tickets + more info]

Not Dead Yet presents: A Benefit for PARC) (feat. 9 Million / S.H.I.T. / Siyahkal / Duchess / Diatribe) / Parkdale Hall 2026-07-23 (Thursday). $34.92 (general admission), $23.28 (student), $69.83 (pay it forward). [tickets + more info]

Jennifer Castle (Potions) / The Garrison 2025-07-25 (Saturday). $44.81, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Shapeshifter [record launch! [Brittany Pitt/Dan Pitt/Aidan McConnell] / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-04 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Mateos Labbe-Phelan/Max Stover/Ian Afif / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-05 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

William Hunt [solo piano live recording] / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-12 (Saturday). $15 minimum donation. [more info]

The Mike Milligan Trio [Mike Milligan/Nick Fraser/Brodie West] / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-19 (Saturday). $25 minimum donation. [more info]

Ladyfinger [Diane Roblin & Kayla Milmine] / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-25 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Triio [Alex Fournier/Bea Labikova/Lazar Miric/Tom Fleming/Racha Moukalled/Stefan Hegerat] / Sellers and Newel 2026-09-29 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Drea Lake (Prince Enoki [Scott Peterson/Jocelyn Barth/Rob Piltch/Brandon Valdivia]) / Burdock Music Hall 2025-06-15 (Monday). $28.25 (early bird)/$39.55 (general admission). [tickets + more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Ellen Arkbro) / Church of The Holy Trinity 2025-06-15 (Monday). $36.53, all ages. [more info]

TONE & Not Dead Yet present (feat. Afrorack / Phèdre / Arc & Texture) / BSMT 254 2025-06-16 (Tuesday). $34.49, 19+. [FB event] — cancelled

Titanium Riot / Sellers & Newel 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Colin/Marilyn/Vic / Germaine/Karen/Leslie) / Wenona Lodge 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnston/Cal Adam / Pamenar 2025-06-16 (Tuesday)

The Tania Gill/Chris Banks Trio [Tania Gill/Chris Banks/Aidan McConnell] / The Jazz Bistro 2025-06-19 (Friday – 5 p.m.). $15. [more info]

Karen Ng presents (feat. nondual [Alvaro Rojas & Cole Schmidt] / Lina Allemano & Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-19 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Musica Universalis (feat. Taste [Steve Kado & Colin Fisher] / Hoover Party) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-19 (Friday). [more info]

Kahil El'Zabar & David Murray / CONTXT by Trane 2026-06-19&20 (Friday & Saturday). $42.38 (earlybird)/$77.41 (both shows). [FB event]

Steve Tidy & the Unkempt [Enjoy the Wreckage album release party] (Nick Flanagan) / Under The Alpine 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $22.60, 19+. [FB event]

Liquid Architecture 25/26 Season Finale (feat. Maria Riano & Jaz Tsui / Amelie Mah & Janel Jones / Abby Silvera & Jonny Luke / Brianna Clarke & Ryan Kinney) / St. Matthew's Clubhouse 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $10 (cash or e-transfer). [FB event]

St. Stephens-in-the-Fields Fundraiser (feat. Westelaken / Liz Uninvited / Angel Apricot) / St. Stephens-in-the-Fields 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $20/PWYC, all ages

Vallens (Liam Sanagan / Gore Gloss) / Dina's Tavern 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $24.76. [more info]

Re:Stacks (feat. Stacks) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-20 (Saturday). [more info]

The CONTXT Residency (feat. tUkU beY & bUdi) / CONTXT by Trane 2026-06-21 (Sunday – 1 p.m.). $15 (advance tickets), $25 (door). [tickets + more info]

TONE & More Noise Please present (feat. Lucas 'Granpa' Abela / Death Kneel / Nimmie Amee / Triptych [Colin Cudmore/Kristina Guison/Colby Richardson]) / The Jama 2025-06-21 (Sunday). $17.52 (early bird), $22.89 (general admission), 19+. [FB event]

Recording: Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman

Artist: Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman

Song: two unknown songs^*

Recorded The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), May 10, 2026.

Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman - two unknown songs

This outing saw (as usual) more new songs from the book plus some deeper lore being investigated.

^* Does anyone know the titles to these? Please leave a comment!

[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to The Tranzac tomorrow (June 14th) with sets from David Sait, Nathan Yell, Nick Flanagan plus Senior & Newman.]

Recording: Ryan Dugre

Artist: Ryan Dugre

Song: two unknown songs^*

Recorded The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), May 10, 2026.

Ryan Dugre - unknown #1

Ryan Dugre - unknown #2

New Yorker Ryan Dugre is based in Toronto right now, but this was his first local solo show. His song-shaped instrumental pieces were animated by the elegant modulation of his electric guitar, evoking mostly bucolic moods.

^* Does anyone know the titles to these? Please leave a comment!

[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to The Tranzac tomorrow (June 14th) with sets from David Sait, Nathan Yell, Nick Flanagan plus Senior & Newman.]

Recording: Joyshape

Artist: Joyshape

Song: Palimpsest

Recorded The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Ayal Senior & Friends), May 10, 2026.

Joyshape - Palimpsest

Zoë Alexis-Abrams brought cello, voice and laptop for this solo set, which showed off an increased interest in field recordings. (The muffled whumps here are apparently geophone recordings made at the Reference Library.) As someone who likes hearing what recordings sound like when they're slowed down a bunch I found thgis totally on-point, in the sense that the music sounds pre-slowed.

[Ayal Senior & Friends returns to The Tranzac tomorrow (June 14th) with sets from David Sait, Nathan Yell, Nick Flanagan plus Senior & Newman.]

Recording: C'est la fête Large Ensemble

Artist: C'est la fête Large Ensemble

Song: [set 1 excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Musica Universalis), May 6, 2026.

C'est la fête Large Ensemble - [set 1 excerpt]

Noting that their earliest phase was as a trio, one could note that C'est la fête has been slowly expanding, up to its current five-piece formation with the incorporation of saxophonists Maxwell Stover and Colin Fisher; this show pushed further in that direction by bringing in a pair of guests (Karen Ng and Mark Hundevad) familiar to all involved. That left opportunities for plenty of honkin', but some of the maximalist tendencies were reined in by Fisher's compositional fragments, and a willingness by the players to let things drop down to occasional duos and trios. All of that's in play in the piece excerpted here, which drifts along at the start while the players look in real time for directions to move together — and then gets real inneresting.

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

[Musica Universalis will be back in the Southern Cross with more music from Colin Fisher & friends on June 19th.]

Recording: Potions & Strings

Artist: Potions & Strings

Songs: Quadrophonia + Aidan's String Quartet^* + Song for the World 2

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), May 6, 2026.

Potions & Strings - Quadrophonia

Potions & Strings - Aidan's String Quartet

Potions & Strings - Song for the World 2

Having tracked these things for awhile, my inner amateur ethnomusicologist is always curious to see certain patterns of collaboration re-emerge over time. The musical scenes I like to be in are collegial by nature, and Toronto's social/material circumstances seem to lead to parallel evolutions of musical/social agglomerations: sometimes it takes the form of a damn big band, just blasting out music together; sometimes, in the joyful romp of the groovy biglyup; and again and again as a joining-together of the song-playing folkies with the improvisers. The latter had its classic nexus in the emergence of Rock Plaza Central, birthed from the Tranzac's Southern Cross, as well as in groups like the amazing Sea Snakes, who sound like Potions' most direct local forebearers. (There's also the closely-related case of chamber-pop groups absorbing their friends in ever-growing string and horn sections.)

None of which is meant to detract from Potions' trajectory and amazing work in the here-and-now. Having issued an essential EP earlier this year, this set saw them showing off some songs that will presumably be on their forthcoming album, showing off a winning mix of off-the-cuffness and deep chops. The core quartet is Steven Noronha, Ben Rositsan, Josh Sparks, and Aidan McConnell (all busy around town in various other capacities), passing around instruments and vocal parts — and joined here by a string quartet of Sara May, Aline Homzy, Jill Sauertag, and Clara Nguyen-Tran. My understanding is that all of the members contributed arrangements for the songs (as well as the interstitial string miniatures) and everything sounded naturally integrated. It's rare to witness a standing ovation in the Southern Cross, but the packed crowd on hand knew they were seeing something special — there's the sense that, just at this particular moment, this band could do incredible things and be bound for much larger stages.

My camera angle wasn't the best — apologies to Josh and Aline! — but you can check out some more from this set over on youtube:

^* To be updated once an actual title comes to light!

Recording: Dun-Dun Man

Artist: Dun-Dun Man

Song: Overhang + Rof Ovlop

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), May 6, 2026.

Dun-Dun Man - Overhang + Rof Ovlop

Still drilling deep into the musical potential of his pandemos, Craig Dunsmuir offered a brief set of his sound patterns for solo guitar, seemingly as eager as the rest of the room to hear Potions' set.

Monday Roundup #282

Community notes:

• Venue watch: the venue death vigil has slowed down (and, to be sure, new places have been springing up) but there's a sense of Toronto's-gonna-Toronto to see that Sneaky Dee's may be on the list for redevelopment.

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Concert announcements:

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Ellen Arkbro) / Church of The Holy Trinity 2025-06-15 (Monday). $36.53, all ages. [more info]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Colin/Marilyn/Vic / Germaine/Karen/Leslie) / Wenona Lodge 2026-06-16 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Karen Ng presents (feat. nondual [Alvaro Rojas & Cole Schmidt] / Lina Allemano & Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-19 (Friday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Vallens (Liam Sanagan / Gore Gloss) / Dina's Tavern 2026-06-20 (Saturday). $24.76. [more info]

Re:Stacks (feat. Stacks) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-20 (Saturday). [more info]

Cadence Weapon and the Forager Band / The Cameron House 2026-06-23 (Tuesday). $25. [FB event]

Imaginary North presents: Lake Effect Album Release Show ["16 musicians performing in impromptu groupings and ensembles to create entirely new music"] (feat. Adrian Berry and Ely Lyonblum/Arie Verheul van de Ven/anthéne/Ben McCarthy with Tax Haven/dreamSTATE/Drones Over Dufferin/Gollden/inchoate/Kilometre Club/R Grunwald/W L C/ÏÏÏ) / Tapestry 2025-06-25 (Thursday). $15.75. [tickets + more info]

Beetsblog (Thom Gill / Andre Ethier with Eliza Niemi) / Dina's Tavern 2026-07-05 (Sunday) [more info]

Track Could Bend #118 (feat. Ubersuck [Kayla Milmine + Germaine Liu] / Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro) / Wenona Lodge 2026-07-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic (feat. SAI DiMensions / Flat Earth Society / A/K/C / OK 200 / Spectral Eyes / Caustic Clouds / SeniorBeatBox / Subtoniq / mylesoddude / Broken Pink Umbrella / Antibes / Pressed Flowers / Ephemeral Swamp / Giant Floating Head) / Handlebar 2025-06-08 (Monday) [more info]

Josh Cole: new works for improvising musicians (feat. Josh Cole Trio + Strings [Josh Cole/Aline Homzy/Nick Storring/John Oswald/Blake Howard]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-08 (Monday). $pwyc. [more info]

Ehsan Sadigh's Rondo Projects [Dhaivat Jani/Chris Pruden/Ehsan Sadigh] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-09 (Tuesday). [more info]

Brodie West presents (feat. Donna Lee Quartet [Reg Schwager/Josh Cole/Nick Fraser/Brodie West]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-10 (Wednesday – early). [more info]

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Fuji||||||||||ta / Evicshen) / The Garrison 2025-06-10 (Wednesday). $30.14, 19+. [FB event]

Never Was [Brandon Davis/Bea Labikova/Racha Moukalled/Patrick O'Reilly/Adrian Russouw/Joe Sorbara] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-10 (Wednesday) [more info]

Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Reagan Mitchell/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / The Emmet Ray 2026-06-11 (Thursday). $12

Audiopollination (feat. Amy Jean/Lisa.intheShade/Travis John / David Sait/Jordan Paluck/Zoe Alexis-Abrams / Meryem Alaoui/Ryan Kinney/Xukasia / earthly deescalation dissipation) / Array Space 2025-06-12 (Friday). [FB event]

Corpusse (Colin Cudmore / Output 1:1:1 / Brian Ruryk) / Social Capital Theatre 2026-06-12 (Friday). $10/PWYC. [more info]

Before Words, There Were Georgian Songs (feat. Ori Shalva) / Small World Centre 2026-06-13 (Saturday). $25.53 (arts workers/student), $35.00 (general admission), all ages. [more info]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday – noon). $pwyc. [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / David Sait / Nick Flanagan / Nathan Yell) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]

Carlton Park Concert (feat. Marker Starling Sextet / You Can Can / Luka Kuplowsky & Band) / Carlton Park 2026-06-14 (Sunday – 4 p.m.). $pwyc, outdoors, all ages + family friendly. [more info]

Amrita [Anita Katakkar & Kayla Milmine] / DROM Taberna 2025-06-14 (Sunday – 5:30 p.m.)

The Little Phrase [Is This the World album launch] [Shannon Hoff/Tania Gill/Don Scott/Chris Banks/Aidan McConnell] (Fan Wu & Alex Lukashevsky) / Burdock Music Hall 2025-06-14 (Sunday). $16.95. [FB event]

Recording: Holy Oak Family Singers

Artist: Holy Oak Family Singers

Songs: Greenfields [The Brothers Four cover] + The Way You Look Tonight [Betty Carter cover] + Madame George [Van Morrison cover]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Holy Oak Family Singers present), May 6, 2026.

Holy Oak Family Singers feat. Luka Kuplowsky & Robin Dann - Greenfields

Holy Oak Family Singers feat. Robin Dann - The Way You Look Tonight

Holy Oak Family Singers feat. Ivy Mairi - Madame George

With my work schedule the way it is, it's a rare treat to get to see the Holy Oak Family Singers in action. Unsurprisingly, their montly showcases have become local Events of Note, with the Southern Cross jam-packed very early on. Once one reaches a certain age, an event called "Our Parents' Tapes" might be attended with apprehension, as the gap collapses towards "tapes I had". We're not quite there yet, and in any case, the group brought a pretty wide range of formative we-listened-to-this-in-the-car memories.