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:
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]
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]
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
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.]
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.]
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.]
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 damnbigband, 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-popgroups 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!
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.
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.
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]
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!
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]
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]
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]
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.
Another very cool rock'n'roll/literary event coming up, with Roddy Bottum (the mighty Imperial Teen, Man on Man, Faith No More) presenting new book, The Royal We. "[A]n ode to San Francisco, bicycle messengering, sex work, heroin, dreadlocks, the birth of politics in punk rock, wheatgrass, witches, crystal meth, coming out, self love and the burning down and obliteration of a great American city." Featuring readings from Bottum himself as well as Damian Rogers, Bechdel Test, Stevie Manning, Knowah Holder, Marni Marriott, and Vidal Wu. The event is at Standard Time on Thursday, June 18th — more info + ticket link are here.
Concert announcements:
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]
Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Reagan Mitchell/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / The Emmet Ray 2026-06-11 (Thursday). $12
Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday – noon). $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]
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]
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
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
Shows this week:
Chris Banks presents (feat. Chris Banks/Dafydd Hughes/Karen Ng) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-01 (Monday)
Track Could Bend #117 (feat. saucering [Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey] / Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam) / Wenona Lodge 2025-06-02 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Holy Oak Family Singers Presents: A summer Holy Oak Family Showcase! (feat. chiquitamagic / Thom Gill/Mira Marin-Gray/Edwin de Goeij / This is Awesome [Christine Bougie & Dafydd Hughes]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-03 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]
Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-03 (Wednesday). $pwyc ($15 suggested) [FB event]
TONE presents: Double LP Release (feat. Glissandro 70 / Khôra & Mas Aya / Sweet Lips) / Standard Time 2025-06-04 (Thursday). $28.27, all ages. [FB event]
More Noise Please presents: Downright Disgusting Distortion & Decay (feat. Cherub Weaponry [i.o & Colin Fisher] / Void Puppet & Pet Retina / Jacob Audrey Taves / Medical Fart / Goon / Char / Demetri The Groundshaker) / BSMT254 2026-06-04 (Thursday). $17.31. [tickets + more info]
Transmit Presents at Do West Fest (feat. RroachH / The Get Alongs / Shilpa Ray / Mother Tongues) / outside The Garrison 2026-06-05 (Friday). $free, outdoors, all ages. [FB event]
Do West Fest (feat. Bends / So Perfect / Thee Terrible Threes) / Hank's Liquor 2025-06-05 (Friday) [more info]
Humbucker Music Residency (feat. Humbucker Music [Nick Storring/Jason Doell/Colin Cudmore/Mira Martin-Gray] / Rob Clutton) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-05 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]
Transmit Presents at Do West Fest (feat. Keegan Powell & The Jetpacks / Camille Leon / SAP / Silks / Boutique Feelings / Lavender Town / Ian Blurton's Future Now / Bonnie Trash / Phèdre / Holy Fuck) / outside The Garrison 2026-06-06 (Saturday). $free, outdoors, all ages. [FB event]
Do West Fest (feat. Scummm / Not A Band / Triples / Flake) / Hank's Liquor 2025-06-06 (Saturday) [more info]
SCRAPE performance art relay ["a platform for artists across disciplines to offer performance art actions and/or sonic collaborations or responses, and for the community to witness, participate in, and commune with a diversity of practices"] (feat. Aisha Sasha John / Adwoa / Apple / Zio Zitto / Colin Cudmore / Del Stephen [short film] / Veronica Abrenica / Emma Gigeris / lo bil) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-07 (Sunday – noon) [more info]
Transmit Presents at Do West Fest (feat. A Horse Named Friday / ROY / Hobby / Blunt Chunks / Ronley Teper & The Lipliners / Kiwi Jr.) / outside The Garrison 2026-06-07 (Sunday). $free, outdoors, all ages. [FB event]
Do West Fest (feat. Easy Rider / Rockford) / Hank's Liquor 2025-06-07 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [more info]
TCB is a space for folks to experiment with different facets of their musical practices, so it was satisfying to see Andrew Finlay Stewart (who had previously brought some abstract + unamplified violin playing to the series) propose a return with this exploratory (and fully plugged-in) folk band. He was joined by bassist Matthew Nguyen (also returning to the series in a different capacity than previously seen) and Justin Caporuscio on guitar and pedal steel. The vocals were passed back and forth, as the trio explored a variety of mostly-traditional songs from various streams of folk music, everything from Alan Lomax-collectred gems to a tune from the late Richard Laviolette.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 2nd) with sets from saucering [Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey] as well as Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam.]
Exciting times at hand as San Francisco-based Jonathan Leidecker (who operates as Wobbly) initiated this meet-up with local legend John Oswald. While Oswaldperched with his sax and offered some garbled talk-squawking to complement Leidecker's mangled samples, the latter also processed Oswald's sounds, fingers dancing over an array of touchscreens as the inputs were granulated and resynthesized — a cavalcade of manipulated sounds, blips and squeaks where the sax's notes were sometimes coming out the speakers sounding like a calliope or harpsicord.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 2nd) with sets from saucering [Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey] as well as Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam.]
This duo of Joe Sorbara (percussion) and Jonathan Kay (saxophones) has been exploring some sonomadic sounds together for a little while now — and like on their recording, exploring pieces by Jimmy Lyons, Ornette Coleman, and Marilyn Crispell — as well as their own compositions. There's some determined leaning into the material, but also a lot of spontaneous joy as well.
You can check out the full set over on youtube:
[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday (June 2nd) with sets from saucering [Tilman Lewis/Nilan Perera/Laura Swankey] as well as Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam.]
There is a gofundme running to help support Rebecca (Bobby) Benson, Cris Derksen's wife who was critically injured in the crash that took Derksen's life last week.
There is a call for performers for The Bloor Annex BIA's Summer Music Series, with performances taking place on the busker stage at Bloor and Brunswick. Applications are due by Friday, and you can get more information and a link to the application here.
Concert announcements:
Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-03 (Wednesday). $pwyc ($15 suggested) [FB event]
Do West Fest (feat. Bends / So Perfect / Thee Terrible Threes) / Hank's Liquor 2025-06-05 (Friday) [more info]
Bitstance [William Brent/David Cecchetto/Colin Clark/Adam Tindale] / Array Space 2026-05-26 (Tuesday). $free, all ages
May Tuesdays Residency (feat. Velour Underground) / The Baby G 2026-05-26 (Tuesday). $free, 19+. [FB event]
Nick Fraser presents (feat. Nick Fraser's Special Topics / Max Stover [solo]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-26 (Tuesday). [more info]
Geordie Gordon [River Round release celebration, full band with horn section!] (José Contreras) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-05-27 (Wednesday). $20.34. [more info]
INSTITUT 004 (feat. Luka Kuplowsky & Band [The Grass Grows, Antonych Grows album release celebration!] / Evan J. Cartwright / Noriko Yamamoto) / St. Volodymyr Institute 2026-05-28 (Thursday). $27.96. [more info]
More Noise Please! presents: Static//Dissonance//Rhythm//Eruption (feat. Fatboi Sharif & Icky Reels / Andrew Nolan / Escote / Gorf / 999ADJ) / BSMT 254 2025-05-28 (Thursday). $20. [tickets + more info]
coexisDance presents: coexisLAB/coexisJAM [for coexisJAM: sign up at the show to perform] (feat. Aisha Sasha John/George Stamos/Alicia Grant/Ali Massoudi) / Intergalactic Arts Collective 2026-05-28 (Thursday). $15/pwyc. [more info]
Venus Fest + More Noise Please present: Drone Day (feat. Auto Feeder / Esssena / fossa séu / Grief Debt / Mira Martin-Gray / Shemona / three6marilyn / Xodkaar) / It's Ok* Studios 2025-05-30 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). #11.64/$16.97/$22.29, all ages. [tickets + more info]
Battute e Pizzicato: Celebrating the 17th-Century Guitar (feat, Musicians of the Egg) / Church of the Redeemer 2026-05-31 (Sunday). $30 (general admission), $20 (students/arts workers). [FB event]
Video hits:
This blog was a big fan of DAS RAD during their inital run — and was pleased when the band returned from hiatus a couple years back with some occasional shows. Now a new album has been announced for fall, with this video leading the way:
It happened this week...
...on May 26, 2015 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).
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.
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
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]
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]
Cadence Weapon and the Forager Band / The Cameron House 2026-06-23 (Tuesday). $25. [FB event]
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]
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 2025-06-19 (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]
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]
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]
Lavventura [debut live performance and That Particular Charm release celebration! ] (Paul Linklater) / The Piston 2026-07-02 (Thursday). @22.90. [tickets + 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]
Track Could Bend #118 (feat. Ubersuck [Kayla Milmine + Germaine Liu] / Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro) / Wenona Lodge 2026-07-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
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]
Styrofoam Winos (Eliza Niemi / Roy) / The Baby G 2026-07-19 (Sunday). $20.01, 19+. [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]
The Fiver Trois / Dina's Tavern 2025-07-24 (Friday) [more info]
Jennifer Castle (Potions) / The Garrison 2025-07-25 (Saturday). $44.81, 19+. [tickets + more info]
Musica Universalis (feat. C'est la fête Large Ensemble) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-08 (Friday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / JOYSHAPE / Ryan Dugre / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-05-10 (Sunday)
Cosmic Homeostasis XXXII / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-05-17 (Sunday)]
Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play (feat. Duo Cichorium/Constant Yen/ Rowan Campbell/Charlee Wielgoz/Fahmid Nibesh/Joe Strutt/Mira Martin-Gray) / Array Space 2026-05-21 (Thursday)
Wenderly Park (Colin Fisher / Isla Craig) / Le Monde 2026-05-22 (Friday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Ben Rempel & Justin Gunter / Not the Wind, Not the Flag / Doug Tielli & Mike Gennaro) / Bickford Park 2026-05-24 (Sunday)
Life Drawing (feat. Cosmic Homeostasis) / Riverdale Park 2026-05-31 (Sunday)
Prepare the Ground Festival (feat. William Basinski) / Trinity-St. Paul's Centre 2026-05-31 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #117 (feat. saucering / Colin Fisher/William Hunt/Jack Johnson/Cal Adam) / Wenona Lodge 2025-06-02 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Nathan Yell/Marilyn Yogarajah / David Sait / Nick Flanagan / Nathan Yell) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-06-14 (Sunday)
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