Monday Roundup #303

Concert announcements:

Agnes [Mark Zurawinski/Doug Tielli/Mira Martin-Gray/Bea Labikova/Rob Clutton] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-10 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Mason Wallington/Aidan Miller) / Water to Wine 2026-11-12 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Clovis Consort (Fortunato Durutti Marinetti) / The Jama 2026-11-12 (Thursday). $17.55. [tickets + more info]

Confluence Concerts: In Our Nature [curated by Andrew Downing] (feat. Larry Beckwith/Ted Crosby/Michael Davidson/Andrew Downing/Aline Homzy/Patricia O’Callaghan/Suba Sankaran/Michael Spiroff/Yeşim Tosuner/Anika Venkatesh) / Heliconian Hall 2026-11-12&13 (Thursday & Friday). $30. [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario presents Makam Nights: Cafe Aman (feat. Angelo Martinos/Nicolas Royer-Artuso/Dan Kunda Thagard) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-11-13 (Friday). $early. [FB event]

Unlikely Moon presents (feat. Alex Lukashevsky / Joy Shape / Carl Didur) / house show 2026-11-14 (Saturday). $15 or PWYC, all ages. [more info]

Art of Improv presents (feat. Julia Biłat & Roman Stolyar / David Sait/Eugene Martynec/Bill Gilliam) / Annette Studios 2026-11-15 (Sunday). $25/pwyc. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents BPM [Big Percussion Meeting] (feat. Aidan Miller/Bevis Ng/Dhaivat Jani/James Bailey/Kieran Adams/yasmine) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-20 (Friday). $pwyc. [more info]

The AMBiENT PiNG and Imaginary North present an AMBiENT EVENiNG (feat. Ben Green / Yoshie & Chie / Lorde Awesome) / Handlebar 2026-11-23 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

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

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Shows this week:

Soundstreams Encounters: Violins Unbound [works by André Ristic, John Beckwith, Chris Paul Harman, Parisa Sabet, Ana Sokolović] (feat. Judith Fliedl & Roan Ma) / Hugh's Room 2026-11-02 (Monday). $free with reservation. [more info]

All-Set! presents (feat. Stranger Still) / Array Space 2026-11-02 (Monday). $20 or PWYC. [more info]

Chris Banks Presents (feat. Little Oak Animal [Rob Cruickshank & Daffyd Hughes with special guest Tim Shia]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-02 (Monday)

Humbucker Music [Nick Storring/Mira Martin-Gray/Colin Cudmore/Jason Doell] (Kristina Guison) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-03 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc

Track Could Bend #122 (feat. Ancient Egypt [Holger Schoorl & Pete Johnston] / Alaniaris [Michael Kaler & Mark Zurawinski with special guest Brian Abbott) / Wenona Lodge 2026-11-03 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Disarray 2 (feat. Alison Clark / Christof Migone / Dan Tapper) / Array Space 2026-11-03 (Tuesday). $10.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]

Adon Bears (Scallions [Holger Schoorl & Mark Zurawinski]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-04 (Wednesday). $pwyc

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Max Stover/Andrew Frost/Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / Water to Wine 2026-11-05 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Tania Gill presents (feat. Matthew School [record release!] [Holger Schoorl & Matthew Pencer with guests Tania Gill/Germaine Liu/Ryan Driver/Scott Thomson/Mark Zurawinski]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-06 (Friday – early)

Long Winter 15.1 (feat. Witch Prophet / SlowPitchSound / Drones Over Dufferin / Janice Jo Lee & Sze-Yang Ade-Lam) / Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory 2026-11-06 (Friday). $20 (notaflof). [tickets + more info]

coexisDance #116 (feat. Newton Moraes / Karen Ng / Emily Duckett / Aline Morales / Zachary Cardwell / Mira Martin-Gray) / Trinity St. Paul's 2026-11-06 (Friday). $15 or PWYC, all ages. [more info]

The King's Grief ["present[ing] Judith Weir’s micro-opera King Harald’s Saga, punctuating Weir's tragic narrative with the music of Thomas Adès, Oliver Knussen, Thierry Tidrow, Mary Dering, John Dowland, and casting the works as incidental music within a larger drama."] (feat. The Happenstancers) / Redeemer Lutheran Church 2026-11-06&07 (Friday&Saturday). $38.95 (general admission), $12.19 (student). [tickets + more info]

The Lucky Pennies (Lavventura with Laura Barrett) / The Local 2026-11-07 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $pwyc.

Labyrinth Ensemble with Canan Sezgin Geylan and Yahya Geylan / Aga Khan Museum 2026-11-07 (Saturday). $50 (regular), $45 (friends of Aga Khan Museum), $37.50 (students and seniors). [more info]

Eucalyptus / Drom Taberna 2026-11-07 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-08 (Sunday – noon). $pwyc

Ayal Senior & Friends presents Yutori & Friends Vol. II (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman with Blake Howard/Jay Anderson/Michael Davidson / Thumbutler / Nick Flanagan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-08 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc. [FB event]

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Bandcamp corner:

• It's Bandcamp Friday again coming up this week! Here's a couple things on my list... if you're into opera, or opera-curious, but looking for something with cool local connections, I would point you towards FAWN Chamber Creative's debut album, with an ensemble filled with plenty of folks familiar on these pages:

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It happened this week...

• ...on November 2, 2018 at Fatima in the Alley.

The Archives of Eternity - [track 3]

• ...on November 6, 2018 at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #44).

Julie Reich - unknown [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: Brandon Auger

Artist: Brandon Auger

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Live at the CNE Bandshell (Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip: Dome), September 17, 2026.

Brandon Auger - [excerpt]

Last year, the MPS Field Trip made a stop at the CNE Bandshell as an emergency backup spot on a rainy night; it worked out so well it made a return as part of the main rotation. Remnants of the petting zoo and other attractions from The Ex being prepared for their winter's storage filled the parking lot facing the stage, creating a slightly-strange backdrop (under the moon and rapidly-sweeping clouds) for the audience looking out from their protected perch under the ever-stylish arch.

Halifax-based Brandon Auger is an expert at creating small-scale spectacles on stages of any size, so it was no surprise to feel the audience's focus drawing inward as he manipulated a shifting sculpture of metal containers and small, ratting motors, finding infinite variations resulting from tiny re-arrangements — and moving around the stage as well to spacialize his sounds.

You can also check out the full set over on youtube:

Recording: Ben Grossman

Artist: Ben Grossman

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Live at the CNE Bandshell (Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip: Dome), September 17, 2026.

Ben Grossman - [excerpt]

Last year, the MPS Field Trip made a stop at the CNE Bandshell as an emergency backup spot on a rainy night; it worked out so well it made a return as part of the main rotation. Remnants of the petting zoo and other attractions from The Ex being prepared for their winter's storage filled the parking lot facing the stage, creating a slightly-strange backdrop (under the moon and rapidly-sweeping clouds) for the audience looking out from their protected perch under the ever-stylish arch.

Hurdy-gurdy maestro Ben Grossman created a completely absorbing listening zone, the winding drone unfurling and expanding to curl under the curved beams above and expanding outward.

You can also check out the full set over on youtube:

Recording: Fahmid Nibesh

Artist: Fahmid Nibesh

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Live at the CNE Bandshell (Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip: Dome), September 17, 2026.

Fahmid Nibesh - [excerpt]

Last year, the MPS Field Trip made a stop at the CNE Bandshell as an emergency backup spot on a rainy night; it worked out so well it made a return as part of the main rotation. Remnants of the petting zoo and other attractions from The Ex being prepared for their winter's storage filled the parking lot facing the stage, creating a slightly-strange backdrop (under the moon and rapidly-sweeping clouds) for the audience looking out from their protected perch under the ever-stylish arch.

Carpooling in from Montréal with fellow perfortmer Ben Grossman, Fahmid Nibesh brought a drumhead, radio and voice as implements to cause/accentuate controlled and elegant feedback bursts, establishing the evening's boundaries between drone and percussion.

You can also check out the full set over on youtube:

Monday Roundup #302

Concert announcements:

All-Set! presents (feat. Stranger Still) / Array Space 2026-11-02 (Monday). $20 or PWYC. [more info]

Adon Bears (Scallions [Holger Schoorl & Mark Zurawinski]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-04 (Wednesday). $pwyc

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Max Stover/Andrew Frost/Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / Water to Wine 2026-11-05 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Tania Gill presents (feat. Matthew School [record release!] [Holger Schoorl & Matthew Pencer with guests Tania Gill/Germaine Liu/Ryan Driver/Scott Thomson/Mark Zurawinski]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-06 (Friday – early)

Long Winter 15.1 (feat. Witch Prophet / SlowPitchSound / Drones Over Dufferin / Janice Jo Lee & Sze-Yang Ade-Lam) / Allan Gardens Children’s Conservatory 2026-11-06 (Friday). $20 (notaflof). [tickets + more info]

coexisDance #116 (feat. Newton Moraes / Karen Ng / Emily Duckett / Aline Morales / Zachary Cardwell / Mira Martin-Gray) / Trinity St. Paul's 2026-11-06 (Friday). $15 or PWYC, all ages. [more info]

The Lucky Pennies (Lavventura with Laura Barrett) / The Local 2026-11-07 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $pwyc.

Sub-Sessions 17 (feat. Dead Broke / SCUMMM / Habit) / BSMT 254 2026-11-11 (Wednesday). $15/pwyc, 19+

DIMETAPP [Mike DeiCont/Mackenzie Longpré/Kae Murphy/Luan Phung] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-11-10 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Westelaken [In it for the Lack album release show] (Ben Mike & The Beatles / "secret guest") / 918 Bathurst 2026-11-27 (Friday). $20 - $40 (sliding scale). [tickets + more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Nicola Miller/Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-27 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray [solo]) / Nick Fraser's Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-27 (Tuesday)

The Music Gallery & Burn Down The Capital present (feat. Lea Bertucci & Norbert Rodenkirchen / Slow Attack Ensemble) / Church of the Holy Trinity 2026-10-28 (Wednesday) [tickets + more info]

More Noise Please! presents: Blood and Black Lace (feat. Rich Oddie / Pravik / Babies R Stupid / Sarin / Blood Visions From The Blood God / Tender Prey) / BSMT254 2026-10-28 (Wednesday). $22.63, all ages. [tickets + more info]

Altered States Artist Showcase (feat. Diana Piruzevska & Christobal Lavanchy) / Water to Wine 2026-10-28 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Trevor Dunn/Karen Ng/Nick Fraser / Colin Fisher/Will Hunt/Jack Johnston/Cal Adam) / Standard Time 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $28.27, all ages. [FB event]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Kae Murphy/Brodie West/Tania Gill/Germaine Liu) / Water to Wine 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Special Boy (Genre Fiction / Public Library / slack!) / Rat's Nest 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $15/pwyc (cash/e-transfer). [more info]

lightsweetcrude presents: An Evening of Visual Music (feat. Rob Clutton / Michael Kaler) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

All-Set! presents (feat. Aurochs [Ali Berkok/Jake Oelrichs/Pete Johnston/Mike Smith]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-30 (Friday – early). $pwyc.

Exit Points #77 (feat. SAA/Liam Aldous / Krys/Matthew Maaskant/Liam Aldous / Songbird/Lucía Rojas/Yuval Jarus/Michael Palumbo/Fresh Fade Friday) / Array Space 2026-10-30 (Friday). $15 (early bird), $20 (advance), $25 (door) [more info]

Halloween Spooktacular (feat. catl.) / The Bell & The Beacon 2026-10-31 (Saturday). $31.59, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Kieran Daly/Dan Fortin/Philippe Melanson / The Rex 2026-10-31 (Saturday – 11 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]

Not Dead Yet's Day of the Dead (feat. Slash Need / Head Crack / The Mall) / 131 McCormack Street 2026-11-01 (Sunday). $26.11, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Recording: Ghostlight

Artist: Ghostlight

Song: "Gimme All Your Lovin'"

Recorded at Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Equinox and Solstice Residency), September 5, 2026.

Ghostlight - "Gimme All Your Lovin'"

The massive storm at the start of September shut down the Tranzac, leading to this rare Saturday-night appearance for the Ghostlight crew when their quarterly "Equinox and Solstice" show was re-scheduled. As usual, the group honed into some serious shoegaze/psych jam zones from noodlin' jams and (as heard here) half-joking, half-attempted cover songs. Add in some electronic interferences and live action shaving, and there's enough here to tise one over 'til the next change of season.

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

Recording: Caution Wet Floor Signs

Artist: Caution Wet Floor Signs

Song: The Part Leading Up to John Wick 5

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #120), September 1, 2026.

Caution Wet Floor Signs - The Part Leading Up to John Wick 5

Once again improvising with fluxus-inspired playful chaos, this set started with bassist Yoshi Maclear Wall asking the audience to creatively rearrange themselves in the space so they could be played like a score — and the interactive shenanigans continued from there. The band this time out was comprised of Alex McPherson (double bass), Will Hunt (keys), Garret Hildebrandt (saxophone), Dame Cook (tap) and Colin Cudmore (percussion), all of whom got a turn pulling slips of paper with discursive instructions. Playful throughout, but as heard here, this is a crew that can also play, especially in the sort of avant loft jazz idiom from which they also take inspiration.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, November 3rd with sets from Ancient Egypt (Holger Schoorl + Pete Johnston) and Alaniaris (Michael Kaler + Mark Zurawinski with special guest Brian Abbott).]

Recording: Dave Grenon's Indistinctive Gait

Artist: Dave Grenon's Indistinctive Gait

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Track Could Bend #120), September 1, 2026.

Dave Grenon's Indistinctive Gait - [excerpt]

Less musical than knob-twister Dave Grenon's past endeavours, this was billed as a "performance for field recordings, bar patrons, and live electronics," which was an accurate description. The field recordings were abetted by Ayesha Lye, while Grenon's carefully strung microphones introduced some realtime sound collage.

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

[Track Could Bend is back at Wenona on Tuesday, November 3rd with sets from Ancient Egypt (Holger Schoorl + Pete Johnston) and Alaniaris (Michael Kaler + Mark Zurawinski with special guest Brian Abbott).]

Monday Roundup #301

Community notes:

• Take note that the beloved Women From Space Festival will be back in 2027! Keep March 5, 6, and 7 free in your calendar!

• In sadder news, the building that was home to The Jam factory burnt down last week, and the remains have apparently already been demolished. As a venue, it wasn't the best spot for subtle sonics, and it would get demonically hot in the summertime, but with those exposed brick walls and beams it had a pretty great vibe — whenever I was there, I felt like I was doing something sophisticated in a cool spot in the big city. Host for many instalments of the Feast in The East series and many shows besides, I'm not privy to all of the wrangling that lead to the building being left to moulder for the past couple years, but this is one more sign that in the larger socio-financial space, it was considered more valuable for a space like this to be left abandoned than to serve as a place for people to gather and share culture. (But maybe now we'll get a condo!)

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Concert announcements:

Nick Fraser presents (feat. Mira Martin-Gray [solo]) / Nick Fraser's Special Topics) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-27 (Tuesday)

The Music Gallery & Burn Down The Capital present (feat. Lea Bertucci & Norbert Rodenkirchen / Slow Attack Ensemble) / Church of the Holy Trinity 2026-10-28 (Wednesday) [tickets + more info]

More Noise Please! presents: Blood and Black Lace (feat. Rich Oddie / Pravik / Babies R Stupid / Sarin / Blood Visions From The Blood God / Tender Prey) / BSMT254 2026-10-28 (Wednesday). $22.63, all ages. [tickets + more info]

Altered States Artist Showcase (feat. Diana Piruzevska & Christobal Lavanchy) / Water to Wine 2026-10-28 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Kae Murphy/Brodie West/Tania Gill/Germaine Liu) / Water to Wine 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

All=Set! presents (feat. Aurochs [Ali Berkok/Jake Oelrichs/Pete Johnston/Mike Smith]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-30 (Friday – early). $pwyc.

Exit Points #77 (feat. SAA/Liam Aldous / Krys/Matthew Maaskant/Liam Aldous / Songbird/Lucía Rojas/Yuval Jarus/Michael Palumbo/Fresh Fade Friday) / Array Space 2026-10-30 (Friday). $15 (early bird), $20 (advance), $25 (door) [more info]

The King's Grief ["present[ing] Judith Weir’s micro-opera King Harald’s Saga, punctuating Weir's tragic narrative with the music of Thomas Adès, Oliver Knussen, Thierry Tidrow, Mary Dering, John Dowland, and casting the works as incidental music within a larger drama."] (feat. The Happenstancers) / Redeemer Lutheran Church 2026-11-06&07 (Friday&Saturday). $38.95 (general admission), $12.19 (student). [tickets + more info]

Labyrinth Ensemble with Canan Sezgin Geylan and Yahya Geylan / Aga Khan Museum 2026-11-07 (Saturday). $50 (regular), $45 (friends of Aga Khan Museum), $37.50 (students and seniors). [more info]

The Max Donaldson Quartet [Max Donaldson/Ian Afif/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/Maxwell Stover] / Sellers & Newel 2026-11-07 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Mira Martin-Gray Band (G. Mark Weston) / Annette Studios 2026-11-26 (Thursday). $pwyc.

A duo double-bill (feat. BLOOP [Lina Allemano & Mike Smith] / Karen Ng & Rob Clutton) / Sellers & Newel 2026-12-06 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Lina Allemano Four (feat. Lina Allemano/Brodie West/Andrew Downing/Nick Fraser) / Sellers & Newel 2026-12-07 (Monday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Freesound preents: new music for Shō & Accordion (feat. shshcc [Michael Murphy/Wesley Shen/Matti Pulkki) / Array Space 2027-03-19 (Friday). $27.96 (general admission), $17.31 (student/seniors/arts worker). [tickets + more info]

Freesound preents: Music for String and Reeds (feat. Aysel Taghi-Zada/Matthew Antal/Amahl Arulanandam/Matti Pulkki) / Array Space 2027-05-21 (Friday). $27.96 (general admission), $17.31 (student/seniors/arts worker). [tickets + more info]

Freesound preents: Flutes + Violin + Percussion (feat. Tristan Durie/Michael Murphy/Aysel Taghi-Zada) / Array Space 2027-06-12 (Saturday). $27.96 (general admission), $17.31 (student/seniors/arts worker). [tickets + more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Mirror Walker Residency (feat. Mirror Walker [Cale Fladager/Patrick O’Reilly] / No Aluminum Sextet [Taran Massey-Singh/Lauchlin Wood/Cale Fladager]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-19 (Monday). $pwyc. [FB event]

An eve (songs of ours played with this beautiful band) [songs by Ryan Driver & Maggie Keogh] (feat. Ryan Driver [solo] / Maggie Keogh/Max Donaldson/Jaron Freeman-Fox/Harry Bartlett/Maxwell Stover/Blake Howard) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-20 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Intersection Music & Arts presents ["an evening-length multidisciplinary production"] (feat. Les Gents Qui Partent / Andrew Noseworthy) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-10-20 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info + RSVP]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng ["five alto saxophonists ... play a 30 minute piece of multiphonics by German improviser and composer Frank Gratkowski"] (feat. Patrick O'Reilly [solo] / Bea Labikova/Nicola Miller/Karen Ng/Ben Rositsan/Brodie West) / Wenona Lodge 2026-10-20 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Dan Pitt & Harry Bartlett / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-20 (Tuesday). [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Sweet Lips / Bag) / United Unlimited 2026-10-21 (Wednesday). $15 or pwyc, all ages. [more info]

Altered States Artist Showcase (feat. Dave Clark/Paul Kolinski/Mike Milligan) / Water to Wine 2026-10-21 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Rob Clutton/Aidan Miller) / Water to Wine 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario presents: Makam Nights (feat. Ali Rostamian / Soheil Sadeghi) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Fleshtone Aura / Alex Moskos/John Brennan/Hank Bull) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Harry Bartlett/Andrew Downing/David Hodgson / Sellers & Newel 2026-10-23 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Dorky&Best with Meghan Cheng (feat. Germaine Liu duos with Aniqa, Brian, Leslie, Raphael, Tilman and Tina / Dorkestra + Live Visuals [Germaine Liu/Bea/Claire/Heather/John/Mark/Matthew/Meghan/Mira/Rob) / Array Space 2026-10-23 (Friday). $PWYC (suggested $5-$25), no one turned away for lack of funds. [FB event]

Experimental Link Series: Strings of Iran (feat. Hossein Behroozinia/Mehdi Rostami/Pooyan Ranaei/Bamdad Fotouhi) / Trinity Presbyterian Church 2026-10-24 (Saturday). $43.63. [tickets + more info]

Zoo Owl (Steve Shiffman & The Land of No / Aedon Bears) / Handlebar 2026-10-24 (Saturday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Salon d’exposition (feat. Afraaz Adam Alnoor Mulji & Ali Rajan) / Array Space 2026-10-25 (Sunday – 2 p.m.) [more info]

Imaginary North and The AMBiENT PING present Ambient Afternoon (feat. Bay Mud / A.V.E. / dreamSTATE) / Society Clubhouse 2026-10-25 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $12.67 (advance), $15 (door), all-ages and family-friendly. [tickets + more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on October 20, 2015 at Ratio (The AMBiENT PiNG).

Isles Day - [excerpt]

• ...on October 23, 2015 at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge).

Carl Didur - [excerpt from first solo piano piece]

[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.]

Monday Roundup #300

Community notes:

• Sad news from Telephone Explosion, announcing they will be ceasing operations at the end of the year. "After 19 years and 149 releases, we’ve decided to close Telephone Explosion Records and its affiliated labels, effective Dec 31, 2026." Early on, TE was a bit more niche, serving as a delivery system for Teenager's output and more-closely related bands. But as they grew more eclectic and moved past genre limitations, they hit their stride in releasing some of the city's best forward-thinking music. To dig through their releases is to feel humbled at the depth of talent and passion assembled. The label always loved vinyl, so do note that there's currently a 25% off sale of their remaining physical inventory. Keep an eye out for a banger of a farewell party, hopefully.

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Contest reminder:

• This is your last chance to enter to win a Festial Pass to this week's X Avant festival! Details here! Draw is tomorrow! (Tuesday, October 13th)

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Concert announcements:

An eve (songs of ours played with this beautiful band) [songs by Ryan Driver & Maggie Keogh] (feat. Ryan Driver/Maggie Keogh/Max Donaldson/Jaron Freeman-Fox/Harry Bartlett/Maxwell Stover/Blake Howard) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-20 (Tuesday – early). $pwyc. [more info]

Intersection Music & Arts presents ["an evening-length multidisciplinary production"] (feat. Les Gents Qui Partent / Andrew Noseworthy) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-10-20 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info + RSVP]

Music Hosted by Karen Ng ["five alto saxophonists ... play a 30 minute piece of multiphonics by German improviser and composer Frank Gratkowski"] (feat. Patrick O'Reilly [solo] / Bea Labikova/Nicola Miller/Karen Ng/Ben Rositsan/Brodie West) / Wenona Lodge 2026-10-20 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. Sweet Lips / Bag) / United Unlimited 2026-10-21 (Wednesday). $15 or pwyc, all ages. [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Rob Clutton/Aidan Miller) / Water to Wine 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Labyrinth Ontario presents: Makam Nights (feat. Ali Rostamian / Soheil Sadeghi) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Karen Ng presents (feat. Fleshtone Aura / Alex Moskos/John Brennan/Hank Bull) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-22 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

lightsweetcrude presents: An Evening of Visual Music (feat. Rob Clutton / Michael Kaler) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Fiver with the Fiver Trois / Dina's Tavern 2026-11-28 (Saturday). $21.97, 19+. [tickets + more info]

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

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Shows this week:

TEMOM [Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic] (feat. GG and the MIx / CorianderSound / Musique D'ameublement / Gary Duke / Rob Cruikshank / Antibes / Jaded James / Jonthan Kirby / Didgital Analogs / Dre / Miko / Broken Pink Umbrella / Giant Floating Head / Synth Gravy / A/K/C) / Handlebar 2026-10-12 (Monday). [more info]

Jazz Rat Mondays (feat. Patrick Smith Quartet [Patrick Smith/Sylvia Escoba/Ethan Ardelli/Jay Yoo ) / Dina's Tevern 2026-10-12 (Monday). $no cover. [more info]

Idée Fixe Records 15 (feat. Jennifer Castle / Isla Craig / Cormac Culkeen with Michael Cloud Duguay / Alex Lukashevsky / Kyla Marlena / Potions / Roy / Joseph Shabason / Bry Webb) / St. Stephen-in-the-Fields 2026-10-13 (Tuesday). $26.93. [tickets + more info]

DIMETAPP [Mike DeiCont/Mackenzie Longpré/Kae Murphy/Luan Phung] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-13 (Tuesday) [more info]

X Avant XXI: Memory Mannnnn, Night 1: Ghost Grain (feat. Ava Mendoza / Andrew Noseworthy & Grace Scheele) / First Unitarian Church 2026-10-14 (Wednesday). $22.14/$27.29/$33.47. [tickets + more info]

Altered States Artist Showcase (feat. Alex Lukashevsky) / Water to Wine 2026-10-14 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [more info]

Funz Mini-tour/Ur Audio-Visual label showcase (feat. M. Mucci / Bird City / The Golden Funz) / The Keating Channel Pub & Grill 2026-10-14 (Wednesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

X Avant XXI: Memory Mannnnn, Night 2: Flashback (feat. Sonic Bikes / Bilal Nasser & Ensemble) / First Unitarian Church 2026-10-15 (Thursday). $22.14/$27.29/$33.47. [tickets + more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Kae Murphy/Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / Water to Wine 2026-10-15 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

X Avant XXI: Memory Mannnnn, Night 3: Ancient Circuitry (feat. Mani Mazinani's Solar Organ Ensemble / For The Youth: Reilluminated) / First Unitarian Church 2026-10-16 (Friday). $22.14/$27.29/$33.47. [tickets + more info]

Diane Roblin’s Life Force (Diane Roblin/George Koller/Tim Shia/Kevin Turcotte/John Johnson/Colleen Allen) / The Rex 2026-10-17 (Saturday – 2 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]

Thiante: Spiritual Senegal (feat. Ibrahima Diop / Seydina Ndiaye / Talla Kane) / Trinity-St. Paul's Centre 2026-10-17 (Saturday). $25 (advanced)/$30 (doors), all ages. [FB event]

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It happened this week...

Speaking of X Avant, let's look back XIII years to MMXIII for some sounds from X Avant VIII...

• ...on October 12, 2013 at The Music Gallery (X Avant VIII).

Flux Quartet - Morton Feldman's String Quartet No. 2 [excerpt 4]

• ...on October 17, 2013 at The Music Gallery (X Avant VIII).

Not The Wind, Not The Flag + William Parker - [coda]

[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.]

Contest: X Avant XXI

X Avant XXI: Memory Mannnnn

October 14-16, 2026 @ First Unitarian Church

The Music Gallery is always in the process of becoming something else, so it's not entirely unusual to note that this year's X Avant Festival comes in a time of transition for the institution. While we wait for new Artistic Director Sara Constant's programming to come online, X Avant comes as retrospectively futuristic, with atrists approaching "effects pedals as inquiry and play, utilizing live processing to expand the sonic palette." (Something close to this blog's heart!)

I've heard excitement expressed by artists and the MG staff towards this year's venue, in Oakwood Village (and a ten-minute walk from Oakwood Station on the new Line 5). Tad Michalak curates the first night, featuring guitar wizardry from Ava Mendoza plus a cool duo from Andrew Noseworthy & Grace Scheele. Night 2 brings Sonic Bikes (" a bespoke ensemble of improvising percussionists will make use of reassembled and sonified bike parts to animate a familiar soundworld of gears, spokes, and pedals") plus Bilal Nasser playing solo and with a cool ensemble. The Festival wraps with Alexis Nanibush-Pamajewong's light and sound installation "For The Youth: Reilluminated" plus Mani Mazinani's Solar Organ Ensemble, which is filled up with a bunch of this blog's fave locals.

Recorded at Collective Arts (Burn Down The Capital presents), November 3, 2024.

• Ava Mendoza - The Shadow Song

Recorded at Sankofa Square (Intersection 2025: Day 2: All Day Music Marathon, August 30, 2025.

• Bilal Nasser - unknown

TICKETS + MORE INFO

Information for all shows and tickets are over at the MG's site. Tickets are available on a Pay What You Can Afford (PWYCA) sliding scale ($20-$30) and you can also grab a Festival Pass as well.

CONTEST

Thanks to the Music Gallery, I also have a Festival Pass to give away!

To enter, shoot me an email to mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com, with "contest" in the title and your name in the body. I'll randomly draw a winner on Tuesday, October 13th.

Monday Roundup #299

Community notes:

• Venue watch: Rising from the ashes in Parkdale? News is that The Phoenix, whose current location is slated for development, is heading west. Probably still a lot of bureaucratic hurdles to overcome, but The Phoenix was relatively palatable for a larger venue, so hopefully that can be replicated in a different space.

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Concert announcements:

DIMETAPP [Mike DeiCont/Mackenzie Longpré/Kae Murphy/Luan Phung] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-13 (Tuesday) [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Kae Murphy/William Hunt/Mateos Labbe-Phelan) / Water to Wine 2026-10-15 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

A-side / B-side: Songs by Juliet Palmer ["songs set to a variety of Canadian poets, sitting between composed and improvised music. Featuring poetry by Ayesha Chatterjee, George Elliott Clarke, Antonia Facciponte, Keith Garebian, Luke Hathaway, Alisha Kaplan, Al Moritz, Mansour Noorbakhsh, Corrado Paina, Giovanna Riccio, Armand Garnet Ruffo, Richard Sanger, Yeshim Ternar, Eleni Zisimatos."] (feat. Ryan McDonald & Steven Philcox / Laura Swankey/Christine Duncan/Jackson Welchner/Tania Gill/Rob Clutton/Jake Oelrichs) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-10-16 (Friday). $17.31. [tickets + more info]

Abacus Cornet Quartet [Colin James Gibson/Ryan Kinney/Jonny Luke/Steve Vincent] / The Emmet Ray 2026-10-21 (Wednesday). $15. [more info]

Halloween Spooktacular (feat. catl.) / The Bell & The Beacon 2026-10-31 (Saturday). $31.59, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Not Dead Yet's Day of the Dead (feat. Slash Need / Head Crack / The Mall) / 131 Mccormack Street 2026-11-01 (Sunday). $26.11, 19+. [tickets + more info]

Small World Music's Ishq Festival: An Evening of Qawwali and Khayaal (feat. The Saami Brothers) / Toronto Pavillion 2026-11-27 (Friday). $55.30 + up. [tickets + more info]

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

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Shows this week:

Chris Banks presnts (feat. Cheis Banks/Dafydd Hughes/Max Stover/Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-05 (Monday). $pwyc

Steve Reich at 90! (feat. Soundstreams) / Koerner Hall 2026-10-06 (Tuesday). $35-$94.75. [more info]

Track Could Bend #121 (feat. Shawn Will / Benny Liquid / Victor O) / Wenona Lodge 2026-10-06 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Disarray 1 ["open experimentation at the intersection of sound art, performance art, and conceptual art"] (feat. Christof Migone / Tasman Richardson) / Array Space 2026-10-06 (Tuesday). $10.00 (or pay what you want). [more info]

Raybody (Jackie West / Luke Kuplowsky) / Dina's Tavern 2026-10-06 (Tuesday). [more info]

Peripheral Vision (Michael Davidson) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-06 (Tuesday) [more info]

Holy Oak Family Singers Present: Madonna (feat. TBA) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-07 (Wednesday – early). [more info]

Andrew Downing Quintet [Andrew Downing/Michael Davidson/Nick Fraser/Aline Homzy/Ted Crosby] / The Rex 2026-10-07–10 (Wednesday–Saturday). $20. [more info]

ESP Free Jazz Thursdays (feat. Brent Tanemura/Lauchlin Wood/Kae Murphy/William Hunt/Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / Water to Wine 2026-10-08 (Thursday). $pwyc. [more info]

Diane Roblin/Rob Clutton/Mark Zurawinski / Sellers and Newel 2026-10-09 (Friday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]

Funz Mini-tour/Ur Audio-Visual label showcase (feat. Eiyn Sof / lostworldsounds / The Black Funz) / St Matthew's Clubhouse 2026-10-09 (Friday). $pwyc. [FB event]

2nd Fridays (feat. Cameron Esquega / Josh Cole string trio + 2 [Laura Swankey/Jarron Freeman-Fox/Nick Storring/Josh Cole] / Rainer Wiens) / Canadian Music Centre 2026-10-09 (Friday). $17.31. [tickets + more info]

Audiopollination (feat. DEMYTRA/YO/Lifia / Jamie Eriksen/Felix Sun/Andrew Li / Ryan Kinney/Hannahxyx/Vic / The Not Michael Lynns + Kalina Nedelcheva) / Array Space 2026-10-09 (Friday). $10/pwyc, livestream available. [FB event]

Musica Universalis (feat. Not the Wind, Not the Flag) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-09 (Friday). [more info]

Severe Exposure Volume 1: Toronto's New Noise Festival (feat. Vomir / Lea Bertucci / Hermit / Mound of of Glass /Professor A / Zilmrah / Rob Michalchuk / Receiving Device / Brigitte Bardon't) / It's OK Studios 2026-10-10 (Saturday). $38.61 (early bird), $43.93 (general admission), 19+. [FB event]

FemBots (Jenny Omnichord) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-10-10 (Saturday). $22.60. [tickets + more info]

Stefin (Output 1:1:1 / Atonal) / Collective Arts 2026-10-10 (Saturday). $17.55. [tickets + more info]

Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-11 (Sunday – noon). $pwyc. [more info]

Ayal Senior & Friends presents: Yutori & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior/Kurt Newman/Jay Anderson/Blake Howard / Nick Flanagan / Ø Gravity) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-11 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.) [FB event]

Funz Mini-tour/Ur Audio-Visual label showcase: Sean Travis Ramsay Memorial (feat. Heraclitus Akimbo / Percy Bangs / The Blue Funz) / Sun Room @ 918 Bathurst 2026-10-11 (Sunday). $pwyc. [FB event]

Dorothea Paas (Andre Ethier / Ruby of Thanks) / Dina's Tavern 2026-10-11 (Sunday). $15/pwyc. [more info]

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It happened this week...

• ...on October 7, 2016 at The Tranzac's Main Hall (Tribute to the Life of Ken Aldcroft).

The Woodshed Orchestra & friends - You Ain't Gonna Know Me ('Cause You Think You Know Me)

• ...on October 11, 2016 at Handlebar (The AMBiENT PiNG).

Valiska - unknown

[Do remember that you can click on the tags below to go back and find the original posts (and often, more stuff) from these artists.]

Recording: Cosmic Homeostasis

Artist: Cosmic Homeostasis

Song: Overstimulated Cumulus [excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 30, 2026.

Cosmic Homeostasis - Overstimulated Cumulus [excerpt]

A variety of sounds emerging from across the length of the Southern Cross at this edition of Cosmic Homeostasis, with some rhythmic skeletons threatening to emerge.

The full ensemble this time around included:

• Broken Pink Umbrella - Make Noise Tape & Microsound Music Machine
• Dan Friedman - flute, various AUv3
• Del Stephen - bar, glassware, register, keyboard synthesizer
• Heraclitus Akimbo - M-VAVE FM-1 synth
• Hilary Martin - pedals
• Huck Collins - electric guitar
• John Swschkov - theremin
• Matt Collins - acoustic guitar
• Paul Newman - tenor saxophone
• Rob Cruickshank - electronics
• Zack Berwick - modular synth

As usual, you can check out the afternoon's entire proceedings over on bandcamp:

[Cosmic Homeostasis will be back at The Tranzac on Sunday, November 29th — but more immediately, CH will be convening tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, October 4th at 4 p.m.) at 918 Bathurst to celebrate the release of a new "studio" album.]

Recording: Joni Void/Liz Hysen/Charles Spearin

Artist: Joni Void/Liz Hysen/Charles Spearin

Song: [trio excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), August 30, 2026.

Joni Void/Liz Hysen/Charles Spearin - [trio excerpt]

While passing through town on a road trip, Montréal's Jean Néant dropped into The Tranzac for this afternoon meetup with a couple local pals. After a short set of lofi, cassette-sourced sampledelica he called up Liz Hysen (synth and piano) and Charles Spearin (Moog Prodigy), who came together very nicely on this organic piece.

Recording: Cole/Storring/Allemano/Kurtz/Oswald

Artist: Josh Cole/Nick Storring/Lina Allemano/Owen Kurtz/John Oswald

Song: [set 1 excerpt] + [set 2 excerpt]

Recorded at The Tranzac's Southern Cross Lounge (Josh Cole presents: new works for improvising musicians), August 10, 2026.

Josh Cole/Nick Storring/Lina Allemano/Owen Kurtz/John Oswald - [set 1 excerpt]

Josh Cole/Nick Storring/Lina Allemano/Owen Kurtz/John Oswald - [set 2 excerpt]

This evening was originally slated as a variation on Josh Cole's "and strings" concept, but things slid sideways a bit when a last-minute switch saw saxophonist John Oswald appearing in the place of scheduled violinist Jarron Freeman-Fox. But the real sonic centre here was Owen Kurtz, bringing some tasty realtime sample granulation. There was an inneresting feedback loop where Kurtz's skittering microloops encouraged the other players to respond with similarly small/repetitive gestures, although he left enough space that there was still room to appreciate some delicate playing from Nick Storring (cello) and Lina Allemano (trumpet) alongside Cole's bass.

You can check out both sets over on youtube: