Artist: Shep Treasure
Song: Tornado
Recorded at Dina's Tavern, March 1, 2026.
Rochester's Shep Treasure made it to this side of the big lake to celebrate their new Blanket album. As a live unit, the band presented as a dual-guitar rockin' concern, suggesting an ongoing struggle against world-weariness.
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.
Check out my original live recordings from many of the gigs discussed here.
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 comments are welcome, or you can reach me at mechanicalforestsound@gmail.com.
All MP3's on this blog are audience recordings shared as a reminder of the excitement of seeing live music. If you are an artist who doesn't want their music shared in this way, please contact me and I shall remove it forthwith.
If you're so inclined, you can also follow me on Bluesky @mfs-toronto.bsky.social
Is your show missing from this list? Submit it via this form!
bangs!bangs!bangs! (Woolworm, Ontario / Mammalian Body Plan) / Houndstooth 2026-03-23 (Monday). $PWYC ($10 suggested/NOTAFLOF). [more info]
No Octopus Dancing [Allison Cameron/Germaine Liu/Stephen Parkinson/Mark Zurawinski] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday – early) [more info]
Today Versions presents (feat. Teething / Del Stephen) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday). $10. [more info]
Samantha Richter [Samantha Richter/Pat Lefler/Andrew O’brien/Ben Rositsan] (Elrichman [solo piano]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-24 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [more info]
Charlotte Cornfield / Sonic Boom 2026-03-25 (Wednesday). $free, all-ages. [more info]
Rob Clutton & Josh Cole / Sellers & Newel 2025-03-25 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [FB event]
Brandon Davis's Stations Quartet [Brandon Davis/Patrick O'Reilly/Luan Phung/Germaine Liu] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-25 (Wednesday) [more info]
CCMC [Reg Schwager/Cheryl O/Mani Mazinani/Christine Duncan/Rick Sacks/Casey Sokol/John Oswald] / Array Space 2026-03-26 (Thursday). $free, livestream available
Karen Ng Presents: Lucky Vicky (feat. Kate Nankervis and Vic Cheong Create a Breathable Space / Nifty) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-26 (Thursday) [more info]
All-Set! Presents (feat. Molehill) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-27 (Friday – early). [more info]
GOON (Shaaane / Battle Milk) / The Tranzac (Living Room) 2026-03-27 (Friday). $10. [more info]
Exit Points #70 (feat. Vee Ray/Nuha Yousuf/Sara Rose Caplan/Christopher Whitley/Michael Palumbo / Luan Phung/Chibu Victor/Stephen Acosta/Pierre Mongeon/Kimia Farokhzad) / Array Space 2026-03-27 (Friday). $22.89 (advanve)/$28.27 (general admission). [FB event]
The Ryan Driver Sextet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-27 (Friday). $pwyw. [FB event]
people | places | records Residency (feat. Christopher Mayo with Grace Scheele/Andrew Noseworthy/Joseph Glaser/Liam Aldous / Emmanuel Lacopo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-28 (Saturday). $pwyc. [more info]
Imaginary North and The AMBiENT PiNG present Ambient Afternoon (feat. Ben McCarthy / Inchoate / Erica Whyte) / Society Clubhouse 2025-03-29 (Sunday – 2 p.m.). $10 at the door, NOTAFLOF. fully accessible and family friendly. [FB event]
Cosmic Homeostasis XXXI / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday – 2:30 p.m.). $pwyc, all-ages/family-friendly. [FB event]
Sympathetic String Band (ARTU) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-29 (Sunday – early). $pwyc. [more info]
Minta & The Brook Trout (Sarah Greene & Paul Kolinski / Justin Orok) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-30 (Monday) [FB event]
Harry Vetro and Friends [Harry Vetro/Harrison Argatoff/Alex Manoukas/Andrew Furlong] / The Emmet Ray 2026-03-30 (Monday). $15. [more info]
Lipliners Residency (feat. Ronley Teper & The Lipliners) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-03-31 (Tuesday – early) [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Milkweed / lostworldsounds) / BSMT254 2025-03-31 (Tuesday). $24.94, 19+. [tickets + more info]
Axiomatic Heresy [Jonathan Kay/Kayla Milmine/Nick Fraser/Alex Fournier] / The Rex 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 5 p.m.). $pwyc. [more info]
Holy Oak Family Singers presents: Songs we wrote as teens (feat. Luka Kuplowsky/Thom Gill/Ella Coys/Stefana Fratila/Tiffany Wu/Sam Tudor/Heather Saumer/Ben Gunning/Mira Martin-Gray/Charles James/Kieran AdamsStephan Prickett/Caitlin Woelfe-o'Brien) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-04-01 (Wednesday – 7 p.m.). [more info]
Batuki Music Society and Small World Music present (feat. Kimi Djabaté / Daby Touré) / Small World Centre 2026-04-03 (Friday). $31.31, all-ages. [more info]
Ministry of Phonic Services presents (feat. The Specky Blokes / Toanche Dwelling) / The Jama 2026-04-03 (Friday). $15/$20. [tickets + more info]
Bloop! [Lina Allemano & Mike Smith] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-05 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Track Could Bend #115 (feat. Brian Abbott & Paul Newman / Ben Mike & Owen Kurtz) / Wenona Lodge 2025-04-07 (Tuesday). $pwyc. [FB event]
Riverrun [Tom Richards/Peter Lutek/Scott Peterson/Jake Oelrichs] / Reid's Distillery 2026-04-08 (Wednesday). $23.73 (advance)/$25 door. [FB event]
Labyrinth Ontario 2026 Fundraiser (feat. Iranian Folios of Dastgāh / Yahya Geylan & Canan Sezgin Geylan) / The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2026-04-09 (Thursday). $25 (or more with donation!), under 18 free. [FB event]
Jen Lo/Julien Bradley-Combs/Ben Dwyer / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-14 (Tuesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
The Evan Miles Trio [Evan Miles/Norbert Botos/Max Simpson] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-15 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Gary Louris / Hugh's Room 2026-04-17 (Friday). $42.85 ($21.82 Arts Worker, Student, Underemployed). [tickets + more info]
Andrea Scala & Tania Gill / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-18 (Saturday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
B.A. Johnston (Sons of Butcher / Thunderkok) / The Baby G 2025-04-18 (Saturday). $21.53, 19+. [FB event]
Art of Improv (feat. Mark Gane/Eugene Martynec/Bill Gilliam / Bob Wiseman/John Oswald/Jesse Levine) / Annette Studios 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 / PWYC. [FB event]
The Max Donaldson Quartet [Max Donaldson/Matteos Labbe-Phelan/Ian Afif/Max Stover] / Sellers & Newel 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
A Horse Named Friday (Penknife / Westelaken) / St.Stephens-in-the-fields 2026-04-19 (Sunday). $20/pwyc, all-ages
Jo Passed (Gift Idea / Sad Francis) / Dina's Tavern 2026-04-24 (Friday). $17.62 advance, $20 door. [tickets + more info]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis) / 918 Bathurst 2026-05-02 (Saturday). $37.10. [tickets + more info]
Fembots (Wayne Petti) / The Brockton 2026-05-02 (Saturday). $22.89, all-ages. [tickets + more info]
Labyrinth Ontario with Efrén López / Array Space 2026-05-09 (Saturday). $50 (regular)/$45 (friends of the museum)/$37.50 (students and seniors)/$20 (limited rush tickets). [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. One Leg One Eye / Efrim Menuck) / St. Stephen-In-The-Fields 2025-05-13 (Wednesday). $26.67, all-ages. [FB event]
TONE Presents (feat. Eric Chenaux & Ryan Driver / Rafael Toral / Masahiro Takahashi & Brodie West) / Standard Time 2025-05-14 (Thursday). $33.64 advance/$35 door, all-ages. [FB event]
Playscape Emporium: Paint, Play (feat. Duo Cichorium / Constant Yen / Rowan Campbell / Charli/Fahmid/Joe/Mira) / Array Space 2026-05-21 (Thursday). $25 (or Pay What You Want), livestream: $12.00 (or Pay What You Want). [more info]
Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Cole Pulice / SpeariNg [Karen Ng & Charles Spearin] / Grace Scheele) / Collective Arts 2026-05-23 (Saturday). $22.89, 19+. [FB event]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Fuji||||||||||ta / Evicshen) / The Garrison 2025-06-10 (Wednesday). $30.14, 19+. [FB event]
2026 Gigs
Tania Gill presents (feat. Victor Bateman/Brodie West/Nico Dann) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-02 (Friday)
The Silt / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-02 (Friday)
Track Could Bend #112 (feat. Duo BEAK / Vividness Trio) / Wenona Lodge 2026-01-06 (Tuesday)
Toronto Improvisors Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-11 (Sunday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Senior & Newman / Nick Flanagan / Aaron Knight / Azaria / Charter of the Forest) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-01-11 (Sunday)
ur audio visual presents (feat. Heraclitus Akimbo / Charter of the Forest) / The Sun Room @ 918 Bathurst 2026-01-18 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #113 (feat. OH GEE / Ryan Kinney) / Wenona Lodge 2026-02-03 (Tuesday)
Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Ayal Senior & Kurt Newman / Destroya / Nick Flanagan / Roya/Marilyn/Ayal / Ayal Senior) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Bad Baby and Mayme Joach (Fan Wu / Colleen Coco Collins) / Burdock Music Hall 2026-02-08 (Sunday)
Music Hosted by Karen Ng (feat. Max Stover/Mateos Labbé-Phelan/Andrew Furlong/Karen Ng) / Wenona Lodge 2026-02-17 (Tuesday)
Rapallo (Marker Starling) / Dina's Tavern 2025-02-21 (Saturday)
Earlobe fundraiser (feat. Many People) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-02-26 (Thursday)
coexisDance #113 (feat. New Chance / Rachana Joshi / Sid Eillers / Brandon Davis / Kayla Milmine / Brendan Swanson / Rowan-Muriel / Joel Lawrence) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2026-02-28 (Saturday)
Eliza Niemi (Shep. Treasure / Westelaken) / Dina's Tavern 2026-03-01 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #114 (feat. Bill Gilliam / Scallions / Tap slap wind and light) / Wenona Lodge 2026-03-03 (Tuesday)
Ayal Senior & Friends (feat. Senior & Newman / Lostworldsounds / Nick Flanagan / Nocturnes / Ayal Senior) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-08 (Sunday)
International Women's Day (feat. Tania Gill/Aline Homzy/Karen Ng/Brittany Pitt/Mira Riselli) / Sellers & Newel 2026-03-08 (Sunday)
Ben Mike & The Beatles (Down Town) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2025-03-14 (Saturday)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment