A real joy to see Matt "Doc" Dunn back on a local stage. This set was nominally a rather belated celebration of the Stonegrass record, although that was more of a starting point. On wax a duo between Dunn and drummer Jay Anderson (who have a long history of playing together), this was transformed into a quartet with "Hieronymous" Harry Forman on bass and Asher Gould-Murtagh on tape echo unit. (The latter did a great job on keeping those very particular wobbulations floating just below the mix.)
I haven't been yet, but I've been hearing good things about the Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic, which is based out of Handlebar. It's happening tonight (Monday, December 11th) with side-by-side staging — 15 minute sets going steadily with one performer playing while the next in the queue is setting up. Sign-ups and walk-ins are still available, last I heard. Starts at 8pm and goes late.
Meanwhile, The AMBiENT PiNG's DRONE:KLUB returns Thursday (December 14th) with an invitation for all to participate in or experience a live community drone event at the Long & McQuade Clinic Hall. Details at the facebook event.
Video hits:
I was sad to have missed "Spore Wind", a jaw harp concerto for Darcy Spidle composed by Bekah Simms when it was performed earlier this year, so I'm glad to see that Continuum has shared the piece (including Daniel Tapper's visuals) on youtube:
Concert announcements:
Arthur Bull/Lori Freedman/Scott Thomson/Jean Martin/John Oswald / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-12-22 (Friday). $pwyw
Hit Play (feat. _53d8ZxP / Comm.Arts / Yores) / Dundas Video 2023-12-13 (Wednesday). $pwyc, all-ages. [more info]
Tenderness (Gift Idea [debut!] [Steven Lourenço/Patrick McKenna/Jonathan Pappo feat. Alex Hamlyn]) / Tibet Street Records 2023-12-14 (Thursday). $20. [FB event]
Piano Fest (feat. Michael Cloud Duguay / Max Donaldson) / Burdock Music Hall 2023-12-14 (Thursday). $15. [more info]
Piano Fest (feat. Mingjia Chen / Tara Kannangara/Chris Pruden/Matt Fong) / Burdock Music Hall 2023-12-15 (Friday). $15 advance, $20 door. [more info]
The John Denver Airport Conspiracy (Tijuana Taxi / Gag) / The Baby G 2023-12-15 (Friday). $22.70, 19+. [FB event]
Hand Drawn Dracula's 15th Anniversary (feat. Beliefs / Tallies / Bonnie Trash / Michael Peter Olsen) / The Garrison 2023-12-15 (Friday). $23.57, 19+. [FB event]
Karen Ng presents (feat. Many People) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-12-15 (Friday)
coexisDance #100 ["a new season (the first proper one since the pandemic), a new dance friendlier space, gov’t support, new equity focused mandate and a whole lot of fresh and hopeful energy"] (feat. Donald Carr/Heidi Chan/Liz Limax/Jessica Houghton/Cody Berry Ottertail/Rob Piilonen/Andy Yue/Pursuit Grooves/Kousha Nakei/Tristan Mantasoul Martell/Norma Araiza) / Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre 2023-12-16 (Saturday). $15
Not Dead Yet presents: S.H.I.T.mas 10 Yr Anniversary (feat. S.H.I.T. / Iron Lung / Glue / Dark Thoughts / Delco MFs / K.O.S. / Puffer & Calamity) / The Velvet Underground 2023-12-16 (Saturday). $42.72, 19+. [FB event]
Ministry of Phonic Services Presents: It Takes Two to Tango (feat. Wilderness Adventure Ride [Owen Kurtz & %%30%30] / Faggot Obsequy [Emjay Wright & Kye] / annais & cnrkrtz [Annais Linares & Connor Kurtz]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-12-16 (Saturday) [more info]
Ancient Egypt [live recording] [Pete Johnston/Scott Thomson/Holger Schoorl] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2023-12-17 (Sunday) [FB event]
Holding a belated release celebration for Upper Canada Blues, the third salvo in Dunn's recent spate of "song" albums, a reshuffled group of musical comrades took the stage like to provide the rollicking rootsy swagger to complement Dunn's slide guitar playing. Like a boozy post-concert jam between George Harrison and The Grateful Dead, this music sometimes lurched drunkenly, but felt all the more sanctified for it.
Celebrating the release of The Gratitude Principle, Doc Dunn and The Cosmic Range filled the stage at the Big G with the usual large complement (including Mike Smith providing all the basslines this time 'round on Moog rather than four-string). Moving from spiritual planetarium drift to full-on wah-wah soul funk, the night ended in a familiar place, with a cover that used to show up quite frequently in Isla Craig's solo repertoire.
Although I don't get out to as many rawk shows as I used to, the 10th anniversary of this blog felt like enough of an occasion to warrant a special Saturday night kind of celebration. With a limited preview run of a new best-of compilation tape on the merch table quickly selling out (side note: second batch coming soon!) and a mini-remount of my MFS listening station, it felt a bit like a party, but what really made it was seeing so many familiar faces out for the hang.
Still in the midst of the fertile patch that saw the release of two singer-songwriter albums at the end of last year, Doc Dunn brought a stripped-back trio (with his guitar and vintage rhythm box accompanied by Jay Anderson and Grasshopper on percussion) to set sail over some mellow grooves.
[Doc Dunn's "other" project, The Cosmic Range, celebrates the release of their second album The Gratitude Principle this Friday (May 3rd) at The Garrison.]
A slightly-belated night to celebrate the release of Doc Dunn's Lightbourn album turned out to be a twofer, with the additional appearance of its follow-up Some Horses Run on the merch table. These "solo" albums (as distinguished from the collective grooves he heads with the Cosmic Range) found their songs fleshed out with an all-star band that included Simone T-B on drums, Grasshopper on percussion, James Matthew VII (formerly Blind Matty) on guitar, Andrew Scott on bass, Jonathan Adjemian on keybs as well as special guest backing vocalists Isla Craig and Meg Remy on a few numbers.
That exploded the sometimes-introspective vibe of the recorded versions into a cranked-up push-it-to-the-back-of-the-stadium wall of wailing guitars and pulsing funk, making these versions feel like they'd belong up on the merch table in a gatefold cover double-live album — the kind with just a couple stretched-out songs per side. There's even a tip of the hat here to peer and inspiration Jennifer Castle on a version of "Crying Shame" that tears with such momentum Dunn was pushing hard to keep up with the flow of the lyrical river.
[Doc Dunn and a smaller group of friends will be bringing some joy to the Mechanical Forest Sound 10th Anniversary celebration at The Baby G on Saturday, March 2nd.]
Subsequent to this set at its official release show, Matt Dunn would explode his Lightbourn album into full-on rock glory — but here he was still gazing inwards with its songs, and keeping them stripped bare. Even so, this wasn't a "solo" set in the truest sense, as Dunn (with a 12-string acoustic guitar) was joined by Jonathan Adjemian on piano and Derek "Grasshopper" Madison on percussion. Singing his heart out, the set felt rawer than the album's produced takes, and pared-down arrangements (like "Simple One"'s simple piano accompaniment) gave the songs an entirely different feel.
Another interesting day in Yonge-Dundas Square for Intersection, once again excellently curated by Burn Down the Capital's Tad Michalak. Mixing in some abrasive sounds with lots of accessible experimentation, there was a pleasing range of mostly-local talent spread out through the square, animated between sets by the whispersounds of Tina Pearson's installation piece. Capping things off was another bigglyup ensemble, breaking out something like a greatest-grooves set. Convener and head kowboy Doc Dunn was off to the side on organ, while a casual observer might have concluded that sax player Andy Haas — performing with joyful verve centre-stage — was the leader here. Fun stuff and a perfect way to end the day's takeover of that strange ad-bathed concrete space next to the centre of the city's shopping vortex. There is always culture seeping out through the cracks.
While fronting Actual Water a few years back, Tony Price was in the habit of shifting sonic contexts and subverting expectations. This new project shows those same ambitions have been applied at a larger scale, shifting past hooky pop nuggets for longer groove explorations. The "friends" on hand here were Colin Fisher (sax) and Matt "Doc" Dunn (electronics/keyb) helping to mash in some kosmische whispers, as well as offering this piece which sounded like something seeping out from under the door of some vintage Lagos backroom.
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
I was sad to have missed this year's first Long Winter (at my home base of The Tranzac, no less!) but was pleased to see the series return to the SPK's mirrored bunker for another go-round. Using the downstairs dining room and the upper main hall, there was music back and forth all night — plus the usual mix of comedy, art and Vish Khanna's Long Night talk show. Not quite the petit version and not quite the full-on prowling carnivore, this mid-sized vehicle was still a reliable groove machine, powered by Mike Smith's basslines, embroidered by comandante Doc Dunn (organ), Jonathan Adjemian (synth) and Max Turnbull (guit/keyb) and propelled by the percussive embroidery of Grasshopper, Brandon Valdivia and Kieran Adams.
*Thanks to a commenter for noting this was a section of "The Shark".
This astounding set teasing new material from the newly-expanded U.S. Girls featured a band composed mostly of Doc Dunn's Cosmic Range (as well as The Sulks' Chris Bezant on guit and backing vocalists Kassie Richardson and Basia Bulat) who offered an astoundingly full "studio" sound. Besides opening and closing with some of the tracks they played on from the forthcoming In a Poem Unlimited album they also reinterpreted a series of older songs. Meg Remy balanced the lushness of the ten-piece backing band with sample montages that hearkened back to the project's origins as well as hinting at the seething anger underneath the songs. But it's too easy to just label this as feminist rage (a word that's right there in the title of the Fiver song covered on the new album) — there's a consideration of things that justly evoke anger, but there's also joy in the music as well, from the reggae-ish lilt the band accorded to "28 Days" as well as the ebullient disco of "Mad As Hell".
Remy was in full command throughout — no banter or asides were on offer in the tightly-constructed set, and instead of an encore, all she gave the crowd was a hand-on-hip "didn't I just do that?" glare before leaving the stage. With the release of the album now confirmed for February, this was a tantalizing glimpse of an artist operating at a high level — and expanding their ambitions to ever-higher plateaus.
A return to Prairie Drive Park after last year'sinitialexcursion had another excellent lineup and even better weather. Free food for all gave locals and musical tourists a chance to mingle together and it was a real treat to hear music echoing through the well-used park. Essential city-building work from Toronto Arts Foundation's Arts in the Parks initiative — hopefully this will continue every summer.
The full Cosmic Range complement were out in force, with Matt "Doc" Dunn joined by Isla Craig (vox, percussion), Andy Haas (sax, electronics), Max "Slim Twig" Turnbull (guit), Jonathan Adjemian (synth), Mike Smith (bass), Jay Anderson (drums), Brandon Valdivia (percussion) and Derek and Iggy Madison (percussion). The set was given over to a sprawling new piece called "The Shark", which moved hungrily between mellow groove-simmers and teeth-baring rockouts.
Ayal Senior and Matt "Doc" Dunn's cosmic back porch Sacred Lamp duo has been a rather pleasing addition to the Tranzac's rotation of residency slots, creating mellow moods on Sunday afternoons. Mixing chiming acoustic 12-string and glass-slide melodies, there's a beautifully languid flow to the pieces that make it perfect for an afternoon escape. On this day, the Southern Cross' window was open a bit and the curtain would occasionally drift a bit in the breeze — that felt just right.
Bonus! Here's some video footage from the afternoon as well:
[Sacred Lamp has been documenting these (and other!) shows, so there are many rewards to be reaped over at their bandcamp. The residency continues on Sunday, July 9th, at 3 p.m. in the Southern Cross.]
This was my first time out to The Great Hall since their long-in-the-works refurbishment was completed. Not only was it a treat to experience the new, spacious bathrooms, but the main space was also opened up with the removal of the large lighting rig that was suspended from the sides of the balconies. There was a new PA as well, and this was a good night for it, rendering the eight-piece band with clarity.
Flanking the stage there were keyboards left and right (for Matt "Doc" Dunn and Jonathan Adjemian, respectively), two percussion stations at the back (for Brandon Valdivia and Kieran Adams), Mike Smith (bass) and Isla Craig (vox) over on the right and lots of room in the middle for Max "Slim Twig" Turnbull (guit) and Andy Haas (saxophone). Alternating between funky blasts and pastoral drifts (and here's one of each for comparison's sake) the set tapped into the Sun Ra-dappled bliss that was captured so well on the New Latitudes album. The night's purpose was, in fact, a slightly-belated launch celebration for the disc. Rather wonderfully executed, it's a real celebration whenever this entire crew can get together.
This particularly thoughtfully-assembled Rough Idea production brought together three different sonic explorers for a night of deep-listening vibes. Picking up on the spirit of headliner Susan Alcorn's Cosmic American drift, Matthew "Doc" Dunn brought an ensemble geared toward creating some sympathetic excursions. With Mike Smith and Johnathan Adjemian on synths and Brandon Valdivia providing some gentle percussion, Dunn floated on top with some tasty slide guitar. The set drifted through three distinct movements, the middle of which is presented here.
[Another aspect of Dunn's sonic explorations will be foregrounded when The Cosmic Range celebrate New Latitudes at the Great Hall next Thursday (January 19th). Sandro Perri's Off World have just been added to the bill to open the night.]
Unsurprisingly, the fine sunny weather accompanying the festival's final day had the park feeling much more lively and animated with dog-walkers and playground patrons. The tent was also a lot busier from the get-go and as the warm sun held overhead, the rise of the hill beyond was soon filling as well. There was more of a poignant sad undertone to the day, with organizers, bands and audience members all dwelling a little more on the idea that this was the end of the line for the festival. But, as always, the music was a balm and a call to enjoy these moments while they last.
Interestingly, it looks like, for the time being, The Cosmic Range have had founder Matt "Doc" Dunn's name lopped off the marquee — perhaps to make things a bit more concise on a new release from esteemed local label Idée Fixe Records that drops next week. That doesn't change the sense of whose hand is on the tiller of this groove orchestra, who were out in full force on this day, with Dunn joined by Max "Slim Twig" Turnbull (guit), Jonathan Adjemian (synth), Andy Haas (sax), Mike Smith (bass), Isla Craig (vox), Brandon Valdivia (perc) and Kieran Adams (perc) — a groop so expansive that Dunn actually took his place off to the side of the stage. The set ran through the band's series of grooves combining heavy psych and Sun Ra astral projection with everything in blow-the-roof-off form.
Opening things up for Peter Brötzmann and Heather Leigh, Matt "Doc" Dunn brought a stripped-down configuration of his Cosmic Range band, with his guitar and rhythm box augmented by Jonathan Adjemian (synth), Mike Smith (synth) and Brandon Valdivia (percussion). That lineup gave things a snaky/groovy vibe, with the quartet meditating upon a series of riffs in an unhurried manner.
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
This night, headlined by some supremely-proficient American underground legends, opened up with some supremely-proficient local underground legends. And although there was a loud/quiet contrast in the two parts of the night, this was a crowd that respected artistry and was admirably focused and attentive early on. Ayal Senior and Matt "Doc" Dunn were in a more restrained mode, their set featuring fewer cosmic jam-outs and more beautiful compressed gems like these, with Dunn's lyrical slide guitar giving the songs all the "voice" they could possibly need.
*Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!
Surveying the land and declaring that times and tastes have changed, Kevin Hainey announced an end to his mostly CD-r label Inyrdisk after 11 years of small-run releases. Serving as the release party for Inyrdisk's final release, the Death Match box set, this night was at least as much of a casual hang-out than a wake. After taking stock via a panel looking at the past/present/future of the small-label ecology, the night included four musical sets.
Matt "Doc" Dunn and Ayal Senior have released music on Inyrdisk together (Crystal Fingers, iyd18) and seperately — and as kindred spirits to Inyrdisk's Kevin Hainey they were a logical choice to play this show. I've seen this pair as a duo under at least twoother names besides this one, and while the boundaries between projects can get blurred, there's usually a distinct vision for each — this set seeing them exploring some rather pleasing dronedrift sounds in planetarium/cosmic ambient mode.
Jonathan Adjemian has pivoted from the hermetically gorgeous sinewaves of his last tape to the generative laptopscapes of his brand-new effort, which was celebrated at this night out at Array. Reflecting faucets of the creator's personality, the album was for sale in a download code/baked treat combo, and the night's collaborations included both musical-and dance-based efforts. In terms of the former, Adjemian was joined by some of his peers to unpack, redux, and remix some tracks from the new album, giving them reinvented musical identities.
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.
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]
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]
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]
lightsweetcrude presents: An Evening of Visual Music (feat. Rob Clutton / Michael Kaler) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-29 (Thursday). $pwyc. [FB event]
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]
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]
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]
Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Weird Nightmare [Hoopla record release shows]) / Osler Records 2026-11-18&19 (Wednesday & Thursday). $24.94, 19+. [tickets + more info]
Mike DeiCont & Dan Fortin / Sellers and Newel 2026-11-25 (Wednesday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Marilyn Lerner & Matt Brubeck / Sellers and Newel 2026-11-26 (Thursday). $20 minimum donation. [more info]
Mira Martin-Gray Band (G. Mark Weston) / Annette Studios 2026-11-26 (Thursday). $pwyc.
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]
Fiver with the Fiver Trois / Dina's Tavern 2026-11-28 (Saturday). $21.97, 19+. [tickets + more info]
Soundstreams Encounters: Orison [a new music theatre work-in-progress featuring the ondes Martenot] (feat. Daniel Áñez & James O’Callaghan) / Hugh's Room 2026-11-30 (Monday). $free with reservation. [more info]
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]
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]
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)
Andre Ethier (Cows in Rain / Eliza Niemi) / Dina's Tavern 2026-07-05 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #118 (feat. Ubersuck / Mike Gennaro / Wilderness Adventure Ride) / Wenona Lodge 2026-07-07 (Tuesday)
Toronto Improvisers Orchestra / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-12 (Sunday)
Ayal Senior and Friends (feat. Country Phasers / Meggie Remy / Nick Flanagan / Heraclitus Akimbo) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-12 (Sunday)
Rebecca Hennessy's Singer-Songwriter Circle (feat. Rebecca Hennessy/Michael Herring/Felicity Williams/Patrick O'Reilly) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-19 (Sunday)
The Fiver Trois (Isla & The Sorry Brothers) / Dina's Tavern 2025-07-24 (Friday)
Jennifer Castle (Potions) / The Garrison 2025-07-25 (Saturday)
Heraclitus Akimbo (Hoover Party / Del Stephen / Hex-A-Decimal × Leucrocuta) / The Sun Room at 918 Bathurst 2025-07-26 (Sunday)
Kathryn Merriam with Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Heather Saumer / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-29 (Wednesday)
The Ryan Driver Sextet With Thom Gill As Ryan Driver / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-07-31 (Friday)
Track Could Bend #119: An Evening of Graphic Scores co-presented with Public Library (feat. Public Library with Roa Lee and Alison Melville) / Wenona Lodge 2026-08-04 (Tuesday)
Humbucker Music Residency (feat. Humbucker Music / Sandy Ewen) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-08-07 (Friday)
new works for improvising musicians (feat. Josh Cole/Lina Allemano/John Oswald/Nick Storring/Owen Kurtz) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-08-10 (Monday)
Track Could Bend #120 (feat. Dave Grenon's Indistinctive Gait w/ Ayesha Lye / Caution Wet Floor Signs) / Wenona Lodge 2026-09-01 (Tuesday)
Equinox and Solstice Residency (feat. Ghostlight) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-09-05 (Saturday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents: Back to School Field Trip: Dome (feat. Brandon Auger / Ben Grossman / Fahmid Nibesh) / CNE Bandshell 2026-09-17 (Thursday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: Otherwise (feat Heraclitus Akimbo / qeTTe fossa & Mateos Labbé-Phelan) / Bickford Park 2026-09-22 (Tuesday)
Ministry of Phonic Services presents Back to School Field Trip: UFO (feat. Gayle Young & Reinhard Reitzenstein / SlowPitchSound / Fleshtone Aura & Sandro Perri / tête à tête à tête) / Oculus Pavilion 2026-09-25 (Friday)
Imaginary North and The AMBiENT PiNG present Ambient Afternoon (feat. Jessica Deutsch / Little Jim / R Grunwald) / Society Clubhouse 2026-09-27 (Sunday)
Track Could Bend #121 (feat. Shawn Will / Benny Liquid / Debacle Rebuttal) / Wenona Lodge 2026-10-06 (Tuesday)
Musica Universalis (feat. Not the Wind, Not the Flag) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2026-10-09 (Friday)
Ur Audio-Visual label showcase: Sean Travis Ramsay Memorial (feat. Heraclitus Akimbo / Percy Bangs / The Blue Funz) / 918 Bathurst – Sanctuary 2026-10-11 (Sunday)
Idée Fixe Records 15 (feat. Potions / Roy / Kyla Marlena / Alex Lukashevsky / Isla Craig / Joseph Shabason with Thom Gill / Cormac Culkeen with Michael Cloud Duguay / Bry Webb / Jennifer Castle) / St. Stephen-in-the-Fields 2026-10-13 (Tuesday)
Jay Anderson & Matt McLaren’s 25-year Renewal of Musical Vows (feat. Jay & Matt's All-Star Band with Friends and Guests / Steamboat / Saffron Sect) / Ted's Collision 2026-10-15 (Thursday)
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)
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