Recording: Karen Ng

Artist: Karen Ng

Song: [excerpt from first piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), November 22, 2018.

Karen Ng - [excerpt from first piece]

A collaborator and sound-supporter par excellence, Karen Ng has finally found the moment to step out on her own. The regard in which she's held by her community could be seen both from the way the Southern Cross became increasingly full at this celebration as well as how quickly her box of tapes emptied. (The first edition of this tape is already completely sold out.) The individually hand-drawn covers on the tapes all delineate a winding path — multiple journeys, all arriving Here.

Recording: Phil Melanson

Artist: Phil Melanson

Song: [first section]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), November 22, 2018.

Phil Melanson - [first section]

Celebrating the release of her solo saxophone tape, Karen Ng brought along a couple parties-of-one exploring different forms of sole practitioning. Percussionist Phil Melanson's sonic explorations have been getting rather quiet lately, so it was interesting to see another approach entirely here, using drums as contact mic'd resonators and recording devices as objets concrètes with the thrum of live and reproduced clatter-sounds feeding back into hazy howls.

Recording: Rob Clutton

Artist: Rob Clutton

Song: [first piece]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), November 22, 2018.

Rob Clutton - [first piece]

Celebrating the release of her solo saxophone tape, Karen Ng brought along a couple parties-of-one exploring different forms of sole practitioning. In a classic Tranzac standoff, Rob Clutton's double bass tones were up against some grooves from a party in the Tranzac's Main Hall, which might have informed the unquiet skronky bowing and indelicate fingerings heard at the outset here.

[Sort of the opposite of a solo set, but Rob Clutton has a not-to-be-missed show next week (Wednesday, January 16th) celebrating the release of Cluttertones' Leeways album. Solo music fans need not worry, though, as Kayla Milmine will be opening the evening with a set of solo improvisations for alto saxophone.]

Concert Listings Roundup #284

You can read more about why I'm doing listings here. Long story short: This curated and decidedly non-comprehensive list contains nothin' but shows that I am going to/would go to if I had more time.

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Gig of the week:

Picastro [LP Release!] (Fresh Snow / Colin Fisher) / The Baby G 2019-01-12 (Saturday) [FB event]

An excellent night from Burn Down The Capital sees some big names marking their return from quieter times, most notably Picastro who are celebrating the release of their new album Exit. The current version of the band, with Liz Hysen joined by Nick Storring, Germaine Liu, and Matthew Ramalo (all staples of the city's improvised music scenes!) can transport the listener to some eerie places while generating a surprising groove to bolster Hysen's oft-fragile song structures. Meanwhile, it's a treat to see instru-barnburners Fresh Snow back in action and Colin Fisher is promising some solo ambient guitar in the style of last year's V Le Pape album.

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This week's noteworthy shows:

Geordie Gordon [new band featuring Ian Daniel Kehoe & Evan Cartwright] (R. Flex) / Burdock Music Hall 2019-01-07 (Monday) [FB event]

Trevor Giancola Trio [Trevor Giancola/Dan Fortin/Ethan Ardelli] / The Emmet Ray 2019-01-07 (Monday) [FB event]

Canadian Opera Company World Music Series (feat. Kamancello) / F--- S------ Centre 2019-01-08 (Tuesday – lunch hour concert! free!) [FB event]

Ornate Presents (feat. Amelia Thomas / Colour and Noise [Ashley Urquhart/Laura Swankey/Aidan Sibley/Patrick O'Reilly/Alex Fournier]) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-08 (Tuesday – early!) [FB event]

Andrew Zukerman presents (feat. Philippe Melanson & Karen Ng / Dave Nardi & Steven Sladkowski) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-08 (Tuesday)

JAOIM x Track Could Bend #46 (feat. Lina Allemano's Titanium Riot / McEachern/West/Zurawinski) / Wenona Lodge 2019-01-08 (Tuesday – PWYC! Rare 2nd Tuesday for TCB!) [FB event]

Brodie West Quintet / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-09 (Wednesday – early!) [FB event]

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft XXV (feat. Irene Harrett / Laura Swankey & Friends [Christine Duncan/Patrick O'Reilly/Laura Swankey] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-09 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Invocation presents (feat. Joseph Shabason [Anne album release!] (Sandro Perri) / Array Space 2019-01-10 (Thursday) [FB event]

Ted Crosby Trio [Ted Crosby/Ben Dwyer/Eric West] / Alchemy Food & Drink 2019-01-10 (Thursday) [FB event]

Praises [In This Year: Ten Of Swords release party!] (Shortbloom / slash need) / The Baby G 2019-01-11 (Friday) [FB event]

Rat-drifting 4 (feat. See Through 4 [Nick Fraser/Pete Johnston/Marilyn Lerner/Karen Ng]) / Array Space 2019-01-11 (Friday) [more info]

Colin Fisher & Victor Cirone / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-11 (Friday) [FB event]

Audiopollination 67 (feat. Curtis Whittaker/Ashley Urquhart / Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter/Kobena Aquaa-Harrison / James Atin-Godden/Suzanne Farkas / Kayla Milmine/MJ Wright/Michael Lynn / Nilan Perera/Josh Cole) / Array Space 2019-01-12 (Saturday) [FB event]

Dan Pitt Trio [Dan Pitt/Alex Fournier/Nick Fraser] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-12 (Saturday) [FB event]

Ayal Senior (Brian Ruryk / Nick Flanagan [comedy] / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-13 (Sunday – afternoon show @ 3 p.m.!) [FB event]

Team Building [new songs and works in progress, hosted by Luke Kuplowsky] (feat. Tamara Lindeman / Alanna Stuart / Charlie Lukashevsky / Eliza Niemi / Cailean Lewis / Joëlle / Jason Bhattacharya) / Burdock Music Hall 2019-01-13 (Sunday – early! PWYC!) [FB event]

Lina Allemano Four / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-13 (Sunday) [FB event]

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Add these to your calendar:

Reminder: This post only contains this week's updates — the full listings can always be found over on the right-hand sidebar!

Nick Ferrio + Holy Mackinaw (Ansley Simpson) / The Cameron House (back room) 2019-01-17 (Thursday) [FB event]

James Meger/Ted Crosby/Karen Ng/Michael Davidson / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-01-20 (Sunday – early!) [FB event]

Business of Dreams (Dorothea Paas / Tough Age) / The Beguiling 2019-01-21 (Monday) [FB event]

Losers [single release!] [Cellphone / Scorpio Rising / Wrot) / Owl's Club (basement) 2019-01-24 (Thursday) [FB event]

Kapali Carsi (Man Made Hill / Sour Pussy / Cruise) / Owl's Club (basement) 2019-01-25 (Friday) [FB event]

Prom Nite [last show!] (Rotten Column / Hugh Man / Oxalis [first show!]) / The Beguiling 2019-01-26 (Saturday – PWYC!) [FB event]

Night Of The Living Night Shift (feat. R. Flex / Becca Howe / Determinist?) / Wenona Lodge 2019-01-29 (Tuesday) [FB event]

New Tendencies [Batch 0008 release celebration!] (naw / Invisible Out) / Handlebar 2019-01-31 (Thursday) [FB event]

Polyphonic Ground presents: Cameroon War Victims Benefit (feat. Fojeba & Sunshine Band) / Small World Music Centre 2019-02-01 (Friday) [FB event]

Tallies (Sahara / Carmen Elle) / The Drake Underground 2019-02-01 (Friday) [more info]

Lipliners' Wednesdays in February Residency (feat. Ronley Teper and The Lipliners) / The Cameron House 2019-02-06 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Lipliners' Wednesdays in February Residency (feat. Ronley Teper and The Lipliners) / The Cameron House 2019-02-13 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Völur (Muffler Crunch / Greber / Cares / Jack Moves) / Coalition 2019-02-15 (Friday) [FB event]

Chastity (Greys / Casper Skulls) / The Rec Room 2019-02-15 (Friday – all ages!) [FB event]

Marker Starling [Trust an Amateur album release!] (Sing Leaf) / Burdock Music Hall 2019-02-16 (Saturday) [FB event]

Lipliners' Wednesdays in February Residency (feat. Ronley Teper and The Lipliners) / The Cameron House 2019-02-20 (Wednesday) [FB event]

SynapticCircusSundays (feat. Paul Dutton/Christine Duncan/Liz Lima/Laura Swankey / Paul Newman/Heather Saumer) / The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2019-02-24 (Sunday) [FB event]

Lipliners' Wednesdays in February Residency (feat. Ronley Teper and The Lipliners) / The Cameron House 2019-02-27 (Wednesday) [FB event]

The KVB (Numb.er / Sahara) / The Baby G 2019-03-27 (Wednesday) [FB event]

Recording: Shotgun Jimmie

Artist: Shotgun Jimmie

Songs: Transistor Sister Medley, Pt. 1 + Blues Riffs + Sorry, We're Closed

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), November 21, 2018.

Shotgun Jimmie - Transistor Sister Medley, Pt. 1

Shotgun Jimmie - Blues Riffs

Shotgun Jimmie - Sorry, We're Closed

This gig at The Tranzac came together to mark the end of the recording of Jim Kilpatrick's forthcoming Transistor Sister II album, with musicians Jay Baird, Ryan Peters and Jose Contreras coming from the final session with the tunes and arrangements still fresh in their heads. That was enough to get a packed and standing-room-only Southern Cross filled with eager fans, who quickly quieted down when Kilpatrick went right into the first set, which was an unplugged/unaccompanied campfire-style dash through the first Transistor Sister album.

After a fairly quick break, the band came on to play the new material, filled with fresh takes on some of the songwriter's characteristic concerns, like "Sappy Slogans", and "The New Sincerity" (the latter came with some Pavement-esque irony-rock grooves). The set-closer, heard here, showed off a Neil Young-ish croon, and then lingered for some Crazy Horsin' around.

Recording: The Titillators

Artist: The Titillators

Songs: Jitterbug Waltz [composer: Fats Waller] + Pithecanthropus Erectus [composer: Charles Mingus]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Music Hosted by Karen Ng), November 20, 2018.

The Titillators - Jitterbug Waltz

The Titillators - Pithecanthropus Erectus

The historic fourth performance of Ryan Driver's "radical new assemblage of Toronto's hottest jazz curiosities" celebrated the release of the ensemble's first cassette. Their un-standard approach to standards includes street-sweeper bristle bass, strange synths, stranger synths and a picnic blanket of miscellaneous percussive elements. Take away a song's centre and what's left? And what happens when you decentre that? And then what happens when you add warbling whistles? A suggestive peek at what's going on here was provided by the first original work that Driver has provided to the band's book: "It's Not About The Music".

Recording: Fleshtone Aura

Artist: Fleshtone Aura

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Wenona Lodge (Music Hosted by Karen Ng), November 20, 2018.

Fleshtone Aura - [excerpt]

Opening up for The Titillators, Andre Zukerman starts out here like a radio broadcast of a Pong match, before adding some interfering signals to the mix.

Recording: Go:Organic

Artist: Go:Organic

Song: Dastgah [2nd set excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst, November 17, 2018.

Go:Organic - Dastgah [2nd set excerpt, part 1]

Go:Organic - Dastgah [2nd set excerpt, part 2]

The local manifestation of Adam Rudolph's portable improvising big-band concept a couple years back apparently made a lasting impression on the musicians, especially local tar player Araz Salek, who wondered how it would work to apply Rudolph's m.o. to the modal frameworks of Persian music. The end result of their considerations on the topic was this local remounting, with some adaptations to Rudolph's open-ended scores and a cadre of top-notch local players from Persian traditions in the ensemble. Elaborate preparations not only included what I've heard were some intense rehearsals, but also having the piano specially retuned for the Persian modal scale.

As with the previous organic encounter with Rudoph, the project's biggest achievement remains finding ways to co-ordinate all these musicians while still leaving room for their individual voices to be heard. From designated solos to call-and-response cues to arranged cells, there was a thrilling sense of movement through two sets.

The musicians this time around were:

• Santour: Sadaf Amini
• Kamanche: Hamidreza Khalatbari
• Tar: Araz Salek
• Tuned Piano: Jonathan Adjemian
• Ney: Ernie Tollar
• Violin: Aline Homzy
• Violin: Nelson Moneo
• Double bass: Rob Clutton
• Clarinet: Karen Ng
• Trumpet: Emily Denison
• Bassoon: Peter Lutek
• Saxophone: Jay Hay
• Tombak: Pedram Khavarzamini
• Congas: Ruben Esguerra
• Drums: Nick Fraser

Recording: Desert Island Re-Direct

Artist: Desert Island Re-Direct

Song: When Shall We Meet Again [excerpt, in two parts]

Recorded at at Array Space (Musicworks at 40), November 15, 2018.

Desert Island Re-Direct - When Shall We Meet Again [excerpt, part 1]

Desert Island Re-Direct - When Shall We Meet Again [excerpt, part 2]

Though celebrating its fortieth anniversary, Musicworks Magazine's resolute focus on the here-and-now means there's not much time for nostalgia. Given that, I was glad that I was able to cajole my way into a small part in making sure that the occasion didn't go unmarked. After co-hosting some talkin' history back in September, I also helped curate the music for this fundraising event alongside Nick Storring (whose Riparian Acoustics is currently presenting plenty imaginative sounds).

This closing duo of noteworthy listener/theoreticians John Oswald and Sandro Perri got together before their set and put a lot of thought into where they'd meet musically. Perri was inspired by Oswald's (admittedly egocentric) "desert island" list while Oswald bounced the idea of his anti-DJ "All-request re-direct" concept (where he'd play music he thought evocative of that requested by listeners) and the introduction and deconstruction of their chosen concept (someone get these two a podcast!) was almost as fun as the piece. That turned out to be an act of four-handed co-operative wind-up record-player operation with the pair never quite in total control of an old shellac side (possibly this one?) and some sundry contact microphones. Call it Plunderphonics at 78 R.P.M., perhaps — but hopefully someone will call these two to make some sounds together again.

[Sandro Perri will be back at Array Space, albeit in song mode, opening things up as Joseph Shabason — himself the subject of a recent Musicworks story — celebrates the release of his Anne album on Thursday, January 10th.]

Recording: Gayle Young & Phil Melanson

Artist: Gayle Young & Phil Melanson

Song: [two excerpts]

Recorded at at Array Space (Musicworks at 40), November 15, 2018.

Gayle Young & Phil Melanson - [excerpt 1]

Gayle Young & Phil Melanson - [excerpt 2]

Though celebrating its fortieth anniversary, Musicworks Magazine's resolute focus on the here-and-now means there's not much time for nostalgia. Given that, I was glad that I was able to cajole my way into a small part in making sure that the occasion didn't go unmarked. After co-hosting some talkin' history back in September, I also helped curate the music for this fundraising event alongside Nick Storring (whose Riparian Acoustics is currently presenting plenty imaginative sounds).

One of the key ideas for this show was to match some performers from Musicworks' past with those who are just now making their marks. This set brought together Gayle Young (a former longtime editor of the magazine as well as sound-art pioneer and instrument inventor) with Phil Melanson, who provides the pulse to pop combo Bernice as well as many other (often quiet) improvised recombinations. Young not only brought her Alium to bow and scrape, but also a set of flat rocks, each with its pitch when struck painted on its side. Melanson borrowed several of those to place on his rotating drumhead. This turned out to be an inspired pairing between a pair of sonic itch-scratchers, sharing quiet sounds through string scratches and drum scratches. (Do note: there's a bit of hiss in this field recording, but I think it would sound just fine on one of the many Musicworks companion cassettes overseen by Gayle Young.)

Recording: Bonjay

Artist: Bonjay

Song: Medicine for Melancholy

Recorded at at Array Space (Musicworks at 40), November 15, 2018.

Bonjay - Medicine for Melancholy

Though celebrating its fortieth anniversary, Musicworks Magazine's resolute focus on the here-and-now means there's not much time for nostalgia. Given that, I was glad that I was able to cajole my way into a small part in making sure that the occasion didn't go unmarked. After co-hosting some talkin' history back in September, I also helped curate the music for this fundraising event alongside Nick Storring (whose Riparian Acoustics is currently presenting plenty imaginative sounds).

Although coming from a different direction than night's other soundmakers, I was glad to have Bonjay at this show, nodding to several streams in Musicworks' past and present. The relationship between popular and decidedly unpopular music has long been an area of investigation (out of many possibilities, I'd recommend tracking down Paul Dutton's "Beyond Doo-Wop or: How I came to Realize That Hank Williams Is Avant Garde") as well as continuing conversations (from the 80's onward) on the boundaries between appreciation and appropriation of "other" musics. And this song, with its second-generation lament of "These days / I don't think I belong / Anywhere" also fits in with the queries that a lot of creators in the current pages of Musicworks are making.

Recording: TRYAL

Artist: TRYAL

Songs: He Needs Me [composer: Harry Nilsson] + Road Game

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall, November 13, 2018.

TRYAL - He Needs Me

TRYAL - Road Game

In the between-albums phase, Alex Samaras and his TRYAL crew are still mixing faves from the Companion album (celebrating its anniversary at this show!) with newer pieces (such as "Sister Talk" and "Alouette") and delightful novelties like the lovely little tune from the Popeye soundtrack heard here. Starting the set with half the band seated on the stage floor, this had the feeling of a pyjama party — and there was a bit more sonic tweaking as well, with Matthew Pencer pushing things further into electronic abstraction with some textured laptop bleepbloops.

[Alex Samaras will be the featured performer (alongside Lara Dodds-Eden and Bram Gielen) at the next Riparian Acoustics-curated CMC Presents show, Thursday, January 17th at Chalmers House.]

Recording: Charlie Looker

Artist: Charlie Looker

Song: Fascist Moments

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall, November 13, 2018.

Charlie Looker - Fascist Moments

As an album, Charlie Looker's Simple Answers is intricately-arranged chamber-pop, making his spot on this bill between locals Clarinet Panic and TRYAL extremely logical. As a live (and solo) presentation, the songs had more of an electro-goth edge, making those connections a bit less obvious. Generally straight-faced throughout, Looker tackled the so-called "Morrissey problem" (where intense earnestness tips over into a form of self-parody) head-on, even when descending down from the stage to sing among the crowd.

Recording: Clarinet Panic Redux

Artist: Clarinet Panic Redux

Song: Hard Dads [first section]^*

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall, November 13, 2018.

Clarinet Panic Redux - Hard Dads [first section]

A second returning for the reactivated Clarinet Panic crew. Once more, I believe here they're fulfilling some past eschatological promises and expanding/re-working old material. This prelude to a suite is based more on the concept of gratuitous fluidity than most of Cory Harper-Latkovich's explosively-tricky note-filled pieces for the band.

^* Thanks to Cory for confirming the title to this one!

2018 Gig List

Track Could Bend #34 (feat. Bachelard / LUKA / tendencyitis)
Belljar Café 2018-01-02 (Tuesday)

Long Winter 6.3 (feat. Matthew Progress / Tremayne / Max & Eyeda / Babygirl / Tashme / Luge / Kojo "Easy" Damptey)
The Gladstone Hotel 2018-01-05 (Friday)

MFS Listening Station – Saturday Afternoon Salon (feat. Allison Cameron)
The Gladstone Hotel 2018-01-06 (Saturday)

Allison Cameron/Kurt Newman/Stephen Parkinson
Array Space 2018-01-11 (Thursday)

Marker Starling (Bunny)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-01-13 (Saturday)

University of Toronto Chainsaw Ensemble
U of T Faculty of Music (Lobby) 2018-01-17 (Wednesday)

Kamancello
Burdock Music Hall 2018-01-17 (Wednesday)

Andre Ethier (Blessings / Joseph Shabason)
The Baby G 2017-01-19 (Friday)

Audiopollination 58 (feat. Jesse Laderoute/Ashley Urquhart/David Story / Lane Halley/Alex Whyte / Heraclitus Akimbo/Alex Fournier/Del Stephen / D. Alex Meeks/Germaine Liu/Tomasz Krakowiak)
Array Space 2018-01-20 (Saturday)

Iranian Canadian Composers of Toronto present (feat. Michael Bridge)
Canadian Music Centre 2018-01-24 (Wednesday)

Octopus Curls
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-01-24 (Wednesday)

Mike Gennaro & Jay Hay
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-01-24 (Wednesday)

Two Floor Fundraiser (feat. New Fries / Sigil / Schönsee / Hangin' Tuff / Retired / Group Hug / Pearle Harbour's Battle Cry)
Owl's Club 2018-01-26 (Friday)

Titanium Riot
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-01-30 (Tuesday)

Ted Crosby/Karen Ng/Josh Cole/Evan Cartwright
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-01-31 (Wednesday)

Soundstreams' Ear Candy: Almost Unplugged (feat. Andréa Tyniec / Jesse Zubot)
Buddies in Bad Times Cabaret 2018-02-01 (Thursday)

Thinking (feat. Thin Edge New Music Collective)
Array Space 2018-02-02 (Friday)

Feast In The East 66 (feat. Bonjay / Blunt Chunks / Foonyap / Bénédicte)
Matt Durant Studio 2018-02-03 (Saturday)

Audiopollination 59.1 (feat. Mira Martin-Gray/erik k. / Michael Keith/David Sait/UsK / Adriana Monti/Brenda Joy Lem/Sumika Motoki / Watson Jennison/mkl32)
Array Space 2018-02-04 (Sunday)

Megaphono Roadshow (feat. Willie Thrasher & Linda Saddleback / Trails / King Kimbit)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-02-05 (Monday)

Track Could Bend #35 (feat. The Bim Prongs & {AN} EeL / Love Children of the Apocalypse / N A V I)
Belljar Café 2018-02-06 (Tuesday)

The Music Gallery and Native Women in the Arts present the Kwe Performance Series: Mother Tongue (feat. Joanne Shenandoah / Nelson Tagoona / Salia Joseph & Kwiigay iiwaans)
918 Bathurst 2018-02-10 (Saturday)

Pleasence Fest and Podcast Launch (feat. WHIMM / The Famines / Feel Alright / WLMRT)
Smiling Buddha 2018-02-10 (Saturday)

Ornate Ornette (feat. Andrew Furlong/Alexei Orechin/Germaine Liu/Nelson Moneo)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-02-13 (Tuesday)

Wavelength Winter Festival 18 (feat. MI Blue / Bossie / OBUXUM / Plazas)
The Garrison 2018-02-16 (Friday)

Wavelength Winter Festival 18 (feat. Odonis Odonis / Freak Heat Waves / Tough Age / Kurt Marble / Luge)
The Garrison 2018-02-17 (Saturday)

Wavelength Winter Festival 18 (feat. Buke and Gase / Omhouse / Fusilier / You'll Never Get to Heaven / Joseph Shabason)
The Garrison 2018-02-18 (Sunday)

Stereoscope
Canadian Music Centre 2018-02-22 (Thursday)

Uxvae (New Tendencies / Johan Seaton / Bachelard)
The Baby G 2018-02-22 (Thursday)

Somewhere There Creative Music Festival (feat. John Oswald [talk] / Divergence Trio / So Long Seven / The Ryan Driver Quintet)
The Tranzac 2018-02-23 (Friday)

Somewhere There Creative Music Festival: Composing for Improvisers (feat. Brian Abbott/Zach Clark/Bea Labikova/Kayla Milmine/Cheryl O/Heather Saumer/Joe Sorbara/Kristen Theriault/Laura Swankey)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-02-24 (Saturday)

Somewhere There Creative Music Festival: Circuits Bending Frames (feat. Jonathan Adjemian/Ryan Driver/Christine Duncan/Paul Dutton/Tiina Kiik/Laurie Kwasnik/Mani Mazinani/Wes Neal/John Oswald/SlowPitchSound/Laura Swankey)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-02-24 (Saturday)

Aurochs
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-02-24 (Saturday)

Somewhere There Creative Music Festival: open rehearsal + performance for Trombone Quartet (feat. Tom Richards/Heather Saumer/Doug Tielli/Nebyu Yohannes)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-02-25 (Sunday)

Somewhere There Creative Music Festival (feat. Luan Phung Quintet / Heraclitus Akimbo / Holger Schoorl Ensemble)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-02-25 (Sunday)

Synaptic Circus presents (feat. Not The Wind, Not The Flag with Nilan Perera)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-02-25 (Sunday)

The Music Gallery presents Emergents II (feat. Duo Holz / VC2)
918 Bathurst 2018-03-02 (Friday)

Man Made Hill (Corpusse / New Chance / ZOË)
The Baby G 2018-03-03 (Saturday)

Track Could Bend #36 (feat. Horseman, Pass By / Kee Avil / Kayla Milmine / Brian Ruryk & Justin Haynes)
Belljar Café 2018-03-06 (Tuesday)

Ghostlight
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-03-07 (Wednesday)

Audiopollination 60 (feat. Patrick O'Reilly/New Tendencies / Syd Ortega/{AN} EeL / David Parker/Bea Labikova/Raphael Roter / Rick Sacks/Paul Stillwell/Brian Abbott/Mkl 32)
Array Space 2018-03-10 (Saturday)

Somewhere There's Second Sunday Series (feat. Yes Deer / Temporary Ensembles)
Array Space 2018-03-11 (Sunday)

Long Winter 6.5 (feat. The Highest Order / Moon King / Tyriqueordie / Zoo OWL / Luyos MC / Camp Girls / The Neon City / Sweet Pea / Zero Point / Nick Fraser/Hafez Modirzadeh)
The Tranzac 2018-03-23 (Friday)

Synaptic Circus (feat. Chalk Repairer / Kat Estacio)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-03-25 (Sunday)

Composers' Toolbox: The Joy of Play (feat. Germaine Liu/Heather Saumer/Bea Labikova)
The Canadian Music Centre 2018-03-27 (Tuesday)

The Silt
Array Space 2018-03-29 (Thursday)

Away Forward (Stargoon)
Duggan's Brewery 2018-03-30 (Friday)

Track Could Bend #37: Third Anniversary All-Star Spectacular! (feat. Jakob Rehlinger/Craig Renaud/Luke Kuplowsky/Diane Roblin/Mira Martin-Gray/William A. Davison/Katie Jensen/Mani Mazinani/Matt Nish-Lapidus/Heidi Chan/Justin Huang Ford/Chris Trotter/Bea Labikova/Tova Kardonne/Kat Estacio/Michael Keith)
Array Space 2018-04-03 (Tuesday)

The Music Gallery presents Emergents III: The Music of Ken Aldcroft (feat. Daniel Kruger/Karen Ng/Emily Denison/Andrew Furlong/Mark Zurawinski)
918 Bathurst 2018-04-06 (Friday)

Kurt Newman/Brodie West
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-11 (Wednesday)

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft XVI (feat. Germaine Liu/Laura Swankey/Lieke Van der Voort / Alaniaris)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-11 (Wednesday)

Collateral (Nicole Rampersaud)
Array Space 2018-04-12 (Thursday)

The Music Gallery presents (feat. Eve Egoyan)
St. George the Martyr Anglican Church 2018-04-14 (Saturday)

Gladeye, Burn Down The Capital and Riparian Acoustics present (feat. Beverly Glenn Copeland and Indigo Rising / TRYAL / Loom)
Jam Factory 2018-04-15 (Sunday)

Special Costello/Budi/Bonka
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-16 (Monday)

Bellwether4
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-18 (Wednesday)

Octopus Curls
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-18 (Wednesday)

Karen Ng/Ted Crosby/Paul Taylor/Charles Spearin/Leslie Feist
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-18 (Wednesday)

Composers' Toolbox (feat. Christine Duncan)
Canadian Music Centre 2018-04-24 (Tuesday)

Faster Presents (feat. DUST)
Gerrard Art Space 2018-04-28 (Saturday)

Cosmic Homeostasis VI
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-04-29 (Sunday)

The Music Gallery presents (feat. Not The Music w/ Joe McPhee / Mercury)
918 Bathurst 2018-04-29 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #38 (feat. Jen Wardle/John Mark Sherlock / David Sait / Hank Powell)
Celestina 2018-05-01 (Tuesday)

Feast in the East: 7-Year Anniversary (feat. Gary Wilson / Omhouse / Bernice / Cindy Lee)
Jam Factory 2018-05-05 (Saturday)

Patrick O'Reilly & Nilan Perera with John Oswald and Kayla Milmine
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-05-06 (Sunday)

Wet Tuna (Tony Price & Friends / Bardo)
The Baby G 2018-05-06 (Sunday)

The AMBiENT PiNG (feat. Iderdown / Botanicals)
Handlebar 2018-05-09 (Wednesday)

Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario presents (feat. This Tale of Ours Quartet / Aylin Görgün and Ravish Kamath)
Eastminster United Church 2018-05-12 (Saturday)

Monk's Music (feat. Justin Haynes/Karen Ng/Lowell Whitty/Heraclitus Akimbo)
The Emmet Ray 2018-05-13 (Sunday)

Octopus Curls
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-05-16 (Wednesday)

Josh Cole Quartet
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-05-16 (Wednesday)

Naomi Floods (Bad Passion / Lavender Bruisers / Trevor Turple)
Owl's Club (basement) 2018-05-17 (Thursday)

Arma Agharta (Manticore / Bonnie Trash / Greydini)
Owl's Club (basement) 2018-05-18 (Friday)

In Between (magiceyeimage)
The Emmet Ray 2018-05-21 (Monday)

Tatsuya Nakatani Gong Orchestra
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-05-26 (Saturday)

Wavelength 757: Doors Open Toronto (feat. Twist / Kira May / SlowPitchSound / Merival)
The Horseshoe Tavern 2018-05-27 (Sunday)

Eucalyptus
Hirut Café 2018-05-27 (Sunday)

The Mean (Aus!Funkt / Stargoon)
The Piston 2018-05-31 (Thursday)

Venus Fest presents (feat. L CON / LAL / Pantayo)
Jam Factory 2018-06-01 (Friday)

TONE Festival and Mechanical Forest Sound present (feat. Clarinet Panic Redux / Kurt Newman's Nashville Minimalism Unit / Alex Lukashevsky / Kee Avil)
The Baby G 2018-06-03 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #39 (feat. Barry Prophet / Nicole Rampersaud / Sal Grosso)
The Baby G 2018-06-05 (Tuesday)

TONE Festival (feat. Waclaw Zimpel / Joseph Shabason / Nick Storring)
The Baby G 2018-06-05 (Tuesday)

Toronto Creative Music Lab & the Music Gallery present: TCML 2018 Showcase
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-06-16 (Saturday)

TONE Festival (feat. The Revival Ensemble / Sick Boss Löve)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-06-17 (Sunday)

TONE Festival/The Music Gallery's Departures Series (feat. Oren Ambarchi & Will Guthrie / Jazz Bras Dot Com / Retired)
Jam Factory 2018-06-19 (Tuesday)

Fake Humans (Blisk / Mark Hundevad)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-06-23 (Saturday)

Isla Craig (Eiyn Sof)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-06-24 (Sunday)

Several Futures (Deathsticks / Stargoon)
The Garrison (front room) 2018-06-28 (Thursday)

Baby Cages (Pantayo)
Owl's Club 2018-06-29 (Friday)

Paul Newman/Brian Abbott/Kayla Milmine Trio
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-02 (Monday)

Track Could Bend #40 (feat. Fleshtone Aura / American Standard Trio / Jessica Stuart x Michael Davidson)
Wenona Lodge 2018-07-03 (Tuesday)

Feast in the East 69 (feat. The Highest Order / Eric Landry / Faun Fables)
Prairie Drive Park 2018-07-07 (Saturday)

Somewhere There's Second Sunday Series (feat. No Seas / Manabu Kitada/Alexei Orechin/Alex Fournier)
Array Space 2018-07-08 (Sunday)

Ornate Presents (feat. The Manabu Kitada Quintet)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-10 (Tuesday)

Painting Silence V (feat. Michael Davidson/Lina Allemano/Josh Cole)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-10 (Tuesday)

Astral Swans (Cindy Lee)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-07-12 (Thursday)

Vector Festival: Inner Workings (feat. Adam Basanta / micha cárdenas / Afaq Ahmed Karadia & Adam Tindale)
918 Bathurst 2018-07-13 (Friday)

H.W.G. Showcase (feat. Tata Chris/Jim Benbow/{AN} EeL / Sound of the Mountain & Bim Prongs / Sandy Ewen/Kurt Newman/Paul Newman)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-14 (Saturday)

Allison Cameron Band
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-18 (Wednesday)

Isla Craig (Colin Fisher/Josh Cole/Spencer Cole)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-18 (Wednesday)

Nifty Trio
Pamenar 2018-07-19 (Thursday)

American Devices (Prom Nite / Protruders)
Owl's Club 2018-07-20 (Friday)

BIG on Bloor Festival (feat. Mas Aya)
Festival Main Stage 2018-07-21 (Saturday)

Faster Presents: Summer Sound Explorations (feat. James Bailey & Kayla Milmine / Paul Stillwell / Eugene Martynec & Brian Abbott / Faster)
Gerrard Art Space 2018-07-21 (Saturday)

The Titillators
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-22 (Sunday)

Goosebump (Chandra / Persons)
Lula Lounge 2018-07-26 (Thursday)

Maximum Effort Ensemble
La Rev 2018-07-27 (Friday)

Cosmic Homeostasis VII
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-29 (Sunday)

Emily Denison Septet
The Emmet Ray 2018-07-29 (Sunday)

Synaptic Circus Sundays (feat. Emily Denison & Tara Kannangara / Rob Clutton/Nick Fraser/Nilan Perera/Dani Oore)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-29 (Sunday)

BLOOP (Tena Palmer & Rob Clutton)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-07-31 (Tuesday)

Future Peers (Witch Prophet / VERSA)
The Commons Space 2018-08-02 (Thursday)

Nite Comfort 58 (feat. Mikrosleep / Roberto Herruzo / Senior Beatbox)
Handlebar 2018-08-05 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #41 (feat. Luyos MC / No Seas)
Wenona Lodge 2018-08-07 (Tuesday)

Not Dead Yet presents (feat. Sarah Davachi / Uxvae / Moth Ash)
The Baby G 2018-08-09 (Thursday)

Riparian Acoustics presents (feat. Késia Decoté / Dog Days of Summer)
Array Music 2018-08-10 (Friday)

Habari Africa Festival (feat. Haiba & Hassan el Hadi / Barnes/Woldemichael Ethio-jazz Quartet / Africa All-Stars / The Ace of Africa w/ Blandine)
Harbourfront Centre 2018-08-12 (Saturday)

The Holy Oak Family Singers Present: Lightfoot (feat. Tamara Lindeman/Thom Gill/Luke Kuplowsky/Ben Whiteley/Felicity Williams/Alex Lukashevsky/Robin Dann/Ben Gunning/Evan Cartwright)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-08-13 (Monday)

AMBiENT PiNG's 19th Anniversary (feat. Whisper Room / Weep, O' Mine Eyes)
Handlebar 2018-08-15 (Wednesday)

Nidus (Reductive Transduction)
Celestina 2018-08-16 (Thursday)

Tetsuo (Love Children of the Apocalypse)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-08-21 (Tuesday)

Ken McDonald 4 (Moneyhouse)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-08-21 (Tuesday)

Pantayo (Liz Hogg / Goosebump)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-08-22 (Wednesday)

Are We Not Devo? We Are Not! (Hugh Man)
The Baby G 2018-08-22 (Wednesday)

Moonwood (Dark Bird)
The Dupe Shop 2018-08-25 (Saturday)

Castle If (Scott Hardware)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-08-25 (Saturday)

The Cluttertones (Thom Gill)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-08-26 (Sunday)

Synaptic Circus Sundays (feat. Gemaine Liu/Brodie West/Andrew Zukerman / Patrick O'Reilly/Nilan Perera/Mark Zurawinski)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-08-26 (Sunday)

Colin Fisher/Kurt Newman/Mike Gennaro
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-08-27 (Monday)

Spencer Cole/Josh Cole/Nicole Rampersaud/Colin Fisher
Pamenar 2018-08-28 (Tuesday)

Intersection 1/The Music Gallery's Departures Series (feat. Suzanne Ciani / Louise Campbell)
Revue Cinema 2018-08-31 (Friday)

Intersection Day 2 (feat. The Cosmic Range / Tonstartssbandht / Nadja / Insect Ark / Pantayo / Craig Dunsmuir's Dun Dun Band / Contact Contemporary Music / Deenzi / Allison Cameron / Tina Pearson)
Yonge-Dundas Square 2018-09-01 (Saturday)

Nite Comfort 59 (feat. Dame Cook / Carlo Conda)
Handlebar 2018-09-02 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #42 (feat. Saturn City / Sarah Tracy / Very Many)
Wenona Lodge 2018-09-04 (Tuesday)

Jasper Stadhouders/Aaron Lumley/Marielle Groven/Karen Ng (BREM)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-12 (Wednesday)

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft XXI (feat. Harrison Vetro & Friends / Baby Labour)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-12 (Wednesday)

Sounding Difference: the text scores of Pauline Oliveros (feat. Anne Bourne with special guest Daniela Gesundheit)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-09-15 (Saturday)

FASTER presents (feat. Carl Ludwig Hübsch/Pierre-Yves Martel/Philip Zoubek / Magiceyeimage)
Gerrard Art Space 2018-09-15 (Saturday)

c_RL
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-19 (Wednesday)

Josh Cole Trio (Matthew Pencer/Chris Willes)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-19 (Wednesday)

Victor Cirone/Colin Fisher
Pamenar Café 2018-09-20 (Thursday)

Brodie West Quintet (Wow and Flutter)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-09-21 (Friday)

Mechanical Forest Sound Presents a Track Could Bend offsite special (feat. Debashis Sinha / Allison Cameron & Mani Mazinani)
Array Space 2018-09-25 (Tuesday)

Cosmic Homeostasis VIII (feat. Paul Newman/Abigail Trotsky/Chris Trotter/Ronnie Blake/Mira Martin-Gray/Patrick O'Reilly/Del Stephen/Niamh Shiffra Girling/Jordan Brown/Heraclitus Akimbo)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-30 (Sunday)

Nick Arseneau Sextet
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-30 (Sunday)

Francois Houle and Nick Fraser
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-30 (Sunday)

SynapticCircusSundays (feat. Fake Humans / A Nilan Perera Ensemble [Kayla Milmine/Wes Neal/Nilan Perera/Colin Fisher])
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-09-30 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #43 (feat. Uxvae / Jakob Rehlinger/ The Velvet Crystals)
Wenona Lodge 2018-10-02 (Tuesday)

Riparian Acoustics/CMC Presents (feat. Elinor Frey)
Canadian Music Centre 2018-10-03 (Wednesday)

Laura Swankey (ZOË / b mcc-b / nxmie)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-10-04 (Thursday)

Nite Comfort 60 (feat. Processor / Memorex)
Handlebar 2018-10-07 (Sunday)

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft XXII (feat. Steve Sladkowski & Andrew Zukerman / Andrew Furlong/Solon Gee/Harrison Argatoff/Mark Zurawinski)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-10-10 (Wednesday)

X AVANT XIII (feat. Tasman Richardson / See Monsters / CreeAsian)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-10-11 (Thursday)

Invocation presents (feat. Charalambides / Kapali Carsi / Stargoon)
Array Space 2018-10-12 (Friday)

X AVANT XIII (feat. Los Poetas / Above Top Secret / Ziibiwan)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-10-13 (Saturday)

X AVANT XIII (feat. A tribe Called red & The Halluci Nation Band / Narcy / Jennifer Kreisberg / Lillian Allen)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-10-14 (Sunday)

The Pineapple (xLq / Heart Structure Quartet)
The Tranzac (Tiki Room) 2018-10-18 (Thursday)

CCMC with Charity Chan
Array Space 2018-10-20 (Saturday)

Destroyer (Andre Ethier / Sandro Perri)
The Great Hall 2018-10-21 (Sunday)

Riparian Acoustics presents: Contralto (feat. Thin Edge New Music Collective)
TIFF Lightbox 2018-10-24 (Wednesday)

Josh Cole Trio
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-10-25 (Thursday)

SynapticCircusSundays (feat. Heidi Chan / Nic Murray
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-10-28 (Sunday)

Juini Booth/Patrick Smith/Mark Hundevad (The Archives of Eternity / Juini Booth [solo bass])
Fatima in the Alley 2018-11-02 (Friday)

Sandro Perri (Matthew "Doc" Dunn)
The Tranzac (Main Hall) 2018-11-04 (Sunday)

Track Could Bend #44 (feat. Julie Reich / Araz Salek & Colin Fisher / Alex Fournier & Tara Kannangara)
Wenona Lodge 2018-11-06 (Tuesday)

Riparian Acoustics presents (feat. Thin Edge New Music Collective)
Canadian Music Centre 2018-11-08 (Thursday)

Burn Down the Capital presents (feat. Vampire Belt / Horseman, Pass By / American Standard Trio)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-11-11 (Sunday)

Burn Down The Capital presents (feat. Charlie Looker / Tryal / Clarinet Panic)
Burdock Music Hall 2018-11-13 (Tuesday)

Musicworks at 40 (feat. Desert Island Re-Direct / Gayle Young & Phil Melanson / Bonjay)
Array Space 2018-11-15 (Thursday)

Dastgah (feat. Adam Rudolph's Go:Organic Orchestra)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-11-17 (Saturday)

The Titillators (Fleshtone Aura)
Wenona Lodge 2018-11-20 (Tuesday)

Shotgun Jimmie
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-11-21 (Wednesday)

Karen Ng (Phil Melanson / Rob Clutton)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-11-22 (Thursday)

Allison Cameron Mini-Festival (feat. Arraymusic with Germaine Liu and Nicole Rampersaud)
Array Space 2018-11-23 (Friday)

Allison Cameron Mini-Festival (feat. Allison Cameron / c_RL)
Array Space 2018-11-24 (Saturday)

Allison Cameron presents (feat. Kurt Newman/Brodie West/Mark Zurawinski
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-11-28 (Wednesday)

Music By Harry and Furlong S1E3 (feat. Nelson Moneo/Andrew Furlong / The Search For Eternal Happiness Pt. 2)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-11-28 (Wednesday)

Emergents I (feat. Grace Scheele / Xuan Ye)
The Music Gallery @ 918 Bathurst 2018-12-02 (Sunday)

Somewhere There presents (feat. Laura Swankey / Kee Avil / Black Givre / Patrick O'Reilly)
Wenona Lodge 2018-12-03 (Monday)

Track Could Bend #45 (feat. Saint Barbara / Blank Nurse/No Light / Chris Worden + Karen Ng)
Wenona Lodge 2018-12-04 (Tuesday)

Riparian Acoustics presents (feat. Germaine Liu & Sarah Hennies)
The Canadian Music Centre 2018-12-06 (Thursday)

Audiopollination 66 (feat. Paul Newman/Diane Roblin/Heraclitus Akimbo / Olivia Shortt/Amanda Lowry/Katherine Watson / Laura Swankey/Patrick O'Reilly / Tetsuo)
Array Space 2018-12-08 (Saturday)

Somewhere There's Second Sunday Series (feat. William Davison/Patrick O'Reilly/Neal Retke / David Sait)
Array Space 2018-12-09 (Sunday)

Brodie West Quintet -1
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-12 (Wednesday)

Music By & For Ken Aldcroft XXIII (feat. Patrick O'Reilly & Heraclitus Akimbo / Andrew Kay)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-12 (Wednesday)

Matthew "Doc" Dunn & Friends (James Matthew VII / Dorothea Paas)
The Baby G 2018-12-20 (Thursday)

Mike DeiCont/Ryan Driver/D. Alex Meeks/Karen Ng/Daniel Pencer
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-27 (Thursday)

Aurochs
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-28 (Friday)

The Ryan Driver Quintet
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-28 (Friday)

Invocation presents Ur Audiovisual's Year End Release Extravaganza (feat. Dark Bird / Man Meets Bear / Hush Pup / Mooons)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-29 (Saturday)

Cosmic Homeostasis IX (feat. Paul Newman / Ronnie Blake / Del Stephen / Mkl32 / Liz Lima / Trevor Turple / Patrick O'Reilly / Heraclitus Akimbo)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-30 (Sunday)

The Titillators
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-30 (Sunday)

SynapticCircusSundays (feat. Nightmare Alley / mkl32 and Mira Martin-Gray)
The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge) 2018-12-30 (Sunday)