This show’s called Between the Boots! This iteration of Between the Boots is a celebration of some of Toronto’s local musicians and poets. Five performances, five original sets. These performances are by Seasonal Birds, Desiree McKenzie, Mike McPhee, Almandrez, and the Between the Boots Crew. Come through!
Undisciplined is a trans-medium fine arts workshop/exhibition series designed for emerging queer artists and held monthly at The Tranzac. Participants will engage in generative prompt exercises through various practices—from poetry to photography to book-binding to sculpture, and more—and have the opportunity to share WIP projects for group discussion/feedback. To register or for more information visit […]
The Furniture Music Composition Workshop is a monthly series (or space?) for composers either dealing with an idea that they're stuck on or with sounds that are impossible to realize through a computer. Hosted in the Tranzac's Living Room (usually) every 4th Sunday (usually) from 2-4pm (usually) we assemble a rotating panel of three skilled performer-composers […]
UofT Zine Club is hosting a special Mail Art Party with sounds DJ'ed by Florasystem! Join us for a casual workshop for postcard making, envelope customization, and all other creative snail mail crafts while bathing in experimental tunes. Send something special to a penpal or a neighbour. PWYC, nobody turned away for lack of funds. […]
Conversation - a Tranzac Jam is a weekly jam that invites musicians and dancers into a safe space where the only rule is be in the moment while creating music in community with others. Each week a house band starts off the night with a 45 minute set of music and then the floor is […]
A lifetime member and Columbia recording artist with the Perth County Conspiracy, Terry Jones has played innumerable concerts over 50 years, with various versions of this band, at small venues, concert halls and universities. In 1970 Terry played lead guitar in a musical, "The Line of Least Existence", alongside Danny Devito, Judd Hirsch, and members of The […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Guitarist James Brown brings his trio of outstanding jazz musicians Clark Johnston (bass) & Aline Homzy (violin) to play original compositions and brilliant arrangements to the Southern Cross.
Each installment of Solitary Shrew features two performances led by women and gender non-conforming artists spanning an array of genres and artistic disciplines. Please check back regularly to learn about the artists participating in each installment
NICK FRASER PRESENTS (JAZZ, IMPROVISED MUSIC): Nick Fraser has been an active and engaging presence in the Toronto new jazz and improvised music community since he moved there from Ottawa in 1995. He works with and presents with a veritable “who’s who” of Canadian jazz and improvised music. Downbeat Magazine: “Drummer Nick Fraser is a […]
Larsen/Fischer/Tielli/Miller is coming to the Tranzac in the last concert of their Eastern Canada tour. The impeccable Karen Ng will join the band in their freely improvised explorations of the infinite and beyond. Expect Berliner Echtzeitmusik fused with all the music and sounds that the band has picked up on their journey together.
Strangetooth is a Toronto based bluegrass band known for their rich vocal harmonies, stellar picking, and eclectic song choices.
The Tranzac Saturday Bluegrass Casual jam takes place every Saturday, 12-2 pm. It is free to participate (a hat is passed at the end to help defray expenses). The jam is open to all players of bluegrass instruments and singers of bluegrass songs who feel confident enough to lead a song or two. Bluegrass […]
In Barbara’s music you can hear echoes of jazz, folk, blues, barrel-house boogie and old-time-religion hymns. She writes story telling songs, offering up intimate portraits of people's lives played in the old blues style on a parlour guitar or upright piano. A singer songwriter and interpreter, Clela’s vibrant blend of folk and jazz creates the […]
On the first Saturday of every month join Evan Webber and other artists for an open rehearsal of a new play titled Corridor, or Seven Spirits Before the Hudson, or One of the Two (not sure). Most theatre is the end result of decisions about how to represent events. This theatre aims not to display […]
A series presenting emerging or underappreciated songwriters, paired with carefully curated bands making music together for the first time. The featured artist of the week will explore their history through a mix of original songs and covers, while making connections with a diverse array backing musicians from various corners of the Toronto music community. For […]
Thom Gill and Luka Kuplowsky head up a rotating crew of Toronto artists for eclectic and intimate tribute nights. Reimagining the songbooks of lumaniraries (Arthur Russell, Judee Sill, Roches, The McGarrigles) and local legends alike. Basic Categories: Singer-songwriter, Folk
The second Thursday of every month, hosts Surer Qaly and Chris Middleton are throwing a little Pay-What-You-Can show for people who want a little boost of Serotonin before their end of the month show. Featuring some of their friends, these up-and-coming comics will try out new material. Please come and see new jokes before anyone […]
Strangetooth is a Toronto based bluegrass band known for their rich vocal harmonies, stellar picking, and eclectic song choices.
Hosted by Kurt Newman, this monthly series creates a space for experiments in country and folk music forms, which can range from more or less straight-ahead to more or less psychedelic. Between sets: comedy from the best of Toronto's left-of-center comedians.
With her palette of acoustic folk instruments, Collette whittles out of her imagination beautiful song gems. She brings them to you wrapped in the exciting package of her band of seasoned masters, The Savants: Rebecca Campbell(Jane Siberry, Ian Tamblyn...),John Switzer John Switzer(Jane Siberry, Vance Gilbert, Katherine Wheatley etc.³) Martin Worthy (Joe Hall, Paul Quarrington), Tim […]
The Tranzac Saturday Bluegrass Casual jam takes place every Saturday, 12-2 pm. It is free to participate (a hat is passed at the end to help defray expenses). The jam is open to all players of bluegrass instruments and singers of bluegrass songs who feel confident enough to lead a song or two. Bluegrass […]
Song Experiment is a monthly song lab hosted by Cassie Norton that explores different ways of presenting songs. Different artists and approaches are featured each month. Cassie Norton is a Toronto based singer-songwriter, violinist/multi-instrumentalist, improvisor and climate activist. Cassie tells the stories behind her lyrics with sound, using a wide timbral palette of voice, violin, […]
James Brown (electric guitar/compositions) and Mike Milligan (double bass). The instrumental blend of electric guitar and double bass form a pallet of tonal possibilities that extend beyond the reach of the average jazz ensemble. Their sound travels along a wide spectrum ranging from impossibly quiet and gentle to aggressively intense.
First Tuesday of every month at 8pm at the Tranzac Club. Radio Haha brings Toronto's best and weirdest stand-up and sketch comedians together with stars of the experimental music scene for a surreal and psychedelic comedy show from composer-comedian James Hamilton Lowrie. Live Music! Sound Design! Characters! Recurring bits! Canadian-famous comedians! Experimental music-famous musicians! Is […]
Conversation - a Tranzac Jam is a weekly jam that invites musicians and dancers into a safe space where the only rule is be in the moment while creating music in community with others. Each week a house band starts off the night with a 45 minute set of music and then the floor is […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Each month, Ghostgirl (Aline Homzy, violinist) delves into a different ghost story from across Canada, crafting original compositions and ghost stories, and exploring improvisation alongside a diverse ensemble of musicians, including Allan Mackie on bass, Michael Davidson on vibes, Steven Noronha on piano, and others. From the ethereal melodies inspired by ghostly tales from Victoria, […]
A note from Brodie West: For my monthly at the Tranzac I will often schedule my quintet called The Brodie West Quintet which is Tania Gill piano, Josh Cole bass, Nick Fraser drums, Evan Cartwright drums and myself. Sometimes the drummers are substituted up and in that case it's usually Phil Melanson who is there […]
Never Was Never Was has been many different bands and, in its current form, it remains many different bands: a modular ensemble featuring Brandon Davis and Adrian Russouw on basses, Madeleine Ertel on trumpet, Kelvin Mansaray on violin, Naomi McCarroll-Butler on alto saxophone and clarinet, Racha Moukalled on vibraphone, Kae Murphy on trumpet and woodwinds, […]
Strangetooth is a Toronto based bluegrass band known for their rich vocal harmonies, stellar picking, and eclectic song choices.
Makam Nights is an open space dedicated to sharing knowledge of makam music. Each session we will have different musicians join us in discussion and performance, so bring your curiosity, instruments and ideas to share! No limitations to instruments or training, we welcome experimentation and cross-cultural collaboration. This event is pay what you can, with […]
‘Chris Bezant Presents Django' brings together a selection of Toronto's heavyweights to celebrate and explore the impression that Django Reinhardt continues to leave on music today. Join Chris Bezant, Jonathan Meyer, Roberto Rosenman, and Mo Mitchell, as they peer through one of the countless facets of the jewel that is Django's legacy. Come find warmth […]
If you love to sing musical theatre or showtune songs then this is for you. Bring a friend, bring your sheet music, just come and listen, be inspired and just be you. This space is open to anyone that loves musical theatre. It’s a great way to work on song for an audition, to promote […]
Cha-no-yu is a gathering of music producers, improvisers, and listeners held from 21:30 to 23:30 every third Friday at Tranzac Southern Cross. The series showcases a performance by an invited collaborator and Masahiro Takahashi, as well as a performance by a curated guest musician. Inspired by the pioneering spirit of producers like Haruomi Hosono, Jim […]
The Tranzac Saturday Bluegrass Casual jam takes place every Saturday, 12-2 pm. It is free to participate (a hat is passed at the end to help defray expenses). The jam is open to all players of bluegrass instruments and singers of bluegrass songs who feel confident enough to lead a song or two. Bluegrass […]
Cachada is the sound of modern Salvadoran cumbia; a handpicked selection of pan-Latin musicians from Toronto's Latin, jazz, and urban music scenes. The group performs a repertoire of strictly original music that fuses hip hop, reggae, and Latin jazz into their traditional cumbia sound; creating one of the most fun and interesting Latin dance bands […]
Fergus Hambleton appears in the Southern Cross the third Sunday of every month... 2:30- 4:30. Fergus is a veteran of the Canadian music scene, having played a wide variety of music since 1967. A member of the Juno award winning Sattalites Fergus has played reggae, folk, jazz and rock over his career and has released […]
With lyrical guitar players, Bob Cohen and David Hines plus wild Mary Hanson on piano, Robert Priest digs into his eclectic catalogue of song/poems. Tuneful poetic, heavy, and light, with always a special guest.
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
3RingCircus is a fun salon led by Bob Cohen featuring a great house band and a bunch of regulars and friends. Please get in touch with Bob Cohen through Facebook or by email at ibobcohen@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. Come out and play or just come watch the gears turn! If you are interested in playing, please send […]
This month's flavor, ALPHABET SOUP, will feature 4 sets of poetry simmered amidst improvised music.
Honeypaw invites you to share their journey as they turn unpublished wax cylinder recordings into a modern concert program with traditional instruments. Following the residency in October they will present the results in the Lithuanian villages where the wax cylinders were recorded.
Join the Toronto Klezmer Society on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 9:30-11:30 for our EPIC jam on Jewish folk music known as klezmer! Instrumentalists of all abilities are welcome to join in. Set lists and sheet music is available for download at http://www.torontoklezmersociety.com. We collect money on a PWYC basis to pay the […]
Strangetooth is a Toronto based bluegrass band known for their rich vocal harmonies, stellar picking, and eclectic song choices.
Saxophonist and curator Karen Ng invites guests and collaborators every month to present a night of improvised music or music that lies outside expectations.
The Tranzac Saturday Bluegrass Casual jam takes place every Saturday, 12-2 pm. It is free to participate (a hat is passed at the end to help defray expenses). The jam is open to all players of bluegrass instruments and singers of bluegrass songs who feel confident enough to lead a song or two. Bluegrass […]
Isabel Fryszberg and The Uncommons Isabel and the Uncommons is a trio, featuring songwriter, singer, and guitarist Isabel Fryszberg, Steve Briggs (Russell DeCarle, Sylvia Tyson) on lead guitar, and Rebecca Campbell (the SPECIAL INTEREST group, Sultans of String, Lynn Miles) on harmonies, percussion, and harmonica . Visual artist and singer songwriter Isabel Fryszberg has written or co-written a diverse repertoire, inspired […]
Join host Phillip Vonesh on the 4th Saturday of every month, from 7:00 - 9:30 for an intimate night of music. Vonesh and two other songwriters will share songs, and chat about the process of writing, creating and making a life in music. Toronto-born Phillip Vonesh is an artist who follows his heart wherever it […]
Sounds of the Shadows is a narrative force of resistance directed by Aliyah Aziz that takes the form of an audio reactive projected shadow play, accompanied by experimental live looping soundscapes and compiled field recordings. Sets will integrate different compositions from a variety of work, both improvised and incorporating written poetry, as a response to […]
This show’s called Between the Boots! This iteration of Between the Boots is a celebration of some of Toronto’s local musicians and poets. Five performances, five original sets. These performances are by Seasonal Birds, Desiree McKenzie, Mike McPhee, Almandrez, and the Between the Boots Crew. Come through!
Undisciplined is a trans-medium fine arts workshop/exhibition series designed for emerging queer artists and held monthly at The Tranzac. Participants will engage in generative prompt exercises through various practices—from poetry to photography to book-binding to sculpture, and more—and have the opportunity to share WIP projects for group discussion/feedback. To register or for more information visit […]
The Furniture Music Composition Workshop is a monthly series (or space?) for composers either dealing with an idea that they're stuck on or with sounds that are impossible to realize through a computer. Hosted in the Tranzac's Living Room (usually) every 4th Sunday (usually) from 2-4pm (usually) we assemble a rotating panel of three skilled performer-composers […]
The Vertigo of Immanence is a multidisciplinary performance series hosted by piano player William Hunt and word monger Fan Wu. We mix the contingencies of ordinary life with the rigours of technique to weave new contexts for collaboration, new researches in improvisation. Every month will be a sweet surprise, with a rotation of local artists joined together in unlikely […]
Precious Little Presents: Round the table we turn Contraptions and shenanigans. Storage and porridge, song-title geography. Improvisation and Omni-visualation. We're out in the workshop, hammer and saw, Phonometers in hand we measure and draw. Erasing the borders, the box opens wide. Where is the door? Turn it all on its side. David Woodhead / electric […]
Conversation - a Tranzac Jam is a weekly jam that invites musicians and dancers into a safe space where the only rule is be in the moment while creating music in community with others. Each week a house band starts off the night with a 45 minute set of music and then the floor is […]
A lifetime member and Columbia recording artist with the Perth County Conspiracy, Terry Jones has played innumerable concerts over 50 years, with various versions of this band, at small venues, concert halls and universities. In 1970 Terry played lead guitar in a musical, "The Line of Least Existence", alongside Danny Devito, Judd Hirsch, and members of The […]
The Tranzac open stage is every Monday in the Southern Cross room. All are welcome! Start: 7pm Sign up: 6:30pm 8 minute slots (or two songs) The open stage is a safe space in accordance with the Tranzac code of conduct.
Each installment of Solitary Shrew features two performances led by women and gender non-conforming artists spanning an array of genres and artistic disciplines. Please check back regularly to learn about the artists participating in each installment
NICK FRASER PRESENTS (JAZZ, IMPROVISED MUSIC): Nick Fraser has been an active and engaging presence in the Toronto new jazz and improvised music community since he moved there from Ottawa in 1995. He works with and presents with a veritable “who’s who” of Canadian jazz and improvised music. Downbeat Magazine: “Drummer Nick Fraser is a […]
the SPECIAL INTEREST group brings a new rhythm to songs of hope & struggle …. Infusing songs from civil rights, gospel, folk and protest movements with elements of folk, blues, rock, R&B, jazz, reggae & ska. Songs of social change, from picket lines and protest marches, addressing contemporary issues from peace to climate change to […]
Children at heart who love comedic, poetic, theatric, yet at times serious storytelling alongside truly magical music, should prepare themselves for the surprising world of Ronley Teper. Teper invites a rotating roster of some of the finest musicians to publicly improvise around her storytelling that cycle through many influences from folk, funk, jazz, cabaret, cinematic, […]
Strangetooth is a Toronto based bluegrass band known for their rich vocal harmonies, stellar picking, and eclectic song choices.
The last Thursday of every month, hosts Surer Qaly and Chris Middleton invite their friends to do some stand up at the Tranzac. It'll start around 8 pm, but you should get there for 7:30 pm just in case. It will be a good time, promise.
The Ryan Driver Sextet specializes in the psychedelification of popular American songs from the 1920's through 1960's. They have been engaging in this task monthly since 1999, when they started playing as a quartet at Graffiti's in Kensington Market. The sextet plays only ballads, and almost always very slowly. That said, the interpretations are wildly […]
The Tranzac Saturday Bluegrass Casual jam takes place every Saturday, 12-2 pm. It is free to participate (a hat is passed at the end to help defray expenses). The jam is open to all players of bluegrass instruments and singers of bluegrass songs who feel confident enough to lead a song or two. Bluegrass […]
The Tranzac event calendar is updated regularly. Some events (such as private rehearsals, parties, and tentative events that are being contracted) are not displayed in the calendar. As such the calendar is not a comprehensive representation of venue availability. If you do not see your event in the calendar, please review our Event Promotion & Style Guide
This calendar was established in May 2023. To view an archived calendar with basic event information, please click here.
