VOLUME 12 of the INSTITUT experiment. Every week, a different hypothesis. Underground at 620 Spadina Ave — around the back, through the lot to the steel doors, down the stairs, past the mechanical room, through the swinging wood laminate door.
5:30 PM | RESIDENCY | KRYVA KOSA
KRYVA KOSA is a collective of musicians and artists dedicated to sharing folk traditions from their diverse backgrounds. "Kryva Kosa" — meaning "crooked scythe" in Ukrainian — brings timeless village melodies from Ukraine and neighbouring Slavic, Baltic, Balkan and Finno-Ugric cultures to life through music, dance and communal exchange. They've performed and taught at the Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival, Drom Taberna, Kosa Folk Arts Melanka, and recently completed a four-month residency at Hart House, UofT.
Open Rehearsals: A bi-weekly rehearsal open to everyone who wants to learn folk dance tunes from Ukraine and neighbouring Slavic, Baltic, Balkan and Finno-Ugric cultures. Learning material available online beforehand. During rehearsals we play, sing and dance to folky tunes without extensive teaching — creating an enjoyable atmosphere and learning environment.
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7:30 PM | CONCERT | TOLEDANO (NS)
Estonian zombie folk looping talharpa and vocals
Elegantly dressed gentlemen with gloriously deadpan sense of humour, playing the ancient Nordic string instrument talharpa — through effects pedals, weird choreography and made-up languages.
PUULUUP are elegantly dressed gentlemen with gloriously deadpan senses of humour, playing the ancient Nordic string instrument talharpa. They direct the vibrations of the talharpa's horsehair strings through effects using alternative bowing and rhythm techniques, pairing mellow sighs with electronically amplified echoes, knocks, creaks and crackles. Their lyrics combine many languages alongside Puuluup's own made-up language — mostly abstract and open to interpretation — seasoned with weird choreography. Puuluup has performed in around 40 countries, received dozens of awards, and made it to the Eurovision Song Contest finals.
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7:30 PM | LIVE SOUNDTRACK | RUDY RAY x ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS (LOUIS MALLE, 1958)
A recreation of the iconic pairing of Miles Davis' trumpet to this crime-noir classic in honour of his 100th birthday
RUDY RAY is a Toronto-based actor and trumpet player, and founder of Rudy Ray & Co, an artist collective that runs a program at Union Station every summer. An official recording trumpet player for the Wu-Tang Clan, Rudy trained first as a neuroscientist at the University of Toronto and takes a strong interest in the importance of mental health in the Black community. As an actor he has appeared on Netflix's Self-Made, Ginny and Georgia, Amazon Prime's American Gods, and Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley. His work with Tobi recently won two Juno Awards for Best Rap Song and Rap Album of the Year.
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11:00 PM | VINTAGE VINYL | SHAUNT RAFFI
Armenian folk, desert blues, ethio jazz
Late night vinyl from a Toronto curator rooted in Armenian and South West Asian and North African sounds — expect the unexpected.
SHAUNT RAFFI is an Armenian music curator, DJ and producer based in Toronto. He is the curator of Tapestry Jam, a monthly improvised music series, and the host of Sonic Salon, a program exploring boundary-pushing sounds. As the founder of Antikka, The Oud & the Fuzz, and Tapestry, Raffi has long built environments where artistry and community intertwine — rooted in a commitment to Armenian, South West Asian and North African cultures while fostering collaboration and experimentation.