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I arrived, 17 minutes late and positively drenched in rain, to an (almost) empty P’tit Ours last Wednesday. Shoes squishing, I had trekked across the Plateau after a classic 30-minute-actually-means-20-minute speedwalking session. For the record, it wasn’t raining when I left my house so my lack of an umbrella was not entirely misjudged, though the rain began soon after I left and did not stop. Let this be a testament to my true dedication to the lineup, which consisted of Raybody, Jackie West, and Kelly Elizabeth. Even though my sole reason for attending was to see Jackie West, I was determined not to miss a single second of any act, even if it meant my socks were soggy for the whole thing. 

On Tuesday, October 6th, Steve Lacy performed live for a packed Place Bell, touring his newest album Oh Yeah (2026). The concert was divided into two parts: a full front-to-back of Oh Yeah followed by some crowd picks of songs he hadn’t ever performed (including “UUU”, “Cody Freestyle” and “That’s No Fun”, to name a few -- which he sometiems struggled to remember the lyrics to). He eventually returned to the programmed setlist that featured many fan favourites from across his discography and even added cover of “This Night Has Opened My Eyes” by The Smiths. He bookended the concert with his Oh Yeah hits, opening with “Oh Yeah” closing with “The Feeling.”

At 8:20 pm, I’m standing in a near-empty Sala Rossa as red and white disco-projected lights are spinning across the floor -- I think they’re making the room look smaller. They’re playing Feeble Little Horse’s Girl With Fish front-to-back; in my mind, it’s a projection of how the entire night will feel. Warm, fuzzy, and a little messy -- all of the charms that draw anyone to college radio. I am one of 6 awkward stand-arounders I’ve seen so far tonight, all CJLO DJ’s and frequent Sala patrons. It’s like the first time seeing your cousins after a year, with a weird awkward silence that’ll be quickly rectified by beer and wonderfully curated music. 

When you are listening to a sound, as soon as it hits your ears, it's already gone. It totally resists a holding action, there is no way to pause and stare. However, Australian composer, singer and producer Hana Stretton seems to possess the ability to stretch and pull sound beyond these limitations. Based out of rural Australia, she favours creating in isolation. Surrounded by nature, animals and instruments, she draws inspiration from her landscape and a deep appreciation for the life around her. She creates a sort of auditory collage, combining elements of folk, ambient and dream pop over field recordings and layered vocals. The power of her music not only rests in the happening but within the absence as well.