TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025 MARY OCHER Bug Incision is excited to announce our first co-presentation with the Palomino, one of Calgary's core venues for independent music of all stripes in the city. Armed with two new records, Berlin's Mary Ocher returns to North America for the first time in 5 years. Ocher has been pushing the boundaries between pop and avant-garde for almost two decades, with playful and colorful form, and clever content that winks at everyone who recognizes its cultural and historical references. The critically acclaimed new album Your Guide To Revolution is a joyful ode to hope, released just six months after its predecessor, the experimental Approaching Singularity: Music for The End of Time. It was |
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picked by The Quietus as "Album of The Week" and Bandcamp's favorite Records of The Year. The albums join a series of apocalyptic and politically charged concept albums. Mary's new recordings range from post-punk, ambient and folk, to field recordings, cumbia, deconstructed techno and cosmic synth compositions - they feature collaborations with post-rock giants Mogwai, psych-rock guru King Khan, electronic moguls Red Axes, Mary's drummers Your Government, pieces by fusion harpist Dorothy Ashby and 12th century Persian poet Omar Khayyam, a homage to electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire and much, much more. Hermitess is the songwriting project of multi-disciplinary artist of Jennifer Crighton. Her songs, performed on harp and vocals, provide the core of the band, which features a highly distinctive soundworld infused with a strong element of personal and historical exploration, meditating on death, family, and intertwining historical aspects of her own ancestry. The music has a gothic quality to it, but not in the eyeliner and chilly synths manner; this is a more authentic and highly original take on "folk" music traditions. Crighton is aided and abetted by Richard Gallant on the hurdy gurdy and hammered dulcimer, Keith Rodger on bass, and Chris Dadge on drums. The new album from Hermitess is nearly finished and will be released this spring. Secreted Language is a brand new group from some of the busiest musicians in town. Featuring Nate Waters (Eye of Newt, Samantha Savage Smith, Temps) on reeds & FX, Brock Geiger (solo, Eye of Newt, SSS) on guitar, Keith Rodger (Horse Breaker) on upright bass, and Chris Dadge (Samantha Savage Smith, Chad VanGaalen) on drums, the group technically made their debut last October at High Line Brewing, opening for the Brodie West Quintet, but it was as a trio, while Rodger was out of the country. That show yielded promising results, and with the (re)addition of the proper fourth, this will be the first proper dissemination of this group's highly stylized approach to open-ended free improvisation. |
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2025 Shane Krause (Victoria) with: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ We are beyond pleased to be welcoming back Victoria-based multi-reedist Shane Krause after a decade-plus unintentional absence from Calgary. The last time we witnessed Krause in action, it was part of the programming for Bug Incision's 2012-2013 concert series that was funded by the Calgary 2012 initiative. He led a memorable workshop in the basement of Hot Wax Records played Weeds Cafe alongside the Bent Spoon Duo (Dadge/Munro version). Before that, Krause and Chris Dadge toured around Alberta as Raw Kites, opening for trumpeter Peter Evans, and recorded a live album with Mats Gustafsson and Christian Munthe, and they also maintained a trio called Hidden Fortress with Edmonton-based bassist and composer Thom Golub.
During that time Krause was based in Vancouver, heavily involved in various DIY improv spaces, and later relocated to Vancouver Island, calling Victoria home in recent years. Recent projects include Allotropes, a freebop trio with bassist Trav Short and drummer Miles Fuller, showcasing a mixture of Krause's compositions alongside classics by people like Ornette, Carla Bley and Roswell Rudd; improv-psych rock band Cosmic Foam; and a free improv trio with vocalist Viviane Houle and bassist Trav Short who have a solo record of overdubbed minimal woodwind compositions coming out later this year. In addition to all this, Krause (along with with Trav Short) also runs the Victoria-based monthly experimental improvised music series The Orange Light. |
Krause will be joined by a who's who of Calgary improvisors: for one set, he will be joined by drummer Erik Allen (known for his work with Amy Nelson, John Rutherford, and who is also currently putting the final touches on a new solo album), double bassist Jeff Gammon (recently relocated from Vancouver, busy member of the Calgary's jazz scene and plays in Nate Waters' new trio), and saxophonist Jonathon Wilcke (Bug Incision co-runner, Wilcke/Dadge duo, Eating Speed). In a second grouping, Krause will be joined by guitarist, composer, and vocalist Rebecca Bruton (known for her compositions, performed by the likes of Quatour Bozzini, and her new song-based project Swanherds), percussionist Chris Dadge (Bug Incision founder, producer, Eye of Newt), and third TBA. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ FACT + in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 2025 KAIDEN JACKMAN'S AD HOC ENSEMBLES EVENING: The idea for this came from a combination of the usual Bug Incision ad-hoc ensembles with the game Exquisite Corpse, where artists continually contribute to each other’s pieces to create an often surreal piece of artwork. The setup for the evening is the following: Performers set up in groups of 3, chosen at random and play for an indefinite period of time. One by one, as the timers run out, a performer is swapped off with a new one also chosen at random until we cycle through all the performers and end up where we started. The music continues through the entire duration with performers adding and evolving the piece with their own spin. The lineup: Jennifer Crighton - harp wrangler extraordinaire, leader of Hermitess with new album due in May + in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2025 SHECKY FORMÉ + We've been blessed with the presence of drummer Dan Gaucher more often than usual in these last few years, and this time we couldn't be more excited to present Shecky Formé, a quartet of musicians who left a serious mark on the Calgary music scene of the late 90s/early 00s. Comprised of Gaucher on drums, Chris Vail (also of Vailhalen, XL Birdsuit and solo fame) on guitar, esteemed songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Booth on bass, and Carl Lukasewich on guitar, this band was our fair city's reaction to the nexus of influence surrounding that era's nebulously-defined "post-rock" bands such as Tortoise, Storm & Stress, Don Caballero, Sea & Cake et al. They released one potent full-length CD, but legend has it that their live improvised sets, frequently occurring at the crucial Space For Space series, was where the real juice could be found. Vail and Booth remain part of Calgary's musical architecture, while Gaucher and Lukasewich have moved to other zones, but this special weekend finds them all randomly in the city at the same time. Not to be missed!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Icarus 3 is an improvising trio with Robin Tufts (drums), Keith Rodger (double bass) and Jeremy Gignoux on violin/viola. They created our repertoire out of clown explorations. With the help of clown performer/educator Jacqueline Russell, they went through clown exercises that were then transcribed musically into new compositions. The resulting music has some elements of free jazz, new music, folk, and improvisations. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The night will be rounded off with a performance from the duo of main Bug Incision wranglers Jonathon Wilcke and Chris Dadge, on saxophone and percussion, respectively. These two first played together around 2002 and have played many concerts as a duo, with Joe Morris, and as part of the group Circular Sparrow. They play a blunt, un-polite form of horn & drum action, and will hopefully be able to find someone to work the door during their set.
+ in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025 i.o & Pet Retina + Our yearly visit from the always staggering i.o, Maxwell Patterson's math/improv drums & guitar soundscape maelstrom. Also pleased to welcome back Pet Retina, touring mate and fellow bringer of vividly harsh sonics. From Victoria! A one-off collboration, we are pleased to present Eric Hamelin (drums, etc), Ryan Bourne (bass, fx, synth) and pedal steel wiz Wayne Garrett. These three are well-known for their own solo projects and cross-pollinated memberships in each other's bands, and are also part of the current, critically lauded version of the band Ghostkeeper. Eldritch Moratorium is a noise project featuring Kaiden Jackman and Birdy Loughlin, a project with an ever-evolving conceptual angle. They’ve performed once prior to this assembly, utilizing industrial beats with bible passages and distorted drones to create a wall of sound they dubbed “biblically accurate harsh noise”. This time, they go acoustic. + in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2025 Eric Hamelin & Christian Ferguson + Drummer Eric Hamelin will be joined by Medicine Hat-based guitarist Christian Ferguson and saxophonist and Bug Incision co-wrangler Jonathon Wilcke. First time trio! NUM is an interdisciplinary duo formed by Maryam Sirvan and Milad Bagheri in 2010, originally from northern Iran. Their work spans electroacoustic music, sound art, and multimedia installations. Over the years, they have developed a unique approach to audio-light-visual compositions by integrating digital signal processing and data manipulation. Their artistic practice has taken them to various festivals, art residencies, and exhibitions across West Asia, Europe, and Canada. Since 2021, they have been based in Calgary, where they continue to explore and contribute to the local music community through innovative sound art. Overzealous is the catch-all moniker for various solo output from the mighty Matthew Springer. Known as a brilliant graphic artist and drummer for acts such as Dial-Up and Radioactive Vampire Teeth, Springer will perform a set of guitar and drum machine pieces we peeped him displaying on Instagram last week. + in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2025 V.VECKER /////////////////////////// We are very pleased to be welcoming back V.Vecker. His last show was a rich, soupy melange of electronics and enhanced saxophonics, teeming and broiling with texture and swirls of psychedelic drift. The following is from the press release for his most recent release, which can be scoped in the box below: |
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Originally hailing from the UK, Ben Longman is guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, best known these days for their work with acts like Reuben & The Dark, Amelie Patterson, Astral Swans, and more. Having appeared previously at a few of the Bug Incision Ad Hoc Ensemble Evenings, this will be Longman's debut solo performance at the series, and they will be preparing a set of solo guitar music, incorpoarting their keen melodic sense, penchant for sonic exploration, and kinship with vanguard fellow guitarists like Marc Ribot. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ A solo project and experimental outfit headed by Birdy Loughlin and Daniel Beattie. This upcoming Bug Incision performance features work with Daniel Beattie, a co-parent in the foster home. A mix of studio material and live improvisation, Southern Alberta Foster Home invites artist features and collaborations understood as foster kids—temporary, beloved, shaping. Birdy does not receive government benefits for being a foster parent or a home. Guitar and vocals weave through live mixing, acoustic noise, radio, duetting, ikebana, and love. “We’ll figure it out.” I love you, please. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And finally, the evening will be rounded out by the in-house duo of Chris Dadge (percussion) and Jonathon Wilcke (saxophone). These two, as the defacto runners of the Bug Incision universe, should need no introduction to readers of this information, but just in case, they will provide a spiky, free-spirited exploration of some of the more extreme edges of their instruments' sonic potential. This will be one a handful of show the duo will be playing in the coming months, as they prepare for a new recording later this year.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, 2025 AD HOC ENSEMBLES An evening of trios, culled from the following musicians: Isaac Szeto, guitar + in-between set music by DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2025 McCaslin/Boyle We are extremely pleased to welcome Jon McCaslin, one of the city's foremost drummers and leading members of Calgary's jazz community, for his debut Bug Incision performance. He will be joined by trumpeter Patrick Boyle, a west coast musician who we've been hearing good things about for years. Boyle is a fearless sonic explorer driven by discovery. Curiosity is his compass. His frontiers are in performance (trumpet and guitar), improvisation, composition and education. Patrick is Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Victoria where he teaches courses in music business, theory, history, pedagogy, and performance. McCaslin is a Calgary-based jazz drummer and he currently teaches at the Mount Royal Conservatory of Music. His endless pursuits include his studies of rhythm and numerous recent collaborations including works with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, poet and spoken word artist Wakefield Brewster, visual artist Malcolm Mooney and tap dancer Lisa La Touche. He is also the curator of the Calgary Jazz Composers Collective at Theatre 1308. Eric Hamelin (drums, percussion) and Jonathon Wilcke (saxophone) are two of the most central player components in the Bug Incision world, Hamelin having been around since the unofficial inception of Bug Incision at 2006's Colours Without Names performance at Mutton Busting, and Wilcke also appearing that year for the first time and currently co-managing the series. They are both highly idiosyncratic, committed improvisors who many may have seen working together in the trio Eating Speed, who recently released their debut recordings. Hamelin is also known for his work with Ghostkeeper, Sleepkit, Cryingsnice (a duo with Chris Dadge), and his ongoing partnership with Jay Crocker through his project JOYFULTALK and their duo Nomoreshapes. Wilcke is a prolific soloist who also maintains a duo with Chris Dadge and plays in the occasionally-assembled Circular Sparrow, alongside Dadge, Nate Waters, Jiajia Li, and Lydia Pineau. Mark Fleischhaker has been part of the Bug Incision world for almost two decades, but his path is one fully of his own making. A drummer and vocalist, Mark has been involved in various groups over the years, including XL Birdsuit, Ole!, and Lord Something (with Scott "Monty" Munro and Chris Dadge), but his solo work is truly the place to best experience his vision. Recording and releasing music for many years under the name Terrible Crayon, Mark has amassed a large and bewildering body of work. This show, his first in a while, will continue in that lineage, and will surely provide a rousing start to the evening. Please visit his Bandcamp to get up to speed: last year he released two albums, The Day of Idiosyncrasy and Tales From The Crib. |
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2025 Ad Hoc Ensembles: We are pleased as punch to be hosting a special edition of the Ad Hoc Ensembles evenings. This one is a collaboration with Edmonton-based musician and concert organizer Ron de Jong, who has selected a mouth-watering crew of Edmontonian noise makers to mix and mingle with an exciting assortment of Calgarians. Ron de Jong (drums, cymbals, percussion) – Jason Lee Scott (electric guitar and effects) – Thom Golub (double bass) – Jacob Tran (alto saxophone) – Eric Weiden (trumpet) – From the Calgary side, we are pleased to feature: Nia Devetzis (percussion) - Nia is busy and talented percussionist, mostly working in the realms of classical music and more recently theatre music. Last year she performed a wonderful solo vibraphone piece by Sarah Hennies, a Bug Incision/New Works Calgary co-presentation, and she's appeared at the series numerous times with the collaborative Secret Lady Project. Seyoung Lee (piano) - a new face to the Bug Incision world, Lee recently stormed onto the scene as one half of FACT (with drummer Conner Satyro), a blisteringly exuberant free jazz duo that have been making waves across the city. He also plays in the group CGSW, who shared the stage with Eye of Newt earlier this year for the latter's LP release show. Nate Waters (saxophone) - Waters is one of the city's premier horn wranglers, playing with his own trio (with Jeff Gammon and Afo Fapojuwo) among many others. He also leads his own whacked-out avant-indie rock band Eye of Newt, and plays with Samantha Savage Smith, Temps, Bennett Mitchell, and Brock Geiger. + between-set music from DJ Jeremy Curry |
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2025 Ad Hoc Ensembles: An evening of trios from many first-time performers to the series, as well as some seasoned vets. The lineup: Liam Elliott: electronics |
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| 2025 >>> | |