For our eighth anniversary (Feb. 14-17), Wavelength continues to make use of new and unconventional venues such as the Theatre Centre (later the Black Box Theatre, now Longboat Hall) as well as more diverse programming, from Madagascan-Canadian guitarist Donné Roberts to a collective called the Social Music Workgroup playing Terry Riley’s minimalist classic “In C.” The fest also includes an “unconference” hosted by Misha Glouberman of Trampoline Hall.
Wavelength continues to produce more curated Special Events outside its weekly series at Sneaky Dee’s, including the Kalimba Summit (March 28 @ Tranzac) — bringing together players of the titular southern African thumb piano, from Toronto’s Laura Barrett to Chicago’s Kahil El’Zabar — and presenting the second ALL CAPS! Outdoor Show in Dufferin Grove (though year two of the all-ages fest gets rained out and moved to the Music Gallery).
Midway through the year, the WL programmers make a big decision: the weekly Sunday night series will end 18 months later, on its 10th anniversary in February 2010. With Sunday turnout gradually declining and more of the WL “vibe” found at the quarterly Special Events, they decide that the series will continue on as a monthly.
Memorable shows:
- Stoner rockers Quest for Fire alongside art-punk duo Tropics, featuring Max “Slim Twig” Turnbull later of Badge Epoque Énsemble (WL 394, Jan. 6 @ SD)
- Sweden’s Jens Lekman headlines a sold-out benefit for the Music Gallery alongside Final Fantasy (Owen Pallett) and Katie Stelmanis (April 8 @ the Great Hall)
- A night of performance art with ex-Barcelona Pavilion member Steve Kado’s new project the Blankket alongside Life of a Craphead (WL 424, Aug. 3 @ SD)
- Sandro Perri, a.k.a. Polmo Polpo, shares his singer-songwriter side alongside witchy sibling duo Ghost Bees, later known as Tasseomancy (WL 426, Aug. 17 @ SD)
- Merrill Garbus, prior to relocating to Oakland, shows off Tune-Yards, her new ukulele-driven Afro-pop-inspired project (WL 432, Sept. 28 @ SD)
- Christine Duncan’s Element Choir treats the WL scene to otherworldly soundcapes of structured vocal improvisation (WL 440, Nov. 23 @ SD)