The Toronto Transit Commission, Canadian Music Week and Exclaim! are proud to present a unique underground showcase featuring Deliluh, E-Saggila, Tyriqueordie and a special guest headliner. CMW Underground will take place on May 11 at Lower Bay Station, the decommissioned subway platform located directly underneath the main platform of Bay Station in Yorkville.
Though TTC riders may not have been to Lower Bay (or Bay Lower, as TTC staff refer to it), many have definitely seen it before — since it was decommissioned, it has been used as a set for films and TV shows. It can be seen in The Handmaid's Tale, Suicide Squad and the 2012 reboot of Total Recall.
This showcase is the latest from Toronto-based musician and show promoter Kyle Knapp, who performs with Deliluh. Knapp has earned attention for hosting concerts in untraditional spaces around Toronto, including Bloordale café Home Baking, legion hall Owls Club, the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library, and Somewhere Else, the DIY venue run out of his own apartment.
"Toronto's got a lot of places that are untapped and it's an exciting thing to be able to explore those spaces," says Knapp. "It's really exciting to play fresh spaces as well, and have new experiences with new people. There's a lot to be gained from pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and from a music perspective, exploring sound in different spaces can be really inspiring as well."
The three announced acts cover diverse sonic ground thanks to Deliluh's intricate rock, Tyriqueordie's lo-fi raps and E-Saggila's industrial techno production. Knapp sought out an eclectic lineup to honour public transit's diverse ridership.
"In the spirit of something like public transit and a public service in Toronto that is ultimately utilized by all different pockets and corners of the city, it's nice to be able to represent some different voices," he says.
The lineup will diversify further thanks to the secret headliner, who will be revealed closer to CMW.
"My lips are sealed," Knapp teases. "But people will be excited."
Co-promoter Dan Burke says that the venue itself is practically the headliner. For the show, the platform will be flanked by two full-length, open door subway trains.
The show was possible thanks to Toronto City Councillor Josh Colle, who also serves as Chair of both the TTC and Toronto Music Advisory Council. According to Knapp, Colle "thought it was a great idea, and definitely pushed for it with the TTC. Thankfully, they've been supportive and gracious enough to grant us access to the space for this show."
The Lower Bay platform was commissioned in 1966 as part of a pilot project that saw two subway lines come through the station. When the project was cancelled later that year, the platform was repurposed as both a film set and a training ground for new train operators. It has also benefited Toronto's music scene before: local folk-rockers Great Lake Swimmers recorded the title track to their 2012 album The Great Exhale on the platform.
Advance tickets to CMW Underground are available here. For more information, check out the Facebook event here.
Though TTC riders may not have been to Lower Bay (or Bay Lower, as TTC staff refer to it), many have definitely seen it before — since it was decommissioned, it has been used as a set for films and TV shows. It can be seen in The Handmaid's Tale, Suicide Squad and the 2012 reboot of Total Recall.
This showcase is the latest from Toronto-based musician and show promoter Kyle Knapp, who performs with Deliluh. Knapp has earned attention for hosting concerts in untraditional spaces around Toronto, including Bloordale café Home Baking, legion hall Owls Club, the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library, and Somewhere Else, the DIY venue run out of his own apartment.
"Toronto's got a lot of places that are untapped and it's an exciting thing to be able to explore those spaces," says Knapp. "It's really exciting to play fresh spaces as well, and have new experiences with new people. There's a lot to be gained from pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and from a music perspective, exploring sound in different spaces can be really inspiring as well."
The three announced acts cover diverse sonic ground thanks to Deliluh's intricate rock, Tyriqueordie's lo-fi raps and E-Saggila's industrial techno production. Knapp sought out an eclectic lineup to honour public transit's diverse ridership.
"In the spirit of something like public transit and a public service in Toronto that is ultimately utilized by all different pockets and corners of the city, it's nice to be able to represent some different voices," he says.
The lineup will diversify further thanks to the secret headliner, who will be revealed closer to CMW.
"My lips are sealed," Knapp teases. "But people will be excited."
Co-promoter Dan Burke says that the venue itself is practically the headliner. For the show, the platform will be flanked by two full-length, open door subway trains.
The show was possible thanks to Toronto City Councillor Josh Colle, who also serves as Chair of both the TTC and Toronto Music Advisory Council. According to Knapp, Colle "thought it was a great idea, and definitely pushed for it with the TTC. Thankfully, they've been supportive and gracious enough to grant us access to the space for this show."
The Lower Bay platform was commissioned in 1966 as part of a pilot project that saw two subway lines come through the station. When the project was cancelled later that year, the platform was repurposed as both a film set and a training ground for new train operators. It has also benefited Toronto's music scene before: local folk-rockers Great Lake Swimmers recorded the title track to their 2012 album The Great Exhale on the platform.
Advance tickets to CMW Underground are available here. For more information, check out the Facebook event here.
