Project Nowhere is back this October 3 to 5 to bring multi-dimensional music experiences to Toronto's West End, descending upon seven venues along Dundas Street West. From legends of the underground to up-and-coming acts sourced locally and beyond, here are Exclaim!'s five can't-miss acts from the eclectic lineup.
Get information about tickets at Project Nowhere's website.
Run by Razaq El Toro (Razaq Onakoya), martinses (Martin Ogun) and Sonic Griot (Anowa Quarcoo), the Toronto-based collective are purveyors of the African electronic dance experience — which they've become known for bringing to unconventional spaces across the city. With guest DJs frequently joining the mix, it's never the same thing twice when the group fuse electronic music, Afrobeats, funk and traditional West African elements into what they call Eko Electronic.
The incredibly prolific jazz-funk cast led by Max Turnbull seem to pull rapturous melodies and complex arrangements out of thin air with their abundance of recorded projects, and it's safe to say the live experience is no less awe-inspiring. While they've surprisingly been relatively quiet this year, the loops of their tight grooves come alive in their potential for endlessness.
There's nothing funny about the emerging Montreal quartet's knack for the jangly, grunge-indebted power pop that comprises their debut album, this year's Because It's True. Maybe it's their sense of humour that allows for their easy chemistry that feels more worn-in than you'd expect from their time together. Laughing are definitely a band to have on your radar.
Back in February, Chris Vargas and Tobias Rochman announced their pending breakup after a decade together as Montreal-based electronic duo Pelada on January 1, 2025. Their Project Nowhere performance will be the last-ever Toronto show for the well-traveled pair, who have coloured the after-hours rave scenes in more than 35 countries with their acid techno beats and expressive Spanish vocals.
Born of a lockdown project between vocalist Zack Borzone and drummer Sam Pickard in Philadelphia, PA, these noisy, now-NYC-based punks close the distance between primitive impulses and modern configurations with their experimental jams. You can feel a palpable ravenous energy in their recordings alone — meaning that, if you're looking for an intensely engaging live show, you've nailed it with these guys.
