nd Best New Music Venue (BlogTO), alongside stellar reviews from the likes of Now Magazine NNNN and Exclaim! 9/10, Geary Lane has helped fill a hole in the Toronto music scene by aiding a wealth of talented artists step up and out from the underground and into a more accessible and welcoming environment where you don’t just have to be “in the know” to experience non-linear and captivating music in the city. Geary Lane Booking Manager, Jason Pollard will be branching out from the “Incubation period” the lauded space provided to “explore other unique spaces that can accommodate fringe music and serve it up in unexpected ways.”
Invocation TO will be the full realization of what Jason helped create with production duo Man Finds Fire, who put on the first year of shows at Geary Lane. As a music curator with an insatiable appetite for working with cutting edge bands, Jason found the constraints of having only monthly one-off events, limiting. The hype surrounding Geary Lane and some of the shows that took place there, led to many offers from Booking Agents throughout North America and Europe looking for unique environments for their touring artists. Invocation TO will provide a platform to showcase the plethora of new and exciting artists that Jason has crossed paths with, and do so on a more consistent basis. It doesn’t stop there… Invocation TO carries a localized abbreviation, as it intends to become a national and even international entity, exploring the experimental communities of other cities and countries. Invocation MTL, Invocation NY, etc…
“My ultimate goal is for people to gain something from the shows I put on. I have a wandering mind personally, so it can be difficult for me to watch even my favorite bands, if that’s all there is to see. The visual element is paramount for a lot of the acts I work with and I’d like to keep taking that further, making the environment as interactive as possible” says Pollard. “Geary Lane has been a big eye opener for me and gave me the notion that there is more to be discovered. I’ve just peaked my head in the door so far” He adds. Invocation TO launches Thursday, February 5th as part of Wavelength’s pop up gallery at Huntclub Studio (709 College) and will feature artists from one of Canada’s very best labels, Constellation Records. Future shows will be announced shortly and will include Kaki King, Sir Richard Bishop, Loscil and more.
