Music

The Toronto Radio Project is shutting down

by Tyler Munro

As the story so often goes, a beloved music upstart is being forced to put its plans on indefinite hiatus at the end of this month, citing a lack of funds (but certainly not a lack of enthusiasm).

In a statement posted on his personal Facebook page, co-director Michael Newton emphasized the inspirations and ideas that sparked the Toronto Radio [passion] Project, noting that it didn’t start because it was the “cool thing to do.”

“It also wasn’t tens of thousands of municipal and provincial grant dollars dumped into a festival that exists one week a year,” read the statement, its shade palpable. “It was never-ending, and it will remain through archives and with the right elements in the future, never-ending.”

Newton goes on to thank TRP’s listeners, fans, friends and collaborators. Its countless hosts, supporters and passionate social supporters. TRP launched in 2014 and, as we wrote about last month, worked diligently, often sleeplessly, to become a constantly growing well of music.

TRP was radio done differently, perhaps done right, and it’s a loss to Hogtown’s music community that it failed to find the right bank right just as it seemed to be finding the right momentum.

Assuredly, we’re urging you to check out its archives. You can click through to our 10 favourite TRP shows here, or head to its mixcloud to dig a little deeper.

TRP is officially shutting down on August 26th, but its Facebook page noticeably uses the word “Pause,” even though Newton sadly uses the phrase “ceasing to exist” in his. Here’s hoping we can hit play again some time in the near future.

This is a real bummer.