Concerts Reviews
The Darkness Rock Their Sold-Out Show At Commodore Ballroom!
There are concerts you go to, and then there are concerts you experience! The Darkness’ sold-out show at the Commodore Ballroom on November 18th was absolutely the latter for their Dreams on Toast tour. But before the rambunctiousness with Hawkins and co took over, the night opened with an unexpectedly powerful set from Irish rocker Mark Daly.
Coming all the way from Cork, Daly stepped out with the confidence of someone who knew he was about to win over a room full of strangers. His set was polished and unapologetically loud in the best possible way. The harmonies were tight, the melodies were bold, and the songs carried that nostalgic, Van Halen–esque shimmer that hits you right in the chest. One of the standout moments came during “Superhero,” which turned into a heavy, head-banging wave of energy. What made the night even cooler was that the entire sold-out crowd actually turned up for the opener, none of that fashionably-late stuff! The room was already shoulder-to-shoulder when Mark Daly hit the stage, and you could see the surprise ripple through people who had no idea who he was. It was that collective “Damn, this guy’s really good” moment that spread across the floor. By the end of his set, Daly left the Commodore fully charged for the chaos and joy that were about to follow.
And now, The Darkness.
If you’ve seen The Darkness before, you know the deal: it’s not just music, it’s theatre, comedy, spectacle, and pure rock bravado all blended together. But even longtime fans seemed caught off guard by just how electric the band felt that night. Maybe it was nostalgia, maybe it was how much fun they were having on stage! From the moment Justin Hawkins and the band appeared in near-total darkness, true to their name, the room crackled with anticipation. They eased the crowd in as the amps warmed up, Justin looking sharp as ever in a perfectly tailored plaid blazer and trouser combo.
The band didn’t waste any time pulling out signature moves either. Justin’s iconic handstand on the drum riser made its appearance early enough to let everyone know they were in for a night of peak Darkness energy. The light show was dialed in with ridiculous precision; every beat, every guitar squeal, every sudden burst of falsetto lined up with strobes and colour shifts bursting across the stage like a coordinated fireworks display. Everywhere you looked in the crowds, there were people dancing, jumping up and down.
One sweet moment came when Justin paused after the third song to thank the local photographers in the room. It was a small gesture, but it genuinely warmed the vibe, especially in a city where live music photographers are such a big part of documenting the scene. And speaking of crowd connection, Justin did not hold back. He made it clear from the start that he wanted the Commodore to be the best audience of the tour, and the crowd took that challenge personally. At one point, he even managed to get the entire room doing choreography to a song by pumping their hands up in the air like a marching movement, which was equal parts hilarious and impressive. Another standout moment came during “Barbarian,” when Justin ended up playing guitar on the ground like a man possessed while the crowd absolutely lost it.
The interactions didn’t stop there. When the band rolled into “Givin’ Up,” Justin stepped back and let the crowd sing the beginning, soaking in every moment before yelling, “I f**king love you guys!” It was just one of those moments that make the whole night worth it!
Throughout the night, the band sprinkled in a bunch of unexpected musical interludes, hopping playfully between snippets of “In the Air Tonight,” “Dead Flowers,” “The Power of Love,” (they absolutely nailed covering Celine Dion – collab anyone?), and even “Immigrant Song.” Each little detour added to this wonderfully chaotic, jam-session energy that made the set feel alive and the fans on their toes. They also made sure to toss in a nod to their Christmas song, because what’s a Darkness show without a little festive mischief?
As the night started edging toward its finale, Justin asked everyone to put their phones away and actually connect for a moment. And good thing he did, because the second that unmistakable opening riff hit, the whole crowd knew exactly what was coming. Everyone was ready to rage and sing their hearts out as they played their biggest hit, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”.
For the encore, the band returned to an eruption of cheers and launched into “Summer of ’69,” a loving tribute to Bryan Adams, whom Justin described as one of his favourite Canadian songwriters. The energy in the room only kept climbing as they followed it with “One Way Ticket to Hell” and “Hate Myself,” before finally closing the night with the killer riff from Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker.” As the stage lights kept flashing, the band tossed out their guitar picks, drumsticks, and setlists to the fans, a lovely cherry on top finish to a night that already felt impossibly intimate for such a high-energy show!
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
Upcoming Dreams On Toast Tour Dates:
11/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
11/22 – Denver, CO @ Summit
More info on the band’s website.
THE DARKNESS
MARK DALY
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Joji’s Solaris Tour Makes an Impact in Montreal
For an artist whose music thrives on intimacy, melancholy, and emotional vulnerability, Joji’s concert at Montreal’s Centre Bell on June 20th, 2026 was no exception to these themes. With the size of the venue, holding roughly 16k fans for a concert, it is tough to set a scene intimate enough to make the room feel close and personal, but Joji seemed to pull it off with a polished ease. Supporting acts Nate Sib and Corbin also contributed to the evening’s tone. Their performances helped establish the night’s mood while introducing the audience to emerging artists whose work shares similar lyrical moods and music style with Joji’s discography. By the time Joji took the stage, the Centre Bell crowd was fully engaged and erupting in cheers from the moment the lights went down.
The Montreal stop came early in Joji’s highly anticipated Solaris Tour, a massive North American and European run supporting his latest album Piss In The Wind. Longtime fans could tell this was more than just a regular tour for Joji, but more so a reminder of how far he has come since emerging from internet culture as George Kusunoki Miller, the creator behind “The Filthy Frank Show” on YouTube and Pink Guy personas, before reinventing himself as one of contemporary music’s most distinctive alternative R&B voices. He even popularized the Harlem Shake dance!
Many initially viewed the transition with skepticism, assuming his musical ambitions wouldn’t reach the same heights as his online persona, but instead, Joji steadily established himself as a real artist, releasing acclaimed projects including BALLADS 1, Nectar, SMITHEREENS, and most recently, Piss In The Wind.
His music blends alternative R&B, lo-fi production, electronic textures, and pop songwriting, creating a distinctive sound that is deserving of the success he found. Today, he stands as one of the great examples of an internet creator successfully reinventing themselves as a legitimate recording artist.
By the time the lights dimmed, the smoke started pouring in the venue and the massive background screens lit up, the roar of the crowd was deafening. Joji’s strength as a performer has never been theatrics, elaborate props or choreography. Instead, he succeeds through creating an intimate scene that highlights the emotions in his music. His songs explore loneliness, heartbreak, longing, and self-reflection, themes that resonate deeply with audiences navigating similar emotions. Throughout the night, the singer demonstrated an ability to shift seamlessly between vulnerable ballads and more energetic moments, maintaining an emotional connection with the audience despite the size of the arena.
The setlist reflected the full range of Joji’s catalog while featuring the most songs from “Piss In The Wind” and “Nectar.” The show opened with a bang, with performances of “PIXELATED KISSES,” “Sojourn,” and “Ew,” then continuing with popular fan favourites including “Glimpse of Us,” “Daylight,” and “Like You Do.” After a 25 song setlist featuring some interludes, the concert closed in a powerful rendition of “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK, ” a song that remains one oft he defining works of Joji’s career and one that transformed the Bell Centre into a sea of illuminated phone screens and a shower of confetti.
One of the night’s highlights was when Joji brought out a robot during “Last of a Dying Breed.” The robot danced next to him during the song, which added humour to an otherwise very emotional concert. During the rest of the set, Joji delivered a performance that emphasized emotion over technical perfection. His voice carried a rawness that complemented the themes of the material, particularly during quieter moments. In an era when many arena performers rely heavily on choreography or elaborate staging to maintain audience engagement, Joji’s greatest asset remains his capacity to communicate vulnerability. Other than a few props, such as the robot, a t-shirt cannon and confetti at the end of the set, Joji’s sole “prop” was the large screens behind him. The visuals were very psychedelic, putting the audience in what felt like a trance to fully convey the experience and emotions in the songs he was performing.
The Solaris Tour is not the first time Joji has performed in Montreal. His performance at Osheaga Music Festival in 2019, and in 2022 at MTELUS (a much smaller venue than Centre Bell) largely helped him establish a fanbase in Montreal. Throughout the night, fans sang every lyric, reinforcing the idea that Joji’s music functions as more than entertainment; for many listeners, it serves as a way to cope with deeply personal experiences and as a reminder that they aren’t dealing with these experiences alone.
As the final notes faded and fans slowly made their way toward the exits, many stopping to pick up merch before they left, the atmosphere showed that Montreal had witnessed more than a routine tour stop. Despite Montreal’s show being one of the first stops, the Solaris Tour already proved itself one to be not necessarily polished in the way a usual arena performer’s elaborate set is, but designed perfectly to represent what each song’s meaning calls for. As the tour continues, audiences can expect a production that combines captivating visuals, emotional songwriting, and a performer who continues to redefine expectations the public sets on him. For Montreal fans, the concert on June 20th, 2026 offered a compelling reminder of Joji’s unique ability to transform deeply personal music into a communal experience—one capable of filling an arena while still leaving you feeling like you were the only one in the crowd.
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
JOJI
NATE SIB
All Photo Credit: Ashley Bellam
Concerts Reviews
LIVE REVIEW: Bleachers Bring Big Energy to a Long-Awaited Montreal Return
On June 10th, 2026, fans packed into MTELUS for the Montreal stop of Bleachers’ Bleachers Forever tour. This is the second time the band has had in Montreal, the first being at Osheaga Music and Arts Festival back in 2022, which is the perfect place to build a Montreal fanbase.
Momo Boyd, a New York City based vocalist and songwriter, had no problem setting the tone for the night. With songs like “Cold Hands,” “Strong,” and even a cover of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, her set was filled with enchanting purple lights, beautifully deep lyrics, and captivating vocals. Although her performance was more “low-key” than a typical Bleachers performance, it had its moments of picking up, and was the perfect way to ease the crowd into the night, and left many audience members as a new fan.
As Bleachers took the stage, opening their set with “My Way,” there was no doubt that this would be a night to remember. The band, consisting of lead singer Jack Antonoff, Mikey Freedom Hart, Zem Audu, Mike Riddleberger, Evan Smith and Sean Hutchinson came out to the wonderful sound of saxophone played by band member Zem Audu, and though the first half of the song was slower, the energy built up shortly after through flashing lights, jumps and a roaring crowd.
The audience erupted in cheers and laughter as lead singer, Jack Antonoff spoke out about artists always skipping Montreal during their tours, saying: “They think they can play Osheaga and that’s enough?”, and “What’s with (bands) that think they can play Osheaga, which is like an expensive ticket, and not just come play a normal show.” As me, and many others in that room have traveled to Toronto to see our favourite artists when they skip Montreal on tour, I completely agree with this!
The night continued with back-to-back hits, including “you and forever,” “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call,” and of course, “I Wanna Get Better,” and closing the set with “Stop Making This Hurt.” They even played a cover of Margaret by Lana Del Ray, which they’re featured on!
Bleachers set an incredible standard of engaging a crowd and keeping a consistently high-energy audience. From the first note, to the emotional highs and lows, to the closing goodbyes, fans were cheering, singing and dancing the whole time! They even had a photobooth in the venue where you could take pictures before the show! This is certainly a band that will be in people’s rotation for years to come, so the tour name speaks for itself when it says, Bleachers Forever!
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BLEACHERS
MOMO BOYD
All Photo Credit: Ashley Bellam