A packed crowd filled the Phoenix Concert Theatre as punk rock band The Bronx and The Chats stopped by for a sold-out show in Toronto. It was an unwelcome chilly day, but the show quickly warmed up to a frenzy with four incredibly talented bands performing a slew of hardcore tunes.
Scowl was the first opener of the show, and they didn’t disappoint. Lead vocalist Kat Moss took command onstage from beginning to end with piercing growls while moving fiercely left and right. Circle pits and head banging made their set one of the most entertaining opening sets I have ever seen. Scowl is a band to look out for listeners wanting to find new hardcore music.
Lineup:
Kat Moss – Lead vocalist
Malachi Greene – Guitarist
Bailey Lupo – Bass
Cole Gilbert – Drummer
Drug Church next came on, and they kept the energy going. The post-hardcore band got the middle of the crowd jumping and mosh-pitting to every song in their set. Frontman Patrick Kindlon acknowledged the Canadian crowd for being the nicest audience they performed every time they played in Canada. The crowd’s energy made Drug Church’s set a fun one to watch.
Lineup:
Patrick Kindlon – Lead vocalist
Nick Cogan – Guitarist
Cory Galusha – Guitarist
Patrick Nguyen – Bass
Chris Villeneuve – Drummer
Setlist:
1. Fun’s Over
2. Super Saturated
3. Grubby
4. Avoidarama
5. World Impact
6. Bliss Out
7. But Does It Work?
8. Unlicensed Guidance Counselsor
9. Unlicensed Hall Monitor
10. Million Miles of Fun
11. Weed Pin
Co-headliner The Chats stepped onstage to the crowd’s excitement. The Australian rock band started a slow intro before blazing through their set with their fast-paced hardcore tunes. The Chats brought madness to the audience as they went wild mosh-pitting and crowd-surfing from start to finish. It was nonstop music that felt never-ending, but the crowd were entertained by The Chat’s whopping 30-song set.
Lineup:
Eamon Sandwith – Lead vocalist, bass
Matt Boggis – Drummer, backing vocals
Josh Hardy – Guitarist, backing vocals
Setlist:
1. Nambored
2. Billy Backwash’s Day
3. Dead on Site
4. 6L GTR
5. Ross River
6. Stinker
7. Drunk n Disorderly
8. Southport Superman
9. The Kids Need Guns
10. Bus Money
11. Dine n Dash
12. Paid Late
13. Casualty
14. Nazi March
15. AC/DC CD
16. 4573
17. I’ve Been Drunk in Every Pub in Brisbane
18. Panic Attack
19. Temperature
20. Ticket Inspector
21. The Price of Smokes
22. Struck by Lightning
23. Identify Theft
24. Emperor of the Beach
25. Out on the Street
26. Smoko
27. Rock and Roll All Nite (KISS cover)
28. Jet Lighter
29. Better Than You
30. Pub Feed
As the music stopped, the crowd shouted in excitement for The Bronx to come up next. A piece of intro music kicked in as Matt Caughthran, Joby J. Ford, Ken Horne, Brad Magers, and Joey Castillo approached onstage to the sold-out crowd. They kicked off banging with “White Shadow,” and the crowd quickly started to party. The band played through a 15-song setlist that spanned throughout their 20-year career. Matt acknowledged the screaming crowd adding that it felt like a home show because his mom is from Nova Scotia. Matt’s presence was felt throughout the show as he constantly made eye contact with the audience while effortlessly screaming and growling at the songs.
A highlight of the show was later in the set when Matt joined the middle of the crowd on the slippery floor and moshed with everyone. Then, he returned onstage with a fur coat with a new mic before performing “History Stranglers.” The Bronx ended the night with “Around the Horn.” Each member performed immaculate solos in their respective instruments as Matt each gave them a shoutout before the band played the last chorus. The show in the end felt like a celebration of hardcore music, as the crowd was partying from beginning to end.
Lineup:
Matt Caughthran – Lead vocalist
Joby J. Ford – Guitarist, backing vocals
Ken Horne – Guitarist, backing vocals
Brad Magers – Bass, backing vocals
Joey Castillo – Drummer
Setlist:
1. White Shadow
2. Rape Zombie
3. Shitty Future
4. Heart Attack American
5. Superbloom
6. Under the Rabbit
7. Breaking News
8. The Unholy Hand
9. Curb Feelers
10. False Alarm
11. Knifeman
12. Six Days a Week
13. History’s Stranglers
14. Over the Top (Motörhead cover)
15. Around the Horn
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Andrew Wu is a music photographer based in Toronto, Canada. His work focuses on capturing and documenting special moments of performers during concerts and various events. His photos have been featured such as music publications in Spill Magazine, Imprint Entertainment, and Patchchord News. In 2020, he completed his BFA in photography at OCAD University.
Andrew is a massive fan of music, as he enjoys a variety of genres such as pop, alternative, rock, hardcore, and metal.
