It was one of the most anticipated shows at Toronto’s HISTORY so far, as hardcore rock band Turnstile returned to the stage at Toronto that sold out in minutes. The band promised to return to Toronto soon after a sold-out show at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in May. A huge lineup filled halfway around the venue, so it was a show everyone was ecstatic to watch.
JPEGMafia was the first opener of the night. The rapper brought his hip-hop music to an already packed audience, and the fan jumped and moved from the start. JPEGMafia had an impressive stage presence from beginning to end, so it’s no wonder why JPEGMafia has been praised by critics and fans alike.
It was a complete switch-up for the second opener of the night, as Snail Mail brought her indie rock sound to the audience. Lindsay Jordan’s vocals were smooth despite admitting she was under the weather after performing in the rain last night at Brooklyn. Her backing band members backed her up with soothing guitar work and drums, as the audience was captivated from start to finish. Snail Mail is a band you must check out if you’re a fan of indie rock music.
Setlist:
1. Pristine
2. Glory
3. Ben Franklin
4. Heat Wave
5. Speaking Terms
6. Automate
7. Madonna
8. Forever (Sailing)
9. Headlock
10. Valentine
Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” was played before Turnstile performed. The crowd sang loudly to the chorus while some fans already started to crowd surf. The song ended, and the lights dimmed black to signal the arrival of Turnstile. Brendan Yates, Franz Lyons, Daniel Fang, Pat McCrory, and Greg Cerwonka took the stage to a jam-packed crowd. Brendan stared through the excited crowd before the beginning of “HOLIDAY” started. As soon as the drums kicked in, the whole audience immediately started moving and moshing. The band kept the energy throughout their 17-song set filled with head-banging songs like “BLACKOUT” and “Real Thing,” while mixing it up with slower tunes such as “UNDERWATER BOI.” They also performed “The Things You Do,” one of the first songs Turnstile wrote at the start of their career.
For those who have been to a Turnstile show before, there is always a sense of community flowing around the band. For instance, Franz Lyons kept waving to the crowd and giving thumbs up to check if everyone was ok. He even took the time to bring a water bottle to a fan at the pit. After the band performed their notable hit, “MYSTERY,” Brendan thanked the crowd and told them they were grateful to perform in these massive shows. He told the crowd to get up and come closer before the band closed the night with “T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION).” “I want to thank you for letting me be myself,” the audience sang as the song ended while the band members thanked the sold-out crowd before exiting the stage. The drummer even came out to greet fans at the pit as the rest of the crowd left or lined up for merch.
This show was my top 3 favourite concerts I have ever seen. The never-ending energy and positivity from the fans was a show I will never forget.
Lineup:
Brendan Yates – Lead vocalist
“Freaky” Franz Lyons – Bass, backing and lead vocalist
Pat McCrory – Rhythm guitarist, backing vocals
Daniel Fang – Drummer
Greg Cerwonka (Touring Member) – Lead guitarist
Setlist:
1. HOLIDAY
2. Real Thing
3. Big Smile
4. NEW HEART DESIGN
5. I Don’t Wanna Be Blind
6. BLACKOUT
7. UNDERWATER BOI
8. DON’T PLAY
9. The Things You Do
10. Drop
11. FLY AGAIN
12. Moon
13. ALIEN LOVE CALL
14. ENDLESS
15. NO SURPRISE
16. MYSTERY
17. T.L.C. (TURNSTILE LOVE CONNECTION)
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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.
