Nine Inch Nails’ return to Toronto on August 23, 2025 at Scotiabank Arena felt like a satisfying lesson in building tension and knowing what to do with it. The mind behind NIN and band founder Trent Reznor had the place eating out of the palm of his hand by balancing intimacy and pandemonium in equal parts like a pendulum swinging between quiet reflection and total mayhem. With that said, the night began quietly in style on the B-stage, with Reznor alone under a single spotlight for Right Where It Belongs. The stripped-down performance set a somber tone with his voice…
Author: Darryll Magboo
Coheed and Cambria arrived with force in Toronto on August 24 and managed to turn Budweiser Stage into one giant party that even Mother Nature had to join in too. Between massive props, huge singalongs, fans of every kind, and a storm that soaked everyone in sight, this show had everything. I was surprised at how fast Bud Stage explode as fast as it did when the band kicked things off with Goodbye, Sunshine. The second Claudio hit that first line, everyone was up and screaming. Starting off with a bang is the oldest trick in the book, but when…
If My Chemical Romance was a popular expression nowadays, they would be “If you know, you know” and this was obvious at Rogers Centre on August 22, 2025. Now more than halfway through their “Long Live” The Black Parade Stadium Tour, the band just seems to find ways to keep both new and old fans guessing especially with the apparent expansion of the lore around their 2006 full-length album The Black Parade. It was so well received that the single is still celebrated at local Emo Nights and late-night karaoke bars to this day among other favourites from the New…
New Found Glory didn’t waste a second waking up the crowd at Budweiser Stage, opening their SUPERCHARGED: Worldwide tour set with the hype one-two of “Y’all ready for this?” and Kernkraft 400 blaring over the PA. It worked instantly to jumpstart the energy just in time for the band to dive straight into Understatement, a satisfying gut punch of early-2000s nostalgia that had the whole pit bouncing in sync. The pop-punk veterans clearly knew how to make the most of their quick set. All Downhill From Here and Dressed to Kill followed in quick succession, keeping the momentum high while…
On July 15th, the Summer of Loud tour made its only Canadian stop at Budweiser Stage in Toronto with an emotional weight behind its high-volume celebration. More than just a showcase of revered pop-punk, metal, and hard rock talent, this 2025 tour is dedicated to the memories of Dave Shapiro, Emma Huke, and Kendall Fortner – loved figures in the alternative music world who tragically lost their lives in the San Diego Cessna crash this past May. All three were part of Sound Talent Group, a music agency that helped build and support many of the bands on the bill,…
For Night 2 of The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour at Rogers Centre, Abel Tesfaye turned his hometown into a theatrical neo-cyber pop spectacle. With the roof wide open, the CN Tower glowing above, and a sold-out crowd of over 40,000 below, the Scarborough native delivered a show that felt both massive and personal for a second time. Having performed in this venue back in 2022 as well, the bar was set for this return to be a good one. Opening with the eerie build of The Abyss, The Weeknd laid the groundwork for a two-hour, no-intermission performance that…
When BABYMETAL rolled into Toronto’s Coca-Cola Coliseum on July 2, you could already feel the buzz before the show even started. Outside the venue, all types of fans were lingering outside — a bunch in full cosplay, others draped in flags or merch dating back to the band’s earlier years. Inside, the crowd look to be a mix of longtime devotees and newcomers, all buzzing with anticipation for what the Japanese metal-pop phenomenon had in store. I even saw a little girl enter the venue sporting a black tutu and band shirt ready to rock out! Once the venue walls…
On June 7th, 027 brought their fuzz metal/punk rock stylings into Toronto’s United Steelworks – one of the many stops during their ongoing tour across Ontario, Canada. The venue, modest in size but heavy in character, felt like the perfect setting for a night of unfiltered energy. Adding another all-ages show to their resume, the Orangville-based trio – consisting of Keagan Ross (vocals, guitar), Caleb Lavictoire (bass), and Gray Laine behind the drums – highlights once more the importance of creating space for younger audiences and emerging bands to connect, play hard, and feel seen. Arriving early to catch the…
If there’s one thing Mayday Parade has proven after 20 years, it’s that nostalgia and growth aren’t mutually exclusive. Their May 21 stop at Toronto’s History was more than just a celebration of longevity—it was a love letter to fans who’ve stuck with them through every chorus, lineup change, and lyric scrawled on a notebook page. It was a masterclass in nostalgia and connection. The show kicked off with archival Warped Tour footage, including a clip later in the set of guitarist Brooks Betts famously shrugging off the idea of playing music into his 40s—a moment that landed with a…
Before doors even opened at The Danforth Music Hall, the line for MIYAVI’s May 15th show wrapped around the block. Promoting the deluxe edition release of his LOST IN LOVE, FOUND IN PAIN album, Toronto fans clearly did not want to miss a second of the show. The energy inside only intensified once the lights dimmed and dancers hit the stage, priming the crowd for what would be a genre-blending, high-energy spectacle. MIYAVI came out in a sleek and cool black outfit and wasted no time launching into a fiery opener that immediately set the tone. Only joined on stage…
On May 9, Arch Enemy stormed Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre with a fiery set on their Blood Dynasty North American tour. Known for their explosive live shows, the Swedish melodic death metal giants didn’t waste a second setting the tone—opening with Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls over the speakers before launching into Deceiver, Deceiver. From there, they dove straight into fan-favorite Ravenous and the newer, pummeling Dream Stealer, kicking off the night with a blast of speed, melody, and pure force. Frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz was unstoppable. Dressed in a white outfit that shifted colors with the lighting, she roared…