The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ August 30 stop at Toronto’s Phoenix Concert Theatre was built around a pretty straightforward premise: celebrate 20 years of Don’t You Fake It while reminding everyone that the band’s story did not end there. It was a night filled with a good mix of bands for fans that flocked to the venue, both young and experienced. The sound ranged from upbeat pop-punk to straight forward emo alternative with everything in between. With that said, it really felt like a bill that was nicely curated and well-thought out especially for the Canadian audience in attendance and that mid to late 2000s scene era that this show both embodied and celebrated. It’s easy to say that the band tee and skinny jean wearin’ crowd got their money’s worth in music.
The evening kicked off with Morning In May, who brought a fun, throwback-leaning pop-rock energy to the Phoenix. Now hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, it was the emo core band’s first time touring Canada and they were welcomed by the crowd in open arms. It must’ve been the huge energy and bravado they brought to the venue that oozed stage presence. On top of being armed with guitar tricks that were sure to cause awe, they just looked like they were having fun up there, even introducing their cover of Pink Pony Club as a song by Justin Bieber and Led Zeppelin. Their electronic-tinged sound and upbeat approach fit nicely with the nostalgic atmosphere of the bill, helping the crowd jump into a night that was ultimately going to be all about emo, pop-punk and post-hardcore.
Losers Club followed and immediately turned the energy up. The Rochester, New York band kept the crowd moving throughout their set, with vocalist Nate Blasdell repeatedly encouraging everyone to jump and get involved. With matching black tie outfits, they truly had a conversation with the crowd not only in between songs but through their music as well. They shared a story of having to spend $1700 to fix their radiator recently which really sheds light on those random unfortunate events that working bands have to face and so those that could help out made sure to make an impact at their merch table. But despite that, they still managed to keep things light with a shoutout to Canadian band Brighter Brightest that nicely segued into their cover of Mr. Brightside. From there, this Toronto stop was dubbed the “loudest night of the tour” even though their closer track Still Sucks felt like a contender for the loudest singalong of their set. One thing’s for sure: the “Everybody from the 313” chant from 8 Mile that Nate prefaced the song with definitely helped.
Then came Calling All Captains, who felt like the perfect bridge into TRJA. The pop-punk/post-hardcore band brought plenty of energy to the stage and was just simply fun to watch as much as they were to listen to. They brought a cool and laid-back vibe to their set and their sound like the crowd were their best friends. They really looked like they enjoyed playing their music and playing it together which was really reinforced by a couple of messages from vocalist Luc Gauthier that they were “here for a good time, and not a long time” and “if you wanted to do something, do it with your friends”. The 4-piece from Edmonton did just that and the Toronto crowd were all for it – the Canadian solidarity was real! Even Luc’s toque (not “beanie”) got a compliment from the crowd. By the time they wrapped up by thanking the crowd for making their “dreams come true tonight” as well as a “family picture” with the crowd, the Phoenix had been steadily worked into the kind of vibrant yet nostalgic mood that made the arrival of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus feel like a natural next step.
The headlining set kicked off with the band already on stage – no flashy entrance needed. The 5-man lineup opened strong with In Fate’s Hands and Waiting, immediately taking the crowd back to 2006 and the album that established TRJA as one of the defining names of that emo and post-hardcore wave. A Don’t You Fake It legend, False Pretense was an especially obvious early highlight while Damn Regret kept the party going with another of the album’s most recognizable tracks. Lead vocalist Ronnie Winter definitely still has it and the chops speak for themselves. And on top of knowing that Face Down was waiting at the end of the night just gave the entire performance a built-in sense of anticipation too.
What made the set more interesting than just a straight anniversary playthrough though were those occasional jumps forward that were peppered across the set. Slipping Through (No Kings) suddenly transported the room from 2006 to 2025, representing X’s For Eyes, the band’s sixth studio album and their first major new full-length in years. The song was released as a single in June 2025 before appearing on X’s For Eyes, so hearing it surrounded by Don’t You Fake It material highlights their evolved sound and how well it can blend with songs 20 years back. Brace Yourself and Is This the Real World? also offered a detour into 2020’s The Emergency EP, but otherwise the set remained firmly anchored in the 2006 era, giving the fans what they want and a bit more.
Conversations mid-set that the band had with the crowd deserves a proper mention as well. Notably, Vocalist K Enagonio who joined the band a year ago made more than sure to connect with the audience and leave a mark telling stories of being a fan of the band since 16 years old and screamed their songs at the ceiling like everyone did. K even joined the crowd to enjoy Cat and Mouse later in the set, jumping in the time machine with Toronto (while wearing an Alejandro Kirk Blue Jays jersey a fan donated mid-set mind you) for the scream-less track. Ronnie even joked how maybe they should get K a shaker “for the slow songs”. Ronnie just showed his love and appreciation whenever he could as well. He spoke about having a strong connection with Canada and even called back Calling All Captains specifically saying how he sees a band that was better than them back in the day which was huge praise.
Moving to the back half of the set, it’s where the nostalgia really took over. Misery Loves Its Company, Cat and Mouse and Your Guardian Angel was a triple threat and formed perhaps the strongest consecutive run for longtime fans. Particularly the latter two, which remain some of the band’s most recognizable and emotionally resonant songs, it was like a competition for the bigger singalong. Then came a fun curveball with blink-182’s All the Small Things, before TRJA finally unleashed Face Down. Complete with a soft ballad intro of the chorus, the song kicked off like a bomb with no surprise. Ending with their signature song was just basically inevitable. After spending the evening revisiting the record that made them famous, closing with its biggest anthem turned the anniversary celebration into one final karaoke session.
At the end of the night, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus gave Toronto exactly what it came for: a fun trip back to the Don’t You Fake It era without completely ignoring everything that came after it. Hearing songs that fans have carried with them for 20 years in a packed Phoenix made the anniversary feel like a little reminder that these songs still have plenty of life left in them. And with Ronnie promising another visit to the city after an incredible visit, it doesn’t feel like the end for the band either. Hopefully, this new age of Red Jumpsuit can continue to send fans home with lyrics looping in their brains for more years to come.
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