Against Me! at the Phoenix Concert Theatre

When going to a punk show, there's an automatic stereotype associated with it. Inside a scuzzy bar, muscled guys with mohawks drinking beer, lots of crowd surfing and aggressive behaviour, and a band with music that might make you nervous. Punk band Against Me!, however, are a big stretch from that sort of stereotype. 

Inside Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre, the Florida based band were more about the music than anything else. The band is touring in support of their latest studio effort Transgender Dysphoria Blues, which came out two years ago. The band did however, play new unreleased material that lead singer Laura Jane Grace said would be on their upcoming album. 

Against Me! took the stage and opened the show with I Was a Teenage Anarchist. If the crowd wasn't already in near proximity to the stage, they were doing everything in their power to get that much closer. Rushing towards the front, pushing people aside, anything to be right in the middle of the action. 

The band played a fair amount of older and newer material. Favourites including True Trans Soul Rebel, Pints of Guinness Makes You Strong, and Thrash Unreal, which let the crowd be taken over by the music. Arguably, just about any song got the audience hyped. 

A few surprise moments happened during the show including an appearance Montreal French singer Béatrice Martin, who goes by the stage name Coeur de pirate, to sing Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart from the 2007 album New Wave.  As well a cover of The Clash's Train in Vain was played by the band at the end of the set. 

The show was very performance focused. There were hardly any moments where Grace, or anyone from the band stopped to talk or make comments unless it was to introduce a song. It was very 'one song right after the other', which in retrospect was a pretty novel move given that it gave the audience barely a minute to catch their breath before the next song started. Ultimately it kept the adrenaline running. 

The audience dynamic at this show was nothing short of spectacular. The vast age group of young teens to 40 year olds just looking for a good punk show, was very present. Although everyone was there to mosh, dance, and scream/sing along, there was no overly aggressive behaviour. No one appeared to be rude to one another, or had any sort of attitude that would disrupt others from having a good time. A very punk move, indeed. Although an occasional camera phone popped up (even a selfie stick was seen), it wasn't as excessive as say, at a larger venue for a more high profile artist. Another perfect example of how Against Me! fans were just there to enjoy some good music.

 The best aspect of the Phoenix Concert Theatre was that there was no barricade, leaving room for fans to jump on stage and soar off into a sea of moshers as they crowd surfed away. Everyone who jumped on stage made sure to acknowledge Grace whether it be a thumbs up, a hug, or just to sing in her face with her. Her response, to nearly all of them, is what was very symbolic of the whole night. A massive smile while continuing to play. 

City & Colour at the Molson Amphitheatre

Acoustic performances can be hit or miss in large venues. The warm and soft sounds from a simple singer/guitar combination are more likely to be heard in a coffee shop, or in an intimate theatre setting. But that was not the case last night at the Molson Amphitheatre, as singer-songwriter Dallas Green (who performs under the alias City and Colour) played to a sold out crowd in Toronto's outdoor venue. 

The stage was a simple set up with no backdrops or curtains. All instruments were visible on stage prior to the band's arrival. Several circular lights were lined up behind the drum kit, and would flash at various parts of the show. This simple set up was a great pairing given the folk/rock tunes that were about to be heard. A simple set with simple music. 

The show started with the band playing Woman, an eerie nine minute track that also opens the new record. The dwindling guitar hook that sounded like a twist and turn back and forth made for an interesting opening, but once the whole band kicked in, things were underway. The following song, Thirst, had the audience moving and singing along. 

Green and his band played a large amount of new material from their latest studio album, If I Should Go Before You, including Northern Blues, Wasted Love, and the newest single Lover Come Back. Audiences were surprised when the band decided to play older material that were not singles including Hello, I'm in Delaware, and The Grand Optimist. 

Prior to the 2011 song We Found Each Other in the Dark, Green talked about how we, as humanity, are not very kind to one another, and requested that for the next three minutes or so, to just be good to each other. 

Although Green is also known for his work with post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, you'd be hard pressed to think that was once an audience he performed with in comparison to those who were in attendance of his show last night. An eclectic group of twenty somethings who loved his work in Alexisonfire to older groups of thirty and forty year olds who may have had no idea he was in a successful metal band for over ten years. 

Later in the set Green played a cover of The Tragically Hip's Bobcaygeon in respect to lead singer Gord Downie who was recently diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Green and Downie are good friends, and have worked together on the City and Colour song Sleeping Sickness. 

Towards the end of the set, Green played a medley of his 2006 hit Comin' Home and the Alexisonfire song This Could be Anywhere in the World. The surprise of the cover threw people off and anyone in the audience still wearing their Alexis shirt, had Dallas' full attention. 

The group finished the set with a second medley, this time of Fragile Bird, As Much As I Ever Could, and Sorrowing Man. 

Over the last ten years, Green has successfully made a name for his solo career. When bands decide to go on hiatus or split, and members pursue solo projects, it's easy to still associate said members with their old band. It's a skin that's hard to shake off. For a band like Alexisonfire, who have been known and respected in the Canadian music scene for years now, Green had every right to be scared to jump into something completely different, especially that of an entirely different genre. However, with the massive support he received over the past two nights, along with the past ten years, it'd be hard to see him as anything but successful.

During the middle of his set, Green paused to thank the audience for coming to the show, still at a loss for words on how to properly express his gratitude. 

"This many people should not be at something like this," he said.

But the crowd cheering him on, would have to disagree. 

The Offspring at Echo Beach

AS PREVIOUSLY SEEN ON BESTFAN-AUGUST 2014

Most punk shows are typically hosted at the same type of venues. A dive bar with a musty smell in the air, sticky floors, and a lot of sweaty kids pushing on top of each other trying to find their way to the front, where the band is crammed on a small stage jumping around and screaming about antigovernment. But last night, Toronto’s Echo Beach (the furthest thing from a punk venue) held a raging show with four punk-rock bands all from California who have respectively been around for the past three decades.

Calling it ‘The Summer Nationals Tour’, The Vandals, Pennywise, Bad Religion, and headliners, The Offspring are taking North America by storm with their punk persona and preaching their lyrics to the masses.

The Offspring are touring in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their first major studio album, Smash. The band’s main set was playing the full album in its entirety.

The first act on was The Vandals who played with crude humour and fast music, keeping the audience clapping and singing along. One highlight during their set was when two girls at the barricade threw their underwear on stage. Attached, was a note that said “I threw my panties, now toss me the setlist”. This got plenty of laughs from the band and crowd, although no setlist was tossed to them [the girls].

Up next was Pennywise. Following along the same lines as The Vandals, Pennywise played a fast paced set with slight banter in between, and talking about how pleased they were to be in Canada.

After Pennywise, Bad Religion took the stage, and if people weren’t already incredibly excited to be seeing The Offspring, they lost their minds for Bad Religion. Once they hit the stage, fists were going in the air, the crowd surfing increased drastically, and more power chords were being played heavier and faster.

By 9:20 p.m., the crowd was getting antsy with anticipation as they began to chant for The Offspring. Technicians were fooling around with the lights, which caused the crowd to be left on their toes, awaiting unexpectedly for the band to come on.

But by 9:30 p.m., the voice over from “Time to Relax,” the introduction, and technically the first song off Smash, began to play. Fans recited the monologue as the band came on stage.

Lead singer Dexter Holland and guitarist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman, spent the majority of the set providing slight banter in between songs. Aside from the usual “we’re happy to be in Canada” and “how are you guys doing?”, The Offspring primarily just played one song after the other, where as most bands would talk with the crowd more. Additionally, they stuck to playing the proper length of their set, as opposed to extending songs for guitar or drum solos.

Upon completion of Smash, the band left to return for an encore of their more later releases including “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”, “You’re Gonna Go Far Kid”, and “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, among others.

The audience was beyond enthused to be part of the crowd for this show. During favourite songs, friends would wrap their arms around the neck of their friends to sway back and forth in complete bliss. There were interesting age demographics at this concert. From people in their mid-twenties, teenagers, adults, to even young kids with their parents. That being said, the crowd was incredibly rowdy with mosh pits, circle pits, beer cans being thrown around, and people passing around drugs, prompting for more security in and around the venue.

Overall, these four bands have proven that even though they’re getting much older, they can still play as if they were the 20-somethings in the small clubs they once played many years ago. In a world where punk music has been swept under the rug and overthrown by top 40’s music, it’s refreshing to see that these classic bands are still just as relevant as they were 20-30 years ago.

The Summer Nationals Tour is continuing to play the rest of North America until the middle of September. For more information on when The Offspring and co. are coming to your city, check out www.offspring.com.