Coheed & Cambria + Deafheaven @ Corona Theatre

Coheed and Cambria have recently embarked on their Neverender: No World For a Waking Mind tour, where they are performing their complete 2007 album No World For Tomorrow, followed by selections from their latest release, Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind.

I’ll be honest. Last time I saw Coheed & Cambria – admittedly a very long time ago – I thought they were awful. Claudio Sanchez’s cliched guitar hero poses and tongue-pulling made me wince, and I really didn’t connect with the music at all. I’m 100% at Corona to see Deafheaven tonight, but I’ll give C&C another chance.

Viewing Deafheaven‘s setlist on the stage before they play, there are just four songs written on the A4 piece of paper taped to the stage. Thankfully, four songs for the San Francisco band can easily fill 40 minutes with their epic musical odysseys taking in black metal, shoegaze, post-metal, indie rock and more along the way.

Although the front row was full of Coheed & Cambria t-shirts, Deafheaven’s intense energy immediately captivated much of the audience, who responded with thunderous applause. It’s hard to take your eyes off singer George Clark’s somewhat psychotic facial expressions, but the whole band flawlessly delivered a powerful setlist, showcasing their dynamic musicianship and commanding stage presence.

The short set time meant I didn’t get to hear many of my favourite songs, but they were still on superb form.

Amidst the crowd’s roar, Coheed & Cambria appeared, greeted by an eruption of cheers. The band wasted no time, launching into The Reaping with explosive energy and not too many cheesy poses from Sanchez. Their performance was a masterclass in musicality and showmanship, leaving no doubt as to why they have so many dedicated and passionate fans.

Sanchez’s magnetic stage presence commanded attention throughout the show. His distinct vocals and animated performance had the crowd singing along and hanging onto every word. The band members’ camaraderie and genuine enjoyment of their craft further amplified the concert’s infectious energy. Their music still isn’t to my taste but their command of the stage was impressive, and I have a new-found respect for them as a band.

The main set ended with the epic quintet of The End Complete before a seven-song encore left fans more than satisfied. Only a handful of bands can perform a set of 20 songs and still manage to exclude some of their most popular tracks. Notably absent were the crowd favourites “Welcome Home,” “Blood Red Summer,” and “Everything Evil,” yet their absence went unnoticed.

SETLIST: COHEED AND CAMBRIA @ CORONA THEATRE, MONTREAL, 5 MAY 2023
The Reaping
No World for Tomorrow
The Hound (Of Blood and Rank)
Feathers
The Running Free
Mother Superior
Gravemakers & Gunslingers
Justice in Murder
The End Complete I: The Fall of House Atlantic
The End Complete II: Radio Bye Bye
The End Complete III: The End Complete
The End Complete IV: The Road and the Damned
The End Complete V: On the Brink

Encore:
The Embers of Fire
Beautiful Losers
Shoulders
Rise, Naianasha (Cut the Cord)
A Disappearing Act
The Liars Club
Ladders of Supremacy

Review & photos – Steve Gerrard

Share this :
FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail