Have you ever been so angry that you felt you were about to explode?
Our world today is filled with bullying leadership, hate, violence, injustice and oppression. It seems like empathy is being deported to another planet.
Sprints are a band from Dublin, Ireland that takes all these negative feelings and slowly mixes them up in a large cauldron, creating a chemical reaction of explosive catharsis.
When I first heard Sprints, I could feel this mixture of emotions bubbling from beneath the surface, finally exploding in all its sonic beauty.
You can imagine my excitement when, on vacation in Dublin, I found out Sprints were playing an intimate hometown venue, far too small for their talent. Whelan’s feels like a home for the band, as they have a history of shows here. Of course, this benefit show for War Child was SOLD OUT, but they let this Canadian into the venue to experience a band that is part of an Irish music scene renaissance.
Brooki
A perfect choice to open were Dublin band Brooki. With a raw, emotive, guitar-driven sound, they created an atmosphere that showed restraint while still holding onto gritty, rough edges.
The band’s lyrical themes lean into self-reflection, emotional tension, and personal narrative delivered in an unguarded way that ties back to the raw feel of their music.
Having low battery, I only caught one small clip of the band, saving that precious energy for what was to come.
Sprints
The band started with Something’s Gonna Happen. If there is one song that epitomizes the buildup of kinetic energy in a song, this is the one.
What followed was an energetic performance by Karla Chubb (vocals, guitar), Zac Stephenson (lead guitar), Sam McCann (bass), and Jack Callan (Drums).
Songs like Descartes were in your face with intensity, whereas songs like Better come in softly and roller coaster a layer of soft/hard guitar.
It was clear the audience was fully engaged, especially singing along to Literary Mind. The crowd was there to have fun, release some pent-up energy, but in a respectful way. I could bump into my neighbour, both of us with full smiles on our faces, as we sang along.
Shadow of a Doubt, is one of the band’s most vulnerable and personal tracks, so the live version created a group therapy session where we were all singing: “Can’t you hear me calling!”
Heavy, like its title suggests, had us all jumping while the guitars were strummed to the limits of those brave chords.
For Up and Comer, Karla called for a circle pit, given us the rules of engagement, which were all about respect.
During Need, Karla joined the crowd, arms spread singing “I need you.” Yeah Karla, we need you too!
Desire, with its cowboy vibe, took it down a notch, giving us a breather before the last song, where a fan was invited onstage to take over Karla’s guitar portion for Little Fix. Without her instrument, Karla was free to crowdsurf and end the night with another sing-along.
Then band then left their instruments, and like that, we had shared a moment of bliss, release and community.
Conclusion
Sprints was by far the best show of the year, which is easy to say on the 25th of January. Yet I know nothing will come close to this gig.
People say AI will kill the music industry, but I prefer to think that we can detect talent when we hear it. Sprints are a band that rises to the top of the AI sludge, and they are a band that connects with us emotionally, something AI simply can’t do.
Live, they explode with energy that envelops us and takes us on a sonic journey that leaves us satisfied, but wanting more. Karla is endearing and accessible, seemingly handling the spotlight and rising attention with grace and humility.
North American Tour
Considering their first stop on their North American tour is in Minneapolis, it was fitting that the band put out a statement on Instagram that they felt the show must go on. “As a band we vehemently believe in the power of the arts as an act of community, love and solidarity.”
Catch the band live in Toronto on Feb 1, 2026 at the Longboat Hall. Get tickets now, before this one sells out.
Whatever you do, don’t miss your chance to see this band perform in small venues because I promise you, their next visit will be in much larger ones.
Watch our 2023 interview with the band below:
Writer: Randal Wark is a Professional Speaker and MasterMind Facilitator with a passion for live music. You can follow him on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. His Podcast RockStar Today helps musicians quit their day jobs with out-of-the-box advice from Ted Talk Speakers, Best Selling Authors and other interesting Entrepreneurs and Creatives. He created the Rock Star Today Music Business Jam Session for musicians. Randal is a collector of signed vinyl, cassettes and CDs.
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