Deadweight
Self-described as “heavy pop-punk degenerates,” Deadweight kick-started the night with triumphant energy. This local band owned the stage with their captivating presence. They exuded confidence and immediately had everyone headbanging. While only having two songs out on the internet, they played a solid half-hour set – just enough to whet our palates for the rest of the evening.
Definitely catch these guys live if you get a chance; they’re just getting started, and I can already see them gaining a dedicated fan base locally!
World’s Greatest Dad
Atlanta-based World’s Greatest Dad quickly took the stage after a brief intermission. All four band members radiated positive vibes that shone through their music. You could tell they were passionate about their live shows. Even the band members who didn’t have microphones were screaming all the words to the songs – that put a huge smile on my face.
Fans of early Paramore are definitely going to vibe with this band’s music. If you closed your eyes for a few moments during their set, you could’ve easily envisioned a young Hayley Williams singing the songs.
Their crowd interaction was great, too. At one point, the lead singer shamelessly asked the audience for vegan poutine options in Montreal, sparking a bit of controversy and argument among those who answered. It was a fun and lighthearted moment that warmed us all up to the band!
Tiny Moving Parts
This show quickly became one of my most anticipated of the year, as I’ve recently been going through an emo/pop-punk music phase. What better band to fit that criterion than Tiny Moving Parts – some pioneers of the Midwest emo scene. Their math-rocky guitars, intricate drumming, and extremely heartfelt vocals are guaranteed ear candy for anyone who appreciates emo music.
Frontman Dylan Mattheisen and Co. literally brought the heat on this cold Montreal evening following the first big snowstorm of the year. After flipping on a fluorescent sign in their backdrop, they were ready to go and kicked off their set with “Sundress.”
By the second song, “The Midwest Sky,” the action in the pit started. The moment Dylan shouted the first line of this song, I found myself jumping around in a small but passionate mosh. This was easily some of the most fun I’ve had at a show before, but it got extremely hot in the room very quickly. By the midway point of the set, the frontman was completely drenched in sweat, as was the rest of the crowd. This only added to the energetic vibe and got this small group of die-hard fans ready to give their all. By the end of the show, I was completely spent and ran over to the closest dépanneur; I don’t think I’ve ever downed a bottle of Gatorade that quickly before!
Another highlight for me was “For The Sake Of Brevity,” a heart-wrenching track about the loss of a loved one. This was already one of my favourite tracks prior, but seeing it live added a whole other layer of emotion to it for me.
After performing the song “Jotting Notes,” Dylan breathed a sigh of relief and expressed how that was the toughest Tiny Moving Parts song to play. Watching his hands go crazy during this tune, intricately and intensely finger-tapping the guitar while singing simultaneously, had my complete attention. The frontman’s performance and stamina throughout the entire show isn’t something that I could describe; you’d just have to see it to believe it.
This intimate show is definitely going down as one of the greatest I’ve attended this year. It’s only going to throw me further down the Midwest emo rabbit hole from now on as I try chasing the feeling I got from this performance through other bands. I’m impatiently waiting for their return to our city!
Setlist
- Sundress
- The Midwest Sky
- Applause
- Always Focused
- Headache
- North Shore
- For the Sake of Brevity
- Common Cold
- Jotting Notes
- Bloody Nose
- Day Drunk
- Vertebrae
- Feel Alive
- Birdhouse
- Dakota
- Caution
Encore:
17. Medicine
Review – Michael Anestopoulos
Photos – Jessica Toupin
