July Talk have reached dizzying heights in their decade plus as a band — critical respect, industry approval, radio airplay — but playing the first of two hometown shows at Massey Hall, the six-piece once again highlighted that it's on stage where their songs truly come alive.
July Talk brought Oshawa duo Crown Lands along for their Remember Never Before tour, and the pair ripped through a mix of classic prog riffs and Led Zeppelin mysticism updated for the 21st century with keyboard and a battery of effects pedals. Singer-drummer Cody Bowles propelled their set while guitarist Kevin Comeau expertly moved between the multiple instruments carefully placed around his station on stage. Their technical mastery and intricate playing put them a tad at odds with July Talk's bluesy stomp, but they proved there's still new ground to be found in well-worn sounds.
Sauntering onstage under an altered version of their new album's cover projected above, the members of July Talk took their time before launching into "After This." Singer Leah Fay's mic was a bit low to start things off, but by second song "Now I Know" the band were really on fire. "Certain Father" was another early highlight, with bass player Josh Warburton filling in for Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug, who sings on the track's studio version.
The band don't venture far from those studio creations, but they find moments of fresh tension in their live performance. With Warburton, drummer Danny Miles, percussionist Dani Nash, and guitarist Ian Docherty holding down the fort, Fay and singer-guitarist Peter Dreimanis are able to play off one another with newfound dynamism. Where this push-and-pull was previously marked by the singer-on-singer violence Fay would inflict on her counterpart, now they're more likely to stretch syllables or work around the beat to sell the drama of their songs while Fay sashays around the stage.
In between songs, Fay drew attention to the plight of LGBTQ folks while Dreimanis reflected on the personal searching many did during the pandemic. More personally, he also paused to acknowledge how their hometown had shaped their lives: "The relationships on this stage exist because of the city of Toronto. We're grateful for it."
Their new songs fit in seamlessly with fan favourites like "Beck + Call" and "Picturing Love." Their main set finished with a ripping take on "Summer Dress" and "I Am Water." Quickly returning for the encore, Dreimanis asked and received silence from the crowd to sing an a cappella version of "Raw" before he was joined by Fay and Nash to complete the song. Back at full-strength, they tore through "Johnny + Mary" before Fay teased the intro of "Push + Pull," which ended their electric and deeply felt 90-minute set.
July Talk brought Oshawa duo Crown Lands along for their Remember Never Before tour, and the pair ripped through a mix of classic prog riffs and Led Zeppelin mysticism updated for the 21st century with keyboard and a battery of effects pedals. Singer-drummer Cody Bowles propelled their set while guitarist Kevin Comeau expertly moved between the multiple instruments carefully placed around his station on stage. Their technical mastery and intricate playing put them a tad at odds with July Talk's bluesy stomp, but they proved there's still new ground to be found in well-worn sounds.
Sauntering onstage under an altered version of their new album's cover projected above, the members of July Talk took their time before launching into "After This." Singer Leah Fay's mic was a bit low to start things off, but by second song "Now I Know" the band were really on fire. "Certain Father" was another early highlight, with bass player Josh Warburton filling in for Wolf Parade's Spencer Krug, who sings on the track's studio version.
The band don't venture far from those studio creations, but they find moments of fresh tension in their live performance. With Warburton, drummer Danny Miles, percussionist Dani Nash, and guitarist Ian Docherty holding down the fort, Fay and singer-guitarist Peter Dreimanis are able to play off one another with newfound dynamism. Where this push-and-pull was previously marked by the singer-on-singer violence Fay would inflict on her counterpart, now they're more likely to stretch syllables or work around the beat to sell the drama of their songs while Fay sashays around the stage.
In between songs, Fay drew attention to the plight of LGBTQ folks while Dreimanis reflected on the personal searching many did during the pandemic. More personally, he also paused to acknowledge how their hometown had shaped their lives: "The relationships on this stage exist because of the city of Toronto. We're grateful for it."
Their new songs fit in seamlessly with fan favourites like "Beck + Call" and "Picturing Love." Their main set finished with a ripping take on "Summer Dress" and "I Am Water." Quickly returning for the encore, Dreimanis asked and received silence from the crowd to sing an a cappella version of "Raw" before he was joined by Fay and Nash to complete the song. Back at full-strength, they tore through "Johnny + Mary" before Fay teased the intro of "Push + Pull," which ended their electric and deeply felt 90-minute set.