Billy Talent
W/ Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats, Attack In Black, Die Mannequin
July 13, 2007
Molson Amphitheatre

It’s been quite a few years since there have been enough successful bands from Ontario to fill a huge venue without the help of an American band. If anyone had told me 2 years ago that Billy Talent and Alexisonfire would all but sell out the Amphitheatre on their own I’d have laughed at them. At that point, they wouldn’t even play Alexisonfire on the radio before midnight. Look how we’ve progressed. And so the two biggest bands from the area, along with three up and coming bands, had a packed venue filled with die hard fans. The fact that there were so many fans in attendance was surprising considering how many times all the bands have played Toronto in the past year, but it’s clearly a testament to how great each band’s live show is.

Nearly everyone missed Die Mannequin due to the extremely early set time of 5:55, not to mention the fact that everything was running 10 minutes early. But by the time Attack In Black hit the stage the place was half full. Attack In Black played a solid set with the highlight being their single “Young Leaves,” off their upcoming album. They, in theory, shouldn’t fit with the other bands on the bill, yet always manage to hold their own and leave with new fans. They’re one of the best new bands around right now and proved it with their extremely tight set. Sure they don’t move around as much as the other bands and none of them draw as much attention individually, but you can’t always have everything.

Cancer Bats are one of those bands that a lot of people don’t like recorded but love to watch live. Frontman Liam Cormier captured the crowd’s attention from the beginning and towards the end had them in a circle pit for “One Hundred Grand Canyon.” His screaming vocals were only accentuated during the last song from an appearance by George Pettit from Alexisonfire. Any screamo fans that haven’t checked out Cancer Bats are seriously missing out on a good show.

Alexisonfire hit the stage to “Mailbox Arson” and didn’t let up for the entire set. Though a lot of the attention always seems to be drawn to Dallas Green and George Pettit, each member of Alexisonfire brings their own charisma to the stage which is one of the main reasons they’re so successful live. Going through a good chunk of their now almost year old disc, Crisis, songs like “Drunks, Lovers, Sinners And Saints,” “Keep It On Wax” and singles “This Could Be Anywhere In The World” and “Rough Hands”  along “No Transitory,” had everyone standing in front of their seats singing and dancing along. Billy Talent’s Ian D’Sa joined the band for a chorus of “Boiled Frogs,” and “We Are The Sound” had a circle pit going in the lawns.

Talking was mainly left to Wade MacNeil with the exception of a short speech by George about how great our music scene is and we should support local bands, something that almost everyone in attendance agreed with. Ending their set with “Get Fighted,” “Happiness By The Kilowatt” and “Accidents,” it felt like they had just gotten onstage and very few were ready for them to leave. To anyone that dislikes Alexisonfire, I say go see them live and then tell me what you think. They are by far one of the best Canadian live bands around.

Billy Talent are also undisputedly another one of those great Canadian live bands and though many complain about vocalist Ben Kowalewicz’s voice, none argue that as a frontman he’s tough to beat. Opening with “Cut The Curtains” makes sense as they now come onstage behind a massive white sheet and slowly make themselves seen. Once the sheet is taken away, Ben’s nonstop, A.D.D movement and solid musicianship throw Billy Talent on top of the heap with a venue full of fans singing a loud as they possibly could. Ben’s banter with the crowd included mentioning that since this was the first time they were out of town for Canada Day in 5 years, this was their celebration. He also made a speech about Toronto’s music scene (somewhat of the theme for the night) and finished off by calling Stephen Harper, Bush’s ‘mini me.’ I didn’t hear too many arguments in the crowd.

But it was the music that kept everyone’s enthusiasm up. With some of the songs there were matching images on backdrops (like bees for “Worker Bees) and they ran through all the hits with the exception of “Falling Leaves.” Dallas Green joined the band for their latest single “Surrender” much to the audiences’ surprise. The song also sparked the first lighters of the night. But it was “Nothing To Lose” that was the spectacle. It was literally a sea of cell phones, lighters and pretty much anything that glowed for the entire song. Ending with “Red Flag,” Billy Talent kept up the pace for their entire set and no one left disappointed.

With a concert filled with bands whose type of music technically should’ve prevented them from becoming this huge, all from Ontario, saying that we have a good music scene is somewhat of an understatement. It’s the best it’s been in years and its proof that you never know who can make it at the top. So go to that little bar around the corner and see that new band with no fans, because a year from now you just never know who’ll be selling out big venues. It could be them.

Billy Talent Set List:

Cut The Curtains
Devil In A Midnight Mass
This Suffering
Line & Sinker
In The Fall
Worker Bees
The Ex
Surrender
River Below
Where Is The Line
Pins And Needles
Perfect World
Prisoners Of Today
Try Honesty

Encore:

Nothing To Lose
Red Flag

- Alyssa Caplin

Photos by Ashley Allison

For more photos click here…

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