Myles Smith with Tors at History

When a new artist is able to pack a Toronto venue two nights in a row on the strength of one EP and a smattering of singles and covers, you know they are special. They’ve caught the hearts and imagination of their audience. Myles Smith has done just that, he has sprinkled pixie dust into his music, enchanting his fans.

Show openers, Tors, kicked off the evening with a solid set of folk-influenced pop songs. The all-Brit pairing for this tour is fitting as both Tors and Smith draw inspiration from pop, folk and indie influences. Smith leans into the pop side sonically, Tors – a trio from Devon – veers more toward folk. With two guitars, a banjo, and three voices, the sounds melded together wonderfully. Brothers Matt and Theo Weedon bantered about the pronunciation of “Toronto” while the singer went on to speak candidly about his struggle with anxiety. A sign of our times, mental health was a running theme throughout the night.

Smith and his band came to the stage to an appreciative roar. Smith donned a Raptors jersey and a giant smile. Starting with Wait for You, he made his way deftly through his catalogue. The cheeriness of his tunes can be deceptive; lyrically, many of them are rooted in hardship and heartbreak. At the top of the show, he claimed that the objective of the night was for the crowd to know him a bit better and vice versa. Smith took the time to lay his heart bare with stories of his mother’s love and father’s absence. He spoke openly about his struggles with mental health and then lauded the benefits of therapy. The band played with sincerity and energy, with the audience hanging on every note.

There is a beautiful rich quality to Smith’s voice that resonated through the room. Every song is inherently singable and was greeted with the same enthusiasm as the radio-friendly hits like Nice to Meet You and Stargazing. (Songs that are also ever-present in social media feeds!) Smith and his band exude a spirit that feels exactly right for this moment in time. I suspect the next time Toronto sees Smith, both the stage and the crowds will be bigger!

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Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the artists they’ll be bringing to Toronto.