Photographs by Matt Forsythe.
Mitski makes another stop in Toronto for the second time this year in support for her new album Puberty 2 (2016) with supporting acts Weaves and Fear of Men. Her previous tour concluded with an all girl-Asian fronted bill at a sweaty Queen Street venue, the Horseshoe Tavern. This time, a packed and sold out show at the MOD club made for a very imitate and gritty experience.
British quartet, Fear of Men, took the stage and began the show with songs off their latest record, Fall Forever (2016). Compared to the rest of the acts of the night, they weren’t as impressing as I wanted them to be. But I was impressed by their duality of the songs. A song that did catch my ears was “Sane” a vibe-y, ambient and eerie song.
Weaves took the stage next and left everyone in awe. Hailing from Toronto, Weaves showed Toronto their upmost respect and love for their city. Using their debut self titled album as the tier of their set list, the young torontarians conducted a show like no other. Lead singer, Jamsyn , kept a gleeful and refreshing stage presence. The highlight of their performance was when the band played with single “Hoola Hoop” an offbeat, whining guitar track whilst the performers showcased their friendship. It was so weird but so good at the same time!
Mitski’s performance felt more like you were at a sleepover, she took the stage quietly and began her set with “Dan the Dancer” off her newest record, Puberty 2 (2016). As a 3 piece band, the young Brooklyn native was on bass for majority of her set. Playing songs like “Townie” and “Your Best American Girl” had the crowd jumping and united. But nothing felt more uniting when she played her more intimate and slower songs like “My Body is Made of Crushed Little Stars” in which she played on her acoustic guitar. It was a beautiful and raw experience that had people on the verge of tears as she sang through the chorus. She thanked the crowed who ended up encoring her back to stage for a cover of “How Deep is Your Love?” a 2016 summer anthem, by Calvin Harris.
