Radiant Rhythms: Silversun Pickups and Hello Mary Illuminate History
Photo: Steve St. Jean
On a rare spring-like day in March, Los Angeles-based rock band Silversun Pickups returned to Toronto to perform at History with three-piece rockers Hello Mary from New York City.
It's been years since I've had the chance to see Silversun Pickups. As I walked up to History's main entrance, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I reminisced with a friend about the past shows I've attended, both at festivals such as Edgefest 2011 (R.I.P.) and Metallica's Orion Music + More in 2013 (R.I.P. as well). So I was incredibly stoked to finally catch an actual Silversun Pickup show in its own right.
But I'll stop myself right now and not get too ahead. First, let's talk about the incredible Hello Mary, who is currently on tour, opening the show each night for Silversun Pickups. The female three-piece crushed it, with drummer/vocalist Stella Wave commanding center stage with her bombastic drumming and infectious stage presence. Guitarist/vocalist Helena Straight flanked the left side of Stella's drum kit, draped in shadows and saturated lights, her near-perfect vocals and stylish guitar licks cut through the darkness. Bassist Mikaela Oppenheimer held down Stella's right side with her atomic-sized bass lines and sheer force as she whipped her hair and jammed out in her own world. If you've yet to hear Hello Mary, do yourself a favour and spin their self-titled L.P. that dropped last year via. Frenchkiss Records. Hello Mary should be blowing up pretty damn soon; just saying.
After a stellar opening performance, the time had finally come for Silversun Pickups to hit the stage. You could feel the excitement from the sold-out crowd as whistles and screams belted out at the site of drummer Christopher Guanlao taking a position at his drum kit (with an excessively high cymbal that has got to be purely for aesthetic purposes, I loved it). Following Guanlao was keyboardist Joe Lester, bassist Nikki Monninger (to even more screams), and guitarist and vocalist Brian Aubert. They wasted no time as they ripped into the first three songs of the night: "Growing Old is Getting Old" from 2009's Swoon, "Sticks and Stones" from their latest 2022's Physical Thrills, and "Well Thought Out Twinkles" from the epic Carnavas released in 2006: three songs, three eras of the band. The band sounded like a well-oiled machine, performing with L.E.D. light bars circling them, firing a mass frenzy of strobes.
Aubert paused and addressed the crowd after their roaring start to the show, acknowledging that it's been way too long since they've been in Toronto. Aubert notably spread good vibes throughout the show, from communal breathwork with the crowd to positive affirmations that reminded everyone to appreciate the moment and be happy.
As the band hit the halfway mark of the set, Aubert playfully warned "Toronto, don't fuck this up. You do not want to make make Nikki mad” (which may be impossible as she seems perpetually happy). Following his warning, Aubert made it known that it was "artist participation time," instructing the crowd to snap along with them for 2019's "Don't Know Yet," off of Widow's Weed.
Highlights from their set included Aubert playfully playing guitar licks and dancing to himself before the band ripped into "Substitution," or the "secret" plums of smoke from Lester's vape pen as he effortlessly dominated the keys, looking chill AF.
The band played a robust set spanning their entire discography with a very healthy encore as the band returned after a short break to play "Three Seed," "Cannibal," "Empty Nest," and the moment everyone in attendance was waiting for... "Lazy Eye."
It was a night filled with good tunes and even more good vibes. Silversun Pickups is a force, and their stellar live performance gives any of their studio recordings a run for its money.
For anyone who missed this show, check out all our concert photos from Silversun Pickup's Toronto show at History below:
CONCERT PHOTOS
HELLO MARY
SILVERSUN PICKUPS
THE SETLIST:
Growing Old is Getting Old
Sticks and Stones
Well Thought Out Twinkles
It Doesn't Matter Why
Panic Switch
Scared Together
Little Lover's so Polite
Alone on a Hill
Kissing Families
Don't Know Yet
Mean Spirits
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)
Substitution
Nightlight
Encore:
Three Seed
Cannibal
Empty Nest
Lazy Eye
Photography by: Steve St. Jean