The Mars Volta Bring Controlled Chaos to Toronto’s History
Photo: Steve St. Jean
On a snowy early November night in Toronto, fans packed into History to witness the ever-unpredictable force that is The Mars Volta. Sharing the bill with Kiani Medina and Feliz Y Dada, the evening set the stage for a night of controlled chaos, a collision of sound, light, and shadow that only Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López could orchestrate.
Touring in support of their latest ninth studio album, Lucro sucio; Los ojos del vacio, The Mars Volta’s set was an immersive experience featuring new material only — a reminder that they’ve never been a band to cater to nostalgia. For longtime fans hoping to hear deep cuts from De-Loused in the Comatorium or Frances the Mute, the night may have felt like a deliberate snub. But for those open to evolution, it was mesmerizing.
Throughout the performance, the entire band was drenched in deep, dramatic shadows. The lighting design was as much a part of the show as the music itself, flashes, pulses, and washes of colour perfectly sequenced to match the set’s dynamic flow. Omar Rodríguez-López stayed largely obscured, performing his intricate guitar work from behind a wall of darkness, while Cedric Bixler-Zavala commanded the stage with his trademark energy and flair. Sharing the spotlight, Teri Gender Bender’s presence was a welcome addition to the show with her vocals weaving seamlessly with Cedric’s in moments of raw, unfiltered emotion.
Even as the night’s snowy weather lingered outside, The Mars Volta’s set ignited History with fiery passion and unpredictability, a reminder that few bands can merge technical precision and emotional chaos quite like them.
Check out the full photo gallery from The Mars Volta’s Toronto performance at History below.
THE MARS VOLTA SETLIST
Fin
Reina tormenta
Enlazan las tinieblas
Mictlán
The Iron Rose
Cue the Sun
Alba del orate
Voice in My Knives
Poseedora de mi sombra
Celaje
Vociferó
Mito de los trece cielos
Un disparo al vacío
Detrás de la puerta dorada
Maullidos
Morgana
Cue the Sun (Reprise)
Lucro sucio
For more concert photos, visit our photo archive here.
Photography by: Steve St. Jean
