Ratboys and Florry Light Up Toronto’s Lee’s Palace with Fuzz, Country Twang, and Heart
Photo: Steve St. Jean
Touring in support of their sixth studio album Singin’ to an Empty Chair, Chicago’s Ratboys brought their country-tinged indie rock to Toronto’s Lee’s Palace on Thursday, February 26, with support from Philadelphia’s Florry.
The night started with Florry’s Jon Cox (pedal steel) and Francie Medosch (vocals, guitar) sharing their latest discovery, a mysteriously good black Gatorade they found in only Canada, followed by a short debate about nuts. Francie started listing them off like a stand-up routine, with the crowd calling back suggestions: “walnuts!” “pecans!” The playful energy filled the room while they sorted through some quick sound issues.
Once the chatter faded, Florry launched straight into a barnburner of a set that tore through songs from their sophomore record, one of our favourites from last year, Sounds Like... Francie led with total conviction, the kind of stage presence that hits like sunlight at high noon. The band’s blend of country twang, shredding guitar solos, and Jon Cox’s pedal steel felt effortless, while Joey Sullivan’s shoeless drumming (purple socks and all) perfectly matched Francie’s purple coiled guitar cable, a small but somehow perfect detail. The whole band was locked in, feeding off the crowd’s energy and teeing things up perfectly for Ratboys. If you didn’t know Florry before, you definitely left as a fan.
Ratboys came out to a roar from the crowd, clearly feeling the love. Frontwoman and guitarist Julia Steiner delivered the same charm she’s known for, cracking jokes about her diabolical fuzz pedal, the one with “one big knob,” which got an early laugh. In between songs, she recalled their 2018 Toronto show as one of her favourites (“partly because I was so high”) and later, before the finale, she spoke to the current political climate in America and how she appreciated being in Canada, even though they were going back very soon to continue on with the tour.
Their set leaned heavily on new material, mixed with standouts from The Window (2023) and Printer’s Devil (2020). Guitarist David Sagan’s lead tone was jaw-dropping, and the interplay between him and Steiner was pure chemistry. They looked completely locked into their own world. Drummer Marcus Nuccio smashed his kit in the best possible way while bassist Sean Neumann held everything down like glue.
Both bands absolutely ripped. Florry stole the first half and earned an on-stage shoutout from Steiner, who told the crowd, “Florry is one of the best bands in the world.” It felt genuine, and honestly, after that night, it was hard to disagree.
If I could’ve changed one thing, it would’ve been the clock. A few more songs from each band would’ve been a dream. Still, those few hours felt electric, the kind of night that reminds you why live music hits different. Toronto got two of the best, doing what they do best, with fuzz, twang, heart, and everything in between.
CONCERT PHOTOS
FLORRY
RATBOYS
RATBOYS SETLIST
Open Up
Anywhere
Penny in the Lake
Know You Then
Morning Zoo
It’s Alive!
Strange Love
Light Night Mountains All That
The World, So Madly
Victorian Slumhouse
The Window
I Go Out at Night
Just Want You to Know the Truth
What’s Right?
Burn It Down
Encore:
Go Outside
Black Earth, WI
Words/Photography by: Steve St. Jean
