A Decade in the Pit: Revisiting Toronto’s Live Music Scene in 2016 Through Concert Photography
Photo: Steve St. Jean
We have no idea why or how this became a trend on social, but for some reason in 2026, people are obsessed with looking ten years back. We could do this any year, and we’re not sure what the significance of 2016 is, but we do know it was an incredible year for the live music scene in Toronto.
A decade ago, we were fully immersed in the scene, shooting three to four shows a week, cameras up, never standing still. 2016 marked one of the most prolific and defining years for us as concert photographers, a time when the pace was relentless and the moments were unforgettable.
Curating this photo set was no small task. Digging through the archives meant revisiting countless nights spent in packed venues, sweaty photo pits, and fleeting moments that only existed for a split second under stage lights. In the end, we pulled together a selection of images that best capture the energy, diversity, and sheer intensity of Toronto’s music scene during that era, with one brief detour overseas.
The artists featured, in order of appearance, include: Anderson .Paak, Snoop Dogg, City and Colour, Abbath, Metric, The Dirty Nil, Glassjaw, Deftones, Blink-182, Father John Misty (London, UK), Refused, Jimmy Eat World at House of Strombo, The Sheepdogs, July Talk, Death Cab for Cutie, Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Sum 41, Metallica at The Opera House, and The Dillinger Escape Plan’s final Toronto show.
Ten years later, these images serve as both a time capsule and a reminder of just how special that period was for the artists, the city, and for us behind the camera.
Ten years down. Here’s to the next ten. Let’s go.
Check out the photo gallery below:
Photography: Steve St. Jean
