Show Review: Loma Prieta @ The Soybomb (Toronto, Ontario) on April 6, 2012

Recently Converge came to Toronto and brought one of the very best hardcore bands in existence with, Loma Prieta. After their opening set at the Mod Club, Loma Prieta played an after party show at local DIY venue The Soybomb. Loma were the secret special guest headliners playing with several amazing local Toronto hardcore bands. As jaw dropping as it was to see Loma Prieta up on a bigger stage there just isn’t really anything like seeing them in a smaller and more casual space. The experience seems so much more powerful and exciting than in a large venue.

The first band I got to see that night was Toronto’s own Vilipend. This was their second set of the night after they opened for Converge at the Mod Club. I’ve been listening to Vilipend for a little over a year and have consistently managed to miss seeing them live. However, this time I finally managed to catch them and I was in no way disappointed. Their set wasn’t the tightest I’ve ever seen, but the sheer amount of energy they put into their performance more than made up for it. They almost didn’t play due to vocalist Chris Gramlich apparently sustaining some kind of back injury at a previous show, however it didn’t look like he was hindered too much the way he was twisting and bouncing around the room while still giving one of the most intense vocal performances I’ve ever seen.

The next band of the night was Foxmoulder, another Toronto hardcore band that I have nothing but love for. With a sound that is akin to a heavier Ampere, their set was super-tight and intense. At times it was difficult to distinguish the band from the crowd as vocalist Matthew Cuthbert moved through the space while screaming about feminism and video games. This is a must-see band for anyone who is into that late 90’s era of emo and screamo music and personally, I think that they are the best hardcore band in Toronto at the moment.

The second to last band of the night was Delo Truda, a screamo band who for the most part hail from Mississauga. This band has been playing shows in and around Toronto for several years now and seems to have gone relatively unnoticed although I really can’t seem to understand why. Their sound is features melodic song structures similar to bands like Suis La Lune and City of Caterpillar, but with a more aggressive vocal performance in which each member of the band contributes. Although not quite as energetic as the other bands, they played each song with incredible precision, never missing a single note.

Finally at the end of the night Loma Prieta took to the stage for their second set of the night. It can be difficult to comment on Loma Prieta’s performance or their music since I consider them to be the best hardcore band in the world today. Every song is played with an incredible level of energy and emotion, and despite the fact that everyone in the room seemed to be moving the band still played each song perfectly. As incredible as it was to see Loma Prieta play live on a big stage, no one can deny the absolute power of this band in a small intimate venue. If you haven’t checked out their latest album I.V. it is available for purchase on the Deathwish Inc. website.

Check out the song “Fly By Night” here.