SPILL LIVE REVIEW: RISE AGAINST w/ DESTROY BOYS & KOYO @ HISTORY, TORONTO

RISE AGAINST w/ DESTROY BOYS & KOYO

@ HISTORY, TORONTO

MARCH 10, 2026

In 2025, punk veterans Rise Against released Ricochet, their tenth studio record. Produced by Catherine Marks, the record marked a slight departure for the band and was accompanied with a range of festival appearances and a handful of intimate acoustic and live Q&A sessions – including one at Toronto’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Currently, Rise Against are in the midst of their North American tour in support of the record as they stopped for the first of two nights back-to-back at Toronto’s History.

Koyo opened the night with a high energy set of pop-punk inspired songs, with slight hardcore inclinations. With a sound highly nostalgic for 2006, they held the crowd in the palm of their hand almost immediately as they got the audience to sway their raised arms in unison by the second song. Their set came hot on the heels of “Irreversible”, their recent single which dropped last month, however, the band was also hyping up “What I’m Worth” which was released shortly after their set at midnight on March 11, ahead of their debut full-length album, Barely Here, set to release on May 8^th.

Destroy Boys followed with a highly unique sound reminiscent of underground punk from the ‘70s and ‘80s. They were, without a doubt, incredibly raw, super grimy, and they exuded absolute conviction with every note. As their singer withered across the stage like Iggy pop and howled with the reckless abandon of Siouxsie Sioux, she spoke of the importance of political action and solidarity, establishing themselves as an outfit of Pro-Indigenous, identity affirming, and anti-war punks. While rooted in old school punk and the fringes of alternative rock, the band took a heavier stance when their lead guitarist hopped on the mic and absolutely crushed it with a volatile performance. Destroy Boys captured a rare level of excitement, paired with a firm musical and political identity; this is certainly a band to look out for.

RICOCHET ALBUM REVIEW

Rise Against took the stage to the first of two sold-out audiences. The veteran punks opened their set with a powerhouse of three knockout songs, “The Good Left Undone,” “Worth Dying For,” and “Satellite,” demonstrating the full power and force of the band, most notably Tim McIlrath’s ability to lead the charge with a gravelly voice that can cut through the onslaught of distorted power chords. With a packed setlist that played to fan favourites, the band then performed the lone track from Ricochet, “Prizefighter”. This song alone speaks to the quality of the record and begs the question why more of the album didn’t make the cut.  The band continued with a hard-hitting performance that included “I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore,” “Wolves,” and “Savior.” In a single moment of reprieve, McIlrath and guitarist Zach Blair performed an acoustic “Hero Of War” with Blair stepping away for McIlrath to lead the audience through a solo acoustic singalong of “Swing Life Away”.  The band would reconvene with another massive trio of songs to close out their set, “The Great Die-Off,” “Hairline Fracture,” and “Prayer Of The Refugee.”

While it would have been something special to see more material from Ricochet live – especially after how the band marketed the record as a brave new departure, ushering in a new era – Rise Against delivered a hard-hitting set that doubled down on audience nostalgia. The show solidified their continued presence as leaders among modern punk, while also speaking to their enduring socio-political relevancy as a band dedicated to fighting the good fight and refusing to back down.

Rise Against Links

Destroy Boys Links

Koyo Links