SPILL FESTIVAL REVIEW: CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK 2024 – THE ANTI-QUEENS @ THE AXIS CLUB, TORONTO

CANADIAN MUSIC WEEK 2024 – THE ANTI-QUEENS

@ THE AXIS CLUB, TORONTO

JUNE 1, 2024

Toronto is alive with the sound of Canadian Music Week, the annual festival which marks the beginning of the superior concert season: summer. Among an array of events across the city, The Anti-Queens headlined the coveted opening night spot at The Axis Club as they celebrated the release of their latest album, Disenchanted. With support from Brutal Youth, The Scary Loud, and Wise Guise, The Anti-Queens’ album release party was the CMW showcase to be at tonight.

Opening with “Apocalypse She”, The Anti-Queens kicked off their set in full force. With an expanded lineup that included an additional guitarist, the band sounded massive. In addition to this, The Anti-Queens would be joined by numerous guest vocalists, including Sarah Beth (Doghouse Rose), Molly Mayhem (Wise Guise), and Tracy A (Cross Dog) – the latter of whom was also featured on Disenchanted. The band also took a moment to invite Sum 41 guitarist – and Disenchanted producer – Dave Brownsound on stage. Lastly, acknowledging not only the celebratory nature of the night, but the four years it took to make the record, the band invited all four of their past drummers to join them for a handful of songs each. Despite this, there was an overall level of cohesion to the set, with each guest and switch in the lineup only adding to a growing sense of momentum.

DISENCHANTED ALBUM REVIEW

Musically, the band was in fine form as they performed a 19-song set. Emily Bones’ lead vocals were incredibly powerful as her voice danced along with pop melodies with a gravelly timbre. Lead guitarist Valerie Knox’s solos cut through the dense wall of sound while further adding lush vocal harmonies. Much like their albums, the band was able to navigate a balance between grimy and pop punk, along with heavier influences, to deliver a powerful performance that exceeded all hype. Furthermore, the band performed 12 of the 13 tracks on Disenchanted, along with a handful of favourites.  Highlights in their set included “Saviour”, “Dirty Girl”, “Worse Than Death”, “Crusade”, “Bulldozer”, and “Doomed Again”.

There was an air of curation and celebration to the night. Not only did the three openers feel hand-picked by The Anti-Queens, but their range of styles – classic punk, pop punk, and hardcore – felt like a collection of influences that the headliners would employ seamlessly, making for an enjoyable leadup as the night progressed. Furthermore, by inviting all four of their past drummers and multiple guest vocalists from the likes of Doghouse Rose, Wise Guise, and Cross Dog, The Anti-Queens were celebrating both the release of Disenchanted and the local punk community. In addition to this, The Anti-Queens put on a stellar performance that captured some of the best material from their latest album and their 2019 self-titled with an overall performance that felt larger than life. With this performance, The Anti-Queens continue to prove themselves among the most exciting, up and coming punk outfits with a show that is bound to become legendary among the Toronto scene.

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