SPILL LIVE REVIEW: CROWN LANDS @ RICHMOND HILL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, RICHMOND HILL

CROWN LANDS

@ RICHMOND HILL CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, RICHMOND HILL

MARCH 31, 2026

Crown Lands have wrapped up their cross-Ontario tour, performing at theatres across the province, performing a career spanning show, all without support acts. The one-hour-plus performance was divided into three movements, demonstrating the road the band has taken until now, along with a glimpse of what the future holds with an expanded lineup backing Canada’s favourite prog duo.

Titled as the Dragon Rides of Karragon, Crown Lands took the stage to open their performance with a set reflecting the atmospheric and instrumental tone of last year’s EP, Ritual I, and the following album, Ritual II, with Kevin Comeau on guitar, and Cody Bowles on both the flute and lute. Wrapped in hooded cloaks, they were flanked by additional musicians playing bass, synths, and percussion as they performed “Mirage” and “Shadows Under Moonlight” – which also referenced their earlier classic, “Mountain.”

Following their opening set, Comeau and Bowles returned to the stage to perform in their signature form. With Bowles behind the kit belting melodies with the range and power of Robert Plant and Geddy Lee, and Comeau brandishing an array of guitars, some double-necked to include a bass, and synths, it remains incredibly impressive just how much they can accomplish with just the two of them. No matter how many times I see Crown Lands, this remains an astounding feat. This set kicked off with all the fanfare and grandeur of “Starlifter: Fearless Pt. II” before diving head first into “Lady Of The Lake” and “End of The Road.” Culminating with “Citadel,” Crown Lands continued to prove their relentless power as a duo that seemingly knows no bounds to their musicality.

PURCHASE APOCALYPSE

Leaning into the sci-fi and retro-fantasy themes of their aesthetic, the band returned, adorned in helmets, capes, and spiked shoulder pads. Joining the duo was a pair of musicians, the first a bassist and the other a drummer and keys player. While I have never felt that Crown Lands would benefit from an expanded lineup, the idea in itself is a curious one. The possibilities truly appeared endless as they performed a majority of the tracks from their upcoming album, Apocalypse, set for release on May 15. This felt like a truly special moment. While only “Through The Looking Glass” and the title track have been released, the additional songs built upon the existing hype behind the album’s announcement as Crown Lands cut their teeth not only on the new material, but with the expanded lineup. Aside from revamping “The Shadow” with the full band, and the solo acoustic “Penny,” this was entirely new and absolutely thrilling.

Crown Lands remain among the most ambitious rock bands of our time. Their recent theatre tour demonstrates just this. No opener, entirely independent, the band delivered a near-three-hour set that spanned all eras of their music, including a full set dedicated to their upcoming album with an all-new band. This was a performance of legendary proportions that fans will remember for the rest of their days. Every facet, the musicianship, the tones, the performance, and the songwriting were on point as Bowles, Comeau, and company weaved through the shifting passages of a challenging body of work with ease. As momentous as their performance at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts was, it feels like a teaser as Crown Lands gear up for Apocalypse, their fourth full-length studio album; ultimately leaving listeners beyond stoked for what is to come.

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