SPILL LIVE REVIEW: INCUBUS W/ MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA & PARIS JACKSON @ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

INCUBUS W/ MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA & PARIS JACKSON

@ BUDWEISER STAGE, TORONTO

JUNE 30, 2025

Last year, Incubus celebrated 23 years of their seminal 2001 record, Morning View, with the release of their spectacular reimagining of the classic work, Morning View XXIII, which saw the band perform the album, front to back, live off the floor. Now, the band is in the midst of their North American tour, as they hit up Toronto’s Budweiser Stage with support from Manchester Orchestra and Paris Jackson, as they continue to celebrate Morning View by performing the album in its entirety.

Following a rainstorm that delayed the opening of the venue – and likely led to Jackson unfortunately performing to a near empty venue as the crowd painstakingly waited to enter the grounds – Manchester Orchestra took the stage for a momentously powerful performance. With a distinctly alternative and modern sound that blends cinematic polish with aggressive eruptions, their set was full of highlights. Andy Hull’s vocals bellowed over the dissonant and often chaotic sound for the band. As Manchester Orchestra played with space, rhythm, tones, and mood, they navigated soundscapes that would ebb and flow between stark and densely packed. Compared to much of their discography, their live show is far heavier and in your face, making for a unique convert experience than one may have expected. Highlights for their set included “Bed Head”, “Shake It Out”, “I Can Feel A Hot One”, and “The Gold”. Truly, I was blown away by Manchester orchestra and am astounded that more people aren’t talking about this band.

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As Incubus took the stage to a nearly sold-out venue, the anticipation was building. Walking on to the ambient sounds of “Nice To Know You” before hitting that explosive chorus, the band was captivating from the first notes, something they would maintain throughout their near two-hour set. Part of this comes down to their collective musicianship, but another part comes to their reinterpretation of the songs from Morning View. By the end of “Circles”, which featured a monstrous breakdown, it was clear that, while they would be performing Morning View in its entirety, they were leaning more into the adaptations and arrangements of Morning View XXIII, effectively breathing a new sense of life and energy to their most classic material. Few artists, and albums for that matter, feature such a vast range of versatility from the reflective “Wish You Were Here”, the brooding “11am”, the groovy “Warning”, the meditative “Echo” and “Aqueous Transmission”, the latter of which guitarist Mike Einziger would perform on the pipa – and the blistering “Have You Ever”. Much like on Morning View, Incubus performed each with equal level of conviction, making for a compelling performance. Additionally, Einziger, Brandon Boyd, and Nicole Row performed an acoustic “Blood On The Ground”, followed by Boyd and Einziger performing “Mexico” as a duo. The band also sprinkled in a pair of covers, as Boyd sang the chorus to Rihanna’s “Umbrella” at the beginning of “Under My Umbrella” and, most impressively, the band busted out an incredible rendition of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” at the end of “Are You In?” which completely shifted the light tone of the song into something far more dark and pensive.

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: INCUBUS – MORNING VIEW XXIII

Following their performance of Morning View, Incubus would play an additional six songs to close out their show. From “Megalomaniac” to “Anna Molly”, and “The Warmth”, the band flexed their discography alongside their own musical chops. Boyd’s vocals effortlessly soared throughout the amphitheatre as he delivered anthem after anthem, while Einziger continued to demonstrate why he is perhaps the most underrated guitarist of all time. Row, as the newest member of the band, fit in with a strong foundation, locking in with the rhythm section led by Jose Pasillas, another artist who’s contributions to drums and alternative rock cannot be overstated for his consist and innovative nature. The band closed out their show with “Stellar”, “Pardon Me”, and “Drive”, making for an exciting and powerful conclusion to a spectacular night, one which begs the question if we will ever get a live, anniversary edition of Make Yourself in tone with Morning View XXIII.

Incubus has always been good live; however, they are proving to be exceptional on this current tour marked by a thrilling night of nostalgia and musicality in Toronto. Tight as ever, the band sounds revitalized and hungry as ever, with a level of musicianship, creativity, and artistry far beyond most of their contemporaries, making the Morning View anniversary tour an absolute must see musical experience. As they go on to showcase the timelessness of their seminal work, perhaps we are also witnessing the greatness of Incubus as they demonstrate the band to be essential to the alternative rock canon.

Incubus Links

Manchester Orchestra Links

Paris Jackson Links

Main Photo Credit: Shawn Hanna