THE TREWS w/ EDDY AND THE DIRTY BOYS
@ THE PALACE THEATRE, CALGARY (AB)
FEBRUARY 16, 2026
Canadian rock icons The Trews have been going on tour across Canada as part of The Bloody Light Tour to support their 2025 album The Bloody Light. They gave Calgarians a night to remember at The Palace Theatre on February 16th. It was full of non-stop entertainment, infectious sing-alongs, and explosive energy. It was one of the best concerts I have been to, and it solidifies their status as one of the best Canadian rock acts to see live.
Eddy and the Dirty Boys (featuring members of The Glorious Sons and Boston Levi) opened the night with some good old-fashioned rock with a hint of country. Highlights include their gritty, hard-hitting cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” the exciting and very catchy “Hard Livin,’” and their newest single, “Undefeated,” which had some tremendous guitar riffs.
The Trews took the stage to thunderous applause. They performed many songs from their 2025 album The Bloody Light. The electrifyingly anthemic Bruce Springsteen-inspired song “Carolina” already seems like a huge fan favourite, as many people in the audience were ecstatic when The Trews started playing it. With “One Fine Night,” The Trews demonstrated they are just as good at doing slower songs. Meanwhile, “The Bloody Light” is the best of both worlds, featuring soft, gentle ballad sections and bombastic, highly energetic parts.
SPILL FEATURE: YOU SHOULDN’T BE SETTLING AT ANY STEP OF THE WAY – A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN-ANGUS MACDONALD OF THE TREWS
The Trews also played songs throughout their catalogue. “Ishmael & Maggie” and “Highway Of Heroes” in particular stand out. They gave a very beautiful and intimate performance of “Ishmael & Maggie,” going out into the crowd to perform it. It was really nice to see The Trews interact with fans while performing, and it brought a sense of togetherness between the band and the audience. For “Highway of Heroes,” to honour all of the Canadian soldiers who have died serving the country, frontman Colin MacDonald got everyone in the audience to either turn on their phone lights or use their lighters and hold them up for the duration of the song.
There were a handful of other highlights, too. The Trews’ hard-rocking, full-throttle intensity performance of “Hold Me In Your Arms” was fantastic. During this song, the band also incorporated some snippets of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” into the mix, which was a pleasant surprise and worked perfectly, adding even more to the already electrifyingly badass swagger of the performance. The Trews wowed the audience with their terrific performance of “Paranoid Freak,” which eventually turned into a magnetic medley with a cover of “Hush” (originally written by Joe South and recorded by Billy Joe Royal, later covered by Deep Purple, which made the song incredibly popular and well-known). The Trews and the audience were having a rocking good time during this performance. Songs like “Not Ready To Go,” “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me,” and “Tired Of Waiting” had the entire venue buzzing. The studio versions of these songs are excellent but hearing them live was unreal. MacDonald’s vocals were unbelievable the whole night, with those three songs being massive standouts. You have to see The Trews live to hear just how amazing MacDonald’s vocals are. Lastly, they ended the night with a masterful cover of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Overall, The Trews were spectacular, and I will definitely be seeing them again the next time they come to Calgary.
The Trews Links
Eddy And The Dirty Boys Links
Inlay/Background Photo Credit: Paul Wright
