Young Empires w/ Banners
@ The Mod Club Theatre, Toronto
February 27th, 2016
βLots of sexy people here!β proclaimed Matthew Vlahovich, lead singer of Young Empires during the groupβs set at the intimate Mod Club on Toronto, Ontario.
There were certainly a lot of great looking people milling about during the cocktail party-like atmosphere that night. Lots of hugs and smiles under the chandeliers and blue, purple and green lights. Even opening act BANNERS (Michael Joseph Nelson) got in on the schmoozing, taking photos with numerous crowd members as people awaited Young Empires to hit the stage.
When the stage lights darkened, the crowd erupted into a cheer as the Toronto-based group emerged all adorned in black, silhouetted by pulsating floor lights. Young Empiresβ opening song, βGhostsβ reverberated through the club, the bass shaking the floor as if the engines of a rocket ship were preparing for takeoff. It was a bold, majestic presentation of one of the groupβs songs off of The Gates album. Young Empires was prepared to whisk us all away and take everyone to their very own musical galaxy.
Fittingly, after a quick acknowledgement of being back home, the group quickly launched into βEnter Through The Sunβ, a high-energy piece that started to get the laid back audience dancing, nodding their heads to the music and following the instructions of putting their hands in the air.
Although some of the lighting simulated spinning among the stars, there was no doubt of the Latin influence found within Young Empiresβ self-declared βhaute rockβ compositions, such as when βRain of Goldβ was performed.
While the five-piece danced and bounced on stage, clearly working in a groove, the best received song from the crowd was reserved for βUncover Your Eyesβ, again off The Gates album.
Breakout song, βWhite Dovesβ was given a harder, fuzzy treatment, almost enticing the club to march and chant alongside Vlahovich.
The voyage ended with βThe Gatesβ, which bassist Jacob Palahuk noted was the first and most important song thematically for the album with the same name. It was a safe and wonderful escapeβ¦.except for those continuing on with the afterparty.
Young Empires continues their tour with stops in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Austin before returning back to Canada to play in Ottawa during the month of June.
βΒ Patrick Li
(Photography by Greg Kieszkowski)
PHOTOS:
[sk_grid id=”8910″ initial_load=”20″ gallery_gap=”5″ max_load_more=”20″ hover_color=”a50909″ load_more_label=”Load more”]BANNERS:
[sk_grid id=”8987″ initial_load=”20″ gallery_gap=”5″ max_load_more=”20″ hover_color=”a50909″ load_more_label=”Load more”]YOUNG EMPIRESΒ LINKS:
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BANNERS RETURNS WITH HIS SOARING NEW SINGLE “HAPPIER”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BANNERS RELEASE “GOT IT IN YOU” | TRACK OUT NOW VIA ISLAND RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BANNERS DEBUT INSPIRATIONAL NEW SONG “GOT IT IN YOU (ACOUSTIC)”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: BANNERS – βSOMEONE TO YOUβ THE SOUNDTRACK FOR βAMERICAN IDOLβ + HEADLINE CANADIAN TOUR
