On March 3, 2019 at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, the sold out State Champs show had quite the turnout, where a line of fans stretched down the street of the usually quiet neighborhood. Many braved the cold Canadian winter in light jackets or even t-shirts, patiently waiting to be let in to claim their spots. Once security had begun checking tickets, the crowd was buzzing with excitement as a heated venue and a great night of music lied ahead through the doors. The sheer amount of fans was remarkable, many traveling from far and wide to see State Champs, the New York natives, who were supported by Our Last Night, The Dangerous Summer, and Grayscale.
As everyone slowly got settled, groups of fans ran towards the barricade to scoop up the best spot for the evening, while some sauntered off towards the bar or balcony keen on avoiding the cluster of bodies that was slowly building up on the floor.
As the lights dimmed, the background music stopped, and the venue got eerily quiet, Grayscale came into view, opening the night with their song ‘Atlantic’ to the delight of fans. Their set was captivating, with the fans holding onto every guitar riff, and chorus that was sung.
Almost immediately after, The Dangerous Summer took the stage. While fans didn’t respond to the band the same way as they did with Grayscale; they still paid attention, cheering on the artists. However, when lead singer AJ Perdomo announced that they would be playing a new song, titled ‘Where Were You When The Sky Opened Up’, the crowd perked up, eager to hear a new track.
The energy of the show definitely skyrocketed when Our Last Night hit the stage, when crowdsurfers came in numbers to the shock of security. Starting with their opening song, ‘Bury The Hatchet’, lead vocalist Trevor Wentworth got the crowd going absolutely wild. Throughout the set, he interacted with fans on the front line of barricade, making the show a unique experience for the lucky few that managed to get up close.
The lights dimmed for a finally time, and screams could only be heard throughout the venue. A few fans could be seen sitting on a friend’s shoulders, trying to get a good view once the band came out. Soon after, State Champs made their entrance onto the stage, lit by their many floor lights. Singer Derek DiScanio stood and basked in the cheers of the fans for a second before starting to sing the lyrics to their song, ‘Criminal’. Playing a variety of new songs, State Champs decided to switch from the new material to some of the older tracks from their album The Finer Things, appeasing a great amount of fans that have supported them from the beginning. The band concluded their set with ‘Dead And Gone’, only to return to play their hits ‘Elevated’ and ‘Secrets’ as the encore to the delight of the fans. Unfortunately for the fans, this is where the night came to end. But it did leave lasting impressions, as many talked about how great the show was on their way out of the venue.