The first time this writer saw Protest the Hero, the year was 2004 and the band was opening up for Sum 41 when they played a show at The University of Manitoba. To make their way back to home to Whitby, the band had to back track and they played another show here at The Hemp Rock Cafe almost a week later.
Almost 4 years after that show, the Protest boys have certainly come a long way. It’s not too big of a surprise people have eventually caught on though, the band can still shred like no one else and Rody’s obnoxiously amusing stage banter makes their live show one of the better ones you can see.
Taking the stage shortly after 9:30, the band began with a complex instrumental before Rody tore onto the stage. Protest the Hero didn’t disappoint with a solid set list from their latest effort Fortress and Kezia, hammering out older songs like Turn Soonest to the Sea too. Chiodos guitarist Jason Hale joined the band onstage for a song, stage diving onto the crowd sitting on the Burton Cummings Theatre’s plush seats. The stage was decked out with blindingly bright lights which occasionally flashed the words “Fuck” or the band member’s names.
Post hardcore act Chiodos were the night’s co headliner’s and they kicked things off with The Undertaker’s Thirst for Revenge is Unquenchable (The Final Battle) and then dived into two older songs off of All’s Well That Ends Well, There’s No Penguins in Alaska and Baby, You Wouldn’t Last a Minute on the Creek. Near the end, they slowed things down and played A Letter from Janelle which vocalist Craig Owens introduced as a song for all the metal kids in the crowd. Their energetic set was capped off with Is it Progression if a Cannibal Uses a Fork?
Seattle’s The Fall of Troy achieve a similar sound as Protest the Hero, performing tunes with ridiculously complex riffs even though there are only three people in the band. After some pauses, the band launched into their set, playing tracks like Semi-Fiction, F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X and Ex-Creations. Singer/guitarist Thomas Erak interacted with the crowd, occasionally having the crowd hold him up while he lay on his back and played a crazy lick. However, it certainly didn’t sound as polished as on disc, Thomas Erak’s riffs still sounded great but his vocals were very much muffled.
Joining the tour 6 days ago, Winnipeg’s Sick City got the show started at 6:45 playing a short set comprised of songs like Islands, Antoinette and of course, the fan favourite In The Millions.
Final Verdict? 5/5
-Reviewed by Deborah Remus
Check out an interview with Derrick from Chiodos conducted at the show here!
