When Kelvin Swaby asked “how do you like us now?” to the sold out Lees Palace right before their breakthrough set closing song, the answer was already there. It was universally loud and clear – Toronto likes The Heavy, they like them a lot.
In town to promote their new record The Glorious Dead, the English genre spanning band hit the crowd like a hurricane, leaving no person untouched. From the moment the band took the stage with Can’t Play Dead, the sweaty crowd was singing, clappng and going wild. You see, going to The Heavy is less a concert and more a collaborative musical adventure. There’s something to do for every song, and all of it was orchestrated by the charismatic lead singer of the band. Swaby was a buzz saw of a front man, energetic from the get go and his infectious energy cut through the crowd with ease. Most bands spend most of their shows building up to the rapport that The Heavy had from the first minute.
Musically, the group mostly stick to their soul meets rock motif, with the band consisting of multiple guitars and a horns section. The new material had some notably good numbers, including an Al Green-esque number Curse Me Good. Like most upbeat soul music, it becomes pretty apparent that the music of the Heavy is best experienced live, where the simplicity of the band’s song structures results in some amazing call and response sequences.
This was my second time seeing The Heavy this year and both times they were phenomenal. See them live.
Can’t Play Dead
What You Want Me to Do?
Sixteen
Cause for Alarm
Short Change Hero
Curse Me Good
Big Bad Wolf
What Makes A Good Man?
Same Ol
A Lesson Learned
Don’t Say Nothing
Blood Dirt Love Stop
Just My Luck
Coleen
Girls
How You Like Me Now?