March 10, 2026
Live, Big Wreck and The Damn Truth help usher springtime into Laval
Playing a live gig on a Tuesday night is always going to be a tough sell, but if the line-up is just right, and the location too – then you’re on for a great night on the town. The place is Laval, just outside of the musical mecca that is Montreal, and on the stage are Live, with Big Wreck and The Damn Truth in tow.
It has been a hot minute since I had seen the two headliners, and a few months since I last saw Montreal’s The Damn Truth – and this by and large a show I had penciled into my calendar as one not to miss, and the night was finally here.
See Also: Rise Against at L’Olympia, Montreal
As soon as I arrived at Place Bell, surrounded by thousands of other eager lovers of the sound, I began to get shivers travelling up my spine. There was an electricity in atmosphere. The way people can feed off of each other and share an emotion, well that’s what the build up is sometimes before a big show is about to get underway.
The Damn Truth
It has been almost a full calendar year since The Damn Truth played the Mtelus in Montreal, to celebrate the launch of their wonderful fourth album. That was a particularly great show from the band, which is saying something as The Damn Truth always bring high energy, quality shows to whatever stage they’re performing on. Yet, that night stood out in my memory for how humble the band was – and as soon as I saw their name on this bill, I felt a sense of happiness for them, as well as pride, which might sound strange as I don’t know know they as people.
Back at Mtelus show on March 26th of last year, guitarist Tom Shemer spoke about how pleased he was to finally headline that stage and how it was something he had dreamt of for years. How The Damn Truth had opened up for bands such as The Sheep Dogs and Three Days Grace, and now it was their name that was up on the marquee outside. Well, fast forward a year and here they are, playing Place Bell just outside their hometown of Montreal.
And I just know, that one day soon, their name will be on the marquee outside of Place Bell too. In big letters, headlining this building too. And it will be a well deserved accolade, too.
Tonight though, they were opening the show for Big Wreck and Live, fresh off the back of a European tour and all, and an obviously well-oiled machine. Kicking off their six-song set with the blistering Be Somebody, The Damn Truth hopefully introduced to some that may have been sleeping on the band – who are, in my humble opinion, not only one of Montreal’s best rock bands, but one of the nations best.
Next time I see these fine folks – I hope its at the Bell Center!
Big Wreck
Despite originally forming in 1992, Big Wreck now have more recordings released since they reformed about fifteen years ago than they did during their early, formative years. For some reason that I can’t put my finger on, I find that amusing.
Since their reunion in 2010, Big Wreck have been on a tear, making up for those lost years while continuing their story – and tonight was another page in that yet unwritten story. The umm, rest of that story is about to be blown wide open. (Look, I think I’m funny, alright? I know I’m not but I’m the one one writing this!)
Opening the night with The Oaf, off of their debut double-platinum record In Loving Memory Of…, was a primetime throw back to my high school days as I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia. They say that music is the key trigger for locked away memories so that wave or nostalgia was and is more than welcomed.
Much of Big Wreck’s set tonight though, came from the second wave of the band, one that I am considerably less familiar with. Therefore, I learned on those around me to gauge how everyone else in the room was reacting to these songs and, I can report, that what I saw and overheard was nothing but positive. Only three numbers in their nine-track set came from their first record, with That Song and Blown Wide Open being the other two, nothing off of their second album, which meant that two thirds of their songs were released since 2012.
I was also openly admit, that more attention was also being shared with my phone as I checked in on the score of Habs and Leafs game. As Big Wreck are Ontarians, I imagine they can appreciate that… not the score, mind, which was of course in Montreal’s favor!
Live
Starting off their set with Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition), which was their big introduction to the musical realm back in 1991, despite coming off of their second album, was a bold move that I felt was also a well calculated nod to those that had been following the band from their early days. A sort of we see you moment, as the band acknowledged those that were there to acknowledge them in turn.
Several songs in, the only remaining original member, Ed Kowalczyk, brought out an acoustic guitar to the stage, and spoke briefly before strumming away on it. He mentioned that the next song he had written for the birth of his first child, a daughter, and dedicated it to the mothers and daughters in the room. He then then proceeded to fuck up the lyrics and cause himself and the crowd to chuckle. “I’m getting old” he joked, called the episode a “brain fart” before getting back on track and playing the rest of the track splendidly. That song, of course, being Heaven.
Another amusing moment transpired between the conclusion of Heaven and the following number, when a roadie came out to help awkwardly help Kowalczyk dress in cowboy garb, then undresses to redress in the same clothes, the worlds strangest wardrobe change. Cowboy hat and all. Again, the crowd found humor in the moment.
Apparently the new dress code was to celebrate the secret track off Throwing Copper as Kowalczyk eludes to how kids now will never know what a secret track is, which instantly makes me feel even older than I was already feeling. Thinking on that now, I don’t think I have ever seen a band play a secret song live in concert before now.
Throughout this time, Zack Loy was sat on a stool with a slide guitar in front of him, which was a blatant clue that Horse was next on the setlist.
For Overcome, a good chunk of those seated in Place Bell turned on their cell phone lights which, I thought, pales in comparison to the way we used to show love – with our lighters. When burnt fingertips were a trophy we wore with pride. I think I saw just one single solitary lighter flame amidst the sea of artificial lights, flickering away in the darkness. As Kowalczyk had eluded to earlier, this was another thing, like those secret tracks on compact discs, that the younger generations will be fully be able to appreciate.
At a quick glance, you’d easily mistake Live’s bassist for Kerry King. Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t King. But I swear, I double-took the situation several times, making sure it was King. (Of course it wasn’t, you Muppets, I’m having a laugh!)
Live’s main set reached its climax with Lakini’s Juice, which helped the audience discover that they had an untapped energy reserve within them, and they in turn expelled all that energy at once, together, in what was a pretty impressive response. Songs like Lakini’s Juice showed without any shadow of a doubt that Kowalczyk still has the lungs and the voice that made both he and Live such big news in the day.
I suppose, if you are going to continue a band, through all manor of legal battles with your former band mates, you really need to do that band justice, do its fans who pay to see you justice as well, and I believe that Kowalczyk does that. Perhaps to the chagrin of his prior band mates and all but at least the key portion of the band – the voice – remains intact.
Let’s face it, we as a society are past the concept of an encore. Before, back when, it wasn’t ever written in stone that a band was coming back out. It used to be reserved for extraordinary circumstances – a particularly appreciative crowd that demanded more from a band that been extraordinary on the night. Today, the encore has gone the way of the tip; expected. Demanded. Part of the whole ordeal, and we all know there are more songs to come.
Returning to the stage over a brief moment to the sides, they began to play Turn My Head, which was met with the same reaction that the majority of their set had received. Warmth, love and that sort of thing. But for I Alone, that would change. Suddenly, more and more people got up on their feet and began to hoot and holler, to sing and dance, as one of Live’s best songs rang out.
I think it’s written somewhere, in some sort of scripture, that a Live concert cannot end without them playing Lightning Crashes, which is really a generational song if you think about it. I’m sure some of tonight’s tickets sales were solely for this purpose, which is fine and all, and I was more than pleased to hear it performed live again myself. It also just happens to be a fantastic way to cap off and incredible soiree with three phenomenal bands.
Read More:
>> The Damn Truth at Mtelus, Montreal
>> Bush at Place Bell, Laval
>> The Offspring at Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa
Tonight, Laval’s Place Bell took over the microphone and sang in unison, creating a beautiful rendition of an already beautiful song. Phones lit up, and an incredible aurora flooded the building. Thick with atmosphere, Live were serenaded off into the night moreso than the band had sent the crowd home on a high note. This was more, a symbiosis. This was the power of music in plain sight.
Stepping out into the night, springtime finally upon us once more, I felt revitalized. Ready for nicer weather, and inspired by the power of good music. What a wonderful night it had been.
