Toronto finally got its turn, and for me it was a milestone: my first time ever seeing Brian Jonestown Massacre live. After years of spinning their records, I finally walked into Danforth Music Hall to feel that wall of sound in real time.
What they played
- Whoever You Are
- Vacuum Boots
- Do Rainbows Have Ends
- #1 Lucky Kitty
- Fudge
- Days, Weeks and Moths
- That Girl Suicide
- Don’t Let Me Get in Your Way
- When Jokers Attack
- Sailor
- Anemone
- Pish
- Whatever Hippie Bitch
- Servo
- Wait a Minute (2:30 to Be Exact)
- Forgotten Graves
- Super-Sonic
What Went Down
Early glow:
Anton started off surprisingly light—almost chipper. The band sounded dialed in early, layering that signature BJM haze while still keeping it sharp enough to cut through the room. Songs like Vacuum Boots and That Girl Suicide felt like the moment I’d been waiting for, finally watching those tracks take shape right in front of me.
Cracks in the veneer:
Tech glitches cropped up—pedal issues, feedback, and a couple of mic dropouts. Nothing catastrophic, but enough to break the spell here and there.
And then Anton’s mood shifted. What began as playful chatter edged into irritation with the crowd. That familiar volatility—the kind you hear about in BJM lore—surfaced, and suddenly the show carried a different tension.
The letdown:
I was secretly holding out for Nevertheless—the one I wanted most—but it didn’t make the set. A small heartbreak tucked into an otherwise broad sweep of their catalogue.
First Impressions
As a first-timer, the night was a mixed bag but still unforgettable. There’s a messy honesty to BJM live: when it works, it’s hypnotic; when it stumbles, you feel every crack. That duality is part of the deal, and it’s exactly why people keep coming back.
Hearing Anemone swirl around the room, or watching the closing chaos of Super-Sonic, made the bumps worthwhile. This wasn’t the flawless initiation I imagined, but it was real—and that felt right for a band that’s never played by anyone’s rules.
Verdict
First impressions? 6.5/10. A little rough, a little glorious, a little unstable—very BJM.
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