Post-hardcore pioneers Silverstein rocked the socks off Oshawa’s Music Hall, sharing the stage with up-and-coming Canadian bands.
The band has been headlining a North American tour with Cedar Green, Like Pacific and Seaway. The tour went from Nov. 1-25, with a stop in Oshawa Nov 24 with Canadian stops including Kingston, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Oshawa and Vancouver.
“I’ve been a fan (of Silverstein) since about 2009. So about eight years,” said Brendan Perish, who purchased VIP tickets to the show in Oshawa. “I’m just so excited to see them live, honestly. And Like Pacific. I love both of them.”
When Silverstein started its set, the crowd went wild. There were more circle pits, stage diving and crowd surfing. Everyone was signing along with lead vocalist Shane Told.
“I am enjoying the show so much right now. It’s my second concert (in) my whole life. I’ve seen Silverstein twice,” said UOIT criminology student Allen Orzechowski.
Silverstein played a variety of songs off its nine-album discography. The crowd ate up everything the band had to offer and Silverstein played an encore of one of its most well-known songs “My Heroine.”
“Since I’m in a relationship right now, and I really like her, there’s a song called “My Heroine” and it’s basically like, not the drug, but somebody you really care about. That song is like dedicated to her now,” said Orzechowski.
Silverstein is from Burlington, Ont. The band has been creating music for 17 years and has released an album every odd year since 2003. The five-piece band is currently signed to both Rise Records and New Damage Records. They have been described as post-hardcore, emo, or punk.
“I am here 100 per cent for Silverstein. Seaway kicked a**, I like them a lot, they’re awesome. Shout out to those guys,” said Orzechowski.
Cedar Green opened the show with its youthful spunk. The up-and-coming pop-punk band from Philadelphia were the lone American band on the bill. The band is currently in the process of making its first full-length album.
Toronto’s Like Pacific amped up the energy with its performance which sparked the night’s first circle pit. The band released its debut full-length album Distant Like You Asked with Pure Noise Records last February. The single “Distant” has gotten more than one million plays on Spotify.
Oakville’s pop-punk band Seaway took the stage next, playing songs from all three of its albums. The excitement was palpable, with many concert-goers crowd surfing and stage diving.
Seaway is a five-piece band that formed in 2011. They are signed to both Pure Noise Records and Dine Alone Records and have toured with some of pop-punk’s heaviest hitters including Neck Deep and The Wonder Years.
“It’s (the show) is so good. I enjoyed Like Pacific and Seaway, so it’s pretty cool. I don’t even know Like Pacific’s songs that well but it was kind of cool. And for Seaway I knew a few of their songs, but I’m mainly here for Silverstein,” said Durham College music business student Evan Spencer, who has seen the band live six times.
